Meanwhile….

  As that was going on, intense training ensued. Leonardo and Noah were going at it as usual, as they were intensifying their fight with guns. They have been practising really hard for two weeks now. For some reason, they get along pretty well. Both were students of Joseph, who pioneered the guns into the order. Many of the younger generation went for guns as it was deemed more effective than swords. Because of that, many of the older generation got rather irritated by the younger generation's unable to uphold the sword and old traditions. The hidden reason as to why Joseph was retiring. Leonardo was right, that many of the old timers didn’t like him. But it wasn’t because of jealousy or anything. It was merely because many of the old timers noticed something lacking, as many of the new generation would find out later. They didn’t say anything as they would rather let them find out for themselves. Yet to make sure it didn’t further contaminate the newborns, It was best to let him retire.

  Along with the training, Angela was surprisedly weight lifting as she preferr to get stronger physically. While Julius was target practicing as he was trying to make a happy face. Those two didn’t prefer the hard training as they were much older and had gone through that phase. They just prefer to stay in shape while the leader does the heavy lifting.

  The main action was Leonora and Karma, who were going head to head with Faust, who was also rather bored with this. He was really tired as Fausto had trained last night and he himself was tired from training with the old man. Now his third training just made it worse. The only thing that he wants is to relax in a spa. Hopefully, that comes soon.

  “Can you pay attention?” Karma said as she was fighting with a wooden sword. But Faust dodged it like it was nothing. But this then gave time for Leonora to attack as she was using a pair of pistols. With careful time shots, Faust was quite surprised at how, in just two weeks, she could shoot so effortlessly. The first time she shot it almost hit everyone but the actual target practice. Now she looks like a pro. Faust seemed to have underestimated her quite a bit. Then again, she did perform well in her surgeries. Though she can’t perform surgeries as often, she surprisingly never makes a mistake. The only reason Fausto had to help her was due to fatigue rather than skill.

  “Dang almost had you,” Leonora said as Faust tilted his head just a little to dodge both the shots so easily.

  “Hmm almost. Seems like you two are more coordinated than before.” Faust complimented, as he was amazed by the two. It hasn’t been too long but they seem to be in sync with each other. Even in surgeries, they were a power duo. Problem is…..

  “Then see if you can see this.” Leonora then shot rapidly, but they were at different spots as Faust was confused. But just in front of him, Karma appeared right in front to keep him stationary. However, Faust was able to disarm Karma with a simple wrist lock as he dragged her to his arms.

  “Ehh?”

  “Oops,” Leonora said as some of the shots would have hit Karma as it went off script. But Faust was able to maneuver so that both of them dodged them.

  “Hmm…seems like you two are both bad risk takers.” They are still green to combat, though.

  “Mmmm.” Faust was saying while having Karma in his arms. Just as she realised what had happened, Faust dropped her.“Owww, why did you drop me?” Being rather shy at first turned to pain as Faust let her fall after dodging the attacks.

  “Well we are still not done with training?…. Why? Were you expecting more?” Karma instantly got up as to prove him wrong. Lowkey, she wa,s but had to put up a front.

  “No bring it.” Karma then attacked him again, this time she got not just one sword but two swords. For some reason, she was not just faster, but better. She was already strong, so she used one sword in one hand as a distraction. While the other one was strong. It seems she is ambidextrous, making it hard to tell.

  “I got you,” Leonora said. Using the blind spots, there were shots being fired with deadly precision. Despite what happened before, Leonora and Karma seemed to learn from their mistakes rather quickly. Faust, who was dodging a few shots, maneuvered his sword just in time to get a downward swing at Karma, who wasn’t anticipating a head-on attack. Trying to block, she had to use both her swords as she struggled to block it. Faust didn’t look like he was trying, as he looked like he wasn’t using any force at all. But that amount of strength was enough to suppress Karma.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Ehhhh.” Trying to fight back, she was already on her knees.

  “I'm here.” Leonora appeared in the flank of Faust, who noticed that. She then fired several shots at vital points. This caused Faust to back away, but simultaneously, he threw his sword at her. “Uh oh.” She said as whack she got hit in the head gently being knocked back. Leaving Faust to have a one-on-one with Karma.

  “Dam, can you stop toying with us?” Karma said in frustration.

  “I will after you two get serious.” Faust teased as he got his pistol out. But he took the cartridge out, showing that he was planning to go into close combat. “I get the feeling I will face a rather tough fight soon and need to practice this.” Hearing that, Karma was rather frustrated. Fighting faster than before, she was spinning very eloquently as she was able to demonstrate her skills with dual swords. Finding romance in this, Faust felt it was appropriate to follow along as he was moving along with her.

  Like a beautiful dance, they moved as one. Though Karma didn’t want this, as she was trying to win while not understanding the romance of it. Faust however, wasn’t so inclined at all wanting to enjoy this dance. He preferred this way as he enjoyed this rather than training. Karma tried to break it by randomizing her way. But Faust instead went against her action to enjoy it a bit longer. Dropping his guns, he used his hand to guide Karma around. Despite wanting to cut Faust, Faust used his strength to move her around. In desperation, Karma was trying to use her shadow; however, she noticed that Faust sadly hit her in the head.

  “Idiot, don’t you dare use that here.”

  “Ow but you are making this difficult. I can’t react in time.” Karma explained as she was rubbing her head. Faust then dragged Leonora over as he also wanted the two to listen. Giving both of them ice packs, he decides to give them a teaching moment.

  “Listen Karma, it wasn’t me moving fast. Rather it is the opposite of that.” Both of them were confused. “You see the two are very coordinated with each other. So well that it has been rather difficult for me.” The two girls then smiled in satisfaction; however, there came the bad news. “The bad news is that you are thinking about how things are going to happen. But when things don’t go as planned. You guys sometimes make bad decisions that can hurt each other.”

  “But how can you know what we are going to do?” Leonora said.

  “Simple I wasn’t reacting. I was baiting you guys to fight in a way that was comfortable to me.” Hearing that, they thought that was wrong as they were the ones attacking the entire time. But it was the opposite. “When I start fighting the way I want, it makes you two think too much so your moves become slower. Making me fight faster than it seems.”

  “Don’t you like attacking?”

  “Not really. I prefer to wait and see to give the enemies the chance to fight. I usually like to see the flaws in their action to counter attack. It's more fun that way in my opinion.” Faust said that is the preferred way to fight. Especially since he likes to see how strong the enemy is.

  “I see, but how were you able to follow our move so well?”

  “Well, based on how you guys move, I positioned it where it made it hard for you. This makes it easy for me to move freely while restraining your movements.” This was then demonstrated in how Faust was using Karma's own energy against her. And how Leonora was caught out when she couldn’t get a clean shot.

  “I see that because of you restraining our movements, it makes it hard for us to know what to do next, making us hesitate and allow you to control the flow of battle.” Faust then nodded as he was happy that the two had figured that out.

  “Very good. So keep working on it. You two are bound to touch me eventually.” Thinking about what he said, it sounds so dirty in a way. Or was it dirty? He wouldn’t know, so he didn’t think too much of it.

  “I see, but we were so close.” Leonora pouted as she leaned on Karma. Sitting down on the ground, Faust joined in as he had his sights set on lying on Karma’s lap.

  “Wait, what are you doing?” Karma said as she was trying to push him off. But he wouldn’t, as he pressed his head harder onto her lap.

  “I’m rather tired….Don’t ask…just take it as punishment for losing.”

  “Jeez…but…then why don’t you lie on Leonora’s lap??”

  “Because she is weaker than you.” Faust said.

  “That is true.” Leonora nodded as she was weak to even care. Karma didn’t like that as she wanted to push him off.

  “It is rather comfy. Let me lay here a little longer.” Hearing that Karma hesitated when he said that. Especially when she gets to see his tired face. Closing his eyes, she noticed how cute it was and was then starting to pet his head.

  “Well fine..since I lost.” Karma gave in as he kept messing with his hair. Then Leonora was smiling as she nestled her head on Karma’s shoulder.

  “You are really a soft person.” The three then enjoy the moment of rest, much to the envy of the other four who were watching.

  “Why can’t we be like that?” Angela said as she was starting to be jealous.

  “Cause you would have crushed his head if you did that.” Julius said before getting his head smacked. The other two Noah and Leonardo were rather sad as they ask themselves….why him?