"Mr. Li Pu, surrender is not an option."
"If you surrender, it will also be considered a breach of contract."
Li Yiyi's figure appeared behind Li Pu like a phantom. Seeming to see through Li Pu's small thoughts, she said, "Mr. Li Pu, since you are a volunteer participating in the test."
"Please also think about the test; we must obtain accurate data."
"This data is very useful for adjusting the equipment."
Even so.
Li Pu was not slack off either. He knew that since he decided to participate in the test, if he did not cooperate actively, the resulting data distortion might bring terrible results. Especially with dangerous equipment like this, even more realistic data was required.
It was just, why did he always feel that this test was so weird?
What on earth was wrong?
That Middle Ages!
Do the students from your family graduate and find jobs in the Middle Ages?
"I get it," Li Pu said helplessly. "It's really easy to get on a pirate ship, but hard to get off."
"Then let's begin!"
Li Yiyi raised her hand and said, "The first swordsmanship test begins!"
Mei did not rush to draw her blade; she gripped the hilt, poised and ready. This was Iaido; whether Hokushin Itto-ryu or other styles, Iaido could be said to be a very basic yet practical tactic.
Iaido emphasized counterattacking second and not seizing the initiative first.
After the opponent attacked, she would watch for the attack opening or flaw, close in, and draw her blade to strike.
She focused intently on every move of the youth before her. To be honest, this youth was full of flaws all over his body. She felt that even if she approached him at a speed ten times slower than usual and then launched an attack, she could knock him down.
Unsteady footsteps, absent-minded, stiff hands, and blank eyes.
There really wasn't a single place that looked decent.
Aside from having a good appearance, the rest looked completely no different from good-for-nothing trash.
Was he really an opponent who required her to go all out?
Mei always felt that no matter how serious she was, she couldn't summon her spirit. No matter how high she placed him, it seemed there was truly nothing about him worth her attention.
Was this a young master who had already achieved the unity of swordsman and sword?
Or just someone who knew nothing at all?
Mei shifted her footsteps slightly, closing the distance bit by bit.
No matter which one it was, trying it would give a real result!
Decided!
Strike first to gain the upper hand!
Draw the blade!
Drawing her blade with a backhand, the curved katana pressed against the scabbard, and with a swish, it was pulled out of the scabbard, turning into a silver-white blade light as she slashed horizontally toward the abdomen of the youth in front of her.
Although she couldn't figure out the opponent's strength, Mei still went all out.
Combat!
Going all out was the greatest respect for her opponent.
Watching the long blade sweep across and directly hack at the lower abdomen, rapidly approaching, yet the youth in front of her didn't react at all.
Could it be that she misjudged?
This was the real deal!
If it really hit, it would cut a person in half at the waist!
Should she pull her strength back?
It was a bit too late!
Slap!
Just at this critical moment, watching the blade edge press straight toward the youth's abdomen, the youth suddenly made a counterattack. His hands suddenly became flexible, and that seemingly clumsy Knight Greatsword was as light and agile as a swift, swishing from bottom to top in a diagonal parry, with a smack, striking the connection between the katana's blade and the handguard.
Such formidable strength!
Mei was stunned for a moment; this kind of strength was simply too great! Completely caught off guard, the katana was knocked out of her hand.
The next second, that Knight Greatsword slashed down with a turnaround.
It stopped dead right in front of Mei's forehead.
Silence!
Kiana at the side looked as if her neck had been choked; the hands she had just raised intending to cheer for victory stuck rigidly in her throat and could not come out.
What happened?
What happened?
Why was Mei's katana knocked out of her hand? Why did that guy suddenly counterattack? Wasn't that guy seemingly completely a good-for-nothing who knew nothing?
How did he suddenly win?
"Hey! Stop!"
Li Yiyi quickly called a halt to the match.
Her mindset earlier was actually about the same as Kiana's, intending to watch Li Pu make a fool of himself. She couldn't be said to have any fondness for Li Pu, nor any hatred; she could only call him an ordinary colleague.
Yet she really couldn't feel that good about his greediness either.
And she only understood that machine half-heartedly.
Was this learning machine really useful?
Or was his previous performance just an act?
If it was an act, it was really convincing.
"Take a break! Take a break!" Li Yiyi quickly called a halt, saying, "It was too fast just now, the camera probably hasn't been adjusted properly."
"Mei, come over for a moment."
"Yes, teacher." Mei also just came back to her senses; this turn of events was far too rapid and completely unexpected. Mei had also been stunned, and coming back to her senses, she hurriedly picked up her katana and came to her teacher's side.
"Mei! Mei!" Kiana darted to Mei's side before Li Yiyi could speak.
With wide, incredulous eyes, she said, "What are you thinking?! Did you let him win?"
"I... I didn't..." Mei said somewhat flusteredly, "I just wanted to test the waters."
"I... didn't underestimate the enemy!"
Mei truly hadn't underestimated the enemy; she really just wanted to test the waters. But this move had indeed exceeded her own expectations. According to the expected routine, if Li Pu parried, she would use the horizontal blade, leverage Li Pu's parry to stop the blade, unload the force, and then quickly slide along the blade past Li Pu's knight sword, using this correction to turn the horizontal blade into a straight blade and then thrust.
However, having her weapon knocked out of her hand by a direct counter-slash was something Mei had not anticipated.
"It's fine, I told you not to underestimate him." Li Yiyi looked at Li Pu, who was still standing in the arena, and still put on an all-knowing facade as she said, "This person might be much more powerful than you imagine."
"Get ready, once you're prepared this time, we'll continue!"
That's really incredible, Li Yiyi thought to herself. This is completely unscientific!
This feeling...
Li Pu himself hadn't expected it either. He looked at the knight sword in his hand. He truly had never studied any swordsmanship, although he had grabbed this kind of knight sword before.
However, those were just random swings to look cool, which didn't count for anything at all.
Yet this time he was able to make adjustments and counterattack in such a short time.
Everything felt like pure instinct.
This was simply not right!
Li Pu immediately closed his eyes and entered his system.
That machine probably wasn't completely just some learning machine!
It very likely had other uses!
System! Check the task progress, Li Pu thought to herself. Check the task progress for "Nobody understands King Arthur better than me".
Has it already reached a certain degree of completion?!
"Nobody understands King Arthur task completion progress: 3%."
The system answered very honestly.
"3%."
Li Pu suddenly felt as if he understood something, and immediately pursued, "Where did this 3% come from?"
"Respectively: 1% for searching and reading materials, 0.5% for ordering related items, and 1.5% for daily life experience of King Arthur," the system replied very honestly.
Li Pu knew the first two, but the latter one, which took up the major share, was interesting.
"I get it," Li Pu asked no further, saying, "Fine, that's it."
"Eh? That's it?" The system was actually left dumbfounded by Li Pu. So what on earth did this Li Pu understand?
Yes, that was it.
Li Pu opened his eyes, said nothing more, and exited the system without further communication with it.
Sure enough, why is this test so weird, Li Pu waved the sword in his hand and thought to herself. The Middle Ages, the blond kid, brushing horses, organizing cavalry equipment, swordsmanship...
Yet it seems this system is not simple either.
There was suddenly going to be a test, and under such generous treatment, they still couldn't find anyone. The moment he signed, he was directly dragged to the machine for testing, and a learning machine used for modern students would actually lead to the Middle Ages.
Then he was suddenly dragged to test swordsmanship.
This certainly wasn't as simple as just learning.
There was no clear evidence, but certain areas had definitely caught attention. And the person who had caught his attention...
Otto...
Li Pu temporarily couldn't think of a second person who enjoyed this kind of sneaky scheming.
It wasn't just Otto's problem.
His own system certainly still had some issues it hadn't mentioned.
Li Pu held the knight sword vertically in front of him, gazing at the blade that reflected half of his face like a mirror, and his heart gradually grew clear.
He might have already found it.
Found the key to certain things.
"When do we start again?" Li Pu suddenly spoke up and asked, "Teacher Li, how much longer do we need to rest?"
"Mei, go ahead," Kiana cheered from the side. "Absolutely don't underestimate the enemy; losing to a guy like that is not the Mei I know."
"Go all out," Li Yiyi also said. "And don't have too much pressure."
"Get ready to start."
"Yes," Mei gripped the sword hilt and said, "I understand."
"I will go all out."
This time she would definitely go all out.
Mei grew serious, keeping her eyes fixed on the youth before her. It seemed he had disguised himself really well, completely pretending to be someone who knew nothing of swordsmanship at all.
Before you continue