As Kaiser and Hella joined Sentry at the starting point, the elder declared their victory, but the roar of the crowd was not one of celebration. "Go away, you fake swordsmanship!" someone yelled. "You always win by using any cheap skills!" another accused. "You're only trying to cover your weak swordsmanship with your cheap powers!"
Since Adriel had been taken away by the adults to recover from his injuries, Kaiser's team offered no rebuttal. Joshua's team, defeated by a group they considered inferior, looked irritated and angry. Kaiser, however, knew better than to engage with sore losers. They quickly made their way to Adriel.
"Hey, Adriel, are you alright?" Kaiser asked, concern in his voice.
Adriel scoffed. "I've been fine from the start. These elders just dragged me here and don't know anything."
Sentry, ever curious, asked, "By the way, Kaiser, why did you send Adriel to fight two against one?"
Kaiser explained, "Well, because Adriel is our biggest heavy hitter. Adriel doesn't feel pain or exhaustion, so I planned on him stalling both of them. That way, after I am finished with Joshua, I could go and help him. Since he doesn't feel exhaustion, he'd still have his full strength even when I arrived. I just didn't think he'd defeat them both on his own."
Adriel, a rare hint of satisfaction in his voice, said, "I prefer to fight alone, but it's good to know someone knows my strength."
Hella, listening intently, interjected, "If Adriel is the biggest hitter, then what am I?"
"You are our striker," Kaiser replied, thoughtfully. "You fight either the main or backside fighters. And Sentry here is our loose cannon; that's why he's a defender. As for me, I don't know myself who I am yet."
"You're our leader, alright," Sentry stated firmly.
Hella looked at her teammates, wondering whether she should truly embrace being part of a team.
She decided she would indulge them, but only until the end of the competition.
"With the Unbreakables gone, there's no one who can fight us now," Kaiser declared, a newfound confidence in his voice.
Meanwhile, in a secluded room, a man furiously threw a glass against the wall, shards scattering across the floor. "Useless!" he raged, his voice thick with frustration. "How can they win again and again?" This man was Hanz, Clara's master. "I have to stop them from winning," he seethed, his eyes glinting with a dangerous resolve. "There's no other way. I have to use magic." He pulled out a small, intricately carved circular token with krystallites carved in it which was a magical item, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
Back on the training ground, Kaiser was sparring with Hella. He found himself having a much harder time without relying on his sorcery. Hella, nimble and precise, was pushing him. "You can't just rely on your sorcery for winning," she advised, her voice firm. "You should know how to use a sword properly."
Kaiser nodded, then attacked with a series of sword slashes. Hella easily blocked each one. "Don't get desperate, otherwise you'll lose," she cautioned. "Think before attacking." Hella pushed Kaiser back with her sword. Kaiser attacked again, still using basic sword slashes. Hella blocked the first one, but then Kaiser suddenly switched to a piercing stance. "You're getting it," Hella praised, a flicker of approval in her eyes. "Watch for the enemy's blind spot." Hella then attacked with her own sword slash. Kaiser blocked it, and she prepared to kick him, but Kaiser dodged even before her foot moved. "I kinda expected that kick," Kaiser commented with a grin.
As their fight grew more fierce, Sentry watched, his eyes wide. "Wow, they are duking it out!" he exclaimed. Suddenly, Sentry felt a strange sensation, as if someone was watching him. "Kaiser, Hella," he announced, "I'm going to go for something." He walked away, leaving them to their intense sparring.
As Sentry went to a secluded spot, a man appeared in front of him. "Master, what happened?" Sentry asked, surprised. It was Sentry's master, an old man with thin hair and a short beard.
"The city of Nandaka is going to get attacked in a few days," his master revealed, his voice grave.
Sentry's eyes widened in alarm. "Should we inform the three great elders?"
"I already informed them," his master replied. "But you need to promise that you won't use your sword during the attack. The one thing we don't want is an unreliable ally."
Sentry looked down, a wave of conflict washing over him. "Yes, Master," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I promise I won't use the sword if the fight were to break out."
Sentry's master nodded, a faint sadness in his eyes, and then walked away. Sentry wanted so badly to be a reliable partner, someone who could fight alongside his friends. Yet, he was terrified of swords, of what he became when he wielded one. He yearned to be useful, even just a little. As he watched Kaiser and Hella continue their fierce battle, he wondered if he would just stand by and watch everything from the sidelines. Then, a thought sparked in his mind: sorcery. Sentry was afraid of the sword, but if it was sorcery, he knew he could master it. He could help his friends.
After some time, Kaiser and Hella took a break. Adriel, now fully recovered and bursting with energy, came bounding over. "So, what did I miss?" he asked.
"My training," Kaiser replied, taking a sip of water. "I'm now more proficient in using a sword without sorcery."
"Not more than me!" Adriel quickly countered, a competitive glint in his eye.
Before Kaiser could respond, Sentry, his face etched with a deeper worry than usual, interjected. "Guys, am I a burden to you all?"
Adriel, without hesitation, blurted out, "Damn right you are!"
Hella offered her blunt assessment. "I don't think you are useful, but I don't think you are useless too. So, less of a burden, more of a necessary weight to carry."
Kaiser, sensing Sentry's genuine distress, countered, "I think you are useful and not a burden at all."
Sentry, however, was not entirely satisfied with their answers. As Kaiser drank some water, Sentry looked at him, a determined glint in his eye. "Kaiser, will you teach me sorcery?"