Por made no attempt to hide his provocation.
The nine warriors exchanged glances, but none stepped forward immediately.
The reason was simple: Yupa had personally set the rules for challenges. Anyone who lost would receive extra "personal instruction" from the instructor.
Whenever they thought of Yupa's cold, gleaming blade or his ruthless fighting techniques, their teeth ached.
More importantly, they had already experienced just how wicked a pair Por and Kamlin were before joining the Blessed Warriors Squad.
The two fought more fiercely with each other than anyone else, constantly undermining and tripping each other up.
But whenever an external threat was involved-such as when they wanted to slack off or play a prank-they could immediately display astonishing teamwork and "initiative."
Of course, after several days of training and considerable gains in strength, some were eager to step forward and try their luck.
"No one? Then I..."
A soldier nearly two heads taller than Por took half a step forward.
But before he could finish, he felt someone tap him lightly on the back.
At some point, Kamlin had silently slipped behind him. In a voice only the two of them could hear, he said:
"Gelong, who was it that secretly spoke ill of our venerable instructor the night before last? It couldn't have been you, could it?"
Gelong's face stiffened.
Kamlin's devilish whisper continued to worm its way into his ear:
"Step back now, and I'll pretend I don't know. And... next time we have a group match, I might consider letting you win."
Gelong's Adam's apple bobbed. He stiffly withdrew his foot and coughed twice. "I-I'll think about it some more."
Watching from the edge of the clearing, Mito couldn't help raising a hand to cover his face.
Kamlin was one of the people he paid special attention to, so he had been watching him all along.
Those little bastards learned proper skills quickly, but they picked up underhanded tricks even faster!
Gelong's retreat, however, made the "ally" beside him anxious. He shot Gelong a frustrated glare and stepped out of the ranks.
"You two listen up! We're not falling for that. The captain's position should go to the most capable! If you've got what it takes, fight us fair and square!"
Several people in the group voiced their agreement.
Por's expression barely changed. He simply looked the man up and down a couple of times, then suddenly smiled.
"You're right, but..." Por deliberately spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. "What do you gain by beating me and becoming captain?"
"Gain? Of course..."
"The captain gets the same treatment as everyone else: training when it's time to train, beatings when it's time for a beating. But if you lose..." Por paused, glancing toward the edge of the clearing, where Yupa stood leaning against a large tree, expressionless. "You'll have to go to the instructor alone for five extra minutes of 'special treatment.'"
"There's nothing to gain by winning and a punishment for losing. Are you sure you want to challenge me?"
The soldier instinctively wanted to argue, but realized that Por was telling the truth.
"Besides, do you really think becoming captain and getting a tiny bit of authority will make things easier?"
This time, Por deliberately lowered his voice, sweeping his gaze over the few who had agreed just now.
"Who's the one drilling us half to death? Who's the one beating us until we cry for our mothers? Don't you want revenge?"
"We should be working together to find a way to deal with that 'great demon king'! Lord Divine Tree said that as long as we can beat Instructor Yupa, everyone gets three days off!"
When he finished, thoughtful expressions appeared on the young soldiers' faces.
Indeed, in the eyes of the Blessed Warriors, if Mu En was God, then Yupa was now Satan-the kind who kept a pot of oil boiling every day, waiting to throw them in...
Seeing that everyone around him had been convinced, the soldier who had stepped forward finally gave a disgruntled snort and retreated as well.
He didn't want to deal with those two on his own.
Standing beside Yupa, Mito no longer even had the strength to cover his face. All he could do was sigh silently.
Yupa himself couldn't help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
Surely those two clowns didn't think he couldn't hear them from a dozen meters away...
Just then, a third person stepped forward: a handsome young man of only seventeen.
His name was Elphias Doge, and he was the youngest in the entire Blessed Warriors Squad.
Por quite admired the young man. No matter how hard or painful the training was, Elphias Doge had never cried out. Whenever he was beaten down, he got back up, always maintaining an incredible drive.
But in Kamlin's eyes, he was a complete greenhorn.
"Big Brother Por!" Elphias Doge's voice rang out clearly. "I want to be captain too!"
Por was startled, then tried to persuade him otherwise. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"
"I did, but didn't you say a soldier who doesn't want to be captain isn't a good warrior? So..."
"Well, the nonsense I spouted has come back to hit me in the face." Por helplessly slapped his forehead.
Still, taking your big brother's position won't be that easy. I'll have to teach you a lesson, kid!
"Good, you've got courage! Come on!"
He put on an encouraging smile, then quickly shot Kamlin a look. Kamlin nodded discreetly to show he understood.
The two walked to the center of the clearing and faced each other, swords in hand.
Seeing that there was finally a challenger, Yupa perked up. "Begin when you're ready!"
Elphias Doge took a deep breath and gripped Order's Blade with both hands, pointing its tip at Por.
Although he had worked up the courage to issue the challenge, he was still a newcomer. Facing Por, one of the best swordsmen in the squad, he was a little nervous and didn't attack immediately.
Por didn't attack either. Instead, he spoke in a patient, instructive tone:
"Elphias Doge, you have a lot of potential. As captain, I have a responsibility to teach you some of the most important skills for real combat."
Hearing this, Elphias Doge instinctively pricked up his ears, his expression growing serious.
"First," Por said, raising a finger with an air of importance, "always pay attention to your teammates' warnings and assistance. That's crucial in a chaotic battle."
As he spoke, he pointed his sword at Kamlin, who stood at the edge of the clearing.
Kamlin immediately understood and waved Dodogi over.
"Kid, come a little closer. I'll tell you one of Por's fatal weaknesses. He actually..." His voice grew quieter as he spoke, the last few words almost swallowed.
Elphias Doge instinctively looked toward Kamlin, trying to hear what he was saying.
While he was distracted, Por's voice sounded in his ear without warning.
"Second... in a fight, don't believe anything your opponent says!"
Bang!
Struck hard on the back of the head by the sword's hilt, the young man fell into a baby-like sleep.
An awkward silence fell over the clearing. After a long pause, Yupa finally announced the result of the challenge.
"Por and Kamlin will remain captain and vice captain."
With that, he turned and left, deciding to find Nausicaä for a sparring match first and work off the gloom in his heart.
He would also ask her while he was at it: did they really have to choose a captain?