Chapter 12: Rayn vs. Browbeard
Chapter 12: Rayn vs. Browbeard
Five days later.
As Rayn gradually unleashed his Level 2 swordsmanship skills, the Swordmaster Humbert, observing from the side, concluded that Rayn possessed an extraordinary talent for swordsmanship.
To put it bluntly, Rayn was a swordsmanship genius, albeit an ordinary one, one in a hundred.
This newfound realization made Humbert view Rayn with newfound respect.
With proper cultivation, he could become a capable guard, even a captain!
"Today, we will begin swordsmanship sparring!"
"To improve quickly in swordsmanship, you need a sparring partner."
"And this partner should not be chosen lightly. Ideally, they should be of similar skill, so that your improvement is maximized." Humbert's resounding voice echoed across the training ground.
"Rayn, Browbeard, you two, come forward and demonstrate sparring. Everyone else, watch carefully!" Humbert called out.
Browbeard was none other than Richard.
"Yes, Swordmaster!" they replied in unison.
After speaking, the two quickly stepped forward, taking their positions at the front of the formation. They assumed the starting stance of basic swordsmanship, their ironwood swords pointing at each other.
Browbeard felt a sense of unease and irritability about Rayn's recent progress.
When Rayn had shown exceptional skill in hoof care and nailing horse shoes, he hadn't paid it much mind.
After all, his goal was to become an estate guard, as evidenced by his early pursuit of basic swordsmanship under his relative's guidance.
But he hadn't expected Rayn to once again capture Swordmaster Humbert's attention during swordsmanship training.
This was something he couldn't accept!
If this continued, Rayn would undoubtedly become a formidable rival.
Moreover, Rayn had even bested him in a fight before, leaving him humiliated.
So, Browbeard had been contemplating using the sparring session as an opportunity to "accidentally" injure Rayn, perhaps even preventing him from holding a sword again!
"Begin!"
As Humbert's command echoed, Rayn and Browbeard simultaneously thrust their swords, but Rayn immediately noticed that Browbeard's sword speed was slightly faster.
This advantage was due to Browbeard's height and more refined basic swordsmanship.
Rayn swiftly changed his stance, using the strength of his sword to parry his opponent's attack.
The clash of ironwood swords produced a dull sound.
Rayn retreated three steps, while Browbeard only took one, clearly maintaining the upper hand.
Browbeard's face lit up with triumph.
No matter how talented you are, you won't surpass me for at least half a year.
However, Rayn remained calm, having anticipated this situation.
Firstly, in terms of height, Browbeard was nearly a head taller, giving him a significant reach advantage in swordsmanship.
Secondly, Browbeard had been studying basic swordsmanship for nearly two years, far surpassing Rayn's current Level 2 basic swordsmanship.
Rayn estimated that Browbeard's swordsmanship, when converted to the system's displayed levels, would likely be at or near Level 3.
Rayn had barely managed to block Browbeard's repeated attacks, a truly close call!
While there was no life-threatening danger, a solid strike from an ironwood sword could still inflict excruciating pain.
"If I don't improve my swordsmanship level, I'll surely lose this match!"
"Why did Swordmaster Humbert arrange this sparring session with Browbeard? Is it to let me experience defeat and spur me to greater heights, or to further unlock my potential?"
"Thud! Thud! Thud!" The dull clangs of ironwood swords continued.
Humbert, standing nearby, crossed his arms and watched the duel with an expressionless face.
In his heart, he had already made a judgment: if nothing unexpected happened, Rayn would lose this fight.
After experiencing this minor setback, Rayn would surely rise to the challenge!
To forge fine steel, the iron must be hammered!
At that moment, the tall Kylie took the lead, leading a group of servants who had apparently just finished equestrian training.
From their elevated position, they could see two servants sparring below.
Rayn, drenched in sweat, also sensed Browbeard's hostility.
His opponent had made several deliberate attempts to strike his vital points.
"Damn! What's his game?"
"No wonder this brat has been so quiet these days, he's been waiting for me here!"
"Wound me? Make me bedridden for a month or two?"
"Damn it, I can't take this anymore!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Lei En's eyes.
Skill Points!
He decisively used a skill point, and in an instant, his Basic Swordsmanship level increased from lv2 to lv3. At the same time, fragments of training memories related to Basic Swordsmanship were injected into his mind.
Across from him, Browbeard noticed a momentary daze in Lei En's eyes.
"What a perfect opportunity!" he thought to himself.
A cruel look appeared on his face, and he executed a Step Cleave towards Lei En's right shoulder.
If this hit, Lei En would be bedridden for at least ten days, and it was likely that he wouldn't be able to practice swordsmanship for a month or two.
As Browbeard's attack approached, Lei En felt a sense of control over the ironwood sword in his hand, as if it were an extension of his own arm!
In the blink of an eye, Lei En blocked the attack with the strength of his sword.
"Bang!"
The two ironwood swords clashed, emitting a dull sound.
But this time, Lei En firmly held his ground without retreating.
Browbeard took advantage of the recoil from the clash and spun around, executing a Spinning Slash towards Lei En's face with incredible speed.
At this moment, Browbeard felt incredibly satisfied.
This move was an exceptional display of his current swordsmanship skills.
In his mind, there was no way Lei En could block this attack.
Then, he could pretend it was an accident and feign innocence.
Haha, the nickname 'One-Eyed Rayn' wouldn't be bad!
A slight smirk appeared on Browbeard's face.
The crowd of boys watching let out exclamations as they witnessed the powerful strike.
George looked on with concern, unsure if his best friend could counter this move.
Swordsmanship Instructor Humbert was ready to intervene and stop the attack.
Lei En's heart jolted, and he instinctively leaned back, using the strength of his sword to block Browbeard's fierce strike.
Then, with a burst of strength from his abdominal muscles, Lei En quickly countered.
"Slap!"
Browbeard's wrist was struck by Lei En, causing him to drop his ironwood sword.
The sudden turn of events left the surrounding pages stunned and speechless.
"Huh! This instinctive swordsmanship intuition... It seems I may have underestimated him!" Humbert was both surprised and slightly excited.
From a distance, the youngest daughter of the Marquis of the Habsburg Manor, Kylie, had a glint in her eyes.
"I remember Shadiya mentioning that this black-haired boy is named Lei En, and his father is a tenant of the manor. Good, a clean background. Perhaps I can give him a chance to train," she thought.
If Lei En truly had talent, she wouldn't hesitate to give him an opportunity.
However, whether he could seize the chance depended on his performance.
"Lei En wins!" Instructor Humbert announced loudly, his face filled with approval.
Browbeard watched Lei En walk off the field with an expressionless face, and a hint of resentment grew in his heart.
"Lei En, you're so smug! Just you wait!"
He had just thought of another way to deal with Lei En.
Initially, he wouldn't have stooped to such methods.
But Lei En's progress was astonishingly fast, leaving him feeling nervous and uneasy.
Browbeard's family had run the tavern for many years, and he knew many unsavory characters.
For example, Jack the drunk was a good choice, having been a mercenary with exceptional skills.
As Lei En walked off the field, he suddenly froze in surprise.
Then, he was filled with joy.
System Notification:
【Your Basic Swordsmanship skill has improved. Experience +17】
【You have completed a battle. Militia Experience +9】
"A short sparring session has earned me 9 points of occupational experience, almost equivalent to two days of training!"
"It seems Instructor Humbert was right!"
"Sparring with opponents of similar skill is the shortcut to improving swordsmanship quickly!"
For a moment, Lei En felt that Browbeard wasn't as detestable as he had thought.
(End of Chapter)
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