New Class?

"Ugh," Ian groaned as he slowly peeled his eyes open. He subconsciously rubbed his neck which felt quite sore from the earlier pull.

"What on Earth was that?" he thought as he tried observing his surroundings.

Once his senses returned, the first thing that stood out to him was the foul stench that filled the air. It was so strong that he coughed a few times. He scurried over to a corner of the place as he wheezed, in order to get away from whatever was causing that smell.

"Man, I heard you were fragile but I never expected that you would be this fragile," a deep gruff voice said, causing Ian to look up at the source of the voice.

It was a man in military uniform with greying hair and something that seems to be on fire in his mouth. Smoke poured out of his nostrils as he stood there staring at Ian with a smug smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Ian asked, trying to be polite since his abductor was an adult. "If you are thinking of taking me hostage then I think you picked the wrong guy. The school wouldn't care if I die."

"Hmmm, using the pity card already, huh?" the man smirked. "Don't you think you should give it more time before doing that?"

"I don't understand," Ian asked confused.

"Do you want me to go kidnap someone else then?"

"Yes, I do," Ian nodded swiftly. "Their life would definitely be worth a lot more than mine."

"Did it ever occur to you that my military uniform might be genuine?"

"Can you please stop doing that?" Ian asked pointing at the cigarette as he coughed again. "It's making me uneasy."

"Oh, you mean this?" he asked as he puffed some more smoke in the air. "It's called smoking. Never seen anyone do it?"

"No?" Ian replied. "What do you want from me?"

"What else would a teacher want from a student?" Alfred shrugged as he walked away from the position he's been standing on. A hole opened in the ground and a chair was brought up to the surface where he sat and waited.

Ian still sat on the ground in confusion as he didn't know what to do.

"Anytime now?" Alfred said raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Get your ass off the ground and look alive," Alfred ordered.

"Wait, wait, wait," Ian said, still trying to make sense of his present situation. "Who are you?"

"Your teacher."

"I have a catalogue of all the known teachers in my system watch and you are not one of them."

Alfred shrugged. "Well, I am. Starting today."

"That's impossible," Ian retorted.

"A lot of things are possible with power, boy," Alfred grinned. "This is one of them."

"Well, if you had so much power, then why use it to teach?" Ian asked. "What would you gain from it?"

"Absolutely nothing," Alfred said proudly. "That's the reason why I'm doing it because I stand to gain nor lose anything by doing it."

"Again, who are you?"

"No one you should concern yourself over," Alfred sighed. "And your questions are beginning to irritate me. I'll take only one more question and that's it."

"Okay then," Ian sighed. It was obvious how powerless he was in this situation. He's been bullied a lot so he has gained a survival instinct in determining strength, and that instinct is telling him that this man isn't someone he can even run from. "What class is this?"

"Hmmm," Alfred hummed. "I haven't thought of that."

"What?" Ian asked. "Who hosts a class and doesn't have a name for it? Infact, what class doesn't have a name? How on Earth did you even get a class in the first place?"

"I asked for a classroom and they gave me one," he shrugged. "And I thought I said I would only answer one question?"

"You haven't answered the question," Ian argued.

"I already answered one of the other ones you asked so that's it," Alfred stood up. "I'll be teaching you everything about fighting so you can call the class whatever you want."

"W-"

"I said one question," Alfred interrupted him. "If you think you can take a head flick from me then feel free to ask another one."

With that, Ian decided it was in his best interest to shut his mouth. The man didn't threaten him with a punch or a slap. If he is confident enough to threaten him with a head flick then that flick has got to hurt a ton. He wasn't confident enough to take one.

"Okay," he sighed. "I'll be in your care."

"Of course, you will," Alfred grinned. "Try not to die."

"What?"

"Do you want an answer to that question?"

"Um...no," Ian gulped. "I'm good."

"Good boy," Alfred smiled again as he lit another cigarette. "First and only rule, never complain about my smoking. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Ian greeted formally.

"There's no need for that," Alfred laughed as he let the smoke out through his nostrils. "Now, hit me."

"What?".

"I told you I hate questions."

"You never said that."

"Well, I did now so hit me or I will hit you."

With no other choice, Ian gritted his teeth and dashed forward as fast as he could.

"Oh?" Alfred tilted his head. "You're more agile than I thought you would be."

What he didn't know though, was that Ian was surprised as well at himself. He knew his body quite well and he knew he wasn't as fast as this. It wasn't much of an increase, but he could definitely feel the difference.

"Come to think of it," he thought as he threw his first swing at Alfred's torso which he easily evaded to the side. "I haven't run ever since my level up and stat increase. Is this the effect of the increase?"

"Your movements are too big and easily predictable," Alfred commented but Ian wasn't done.

He quickly switched from the punch into an elbow still aimed at Alfred who responded by taking a few steps back to create distance.

"Still too predictable," Alfred sighed as he puffed out smoke.

"Not done," Ian said as went in again for another attack, throwing jabs, elbows, feints, and kicks. All of which Alfred evaded perfectly without breaking a sweat while Ian was sweating and panting.

He was totally spent. He had long gotten the message that his energy had gone below 50 but he ignored it as the determination to hit this mysterious teacher filled his body with adrenaline.

"I am stronger and faster today!" he thought excitedly. "I can get stronger!"

[Energy: [9/100]

[Energy is below 10. You will lose consciousness in order to recover your energy.]