My Second Chance In Life In Another World

CHAPTER 16: REMATCH

The rematch between Uncle Philip and me began, and a crowd quickly gathered, mostly our neighbors, all watching with tense anticipation.

Uncle Philip took the initiative, charging straight towards me with the ferocity of a seasoned warrior. His movements were sharp and precise, just as I remembered from our last encounter. But this time, I was prepared. The memories of my training with Mother flooded my mind, and I silently thanked her for those grueling sessions.

“Water Shield!” I shouted, thrusting my hand forward. A towering wall of shimmering water erupted before me, taller than Uncle Philip and solid enough to block his path. But as if he anticipated the move, he deftly sidestepped and aimed for my flank, his eyes burning with determination.

I’ve come a long way since our last fight. Back then, I struggled to engage in close combat, especially when fighting against Mother. But now, I’m different. I let Uncle Philip get within two meters of me, calculating the exact moment to strike.

“Water Arrow!” I called out, summoning three arrows of condensed water that materialized in the air and shot toward his left side—his missing arm side. I thought it would give me the upper hand, but Uncle Philip surprised me with his next move.

“Spinning Shield!” he roared, and suddenly his remaining arm, along with his sword, began to rotate in a blur, forming a protective barrier around him. My arrows evaporated upon contact, unable to penetrate his defenses.

This wasn’t like my sparring sessions with Mother, where we had strict rules and limitations. Here, anything goes. Uncle Philip’s skill, "Spinning Shield," was an intermediate sword technique, and he wielded it with terrifying precision.

I halted my advance, stopping just a meter before him. Getting any closer would mean stepping into the whirlwind of his spinning shield, a move that would undoubtedly result in serious injury. But as suddenly as he started, Uncle Philip ceased his spinning defense and transitioned seamlessly into another attack.

“Sharp Nail!” he shouted, lunging at me with blinding speed.

I barely had time to react. The attack was so swift that dodging was out of the question. My only option was to block with my wooden sword. I knew "Sharp Nail" was a skill that emphasized speed over power, but the force behind his strike caught me off guard. It sent me flying backward, and I crashed to the ground, stunned.

“What’s with that power?” I gasped, struggling to understand how a speed-based skill could hit so hard.

Uncle Philip sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “Did you really think your Sharp Nail and mine were the same? You're too naive. My skills are honed on the battlefield, boy, while yours were just spoon-fed to you by your mother. She coddles you, and it shows.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. “You lose, boy. Now taste this!” With a predatory grin, he dashed towards me.

I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate. My knees buckled, and I collapsed back onto the ground. The impact of his strike must have been more severe than I realized.

“Horizontal Slash!” he yelled, his sword arcing through the air with deadly intent.

“Water Shield!” I cried out in desperation, summoning another barrier of water. But to my horror, his sword cut through it as if it were paper, and the blade connected with my left shoulder.

“AAAAHHHHHH!” I screamed as pain radiated through my body. The force of the blow nearly brought me to tears, but I bit back the sobs, forcing myself to stay composed. My shoulder throbbed, and I feared it might be broken.

“Hey, shouldn’t we step in?” I heard one of the onlookers murmur.

“Yeah, we should,” another agreed, concern lacing their voice.