"Hahhh… Hahhh…! D-Damn it!"
CLASH! CLASH! CLAAASH!
Elfriedden groaned in frustration, his movements were getting slower. I was easily reflecting his hits, and although his freezing power was strong, coating my body with my Blood and Shadow Aura was more than enough to protect myself from it.
"What are you cursing around for? Weren't you going to show me how strong you are and how unworthy I am as a leader?"
Elfriedden roared frustratedly, unleashing several piercing attacks using his needle, his last effort.
However, I easily evaded them without even having to parry his blows with my spear.
And then, I reached his back and kicked his head.
He fell into the floor, rolling over the frozen ground, and coughing a bit of blood. His eyes were red-shot and he was gasping for air desperately.
He slowly tried to crawl back, trying to stand back up.
What a commendable effort, he has a strong will.
However, I pointed my spear at his head.
"That's enough, I don't want my new Party Member to kill themselves in vain."
Elfriedden gritted his teeth, looking at me with furious resentment.
However, he gave up, lowering his head.
Evelyn smiled from the distance, nodding and announcing the winner of this "friendly" duel.
"The winner's Blake!"
Evelyn quickly announced the winner, as Elizabeth ran here with everyone else in my party.
"Amazing! That was a great fight!" Chris said.
"It was very intense." Erdrich said.
"You guys! How can you be so relaxed?!" Eric cried.
"Blaaake! Are you okay? That was amazing but are you really okay?!" Erika ran towards me and hugged me, quickly giving me a leaf she grew herself out of her hand. This was a Healing Leaf, a special item she could produce that healed around 600 HP, only a bit more than the Apples I could make through Apul.
"I am okay, you don't have to worry." I gave her a head pat.
"By the Holy Spirits! Did you two had to go so far?!" Elizabeth quickly began healing Elfriedden.
I had several wounds, mostly of my frozen skin being torn off, but Erika healed those with her leaves.
"Hahhh…" Elfriedden sighed, looking at everyone else. "You're strong, I have to admit it…"
He looked at me while narrowing his eyes.
"As long as you accept having a match with me again one day… I'll join your Party."
"Alright, sure. I don't really mind."
Elfriedden was surprised that my response was so quickly.
Elfriedden smiled a bit, as he quickly stood up.
"I am fine, thanks for your healing, Saintess."
"My name's Elizabeth! I am not even a Saintess yet, I don't even know if I will ever Rank Up to that…"
"Then thanks, Elizabeth."
Evelyn walked into the party as she quickly decided to lead us inside the academy once more.
"Now, now, Alberta and Elfriedden, do the two of you accept joining this Party?" She asked.
"I-I do!" Alberta said, looking slightly worried by being near the icy guy.
"Yeah." Elfriedden said. "I am okay with it."
"Excellent! Then sign this and this…" Evelyn quickly gave them some papers. I didn't knew joining a Party included all of this hassle.
Nonetheless, the two of them quickly read and signed everything. It was all done in a matter of minutes. And now we finally had our eight-man party, with our two new team members, Alberta the Dwarf and Elfriedden the Elf.
"Alright! All's done then!" Evelyn happily said, hugging both of them. "Welcome to the party! I am so happy to have such talented people aboard! Fufufu! I am going to get a raise soon!"
She was happy to have a party of talents, I guess they really get rewarded depending in how well their party does… That can explain why she's so happy despite usually being a grumpy woman from what I've seen about her so far.
"Ah! What about your clothes?!" Asked Evelyn, looking at Elfriedden. "We'll need to buy anew uniform for you- Huh?"
However, Elfriedden used his needle to conjure a strange and beautiful Mana-made thread, which he used to sew and repair his uniform in a matter of seconds, leaving it almost like new.
"Hm? What? I can repair equipment just fine." He said while raising an eyebrow. "Why would I be a Tailor if I can't do the bare minimum?"
"A-Amazing…" Erika said.
"Wait, that's incredible, the uniform's all new again!" Eric said.
"Y-Yeah! You're very talented, E-Elfriedden!" Alberta said.
"Yeah, that impressed me too." I said with a smile. "We'll make sure to abuse your Talent."
"Hmph, that's the least of my concerns. I am a Tailor for a reason. Needle Master or not, I've studied my whole life how to sew with my Spirit." He said with a smile.
"You're very strong to go against Blake and last so long, what's your Level and Rank?" Wondered Erika.
"Level? What's that?" Asked the elf. "And my Rank's 2 Peak Stage… I can't believe an Upper Stage beat me, I guess Summoners are indeed strong."
"So you've got a second Spirit?!" Asked Chris.
"Yeah, the thread you saw is the second spirit." Elfriedden said. "Though I can repair things just fine using normal threads as well, as long as they're good quality, I won't accept working with garbage materials."
"And why didn't you use the spirit in the battle?" I wondered. "So you held back?"
"You did the same, didn't you? I only sensed the presence of a single spirit of yours, so I also handicapped myself." He said. He really was quite the prideful character. "My second's spirit name is Skadi's Thread; it goes well with my needle."
"Could you stop looking at me as if I am some sort of item?"
Elfriedden sighed a bit.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Elizabeth sighed, patting Elfriedden's shoulders.
"He's always once he finds something new and interesting." Laughed Chris.
"S-So that's why he looks at me like that too?" Wondered Alberta.
"Indeed! Both of you will be great additions to my collection- I mean, to my party, welcome aboard." I welcomed the two of them.
Suddenly, the bells began ringing.
"Classes are about to begin, everyone. Follow me."
Evelyn quickly led us to the classroom where we'll spend the next two hours studying.
And of course, as I checked the Grimoire, it seemed my show amused some Holy Spirits, there were some new rewards in there.