Chapter 11 Sparring (2)

As we watched the teachers forcibly remove the brawlers from the building, Oscar and I exchanged some glances before turning to face each other.

"Let's start!"

Oscar rushed towards me, brandishing his gleaming silver spear and aiming directly at my shoulder. Since we were just sparring partners, it was an unspoken agreement between us not to aim for anything lethal, and we both understood that.

Clank...

With a swift motion, I deftly parried Oscar's blow, skillfully redirecting his weapon to the side and lunging forward in response.

Even though my hand throbbed with pain from blocking his spear attack, it was nothing compared to the pain of blocking an attack from a Demon worshiper.

Unfortunately, Oscar was well aware that if I managed to get within close range, he would be at a disadvantage due to him wielding a spear. As a result, he swiftly backed away, maintaining a safe distance and making it challenging for me to close in and get within range of my weapon.

Clank...

Our spar continued with the same repetitive pattern, as I deflected Oscar's attacks and lunged forward in an attempt to strike him. However, no matter how close I got to landing a hit, Oscar always managed to slip away at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the dark blade of my Katana.

As the spar dragged on, I began to feel the weariness setting in, my fatigued body slowly approaching its limit. Every time my muscles tensed up, I could feel them threatening to contract, making it increasingly challenging to keep up with the intensity of the fight.

Swish...

Suddenly, I swiftly ducked below the spear that was aimed directly at my chest and seized the opportunity to land a powerful kick to Oscar's knee, causing him to stumble momentarily.

Although I was in no position to strike Oscar with my sword, I seized the opportunity to land a second kick, this time hitting him directly in the solar plexus and causing him to gasp for air.

I dashed in, trying to win using the momentum I've just gained, but Oscar managed to masterfully deflect all my Katana slashes, giving him enough time to recover.

"That's some damn good kicks..."

Oscar remarked through gritted teeth, his hand massaging his chest as he winced in pain. He likely didn't expect me to pack such a powerful blow, considering my relatively frail physique.

I was also surprised that my kick had a significant impact on him. I had not anticipated that my blow would be strong enough to force him to withdraw, as I had expected him to merely stumble before recovering quickly.

'...'

Looking down at my fists, I tightened my grip around the hilt of my Katana, feeling the softness of the handle rubbing against my fingers and providing me with a strange sense of calmness.

Swish...

I charged towards Oscar, wielding my Katana as though it was an extension of my arm, effortlessly slashing and parrying his attacks and causing him to gradually retreat.

Despite the excruciating pain in my muscles, my mind was oddly calm, and everything around me seemed to disappear except for the arena and my opponent.

My golden irises remained fixed on the movements of Oscar's spear, allowing me to deftly avoid its sharp, silver tip and launch swift counterattacks with precision.

I was in a focused state, where I was able to predict most of Oscar's moves based on the varied combat experiences I had accumulated while playing Leclentia.

Clank...

Oscar's weapon collided with mine, causing him to lose his balance for a brief moment. Taking advantage of his momentary vulnerability, I quickly lunged towards his feet, using the strength of my arms to grab hold of them and forcefully pull him to the ground.

Since I've had to abandon my Katana, I wrapped my hands around Oscar's neck, tensing my muscles and threatening to choke him.

I had no formal training in martial arts and didn't even have a battle style, but I had seen enough professional fights to know how combatants could make their opponents black out. My movements were crude and unrefined, but somehow I had managed to take hold of Oscar's neck and apply enough pressure to make him choke.

Tap... Tap...

Feeling Oscar's hand tapping my shoulder, I quickly released my hold and rolled to the side, exhaling in relief.

"I didn't- Cough cough...- expect you to... What was- Cough... - that move?!"

While coughing Oscar managed to gasp out. I expected Oscar to be at least a little angry since he had lost. However, when I looked into his eyes, I saw nothing but curiosity.

In the world of Leclentia, awakeners were accustomed to strict weapon usage and had never seen moves from other forms of combat such as MMA. Battle styles focused mainly on hand-to-hand and weapon combat, leaving little room for grappling techniques. However, as someone who had watched some MMA fights, I was able to crudely utilize an 'Anaconda choke' to my advantage, catching Oscar off guard.

"A simple choke… it's when the flow of air to your lungs is restricted, which leads to a decrease in oxygen levels and makes you lose consciousness..."

I explained to Oscar what I had done in the most basic terms possible, and seeing him nodding in understanding, I slowly stood up.

I felt my calves protesting against any movement and I couldn't help but grimace in pain as I went to retrieve my Katana, which was lying on the floor.

"Let's spar again!"

As I walked out of the arena, I heard Oscar shouting in my direction, but I didn't bother turning back. Instead, I gave him a thumbs up and continued on my way.

Looking around, I saw that most of the students were still gathered around Tess and Drake, who were preparing for a second round, but I wasn't in the mood to watch another fight. All I wanted was to take a long, hot bath and enjoy a good meal.