Aaron said nothing.
Edyth spoke up.
"Swordsmen and Spearmen have different roles. It's not a matter of strength, but of formation."
"A matter of formation, huh. I suppose that could be true."
Velkist limped out of the training arena.
He then gulped down some water that was placed on a display stand. The paralysis seemed to wear off as Velkist's bent upper body straightened. Velkist continued speaking.
"I want to ask. Does that theory hold true even for a Spearman who can't fulfill his role?"
"What do you mean?" Edyth narrowed her eyes.
Velkist smiled coldly and continued.
"I also watched the seniors fight in the Rift of Time. It was quite interesting. But there was one person who didn't seem to fit in. Is a Spearman really that necessary? Enough to tolerate such shortcomings? I think differently, however."
Velkist's gaze turned to Aaron.
"Don't you feel your limits, senior?"
There was no hint of a smile on his face.
Velkist was speaking sincerely.
"..."
Aaron bit his lip hard and lowered his head.
Jenna frowned.
"Don't say such absurd things! Aaron Oppa is doing fine."
"Miss, you're overflowing with talent, so you wouldn't know. Sometimes, clumsy comfort is more poisonous."
"What..."
"Quiet."
The two fell silent at my words. I looked at Aaron.
Aaron stared at the floor, his expression thoughtful. Aaron's right hand, clenched tightly, had turned white.
"Yes, as you said, a Spearman isn't absolutely necessary. If a skilled Swordsman joins, we can use other formations."
"Oppa..." Jenna murmured.
"But that's only if the Swordsman is stronger than the Spearman. Do you think you'll be more helpful than Aaron?"
"I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't confident. Accept my challenge."
Velkist drew his sword.
Then he stared at Aaron with blazing eyes.
'Has the time finally come?'
I had noticed Aaron was pushing himself harder than usual.
I also knew that if things continued like this, it would end badly. Whether he collapsed on his own or fell during a mission. To overcome this, at least some kind of catalyst was needed.
I said to Velkist,
"Are you sure you won't go back on your word? Aaron has been here much longer than you. If you challenged him recklessly out of petty confidence, I'll have no choice but to revise my evaluation of you."
"Don't worry. If I lose, I'll go to Party 2 without a second word. I don't break my promises."
Velkist caressed the blade of his sword with his hand.
A light trickle of blood flowed from his index finger.
"You decide, Aaron. I won't say anything if you refuse."
In terms of efficiency, Aaron was better.
Although a Spearman wasn't essential, it was true that having one was good. Also, Aaron had practiced formations with Party 1 for a long time and was in sync with us.
Even though the gap [between him and others] was gradually widening, it wasn't critical yet.
He could still perform well as a Party 1 member for the time being.
However, Aaron shook his head with a heavy expression and said to me,
"Could you give me five minutes?"
"Alright."
Aaron closed his eyes.
A short break.
After leaving the training arena, Nerissa left the training center without looking back. Jenna tried to persuade Aaron, saying he didn't need to force himself to fight, and Iolka joined in. Aaron didn't respond at all.
Party 2 gathered around Edyth and were having a serious conversation.
Velkist sat slumped in a corner of the training ground, tending to his sword.
And five minutes later.
"I've decided, Hyung-nim."
"What will you do?"
"...I'll do it."
"If you lose, you cannot return to Party 1. You say this knowing the stakes, right?"
"Yes."
Aaron adjusted his grip on his spear and walked to the training arena.
Velkist grinned.
"I was waiting for that answer."
Velkist immediately stood up.
As the two climbed into the arena, the entrance door closed with a loud clang.
'It's out of my hands now.'
Once things reached this point, there was nothing I could do.
I said,
"The winner of this duel joins Party 1. Do you agree?"
"I agree," said Velkist.
"I agree," said Aaron.
The duel message appeared.
['Velkist (★★)' challenges 'Aaron (★★)' to a duel!]
['Aaron (★★)' challenges 'Velkist (★★)' to a duel!]
[Both parties agree to the duel.]
[Mutually Agreed Duel!]
[Do you consent?]
[Yes (Selected) / No]
This time too, Amkena touched 'Yes'.
Clank. The training arena's entrance door locked. Now, until a conclusion was reached, no one could enter the training arena.
"He went through with it, Aaron Oppa. Even though I told him it was okay," Jenna murmured sadly.
"He decided himself," I replied.
"I know that too. But what if he loses? That guy [Velkist] seemed pretty strong," Jenna fretted.
"If he just does what he practiced, he can win."
Both sides' weapon skill level was 4, the same rank.
Besides that, Velkist had a few passive skills that Aaron lacked.
However, Aaron possessed an even greater strength than that. It was the difference in experience.
Velkist hadn't been here long.
Unlike Aaron, who had fought enemies in a wide range of situations, he hadn't even experienced a boss stage directly.
Crucially, Velkist had no experience fighting face-to-face against a Spearman like Roderick or Aaron. On the other hand, Aaron had clashed with me tens, hundreds of times.
Swords and spears have different fighting styles.
No matter how excellent Velkist's senses were, he couldn't adapt to a spear right from the start.
After some time, once Velkist gained experience, he would be dangerous, but at this point in time, the duel favored Aaron.
'If only he sticks to what he usually does.'
Velkist let his sword hang loosely.
Aaron held his spear long. The stance, holding the spear with both hands and bending his knees, was the basic form of standard spearmanship.
"Begin."
As my words ended, Aaron thrust his spear.
A move practiced hundreds of thousands of times. The thrust was as natural as flowing water, and also swift. In an instant, the advancing spearhead grazed the flesh of Velkist's shoulder before he could react.
Blood splattered, staining the iron bars.
"Fast," Velkist commented with a slight smile.
Aaron didn't answer, holding his spear ready.
Thrusts flooded towards Velkist.
His stance didn't waver even an inch. Only his front foot moved slightly each time he retracted the spearhead.
The spearhead shot out at a speed that made it look like multiple spears. Each time a thrust went back and forth, a sharp sound of displaced air echoed.
Small wounds began to appear all over Velkist's body.
Usher shouted excitedly,
"That's it! Show that arrogant newbie a bitter taste!"
Velkist dodged sideways from a thrust aimed at his left ribs.
Thwack!
Instantly, the spear shaft bent and struck his side hard. Velkist's expression twisted.
It was the second pattern of spearmanship: swinging.
"Serves you right, bastard! Acting all high and mighty. If you join our party, you'll start with washing dishes!" Usher hurled insults.
Under Aaron's fierce assault, Velkist was too busy blocking vital spots to manage even a decent counterattack.
'The difference in reach.'
The difference in reach between a spear and a sword is close to 1 meter.
Every time Velkist approached to attack, Aaron retreated slightly, preventing him from getting close. And then he advanced again, pressing the attack.
The situation seemed one-sided.
"That's not like Oppa," Jenna murmured, biting her thumb.
"What are you talking about?" Usher countered. "He's constantly pushing him. If it stays like this, it's an easy win!"
"No, Unni," Jenna said, likely to Iolka or Edyth. "Look closely. He's getting hit less often than at the start."
"Now that you mention it..." Iolka agreed.
Aaron's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Although the movements of retracting and thrusting the spear gained speed, from some point on, the number of spear strikes landing on Velkist's body noticeably decreased. Edyth sounded incredulous.
"He figured it out already?"
Aaron's technique is precise but, at the same time, straightforward. It had the disadvantage of being easy to overcome once figured out.
Moreover, Velkist's quick learning ability was particularly outstanding. Seeing how he figured out Nerissa's high-low attacks in less than a few minutes, it was clear he possessed strong powers of observation. He would soon acquire Mind's Eye or a similar skill like the one I have.
But there was an even bigger problem than that.
Even if Aaron's spearmanship was predictable, Velkist's adaptation speed was too fast. No matter how good his insight was, this shouldn't be happening.
"This is boring," Velkist said in a low voice.
Even as he spoke, Aaron's spear strikes flew several more times, but Velkist dodged or parried all of them. From some point on, none of Aaron's attacks were landing.
"Are you playing games with me?" Anger filled Velkist's eyes.
His blade swung out and strongly struck the spear shaft aside. Aaron retracted the spear shaft and said,
"I have no intention of playing games."
"Then why are you holding back against me? Do you think I'm easy? I heard Party 1 spars with the mindset of killing their opponent. But this time, it's different from what I heard."
Velkist pointed the tip of his sword at Aaron.
"Why aren't you attacking my vital spots?"
Aaron didn't answer, merely gripping his spear tightly.
'He's grown weak.' I sighed quietly.
The reason Aaron's offense faltered quickly was simple. It was because Aaron wasn't attacking his opponent's head, neck, or heart.
Head, neck, heart.
Avoiding these three areas created a large, predictable safe zone, primarily on the upper left side of the body. No matter how skilled Aaron's spearmanship was and how initially unprepared Velkist was, once he figured this out, there was no way he couldn't defend against it.
"Aaron."
"Yes."
"Since when did you start weighing killing and saving? Are you strong enough to afford holding back against your opponent?"
Aaron didn't act like this against me or Jenna.
On the contrary, he desperately swung and thrust his spear aiming for vital spots. I encouraged that too. Because forbidding attacks on vital spots while pursuing realistic training is utterly ridiculous.
But now was clearly different.
Velkist hadn't missed that unnaturalness.
"But..." Aaron began.
"Show me all the skill you possess. Don't disappoint me."
"So you say," Velkist muttered scornfully, overhearing.
"Understood," Aaron replied. His gaze hardened as if he had made his resolve. The hand gripping the spear could be seen tightening.
"Don't blame me if you die," Aaron declared.
"Of course," Velkist replied.
A fast and heavy thrust shot out.
This time the target was the heart. An absolutely fatal vital spot.
Velkist grinned and adjusted his grip on his sword.
And 10 minutes later...
"Losing blood has made me a bit dizzy," Velkist muttered.
His entire body was covered in stab and slash wounds. A trickle of blood ran down Velkist's cheek.
"Anyway, I won."
Velkist aimed his sword at Aaron's neck.
Aaron stood in a corner of the training arena.
Compared to Velkist, he had almost no wounds, but his spear lay discarded far away.
'Aaron lost.'
The onlookers were silent.
Even Usher and Jenna, who had been eagerly cheering for Aaron, stared at the two, lost for words.
Until the latter half, Aaron had seemed to have the advantage. Because Aaron's spearmanship, now freely attacking vital spots, was much sharper than before. Velkist merely stood in place with a lowered stance. His wounds gradually increased, and it looked like he could collapse at any moment.
But just as Aaron was about to deliver the finishing blow, Velkist suddenly rushed forward.
As if he knew exactly what was coming, Velkist dodged three thrusts and two swings, closed the distance into Aaron's guard, and knocked the spear from his hand. And that was the end.
"No way! Aaron clearly had the advantage!" Usher exclaimed, finally snapping back to reality and glaring at Velkist.
"What kind of trick did you pull! You used a dirty move, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Velkist replied evenly.
"Th-that's something we couldn't see..." Usher stammered.
"That's unsightly," Roderick interjected, shaking his head at Usher.
Usher clenched his teeth without answering.
At the same time, the message announcing the duel's end appeared.
['Velkist (★★)' is victorious in the duel!]