[Arma De Regalia's POV]
I have seen hundreds of spearman in my life, taught more than a dozen of them myself. By no means they were weak or even average. Some of them even achieved heights that most people could only dream of.
When I was born, I was blessed by the universe as someone who is loved by the spears. It wasn't hard for me to grasp the intrications of the spear or even learn and master it. You can say the spears told me their secrets and arts that one could never imagine.
'It would be impossible for anyone to reach my level,' is what I used to think before I started teaching this guy. Michael Aroa, is it? Monster… no. That would be an understatement. He is beyond that.
His ways of learning and performing… the sheer focus and will power he puts in each of his attacks. The ability to accept things naturally. What would have taken a year for another person took mere weeks for him to achieve. I do not know where he came from… neither do I know about his origins.
From what he told me, this was the first time he had held a spear in his hands. The slash that I taught him was the first slash. The combos I taught him were the first combos.
And the most scary thing about all this was that… It was true. I sensed no lies coming from his mouth. I had to double check it every time, yet I couldn't find anything at all.
How long did it take me to master to the level he was right now? About a decade? No, it was a bit more than that. And him… did he take even half the time? No… I think not. And he was still going… he was still making sure to achieve everything.
'Don't you feel tired?' I wanted to question him. I was getting scared looking at him still going on. What exactly are you working so hard for? I am pretty sure, with this much, no one in your life would be able to trouble you… at least in your world.
"I want to… protect everyone I care about. I know the limits I have… And it's not like I will get any more chances to break through that… This is a one in a billion chance that I have attained… why should I let it go?" he spoke as he read my thoughts as he observed me.
'Such tenacity,' I thought as I looked at him. Is he a human at this point? Well… whatever…
There was something even more important than this… what will he do next? Will he be able to fight against someone who he has bonded with? Well, as far as fighting goes, I think he can handle that, but what next?
'Will he be able to kill his teacher and move to the next challenge?' I thought as I looked at him, trying his best to perfect the techniques that I taught him. I observed him for a few moments before wondering…
How did I get here again? Yeah… I was here to guard this place. How ironic it would be if the one who was supposed to be guarding the place is responsible for the intrusion… but it's fine.. As far as it's someone as pure as him… it's fine.
Well, at least my duty will be finally over.
My eyes then shifted inside, deeper into the pyramid. My daughter, Enkonomiya, is inside there waiting for a challenger to proceed from here after killing me. The King made sure she was after me. It was her punishment to wait for someone to approach her after killing me.
She is strong… an extremely powerful elementalist. If only she could have agreed to marry the King's son… well, not like I don't understand her as well. She had her reason, too. Once killing me, Michael might need to fight her as well.
And as a father, I can't let anyone harm my daughter as well… so I need to make sure that I give my all as well.
"I am more or less done." Michael spoke as he swiftly rotated the spear around and smiled at me. I too observed him with a bright smile as I spoke,"looks like the training has approached an end. So, are you ready to fight me? To try to defeat me with the skills that I, Armes De Regalia, have taught you himself?"
He chuckled as he spoke,"sure."
I saw him taking a stance as he spoke,"I will be using my original skills as well, so be prepared in advance," and I nodded. While I wanted to fight him using only the spearmanship, I guess I understand him wanting to use those strange tricks of his.
And then
-BOOM! He jumped at me with a rapid speed as he reached me in an instant and swiftly dodging him
-Slash!
"Huh?" I looked at my hand cut around as he smiled as he made another slash.
-Clank!
I used my spear to parry his but
-Slash!
Another slash appeared on my chest as I just looked at him… finally I recalled that strange ability of his.
'This is… so that ability…?' My eyes widened in realization as I saw that I just created a monster… no, I created an abomination.
My heartbeat rose as I finally realized what I had done.
Before I thought that, he used a weak attack that could reach me anytime, from anywhere. A perfect attack that could reach anywhere, and just like any powerful skill, it has a limit that it's too weak. Against people that don't have healing skills, it would be a nightmare, but against me it shouldn't be a problem.
'But if that skill… allows him to make all his attacks reach at 100%... doesn't that mean….' I thought as I just gawked at what I had done.
-Slash! -Slash!
-Slash!
.
.
.
All my slashes missed… Not even one reached him… and then he attacked me with a certain move. A hundred spears coming at me… I saw the gaps between them. Normally I could easily dodge it, but here…
I saw his hundred slashes and just closed my eyes… I guess I was too naive for my own good… All I can hope is that he uses this for something good… and stays the way he is…
Though, even after a few seconds, I didn't feel even a single slash at me. Huh? What happened?
Opening my eyes, I saw him standing in front of me with a bright smile as he spoke,"you clearly underestimated me again, didn't you?"
Looking at him, I said,"what are you…"
"Now to find a way to save you as well," he spoke with a bright smile as he looked at me and I got even more confused as I spoke,"you can't save me. The only way to continue forward is to kill me and move forward."
At my words, he just smiled a little before he start looking at the space in front of him and spoke,
"Okay… let's do it.."
And then… What even the King of this world failed to do… occurred… The threads of Fate began unwinding at my very front in the palms of this guy… Michael Aroa… and all I could ask was…
"Who… are you?"