I Challenge You

"At the end of this class, I want you to have a mock battle between fellow students. You can choose a practice sword according to your choice and you can challenge other students. To make you motivated, the winner may ask for something from the loser but it must not involve material, treasure, or items and the request must be with my permission."

That announcement had been eagerly awaited by the male students and made some female students who already knew uncomfortable, but a few of them looked at each other in confusion.

"You can't refuse challenges from other students three times in a row, but you will be free from challenges if you have won three battles. Once you are free from challenges, you will have the opportunity to challenge me for a reward from me. Now take the practice sword of your choice." Instructor Dillon studied the students one by one with his usual fierce expression.

"Sir! May I ask?" A male student raised his hand excitedly.

"Continue to your question."

"If I challenge someone and win and then ask the loser for a request but that person doesn't want to do it, what will happen?" The student seemed to represent the question of the majority of male students, but with another purpose.

"As long as the request is under the conditions I have mentioned and I agree that it is feasible, then the loser must comply. The loser may not do it too even if I have confirmed, but your points will be deducted by one hundred points."

Instructor Dillon's reply caused the boys to cheer with joy but were still in their position and had not yet picked up their practice swords.

"Sir, I also want to ask. Is it true that in this first week every challenge given by the teacher is not a point but something else?" A female student felt insecure and immediately asked.

"That's true. In the first week of every year, the rewards from teachers are always valuable objects but the challenges are quite tough." Instructor Dillon nodded once.

"Then what's the reward for your challenge, sir?"

"For students who successfully complete my challenge after defeating three students, then that student has the right to choose one of the real weapons from my collection arsenal. Stop asking questions, now take your training weapons." Instructor Dillon grinned broadly.

Not only male students who gulped but female students as well because Instructor Dillon is known as a sword maniac and has a large collection. So, the reward in this class is a top-class weapon of choice and it's free!

Elysia doesn't even know what Instructor Dillon's arsenal looks like, but what comes to her mind right now is a free weapon, a great weapon of choice. She only needed to beat three students and challenge Instructor Dillon so the reward would be guaranteed if she succeeded.

The students immediately chose the practice sword of their choice that suited the most while spying on their target.

Elysia doesn't care about being ogled at or targeted anymore, her mind is currently thinking about how to win with a sword technique she hasn't mastered yet.

'Lil Ely, you have advanced perception, right? Then it's easy to win, your zone is within a 200-meter radius and it's already like the absolute domain under your watch if you focus.'

Elena's suggestion was really enlightening for Elysia who had forgotten her own ability, the ability she used the most.

'That's right! I'm silly to think of a complicated strategy to win, I just need to watch the opponent's movements with advanced perception and the victory will be within my grasp, I just need to be careful. Thank you, Sister Elena.' Elysia happily chooses a practice sword with Evelyn.

'Hehe... Glad to help. But you seem to be being targeted by a lot of male students, Lil Ely. 'Elena giggled as she looked around over and over again.

'Un, I'll be careful.'

"Ely, what sword do you want to use in the mock battle?" Evelyn finished choosing, a short sword became her choice as expected.

"I will use this kodachi. I think this sword is suitable." Elysia took out a thin and rather long practice sword from the sword rack.

"Are you sure? Most of the girls prefer to use long swords and rapiers, then others choose claymore. They choose the sword with a length of more than one meter." Evelyn looked around and pointed at the female students who had already selected the sword of their choice for the mock battle.

"Hehe... Look at you, you chose a short sword though." Elysia giggled softly. She chose Kodachi because she would move flexibly but safely with her advanced perception which might be considered to be able to predict the opponent's movements.

"Hehe... Right. We are not another girl, but we are us." Evelyn joined in a light chuckle.

"Hmm... How about the four of you? Why are you still confused about choosing a sword?" Elysia turned to her other side, her four acquaintances.

"I'm confused, I want to find a sword that is great at speed." Joanna hesitated in choosing.

"Then choose the rapier or tuck type. You will find the way of your sword just like what Instructor Dillon said." The experienced Evelyn enlightens her confused friend.

"I'm not good with the sword yet, but I'm good at empty-handed martial arts. What sword suits me, Miss Evelyn?" Betty clenched her fists and then opened them again as if she were stretching her fingers.

"Hmm... Empty hands, huh. Maybe a saber or a machete would suit you."

Evelyn helps her four friends for a while until the four of them have found the sword of their choice after consulting Evelyn.

"Thank you, Miss Evelyn. We have finally found a suitable sword." Joanna thanked her as the six of them returned to their positions.

"Glad to be of help, you are my friends hehe... Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you earlier. Why are the male students looking so excited and glancing at the female students? Then why do some female students seem insecure?"

"Oh that, you really don't know?" Joanna smiled but wondered a little.

Evelyn looked at Elysia and the two of them shook their heads.

"No, we don't know. Tell us about it." Elysia asked directly.

"The rules for the mock battle were mentioned by Instructor Dillon earlier, but there was an unwritten rule for the students in the knight class that the winner could make a date request to the student they defeated, strangely the teacher didn't forbid it. Because of that, the male students were so excited." Joanna answered in a low voice.

Elysia and Evelyn covered their mouths with their hands as if to express their surprise.

"Mmm... No wonder the male students are so excited. Isn't that unfair to girls?" Elysia nodded in understanding.

"Yes, it's not fair because the only boys who always make requests like that. Look at those female students who don't feel safe." Maggie joined in on the conversation pointing at the girl student who was looking agitated.

"Hum... No wonder they didn't choose any other sword than the long one. They wanted to reach further forward towards the opponent. But we can also ask for interesting things if we win hehe..." Evelyn finally understood why the longsword was so popular.

"You two are being targeted by lots of male students, you know. You will be challenged a lot." Betty lightly teased.

"Umm, we only need to win three times and we're safe. Right, Eve?"

"Yes, we can do it. I don't like how they look at us. Wait when this princess will beat their ass hmph!" Evelyn gave a cute snort.

All of the students returned to the middle of the field again, holding practice swords in their hands.

"Now you have chosen a suitable sword for your mock battle. Please challenge the students you want to fight when you are ready."

"Miss Elysia, I, Ashton Spencer, challenge you!"

Waiting no more, a male student shouted loudly after stepping forward and pointing his sword at Elysia. He preceded the other male students who would do the same as him.