Chapter 12: Tests
{Part 1}
It was just a normal day for anyone, but it wasn't for the two Greyrat twins. This is a Fate changing event of their lives.
They're going to meet a noble with a High class Pedigree, the Greyrats. There are 4 branches of the Greyrat Family, and the one who ruled this region are the Boreas.
When they entered the reception room, a butler named Thomas served them tea.
"Where is he?!" A voice boomed from outside the room, accompanied by angry, thunderous footsteps.
"In here?!"
The doors burst open violently, and a buff, muscular man entered the room. He had to be about fifty. Despite the peppering of white in his dark brown hair, he looked in the prime of his life.
His name is Sauros Boreas Greyrat. The Feudal Lord of Fedoa Region, and the current head of the Boreas House.
Upon knowing that this man is looking for him, Rudeus put down his cup of tea. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Rudeus Greyrat."
Sauros' nostrils flared. "Hmph, you don't even know how to introduce yourself!"
Sauros then glared at Reinhard beside Rudeus. As if expecting him with something.
Reinhard just glared back at the old man, not giving him the slightest respect that a commoner like him should give to a Feudal Lord. "Are you the employer?"
The air had gone cold when he said those words. Rudeus, Thomas the butler, and even Ghislaine could feel the chilling atmosphere.
Thomas with panic tried to ease the atmosphere after sensing the dangerous situation. "Master, Young Master Rudeus and Reinhard has never been outside Buena Village. He is still young, I am sure he has not yet had the time to learn proper manners. Surely you can overlook a bit of his..."
"And you, shut up!" That rebuke silenced the butler immediately.
More than an old man, he sounds like a Veteran General trying to silence his men. His voice is full of vigor and healthy testosterone. A completely different aura portrayed in the anime(Light Novel is better).
"Hmph. So I guess Paul didn't even see fit to teach his own son manners!"
"I've been told my father detests formality, which is why he left his father's house. I suspect that's also why he didn't teach me any of it."
"Already with the excuses! You're just like him!"
"Did my father really make that many excuses?"
"Yes! An excuse every time he opened his mouth. If he wet the bed, an excuse! If he got into a fight, an excuse! If he played hooky, an excuse!" He was really going off about this. "Even you! If you wanted to learn manners, you could have done it! The only reason you didn't is because you didn't put any effort in!"
It seems Sauros really is taking out his anger to Paul in Rudeus. Reinhard was just glaring at Sauros in the entire time. Full of rebellious intent to never bow down to anyone.
"What's with that look kid?!" Sauros howled.
"You still got some energy inside you damn geezer." Reinhard said.
It might have been rude to say it to the master of the house, but Sauros was not petty. "Hmph! I will not let you off even if you praise me!"
The atmosphere got heated as the two of them still glaring at each other fiercely. The scene looks a lot like a rebellious grandson to his grandfather.
"Hmph, you sure got guts. Very well! I will permit you to stay in the house!" He then looked at Ghislaine. "I'll leave him to you! If Paul truly said this kid is as he said, I'll personally oversee his Knighthood myself!"
"Understand Sauros-sama." Ghislaine nods her head.
"However! You still need to learn your etiquette! Or else I'll throw you out of myself with my own hands!" He said to Reinhard. He then pointed at Rudeus using his cane. "That goes for you!!"
With that, the master of the house turned and strode out of the room, his shoulders stiff and firm.
"Um, what just happened...?" Rudeus was confused.
"The Lord had recognized Young Master Reinhard's bravery. Though as a noble etiquette glaring someone is considered rude, Sauros-sama had recognized his bravery to look him in the eyes. Many nobles and soldiers cower in fear when under his glare, but the Young Master was brave." The butler, Thomas then gave an explanation. "That is the first test. If the Young Master Reinhard avoided his glare, I doubt the Lord would hire him as a Knight Apprentice."
"Knight Apprentice? Old geezer, what do you mean?" Reinhard glared at Thomas. Paul did say that he will be a guard of the City or something, but he never heard about being a Knight Apprentice.
"Well, it's a long story..." Thomas wiped the sweat using a handkerchief, and adjusts his monocle.
"Hey, let's get going. Follow me outside." Ghislaine called out to Reinhard.
Reinhard glanced slightly at Rudeus and gave him a pat in the shoulder. "Good luck, Rudy."
Rudeus looked at Reinhard's back as he strode off following behind Ghislaine. Somehow, that back seems getting bigger. He's starting to feel that he should be the elder twin, not him.
"You too, Rein."
-*-*-*-
{Part 2}
Ghislaine led Reinhard to a wide open yard, that could be used as training grounds. Compared to the old house back in the village, this mansion had a much bigger space.
He still like his old home better. The yard in that place had Zenith's garden of plants, filled with fruits and vegetables. He occasionally helped when pulling out the weeds, he found them an eyesore.
"Paul told me you're already on par with him. Meaning an Advanced rank in all three styles." Ghislaine said.
"Yeah, father did did say that."
Ghislaine picked up a wooden sword on a nearby rack. She tossed it towards him. Catching the sword, he skillfully gripped at the handle.
"So woman, what is this test?"
"Call me Ghislaine."
Ghislaine raised her wooden sword and pointed it to Reinhard.
Seeing that gesture, Reinhard understood as his whole body was now in a position to strike.
He puts his weight on his back leg, lowered his waist, put his hand on the sword hilt, and took his stance as if to hide the sword.
The stance of an all out offensive stance.
Swordsmen in this world had a secret language to each other. For people who lived by the blade walking on the path of strength, could reach an understanding without words.
Ghislaine did a somewhat different stance. She spread his legs, lowered his waist, put his hand on the sword hilt, and took his stance as if to hide the sword.
A stance of Iaido.
Sword King Ghislaine Dedoldia's speciality, a killing technique.
The Sword God Style possessed the commonplace practice of thrusting the heaviest sword as fast as you can.
However, there were three stances.
One was the middle-step. The basic form of Sword God Style, which is capable of dealing with any kind of combat flow.
Another was the upper-step. An offensive stance which is fit for someone who can impede the opponent's flow of combat before he/she gets to attack.
The last was Iaido. A defensive stance which is fit for someone who can calculate the best timing of attack by sniffing out the opponent's flow of combat.
In short, Iaido for someone who can read their opponent, Upper-step for someone who can impede the opponent, And those who specialise in neither take the middle-step.
As a Beast race possessing both extraordinary hearing and smell along with great intuition and hindsight, Ghislaine specialized in Iaido.
Reinhard who had a strong kinetic vision like he could perceive time in slow motion, was naturally more fit for the Iaido stance.
But now he chose the upper step, an all offensive style. Why he did that, we will see as both swordsmen exchange swords.
As both swordsmen who practiced the Sword God Style, It will become the contest for who's sword is faster, heavier, and sharper.
WOOSH
Their bodies instantly disappeared in their initial position.
They met in the middle and swing their swords at the exactly same time.
BANG!
Shockwaves were produced from that extreme first strike.
Ghislaine was alerted. She sharpened her senses to the fullest as she intuitively do a large backstep.
WOOOSH!
She leaned back her body as a wooden sword just missed her from a hair's breadth.
It was shocking.
Sword Kings are called Sword Kings for a reason because of they are a rare breed of swordsmen.
The highest an ordinary person could achieve in their life in the 3 Major schools of swordplay would be an Advanced rank.
The gap with the Advanced and Saint rank are a whole another world.
And the rank above the Sword Saints are the Sword Kings. Even in the whole world, Sword Kings can only be counted in one hand.
And get such sword King had to take a step back from that first exchange of blows.
"I'm surprised you dodged that, Ghislaine." Reinhard said as he's back assuming the middle stance. "I've heard from Mom. You're the strongest in the Adventurer's party they once belonged."
"Zenith is a comrade of ours."
Ghislaine recovered and changed her evaluation to him.
She had heard from Paul as he was saying these. "My son's a freak in the sword. You give him an opening and he will make sure you'll be punished for that."
He sounds like he was bragging, like how he used to back in the day.
But now it seems he wasn't just lying.
Right now standing in front of her is an enormous raw talent.
"You're not just some brat huh."
"Hm, I've been training my ass off every single day you see."
As they were done exchange some words, they resumed fighting.
Ghislaine moved much faster and stronger previously.
Reinhard's brain circuits moved at the fast speed trying to calculate the trajectory, weight, and velocity of the sword coming through him.
As soon as he arrived to the proper response to the action, his muscle moved according to muscle memory.
The time he spent refining and polishing his skills to the highest possible. The time spent for building his foundation. The time he build his mental strength by training under cruel freezing winter.
Everything was not wasted.
"Haaah!"
"Yaaah!"
BOOOOOOOM!!!
Once again their wooden swords clashed with each other. Both swordsmen had their bodies embraced with Battle Aura.
As the fight continues on, their swords moved in a flash of light.
They exchanged fierce strikes that each of them could kill an adult grown man if hit in the wrong spot.
Reinhard continuously keeps up with the Ghislaine without breaking a sweat.
His steps are steady and dextrous.
The sword strikes are sharp and heavy.
The trajectory of the sword as his body carried the sword was in perfect sync.
He fights like a machine being operated by a computer.
Each single on of his movements are perfectly executed.
Ghislaine was surprised that the fight came into a stalemate after multiple exchanges.
And the fight doesn't seem seem to disrupt the balance as both swordsmen continues.
Ghislaine decided.
To break the balance of the fight, she needed to do that one thing.
Right, she needed to do a finishing technique to end this.
Not just any technique, but the ultimate technique of the strongest Sword Style.
The next instant Ghislaine swung her sword with all her might.
"Ngh!"
Reinhard who was under the world of time moving in slow motion, for the first time saw it. His Eyes with mysterious power captured every frame and inch of Ghislaine's strike.
The strongest and the ultimate technique of the strongest Sword Style of the world.
A technique in which mastered to the fullest, the tip of the sword could reach the speed of Light.
That is the Longsword of Light.
Swordsmen who could use such technique will be regarded as Sword Saints.
And as a Sword King, the strike was much swifter and refined than ordinary Sword Saints.
Using his full survival instincts, intuition, and all his Magic Power as Touki. Reinhard raised his sword.
GABOOOOOOOOM!!!
Reinhard were flew away from the strong reactive force.
But he still stable is on his feet, steady and strong.
Reinhard blocked.
A block.
He neither dodged nor parried, but blocked.
He blocked the ultimate technique of the Sword God style, the [Longsword of Light].
The dust settles down as Reinhard's eyes were glowing a brilliant light.
He is standing like a statue still in his blocking stance, while his eyes are flowing out some smoke.
It was full of Sakuga, and the art is sweet.
Ghislaine stared at Reinhard.
"I'm surprised, you took that one. What kind of a monster are you." Ghislaine says.
"Yeah, but first check your sword. Ghislaine."
Curious with his words, she looked at the wooden sword in her hands.
With a dry crack, Ghislaine's wooden sword shattered to dust.
"What?"
Reinhard, gave a smirk. For a serious guy like him who rarely had any expression (instead like being angry from dirty things), that smirk perfect.
"See?"
He held his sword up, it also cracked and shattered to a thousand pieces.
Ghislaine gave an earnest face. "That should be enough, you passed."
There's no doubt about it.
Ghislaine was greatly impressed by this boy's power in his age.
His overwhelming talent would take the world to a storm.
It seems Paul's son is a monster genius.
The wind blows making his hair wave riding through the cold breeze.
-*-*-*-
{Part 3}
Then suddenly, a certain red haired girl appeared. Her eyes fierce as she was radiating killing intent.
"I will never forgive you!!!"
Reinhard looked at the corner of his peripheral vision and saw a boy trembling in fear, Rudeus.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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