Chapter 27 Mutual Test

Josiah was mad.

He tried not to let it shine through, but he was mad.

Perhaps it was because someone has found about his secret he kept within for so long?

Or maybe deep down he believed old man Benson’s words and got mad because his mother lied to him this whole time? Was he angry because he considered such a possibility?

Either way… He tried masking his frustration toward the old man by inviting him to a sparring fight; a test; a proof of resolve by combat. But in the end, he just wanted to beat something up to relieve such frustration.

That event led to the beginning of a fight in that wide-open street of Couche. There was nothing there. Nothing but the dirt, the fields, and the smooth breeze.

Josiah was wielding his sword in his hands. Even that sword was a gift he received from his deceased mother. If what the old man said was true, it meant the one who gave him that gift would be living, hiding somewhere in the kingdom, waiting for him to join her and overtake Eneris’ throne.

“Go on! Draw your weapon. Let’s settle this once and for all.”

“Don’t get me wrong, young boy. But I don’t need no weapon. Whenever you’re ready.”

‘This cocky old farm bull… I’m going to show him what I’m made of!’

Grinning his teeth, Josiah leaped toward the old man, threatening to hit with the sword.

But deep in his consciousness, he realized he was acting violently toward the man who admitted him and Thomas into the village. And to make it worse, the man wasn’t even carrying a weapon to defend himself. Those thoughts ran through Josiah’s head making him uncertain whether he should go on or stop the attack in time.

All in all, Josiah’s attempt at hitting was far beyond the one he was used to greeting his opponents with. Old man Benson had no difficulty to handle it at all: with one hand he held Josiah’s arm and stopped the sword, with the other one he chopped at the back of his neck, causing the boy’s head to shake.

The chop made a sound Josiah had never heard before. Was it a noise inside his head? Or was the hit really that good? Either way, the world around him was shaking around. He had no choice but to drop his sword on the street.

He could hear old man Benson following up his last sentence:

“It’s not that I don’t need a weapon to win a fight. But it’s just that more often than not… my own enemies bring me the weapons I need for the fight by themselves.” He said as he calmly leaned his body to catch the fallen sword from the floor, while Josiah’s head was still shaking.

“Now, let’s see… What does this sword do?” Benson analyzed the blade in his hands before wielding it properly.

“Give that back!”

“After this test of yours, I’ll give it back.”

Benson held Josiah’s sword like a normal sword. He knew it wouldn’t resonate with his blood since he was not the owner, but it could still be used as a regular sword.

The man was carrying it in the exact same way Thomas had taught Josiah. It enraged him for some reason.

Without having another choice, he drew another weapon from his pocket; the dagger since it had the best effect and the highest level.

Benson was the first to move, he swung at Josiah looking like a mirror for him, it’s like it was his very own form.

Josiah knew exactly how to dodge that attack. He leaned the body back and then took the opportunity right after the swing to strike at the old man… Thus being hit by the farmer’s bare hand amidst the attempt.

Josiah fell with the face on the floor.

Benson didn’t say anything. Instead, he waited for the boy to get up.

‘This good-for-nothing geezer. He knows I’m trained on this style and is using the weapon just to lure me in so he can hit me bare-handed.’

Josiah got up while thinking of something to do.

‘Clearly the old-timer is far better than I gave him credit for. Which means I’m going to have to go for some weapon trick again… What are my options? I can strengthen my blood with the rapier again, but that only works if I’m going to actually use my bloodstream on another attack. My best bet is attacking on a blindspot with the dagger, but I’m pretty sure Benson has already…’

“Done thinking? Been waiting for a while now.” The man interrupted mockingly.

Benson then made a sudden feint, which Josiah fell for, imagining he would advance. He saw himself beginning a big counterattack movement, which he couldn’t stop even if he realized midway Benson’s enticement was just a feint.

Benson was holding the sword pointing low, almost touching the floor, while Josiah was running toward him. He touched strongly the weapon on the floor.

There was a loud noise and a huge crater was opened on the barren street, starting from the spot Benson gave that small sword tap.

Josiah’s feet shook vigorously, as he was standing on the crater, then he slipped and fell off.

But he didn’t finish falling off before the farmer knocked the back of his head with another chop.

“Aargh!”

Josiah saw the floor from the same angle as the ants once again. This time his vision was even shakier than it was after the first chop.

‘What’s with this strength? Was it the sword? Can’t be! It’s mine! My bloodbound item! Which means…. It must be an item of his. Maybe he has a weapon piercing his blood hidden under the clothes?’

Grinning his teeth, Josiah started lifting his body from the floor once again. But this time old man Benson didn’t wait. He swung the sword at Josiah while he was still recovering. The blade drew a small cut on the region of his biceps.

“Ouch!”

“What? I could have sliced your head off. Not everyone is going to stand there waiting for you to come up with something, you know?”

At the mention of that, Josiah got up more quickly, even though he wasn’t feeling very well.

‘Damn… Everything is spinning. What are this geezer’s hands made of?’

“Here.” Benson threw Josiah’s sword back at him, who caught the thing on the air.

“What?”

“Attack me with that. It seems it’s your specialty.”

Josiah felt his blood going over his head.

‘You bastard full of yourself, I don’t need your pity! Weren’t you the one who was saying my enemies wouldn’t give me chances like that?’

He charged at the man and swung the sword at him, hoping he would become too busy defending and not notice the second strike he had in mind.

But the man didn’t defend himself. Instead, he took the sword’s attack.

A full swing, aiming directly to his front, starting from the chest and finishing on the head.

But for him, it was like Josiah had beat him with a wooden pole. The man’s body just went a bit back and he held his face for a second, reacting to a medium pain at most.

Josiah got astonished.

“What the hell? I put my full strength on that! My sword is at level 16! That's like... Almost 20!”

Moments after the swing, Josiah started feeling a burning pain on his right arm, which grew bigger and bigger. So big he had sat down and dropped the sword on the floor.

“Ugh… What’s happening now?”

Seeing him in that state, the farmer in front of him asked:

“Now… Did I pass your test, young boy?”