Led into the sparring chamber under the observation of Charlemagne and some of the servants, Leon stood across from the adventurer.
It was a large, steel-built facility built to resemble an arena, equipped with its own special seals. Leon took off his coat, handing it to Irene before the maid moved away.
He rolled the sleeve of his white shirt up with a smirk, looking towards the adventurer, "Alright, we'll go until a killing blow is landed."
"A killing blow?!" Phoenix responded with a gasp.
Leon laughed, "Don't worry. You can't die here, so we'll be fine."
"Seriously—?" Phoenix muttered, drawing his jeweled sword as sweat slid down his cheek.
Serving as the referee for the bout, Charlemagne stood to the side, clapping his hands together, "Alright—get ready and…fight!"
At the moment the bout was started, Leon decided to make the first move, sprinting towards the swordsman. To his surprise, he crossed the distance within a moment, finding the same shock present in Phoenix's eyes.
He overshot, finding himself nearly slamming into the far wall before catching himself.
'Crap…I'm faster than I thought—I guess I leveled a lot from that ogre,' he thought.
A bright glow met his vision, witnessing a fire being born from the adventurer's sword.
"Fiyaaaaaah—!" Phoenix shouted, causing the flames swirling around his blade to ignite with a higher intensity.
There was an immediate shift in temperature as the cold air was quickly overwhelmed by a wave of heat.
A swing of the sword commanded a crimson slash to roar through the chamber. The heat rapidly approached, leaving the young lord to slide himself to the right, letting the wall of flames pass.
"Woah—that's pretty cool," Leon remarked, watching the fire clash against the barrier.
It seemed his remark only annoyed the adventurer, who quickly followed up. He looked ahead as Phoenix seemingly propelled forward with fire bursting at his heels.
'Awesome, it's like he's got jet boots—interesting,' he thought, staying light on his feet.
Through his enhanced sight, the speed of the fire-wielding swordsman was thoroughly countered. Leon ducked past the incoming swing, countering with a quick slash across the adventurer's side.
"Ghh—?!" Phoenix winced, spinning around as he landed some meters away.
Though blood seeped from the gash left on the swordsman's abdomen, it quickly closed up.
Phoenix reacted to the dismissal of pain, moving his hand away, "Huh—?"
"Neat, isn't it?" Leon said, closing in quickly.
As he crossed the distance, he leapt up, bringing his heirloom blade into a downward strike. It clashed against the adventurer's swords, erupting into a snowfall of sparks.
Pulling away, he stepped back, finding Phoenix already in front of him. The only thought in his head was "Crap", finding the fire-accelerated figure delivering a slash to fast for him to defend.
Lifting his sword in a form of defense, withholding himself from using magic, the fiery blade cleaved across his forearm.
"Master!" Ruby shouted from the observation area on the second floor.
Though he heard concern from the young maid, he glanced up to find that she was being assured by the others.
Leon smiled, watching the blood seep from his arm before the wound closed itself.
"Not too bad. You've definitely got potential," Leon remarked, waving his healed arm.
Phoenix breathed out, "So, we're done—?"
"Nope," Leon corrected, raising his sword. "Not until a lethal wound is inflicted."
["This place is unique. Due to the magical inscriptions etched onto the floor, all wounds made in the chamber are healed rapidly.
That means, you can go all out without any repercussions—it's the perfect place to test yourself."]
"Haste."
Across his body, the golden seals briefly sparked, imbuing the essence of "speed" into his muscles. He raced along the perimeter of the chamber, moving with the wind through his hair as he kept his eyes on the adventure.
Phoenix remained in the center of the room, holding his ground, though hardly seeming to keep track of the lord.
"Abstract Perception."
The spell used gifted him a unique enchantment to his sight, granting him insight on the "attributes" of the one in his line of sight.
[Physical: 50]
[Magical: 39]
[Soul Lv. 16]
'He's got similar stats to me when I faced One-Eye. I guess that goes to show the difference in inherent talent—even if I feel like an asshole for thinking that,' he thought.
As he decided to stop running circles around the man, he took a step to close in—
"Hyraaaah!"
—The warcry that echoed from Phoenix's lips manifested through the downfall of his sword. It wasn't swung for the young lord, instead plunged towards the floor, producing an explosion of flames.
A complete veil of shining orange filled his vision, feeling the heat against his body. He lifted his sword, commanding a swirl of intense wind around it as he swung it—
"Wind Blade!"
He expelled the fire with the slash of air, parting it, only to find no sight of the adventurer.
'Oh? He used it as a distraction?' He thought.
Using the eyes beholden to his lineage, an undisturbed view of his surroundings was brought to him. As if possessing eyes in the back of his head, he witnessed the swordsman approaching from behind.
He seamlessly slipped his sword back as it stabbed through steel and flesh.
"Gkk—!" Phoenix spat out, groaning in plain.
Leon quickly withdrew his blade, turning around as he found Phoenix holding his bored abdomen.
There wasn't a moment of hesitation as Charlemagne stepped in, "This bout is finished. The lethal blow has been landed by Leon."
While Phoenix looked a moment from keeling over, the pain subsided with the reversal of the wound.
"Hfff…This stuff is freaky," Phoenix exhaled, looking down at his stomach. "So, does this mean I'm not—?"
"You passed," Leon said, returning his weapon to its scabbard.
There was some obvious confusion worn on the face of the seasoned, but youthful adventurer. A furl of Phoenix's brow made it seem as if he was almost dissatisfied with the result.
"Hey, hey—is this a joke? You totally whooped my ass, man!" Phoenix huffed, waving his hands around in contention.
Rather quickly intervening, the wizened butler stepped down from the second floor, "The proper way to address the young master is "Lord Schoeller"—not "man."
"Oh, err…" Phoenix glanced back and forth between the butler and lord.
"It's fine, Thorgul," Leon laughed before addressing the swordsman. "The goal wasn't for you to win. All I needed to confirm was that you wouldn't be a liability."
Phoenix seemed somewhat bothered still but accepted with a nod of his head, sheathing his sword on his back, "Thank you."
"Well, I guess it's time to get you setup in your room. Thorgul, can you handle that?" Leon asked of the elder butler.
The old man nodded his head quietly, "Of course, Master."
With Thorgul leading Phoenix to where he would be staying, Leon watched, feeling a sense of accomplishment in recruiting the adventurer.
"You've sure been improving rapidly."
Leon looked over to find Charlemagne standing there in his sublime armor, dazzling like a jewel beneath the sunlight.
"You think so?" Leon responded, though knowing it himself.
"It's a bit frightening, honestly. If you weren't already the lord of the Schoeller Estate, I'd have to insist you become a paladin," Charlemagne laughed.
While the decorated swordsman said it like a joke, it certainly seemed there was truth in his words.
"So, what do you think about him?" Leon asked.
Charlemagne raised an eyebrow, "Phoenix? Well, he's got potential, yeah. I wouldn't say I'm all that impressed, though."
"Think you'd train him, too?" Leon requested.
"For free, no," Charlemagne answered honestly.
"Y'know, for a noble paladin, you're a bit greedy…" Leon noted, giving the swordsman a playfully shameful look.
The comment only served to make the honored swordsman laugh, brushing his fingers through his hair, "Even paladins have a need for coin. Honestly, we don't get paid a whole lot. Isn't that kind of crap?"
'More and more, I question how this guy is a revered hero of Wuxtria…' Leon thought.
In his head, he corrected his initial judgement, realizing it was a bit hypocritical to label the swordsman as "greedy."
As if reading his mind, Charlemagne continued, "That's why I respect the Schoeller family. You guys are doing it the right way."
"We are?" Leon said, not sure what was being implied.
"Of course," Charlemagne explained, leaning against the wall. "Heroism should be met with compensation. That's not to say I wouldn't help out if I wasn't rewarded—it's just that we should be."
"Well, I guess I can't argue there," Leon said.