"Hello, sir. My name is Torin. We are adventurers," Torin introduced himself, his gaze fixed on the person in front of him. "May I ask your name?" he inquired politely.

"I am Aldric, a mercenary," replied Abyss, offering his name in return. "What brings all of you here?" he asked, curious about their presence.

"Before that, let me introduce everyone. We are a 4-member party, and this mage here is named Sharlyn," Torin pointed towards Sharlyn. He continued, "The assassin is Kane." Just as Torin was about to introduce the swordsman, the swordsman interrupted in a cold tone, "My name is Afeef ."

This young man introduced himself to Aldric. Afeef was of same age as Aldric and he and Afeef shared many things in common like they were both sword users from the looks with white hair and green eyes. He wore a silver cloth armor.

"Hey, Sharlyn, am I dreaming? He introduced himself," Kane exclaimed, bewildered. Sharlyn, equally shocked, replied, "No, brother Kane, he really did introduce himself upfront."

"Ahem! Let's not get distracted," Torin interjected, redirecting their focus. "Sir Aldric, may I ask you another question, and I want an honest answer. Did you kill this Naga?" Torin's voice turned serious as he gestured towards Kane, who had brought out the Naga's lifeless body from the bushes.

Aldric took a moment before responding, "Don't speak so formally. I believe you are older than me. And to answer your question, yes, I killed it."

Silence fell upon the forest, as if the entire world had paused. "You're joking, right? A person can't kill an D-rank monster alone," Kane managed to utter, barely concealing his shock.

"Then prove it," Afeef declared in a cold tone, pointing his sword towards Aldric.

"But why do I need to prove it?" Aldric questioned, his confusion evident.

"Why can't you be honest? You just want to fight him, don't you?" Sharlyn chimed in, a big smile on her face as she looked at Afeef. "Brother Aldric, he has a very big problem that whenever he sees anyone stronger he just wants to fight that guy. And let me tell you something, he is already very skilled with his sword. So, even if you killed a Naga, don't underestimate him," she added, winking at Aldric.

"I suppose it can't be helped, and I also want to test my new abilities and see how much I've improved," Aldric thought to himself.

"Alright, but I have a condition," Aldric stated.

"What condition?" Afeef inquired.

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"You must use every bit of your power," Aldric replied. Afeef nodded in agreement, understanding that Aldric was not looking down on him but rather seeking a genuine fight.

"I will be the judge," Torin declared, positioning himself to oversee the battle. "Let's see how this child fares against Afeef."

"Then let the battle begin," Torin announced, quickly stepping back to give them space.

Without wasting a second, Afeef dashed towards Aldric, launching a horizontal and diagonal strike. Aldric countered by leaping high into the air, using the fall to power his own vertical slash. The clash of their swords generated small waves in the surroundings. Unable to withstand the force of Aldric's powerful strike, Afeef decided to retreat. He realized that Aldric was no pushover, noting how Aldric had utilized the jump to enhance his attack.

Afeef acknowledged him as a powerful opponent and decided to go on full power. He then stood still, like a statue, providing Aldric an opportunity to attack. However, Aldric sensed something amiss and backed off just in time.

Boom!

Suddenly, a thick layer of mana enveloped Afeef. Aldric realized that if he had been a second slower, he would have been thrown meters away by the shockwaves generated from Afeef's power.

"What is that?" Sharlyn asked, her voice filled with shock as she observed Afeef.

"You shouldn't be surprised. Afeef must have used some kind of skill that we are unfamiliar with," Kane explained to Sharlyn. "No, since you're not a mage, you won't be able to sense it, but right now, Brother Afeef is drawing mana from the environment and growing more powerful," Sharlyn clarified, trying to make sense of the situation. "Impossible! Only high-level mages can do that," Kane exclaimed, his jaw dropping in disbelief. "That's what I've been saying. Since Brother Afeef is a swordsman, how can he do something like this?" Sharlyn questioned Torin, seeking an explanation.

"It is possible, but only for those who have awakened a special class called Magic Knight," Torin finally revealed. "However, he hasn't fully mastered it yet. You haven't been in this party for long, that is why you two don't know but Afeef and I have been together for fifteen years," Torin explained, his gaze shifting towards the ongoing battle. "Now, Aldric, what will you do?" Torin pondered silently.

As the mana subsided, Afeef's sword became infused with mana. "Prepare yourself, Aldric. Here I come," Afeef declared, his eyes filled with determination to defeat Aldric.

To be continued...