I Reincarnated as a Shinai

Kaeshi Waza is one of the first techniques that Diether had learned from Reiji. 

He easily memorized this technique as he saw how effective it was against opponents with slower movements… 

After getting well versed in the hanging woods training, it became easier to execute this technique and he even mastered it after he had a partner… 

His partner's name is Art, who was also a licensed hunter in Farahn Village… Although his main weapon was bow and arrow… He became a very good training partner in the short time they've been together… 

Tristan recruited him to take the Sun Fire Knight's training, but the training here lacks a good teacher like his Master.

That's right. After he arrived here in Saalstein, their only training about the sword was having a free swing for some time. 

It wasn't the best training method but it was the most needed training especially for the new ones. 

After all, forms and stance can be naturally learned when you're looking for an effective striking position.

In the past month that he has been here, his swordsmanship became even more solid as the knowledge he got from his master was fully absorbed as he trained them to the best of his ability. 

'I can do it!'

Diether's counter-attack hit Aldrian's chin. The latter immediately lost consciousness as he sprawled on the ground. He was supposedly targeting the guy's shoulder but his attempt to dodge backfired. 

Daryl was similarly hit by Calliope's sword on his temple as he dropped his sword due to pain. He almost lost consciousness due to her strike…

"Whoa!"

"Those two are amazing!"

"They defeated those older recruits…"

"Did you see how fast they moved?"

"Of course! But let's cheer them first…"

"Calliope! Calliope!"

The crowd was surprised after realizing that two small recruits managed to last until the end… 

Some even started cheering on Calliope. Her identity as a previous slave no longer matters.

Calliope and Diether steadied their breathing as they met at the center of the circle… All the other defeated participants had already left the circle.

Diether looked at his opponent… She doesn't look like a slave at all. It seems that she came from a good family before she was taken as a slave at a young age.

Her beautiful scarlet hair tied in a ponytail, her unblemished white skin, her eyes that charms anyone who sees them, the aura she emits, her spiritual energy, and her battle stance… All of it wasn't something easily achieved by just any salve… 

This young lady must've learned how to fight at an early age… That would also explain her unique sword style that was always aiming at the vital parts or weak spots of her opponent.

Diether had to be careful if he didn't want to lose… 

Her form is similar to Chudan no Kamae but the tip of her sword was a bit lower at the level of his chest. 

On the other hand, Diether stayed on his Jodan no Kamae since this is his most practiced battle form…

Ha!

Calliope stepped forward, bent her knees, and attempted an attack similar to a tsuki… However, her form was different as her right knee almost touched the ground. Her attack came from a very low angle making the trajectory difficult to defend…

'As expected, this sword style is really unusual…' 

Instead of dodging or parrying her attack… Diether remained firmly standing as he looked at Calliope with dangerous eyes. 

'Tsk!'

Calliope didn't expect that he'll remain unfazed!

She was disappointed but she didn't show her expression. She suddenly felt that it was dangerous to continue her sword stab so she quickly sidestepped and attacked his right rib.

Her attempt for Tsuki was a feint and Diether didn't fall for it…

As soon as Calliope change from Tsuki to a different form of attack, he realized that she was perhaps attempting something similar to a Nuki-Dou… 

Unfortunately for her, his keen eyes didn't fail him as he realized her plan.

Pah! Pah! Pah!

There were suddenly three exchanges between Calliope and Diether… Their swords were fast and their strength doesn't have a huge gap…

Although Diether seems to have a stronger force behind his attack, Calliope uses a strange technique to lessen the impact of their sword clash…

Oliver, who was watching everything from the start, realized that their exchange just now wasn't as simple as the other recruits thought it was…

"This… First, it was this little man's unknown sword style… Now, this young girl is actually adept at using Praetorian Sword Art? Just who are these people?"

There was no longer any doubt that this young girl had experience with swords and had an outstanding teacher… 

Oliver was previously uninterested in any of the recruit's background. However, Diether and Calliope's performance made him think of checking their background from the records that their headquarters have. He can only hope that they have enough records about the two.

The Praetorian Sword Art was not a sword technique that anyone could learn. Even if one possesses money, it wouldn't help them in learning the art.

After all, it was only being taught to the higher nobles of the Losea Kingdom on the north of their Chodora Kingdom.

If this girl is truly a noble or perhaps fallen noble from a neighboring kingdom, just what in the world happened to her to end up here?

Oliver couldn't answer it yet but this only increased his interest as he waited for the result of their duel.

Ha! Ha!

The two started exchanging sword strikes and it lasted for more than five minutes. No one was giving up as the audience was impressed not only about their skills but about their stamina…

The two only stopped after Calliope's hair tie was removed… Her hair obstructed her vision as she quickly backed away.

Diether wanted to follow up but after remembering her excited face during their exchange, he suddenly stopped and allowed her to fix her hair…

Her expression while fighting wasn't angry or disappointed… 

She shows an excited face as if she was happy to fight him on equal terms… That's right. Her excitement was similar to Yasmin when she found her sparring partner.

'Very well… I'm not that hungry to win the first place… Let's just enjoy this fight!'

Diether said in his mind as he concentrated again…

"Mhmm… Thank you for waiting. You're quite a likable person..." Calliope said after fixing her hair…

It was Diether's first time to hear her talking! The young boy felt that her voice sounded so ethereal that she was trying to use it to hypnotize him…

Diether shakes his head to regain focus.

Before he could reply, Calliope added. 

"But I won't go easy on you…" 

The young girl then smiled and returned with her excited expression… 

Diether chuckled after seeing this, her expression was also similar to his whenever he plans to use a technique that he had never used to someone before.

A high-level technique that no one was worthy of since they can't force him to use it. It seems that this young girl is in the same situation…

"Alright! I'll get serious now…"

Diether muttered as he took a deep breath and changed his stance from Jodan to Chudan no Kamae… 

However, this Water Stance was slightly different. Instead of pointing the tip of the sword to the opponent's throat, it was now pointed to Calliope's eyes…

She didn't find any concerns with this stance and was only momentarily surprised since he changed to a less intimidating stance… 

In truth, his current stance felt weaker than the previous stance that gives an oppressive aura. Just by staying still with a raised sword, she could feel the pressure whenever she tried to get close to him.

'Why did he change to a common sword stance?'  Calliope only thought of this for a moment. She can only guess that it must be his comfortable stance….

Anyway, Calliope decided to test his current form… 

'I'll use my speed… Hmph! Let's see if you can follow me…' The young girl said and as soon as she planned to dash forward, she realized that Diether's sword was already near her and she was about to get hit by his sword stab!

Pah!

The young girl can only raise her sword to block his attack… However, because she was unprepared for that strike, she was unable to muster enough strength and lost her footing…

"Tsk!"

Calliope let herself be pushed by the impact and tried to regain her footing by jumping away.

As soon as she steadied herself, she cautiously observed Diether… The latter just returned to his stance and seemed to be waiting for her to attack.

However, she can't recklessly attack now after she almost got herself hit.

'There's no point thinking about it… Let me see it again… This time, I'll use my return technique…'

As soon as she made a plan, she started to slowly approach Diether and made sure that she would no longer miss his movements.

However, it happened again… Diether's sword just suddenly arrived close to her chin! She didn't even see him moved forward! She was the one approaching him!

'How did he arrive so fast?! Is it an Arcane Magic?!' She couldn't understand how he did it…

On the other hand, the audience was also confused about what was happening… 

If Reiji was here, he would recognize what Diether was doing… He wasn't doing any arcane magic and what he just did was to Seigan no Kamae, a high-level stance that has similarity with Chudan.