Chapter 33: Months of training... An antagonist pov

Chapter 33: Months of training... An antagonist pov

Another guard dropped to his side, clutching his gut tightly in pain.

It was mid-noon, and the training field in the Spade Kingdom was filled with guards watching in awe. Normally, they would be training here, but today, they were busy being thrown around by the sword skills of the young master.

Lord Tomaha, who had trained alone in seclusion for months, had finally emerged. His first order of business was to test his strength against all the minor guards in sword training. Unbelievably, he had beaten them all flawlessly.

Now, it was time for the senior guards to take the stage.

Tomaha watched in disgust as another guard was dragged from the platform at the center of the training ground. "How useless are these pigs?" he thought. "I thought they would be harder to beat, but after my seclusion, I see they deserve to be killed. To think I receive protection from these idiots!"

The next opponent stepped onto the platform, holding a long sword. He was more confident than the minor guards, likely because he was a lieutenant.

"Are you sure you want to fight me, Lord Tomaha?" the lieutenant asked proudly. The young prince grimaced at him.

"I can't be defeated by trash! Come at me," Tomaha replied, confident enough to place one hand behind his back while holding his short sword with the other.

'He seems very confident, but he's mistaken...'

The lieutenant positioned himself in a sprinting stance and launched forward like a rocket. As he reached Tomaha, he swung upwards at his throat, but Tomaha raised his sword and easily parried, sending sparks into the air.

"What the hell, is that Lieutenant Jordan's normal speed?"

"He's as fast as hell..."

"Don't be fooled. Lord Tomaha is awesome to have blocked a blow from a lieutenant at such a young age."

The minor guards were mesmerized while Tomaha stared at his shaking hand. Sure, he blocked the attack, but it took a large toll on him. 'The force of the hit, no, his sword skills far surpass mine. A small fry trying to be big indeed.'

"I admire you and will make your defeat quick!" Tomaha praised Jordan, still belittling him with his words.

Jordan simply smiled and withdrew his blade, attacking again with a fast motion. This time, Tomaha found it harder to block but managed to do so. The force of the hit sent him skidding back a few feet.

Before he could recover, Jordan was already upon him, shifting his body left and driving his blade toward Tomaha's torso. Tomaha dropped his sword to block, but as he did, Jordan changed the direction of his attack, redirecting his sword to Tomaha's throat and stopping just as it reached it.

"You need to work on your reflexes. I know you have the skills, but your reflexes need improvement," Lieutenant Jordan advised, sheathing his sword.

"So that's how you fight," Tomaha gritted his teeth, unable to accept his defeat. 'I can't be defeated by a mere slave!'

"Let's go at it again, rat!" Tomaha yelled, widening his stance and lunging forward with his sword aimed at Jordan's throat without warning.

Jordan barely managed to duck in time. If not for his training as a soldier, he would have quickly lost his head. 'Damn, this kid is crazy!'

Jordan leapt backward to gain some distance and recalibrate his movements. He drew his sword again and fixed his gaze on Tomaha.

"Are you now prepared to lose, swine?" Tomaha placed one hand behind him again, still confident despite his earlier loss. 'Maybe this time I'll make sure to disgrace you more!'

"You have your battle!" Jordan started with a swordsman's foot shuffle, preparing his sword art for a full-fledged attack on Tomaha.

While he did this, Tomaha controlled his breathing and narrowed his eyes. 'Now he's really dead.'

Jordan kept at his footwork for another moment before sharply stopping and lunging at Tomaha with incredible speed. Tomaha tilted his legs to get a sturdy stance before slashing at Jordan. Jordan quickly evaded with a sidestep and drove his elbow into Tomaha's jawline, sending him staggering.

Tomaha regained his footing to see Jordan slashing his blade at his eyes. Predicting the attack, he raised his sword to parry. However, it was another feint; the swing stopped halfway as Jordan converted it into an elbow aimed at Tomaha's face.

'Fool!'

Tomaha reacted quicker this time, swinging his sword and driving it through Jordan's hand and throat, beheading him in a split second.

Multiple gasps and murmurs rose from the crowd as they watched Jordan's body topple over, his head following, drenching the platform in red.

"He killed him..."

"Lieutenant Jordan is dead."

"He failed to win against Lord Tomaha."

"It was never a duel to the death..."

"Shut it! Do you want to die next?!"

Tomaha scoffed at their comments, throwing his blade to the ground. He turned his eyes to the person standing anxiously at the platform's edge.

"Come here and clean up my weapon, Gandara."

Gandara, who had been standing silently in horror, slowly climbed the platform, her steps faltering. This was the first time she had seen someone dead, and it threw her into distress.

"Why are you being slow, bitch? Are you that hungry to die?" Tomaha's eyes zeroed in on her, and her fear motivated her to walk up to the pile of blood and pick up the sword, cleaning it with her dress.

"This same fate awaits Ruthar. I'll make sure you are the one to clean my weapon and throw his body out," he said, relishing Gandara's gasp and the look of disdain and terror on her face.

"You know what? I'll make you eat his flesh raw! You and Elara Nightshade," he added, placing his foot on the back of her head.

"Ahhn?" She gasped in fear, holding her head down. There was nothing she could do more than listen to all his commands until... the day she would die.

'And when I'm done with Ruthar, I'll make sure to be next in line and wipe the filth of the weak.'