17 Battle Training Day: Part 2

The only sound that echoed in the massive training grounds was the ticking of the clock, its relentless rhythm a testament to the passing of time. The students stood in formation, their breaths shaky, their heartbeats pounding in their chests, waiting for the inevitable to begin. Each tick of the clock seemed to amplify their anticipation, the tension almost palpable.

As the clock hit 17:00, Instructor Brunt strode out from his office, his large and intimidating figure cast an imposing shadow across the field. He held in his hands nothing but a piece of paper, presumably the last of battle pairings for the day. The silence was deafening as he reached the center of the training ground and turned to face the students.

"Listen up, I don't have all day. We're going to start right away. First fights will not include any weapons. You will rely on your fists and movements. The fight will end only after one person either gives up or can no longer continue" As he said this, he slowly shifted his gaze from student to student, his smile getting wider, sending shivers to all the students who saw it.

"Giving up might sound nice, but I can assure you that you will hate the consequences so much that you would want to turn back the time and knock yourself out. Hahaha.

You're going to fight. You're going to learn," Instructor Brunt's voice cut through the silence, his words causing some of the students to visibly flinch.

He glanced at the list in his hands, and the first fight was announced. "Jake, Andrew. You're up first."

As the names were announced, everyone started looking around trying to find the two names that were called up first.

"Hahah, your luck is truly rotten. You were called up first. Well, at least you will get it over with and be able to spectate the rest of the fights. Good luck buddy." Joked Max. It was fun to make fun of the always serious and focused kid.

Andrew simply nodded, his expression remaining as stoic as ever. There was a certain intensity in his gaze, a steeliness that seemed to gleam like polished iron under the sun. His posture was straight, strong, and assured, conveying a disciplined determination. Despite his silence regarding his past, this air of certainty Andrew exuded hinted at a complex background, perhaps a relentless quest or an unyielding drive for self-improvement. Regardless of what lay beneath, his resilience was unquestionable, and it radiated around him like a solid, palpable force.

"Guess it's time." Andrew said, his voice low but firm, stepping into the fighting ring.

Across him, Jake looked decidedly ordinary, the polar opposite of Andrew's intense demeanor. He was of average build, neither too muscular nor too lean. His sun-tanned skin and calloused hands spoke of years spent laboring in a rural village. His eyes, however, held a flicker of anticipation, perhaps a sliver of hope. He might not have had the intimidating presence of his peers, but in his ordinariness, there was an inherent courage and resolve that commanded a different kind of respect.

As they stood across from each other in front of all the students, the suffocating tension could be felt in the air. "Let's have a good fight," wished Jake while shrugging, a faint smile gracing his lips. His easy-going attitude masked the enormous pressure and worry that he was experiencing.

To which Andrew responded with a slight nod.

"Begin!" Exclaimed Instructor Brunt.

Before the sound could even fade, Jake moved. He instantly rushed at Andrew at full speed, looking to catch him by off guard with such a quick attack.

Unfortunately for him, Andrew had been through a lot of fights which helped him gain a lot of experience, so as soon as he got onto the fighting ring, he did not move his eyes away from Jack, spectating each subtle move he made.

As Jack was about to reach Andrew and throw a straightforward punch with his right hand, Andrew reacted deftly. Anticipating the path of the incoming strike, he pivoted on his right foot, swinging his body to the side, and allowing Jake's punch to whistle harmlessly past him. With a fluidity born of countless hours of practice, Andrew retaliated, his own right fist whipping out in a rapid counterstrike aimed at Jake's exposed ribs.

Only after the punch landed did Jake react and turn to his left, trying to find Andrew. Yet to his surprise, there was no one there.

During that short second after the punch, Andrew circled around him, now standing on his right.

When Jake noticed that Andrew had disappeared from his field of vision, he attempted to turn around and face him, but it was too late. An unexpected force struck his neck, sending a shockwave of pain that reverberated through his body. His world tilted and swirled, and the clear daylight was abruptly replaced by encroaching shadows. He had no time to react or even comprehend what had just occurred, the fight was already over.

As his body was falling, it was caught by non-other than Andrew, who looked as calm as he did before the fight. "Sorry for this."

"Andrew wins. Someone carry Jake to a corner and splash some cold water on his face." Instructor's voice reverberated through the field, awakening everyone from their stupor. The fight went by so fast that they did not even get a chance to process it all. It ended as soon as it began.

Everyone turned to look at Andrew who was making his way back to the stands with awe and some fear. They realized that there exist bigger fish than them and that if they were in Jake's position, not many of them would be able to perform better.

"Buddy, at least you should have given him a chance to showcase what he knows. Just knocking him out is way too domineering. Do you want everyone to call you 'boss'? Boss Andrew. Ahahah." Joked Max, as he looked at Andrew with a complicated gaze.

Although they were all about six years old, the fact that he knew how to fight so well and so quickly signified that his upbringing was strict and difficult. Andrew's determination and seriousness towards his education had only highlighted this.

Hearing Max calling him Boss Andrew, his mouth could not help but twitch. Gritting his teeth, he said: "Don't call me that. And can you be serious for once? I did not want to needlessly waste my time fighting him because the result would remain unchanged."

Andrew's arrogant words made Max question if he was the same Andrew he got to know over the week. He knew that that kid was a psychopath who would train until he lost consciousness , but him being so arrogant was the first.

Max thought: "To be fair, he does have the skills to back up his claim. He absolutely demolished that kid. If I were to fight, I do not think I can do better than Jake. I need to take it slow. Although I never fought in my previous life, I do have great physical strength and talent. I only have to move faster than my opponent and throw heavier punches until I learn the proper techniques. Since My knight talent is as high as my magic talent, I would need to be good and both close quarter battles and distance. Sigh, there is so much to learn."

Luckily for all, not everyone was a monster like Andrew. The next few fights lasted a couple minutes each and were more or less equal and straightforward. Winners and losers were not guaranteed and were decided mostly whenever an opponent made a significant mistake. Those fights were fun to watch, as a result could change in a blink of an eye.

"Next up are Noah and Max."