The King's Mandate: Anomalous System

Chapter 53: Duel With The Mentor

"Adas. This is my mentor, Grace."

"I am Grace. Nice to meet you, Adas.", Grace said courteously.

"Nice to meet you."

He doesn't act like a girl at all.

"Are you really a girl?", I asked suspiciously.

"Excuse me?"

"Adas! You can't ask that all of a sudden!"

[He is a girl.]

"Grace. Can you change your avatar, please?" Elena asked.

"Sure."

He opened his menu and changed his avatar.

He turned into a girl. His hair was now long, but they were still blonde. Everything is the same, the only thing that has changed was hair and... breast.

"Let's go to the garden.", Elena suggested.

"Yeah. We are catching attention.", Grace said.

We went to the garden.

It's was a big garden, and many players were dueling with each other.

"It's also called a practice ground.", Elena stated.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Adas?", Grace asked.

"I am still not convinced that you are a girl.", I stared blankly.

"Adas, that's rude!" exclaimed Elena.

She acts like a boy. Her walking style, even her way of talking is like a boy's.

"I don't think there is any need to prove my identity to you.", Grace said with a soft smile.

"There is. I have to make sure what type of person my girlfriend's mentor is.", I said back with a smile too.

"How about we have a duel? If you win, I will tell you everything about me.", Grace said.

"Fine by me.", I said.

"Adas, stop it!", Elena warned me.

"Don't worry Reina, I will win for sure.", I said.

"She is a top player. She is very strong. You can't win against her."

That hurts! I just wanted to prove myself in front of Elena that I am better than her mentor.

"That's right, Adas. You can't win against me.", mocked Grace.

[Good luck Adas.]

"What's your deal?", I asked.

"Hmm?"

"There must be something you want if you win, right?", I asked.

"There is."

"Spit it."

"If I win..."

"If you win?"

She glanced at Elena as her face flushed and said, "If I win, then give me Elena."

"Alright, I am out." I looked at Elena and said, "Let's go, Elena."

"Grace. What are you saying?", Elena asked with confusion.

"I am sorry, Elena. I have been hiding this from you."

"Wh...at?", Elena asked.

Grace's face flushed more as she said, "I love you."

"What?"

"I know I am a girl, but I love you."

"Do you even realize what you are saying, Grace?"

Wow. Just wow.

A girl just confessed to my girlfriend in front of me.

"Hey, get out of here already," I said.

"What's wrong?" Grace smirked as she said, "Are you scared that I might win and take Elena away from you?"

"Heh" My face twitched as I glared at Grace and said, "Do you want to die?"

"Please stop both of you.", Elena said.

"You stay out of this, Elena.", I said.

"Please don't fight over me..." Her face flushed as she said, "I always wanted to say this line.",

"...."

"..."

"Just admit it that you are scared that I might win. And I will walk away", said Grace.

"I am not scared of you, and there is no reason for me to fight in this pointless battle."

"How dare you call this duel pointless!"

"It is pointless for me," I widely smirked as I said, "After all, Elena is already mine."

I could see Grace going crazy in rage.

"You know, you are a very arrogant person," said Grace.

"I am glad to know that."

"So I will duel with you and defeat you and your arrogance in front of Elena."

"Tch!" I clicked my tongue as I muttered, "I wanted to say that line."

Dammit!

"Will you still not admit that you are not scared?"

"I am not scared."

"Just admit it. I am the top 8th player of this game, and you are a nobody. You can't win."

"...."

Now she is getting on my nerves.

I know she is just trying to prove me, and I am trying my best not to do that. But... how dare she insult me in front of Elena?!

I really want to beat the shit out of her and humiliate her in front of Elena, so I can prove I am much better than this mentor of her.

I turned around and whispered, "Lily, what do you think?"

[I think you look cool]

"I am not asking that"

[I know, you want to know whether you can win against Grace or not, right?]

I nodded.

[If you go all out, you can easily win]

Going all out, huh?

I can do that, but... in front of Elena is a little...

What should I do?

I have no reason to duel with her or get provoked by her remarks, but Elena admires her deeply.

I know that because whenever she talks about Grace, a warm smile comes on her face.

If I humiliate Grace in front of Elena, all her admiration will fade away.

I glanced at Elena; she was giving me a worried look.

I took a deep breath and sighed as I asked, "What are the rules of the duel?" I asked.

"I will let you decide.", Grace said smugly.

You have already lost.

"A five-minute duel. Hit me once, and you will win.", I said.

"Are you out of your mind or what?"

"What's wrong? Are you scared?", I asked.

"Looks like you really want to lose.", Grace snickered.

She opened her menu and changed her avatar into a boy.

"Are you ready?", she asked.

"Go ahead."

She took out her sword and waited for me to make the first move.

"...."

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Are you not going to take out your sword?"

"There is no need to," I smirked.

"You will need a sword to block my attacks."

Why is she concerned about me not using the sword?

"I don't need to block them. I will dodge them."

"Elena, your boyfriend is making me angry.", she said while gritting her teeth.

She dashed at me with her sword.

She kept swinging it left and right as well as back and forth.

I dodged them all.

She does five attacks in one set, and she attacks in the same pattern.

The first is on the right side of my face. The second is at the left. The third is at my legs. The fourth is at my chest. And fifth is at my neck.

"How are you so good at dodging?!", Grace growled.

"It's thanks to my grandpa."

"Huh?", she widened her eyes.

"He taught me martial arts. Dodging this type of slow attacks are easy for me."

"You bastard!"

Now that's what a girl should react.

"Five minutes are over.", Elena said.

"I lost.", she groaned.

It was easier than I thought.

"Hey, I just won," I grinned and said, "So stay away from Elena, got it?"

"....."

She is not saying anything. Poor girl. She is devastated that she can't see the girl she loves anymore.

I was having a weird feeling, like a nasty one.

I heard a dripping sound at my foot.

I looked at my foot and saw some water drops.

Water drops?

Wait.... is she crying?

I crouched down a little to see her face, but before I could do so, Elena came between us and said, "Adas, you made her cry."

"Wait, it's not my fault.", I stated.

"You challenged her and set those rules."

"I didn't challenge her, and she was the one who told me to set the rules."

"Hey, Adas!" Grace said.

"What is...it?", I asked.

"Let's duel one more time."

She hasn't learned her lesson! And it looks like she still has some pride left.

Alright, if you are insisting, I will crush your pride.

"Fine by me. Just don't cry later on.", I said.

"I won't."

"So, what are the rules?", I asked.

"The same as before.", she said.

"Are you sure?", I asked.

"Yeah, because I will win this time.", Grace said with a determined expression.

What's with her confidence? It gave me chills for some reason. 

She dashed at me.

She was doing the same thing again.

What was she so confident about?

She was still attacking with the same pattern.

Two more minutes, and she will lose... huh?

She stopped swinging her swords and opened her menu. Her body shined bright as her avatar changed.

"I don't fight in a girl's avatar because these breasts come in my way, but this avatar is my strongest.", she said.

A player can have 3 avatars. The 1st avatar should be original, the same as the real world with some appearance changes. 2nd and 3rd can be of any gender. The main, primary avatar will have all the skills.

If I create another avatar, I will have to level up from 1 again. There will be no skills, no stats, but I can use the same equipments.

Her male avatar was strong. The stats were high too. So, how strong will her female avatar be?

She started attacking again. This time she is fast. I can barely see her attacks.

This might be bad. If I lose, then Elena...

"One minute left.", Elena said.

One more minute.

I think I can keep going---!

She is way faster now, and her attacks are also...?

[Adas. She used a skill.]

This girl...!

"Hey, you are using skills.", I growled.

"It's not against the rules.", she said.

Dammit. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17, 18. 18 swings in 3 seconds! There are still 46 seconds. I can't dodge them all.

She was attacking every part of my body, alternatively.

I can dodge the first 12 swings, but the other 6 are too much.

"30 seconds left.", Elena said.

"Hey Adas, Why don't you just admit your defeat already?", Grace asked.

"In your dreams!", I shouted.

"If you give up now, I will let you spend some time with Elena once in a while."

"That's my line!" I said.

"20 seconds left.", Elena said.

Her attacks were even more faster now.

The last swing passed from right below my nose.

That was a close one.

Concentrate Das. 15 more seconds.

"Just give up already.", she said.

"Shut up!", I growled.

Unlike earlier, she was only aiming at my chest and face now.

"10 seconds left.", Elena said.

[Use your skills, Adas. ]

Using my skills won't help me here.

My Sprinter skill helps me run faster, and I am not running here.

She is just aiming at the upper parts of my body.

I can manage it--! It was a trap!

She used 12 attacks on my chest and then aimed at my legs.

I dodged the first two attacks.

There were still 4 swings left.

I jumped and dodged two more.

There are two more swings left!

I can't dodge now.

I will land, and she will hit me.

[Adas, use your Levitate skill.]

I can't! Not in front of Elena. But... I don't have any other choice.

I will take the risk.

I used my levitate skill to jump in the air, but I ended up jumping on her sword when she tried to swing up.

"Time's up.", Elena said.

"I hit him! The last attack. I hit him!", Grace said.

"I didn't see it.", Elena said.

"I did. Hey Adas, tell her."

"I have no idea what you are talking about.", I said.

"Liar! How can you lie?! I thought this was an honest battle. You clearly touched my sword."

"But the time was over, so it doesn't count.".

"No! I hit you before it.", Grace shouted. 

"You didn't."

"Then how about we go for one more duel?"

"Hell no."

"Stop it, you two.", Elena said.

"She is the one who wants to fight."

Honestly, I can't go on anymore.

I barely managed to win the last one. Did I even win?

Grace is right, she hit me before the time ended, but Elena didn't notice it.

I actually didn't win. 

"We will continue this some other time.", Grace said.

"No. No fighting anymore. I want you two to get along.", Elena said.

"That's impossible.", I said.

"That's right. I will never get along with him."

"If you don't, then I will stop talking with you two."

"What?!"

Grace and I glanced at each other.

"We were joking, Elena.",

"That's right, we are best buddies.", Grace said.

"Your words and actions don't match.", Elena said.

"Hey you, stop pulling my hair.", she shouted.

"You stop scratching my face first."

"Adas. Grace." Elena said.

"We are sorry.", we said in unison.

"Hey, how about we call this a draw?", said Grace.

"Sounds good.", I said.

Maybe calling it a draw would spare me from some guilt?

"Nice. You two, stay here. I will bring something to eat.", Elena said.

"Fine.", I said.

"Okay."