Chapter 224 - The Knights In Training Pt. 2
They weren\'t even aware that Nathan would hold a mock test today when it\'s just supposed to be an assembly. A briefing. They had a clue, yes, but not to this extent. Nathan had arrived and just told them to bring a lot of swords and nothing else. They just thought that they probably had a demonstration or something. But alas...
A mock test with Nathan as the opponent. How unfair...
When no one immediately came forward, Evelyn stepped in which made everyone go silent..
"Ohh, a lady? Interesting..." Luther commented upon laying his eyes on Evelyn.
"Anything is interesting to you as long as it\'s a woman," Eon rebuked him.
Luther only smiled cheekily, "She\'s cute too. Not bad."
Eon shook his head at his friend\'s antics and focused his eyes back on the spectacle in front of their eyes.
\'A woman huh… This is the very first time a woman joined.\'
It will probably become a big deal when this comes out huh. Especially in the social circle who loves gossiping a lot. More so if she ever gets to become a knight someday. Hmmm...
"Does she really think she can take him?"
"What a joke."
Whispers the men as they looked at her with mockery.
Nathaniel\'s brows only raised ever so slightly upon seeing Evelyn but said nothing, and waited for her to come. As soon as she was at the center though, she suddenly raised her sword and attacked Nathan who immediately parried, albeit surprised. The rest was taken aback by this, especially the knights.
So far, it had always been Nathaniel who did the first move these last fights but now, it\'s completely the opposite. She didn\'t even waste a second there and went in for a kill. NOt only is she agile, but she\'s also not intimidated by her opponent for a bit.
What\'s more, she had even evaded a few of Nathan\'s vicious attacks who didn\'t even hold back even after facing a woman. The two clashed for a while but after some moves, Nathan then easily defeated her.
Everyone was silent as they were all transfixed by the scene in front of them. Well, except for one person.
"Ooohhh…" Eon muttered in astonishment. It wasn\'t a bad fight at all, though short, it was very interesting.
Until now, those newcomers who fought Nathan had one thing in common. They all dropped their swords. And yet this lady is still holding hers.
"She must really have some strong grip," Luther nodded as well.
\'She has guts!\' was his initial impression of the lady.
If polished more, she would be a force to be reckoned with. The knights could see a bright future ahead of her and they are all already positive that she will join them in the ranks one day. If that happens, it would surely be one of the historic moments in the empire.
Evelyn took a step back and respectfully bowed to Nathan before going back to the side as she was defeated. The guys near her were blatantly staring curiously but she paid them no mind and anticipated the next fight avidly.
\'He is truly strong,\' she thought as she gazed at the tall man with white hair.
She raised her right hand and shook it twice. It was still numb and slightly aching. Her eyes then went back to him again who was in the middle of another sparring.
Nathan\'s strikes were all heavy and had held so much power that Evelyn almost got her sword slipped off from her hand. Heck, she could even feel that he could still go harder than he was earlier. And if he did take her seriously, like really seriously, she would bet that it won\'t even last five seconds before she gets defeated.
\'What monstrous skills…\' she whispers in her mind yet all she feels is exhilaration.
Would she get on his level someday? Doubtful. But she could only dream.
After a while, the last of the newbies got defeated and the impromptu mock test finally concluded. Nathaniel sheathed his sword as his pale red eyes roamed over the rows of people, still sporting a blank expression.
"Unsatisfactory," he then graded them poorly. "You all still have a long way to go. With those skills, you\'re all going to get killed on the battlefield," he added.
\'He\'s a demon…\'
\'A demon…\'
\'So strict…\'
Were the collective opinions of the newbies.
Out of all the newcomers, only seven of them made him take note of them. These seven people were the ones who had held their grounds for more than a minute and had even held on to their swords at the end of the spar. Still, he\'s yet to be satisfied by their performance.
"I\'ll expect results in the test next week," he then glanced at the knights on the side, "I\'ll leave you all to it." And strode off without even glancing back.
They all watch him leave and after he is gone, Eon and the rest of the knights then take over.
"Alright, listen!"
Eon grouped them accordingly and appointed a knight to lead each group. Evelyn got thrown in with six others who had held their grounds against Nathaniel. He then announced that their official training would start tomorrow and disseminated all the needed information.
Afterward, another buzz broke off...
"Next week? That\'s so soon!" one of the newbies exclaimed after hearing the reminder Eon had given them.
"How can we even beat him?" another one chimed in.
Eon laughed at their expense and then assured them.
"Hahahaha you all don\'t have to worry about that. Don\'t take his words just now seriously. You should also stop thinking if you can defeat him or not"
Luther, who was on his side, nodded his head in amusement.
"That\'s right. Because even if you spend your whole life trying, you will never beat the captain," he said. "So you all should just focus on training hard."
Beating the captain? They are centuries too early for that. And it will be just wishful thinking too. Those who think they will win are foolish. After all, one needs a miracle to be able to defeat that guy. If there really is someone out there who would excel more than Nathan in terms of swordsmanship, then they must be a person who\'s loved by the Gods or a chosen hero of some prophecy crap to do that.
Does that someone even exists?