THE TOURNAMENT

"Rise and shine, young one. The morning sun has already begun its ascent, and with it, your journey towards greatness." The sage's voice boomed through the room, piercing through the last remnants of my slumber.

I groggily opened my eyes and rubbed them, slowly coming to terms with the reality of the situation. The sage stood over me, his eyes glinting with a mixture of determination and anticipation.

"It's 6 in the morning" he continued, "you've had your rest, and now it's time to rise to the occasion. A true warrior never sleeps in when there is training to be done."

I nodded, slowly getting up from my bed and stretching my limbs. As I made my way to the door, the sage's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"But before you leave, young one, remember this: every challenge you face on your journey is an opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace them with open arms, for they will shape you into the warrior you are destined to become."

With those words of wisdom, I stepped out of my room and headed towards the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The anticipation of what the sage had to tell me weighed heavily on my mind as I ate my meal.

Finally, I made my way to the training grounds, eager to hear what the sage had in store for me. As I approached him, he looked at me intently, his eyes seemingly searching for something within me.

"Now that we've covered the basics of your camelan and nature, it's time for us to consider which fighting style will suit you best," the sage said thoughtfully, studying me carefully. "There are many different fighting styles and weapons out there, and each has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The key is to find the one that resonates with you and complements your natural abilities."

He paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "For example, if you're an aggressive fighter who likes to take the fight to your opponent and put them under constant pressure, then a more offensive fighting style might be your best bet. This kind of style emphasizes speed, power, and precision, and is designed to overwhelm your opponent and leave them with little room to maneuver."

"On the other hand," he continued, "if you prefer a more strategic approach, then a defensive style might be more to your liking. This type of fighting emphasizes endurance, patience, and the ability to wear down your opponent over time. You'll need to be able to read your opponent's movements, anticipate their attacks, and counter them effectively in order to be successful."

"Ultimately," the sage concluded, "the choice of fighting style is up to you. However, based on your abilities and the way you move, it seems like an agility-focused, offensive style would suit you best. We'll need to train in a variety of techniques and weapons to see what specifically works for you. Let's start by determining your weapon. You have a variety of options to choose from, such as axes, swords, daggers, hammers, longswords, or even just using your fists. Each weapon has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important that we find the one that feels most comfortable and effective for you. What would you say you're most familiar with?"

"I'm opting towards fist. I have had the most experience with fist, I fought Alexandro with my fists, and I defeated a low tier orc with my fists. I feel the most comfortable and powerful while using my fists, they give me a sense of freedom and flexibility in combat" I explained to the sage.

The sage nodded thoughtfully. "It's good to have a foundation in multiple weapons and fighting styles, but it's also important to follow your instincts and choose what feels most natural to you. If you feel most comfortable with your fists, we'll focus on developing your skills with hand-to-hand combat. We'll work on improving your footwork, striking speed, and accuracy, as well as your defensive techniques. And if you want to incorporate kicks, knees, and other strikes with your feet, we can certainly do that too. Just keep in mind that unarmed combat can be more dangerous than using weapons, so we'll need to emphasize caution and control in our training." The sage paused for a moment before continuing. "In fact, there is a weapon that might suit your style as well. It's called the katar, and it's a type of punching dagger that allows you to deliver powerful thrusts and cuts with your fist. It could be a good way to add some extra range and force to your attacks, while still staying true to your preference for unarmed combat. What do you think?"

"I'm open to trying out any fighting style or weapon you think might suit me," I replied

"Of course," the sage replied with a nod. "We'll start by introducing you to some basic techniques and moves. Then, we'll gradually build up to more complex combinations and maneuvers as you become more comfortable with the weapon."

The sage led me to a nearby training area, where a variety of weapons were laid out on a table. He picked up a set of gloves with daggers attached to the end and tossed them to me. "Put those on," he said, "and we'll begin."

The sage began by demonstrating some basic moves and techniques, such as jabs, crosses, and hooks. He then had me practice them on a training dummy, gradually increasing the speed and intensity of the practice. As I grew more comfortable, he introduced more advanced moves, such as uppercuts, spinning kicks, and roundhouse kicks.

I began to train with the sage, as my mistakes were corrected, I slowly began to learn the basics he was teaching me. I slowly began to feel a sense of order, fluidity to the movements. Learning when to lean in to reach further and went to step back to narrowly dodge, it made me appear as though I was dancing to a strange rhythm only I could hear.

Our session eventually came to an end, my breath labored as I looked at the sage. He gave an approving nod, "Your dedication and commitment are commendable, you've improved a lot in these six hours." There was a hint excitement in his eyes, as if one of his plants were growing quicker than expected.

"Now, Hana, I know we've only been training for a short time, but I think you're ready to take on a bigger challenge," the sage said, his expression serious.

"I want to enter you into a tournament for young fighters aged 14 to 18. It's a great opportunity for you to gain more experience and test your skills against a variety of opponents with different fighting styles. However, I want to make it clear that the competition will be intense, and there's a risk to your safety. I won't force you to do it, but I want to know if you're willing to take on this challenge."

I stood there silently, weighing the risks and benefits of accepting the offer. While I had made significant progress in my training, the thought of facing unknown opponents with unpredictable fighting styles and potentially dangerous intent made me feel apprehensive. I wasn't sure if I was ready for such a challenge.

However, as I thought back to the vow I made after losing to Alexandro, to become the strongest no matter what, I realized that this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. If I wanted to reach my ultimate goal, I couldn't shy away from challenges like this. I took a deep breath and met the sage's gaze with determination.

"I accept the challenge," I said firmly". "I won't back down from this opportunity to grow stronger and become the best fighter I can be.

The sage nodded his head, "I'm glad to see you're willing to take on this challenge. It will be tough, but it will be worth it. We have a few weeks before the tournament, so we'll train hard and prepare you as best we can."

He continued, "Remember, the most important thing is to stay focused and disciplined. Keep your mind clear and your movements sharp. And always be aware of your surroundings, both inside and outside of the ring."

With that, the sage led me back to the training grounds, ready to push me to my limits and prepare me for the tournament ahead.