The Evolution Chronicles

Wendy lunged at Daniel the moment Freud's arm was lowered, making a single powered strike that Daniel swiftly dodged, instead of blocking. The single strike soon turned into a flurry of rapid swings that forced Daniel on the defensive as he scrambled to block the aggressive offensive of the student.

'Tch. She's good' Daniel clicked his tongue as another swing bounced off the flat of his blade. He hurriedly raised his sword to block the hit that was going for his head next. 'But if you think that is all it takes to beat me, then you look down on the Highsword Style... And I will not tolerate that!'

In a bold movement, he pushed her sword to the side after blocking another side swing, before stepping close. Although this left him unable to use his sword, he barely needed it as he used a simple foot movement to trip Wendy!

The girl was startled by his sudden closure, only to immediately lose her balance right after. Her face burned with embarrassment as the young man before her took a step back, raising his sword in an inviting gesture.

"Come, and I will show you the true Highsword Style." Daniel spoke, his chin lifted high as he looked down on her from the tip of his nose. His words and stance made him look like an adult who was merely entertaining a child. This made Wendy feel even more annoyed as she began to take the match seriously, instead of a simple fight that she had to go through in order to carry out her superior's instructions!

Gritting her teeth, she held her practice sword tighter as she went on the offensive again, this time more cautious. But what surprised her was that Daniel no longer took a defensive stance. Instead, he matched her blow for blow, also making some opportunistic strikes every once in a while.

Thirty seconds in to their second engagement, Wendy felt as though she was being led around by a leash. She felt as though her opponent was planning her every move, as he easily read her body movements, using any chance in order to make her stumble or miss her swing.

"Enough games." Daniel suddenly spoke, startling Wendy.

'Games? What games? Who do you think is playing with you?!' She thought to herself, a pit of dread already forming in her belly. She could vaguely feel the air around Daniel begin to stir as the boy conjured up something scary.

Daniel took a couple steps back, just outside of Wendy's immediate attack range. His words seemed to startle the girl long enough for her to freeze for a couple of seconds. Using this small window of time, he raised his sword up above his head, vaguely aware of the opening he had created. If Wendy wasn't momentarily frozen, then he was sure she would have made full use of this opening.

A second later, Wendy regained clarity, shaking off the weird feeling she got from Daniel.

'He left himself wide open!' She mentally cheered before lunging, her sword held at her front in a stabbing pose. When she was less than a foot away from him, she suddenly felt a foreboding feeling press upon her mind.

With wide eyes, Wendy stopped her forward momentum and raised her sword up to block the strike that was coming down on her.

*CRACK!!!* *SNAP!*

First, a crack, and then her wooden sword broke apart, sending wooden splinters flying! For a brief moment, Wendy felt as though her entire life would come to an end if that sword hit her, and then, in the next moment, the feeling was gone. She felt a light tap on her right shoulder, prompting her to open her eyes that she didn't know she had closed.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the dark silhouette of a man standing over her. In the next couple of seconds, her vision adjusted and she saw Daniel's smile, followed by his outstretched hand. She gingerly took it, letting him pull her up to her feet from the kneeling position she had adopted in order to block his final strike.

Strangely enough, she didn't immediately feel any animosity for loosing, only shock. It took a few more seconds for her to register how she lost the fight. Among the first year students, she was at the top of her class. How could an outsider just beat her so easily?

"How?" She whispered, unconsciously voicing her turbulent thoughts.

Daniel only smiled before giving her an answer, "I may look shabby, but you don't judge a book by its cover. I am already a Pseudo-Sword Initiate." He patted her shoulder.

A Pseudo-Sword Initiate!

Wendy's mind was blown away upon hearing her words. She turned to face the Elder of the Nine Peaks Sect, along with his second in command. The two of them only nodded. She turned her gaze back to the young man who had taken a couple steps back, her mind completely shaken.

In this world, there was a proper hierarchy of power when it came to the path of the sword. First was the Sword Initiates. These were people who wielded part of the power of a Swordmaster. Although they were strong against normal people, they were still unable to match up to genuine Swordmasters. This group was further divided into three. First level, second level, and third level.

After the Sword Initiates were the Swordmasters, true masters who had created or grasped the true essence of a Sword Style. After them came the Sword Saints. These beings had completely ascended from the mortal realm and had a foot through the door to Godhood. As for the last category, these mythical beings were called Sword Gods. Wendy knew very little about them, but if there was one thing she knew, it was that they were beings of unfathomable power who were able to slice or decimate a mountain with a single wave of their weapons.

Below all of these levels though, was the Pseudo-Sword Initiate. These individuals had merely begun to grasp a meager, incomplete understanding of a Sword Style. And then this young man before her was one of these beings, whereas she was still an average student.

Wendy's cheeks flushed as she berated herself for looking down on him. She hurriedly bowed, the customary gesture that one was expected to make after fighting a duel or spar. Daniel did the same before straightening up and stepping back.

"Daniel, Wendy. Please come here.." The Elder and Freud called the two of them.