Chapter 183: Battle of Reasons

So it's Ned and Swift against farmer-boy and Jerra.

The hunters gathered in the middle circle inside the training ground. Their training was suspended for the incoming fight and they were eager to watch the fight.

With Twali's command, the sparring circle in the center shook, and with a rumble, the circle was raised for a meter high. Making it grand and fit for a fight. The diameter was enough for the fighters to move with relative ease. Short grasses sprout at the bottom edge of the circle.

Along with the mechanical sound of the sparring circle came another cranking. Another stone rose just beside the sparring circle. It resembled a box, nearly ten meters wide and five meters high, wherein people could watch the fight with complete ease. It was shaded with the stone ceiling and a hollow space in front to watch the fight.

There, Twali sat in the middle with a chair reserved only for him. Both his sides were the hunters managing the Sudden Plate branch. Mond to his left. Arm and Bram to his right. While Horn, the shell-eater and the newly recruited captain, was at the bottom talking to his recruits.

Ned and Swift were alone in the crowd beneath the sparring circle.

Black masks and eyes were visible enough in front of Ned. Sasani has gotten comfortable with him. She talked closer to Ned that Twali threw a gaze with what seemed to be a satisfactory reaction.

"So, you know them?" She asked. Her eyes over Ned's shoulder, looking at the distance at the two hunters who were occupied by their captain.

Ned shook his head. "But, I've seen how the farmer-boy fought. Close combat, relatively good with extended weapons. I reckon spear, long-sword, or simply stick."

"Stick," Swift said, voice rounding under the mask.

Around them, hunters gathered and murmured as how they would judge Ned and Swift, then maybe, bet for them.

The betting was done with gold and silver coins. As to what and how they would bet, only they know. But Ned heard that hunters mostly bet for time. They bet who would last longer.

"How about sunshine?" Swift said, eyes back to Ned. "Do you know anything about her?"

She stood closer to Ned as if they were whispering. Others saw them to be just discussing their strategy.

"No," Ned said. "Never saw her fight. She a... She wasn't there when joined."

Of course, Ned used her name. Jerra was a name that one would need to see with their eyes if the name belongs to a woman or man.

Swift was a little shorter than Ned. Making Ned to look down a little when talking to her. His lips lurched up a bit, seeing how they both wore a black leather jacket, and black pants, with black boots. None would think that Swift was a lady. His movements were practiced, he wasn't soft when turning and walking.

"What will you use?" She said looking up to Ned.

"I might use a short-sword," Ned said.

"You might be at a disadvantage if you use it against a spear," Swift said, worriedly.

Short-sword against long weapons like spears or long-swords would have a great disadvantage. But Ned knew this, and he would supplement it with his speed, which against spear users would be a great advantage.

Most users of spears, long-swords, or any other weapons that extend the reach exponentially heavily rely on their weapons, not on their speed.

Ned proceeds to the weapon's rack nearby. Hunters gave way to him while throwing a scoff and irritation. Must be because they saw him walked-in over with Twali on their sides and wondered what kind of a kid he was since he wasn't even a Household member of Tarragon.

At the far end, near the training's ground entrance, there, Ned saw the nearest weapon's rack bundled with only swords. Ned pulled the short-sword he assumed that would fit him.

"Inspect," he muttered.

ICE then chimed with the information he needed.

The short-sword was a regular sword used only for practice. Made of iron, wasn't even pure, and crafted years ago. Ned sighed, but it was the best he could have. The handle was wrapped with ragged cloth and fits perfectly on Ned's grip.

"You really have the guts, Jerra," a voice rung behind Ned. Old, and familiar.

"Loti," Ned said without turning behind. He raised the sword to check for its length, eye at the end of the hilt. The sun brimmed to his right, making the sword sleek-looking.

He then sensed something from behind. An intent Ned was so familiar with. Ned spun, turning his waist along with the sword, and raised it to block the punch. The iron sword trembled on Ned's grip. For a moment, Ned saw Loti's punch was coated with blue light, but immediately evaporated before Ned could fully analyze.

He's good, really good. Ned thought. Smiling at Loti.

For a moment, Ned felt that Loti's punch wasn't normal. He could feel the strength of his shoulder, waist, and feet all connected in one single, perfect punch.

Loti's eyes gleamed with light as if surprised, he narrowed it looking at Ned. "You like a challenge," he said, "didn't you, Ned?"

Ned nodded. Indeed he was. The challenge to fight someone stronger than him makes him excited. It was the reason that brought him to his current situation.

Loti lowered his arm as Ned lowered his sword. They both nodded and Ned left, back to Swift. Leaving the old-man with arms folded behind his back.

Ned arrived back at Swift just in time for Twali to announce the start of the battle.

"Households," he said, one hand behind his back, while the other holds an object shining in yellow under his chin. A Voice Claim—amplifying the voice of the user. He stood towering over the three hunters. "This battle will be fought with reasons. Our guests will prove their worth, and our members will seek recognition.

"Rules are simple. No killing. Leaving the stage will count as a loss, surrendering will count as a loss. Weapons and spells are allowed. Lastly, fight without limits."

Twali's voice echoed over all sides of the sparring ground, and after the speech, hunters gasped. The crowd went louder with different opinions. One of them Ned heard saying 'to fight without limits', and they get even more excited.

Ned frowned. Fight without limits, he thought. But no killing?

And as if Twali recognized Ned's and the hunter's enthusiasm he added, "Yes, you heard it right. Fight without limits. Use the strongest spells you have. For I am here."

The crowd then cheered. Twali's assurance made the crowd in awe. As hunters, it was their limit that they needed to break to rank up or to become stronger. And having to fight without limits means that they could gauge their ability to its maximum capacity, which, they could have done it during raids and quests only. Since during training, they were limited to use their maximum potential. Now that Twali announced to fight without limits, hunters wished they could fight on the stage.

If Twali assured them to fight without limits, means he was also certain that he could intermediate the fight whenever he wanted.

Just how strong Twali is? Ned thought.

Ned's thoughts broke when one of the hunters invited Ned and Swift to enter the box with Twali.

There, inside the box, Twali sat in the middle with the three other hunters. Ned and Swift remained at the entrance of the stone box. In front of Twali was a table, on the table was a stone in a cube shape with soft edges, another Claim, a Communication Claim. Then the Claim lit blue and inside the Claim was a man everybody respected. The man that gave life to Sasani. Lord Sven.

Twali and the rest stood in respect, bowing. Then, Lord Sven's gaze went to Ned and Swift.

"Is that?" Lord Sven said inside the cube, a voice was like inside a small room. "Swift!"

Twali said, "Yes, my Lord." eyes to Swift.

Lord Sven replied, "Twali, have you recruited him?"

Twali said, "No, my Lord."

Lord Sven sighed. His regal face was paled with the blue color of the cube. Dark eyes still blooming with enthusiasm. Only his head down to his neck was visible, and the wound between his collarbone and neck was still visible but almost healed. His background was uncertain, and he looked at Ned.

Lord Sven said, "Ned. You want to this?"

Ned said, "Yes, Sv—Lord Sven."

Lord Sven sighed, voice somewhat muffled inside the cube, and smiled. "Then," he said. "Entertain me."

Mond, Arm, and Bram listened over their conversation. Their brows furrowed looking at Ned as if intrigued as to what led Lord Sven to favor Ned.

The two left going down the stairs back to the stage as they talked about their incoming fight.

"You seemed relaxed," Ned said, "was it your father?"

Swift shook his head. "No," she said. "Maybe yes, I want him to see me fighting like a man. Enough with that. So what's our plan?"

Ned walked with the sword in his right hand, no scabbard since it will be a one time use only.

"I'll take the farmer-boy," he said. "You take Jerra."

Swift nodded. No argument there.

"You stay behind me," he added, "and focus your arrows on her. How many spells you have?"

Swift paused. "How did you?"

"I know," Ned said, smiling. "Wind magic, right?"

Ned doesn't know, it was a guess. But during the Chance Arrow game, Ned felt the same mana coming out Swift as Kwan had. It was flowing, fresh, and filled with energy. But Swift's Mana Leak was calmer than Kwan. So, Ned guessed from the flow of mana that Swift was a wind mage.

Swift continued walking, side by side Ned. "Only one," she said. "That's why I'll be going to the academy after all this."

Ned nodded. "Then you stay behind," he said. "Follow me whenever I go. But do not stay too close. Enough for me to cover you when one of them decided to get close to you."

Swift nodded. No argument there. Swift knew she lacks the skills to fight in close-quarter combat. So the plan to stay closer to Ned was her best course of action.

They climbed up the stairs going to the sparring circle.

There, Ned sensed nothing coming out of Jerra. Farmer-boy wielded a spear, and, luckily Jerra uses a bow, which means she was also like Swift. Now, Ned must learn what spells the two will use.

The two teams stood almost twenty meters apart. The crowd cheered and stopped as soon as Mond stood in the middle of their box.

He then pulled something out of his front pocket. "The battle will start," he said. "As soon as the coin landed on the ground." He then tossed the coin farther down the sparring stage.

The coin clinked against the stone pavement and the battle started.