48 Learning Curve

"You're dragging your arms! Raise them. How do you expect to cut anyone down with that sloppy handling of your weapon?" The sharp and cutting voice of Clemente sounds as he flicks his sword.

Some blood splatters off of the sword and hits the tan tiled floor.

Sweat pours down my forehead as I watch him. The back of my shirt was completely drenched in sweat as well. My hair clings to the back of my neck from sweat. My arms felt like they are hanging on by threads

Every single muscle in my arms was begging for sweet reprieve from the heavyweight of the scissors in my hands.

My face was covered in bruises, that are heavily focused around the right half of my face. My right eye was half closed due to a bruise. It wasn't much different for my arms; they are dotted with bruises and cuts that are oozing blood.

"Huff… Huff," I couldn't even speak, my lungs are burning. It was like someone had set them on fire.

"Those damned scissors are too heavy for you to use," he grumbles. He looked pissed as he began to roughly shove a hand through his hair. It ripples and glitters a golden brown as the low levels of sunlight hit it.

A grimace was set firmly on his face as he casually twists his sword in his hands.

Not paying attention to him, I look down at the scissors that I was trying to get a handle on. Heavy, extremely heavy was the only way to describe them. It was as if I was trying to drag a boulder around.

I'd come out early in the morning to start practicing with them. I couldn't find any information about them in our vast library. Thinking that I'd be able to practice alone and get used to them, I'd come out to one of the many courtyards.

It seemed, however, that I wasn't going to catch the easy end of the stick. Because not even twenty minutes being outside, but my Brother had found me. I'd caught the attention of a battle maniac!

Not that I was much better when it came to fighting. Which shortly had resulted in the beating that I'd take from him.

"If you can't lift your weapon, then you should use a different one, Sis," he grumbles kicking at the ground with his right foot. It was obvious that he was annoyed, I didn't blame him. I was also annoyed at myself for being unable to block or defend against any of his attacks.

Although, it was kind of hard when I was barely able to lift the scissors. I completely agreed with him and even shared his sentiments. Yet, I felt a strange feeling of comfort and familiarity with these scissors.

All I cared about was being able to wield them, and I would wield them. It didn't matter if I took a beating in the process either. He was only slowly chipping away at my HP.

"Again," I gasp. Removing a hand, I swipe at my forehead, trying to keep the sweat from running into my good eye.

Gritting his teeth, he shifts into a simple stance. Even though it looks simply I knew that he was prepared to attack me at any moment.

A soft breeze blew past us and lightly lifts some of my sweaty hair off my neck. It sent a small shiver down my back.

"I'm going to turn you into a bloody mess at this rate," he sighs.

That was all the warning that he gave as he darted forward towards me. His body was like a loosed arrow, it shot through the breeze and headed directly towards me.

He doesn't directly attack me but, instead, tries a feint from the front and then appears behind me. It was like a phantom it was soundless, but I was prepared for him to try this tactic. The wind throws my hair up as he swings his blade down towards my back.

Willing myself to grip my scissors, I pivot on my right foot and throw the scissors up to intercept the incoming blow.

SHRIKKKK~

The piercing sound of metal on metal makes my ears ring. The force of the blow causes my knees to buckle from the impact. My arms bend and start to give out under the pressure of the blow.

Sucking in a deep breath, I press upwards with all the strength that I could muster in my legs. With the added strength, I'm able to redirect the blow that would have cut into my shoulder into the tiled floor.

"CRAC." The floor splinters and the tiles are blown apart from his sword strike. It kicks up dirt and dust as it's smashed into nothingness without any resistance.

My legs felt like liquid. Before, I can collect myself. A heavy blow lands on my stomach.

Looking downwards, I find that his foot driven directly in my stomach right underneath my chest and directly into my gut. The impact felt like I was being hit by a train!

"Kof," blood bubbles up out of my mouth as I'm rocketed backward from the blow. Floating through the air, I felt the world spin in a dizzying amount of colors.

Slamming into the ground, I grit my teeth to prevent myself from accidentally biting my tongue. My stomach was lighting up in pain, and I barely managed to keep my grip on the scissors.

After rolling to a stop, I feel more blood seep out from between my lips.

[-100HP]

Shit.

At the same instant, I felt my brother getting closer to me. The flashing glint of a sword falling downwards comes into view and I felt the blood drain from my body. It was only the blunt end of the sword, but I knew that would hurt just as bad.

My brain screamed at my body to move, and my body was trying to do just that. However, it was all in vain it felt like every single muscle in my body was spasming as I lay on the ground.

I willed my arm to move and it twitches slightly, but the weight of the scissors prevents me from raising my arm. The blood was roaring in my ears as I desperately tried to struggle.

「Trainee War Empress Activated」

「Persona of War」

「All artificial wound will be healed, a 30-point increase in strength and agility! 」

「Negative impact, insanity accumulation at [15/100] 」

All the notification went off at once, it was like a flash of information. All the pain in my body quickly began to lessen. I quickly use this newfound freedom to roll out of the way of the incoming attack.

His sword cut through the air and sinks into the ground. His eyes dilate in shock and I jump away from him, creating a good distance between us.

My body felt like someone had poured liquid strength into my body. It was as if my body was burning up from the inside out, I cough slightly and find that a few droplets of blood splatters onto my arm.

What the hell?

Twisting my right arm, I see the blood began to burn up. Not only that but all the black and blue bruises began to vanish, and the painful muscle spasms all but vanished, as well!

「Persona of War passive added the more insanity that accumulated will allow the user to enter a Berserker state, robbing them of all sanity. Foe and Friends are all equal prey under this effect! 」

I felt my stomach drop, I'd almost forgotten about the fact that I'd received a title from that damned Goddess. Who knew that it would hand out such a shitty passive… but I had to admit the activation allowed my strength to increase!

Flipping the scissors around in my hand, I found that they are a lot lighter now. It was easier to move them around!

Looking towards my Brother he's got a confused expression on his face.

Shall we test out this newfound strength?

Focusing on my brother, I charge forwards moving towards him with blistering speed. His face hardens as I approach him, he raises his katana forward to meet my strike.

Seeing his raise his arm, I quickly change the direction of my strike and come from the side, swirling the scissors in my hand. They move with ease.

Anticipating the change in direction, he tilts his sword and parries the hit. Steel clashes against steel. With that, we began to exchange blow after blow with each other at a breakneck speed.

Blade on blade, and soon I managed to land some blows on him, and he did the same easily slicing my arms and face. Blood drips down my hand and down my cheek.

However, that doesn't stop me, with the increased strength his blow doesn't knock me backward as much anymore, I was able to press forward towards him.

I felt my blood boiling and the roaring in my ears increasing as we continued the heavy exchange of blows.

Releasing my left hand that was gripping one part of the scissors handle, I strike out with my first.

"Kapow," my fist collides with his face.

A look of shock passes across his face at the sudden hit. Taking that moment of surprise, I swing with all my might the scissors, they slam into his sword and send him skidding backwards about ten feet.

Blood runs down his arm and he used it to cancel out some of the force from my hit.

"Huff…" I let out a hot breath of air. My body was burning, and I felt like someone had set all my blood alight in my body.

「Insanity [33/100] 」

The points had increased, and the burning began again, this time even stronger. It felt like I'd been doused in liquid fire. It was painful and at the same time, I felt like I could bear it.

However, my mind felt like it was being torn a little bit, pain lights up my brain.

"Ugh," I moan as I press a hand into my eyes.