Chapter 43: Training Grounds

Jenna positioned herself around 10 meters from me.

In her grasp, she firmly held a recurve bow—not a training weapon, but one meant for real battle. The bolts attached to it had well-honed tips.

The act of blocking bolts with a shield had become tedious.

I had also reached a high level stage in practicing the coordination of shield and sword. The shield alone couldn't provide the same level of effectiveness in deflecting bolts. It had reached where further practice seemed to be worthless.

Thus, I disposed of the shield.

Now, I grasped a single blade.

One lost bolt could prove lethal.

I knew it, and so did Jenna.

"I'm ready."

"Come."

*Ping!*

With a lively sound, a bolt came flying towards me.

For a moment, time seemed to dial back. The bolt spun through the air, finding its way towards my right chest. My right hand moved instinctively, assuming an effective stance without conscious thought.

The bolt shattered upon impact, just as it had drawn closer.

"One more."

"Here I go!"

The second bolt soared. I focused my eyes on it. My blade swiftly arced in a diagonal path, cleanly slicing the bolt in half.

The next bolt came suddenly.

Jenna and I abstained from exchanging unnecessary words. The training ground was filled with the silent chorus of bolts being released and blocked.

When I split the fifteenth bolt in half, several people entered the training area. We immediately ceased our movements.

"Ah, hello."

As our eyes met, we awkwardly exchanged greetings.

I offered a brief response. They settled into a corner, beginning their training with awkward movements. Aaron was noticeably absent.

"Aaron isn't here?"

"Leave him be. He's probably pouting in his room."

Usually, he would have appeared before me, tirelessly engaging in training. The same could be said for Dica. Both of them showed great enthusiasm when it came to improving their skills.

Not like these guys here.

I understood the mindset with which they approached training.

It wasn't solely about becoming stronger. It was about concealing their true ability. When the sky darkened, they acted casual, only to quickly wield their weapons once it brightened.

They should have been the ones to die instead of the other two yesterday.

Those two had shown promise. With a bit more development, they could have become valuable assets.

My expression reshaped, and Jenna seemed to sense the mood, offering an awkward smile.

"Let's focus on our training!"

"Release!"

*Ping!*

The sixteenth bolt soared through the air, aiming for the target dummy. I adeptly dodged it.

"Wow."

"Don't pay them any mind. It's just their usual behavior."

Murmurs echoed through the crowd.

I had no additional space to speak of for their perspectives.

"It seems my reflexes have indeed reached the next level."

The art of blade and shield involved a skill known as swordsmanship. While using both weapons simultaneously yielded the highest efficiency, there wasn't a significant penalty for using only one.

Now, my body moved ahead of my thoughts. Like breathing, my blade followed its path with effortless reflexes.

However, it remained a basic skill for now.

I couldn't help but recall Shay's remarkable swordsmanship, on my most memorable day here, piercing troll necks with precise strikes. In comparison, I still had a long way to go.

Perhaps Shay could effortlessly split incoming bolts in half.

In this world, even minimal training yielded striking results.

Underneath my feet, the broken remnants of bolts began to accumulate.

Several bolts grazed my arms or legs, causing blood to splatter. Despite the injuries, Jenna remained steadfast, as more bolts swiftly followed suit.

These bolts took flight to kill me, and I wasn't going to yield to them.

If I were to die foolishly in this training, it would be pointless.

A few spectators stood at a distance, their gazes fixed on Jenna and me.

We probably seemed like maniacs.

The third bolt flew straight towards my temple. A hit would be fatal—no chance for recovery. With a flick of my wrist, I diverted the bolt to the left using the edge of my blade. It zoomed past and embedded itself into the ground near the spectators' feet.

"Oh my!"

"Did you see that?"

As I snarled, the spectators quickly retreated to their original positions.

Even while swinging weapons at scarecrows, their attention remained focused on us. They hadn't even properly trained their endurance.

To me, I contemplated sending a message to the Expert, letting him handle these amateurs. However, as a level 9 player, it wouldn't be worth the trouble to deal with such low-level heroes. The same applied to Jenna and Aaron. Dica would have to reach a certain level to make a significant impact.

This time, it's a double shot.

Two bolts flew at me in rapid succession, targeting my chest and neck. Swiftly, I parried both with precise strikes.

After today's training, the Expert would log in.

I estimated it would be around 10 p.m. I had already discerned Anytng's daily routine, which is why I requested a watch.

"We will head to the weekly prison."

I mentally pre-arranged the necessary materials.

Amidst everything, my hand wielding the blade continued to move adeptly and purposefully.

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