65 A New Way

"You're already ready in whatever battle comes in your way. You're skilled and your fast learners," Geof said and Sheloah just nodded at him, feeling flattered.

"Don't you love someone so much that you'd do anything to protect that person no matter what it takes?"

Sheloah was suddenly taken aback by that question. Other than her family and friends that were important to her, she thought of her strong feelings for Veon, too. She didn't say a word, but basing on her reaction, Geof already knew her answer to his question.

"You won't give up no matter what when it comes to the people you love, right," Geof said and Sheloah nodded.

"You're right, Geof. I do have the strong desire to protect the people I love—the people who I find very important," Sheloah assured and he smiled at her.

"The advantages of being a closed-ranged attacker is that you get to land hits on your target, compared to when you're a gunner, you would have to take some time to lock your target on for an accurate hit. You would have to save your bullets," Geof said and Sheloah now understood what he meant.

"You could make moves that would involve attacking more than one target. Unlike when it comes to being a gunner, you would have to focus on one target before the other. Learning the way of the sword is not so bad. In emergencies, you can fight with a katana, too… as long as you have a katana, of course," Geof said and Sheloah nodded at him in agreement.

"You have a point," she said and Geof smiled at her.

"One of the people whom you want to protect is Veon, right?"

When Sheloah heard this, she suddenly coughed violently. Geof laughed at her reaction.

"How do you know stuffs such as this, like when it came to me and Veon," Sheloah asked as Geof continued laughing.

"I'm sorry but honestly, during your confession, I was watching with Ray that time. I was actually touched with the moment you shared," he answered and Sheloah suddenly blushed.

'Our privacy!'

"Eavesdropper slash stalkers," Sheloah commented as she squinted her eyes at Geof.

"But it's true, right? One of the people you want to protect is Veon," he said and Sheloah nodded at him as her answer.

"Yes…" Sheloah put her hand on her chest. "I want to protect him. Because of me, he got hurt," she added and showed a sad face.

"I was supposed to be the representative of our group but because of my condition, he fought in my stead for the group. He got hurt in the end and it made me guilty. I thought we'd lose him," she said and Geof looked at her seriously. Sheloah looked at him with determined eyes.

"Geof, please teach me. I want to protect everyone who's already part of my life," she requested and Geof smiled at her. He approached Sheloah and had given her a katana.

"Leave it to me. Just listen to what I have to say and follow my lead."

Geof accepted her request and Sheloah smiled at him. As Sheloah held the katana, she felt a new sensation.

"A new way of protecting someone," she said as she tried to copy the stance Geof did a while ago.

"The way of the sword. I'll teach you what I know," he said as he got an extra katana at the side of the tree beside them and made a stance for Sheloah to copy.

"Let's train!"