#68 Sparring

*Clang* *Clang*

The sounds of clashing swords resounded in the air while 2 figures were constantly moving and performing attacks at inhuman speed.

Those 2 figures were me and Taeko, we were currently improving both of our techniques.

"Taeko, that should be enough, do you want to try it for the last time?" I jumped some distance away from Taeko and asked with a calm smile.

"Yes, please!" She nodded her head with a bright smile, it was apparent that she was having fun despite having her clothes soaked wet of sweat.

"Alright, don't forget that I am your enemy." I said with a serious expression and Taeko just nodded while taking a deep breath.

She got into her usual stance while gripping her katana with only 1 hand. Her legs were spread and her other hand was positioned in a perfect position so she could shift her balance much faster or grip her katana with both hands extremely quickly without losing any momentum.

Her eyes became completely dull and lifeless as if she was looking at someone already dead.

"Let's do this." I said with a smile and sprinted to her.

When I felt like I am about to enter her zone, I used all my strength to punch the ground.

*Bang*

Making curtain of dust appear and a lot of rubble fly around but I also deliberately kicked some of them towards Taeko with all strength those stones could handle without completely crumbling apart.

I didn't waste any time and quickly followed after the rubble I kicked at Taeko while having my upper body leaning forward, resolved to rush at her without stopping. This allowed me to have higher speed but I also lost the ability to dodge backward.

Even I didn't see her exact position due to the dust in the air but I could see a few flashes of the blade so I completely knew where to strike. However, when I was about to slash my own weapon, I suddenly felt something coming my way from my right side at an incredible speed.

Not gonna make it! I thought with wide-open eyes, surprised at Taeko's improvement.

I gritted my teeth and suddenly a red spark once again escaped from my vertical pupils.

*CLANG* When the sound resounded, the curtain of dust immediately dispersed because of the wind that burst all around from that clash.

*Whoosh* Someone's sword flew numerous meters away before stopping by landing and burying itself into the trunk of the tree, completely scaring a bird that was relaxing around.

"Huh?" Taeko looked down at her empty hands with a confused expression before raising her head.

"?! Akashi? That's..." Despite believing me, she was still speechless when she saw my enlarged vertical pupils, completely focused eyes with lips slightly apart, making it look like I wasn't in reality with her.

I blinked and my eyes returned to a normal state.

[+3 XP for practicing swordsmanship] x5

Class: Blade Master (Lv. 3; +5 Str, +5 Agi, +2 Const) 38/40 XP

Hmm, looks like I can level up this class by practicing in advanced swordsmanship with someone who has an equal level of skill.

"If I wouldn't use the Limit Removal, you would have won. You improved a lot, you are really talented when it comes to swords." I praised her with an honest smile while gently caressing her cheek with my hand.

To be honest, I still don't completely understand that "Limit Removal" state but I am slowly getting some understanding. This time, my resolve to win practically forced me to enter that state.

"Mm! Thank you for helping me. I have feeling that with this improved technique I would be able to take care of those 2 assassins much faster." Taeko nodded her head with a bright smile while rubbing her cheek against my hand with closed eyes.

"No need to thank me. I will be always here for you and even if not physically, I will still be here." I said with a teasing smile while pressing her area near her heart with my index finger.

I could feel that her heart started beating a bit faster than before.

"Ehm, Taeko..." Chelsea approached us and cleared her throat to announce her presence while holding Taeko's katana that was sent flying away by me.

She was behaving quite awkwardly while looking at both of us so I just released a teasing smile.

Chelsea's cheeks immediately blushed a little bit while averting her gaze.

"Thank you, Chelsea" Taeko took her weapon back and thanked Chelsea with an oblivious smile.

"Taeko, Mera-sama wants to talk to you. I just came to inform you..." Chelsea informed Taeko with a forced smile.

"Oh? I see, I should get going then. Akashi, let's meet in the late afternoon!" Taeko said with a slightly disappointed expression when she received the news but when she directed her gaze at me, she immediately smiled.

I just nodded with a gentle smile and didn't keep her here any longer.

When Taeko left, Chelsea looked at me with an apologetic smile.

"I am sorry and I am also not sorry...Nevertheless, I was forced to do it. Hehe" Chelsea suddenly said while looking down with an expression that was changing between guilt and satisfaction.

---

'Finally, I will be able to get back at him for everything he had done to me. I still have one half of my butt red because of him!' Chelsea thought with a resolved expression and tears in her eyes.

---

Has she gone mad?

"Little boy! What a coincidence to meet you here." I heard a female's voice behind me so I instantly knew what was going on and I couldn't help but smile.

I guess I have some time to entertain her and she will also be a good practice partner if she is really that strong.

---

Special Class: Yato (Lv. 5, +16 Str, +16 Const, +16 Agi, +5 Int) 19/160 SXP

[Strength: 47 (90)]

[Agility: 50 (91)]

[Intelligence: 41 (55)]

[Constitution: 48 (77)]

[Charisma: 34 (41)]

---

I instantly switched my special class, knowing what is about to happen next.

"Well, what a pleasant coincidence indeed, Gil, Dora~" I turned around and greeted both maids with a playful smile and closed eyes with a spread arms.

"? Are we that close for you to call me that?" Gil suddenly stopped approaching me and muttered with a thoughtful expression.

"Hello" On the other side, Dora seemed to be dragged here by Gil. She just greeted me with a little bow and closed eyes.

"Of course we are, Gil~ After all, we are about to beat each other up, aren't we?" I asked with a wide slightly crazy smile.

"?! Haha, although I like women much more, I am quite fond of such straightforward men like you!" Gil was slightly surprised how easily I guessed her intentions but she immediately started laughing with an excited smile.

"..." Both Dora and Chelsea retreated a safe distance from us, crazies, while looking at us with a weird look in their eyes.

"Hehe, how about not wasting any time and we start right now?!" I shouted at her and kicked into the tree next to me. The tree broke in two and I immediately wielded it as a weapon and jumped above Gil while swinging the trunk of the tree right at her head with a crazy smile.

"Oh?! Haha! You aren't all talk after all!" Gil seemed a bit shocked before she formed the same excited and crazy smile as me and instead of dodging the tree, she decided to punch it.

*bang*

Upon the impact with Gil's fist, woodchips immediately flew everywhere around, revealing Gil standing there with a confident smile while cracking her knuckles.

I was pleasantly surprised by her strength because I could even feel the impact in my hands and it didn't feel like she used her entire strength.

"Hehe..." I started to chuckle a bit before I once again rushed to her, this time intending to use my own fist to explore her strength.

"Head-on confrontation this time?! I like you more and more, I just hope you won't die from this! Haha" Gil shouted and waited for me to attack and when I punched out she followed after me.

Our fists met in a middle way and both of us stopped in place without moving, which indicated that both of us were equally strong, however, I still felt like she has yet to use everything she has.

After a few seconds after the impact of our fists, the ground behind us started to shake and suddenly the ground behind each other was flattened.

We were both staring at each other with wide-open eyes, surprised that we were equal but we both instantly smiled at the same time.

We punched out with our other hand in synchronization and the same thing happened once again with the exception of lesser damage to the environment around us.

[+5 SXP to your Special Class] x3

Special Class: Yato (Lv. 5, +16 Str, +16 Const, +16 Agi, +5 Int) 34/160 SXP

Both of us were trying to overpower and push each other but no one was moving a bit so we stopped trying to push each other with fists and instead, we held our hands together and tried to lift each other but both of us were holding our own ground.

She is equally strong in terms of raw power, she is perfect for leveling my Yato class!

"HAA!" She suddenly shouted and I felt that her strength became even higher but I was still able to keep my legs on the ground with great difficulty.

*Shake* *Crack* The ground under us suddenly started to violently shake.

We both looked down with a curious look before the ground under us opened itself and big Danger Beast surfaced from under the ground, blowing both of us some distance away.

The earth type Danger Beast looked already enraged probably from the disturbance it felt underground but I and Gil who had our fight interrupted were even more enraged.

"Don't...interrupt!!!" We both shouted at the same time with an upset expression while punching its large stomach. The impact from both of our punches together made its upper body separate from its legs, blowing it some distance away while destroying a few trees before it hit the mountain in the background, fully painting it with red color.

---On the side---

"Ugh...they are lost cause..." Chelsea commented with a defeated expression.

"Well, as long as they have fun, everything is fine. Gil also looks like she is having great fun." Dora said with a small smile while calmly observing them easily killing the Danger Beast.

------

When we killed the Danger Beast we just glanced at each other before losing interest in our fight.

"We were already interrupted, let's continue this later. And I also misjudged you." Gil suggested with a slightly annoyed expression before she looked at me with a small competitive smile.

"Sure...It seems that your strength is not only a bit higher than other girls." I replied with the same smile before turning around, walking towards the small forest in the mountains.

"Huh? Akashi, wait! Where are you going?" Chelsea instantly shouted at me with a confused expression.

"...Meditate" I turned around with a small smile and replied to her question with a calm tone.

---

'M-Meditate?! After what you have done here?! Who would believe you?!' Chelsea thought with an irritated expression but she no longer pursued Akashi.

"Let's go back to Mera-sama" Gil suggested with a dreaming smile.

Dora immediately nodded with a similar smile but Chelsea despite nodding too, she would rather run away.

---

When I entered the small forest I went right in the middle to sit down in a cross-legged position while leaning my back against the tree.

Like this, I remained sitting still without moving a bit for a few hours with closed eyes.

Beastmaster (Lv. 2) 5/20 NXP

[You are now able to control up to 50 lesser Beasts.]

[Taming such beasts isn't hard however if you will want to tame the stronger beast in the future, you will need to make it submit to you before attempting to tame it.]