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Prior to the exhibition match, Instructor Matthias Greyham was somewhat worried about the other noble kids picking on the new boy, but within the first few opening moves of the match, he realized he had nothing to worry about.

After announcing Luke Ironcrest as the winner and Arnold Baskshield was brought aside to be taken care of by the healing mages, he turned to the other students.

“A commendable performance for the first match, now we will move on to the next part of the sparing session.” He then turned and gave a signal, 4 mages made their way to the empty part of the training grounds and started raising chest-high 10-meter by 10-meter stages.

By the time they were done, there were 20 stages and he started shouting a gain. “There are 20 stages, this will be a test of your skill and endurance. The rules are simple,” he then hefted a big hourglass on a table, “when the last grain of sand hits the bottom of this hourglass, the winners left on the 20 stages will not owe me 5 lap runs around the train grounds while swinging their sword! If you are knocked out, fall off the stage, or yield, you lose and must vacate the stage, and for the few of you who already know how to manifest your aura, don’t. Aura is forbidden in this sparing match.”

Seeing the student’s face go white, Matthias knew he had them motivated. “Each stage will only have 1 on 1 combat, and if I see any stages without any participants challenging the current winner, people will be “volunteered” to fight on the available stage. If you lose, it does not matter, you can try to retake your stage or try to take another stage. And if any of you are hurt, the healers are on standby at the side. Your time starts now!” with that, Matthias flipped the hourglass and the time started.

***

I smiled as I made my way toward the nearest stage, but I did not manage to be the first on any of them due to being the furthest away as I was walking down the stage after kicking that Arnold guy’s ass when this King of the Hill game mode was announced, but no matter, I already see my classmates engaged in combat and they do not seem so tough.

I did not bother searching for any specific stage and waited at the closest stage for the current duel to be over.

The moment the duel ended, I hopped on the stage before anyone could, and being the sporting chap that I am, I gave my opponent some time to catch his breath from his previous match.

When I saw the boy had recovered, I asked, “Are you ready?” he nodded while giving a serious and cautious look, clearly wary of me after seeing my exhibition match.

I ready my sword and wave the boy forward to let him have the opening move.

The boy charges me and opens with a thrust toward my chest, which I deflect with ease using my own sword. From that weak attack, he is obviously feeling me out. After a few more attacks targeting different parts of my body, he finally makes a real move by feinting an overhead strike but transitions it into an attack from the side towards my midsection.

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I avoided this blow by taking a step back, his wooden sword grazing the loose fabric of my shirt.

“Nice attack,” I complimented the kid, “now it's my turn.” I dashed forward as the boy tried to make me keep my distance by stabbing his sword toward me.

I went low, dodging a thrust aiming for my chest, got well within his guard to grab his collar with an available hand, and turned around into him butt first. When we were in the position of him spooning me, I jerked my butt up, which lifted his feet off the ground, and threw him over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes to the floor.

This drove the wind out of the boy’s lungs and before he realized what happened and why he was on his back, I had my wooden sword to his neck and asked, “Do you yield?”

When he got to his senses a couple of seconds later, he nodded, “I yield”.

I offered a hand and the boy, obviously a commoner from his disposition and lack of coat of arms, hesitatingly took my arms as I helped him up.

I then petted him on the shoulder as he turned to walk off stage, “Well fought.”

I then turned around to see who my next opponent was, only to see my stage surrounded by Oswald and his goons, and by the look on their faces, I could already tell what they were thinking.

I am pretty sure they know they cannot beat me 1 on 1, so Oswald plans to send his goons to tire me out before he comes and finishes me off.

As the first of the goons come on stage, an idea comes to mind as I smile at goon No.1.

The moment he brought his sword up, I ran towards him and stuck. Within 3 moves, I managed to knock away his guard and started beating him up until he shouted “Stop! I yield! I yield!”

As goon No.1 hobbles off the stage, goon No.2 runs on stage and attacks immediately. This time, I beat him in 5 moves before he surrendered.

By the time goon No.6 stepped onto the stage to attack, I looked like I was breathing heavily as each participant took more moves to defeat.

When I defeated goon No.10 it looked like I was almost fighting him to a draw, but a “lucky” strike to the jaw knocked out the goon.

It was then that Oswald stepped onto the stage, as he swaggered over to me and started talking shit loud enough for those around the stage to hear, “Not so tough now are you, Ironcrest. Well… I am going to enjoy beating you like the dog you are!”

Hearing the shit coming out of his mouth, I could not help but snort a laugh, which sparked Oswald’s ire “What so funny you bastard?!”

After getting my laugh under control, I replied, “You swagger up here like you actually did something and say you are going to beat me like a dog… You? Beat me? A coward like you had to send others to do your job for you before you think I looked weak and came to deal the “finishing blow”. I bet you get your butlers to chew your food for you before spitting it in your mouth to swallow, that's how weak you are.”

My comment gets some laughter from the crowd of students that formed around my stage to see me demolish Oswald’s goon squad in record time, this pissed Oswald off big time and he readied his sword while screaming at me. “Shut up! Last time you faced me without my sword! Now I will show you what it means to face the blade of house Berkeley!”