With those words, I give the sign for that guard, Magnus, to start the duel. From what I've predicted, that guard seems someone who relies on his brute forces and maybe already gets an order from Roland to at least make me injured and crippled. With a loud roar, he charges me head on and swinging the wooden sword in his hand with tremendous forces. I will be a fool if I take that strike head-on, so with a sidestep, I evade his attack, while sent the counter-attack.

My counter successfully landed on Magnus' arm, unfortunately, it's only a wooden sword on my hand, if I wield a real sword maybe that arm already cut and bleeding. This Magnus guy seems didn't feel pain from the attack with my wooden sword, he immediately sends another attack to me. Maybe he has a thick skin that on par with his master thick face. Against this kind of opponent, my brain is calculating the best strategy to win. All I have to do is make him wasting his strength and tired before defeating him. So I start to provoke him with my mouth

"Oh, you have thick skin there…I bet that comes from your master, consider how thick is his face"

My provocation goes to two ways, to Magnus and Roland, and it's work because Roland shouting to his guard

"What are you doing, Magnus? Finish him quickly, you dumb head!"

"Don't be ashamed being called as dumb head because of your master also a dumb head"

Because the order from his master and my words make Magnus attack me ferociously with his enormous strength. But still, I can evade all his attack easily by dodging, sidesteps or deflecting his attack with my wooden sword while throwing another provocation words toward him and Roland. Maybe in the eyes of the spectators, Magnus seems pushes me with his attack because all I've done is evade and retreating from his attack. But while evading his attack, I also hit any openings in his body with my wooden sword and my mouth still releasing provocation words for them.

"You too slow, Magnus, did your master give you enough food to eat?"

I always pick words that can humiliate both people, Magnus and Roland, which make their face becomes red because of anger. Of course, a series of curses and swear comes out from Roland's mouth afterward.

"d.a.m.n it, Magnus! Swing your sword properly! Can't you just hit him at least once?"

No way I give him a chance to hit me although only once and I keep teasing Roland and Magnus with my words.

"That's right Magnus if you don't know how to swing your sword properly, just ask your master. He seems to be an expert in swinging sword"

Earl Stamfort's son, Anthony, is watching my fight without blinking eyes from his seat. He's seriously observing my fight with Magnus, which make Earl Stamfort who sit beside him become curious.

"What do you think about this fight, Anthony? You look so absorbed with this duel"

"Very interesting, father"

Say Anthony without turning his sight from the fight in the arena.

"Oh, who's going to win this fight?"

"Without doubt, Henry will win"

"But he looks pushed by his opponent and only can evade and retreat"

"He's just toying with his opponent. If he held a real sword in his hand, his opponent already died many times with many wounds and cuts all over the body. Look, he still looks calm and can mocking his opponent, breathing orderly, not sweating too much. He fights with his brain and strength. Interesting, considering his age, he can be called a rare talent among his peers. His movement is beautiful, so fluid although a bit stiff, no useless move has been made. I wonder where he learns his swordsmanship from"

"Hohoho…if you whom a young commander in the royal army said like that, I only can believe it"

Back to the arena, Magnus still trying hard to land an attack to me, which futile because I always able to evade his attack. Roland also keeps shouting from the sidelines until his voice becomes hoa.r.s.e, ordering Magnus to finish the fight quickly. After dozens or maybe hundreds moves, I start to feel bored with this fight, because my intention is to beat Roland Easton into the pulp, not fighting this guard. Ack! I also still had to prepare the menu for dinner tonight. Time to end this fight! Besides, my opponent start to look exhausted and breathing heavily, which a sign for me to defeat him and no longer prolonged this duel.

So when Magnus attacking me again, I evade it while countering his attack on his hand which held the wooden sword. This time I use my full strength to launch this counter-attack. Followed with a loud crack sound, my wooden sword hit his hand hard, so hard that makes Magnus screaming in pain and release his grip on his wooden sword. Maybe his hand is broken or fractured after receive my counter attack. I immediately pointing my wooden sword on his neck while saying,

"Surrender, you already lost"

Magnus body shuddered because of the pain on his hand, angry, shame, and other feelings that mixed in his mind. But he can't do anything since he no longer holds his sword and my sword pointing at his neck. Roland's face that watching the fight from sidelines already changes to red then to purple because of the loss of his men.

"I….I…I admit defeat… I'm lost in this duel"

Oh, he surrenders finally, well that means I win this duel right? I'm lowering my sword and walk approaching Roland that standing in the sidelines. I want him to do as he promised before the duel starts, which is to kneel and apologize to Celes because of his impolite manner and words.

"Magnus! You useless idiot! Kill him or you'll never see your family again"

Suddenly Roland shouting and give order to Magnus. Hearing this order, Magnus roaring and run toward me with his uninjured arms stretched toward my neck followed by panic sounds from the spectator's seats.

"Henry! Watch out!!"