The next morning.

Almark and other were training at their usual place when four of them said.

"You're training in a place like this?"

They called out to him, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Torque."

Almark shouted at the unexpected appearance of this person.

Torque had shown up with Galein, Deg, and Pillman.

"We've walked a long way from the dormitory."

"What do you want?""

Nelson lowered his sword and glared at Torque.

I don't want to be treated like a joke," Nelson said.

"I hope so."

Torque put his armor and sword down on the ground.

"We're going to start training here today.'

Behind Armark, Morgen shouted with a yelp, "What's with the wind?

"What's your reason , Torque?"

Armark asks Torque.

Torque frowns when he sees that he is already smiling.

"We're going to win one without a problem,"

Torque said.

"I'd hate to see Eston or Pollois or any of those other guys in the third group get all excited about winning right in front of us."

"We're going to win, ,"

" Nelson said."

We're not going to let them win," N

"So?"

Torque says.

"We're going to train here, too. "

“That would be great," Almark said, and Nelson turned to look at him in disapproval.

"Almark, As long as you're here, we don't need Torque's help. II just don't feel like it. Let's just practice on our own."

?Morgen nodded his head in agreement.

"I agree."

I saw Eston and Pollois yesterday.

?I met both Eston and Pollois yesterday," Almark said.

"They were both large. They are about the same size as Torque. Torque is the perfect guy to train with, in case we have to fight them."

Almark added

"Nelson, you're right, they were both very nasty guys,"y. If we are going to fight them, Torque is the right guy to train with.

"Hey!"

Torque frowned, and Reido puffed.

"I'm just kidding, Torque."

Almark turned Torque down and continued,

"I don't want to lose to those guys either. Nelson, they're ......."

Almark looked at Nelson's face.

" They didn't even remember Norrisch's name."

"Those bastards."

Nelson's face twisted as he spat.

"Who the hell do they think they are? I'm going to make them pay for this."

He kicked the ground a few times, and that was enough to make Nelson feel better about his feelings.

"......No way, I don't have time for this two-pair mess, Torque, this is a hypothetical Eston-Polois match. You're going to be my training partner."

"That's what I've been saying all along."

Torque said and quickly began to put on his armor.

"Then I'll have Deg compete with Raido. Pillman, you fight Morgen. Garain, you take me."

?Almark quickly instructs everyone.

"We all get the victory."

"Oh!"

Nelson replied, and Raydor and Deg nodded.

Gallein is not very fast, but he has a lot of power.

Almark, catching Garain's stabs, said.

"You've got good muscle, Garain."

Almark complimented Galain on his good muscle tone.

Galain smiles at him.

It looks like a scornful smile, but Almark already knows that this is Galain's genuine smile.

He is a man who loses a lot with the way he smiles.

"Let's go with it."

?However, the tip of his sword begins to dull.

"What's wrong, Garain?"

?Galein began to gasp and breathe on his shoulders.

?In short, he lacked physical strength.

"The point is that he is not strong enough. Galein, you're almost done."

Almark encouraged Gullane, and at the end, he intentionally caught Gullane's punch with his torso.

"Yes, remember that strike,"If you can do that when you are in trouble, you will win."

At Almark's words, Garain nodded while gasping.

Almark let Garain rest and turned his attention to Nelson and Torque.

Nelson was almost on par with Torque.

As expected, he had devoted this entire summer to the sword.

He handled Torque's heavy blows well, never standing in front of him, and delivering effective blows without being on the defensive.

Torque, however, did not allow himself to be easily overpowered.

He vigorously beat away Nelson's thrusts and did not relinquish the initiative.

In the end, Torque's power overpowered Nelson's skills.

"Damn!"

Nelson was on his knees, panting in frustration.

"I was so close."

"So close? Not even near ."

?Torque wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I've won three times in three fights,, . The gap is bigger than you think".

“You're always on the edge,"

Nelson raised his head as he said, that

"I'm getting closer,. Admit it.""

Torque sniffed.

“I'll admit you improved since the summer vacation ,but I think you have some hope for the tournament. “

"Shut up. I'm not just admitting it."

Nelson shook his head.

" That's what motivates me."

Torque looked at Nelson wit the corner of his mouth raised.

"Nelson, you're always blustering, but you've got to beat me once before you can talk ."

I said I'm going to win."

?After watching their exchange, Almark decided that it was probably safe to let the two men go for a while.

The game between Raido and Deg is going back and forth.

Rather, the match is completely up to Raido's condition: if Raido is in good shape, he wins; if he is in bad shape, Deg wins.

?Almark gave them some advice and looked at Morgen and Pillman.

?Pillman was from a farming village in the Kingdom of Garai, and he, too, was not the most flattering athlete, but Morgen was overwhelmed by him.

He was able to get away with a limp strike, and was easily pushed to his knees by a thrust to the body.

The same kind of exchange was repeated, and it was clear that Pillman was gaining more and more self-confidence.

On the other hand, Morgen's confidence, which was already lacking, was slipping further away from him.

?"Ah. Am I like this with Pillman? I'm a failure, I know."

?He can feel Mogen's back telling so.

"Let's put a stop to this."

Armark gets between the two of them, asks Pillman to take a break, and calls Mogen.

"I can't take it anymore."

Morgen said , looking as if he was about to cry.

“I thought I could have some competition with Pillman,. I'm sorry, Almark. I'm just a useless guy."

"What are you talking about?"

Almark shook his head.

“Morgen is my friend. I owe you a lot, and my trust in you won't be shaken just because we' re practicing for a martial arts tournament like this."

Even as he says this, Almark thinks about it.

Even if Mogen improves his basic skills in the future, he will never be ready for the tournament.

After all, the competition is a one-shot deal.

He tried to think about what Morgen could do.

"Morgen."

Armark tapped Morgen on the shoulder.

"Starting today, you're going to have extra practice with me .

“What?"

Morgen looked scared.

I don't want to be intimidated.”

"I'll prove to you that you're not a failure,"

Almark said with a smile