An Evaluation

[Lilith's perspective]

Ok, what did I learn from watching Kota's dad? I spent the last year watching his routine every morning. Every swipe and thrust he's done. His posture and movement.

I've seen him use all of them, except for wind king style. But if I wanted to be a Fire King style user, I should probably use that instead.

I eyed Kale as I looked at his posture, it was similar to what Kota's dad used. He had both hands on the grip of his sword, and had his right foot in front with his left behind. His sword had a slight curve to it and it looked single-edged. It's blade had a somewhat silver look to it, but there was a Hint of green to it that glossed it.

Something about his aura just reeks of something dangerous. And he's not even doing anything

I felt beads of sweat drop down my face, I gripped the handle of my blade harder.

Then, he charged. Fast, unbelievably fast. He was faster than Kota's dad. I found myself charging as well.

Kale went for a fast thrust, his sword basically was a blur of steel as it came ferociously fast.

I managed to block that move with my own sword, using the flat side of it to redirect the blade past me. The sparks between the blades ignited as we passed each other.

"My, you got your own quick reflexes." He said as we passed each other.

I slid across the grass, looking at my hand holding my sword.

Did I really react that fast? My eyes couldn't even see that blade, but my body moved on its own?

"It seems you don't understand that reaction of yours. I overheard that boy talk about your eye. What is with that eye?" Kale called as he rebalanced himself from the slide.

"Uh- she can do things faster and like see things much faster. At least that's what my father said." I heard Kota say.

"Hm, so Gerald wasn't lying about this girl. Go on, show it to me." Kale asked.

He looked at me as if it would happen right then and there, but he started to frown.

"Can you not activate this on your own? No wait, Gerald said that in his letter as well. Tch, such a Shame." He lowered into a crouch. "I'll need to see what that can do to truly evaluate you.."

Kale then dashed forward, holding his sword to one side. He's going for a large swipe. I readied my sword to block it. Or at least try to. I dug my feet into the ground, readying for the impact.

"Hmph!" Kale brought his sword down, clashing with my sword. The pure force of the impact made my feet get pushed back, digging deeper into the dirt.

"Heh, for someone your age. You're strong. I guess someone with dragon blood in them would have such strength." He grunted out, I still held my ground against him.

He then used his feet and placed it on my sword to jump off. Landing a distance away from me again. I felt a sharp pain go through my arm.

"Good posture, able to hold her own against me. Very impressive." He scratched his hair. just like an evaluator, he was trying to get the gist of why I was capable of.

"Have you trained with anyone else?" Kale asked.

"No. I've only watched Kota's dad during his routines." I said while mending my arm.

"Only watching? A visualizer, huh?…have you been watching my movement?"

"…yes."

"Good, it's one of the first things I was going to teach you. Always watch your opponents and how they move. Finding ways to see their weaknesses."

"Going to teach me?"

"Well yes, I still need to see how that eye of yours works. Otherwise my evaluation won't be finished. I need to see all that you do."

I see, but how am I going to activate it? Didn't Kota's Dad say that it was activated by emotions? But I didn't feel angry or anything right now, so how else will I activate it?

"Having trouble trying to figure it out?" Kale said.

I nodded.

Kale sighed as he thought for a moment, before raising his sword again.

"Ok, here's the deal." He started walking towards me as he said that. "I'm going full force now until that eye of yours comes out." Then he began to run. "I'll keep persisting until it comes out, even.."

I braced myself as he came for a left strike at me, which I barely dodged out of. But he didn't stop with that, he then twisted around and took a swipe at my open back.

"Gah!" I screamed. I felt a burning pain across my back. But I managed to turn around to face him.

"..if it Kills you if you don't activate it!" He finished his sentence as he readied for another strike.

This is bad, I can't activate it!

I can't believe this!

I gritted my teeth in anger. I could feel myself stressing about this.

Kale came in for another swing, which I deflected. I tried to slash at him as he was recovering from the deflection. But he managed to duck and used his legs to swipe at my legs. As I fell to the ground, he held his sword at me.

"Looks like I won." He said smiling.

I frustratingly groaned at my defeat, Angrier than before. And it's all because of my eye. I angrily grasped my left eye in anger.

"If you want to train under me, you'll need to be faster and learn how to control that eye of yours."

Kale raised his sword "I'm not taking her under my wing…Looks like Gerald wasted my time…"

He's not training me? No! I need to train if I'm going to beat my father! I-I need to train!

My anger was boiling, frustration was growing as I felt a surge of energy erupt.

Huh? This was like when Kota was hurt? I felt that same energy surge into my eye. And everything slowed down. I could see multiple versions of him. No, I was seeing what he was going to do!

I could see Kale stop his movement and gave me an interesting look.

"Ah, is that I-" Before he could finish that sentence, I made my first move. I jumped up and came down spinning with a vertical strike down.

Kale easily blocked it, but seemed more interested now.

"You've gotten faster, if it wasn't for my quick reflexes myself. I'd be dead." He smirked.

He then tried to push me off, but I had other plans. Still in my position from striking, I used my feet to kick upwards. My left feet connected to his hand that was holding his sword, I managed to kick the sword out of his hands!

I must've done that with such speed as it surprised even kale. But he quickly grabbed for his other sword on his right hip.

This sword had a reddish steel color to it, slightly shorter than his other sword. It was still slightly curved as well.

Before I could land, he came in with a thrust. But I could see it happen before it even happened. My left eye pulsed with energy as it perceived what would happen next.

I managed to dodge in the air before the sword made contact, making contact with my sword with his as I descended. It was just like what we did when we first started fighting.

I used that momentum to push me away from him, causing him to steer to the left as I tumbled to the right. I quickly recovered from that roll to face him.

He turned to face me, a grin plastered on his face. "I like those movements, it holds that aggressiveness that comes with Fire King style." He waved at me. "C'mon, let's keep going!"

"Hraaah!" I yelled as I ran to him. I could still see his next moves.

[He's going to block your first attack and lead with a strike to your back]

With that knowledge, I thrusted my sword at him. Kale blocked it and tried to redirect it to his right and out of his way. That's when I used my free hand to give him a punch, using the momentum of my thrust.

"Hya!" I grunted as I landed that blow to his left cheek.

The impact only moved his face just a bit, and he grinned when I connected. He then grabbed the back of my shirt and twirled me around before throwing me.

"That was really good! It even stung!" Kale said as he watched me tumble to the ground.

I quickly got back up, ready for another attack from him. But he just stood there.

"Aren't you going to keep striking?" I asked.

He laughed, holstering his sword.

"Why would I? I've evaluated you now." He pointed at his eyes. "I've seen what you're capable of, and these eyes don't deceive me." Then he held his hand up. All of the sudden, the sword I kicked out of his hand came falling down, and he grabbed it without looking. How far did I kick that up?

"Oh, what a neat trick." I heard Derrick say.

Looking around, it seems we garnered a little crowd. Some of the guards were watching along with some of the adventurers who were passing by.

"Well, we've entertained these people enough." Kale holstered his second sword before looking at me with a smile. "You've earned your spot as my new apprentice."

Eh? Ehhh?

I couldn't help but smile when he said that, I managed to get his approval!

"Go, Lilith!" Kota shouted, he gave me a thumbs up.

I gave him a thumbs up in response before I felt a stinging pain on my back, I forgot that Kale sliced my back.

Kota noticed that and ran up to me, he got behind me and placed his hand onto my back.

He had warm hands, but it felt warmer once he started to silently cast his healing spell.

"How'd I look?" I asked Kota, he didn't seem to notice my question before he looked at me.

"Oh, uh…really good! You got a nice punch at him!"

Kale came up to me, rubbing his bruised cheek. "Yes…a good punch. I'm impressed by all this." He then looked at Derrick and Edward. "Don't you two have anything to say to these two? Seems through these three days, you've bonded quite well with them."

Derrick came jogging towards us while Edward casually walked. I could hear Derrick chuckles turn into laughter as he got closer.

"HAHA. Lilith, you are one hell of a swordsman! Good job with that kick! You really caught kale off guard with it!" Derrick grabbed my hand to shake it, shaking me as well.

"T-t-thank y-y-you. Y-y-you can let g-g-o-oo" I said.

"Ah, sorry bout that, HAHA." He let go of my hand after that. Derrick was a nice man, it seemed like he had fun on our three day trip.

Edward finally showed, with a smile on his face.

"You know, you could also do well in Wind King style, Lilith. While you chose Fire king, I could give you some tips on Wind King if we meet again." Seemed like Edward offered to teach me his sword style. But unfortunately, I had my eyes set on one already. Perhaps when I finish my training with Fire King, I'll look for Edward again.

"Maybe when we meet each other again." I smiled back at him. Edward nodded at that response.

"HAHA, rejected by a woman. Again! BWAHAHA" Derrick joked with Edward, slapping his back.

"Ha. Ha." Edward said Irritatedly, But looking at his smile, I could see that he was having his own fun.

The pain that was on my back has now vanished, it seems Kota has finished healing my back. I felt his palm lift off my back as he looked at Derrick and Edward.

"Now that we are in Prusha, I guess it's time to say farewell now, huh?" Kota frowned as he said that.

"Ah, don't worry, boyo. We'll meet again. Once we head back to Shanford, we'll tell your parents that you met with Kale. Speaking of which, Kale, can you take care of the kids?" Derrick gave Kale a look.

Kale bowed to Derrick and Edward before standing beside me and Kota.

"Of course, I can't leave my apprentice out and about. They'll be fine with me at my home. I have another room there that you two can use." Kale looked at Kota. "Though, I suppose you are heading to the university, right? You might end up getting a dorm there. But we'll see."

"Yeah, we'll see. Well we better give these two a farewell or else they'll get caught…somehow…" Kota trailed that sentence as he walked to Derrick and Edward.

Kota held out his hand to both of them, which Derrick gladly shook.

"You really are Gerald's kid, Kota! You got my respect when we fought and now you're getting even more with this handshake!"

Once they were done shaking hands, Kota went on to Edward.

"It was a nice three day travel…Be grateful about this place, but don't go to the Red light D-." Derrick slapped Edward's head before he could finish.

"Don't tell the damn boy!"

"Ow…" Edward rubbed his head, but still looked at Kota. "Anyways, stay away from trouble. Don't get caught up in something." He then shook Kota's hand.

Kota looked at me and waved to me to come over, so I walked towards them.

"Lilith, We didn't really talk that much on our journey to be quite honest." Derrick hesitated as he chose his words correctly. "But if Mary says you're good, well…I believe her. And seeing you in action further cemented that."

Edward nodded in agreement.

"I'm not sure what your plan is with being a Fire King style user, but know that you're being trained by a top user of it. I hope one day, we can spar when you're fully ready." Derrick grinned as he patted my head.

"And also make sure to visit me to learn some Wind King style moves." Edward added.

"That too.." Derrick leaned into me. "Psst..don't take them lessons. He's bad at teaching."

I giggled at that, which caused Edward to smack Derrick on the head this time.

"Don't think I can't hear that, you no brain."

"HAHA, Got caught! Ah…well we'll be heading off now. Hopefully we don't get inspected on the way back." Derrick gave me and Kota a wave before setting off, Edward waving and also following derrick.

As we watched those two walk off back to the carriage, we heard Kale come up from behind us.

"Are you two going to miss them? You two got somewhat close with them? " he asked.

Kota turned around and thought for a second before answering.

"I appreciate their efforts in getting us here safely. And I do miss our Conversations.."

Conversations? About what? Was this when I was sleeping?

"…yeah, I guess I'll be missing them. Hopefully they come back and see us along with Father and Mother."

I nodded with agreement to that. Hopefully mother will come visit with Kota's parents.

She'll get to see me train and be stronger!

"Hah, I see. Well now you two are in my care, how about I show you what's on the inside?" Kale pointed back at the Walls gates.

"Of course! Lead the way!" I said.

"Then come along, you two!" Kale turned around and headed to the gate, looking back at us.

"C'mon, Kota!" I grabbed his hand and ran.

I looked at Kota, who was surprised and blushing when I grabbed him. He stumbled a bit at first when I took off before finally pacing himself with me.

We're finally going to see what the big kingdoms look like!

Author's note: The next chapter is the beginning of the Prusha Arc (Vol.2). So I decided to upload this chapter to satisfyingly finish this arc. Will still upload Monday!