Chapter 33 Spar 2

While Nicholas and Clarice have been sparring in the arena, Maria, on the other hand, was practicing martial art beside the arena. It is a small field that has wooden training dummies lined and embedded on the ground commonly used by soldiers and knights as stationary sparring partners when they wanted to. Maria is currently shadow fighting the training dummy in front of her; she was weaving and dodging attacks, then hitting it back as counter.

As a Grimoire user, Maria has an innate advantage in learning, comprehending, and manipulating elements than other weapon types of awakeners. That is one of the reasons why she has been the main attacker of their team; her raw power of elements is more destructive, and her manipulation of mana is also on another level. She is a lot more powerful than Clarice if the fight is just settled on long-range combat.

According to history about the grimoire users, at first this kind of awakener shines greatly in long-rage combat. However, with their perks in long range come with a drawback: it leaves them vulnerable when monsters and even other awakeners attack them close range. This kind of stereotyping lasted for quite a while since they could not use any weapon other than the grimoire, making them at a disadvantage when their opponents got into melee range.

This was the trend of being a grimoire awakener, not until the first pugilist called Larse appeared. He doublehandedly changed that stereotype; he used his two hands, of course. Larse had devoted his life to trying to pave the way to the future melee fighter potential of Grimoire awakeners.

At first, although his raw elemental power was commendable and stronger than most of his peers, his mastery of martial arts, on the other hand, was pretty mediocre. Resulting in his performance in his new pugilistic battle style to be just so-so. He was able to defeat opponents only below his level using his new techniques, which is pretty substandard considering his potential. His results, in turn, didn't garner any attention in the Grimoire user communities.

However, he didn't give up on this endeavor, pushing his knowledge and skills further. He tried different martial arts that can supplement elemental skill; he ran into many dead ends on his path to the top. But he didn't give up on his dreams; he continuously improved his craft, and at the end he managed to create a martial art of his own that incorporated elemental manipulation skills to improve its ferocity.

Proving to the world that it was indeed possible, his achievement wasn't only marked as a change in grimoire awakeners but was also the start of the middle-age renaissance in the world of Asterik. Awakeners became inspired by Larse's story and slowly increased their courage to try new things. Awakeners began to try different things, which greatly diminished the narrowmindedness of awakeners around the world in this time period.

…

Currently, Maria was also training a branch of that martial art; she was practicing the intermediate move set since he already mastered the elementary stage of the martial art.

The poor training dummy was getting beaten down from Maria's martial arts techniques even without the incorporation of the wind element. Her strikes are swift and accurate to her target; what more if she used wind skills that would increase the ferocity of the martial arts techniques? It will be more destructive, and it will be a lot quicker and pack quite a force with the addition of the wind element.

After the beatdown, she stepped back and halted her attacks; she closed her eyes and began to stand in her place motionless for a few seconds. After those few seconds, she opened her eyes with a sharp glint in them. Then she began to attack again, treating the training dummy like her nemesis; she started to get serious. Gathering wind element in her fist, she jabbed straight to the training dummy wind skill [Wind Punch].

She weaved to the right quickly as if dodging an attack, then she proceeded to do three consecutive combos: cross, jab, then hook as she circled around the training dummy.

Seemingly finding a weakness of the training dummy, her leg swiped the lower section of the training dummy while casting wind skill [Wind Siphon] in between her legs and the wooden leg of the training dummy.

The [Wind Siphon] sucked the air in area creating a higher pressure that accelerated Maria's leg swipe. With Maria's current strength, she was able to break the base, which helps the training dummy stand.

Not relenting her attacks, the nearly fallen training dummy received an upper cut which flung the training dummy upwards.

Not wanting to let go of the chance, she immediately cast [Wind Siphon] to the training dummy to not let it fall to the ground while being able to place it wherever she wanted.

She continued abusing the training dummy, which stayed afloat by the use of Maria's combos and [Wind Siphon] simultaneously. By the time Nicholas and Clarice's sparring session ended, only the remains of a training dummy were left by Maria's relentless attacks.

…

Nicholas: "Phew, that was oddly refreshing, even though I'm pretty beat up."

Clarice: "Well, nothing beats a great sparring session, my liege. We should do this more often."

Nicholas: "HA..hahhaha... Sur-... Maybe, not."

Clarice: "Mouu..."

They were chatting as they went down the arena to where Maria obliterated the training dummy.

Nicholas: *whistle* "You really hated that training dummy, I guess." He whistled as he saw the torn pieces of what's left of the wooden sparring partner of Maria.

Maria: "I didn't control my strength properly; I guess proper control isn't something you learn right after promoting."

Nicholas: "Well, yeah. Me and Clarice were also pretty spent just by sparring for a few hours."

The trio continued to train for two hours; they were all quite tired. Since it was their first time using their body and skill after promoting, they were not that efficient in managing their new power, which exhausted them much more easily.

Nicholas: *glug**glug**glug*

He took a large swig of water from the flask that Clarice brought earlier.

Nicholas: "Phew, let's change out of our training outfit first before we go to the office room."

Deciding to conclude their physical training for today, the three began to do their coordination training. Maria and Clarice agreed to his instructions, and they went to the restroom to wipe off their sweat and change into a casual outfit.

Coordination training mostly began sharing their current improvements, in this case their current combat capabilities and the skills they choose in the Curtana library.

Sharing this kind of sensitive information might seem detrimental and might create some weaknesses individually if shared recklessly. But for them, it was fine; they have been together for a lot of years. It was almost as if they shared one life considering the time they spend together daily.

They can completely trust their backs to each other.

Nicholas first shared the skill tomes he chose in the library, which was the [Earth puppet] skill he was reading in the café earlier. He discussed its potential in team play since currently they don't lack long-range firepower.

One by one he shared the skill tomes he got: [Nature's Domain], a level 1 nature supportive skill that grants buffs and small recovery on people around the domain; [Water Ball], a level 1 water elemental skill that is not very useful for combat but will help him practice water elements in the meantime; and lastly, [Rain Curtain], a level 2 water elemental skill that does an area of effect status that hinders the vision of the target.

The next one to share was Maria

Since she didn't have satisfactory choices in the library, she got the [Water Bubble], a level 2 water elemental skill that summons an imprisoning bubble that traps the target for a few seconds or when the bubble bursts. After that, like Nicholas, she also got a level 1 water elemental skill [Water Bullet], which generates and propels a concentrated water ball into a designated target. And lastly, the skill tome Maria was reading in the cafe is a level 2 elemental skill called [Wind Cutter]. It is a destructive wind elemental skill that summons dead sharp slicers.

After that was Clarice time to share her skills.

The first skill tome she got was [Lighting Rush], a level two lightning element that increases the speed and reaction time of the user when activated. The second skill she got from the shelf of the library was the one she was trying to comprehend in the cafe earlier, which was [fire assimilation]. Also, she got another level 1 wind skill tome [Wind Jump]. It is an enhancement type of wind skill that increases her jump height or distance.

They both chose great skill not only for individual battles but also for group skirmishes. After saying the effect of their skills, the three of them brainstormed on the possible other uses of their chosen skill. Even some of the possible combinations of the skills may improve their team play. This planning and brainstorming of their group lasted until dinner time.

Clarice: "*grumble* I'm hungry, uhhhh." She rubbed her belly, indicating that it was nearly at her limit."

Nicholas: "Yeah, you're right, Clarice. How about we end it here and continue it tomorrow?"

Maria: "That's a good idea, Master. How about I prepare some meals while you guys wait in the dining room?"

Nicholas: "Uhhh, sure."

Clarice: "YAY!!"

Both of them replied to Maria's suggestion and went to the dining room.