Destiny Quotes

02. Spar

"Responsibility?"

"That's right. Since you're not going to cooperate, I'll use my strength to make you obey!"

There were so many things that needed to be criticized.

"If you can't convince someone, you resort to violence? That's too barbaric!"

"To deal with a pervert who keeps peeking under skirts, I think it's quite merciful not to report you to the patrol."

So she had noticed all along. If I had known, I wouldn't have looked so conspicuously.

"Sigh, being an adventurer might seem like a good way to make a lot of money with low barriers to entry, but it's a completely different story in reality. Your life is at stake on the gambling table. Even if you graduate from school and learn all the survival skills, one slip-up can cost you your life. Isn't it a waste of time to get that diploma if you know this?"

"Maybe, but getting the diploma is like getting a license to enter the forest. For me, it's just one more option, and that's enough."

"Wrong."

"What?"

"The strong naturally attract the strong. I don't just mean pure strength, but a combination of everything. Those who receive a complete education from birth, those who are strong enough to be hired, or those who recognize each other's strength and form teams. The school is where these adventurers seek out talent. Truly capable ones set off on adventures immediately after graduation. And you? You need someone like me to complete a commission to graduate. Do you really think you can reach the top tier of money-making adventurers?"

Upon hearing my words, the other party frowned but quickly put on a calm expression, turned, and went to search for something by the trees.

"Aren't we both under twenty? Isn't it too early to look down on ourselves?"

"Do I look like I'm under twenty?"

The other party suddenly stopped and looked at me, puzzled.

"How old are you?"

"One year older than you."

"... Do you want to get beaten up again?"

"Hehe, you really don't understand humor."

Finally finding her target, she forcefully threw it in my direction.

"Whoa!"

Instinctively, I caught the slender object thrown at me. It turned out to be a tree branch.

Though not perfectly straight, it was quite straight for a random branch, about the length of an arm.

"The trees around here are particularly hard and resilient. They're good weapons for sparring."

She also held a similar branch, gripping it with both hands, body slightly tilted forward in a fighting stance, as if holding a long sword ready to charge at me.

"Come on, we're not kids. Can't we talk things out—"

"Ha!"

Boom!

The ground under her right foot caved in, her slender body enlarged as she leapt towards me with a sharp whistling sound.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Whap.

In my frightened flailing, our branches clashed, sending an unpleasant friction through my palm. Scared by her sudden attack, I hurriedly jumped back and fell.

"Ah."

Maybe there was a pit in the ground, but I sat down, luckily without her following up with another attack.