Knowledge and Power: Reincarnated Into A Society That Only Values Strength.

[Vestidian.]

[7 feet/213 cm]

You expect me to believe this kid is 12…

“Siya, is this the guy? Is he really our age, He’s as big as Air… Well, A bit shorter, but a lot bulkier.”

“Yup… That’s him…” I cleared my throat, stepping up closer. “Vestidian!” I yelled out his name, after hearing it from the people around him.

He let out a growl, but it wasn’t half as deep as my father's. When he turned around though… His eyes shot straight over us…

“I challenge you to a duel for your mark.”

After a moment his eyes finally met mine. I prepared myself for him to laugh or brush me off… But as soon as I finished speaking his eyes became intense, and that intensity never left them, even after seeing how much smaller I was. “So it begins…” He murmured. “You have named the stakes, so I will choose the method. Do you have a sword with you?”

‘Wait what? I thought we’d just fight hand to hand?’ “I locked my sword into its scabbard and slowly unlatched my bow from it, handing it to Lu. “I do…” ‘I wasn’t aware the person getting challenged got to decide how they fought… Isn’t that way too big of an advantage?’

As I rested my sword on my shoulder I heard several people start to laugh at me… I could only assume why. “Sorry. I should have been more specific. I meant your great sword.”

“Oh…” I leaned over slightly. “Hey Lu… Can I borrow your sword?”

She let out a soft groan before detaching the blade from her back. It hit the ground with a thud as she set it down and we traded weapons. Although it looked almost painful for her to give up her sword, it was certainly large enough to qualify. “This should be good enough right?” I asked, locking the blade to its sheath and once again flipping it up to my shoulder. ‘It feels so light. Is it because Rafi imbued it with magic? No, I’m not sensing any of that remaining.’

“That will do.” He said slowly before turning and taking several steps back, pulling his sword as well. the entire body of people around us created space like snakes running away from fire. “Come at me then.” He growled, settling into his stance.

‘For some reason, he doesn’t seem to be underestimating me… I’m not sure if that makes me respect him… Or just think he’s weird and paranoid… Either way, it’s going to make it hard to take him by surprise.’ I felt my manna course through my body toughening my joints and strengthening my muscles as my senses heightened. The sensation was even stronger than the last time and sent chills through me that made me snarl and shake as my eyes began to change tint.

“Don’t kill him, Siya…” Lu murmured, but I tuned it out.

‘I guess he’s going to have me make the first move then. That gives him the advantage because of his longer reach with the freakish sword he uses and his long arms, but that’s fine…’ I regripped Lu’s sword with one hand and slashed the air a few times hearing the wind rush past the blade like disc wheels on a bicycle, watching the muscles in my arm go berzerk to balance the weight. Still, even with magic, it wasn’t something I could normally do with a greatsword. ‘It really is lighter.’

The crowd suddenly went silent, but I hardly noticed, grabbing one of the leather straps on my plate arm guard and tightening it further with my teeth to make sure it wouldn’t slide at all if I had to use it to block. ‘Even with longer reach he will only be able to swing that thing once before I’m in range. So should I block with my arm and strike back? Or maybe block with my sword and punch him, that would be a faster attack, but it would do less damage, and my arms are short... Still, not a bad idea to test the waters. His stats don’t exactly tell me how hard this will actually be…’

I took a deep breath, still holding the greatsword with one hand dragging it behind me just above the ground as I broke into a dash across the floor. In an instant he responded, slashing down at me with enough speed to create a gust of wind, but I dodged to the side, freezing time to read his next move.

‘He stopped the blade before it hit the ground. He didn’t use his full strength either and is still perfectly balanced. Did he faint during the first attack? I guess he’s also testing me… With that speed, he actually has time to swing again because he held back. But not if I do this.’

As time resumed he tried to pull his sword back for another swing, but before he could finish changing its direction I lept off my left foot and spun, kicking the flat of his blade as he was reversing its momentum before landing and pivoting the rest of the way, taking one more step at full stride before bringing my sword down right into his neck. But he didn’t move.

As I heard the sound of my sword connecting, and felt the blade rattle in my hands, my whole body became covered in chills and I froze time. ‘He blocked that?’

After I kicked his sword he didn’t bother trying to redirect the momentum again, rather, he used it, spinning his hilt up to his neck to intercept my strike, momentarily letting go with his left hand to leave the room on the handle. As if expecting it all along he was already flowing into his next move, a punch headed straight for my face…

‘Fairy dust… Who is this guy? It’s a little unfair… But it’s not my fault he didn’t wear armor…’ I took time reacting, twisting my body a little unnaturally and crossing my armored fist over my sword hand, slamming it directly into his bare knuckles, breaking the skin. He took that in stride as well, not even wincing from the pain as he aimed to slam his sword down into my skull, once again aiming for my head.

‘Is he trying to kill me? I dodged it by the hair, this time to the outside, letting his blade slide down mine as its tip dropped to the ground before switching my grip and ramming the hilt into his side. I had been hit in the liver enough times to know pretty well where it was… And how bad it hurt. The moment I landed the blow his legs buckled as if they had been severed and he fell to the ground.

With a final swing of my sword, I stopped it with the tip pointed right at his throat. ‘That was way too close… Sure it looks like a one-sided victory… But I almost died at least twice… Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration… But why did he keep aiming for my head? His sword has to weigh more than a metal pipe…’

The adrenaline continued to surge sending another wave of chills down my arms as I suddenly felt the back of my head start to ache and moved a hand over it. ‘Why is that hurting… That wound isn’t even from this life…’ I sighed, regaining my focus. “So I win right? I’ll be taking your mark now… And… Sorry about your hand…”

He growled, trying to bring himself back to a state where he could speak. “Your name…” He grumbled, pulling his mark from his pocket and slapping it into my hand.

‘Yeah, this would be a good time for that.’ I flipped Lu’s massive sword back onto my shoulder with one hand, placing the other on my hip. ‘Nothing like being the center of attention…’ My whole body shuddered, anticipating how much I hated what I was about to do. “My name is Siyasavide Aliyah Nayanathulu. I am the daughter of “the butcher of the black gate”, the granddaughter of the “She Wolf Berserker,” And dragon's blood flows through my veins! Come and fight me if you dare! But if you can’t even beat my sister, don’t bother trying!” I tossed the sword in the air to regrip it at the center before throwing it back over to Lu. ‘Good luck sis…’