In the nighttime Training Ground, Tales strode forward, weapon flashing, sword sweeping in all directions!
Two crisp clangs rang out.
The two pendulums hanging in the air, one before and one behind, were deftly knocked aside by him.
Tales seized the opening, slipped through the gap created by the swinging pendulums, and thrust his practice sword straight at the person ahead!
Thud.
The tip of his blunt sword struck the Thick Wooden Shield in his opponent's hands with a muffled boom.
Judging by the feel of it, the result was decent.
But he was out of time.
Through the narrow view of his helmet, Tales gritted his teeth, retraced his steps, and hurried backward!
He had to retreat to the starting point without suffering a scratch.
The ropes creaked as the pendulums swung.
The pendulum nearest the youth came swinging back, drawing closer and closer.
Tales' nerves were taut. He could only push harder with his calves, desperately maintaining his precarious balance while retreating.
The Sin of the Hell River within him sensed his tension and began to stir, but Tales ignored it completely.
Whoosh!
The pendulum barely grazed his shoulder without striking him.
Tales breathed a sigh of relief.
Good. Now there was only the last one...
"Clang!"
Before he could finish thinking, Tales felt a sharp pain in his eardrum!
The second pendulum struck his helmet, leaving it ringing.
Oh, come on...
In unbearable discomfort, Tales crouched down, discarded his longsword, and quickly pulled his neck free of the helmet. He desperately rubbed his left ear, which was throbbing with pain and refused to stop ringing.
Straight ahead, the broad-shouldered Guard who was sparring with Tales—the Vanguard Officer Fulateng, around thirty years old, who always struggled to hold back his laughter whenever the Prince embarrassed himself—lowered his shield