Coloring (3)
After the break, the students were largely divided into two categories.
Those who had grown during the break, and those who had not.
This largely depended on what kind of experience they had gained during the break.
From that point of view, Frondier had made a mistake.
He didn't think so, but objectively speaking, a mistake was a mistake.
"Remember, this is a spar."
Aster's class, combat theory.
Aster decided to have the students spar to get a rough idea of their skills.
And Aias asked Pielott for a spar.
Everyone who saw it thought the same thing.
That Aias was asking for revenge.
Aias had been knocked down by a single blow from Pielott. Naturally, there would be some resentment left. They thought he had improved his skills during the break and was challenging Pielott again.
In the end, it wasn't wrong.
"Please go easy on me."
"Likewise."
When Aias asked Pielott for a spar, he had completely forgotten about the past.
Unlike before when he held a sword, Aias this time held a long staff. He had realized something when he happened to hold a spear in Palma.
And the moment Pielott saw Aias holding the spear.
"...."
His expression hardened, and he was already in a stance with his sword drawn.
He had decided not to take this stance within Atlas after being scolded by Frondier, but he immediately changed his mind.
He couldn't beat the current Aias if he fought halfheartedly.
That's what he thought.
"Hmm."
Aias, who had been watching quietly, spoke.
"Pielott, can you not do that stance?"
"Why?"
"I feel like I'm going to get knocked down in one shot. Then it won't be a spar."
Pfft! The students who were listening burst into laughter.
However, Pielott felt a chill run down his spine.
It wasn't funny at all.
"....Okay. I need to practice fighting without this stance anyway."
"It's a spar, so let's be careful not to get hurt."
Pielott knew what Aias meant.
The current Aias wasn't interested in winning or losing the spar.
Aster approached them and said,
"If the spar gets too heated, I'll stop it, so don't get too worked up."
"Yes, sir."
"Yes."
The two answered, and Aster stepped back.
"Then, begin!"
At the signal, no one moved.
Pielott was prepared for Aias to attack first, and Aias was.
"....Hmm, so this is how you hold it to make it easier to pull. So that's what they meant when they said retrieving the spear is the real skill."
He was checking his own posture.
"....Aias?"
"Ah, sorry, Pielott. I'm still not used to 'doing it myself'."
What did that mean?
Aias gripped the spear again and looked at Pielott.
Next, a thrust is coming. Pielott knew that.
And,
Swish!
The tip of the staff grazed Pielott's cheek,
And when Pielott looked at Aias again, the staff was back to its original position.
'....Perfect.'
Pielott was purely amazed.
The speed was as if he had thrust the staff and pulled it back at the same time.
Moreover, even though he knew a thrust was coming, there was no sign of it starting. That's why, even though he tried to dodge completely, it still grazed his cheek.
That one thrust was enough to tell him what level Aias was at.
But Aias seemed disappointed and cowered.
"As expected, you dodged it easily."
"...."
"Well, you learn one thing at a time."
Aias tilted his head as if he had absorbed something again, and his eyes cleared.
Clang!
This time, Pielott moved. He didn't accept the spar just to be Aias's test dummy.
The blade thrust forward, and Aias's staff angled downward. The trajectory changed as it passed by, as if wrapping around the blade.
Whoosh!
Pielott, following the trajectory Aias had created, spun around, turning it into a spinning slash. The wooden sword aimed for Aias's neck, and it was too late for him to dodge.
"!"
Instead, Aias flicked the other end of the staff. It instantly reached Pielott's face.
Thud!
The two created distance between them. Neither side took any damage.
Pielott thought,
'That attack just now, it wasn't a simple counter. It wasn't meant to deal damage to me, but to nullify the attack coming at him.'
Unless he was planning a double suicide, there was no way he would attempt a move that would surely kill him.
The current Aias had reached a point where even his attacks were within the realm of defense.
'When I first met him, I thought he was the type to focus on offense, but it turns out he's the complete opposite.'
Unlike before, the current Aias wasn't using a sword, nor was he aggressive.
Aias had turned to defense, and Pielott realized.
This was the real Aias. Aias had been using the wrong weapon, forcing that level of skill. It was as if he was left-handed but had lived his whole life as a right-hander without knowing it.
And so,
"....I give up."
Pielott said.
"Huh?"
"I don't see a way to break through."
Ignoring the bewildered Aias, Pielott turned to Aster and said,
Aster, who had been watching quietly, nodded.
"Then the spar is over."
"Eh. Teacher, I haven't..."
"Your opponent has admitted defeat. According to the rules, the spar is over."
At Aster's words, Pielott quickly bowed and turned to rejoin the ranks of the students.
He was practically fleeing.
Aias scratched his head, unconvinced, and put down the staff.
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