[CENTER][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/520041678032207887/953483156286242846/6e8f2abf9a9e01374fb66fa0764c58d6.png[/img][/CENTER][hr] Nathaniel gave a small smirk as he watched Zen's duel. He was wrong at first glance, underestimating the Valefornian in favor of the more physically imposing teenager. Though, this was precisely why they did the duels like this to begin with. What Zen lacked in an ability to wield a sword properly, he made up for in strategy and magic. Nate turned his gaze for the first time to the others, making note of their similarly-colored hair. One was taller with red eyes, the other more his own height and of an athletic build. He reckoned, for a moment, that this is the part where they would exchange names and pleasantries. At this point in time, none of that was of interest to Nate. He always preferred to match a name to one's skill. [color=69D7CC]“Wasn’t expecting incantations this early. Especially not from commoners.”[/color] "[color=D0D4E5]Neither did I, but I'm glad. This way nobody got hurt. After all, a heavy waster like that could break, what was it? Ferros' shoulder, and a commoner might never be able to get it fixed properly. Failure and pain are one thing, but being permanently crippled is quite another.[/color]" Nathaniel's eyes turned back down to the field, where the victors were leaving the fields and being replaced by a new round of combatants. He eyed over the four winners, all skilled but in different ways. He chose to ignore the taller noble's latter sentiment. Surely they wouldn't let peasants fighting in this tournament be permanently crippled. That would be... well, irrelevant for now. [color=fc2129]"It would be unwise to be unprepared for incantations to be used against you in these duels. It seems most of the commoners who make it through these early rounds will be using everything they have at their disposal to earn their spots. Ferros didn't just win because he knew an incantation; he used that incantation as a counter to his opponent. We'll have to see what else he can counter with incantations alone."[/color] Nathaniel paused in his speech, eyeing over Zenshin's smile and joy. [color=fc2129]"The only thing holding him back seems to be his unfamiliarity with a sword. He looked as scared of his own sword as his opponent's."[/color] Three of the four winning duelists in this first round demonstrated impressive skill in Nate's eyes. This was going to be fun.