NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: Stick vs Sword
Chapter 28: Stick vs Sword
Soon, they arrived at their destination. The secret training spot of Noemi was tucked away in a secluded area, hidden from the campus.
Sevi marveled at the place as they approached. It was a spacious, well-maintained area, surrounded by lush greenery.
The training spot featured an open space with various equipment neatly arranged for practice, and a few benches positioned for rest.
"This place is amazing," Sevi remarked, taking in the surroundings with genuine admiration.
As Sevi took in the training spot's details, he asked, "Is there anyone else who uses this place? Or is it just for you?"
Noemi shook her head, a hint of pride in her face, "No, it's just for me. Everything here was built and set up by myself. I wanted a space where I could train without any interruptions."
Sevi looked around, impressed. "Wow, you really put a lot of work into this."
Noemi smiled, pleased with his reaction. "Yeah, it's perfect for our training sessions. It's quiet and private, so we can really focus."
Sevi nodded, appreciating the value of such a dedicated space.
Noemi then picked up a real sword from a rack and tossed it towards Sevi. He caught it with a slightly surprised look.
"You have a real sword here?" Sevi asked, eyeing the weapon in his hands with curiosity.
Noemi nodded, "Yep, I use it for practice."
Sevi examined the sword, noting its balance and sharpness. "It's pretty well-made."
Noemi then grabbed a stick from a nearby tree, wielding it with a practiced stance. "Alright, this stick would be enough. Ready for a sparring match?"
"...A stick? Really? Against a real sword?" Sevi raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of amusement and mild offense.
Noemi's face remained stoic, her expression unchanged. "The stick is all I need. It's not about the weapon but the skill behind it."
'Even if our skills are not on the same level, using a stick against a real sword is a bit too much, right?' Sevi thought as he stared at Noemi's hand that holds the stick.
"Alright, if you say so." Sevi chuckled, shaking his head.
With a nod, Noemi took her stance. Noemi's stance was steady, and her grip on the stick was firm. Sevi, still amused but intrigued, adjusted his own stance with the sword.
"Ready?" Noemi asked, her voice calm and steady.
"Ready," Sevi replied, raising his sword slightly.
As Sevi prepared for the match, the red icon reappeared above Noemi's head, and a mission prompt appeared in front of Sevi.
[2 Mission Alert!]
______________________
Old Mission: Gain recognition from Noemi for your skills.
Description: Noemi values expertise and dedication. Demonstrate your skills in a way that earns her respect and acknowledgment.
Reward: +10 Favorability Points
Penalty: If you fail to gain recognition from Noemi within the time limit, you will lose 20 favorability points with Noemi, and you will have to wait 14 days before you can attempt a similar mission again.
Time Limit: 7 days
_______________________
Mission: Last 1 minute against Noemi
Reward: +1 Grade in Swordsmanship, Special Training Session with Noemi, +5 Favorability Points with Noemi
Penalty: -2 Grades in Swordsmanship, -5 Favorability Points with Noemi
_______________________
'Ohh, the old mission... I almost forgot.'
"But seriously? Last a minute?" he muttered, glancing at Noemi who was now in her combat stance, looking calm and focused.
Noemi, unaware of the mission prompt, waited for Sevi to make the first move.
The match began, and Sevi quickly found himself on the defensive.
'Fvck, did she even got serious during the sparring match last time?' Sevi thought as the stick pushed him back with relentless pressure.
Despite his best efforts to counterattack and defend, the stick seemed to be everywhere at once.
As Noemi advanced with a series of quick strikes, one of Sevi's skill: tactical awareness kicked in. He noted the subtle shifts in her posture, the way her weight shifted before each move. It gave him just enough insight to parry most of her attacks.
However, Noemi's sheer speed and precision tested the limits of his beginner swordsmanship. Her stick moved like a blur, attacking from unpredictable angles.
"I'm going for your right side!" Noemi suddenly called out suddenly, her voice startling him.
Sevi barely had time to react.
'is it a feint, or is she being direct to throw me off?' Sevi thought but he chose to trust her words and raised his stick to block.
His attempt to block was too slow, and Noemi's stick landed a solid hit on his right shoulder. The impact was sharp and precise, causing him to stumble slightly.
"Ow! Alright, alright!" Sevi exclaimed, trying to regain his footing and adapt to her tactics.
Noemi didn't let up. As soon as Sevi recovered from the initial hit, she launched a flurry of strikes. The stick moved with precision and speed, aiming for various parts of Sevi's body.
Sevi focused intently, using all his agility and strength to block the incoming attacks. He managed to deflect several of Noemi's blows using his parry skill.
He timed her next strike and deflected it with a quick, precise parry, using her momentum against her to aim a counterstrike toward her ribs.
Noemi twisted effortlessly, avoiding the blow, her movements seamless.
"Not bad," she teased.
However, despite his best efforts, a few strikes managed to slip through his defenses. Each hit landed with a sharp thud, reminding him of the gap in their skill levels.
Sweat trickled down Sevi's forehead as he strained to maintain his stance and keep Noemi at bay. The minute seemed to crawl by as he struggled to defend against her skillful attacks.
'How many seconds are there left?' Sevi thought as he glanced on the corner of the prompt screen.
Sevi glanced at the corner of the prompt screen and saw the countdown clock ticking down.
10 seconds remaining.
'Just a few more seconds,' he thought, hoping that the end of the minute would signal the conclusion of the match.
However, Noemi, unaware of the mission prompt and deeply focused on her practice, did not let up. She continued her precise and relentless strikes, pushing Sevi to his limits.
With only a few seconds left, Sevi tried his best to hold his ground. He managed to block some of Noemi's attacks but still took several solid hits. The minute dragged on painfully as he struggled to keep up.
[Mission Completed!]
[Bgn Swordsmanship: S --> Intermediate Swordsmanship F]
[Parry: B+ --> A- ]
[Favorability has increased!]
[Noemi's favorability: 19/100 --> 24/100]
'Woohh.. Finally.'
When the timer finally expired, Sevi, thinking the match was over, relaxed his stance slightly, expecting Noemi to stop. But Noemi continued her strikes.
Sevi, breathing heavily, was initially confused as Noemi continued her strikes even after the timer had expired.
'Why is she continuing?' he wondered, feeling a mix of exhaustion and curiosity.
[It's the system only that assigned you a mission to last a minute against Noemi. Noemi doesn't know about that.]
'Oh right, fvck.'
Realizing this, Sevi focused on enduring the practice, trying to block and evade Noemi's relentless attacks. As the seconds ticked by, Sevi noticed that Noemi's strikes were more measured and controlled now, suggesting she was concluding her practice session.
Finally, Noemi stepped back and lowered her stick, her expression showing satisfaction with the session.
"Great job holding up," Noemi said, her voice calm and appreciative.
"But you're still not strong enough." Noemi continued.
Sevi, still catching his breath, looked at Noemi with a mix of exhaustion and curiosity. "Not strong enough? Then how... can I get stronger?"
Noemi tilted her head slightly, considering his question.
"Just practice everyday."
Sevi furrowed his brow, looking a bit puzzled. "Just practice every day? That's it? I've been doing that for ages."
Sevi looked at Noemi, clearly frustrated. "I've been practicing every day, but I'm still not at your level."
Noemi nodded, understanding his frustration. "Have you tried varying your drills?"
Sevi shook his head. "I haven't really done that. I've been sticking to my usual routine."
Noemi smiled slightly. "Then that might be a good place to start. Don't just practice hard, but practice smart."
Sevi nodded, taking her advice to heart. "Alright, I'll try mixing things up."
Noemi nodded approvingly as Sevi took her advice to heart. She then reached into a nearby storage bin and pulled out a handmade resistance band, crafted from sturdy materials.
"Here, try using this," Noemi said, handing the band to Sevi. "It'll help with improving wrist and arm strength."
Sevi examined the band, noting its durability and the way it was constructed. "Thanks. How do you want me to use it?"
Noemi demonstrated by stretching the band with her hands, showing Sevi the proper technique.
"You'll perform various exercises with this. Start with 50 reps each of these: wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, and band pull-aparts."
"50 reps right off the bat?" Sevi looked at Noemi, a bit taken aback.
"Why? You can't do it?" Noemi replied as her expression remained calm.
"Ahh, of course I can." Sevi immediately said with a smile, a bit scared of Noemi's calm expression.
After assigning Sevi, Noemi then removed her upper clothes, leaving her sports bra on and approached a pull up bar nearby.
Noemi grabbed the bar with a firm grip, her muscles flexing as she pulled herself up smoothly.
'Wow...'
Sevi watched, both impressed and motivated by Noemi's display. He focused on his own exercises, pushing through the resistance band workout with renewed energy and commitment.
===========================