Chapter 326 - Guidance

The few moves that the young men had shown were familiar to Stella.

She had seen many practitioners of this sword technique already. 

Well, it wasn't that surprising since aside from the Steady Sword Art and Fencing of the Dukedom, the Northern Eclipse is indeed considered to be among the top sword techniques. 

It was said that practicing this sword style will help a swordsman improve tremendously. Stella doesn't know whether it's just a marketing strategy but it seems really effective since the Training Halls were filled with people who wanted to practice the style. 

"Haa~ You're really asking for a beating…"

Stella sighed as she decided to borrow Andrea's short stick. 

She doesn't have plans on killing them after all. As for using another Magic Item, she thought that it would be best not to use it for now.

She wanted to let children see the real Kendo… A sword style that doesn't require Spiritual Energy to defeat their opponent. 

"Be careful, brother Carl… This hateful woman uses magic." Shawn warned the leader of the group of young men. 

However, the man called Carl doesn't seem to be worried.

"Hmph! Our swords were also filled with magic. We're not afraid."

Carl can see that there's only Stella here who could pose some threat to their group. The others are too skinny that a single slap from him is probably enough to put them to sleep.

Aside from that, there are eight of them who could fight so even if Stella is quite skillful, there's no way that they will be defeated. 

"Enough talking… come at me."

As soon as Stella said this, she recalled something and told Andrea and the rest to back away and watch at a safe distance. 

The young kendo practitioners were at first thinking of helping Stella in the fight but as soon as they saw her confident face, they decided to agree with her request as they put down their weapons. 

"Haha! Arrogant! You're facing us with only that brittle stick?!" Carl already had enough as he charged forward.

The others followed suit since the Northern Eclipse Sword Style has a combat formation that allows 5 to 10 practitioners to combine their strength. 

It is completely unlike Kendo that only disciplines one's self. 

Stella didn't answer as she calculated their movement.

'Hmm… It is quite different from the swordsman I fought before…'

Stella mused as she maintained her Water Stance… Their sword handling was indeed familiar and she noticed that the foot technique that these young men are using was indeed the Northern Eclipse. 

However, they seem to have failed to practice the foot technique properly and only focused on their sword handling.

They swing and thrust their sword at Stella but none of them could hit her!

She wasn't parrying their attacks but only using her agileness to dodge all of their attacks!

Carl was obviously infuriated as he decided to increase the intensity of his sword strikes… It is to the point that he forgot to maintain the combat formation as he swing his sword recklessly.

Andrea and the other that is watching was obviously stunned at first but noticed that something familiar with Stella's movement…

She's using Kendo's Ashisabaki from time to time!

Aside from that, it also appears similar to the hanging woods training where she has to dodge to avoid getting hurt!

They wanted to start cheering for Stella at first but Ryan, one of the oldest in their group, whispered to just watch the battle carefully. 

They understood what he meant by that. They realized that Stella wanted to show them some real kendo! They can't afford to miss it!

Soon, Stella had enough of their attacks, she decided to make a move and thrusts her stick forward…

"Ack!"

One of the young men choked as Stella used Tsuki! It looks quite vicious as she hit his throat but it wasn't life-threatening.

After all, the weapons of these guys were actually imbued with Sharpening and Bleeding Arcane Magic.  They were even more dangerous!

If they managed to cut Stella's skin, stopping the bleeding would be difficult unless she managed to consume a potion.

This is thanks to their Training Hall that bestowed them an Enhanced Weapon. 

That's right, their weapons aren't considered as Magic Items but instead Enhanced Weapons similar to the weapons that Stella and her Uncle could make.

This is actually why Stella is confident. Perhaps, if those are true Magic Weapons, she wouldn't dare to just dodge these weapons with a hair's breadth.

Pah! Pah! Pah!

Stella's one or two hits weren't enough to put incapacitate them… This is actually what she wanted so the battle could last and the practitioners can watch her longer. 

She uses various techniques under Oji Waza or the Initiation Techniques… and of course, she also used the techniques Kaeshi Waza or the Counterattack Techniques. She even tried to move a bit slower so the children could actually watch them properly…

"Whoa~ It's beautiful…"

"True… But when I'm practicing Kendo, I also look that graceful, right?"

"No way, you look like a squid waving a stick."

"Hmph!"

"Shh… Just watch her closely."

The children excitedly watch the battle that lasted over fifteen.

As soon as Stella noticed that the other guys are already tired and holding back their tears due to pain… She decided to just end the battle. 

Pah! Pah! Pah!

She put some of her Spiritual Energy in the stick and directly put them to sleep.

As soon as they dropped to the ground, Andrea and the others celebrated.

As for Shawn and his friends, they just couldn't believe what they'd seen right now. 

Stella's physique isn't that impressive after all! 

Though she practices every day, her muscles aren't that firm to make her look brawny. 

"Impossible! I… I…"

Shawn couldn't speak as he looked at Stella fearfully. 

"Run!"

He was afraid that she'll hit them with her real sword if they didn't leave now!

Stella saw them running away but she didn't mind their actions. 

Instead, she woke up Carl and to warn him again Later that day, she went to the Village Chief to have someone look after these kids to avoid any future troubles. 

'Well… That's all I can do for your students, Senior Diether…'