The Ashen Dominion
Chapter 45 - A Draw

Chapter 45: 45 - A Draw

After agreeing to a sparring match... Viktor and I took a wooden sword each from the barrels near the arena.

And fortunately too, the arena was not being used by anyone in the training ground at the moment.

Also, we both rested enough to have a casual match.

"Not going to lie, I didn’t expect you to accept my offer."

Viktor said as he stood at the end of the stone arena. I stood at the opposite end, swinging the wooden sword in my hand playfully to get used to its weight. It’s as long as my short sword back in my room.

"Well, a sparring match is a good idea to increase weapon skills, just like you said. I think this is a good idea and it’ll benefit me, so I accepted."

I replied to Viktor.

Anyway, we both prepared ourselves.

Reading the information I currently have, I immediately know that I’m at a disadvantage. Viktor had already seen me fight twice, he had an idea about my style. Meanwhile, I haven’t seen him fight once because of what happened in the last event in his match.

(Viktor won because his opponent slipped and stabbed himself, weakening by a lot.)

Viktor is also physically stronger and probably more skilled than me with a sword. He’s much more experienced too.

I already know I’m going to lose... But that’s fine. This is just a sparring match. I don’t need to win.

My goal is different...

’I’m here to learn.’

I crouched down and went into my fighting stance, my eyes staring at Viktor.

"You’re ready, huh."

Viktor mumbled as he got into stance too.

I felt eyes from the other people in the training ground and the guards on us. I just ignored them and focused myself.

"Fuuuu..."

I let out and took a deep breath.

And then, in the next moment—

"Let’s start!"

Viktor exclaimed that.

Bam!

I immediately kicked off the ground and rushed at him as soon as we started. It’s my first time being the aggressor in a match.

’I wouldn’t die even if I lose, I can be reckless!’

"..."

Viktor just calmly watched me get near.

And when I got to him, I tightly gripped the hilt of my sword with both hands—

SWISH!

Then I swung it horizontally straight from my right to left.

Viktor just placed his wooden sword on his left side and blocked my attack.

TWHACK!

I already expected this so I wasn’t really disappointed, and following my initial swing—

BAM!

I launched a back kick!

Viktor was able to move on time and blocked it with his right arm, he didn’t even have to move much. He then raised his right hand in the air, holding his wooden sword... And he swung vertically down with strong force.

SWOOSH!

His attack was coming straight to break my head. I frowned at the sight that.

I held up my weapon above my head, holding both ends with each of my hands. And with that—I blocked his attack.

TWHACK!!

"URGH?!!"

Still, with the body of a child, I felt the whole force on my arms.

BAM!

"GAHH!!!"

Then Viktor kicked me in the stomach. I saw his foot move, but I wasn’t able to dodge because I was blocking his sword. Though, I jumped back as soon as I felt the impact to escape under his weapon and reduce the damage that I was going to take.

Tap—

I landed a couple of meters away from Viktor on my knee.

Then before I could even stand up and fix myself—

"That was smart, I thought I got you with that kick."

Viktor was already in front of me! And he swung down again, trying to split my head open with his wooden sword once more!

’Fuck!’

I held my sword by the hilt with both hands and raised it above my head again, but this time... its blade was slightly leaning down to my left.

TWHOCK!

Our wooden swords collided again. But because of the way I’m holding my weapon—Viktor’s sword slid through my blade.

BAM!

And I successfully deflected his attack, he hit nothing but the concrete floor.

"?!"

A surprised expression flashed across Viktor’s face.

And not missing such an opportunity... I countered with a diagonal downward swing, aiming at the ankle of his left foot.

Bam!

Though Viktor immediately realized that and moved back to avoid being hit. I also hit nothing but the floor.

"Tsk."

I clicked my tongue as I stood back up and fixed my stance.

"That was dangerous, you’re great at deflecting attacks, huh."

Viktor said as he pointed the tip of his wooden blade at me, smiling.

"Thanks, I’m just lucky sometimes though."

"Is that so...? Then let me help you with that."

BAM!

Viktor rushed at me this time. I was surprised. It didn’t even take him that long to reach me!

SWISH—

He swung his weapon horizontally, aiming at my left arm.

WHACK!

I immediately moved my right hand and blocked it with my wooden sword. But still, I was pushed back in terms of strength.

"Ugh...!"

Then, as I was struggling to stop his attack from reaching me... Viktor just pulled back his weapon—and he launched another horizontal swing at me, though from the opposite side this time.

"Shit!"

FWOOSH!

I crouched down to avoid it, but when I glanced up to check on Viktor, he already had his wooden sword raised above his head...

WHOOSH!

And he brought it down while smirking mischievously at me!

I can’t dodge the incoming attack. I don’t have time to set up to deflect it from hitting me too.

So instead—

"FUCK OFF!!!"

SWOOSH!

While holding my sword tightly with both hands, I swung upward to intercept his attack!

And then...

THWACK—!!!

Our weapons collided once more, a loud noise was made by it that echoed throughout the area. My hands ached from the impact and the force that I received.

I was really in a bad position with that exchange just now.

Crack—

I saw my weapon crack. But that’s fine—

"?!!"

I also saw Viktor’s surprised face as I was able to fling his hand up in the air with his weapon.

He jumped back to prevent me from launching a counter. That was such a missed opportunity for me, but I don’t care.

My hands and arms are trembling, I don’t even know if I can launch another attack.

Tak—

My wooden sword then fell on the floor as I thought of that. My hands became numb and I lost control of them.

"Hmm, we should stop now."

Viktor said, seeing me like that.

"Haha, yeah. I can’t even hold anything properly at the moment."

I simply replied to him with a smile. And just like that... we wrapped up our sparring and called it a draw.

Viktor then approached me to check on my condition. I told him that I’m fine, my hands and arms are just a bit numb and trembling.

"Your last counter was something, huh."

He said after making sure that I was okay. I can tell that ye was really impressed.

"Oh shut up, we both know you’re taking it easy on me because I’m a kid."

"Well yeah, but even still, I was doing enough to defeat you. I wasn’t able to do that."

I shrugged my shoulders at his words. Then opening my mouth—

"In a real fight, no one will stop until one of the fighters or both of them dies... If this wasn’t a sparring match, I would’ve already died in your hands as soon as I lost my weapon."

I declared that.

"..."

Viktor got silent after hearing me say that. But after a while...

"Haha, you’re really a weird kid. Okay okay, I got it already."

He just laughed and accepted that it was his win.

It’s still a draw though... I didn’t lose.

I said I "would" lose if we were in a "real fight". But we’re just sparring—a draw is a draw.