(Sujin's Pov)
"Guild Master Isha, you are the most beautiful and kind woman I know. When I reach your level, I'll finally gather the courage to tell you how I feel about you."
"You had taken me in when I had nowhere else to go, so I will always be loyal to you and the guild you lead no matter what, and anyone who disrespects it will get slashed by me! Your blade of retribution!"
(-------------)
Sujin sensed a slight sensation of warmth growing from within his chest, moving to his arm, and from his arm into his blade.
Before this moment, Sujin could only feel this warmth when he battled, but right now, he felt that by focusing, he could, bit by bit, guide this energy to where he wanted it to go, and do more with it.
"His Kinshi is growing! I have to finish this right now!" thought Reon.
Reon bolted toward Sujin, knowing that it couldn't be wise to let Sujin block his strike again, he prepared to use the Nightmare Dagger Technique, controlling his breath in a specific manner.
Unexpectedly, Sujin also bolted to Reon with speed he hadn't shown before.
Sujin swung his blade fiercely at Reon's neck, forcing him to block it again.
This time though, Reon could barely block the powerful strike, getting pushed back and knocked off balance by the force.
"He's faster, and stronger now! This isn't good!" deduced Reon.
Meanwhile a Flyers Guild member in the crowd named Jack spoke his mind to a friend.
"Doesn't it look to you like Sujin was hiding his strength? Because the speed and power he just showed is more than before, right?" he said.
"That's because Sujin is a 3-Star Warrior now." Hyo spoke, having overheard Jack talk behind him.
"3-Star Level!? Are you sure Vice-Guild Master, I always thought that Sujin was a 2-Star Bladesmen?" Jack said.
A few of the people around who heard Hyo mumbled in agreement with Jack's sentiment.
"Yes, he was, but as we all know, the finest place for a warrior to grow is right in the heat of a life and death battle." said Hyo.
"Sujin was always one of the Guild Master's favorites. She must have taught him a thing or two to help him become a 3-Star." thought Hyo.
"Still he is talented enough to be able to develop so quickly in the middle of a fight," he thought. "It's impressive, you've done well Sujin."
Sujin felt much more confident now, he swung his shortblade more frequently than before forcing Reon to try and dodge all of his strike's.
Quickly dodging one of Sujin's slashes aimed at his right arm, Reon swung his right leg to kick Sujin's left leg hard.
Reon's kick landed, but Sujin had already seen it coming, he quickly infused some of his energy from his core toward his leg, allowing him to take the kick much easier.
"I got you now!" Sujin thought, swinging his shortblade at Reon's neck once more.
Catching his opponent in an awkward position, Sujin knew that Reon needed to block Sujin's blade this time, he couldn't dodge this attack.
"When you block this, I'll use the Magnetic Arms Technique that the Guild Master taught me and finish you, you arrogant brat!" Sujin thought.
In the next moment however, instead of getting his attack blocked as expected, Sujin saw Reon shift his body in a manner that seemed almost impossible, except that he'd seen it.
Reon's footwork and breathwork was fast and precise, putting him in a position where he was about to slash Sujin's neck.
Sujin put his blade up to block the slash desperately using his energy, to make himself faster, but suddenly Sujin felt a certain sensation in his stomach.
It was warm, like the feeling of his internal energy, but also painful.
"Wasn't he going to slash my neck? How could he-" Sujin couldn't think anymore as he saw Reon jamming his dagger into his stomach.
Sujin struggled to endure the pain and not scream, falling to his knees.
Quickly pulling the dagger out of Sujin's stomach, making his blood splash across the red grass, Reon decisively ensured his opponent's demise with a quick slash to Sujin's throat.
Blood gushed from Sujin's throat before his body dropped to the ground.
Slashing the air, Reon cleaned the blood off of Silva's dagger, resheathing the blade and putting on his belt where he had kept it before. Looking at Sujin's corpse, he took a slight bow.
"Rest in peace, Sujin the Bladesmen. You were a strong opponent." Reon whispered, honoring the man.
This was Reon's first time killing someone.
He would have liked for no one to have died as Silva wanted, but Sujin had gone for the kill multiple times during their duel. Reon returned the favor as his family taught him too.
Meanwhile, all of the spectators were shocked.
To them, the duel, which only took about 2 minutes, felt like it had lasted an entire hour, with multiple twists and turns.
No one had expected Reon, the fresh meat that they heard about to win this duel, let alone in such a dominant fashion at the climax.
Needless to say, no one would be calling him "fresh meat" anymore.
"This duel is over, the winner is the new tenth ranking member of the Flyers guild, and I expect everyone to treat him as such!" Hyo yelled out to everyone in the crowd.
…
"Yes, Sir." they all said simultaneously.
After paying his respects to Sujin, Reon noticed Hyo approaching him.
"So what was your name again kid?" asked Hyo.
"Reon DeValt, Vice Guild Master." Reon replied.
"Reon Devalt. Since you've won the duel, you are now the tenth highest ranked member of the Flyers guild." said Hyo.
"As such, you are entitled to all of the privileges that come with that rank, but you also have some responsibilities to tend to as well. Let's head back to the guild hall and I'll fill you in on everything."
"Okay." said Reon.
Reon found out there were a few privileges and responsibilities as one of the top ten highest ranked members of the Flyers.
First he would receive a monthly base payment of 3000 Zeal.
He would also take a higher percentage cut on any missions he would take.
Reon could also now take 3-Star level missions, even if he is not 3-Star level, as long as he brought at least two 2-Star companions along with him.
As for responsibilities, Reon would need to take at least 2 missions per month.
He would also need to represent The Flyers in guild competitions, and try to promote and expand the guild when possible.
Reon signed the guild contract, receiving his first payment as well as a pocket-sized golden plaque, with the number ten on it, showing his rank in the guild.
The sun was falling now.
Reon decided to look for a place to stay the night, and found a small inn not too deep into the village.
He paid the owner 40 Zeal for two nights. The room was shabby but Reon was happy knowing he could sleep in a bed for the first time in a while.
"For the first order of business, it's time to wash up!" said Reon.
After refreshing himself, he went down stairs to eat. Reon ordered a steak and some vegetables with a glass of milk which he devoured.
Reon went back upstairs to sleep, proud that he had managed to win his first duel in Akram, earn money, and earn a high position at a mid-tier guild, all in about a week's work.
Still, it dawned on Reon as he layed in the bed that he was quite weak.
If he did not know the Nightmare Dagger Technique, he probably would be dead right now, and this thought haunted him for a time.
"Even a person who was basically using internal energy for the first time was a serious threat to me. Without being able to use my energy, I won't go too far." Reon thought.
Reon had spent years going through vigorous training from both his uncle and his grandfather.
For a person training that hard, with Kinshi experts from such a young age, being able to harness their own energy should have been the least of their troubles, but it wasn't at all for Reon.
To this day he still could not feel and use his own internal energy, only sense others' use of energy. Still his family always told him that he was a generational Kinshi talent even if he was a late bloomer with harnessing his energy.
After years of the same results, Reon honestly believed he was what was known as, "Energy Crippled", but he would rather die than give up, and let his family members down.
"I just need more experience in life and death battles! Uncle Ken said that that's the best way to grow." he told himself before closing his eyes, falling asleep.