Chapter 6 Noble Sport

Seeing Dominik making his way to the exit, Olivia quickly intervened.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she confronted him sharply. "Ruby took you out for you to have some fun, and here you are sneaking off without even a goodbye?"

"I guess you saw Mr. Warren's swordsmanship and felt too ashamed to stay." Miguel chuckled, having recently been bested himself.

Turning to Ruby, he added with a smirk, "Fencing is really a noble sport, too refined for someone like him. It makes sense he'd want to slip away."

Ruby responded with a frosty tone, "Dominik Gilbert, don't you dare be ungrateful. I brought you here to enjoy yourself, and this is how you repay me? Do you want to disappoint my Dad?"

Kristian, adjusting his gear, chimed in with indifference, "Let it go, Ruby. A country bumpkin like Dominik will never understand the fun of such noble sports. He doesn't belong in the world of fencing. He'd be better go back to his village and practice swimming in the river."

Dominik grimaced, shook his head, and retorted, "I have no interest in these pretentious sports. Swords are for battle, not play."

Miguel burst out laughing. "And what would a country bumpkin like you know about fencing? You probably can't even hold a sword properly. If you're so capable, prove it. Don't just sneak off - challenge Mr. Warren!"

Kristian shook his head dismissively. "No, let's not embarrass him further. Besides, I might lose my temper and really hurt him."

Dominik knew he had to stand his ground or they would never let him hear the end of it. Aydan finding out would only make things worse.

Scratching his brow, Dominik replied nonchalantly, "Fine, let's have a go then. I'll take it easy on you."

Olivia burst into laughter. "Really? A hayseed like you trying to fence? That's rich!"

"Since you're so eager, I'll indulge you," Kristian stated coolly.

Dominik, wanting nothing more than to be done with the confrontation and avoid any further interaction with Sylvia, casually picked up a fencing foil.

"Put on your protective gear. I wouldn't want to accidentally injure you," Kristian advised sternly.

"No need for that. Let's just get this over with," Dominik said, dismissing the concern as he inspected the lightweight sword.

"Alright then, let's start!" Kristian declared, irritation creeping into his voice.

He advanced, sword poised and ready, exuding a formidable aura.

Dominik's stance was relaxed to the point of carelessness, his sword almost touching the ground, clearly untrained.

"Look at him. That stance, the way he holds the sword - it's obvious he's clueless. He's just putting on a brave face. I'd worry about Mr. Warren accidentally stabbing his eyes out." Miguel scoffed.

Ruby watched the exchange, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

Olivia sensed Ruby's wavering and pressed on. "You can't go easy on him now, Ruby. We need to show this coward the difference between us. If he keeps hanging around and won't leave you alone, imagine the trouble. Mr. Warren knows his limits; he'll just give him a quick lesson, nothing more. Don't worry."

Under Olivia's persuasion, Ruby gave a slight nod.

"Begin!"

At that command, Kristian lunged forward, aiming his sword precisely at Dominik's upper body.

Miguel watched with appreciation. "Look at Mr. Warren's strike; it's decisive and straightforward, without any unnecessary flair. He's already comparable to a professional athlete!"

Kristian's attack was sudden and clean, executed without any extra movements, as precise as any professional's.

Dominik maintained his casual stance. Just as the sword was about to hit him, he made his move.

"This guy will definitely regret not wearing protective gear," Miguel said, his voice dripping with scorn.

Before he could finish his taunt, Dominik flicked his wrist, expertly deflecting Kristian's sword, then swiftly swung his own sword downward as if swatting a fly.

"Ouch!"

Dominik's action was ungraceful and not standard, but it proved to work. Kristian immediately felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and his sword flew out of his hand.

The expressions of everyone present froze, their faces reflecting utter disbelief.

Kristian, who had placed third in the national amateur competition and was close to professional level, had just been defeated by Dominik, whom they had dismissed as a country bumpkin.

"If everything's fine, I'll take my leave now. Don't call me for such boring things next time," Dominik stated lightly, tossing the sword aside and turning to leave.

Olivia burst out, "Impossible, this is absolutely impossible! You must have used some dirty trick to win against Mr. Warren."

Miguel regained his composure and repeated insistently, "That must be it. You have to stay and apologize to Mr. Warren."

"Grow up!"

Dominik snorted dismissively, not bothering to linger with these tiresome people. He waved his hand dismissively and left.

Kristian gritted his teeth and held his wrist. If it weren't for the protective gloves, the blow might have broken his wrist.

Just then, Sylvia, who had been nearby practicing with her bow and arrows, noticed the commotion.

She put down her equipment and walked slowly towards the group.

Lorenzo paused, puzzled. Had he somehow offended this Goddess of War? Why had she left without a word? He hurried to catch up.

He spotted Dominik exiting the Apex Club and a thought struck him, causing him to mutter, "Huh... Why does he look a bit like Mr. Gilbert?"

Suddenly, a voice exclaimed, "Oh my god, General Hewitt is walking towards us!"

This group of people turned to see Sylvia approaching, their reactions ranging from awe to fear. Her presence alone was enough to make them tremble.

Sylvia was not only breathtakingly beautiful but also possessed unparalleled bravery. She stood as a paragon among both men and women, accomplishing feats many could only dream of. Her name had become synonymous with heroism.

Her approach left everyone in silent admiration. Words typically reserved for the highest praises of women seemed created for her alone.

There was no man who didn't admire Sylvia, and no woman who didn't aspire to emulate her.

Even the usually haughty figures like Kristian, Olivia, and others found themselves instinctively recoiling as she neared.

Thump, thump, thump...

With each of Sylvia's deliberate steps, it felt as if the heartbeats of those around her synchronized with her pace.

Her aura was simply overwhelming.