The dragon's harem

162 [Bonus chapter] Lydia Vs Arad

Nina called Aella and Mira to the counter. ”You can start at the quest.” The girls approached the table.

Mira pulled a large map of the forest where she suspect the tree to grow. ”We are looking for a large tree with a vein-riddled trunk that smells like lemon. Legends say its scent is like a reverse catnip to monsters. It makes them aggressive and agitated.” Mira looked at Arad, ”This works only on non-intelligent monsters. But words say it makes elves a bit more aggressive. So keep that in mind.”

”Arad! Weʼre here.” Lydia called, waving her hand as Jack leaned on her, ”Donʼt forget me. I will be fine in a day or two.”

Arad looked at them, scratching his head. ”So, only me and Lydia can fight, right?”

Everyone looked at each other. Jack is out for two days, and Aella for about a day as well to get over her soreness. Mira canʼt fight so that only leave Arad and Lydia.

Arad canʼt go all out because of Mira so there is no point in refusing Lydia coming to help Jack. Even though the safest bet would be him using his draconic presence to scare the monsters away. That isnʼt an option.

”Lydia, how good can you fight?” Arad asked.

Lydia stared at Arad, ”I usually go solo as I can both fight with weapons. Heal, and deal magic damage with smites. I can also cure poisons and toxins.”

”Only you and I can fight on the first day. I want to know what could you do, and what canʼt. Should we head to the training ground?” Arad approached her.

”Of course. You canʼt leave your back to someone you never fought with.” Lydia said, scratching her head, ”Especially after last nightʼs embarrassing performance.”

Last night, the incubus charmed Lydia and had her stall Abel for a while. Which wasnʼt exactly helpful. Albeit, she had a disadvantage as a woman.

The adventurers in the back started whispering. Are those two about to fight? Lydia the golden paladin against the monster Arad, who will win?

Arad looked at his waist, ”Nina, do you have a spare sword?”

”ARAD! CATCH!” One of the adventurers grabbed his sword and threw it. Arad turned and caught it. ”A sword?”

”Itʼs my spare blade, feel free to have it.” The adventurer smiled, playing his card early and making everyone else feel jealous.

”Thanks. I hope it holds.” Arad looked at the sword. It looked like any other long sword without any engraving.

[All the legendary blades looked stale. Their creator didnʼt have the luxury of thinking to decorate them. A simple sword is a good indicator of a well-made blade.]

Arad and Lydia walked toward the training ground with everyone behind them, watching.

The two faced each other. Lydia held her sword with both hands and took a deep breath. ”You better take a stance or pull your staff. The sword is your secondary weapon, isnʼt it?”

Arad stood tall, holding the long sword in his right hand. ”You think so? What matter is how can you fight, come at me.”

CLING! Lydia shifted her stance from a middle guard to a back left. A golden mist embraced her sword like dust dancing in the sunʼs rays.

BAM! Lydia rushed, pointing her sword forward in an inside right stance. She went for a low thigh stab. But at the last moment. She shifted into a low strike, aiming at Aradʼs calves.

Arad stood without a move, his training with Gerald coming back. He saw Lydiaʼs feint and was about to do what Gerald did.

CRACK! Arad lifted his leg in an instant and stomped Lydiaʼs blade, pinning it to the ground.

It happened in the blink of an eye, no one was able to see. Lydia almost missed it and the only one who saw it was Nina. ”Such a monstrous move.” She smiled. Stepping on their opponentʼs blade. That was something barbarians did often and to her, it was appealing.

Arad didnʼt waste his chance and swung his sword down at Lydiaʼs shoulder with one hand.

Cling! Lydia twisted her blade and pulled it out. She swung with a short guard to deflect Aradʼs strike and connected that to a back edge swing at Aradʼs neck.

KA-DON! Flames burst from Aradʼs legs, forcing Lydia to leap back before her blade could reach him. She glared at him with the edge of her sword bright red.

”Those flames are dangerous.” Lydia smiled.

”That sword as well,” Arad said as the flames around him faded.

”Heh,” Lydia giggled, touching the ground with her blade. CLAP! With a thunderous boom, the ground cracked. [Thundering smite] ”You noticed it?”

Arad glared at Lydia, his eyes flashing purple. ”Of course, itʼs obvious.” He could see magic, and she didnʼt know of that. The spell was invisible, but he could see it like a haze around the blade.

[Divine Smite] BOOM! Lydiaʼs blade ignited into a golden flame as she took a wrath stance. ”How about we go all out? There are enough healers around here.”

”You only say that because you wear heavy armor.” Arad smiled, ”But fine, come at me with all you got.” Arad opened his arms, walking forward.

BAM! Lydia lunged forward. KA-DON! Arad engulfed his fist with flames which grew to consume the blade, he swings down with a smile.

CLACK! BAM! The swords clashed, sending a shockwave across the training ground. CLACK! BAM! CLACK! BAM! CLACK! BAM!

The attacks didnʼt stop as the two clashed. ”How is a sorcerer going head-on with a paladin?” One of the adventurers gasped.

”No,” A fighter gasped. ”Arad isnʼt skilled with the sword. He swings it a stick, he had no formal training.”

Another fighter walked forward, ”But he isnʼt falling to any of Lydiaʼs feint. His speed and strength are inhuman, and without speaking of those reaction times.” The fighter clenched his teeth. ”How do you get such power and institution without proper training?”

Nina looked back, ”You lots are slow, arenʼt you?”

”What?” A wizard gasped, ”What are you talking about?”

Thud! Alcott who was in the back walked forward, ”Aradʼs movements. That strange aggression against feints. Doesnʼt it reminds you of someone?”

One of the old fighters, someone who has been adventuring for ten years gasped, ”Gerlad! I saw those moves in the tournament when I was a kid!”

All the fighters glared at Arad. They remembered the best-selling fighting manual in the whole kingdom. ”Steel for humans!”

”Everyone one of you read that book, or at least trained with one as itʼs the simplest way to learn the basics of swordplay.” Alcott smiled.

”But Arad doesnʼt know anything about a sword fight.”

”Those moves are natural. I heard Gerald himself is in the city,” Alcott smiled. ”Arad could have found him and learned directly. spared even.”

All the fights stared at each other, mumbling how a living legend could be under their noses. That famous general is here.

”The reason you arenʼt getting stronger is that youʼre focused on adventuring. You arenʼt looking around for opportunities.” Alcott glared at them.

”Look at Arad,” Nina smiled, ”Heʼs winning.”

BAM! They saw Aradʼs sword shatter from his poor form, yet he kept swinging the severed blade. Engulfed in flames.

”He isnʼt locked in the class idea. Heʼs willing to learn from anything is what youʼre saying.” Amber approached. ”Heʼs a sorcerer, why care about sword skills? Thatʼs what most people think, but Arad will learn anything you give to him.”