NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58: The Best Teacher is Nature
"...Alright girl...looks like I'll be evaluating you, I'm Hugo and you can call me that." A strong, muscular man with a large bastard sword speaks, he has tanned skin and black hair while his sharp brown eyes indicate how skilled he is with the sword.
"I act as a Rank B instructor and help with guild tests, I heard you'll be taking a Rank C test, that's good, I see you're strong and have potential, let's have a simulated duel before you have to fight against certain monsters in the arena." He says as he draws his sword.
"I'm Eve, Evelyn-sama's servant, and I'm a swordswoman." I say simply as I grab the sword the guild gave me for this fight, the sword is pretty average, but it serves its purpose.
"It's a friendly duel, we don't need to fight to the death, you know? But injuries are inevitable, so you can come at me with everything if you don't want to get hurt, in case of a fatal accident, neither side will be held responsible as long as there was no intention to kill." He warns, preparing and getting into a stance. I look around, a small circular area, it's not the best space, but I won't complain.
"When I say 'go', we'll start, alright?" He asks while I tilt my head "confused" about what he said.
"Say what?" I ask to "confirm" what he said.
"Go..." He says to try and explain, but as soon as he says it, I'm already in front of him, striking with a quick thrust, he parries, looking at me with surprise, but easily redirects my sword and leaps back, creating distance.
"Where's your honor as a swordswoman?" He asks playfully, he doesn't seem to have found the trick I used bad, after all, I said I didn't understand so that when he repeated it, I could already start with the advantage.
"I said I was a swordswoman, not an honorable one." I say, seeing how the blade has chipped at the tip, even though I was careful.
'He's strong...so this is a Rank B...' I can win, but with high difficulty and maybe some moderate injuries.
"Hahahaha, you're right, my mistake, well, I believe we've already started then?" He asks.
"Yes, you said 'go', so the fight has begun." I confirm, taking the proper stance instead of just charging.
"Did I lose points for that?" I try to clear my doubts, I hope he doesn't deduce any "points" or anything he uses to evaluate me.
"No, for an adventurer to take advantage of any decisive moment is good, after all, monsters don't fight honorably, it was a good strike, you have a future with a sword, more than the arrogant trash that usually shows up around here." As he says this, he charges.
Our swords collide as I redirect him and try to kick him, he dodges by jumping and delivering a kick that I barely evade, taking a small distance from him.
"Why did you want to take the Rank C test? With your talent and current strength, you could become a Rank B, even if you were among the lower ones, it would still be possible." He asks curiously as he approaches, and I advance against him.
"Because Evelyn-sama said I should become a Rank C..." I lie, I know I'm stronger than the general Rank C, I saw that when I joined the guild, but it happens that the maximum power I have is still Rank B.
And if I were a Rank B, we could go on too dangerous missions, so dangerous that I couldn't protect Evelyn-sama, so being Rank C is better until I get stronger.
"I see." He hits me with extreme force, pushing me back as he makes a downward cut, cracking the ground beneath my feet.
"You should seek a tutor, you're skilled, but your swordsmanship is quite poor, your instincts are sharp, but without them, you would have lost in that strike." He gives advice as I try to hit him with a punch, but he dodges.
"I appreciate the advice." I say curtly.
"No, don't take it the wrong way, it's serious, you have a look full of the flame of determination, it's a good look, I'm not mocking you, it's much better than most of the trash that registers here using money and the power of relics as if it were their own power." He says something interesting.
I crouch, evading a lateral cut while making a small cut on his torso.
"Is the guild situation bad?" I ask, moving my head back and barely evading a knee strike.
"I can't talk about that, I hope you understand."
"Garhr" I let out a contained sound of pain from the strong kick I receive, falling to the ground, I try to get up quickly to continue, but he points his sword at my throat before I can get up.
"Not bad, you didn't let go of your sword even when you fell to the ground, it was a brief fight, but you're talented, half your test is already passed, it's not like you had to beat me." He says with a smile, extending his hand to me.
"..."
"You're better than I thought." I say, taking his hand and getting up.
"Hahaha, you're making me blush." He says, sheathing his sword with a smile on his face, I also sheathe the sword the guild gave me for this fight as I start to follow him as he walks.
'I have no way to get a tutor...' It's expensive, Evelyn-sama can't afford a tutor, and I know I need one, it wasn't necessary for someone to tell me that, that's why I tried to learn by reading books.
But a book doesn't correct me when I do the wrong stance, a book doesn't scold and give me advice to improve.
"You seem discouraged." He notices as I let out a sigh.
"It's just...we can't afford a tutor..." I tell him without even trying to hide it, it doesn't matter much to reveal this or lie about it.
"Ah...a difficult situation...I could be your master for free...but you're too talented for me, trying to train you would only ruin the talent you have." He laments as I just nod.
"It's okay, I understand." Many think that having talent means anyone can train you, but that's a lie, only someone who is extremely skilled in that area can train someone with talent.
Otherwise, the talent will be wasted. Evelyn-sama literally creates puppets, creating an "absolute" focus for each puppet, which means we are literally born for that function.
I was created to be a swordswoman, which means I have natural and high-level talent in this path, but if I try to be an archer, I'll hardly have any skill in it.
Just as for me, learning magic will always be magic linked to being a swordswoman, this gives me huge talent, but also limits me in any other path.
This Hugo here is undoubtedly a good swordsman, but he has nothing surprising or exceptional, to me he's just someone who is good with a sword because he trained a lot, in other words, he doesn't have talent.
"Hugo, do you have any advice? We both know you're not qualified to teach me, but as a veteran, you must at least be able to guide me in something." I ask, uncertain if he can really help.
"Hmm...you said you don't have money to pay a good tutor, right? I suggest simply having the best tutor of all, nature itself." He speaks, leaving me truly confused.
"What do you mean?" I question, not understanding how nature could be the best mentor of all for me.
"Look, girl, see that spider up there on the ceiling? It hunts other insects, trapping them in webs, just like a wolf hunts in a pack, usually aiming for the prey's neck."
"Among other animals and even monsters, they all follow a 'hunting pattern' and martial arts, swordsmanship, and many other combat tactics use animals as a reference." He cites something that immediately reminds me of something I saw in a book.
A thrusting movement that resembled a bird's plunge, the movement was simple but powerful, you got momentum, jumped high, and descended at extreme speed, delivering a violent thrust.
"That...is interesting." I say, really thinking about it, if I don't have anyone to teach me and books alone aren't enough, I can observe other beings and copy their movements, then adapting them to myself.
"...If you're so skilled, why are you still Rank B?" I ask, he clearly could go higher, I feel that, he has at least the ability to get a little stronger.
"...Haaa..." He lets out a sigh.
"Girl, we don't always need to climb to the top, you know? Some are content with where they are, not because we can't go further, but because the place we're in is already what we need."
"My wife wanted me to be a tutor, and that's what I am, and I like it, I don't need to go any further because I don't want to leave what I enjoy." He speaks in a way that I understand.
'Wanted...so she died...' In a way, I understand, it's the same thing I do with Evelyn-sama, I know I could go to Rank B, but to keep her safe, I don't try to go to Rank B, being content with Rank C.
"Thank you for your tutoring, it was...revealing." I genuinely thank him, I expected all demons to be bad, many have done evil things to Evelyn-sama.
I realize now that I was prejudiced, it seems not everyone is the same, I was wrong to misjudge them.
"I'm glad I could help you, well, I wish you luck on your journey, I'll tell Yoruhime that you passed my part." He says humbly as we continue on.