31 Painting with a Broom

The obstacle course gave Azemo the image of trying to trim a bonsai tree with a weedwacker. The course was more of a maze than anything else but after looking down a path Azemo wondered how someone with a spear would be able to fit.

All the gaps looked like a person would have to squeeze through just to fit and a spear would only make that more difficult.

"Are you sure we are at the right course? This one looks like somewhere an assassin would train." A plain looking boy had voiced the thoughts every competitor was thinking but were too scared to say.

"You think just because you have a spear you won't need to go into small spaces." The instructor yelled making it clear that this was where their next trial would take place.

"For this test only ten can move on, the remaining forty will be able to receive intermediate treatment at the academy but I suggest you all try your best. This is a race, so make sure you finish in the top ten or you will be eliminated." With that the instructor turned and sat down in a chair. "Get to your positions."

All the fifty trainees hurried to get near an entrance of the big wooden maze having no time to speak a single word. Azemo chose an entrance that no one else had gone to, way off to the side. Most of the trainees had hurried towards the big main entrance but Azemo had a semblance of a plan and he didn't want others copying him.

While the maze seemed exciting and difficult for the competitors, spectators realized this part of the competition would be very boring, none of them could see over the twelve foot walls of the maze. Some decided to leave but most were still waiting for the final test.

As for the young looking girl she had found a window that surveyed the entire maze, that way, she didn't need to miss any of the action. She looked towards Azemo and saw that even though the competition had started Azemo had yet to enter the maze. "I wonder what that weirdo is doing." She muttered to herself.

Azemo was in fact waiting for the others to enter the maze so they could not copy his brilliant strat. In his past life mazes were often used in movies and Azemo always wondered why the characters never tried to climb on top of the maze walls. Because of that, Azemo had decided to climb the wall and survey the maze from the top and that was his entire strategy.

Azemo double checked he was alone before he started running towards a wall as he approached he planted the spear in the ground and used it to launch himself to the top. In a single leap Azemo was on top of the maze walls with his spear, ready to win the challenge.

At first he thought that the instructor might disqualify him but the whole no rules thing, was still in action. Well, technically no rules was false, contestants needed to have their spear with them at all times, but otherwise the instructor didn't really care what they did.

As he regained his balance Azemo began jogging on the walls towards the other side of the maze. When he looked down he saw a trainee nearly get skewered with a wooden spike, further on he saw a few contestants battling.

'Idiots.' Azemo laughed to himself before almost falling off the wall. 'Better focus on myself.'

In the window the young looking girl was somewhat impressed. "The top of the maze is a perfect place to go if you have a big weapon but he doesn't seem to have the best of balance. Well... this is a test so I might as well make this a little more difficult." Saying that a spear materialized and began flying towards Azemo.

Azemo had slowed down because the walls were getting thinner and thinner at the top but he was still moving at a good pace. Looking down, he saw a trainee caught in a tangle of nets, but before he could get a better look something shot by him.

It was a flying spear that seemed intent on attacking him.

"Foul spear prepare to meet your end."

"Is he really talking to a spear?" The young looking girl rolled her eyes before directing the spear to do a basic spear attack.

Azemo quickly dodged out of the as the spear quickly thrust towards him and in the process he almost lost his footing. 'I better stop dodging, so I guess I need to block with my spear.' The only move he knew was spear twirling so Azemo began to spin his spear.

The floating spear attacked again but this time Azemo batted it away with his spinning spear. 'Is this really part of the test? I don't see anyone fighting invisible people with spears.'

As Azemo thought this the spear began to do a little dance, it was mocking him by slowly spinning itself.

'It's obviously not taking this seriously but I can't afford to be stopped any longer if I want to be in the top ten.' With that Azemo began to advance and he noticed that the flying spear had unwittingly taught him something. Spinning his spear was not only a good defense but also an excellent form of attack.

As he approached he was able to knock the spear away and stab at the invisible user. Of course he stabbed nothing because no one was physically wielding the spear. However the spear was forced back a bit.

"He seems pretty dumb if he thought someone would go invisble and still keep their spear out." The girl said to herself before directing the spear into a more complicated attack.

The spear feinted forward with its blade before swiftly stopping and attacking with the back of the spear. Azemo who had gone to block the spear tip with his spinning shield received a nice welt on his back but the spear was not able to knock him off the wall.

Instead Azemo trapped the spear on his back trying to subdue it. The spear struggled for a bit but after it realized it could not escape it faded out of existence.

Azemo sighed in relief before he started running on the walls of the maze. Now he used his spear to help him vault over difficult sections or give another point of balance. The fight with the sentient spear had helped him realize that a spear was more than just a weapon.

Azemo was hurrying because he didn't want to get attacked again and he could almost see the other side of the maze when three spears sped towards him.

Azemo did a slow spin like the first spear had done when it was mocking him and knocked aside the three spears. It turned out that a slow spin, if timed correctly, could be just as effective as a speedy one.

Azemo knocked the spears away and kept running towards the finish. 'Out of sight out of mind.' That was a mistake as one of the spears suddenly appeared tripping him. Azemo fell into the maze but luckily he could still see the exit.

Carefully checking for more magic flying spears Azemo rushed towards the finish and he was not attacked another time.

As he made it out of the maze he saw that he was the third to make it out. The two that had gotten out before him did not have to face the flying spears so even though Azemo had used a hack, he was not first.

'Whatever I qualified.' There was still one more trial to be done and Azemo hoped he could raise his ranking then.

After a couple of minutes another competitor appeared and slowly more and more made it out. As soon as the tenth one made it out of the maze the instructor led them away to another open arena.

"Next up is a tournament. Make sure to place high and you might even have the honor of being my student." The imposing instructor said.

"I heard the number one spear user in the country, the Spear Goddess, lives here. Will we have the chance to learn under her?"

"Am I not enough for you?" The instructor silenced the question. After all she wanted the youngsters to do their best and not get disheartened. The Spear Goddess had never taken a single disciple in her lifetime.

"Rest up the tournament starts in half an hour."