Preparing For The Trial

Arthur came up with the name Evolve because of his understanding of evolution on Earth. Evolution scientifically is a species ability to change throughout generations depending on natural selection. Sword Intent Second Level in a way is quite similar. For it depends on a person's potential to morph itself to be in an optimal power level for its user. Using this theory, he now understands why Loyd would have a 4-time multiplier it's because of his potential and the environment that he is in. Loyd like any young scholar in the academy wants to reach the peak of the hierarchy. The competition for the spot in the hierarchy is steep and difficult. Everyone in the academy is either the same as him or better. With that competitive environment and his potential as a sword wielder. Loyd meets the criteria to achieve evolution with his Sword Intent even without knowing about it.

Having that in mind Arthur has grasped the potential of Evolve Level Sword Intent. So the question now is what is the limit? Only by knowing the limited could you scaled your improvement. Sadly there is no way to tell, for he has little to no information about Evolve Level Sword Intent. However something good came out of this, and it's that he understands this concept. In a way, he could obtain it at any moment right now, but Arthur doesn't want to.

That's because in a moment of inspiration Arthur thought he could use Sword Intent breakthrough to cheese through Master Level battle trial. With that clever strategy, Arthur thought of another great idea of choosing a growth property to also cheese through the Expert Level Battle trial. Nothing in the rule of the trial did it say you can't choose Sword Intent, or breakthrough to cheat your way through two trials.

Now the only thing he needed to prepare is what property should he trade potential for. He knows his potential in blacksmith is quite high at the Scholars level, but blacksmithing could still be of use in the future so he doesn't want to trade in the potential in blacksmith for a quick power boost. Arthur thought of the many occupations he had learned.

From the information recorded, Arthur founded thousands of occupations, he could pick from, but he can't pick carelessly to trade-off. That's because trading off an occupation means gaining the property only that occupation has. So for example if Arthur picks chef as something he traded his potential in for growth property. The property he could get is making food taste good, turn people hungry, etc. So he needs to pick carefully on which property he needed. Fortunately, there is a flaw that can be taken advantage of, and that comes from the fact that some occupation has many purposes and many types. For example teacher, a teacher is a great occupation to trade potential in because there are many different types of teachers, there is music teacher, cooking teacher, etc.

Arthur knowing the flaw, pick the teacher's path of trading off potential because he sees no point in his life that needs him to be a teacher. With everything set in stone, he thought of a plan to test his teaching skill. Luckily he can starts right now by teaching Loyd about Evolve Level Sword Intent.

Arthur said to Loyd "Loyd I got something to teach you that would make you stronger than what you are right now. All you have to do is listen to my every word."

Loyd looks at Arthur confusingly for a second before replying "I understand that your intellect is a league above mine, however, in the sword, I am confident I am better than you. So don't underestimate me."

Loyd's declaration of confidence is a plan he advises after meeting with Arthur. His plan derives from the question he has always himself "How did Arthur, someone with only Sharpness Level Sword Intent beat him?" He tried to get a recording of the match, but the academy restricts it, to keep young scholar information private. Another method he tried was reading a book on ways to defeat someone with higher sword intent than you. He found many solutions, but all of them are solutions that needed mana. Sadly, Loyd never considers it, because it's common sense that you need to be 10 years of age to awaken mana. His search for an answer came out with nothing, until today, today is the day where he could find the answer he has been looking for.

Arthur was surprised by Loyd's confidence, but it didn't last long for he saw this as an opportunity to cut off time. So he proposes a bet "If so, how about we have a duel and while we are at it let place a bet too."

Loyd of course didn't refuse replied "A bet it is, so what do you have in mind"

"The bet is simple, loser obey winner every command for one year," Arthur said calmly

Loyd was expecting something along that line, so he accepts the bet. The young scholars raise their blade, locking eyes measuring up the opponent's attack.

Loyd strategized in his head "Arthur has only Sharpness Level Sword Intent, so his best move is to avoid frontal attack from me. Dodging side way wouldn't be optional, since everyone knows Enhanced Level Sword Intent users can change the shape and weight of their blade with a limit. So dodging side way would make you get caught with a swing. However, if he baits dodge backward, then change to sideways that would be a problem. For he can close in, and make me enter his attack range, which would make Enhanced Level Sword Intent lose its advantage. Ending the fight quickly by using the wind imbalanced wouldn't work because he fought me before, he would know about it. Tricky, the only option is to brute force my way, but that's not optional, his confidence shows that he understand my strategy. So being predictable would just make me a fish caught in his bait, making the tide of the fight in his favor. Even if it's not optional I could only brute force mine toward him. I don't believe he dodges my fastest attack."

Loyd breathes in and out slowly then starts charging toward Arthur. Arthur sees Loyd's attack understands that Loyd wants him to enter his attack range, so he jumps backward waiting for an opportunity to strike. Of course, Loyd wouldn't just let Arthur jump backward all the time. He strikes the floor by enlarging his sword to 3 meters long, the 3 meters long training sword weight about 3kg, and with the speed swing at. The force causes a bit of a rippling wave on the ground, Loyd hopes that this disturbance would cause some unstable effect on Arthur's movement.

Unfortunately, Arthur having fought Loyd before understanding the benefit of Enhanced Level Sword Intent is not just an increase in Sword Intent effect. You can use its shapeshifting ability to cause a minor disturbance in movement shifting the tide of battle in your favor. So of course Arthur sees this move of Loyd coming, but he pretends to be caught in it to bait Loyd. Seeing an opportunity Loyd was about to dash in and strike but realized that it's a trap. He refuses to believe someone like Arthur gets caught twice.

So instead of dashing fully, he feigns dash to trick Arthur into his counter trap. Arthur sees Loyd dashing but didn't believe that his simple trap would trick Loyd. His true goal the whole time is for Loyd to hesitant dash. True to behold, Loyd did a dashing motion but didn't dash. Arthur took this opportunity to accelerate first for a frontal attack. Loyd surprised by the risky move of Arthur, also starts to dash predicting that Arthur's final move is to use the beginning acceleration to have the upper hand on the force.

Loyd knowing this couldn't help but feel suspicion on it being too simple and easy. However, he already made his move so there is no turning back. Loyd concentrates hard on Arthur's strike, failing to notice that the corner of Arthur's mouth curves into a smile. Arthur is getting closer and closer to Loyd attack range

1 meter

50 centimeter

25 centimeter

5 centimeter

0 centimeter

Swish!!!!!!!!!!

Loyd swings his fastest and hardest toward Arthur, every fiber of his muscle is tense, his arm starts to arch, this was the fastest and strongest strike he had ever done. Even though he did all of that, he hit nothing but air. His pupil dilated, filled with shock and surprise. What he sees in front of him is Arthur's dashing mid-air towards him. In his view is Arthur's knee coming closer and closer. Before Bang! His face impact against Arthur's knee, his nose tilted to the side, blood coming out of it. His cold handsome face has changed into a blood-written face. it is then that the fight is over.

Loyd grunts from the pain but endures like a champ. He looks straight at Arthur with pain written all over his face and asked in a painful tone "How did you do that?"

Arthur smiled at Loyd "Simple calculation actually, from our first fight I was able to collect data on your swings. I analyze that depending on how much muscle you construct, how much you gritted your teeth, and others to determine the speed and power you would dish out. So with split-second calculation, I was able to determine how fast your swing was right there. Of course, that's not the only factor, the other factor for me to sync in your swing speed with my body speed. Logically my speed is slower than your swing speed. So I need to jump ahead of time for my feet to arrive exactly on the top of your blade. As you can see there is a flaw, and it's you being able to react in time. So, what I need to do is to make you believe I would go all-in for a frontal attack. That's why I accelerated first so that you would believe that I would take the risky bet of a frontal attack. Cause no one would think there are two twists in one plan. Also no one crazy enough to risk getting their leg being chopped off."

Loyd realized now that he had no control from the beginning. He was just a puppet, a puppet in the grand show of a puppet master. This gives him new fear of Arthur.