[https://i.imgur.com/sfHqwWT.jpg]

Flida woke up this morning less anxious than usual. But that didn't mean much, as the nervousness was still to much to bear. But she had to bear it, for she had a mission to complete. This group, kind as they may be, is stranger than a box of wild beasts. One large, quiet one keeps staring at Flida and then reading a religious book. The beautiful blonde could talk the ear off any person within fifty metres.

The black one is the strangest one of all. Tall and lean. A face that has probably dumped many ladies, ebony skin that shines in the sun. Talks about some Hood that everyone seems to understand. His stare felt like it was examining her every crevice. He seemed smarter than he let on. That he would be able to find Flida’s secret. Flida would shake her head and force herself to not think of that. She needs no more worries. And plus, the same man slaughtered her chasers. And the promise to help her seemed sincere. He was the hero of Foushire, the one who did as he said. But today he had become even stranger. After a battle of warriors that stories would be written about, a man who looked just like her client launched an attack that blew Drac away. Flida hid behind the giant while the others watched the friend fight. She held on to her dagger, wishing for the safe return of her precious wolf.

Aura slammed on the wet rocks where Drac stood; the pebbles melted and smouldered, and the rocks turned bright and liquid. Drac looked at what his body could have been and gulped. A muscle-bound teenager dropped down in the water. Walking out of the stream, his wrathful eyes looked at Drac.

He won't hold back like the old man. We will lose if we don't try every trick in the book.

Drac agreed.

Gold pommel to his face and an empty hand low, Drac took his stance. He flowed. Like a soft wind swaying a leaf to and fro. Axton looked at Drac with confusion.

“What is that?”

“Mm?”

“The strange way you are holding your blade."

Drac looked at his blade and back at Axton. “Oh, this? Don’t know what it's called, really. I only use it if I am about to lose. If you would like to know more, perhaps you should join us.”

“It's bad. Utterly atrocious. So many limitations. Short range of motion as well.”

Well, his brain has a short range of motion.

What does that mean, Hood?

I don’t know... But the fucker insulted my swordsmanship. Show him how it is really used in battle.

“I see. Figure yourself worthy to judge.”

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

“Yes.” The stones by Axton’s feet exploded, and the copy became a blur. A swing of the wooden sword pushed the guarding Drac away. His feet dragged in the wet pebbles. Axton appeared on Drac’s left and struck the leg. With a reverse grip, Drac struggled to reach down.

The attack was a feint. The wooden sword moved away from the leg.

“Understand now? Limitations.”

With Drac's head unobstructed, Axton struck down. Drac tuned many spells. Light as a feather, he spins around. With the wind, he increased the speed of the spin. Turning his back to the floor, his Heilong met the practice sword. Aura aided his muscles and coated his sword, and Drac tuned Ignis on his blade. A great explosion knocked the practice sword away, leaving a shocked Axton open for a strike. Protected from the flames by Murus, Drac kept the momentum of the spin, landed on his feet, and went to slice. Axton protected his body with a two-handed guard.

Drac smiled and said, “What do you think about its limitations now?”

Why did you use Ignis on my sword!?

Hey, calm down. Look, it didn’t melt at all.

What do mean- wait… Oh, interesting…

Axton looked down at Drac with irritation. “The limitations are still there, no matter how good the user is.”

A pulse of aura pushed Heilong off the wooden sword, and Drac was left open. “No matter how you supplement your bad technique with magic, your form is still bad.” Axton went for a horizontal strike. Drac blocked the slash with a thick wall of murus. It cracked, sending Drac across the stream.

Drac flipped his sword, thinking of new strategies. His mind was blank. There are no options other than to throw everything at the swordsman. Drac summoned another sword. In his left hand and tuned Ignis on his. Strange markings show on the sword. The right-handed Heilong was coated in aura and condensed to a fine edge.

It is time to use the hours of training and days of killing. This cave dweller knows nothing of life outside. Of battle. He swung his sword in a damp room with only his handler for company. Use that against him. Make him submit with your experience.

Drac agreed.

This is going to hurt really bad afterwards.

Drac flared his aura. Tuning Levitation, Ventus, Ignis, and Murus Drac hovered. Pebbles were blown away by the wind and heat.

“First time doing this in a real battle, I am excited,” Drac said with a wide grin, hovering metres in the air. Axton’s afro blew in the wind, looking up at Drac. A small smile crept on his face. Drac made a platform of blue behind him. With all his powers, he pushed off the blue and blasted toward Axton like a bullet. Drac slashed with his right aura sword. Axto sidestepped to the left and swung down. A blast of fire brought Drac's momentum to a full stop, then he blasted away from the coming attack. Axton’s slash hit the stones below, leaving a burning hole.

With Ignis and Ventus on his left sword, he threw waves of crescent fire at Axton. The caveman extinguished the fire with his own aura waves. Axton’s aura waves overpowered Drac’s, causing the man in black to blast to the side, create a platform, and blast off at Axton again. Using his superior speed and two blades, Drac slashed at Axton from every angle and every side. Drac would swing, then manoeuvre himself around Axton to slash with the other blade. It was blocked and countered in vain, as Drac had already moved out of the way with Ignis and Ventus.

Hovering around like a dragonfly, Axton’s attempts at swatting Drac were evaded. But the caveman seemed calm. Every action and strike was poised and strict. Every move was made with intent. There are no mistakes in his form.

He is waiting for an opening.

Axton intercepted both swords from above and guided them down to the ground. Axton curled, charging his aura on his practice sword and flinging out an aura wave by his opponent's feet. Drac jumped over the wave.

The tip of a wooden sword glowed in his face and exploded with aura.