Hellish Training - Part 2

I get up from bed, my entire body aching. "Ugh..." I groaned.

"Yesterday was awful, and today's gonna be physical training. I'm definitely gonna die." I stare at my arms and legs and see bruises and scratches from yesterday's training. "Instructor Adam didn't have to hit me that hard to help me with my focus training."

I did my usual morning routine. Get up from bed, eat my breakfast, take a bath and get into training clothes. It's very evident that today was Instructor Lucas' day of training me since I can hear the echoes of blade cutting through air enter the castle from the courtyard.

'How can he make that sound from just slicing air?' I thought as my body trembles from each wave of sound his strikes and slashes emits.

"JOHN COLTON! YOU'RE LATE! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE" Lucas screamed. His voice echoed through the hallways I was currently walking through.

My body gets stiff and fear overcame me. The thought of the training he has prepared for me makes me break in a cold sweat. "I'm coming Instructor Lucas!" I scream as hard as I can in reply as I began to run towards the courtyard.

'Shit, training's just about to start and I'm already tired.' I say with ragged breathing as I stand with my back straight looking Lucas.

"I'm here, sir!" I give him a proper salute.

"Hmph, John. You were late. Give me 2 punishment sets." Lucas said with a strict face as he towers over me.

'Shit thats 40 pushups, 40 sit-ups and 40 squats at the start.' I get down on the grass and did as he told me to.

"John, I've heard you had great talent for magic. And if I heard that, then your father did too. That's why he told me to be fiercer with your physical training, especially your sword training. Today, I will be enforcing a new rule. You will be doing the usual 100 slashes and 100 strikes with your sword, however if I see a flaw in your form, you start back from zero. Understood?" Lucas said.

"Yes, sir!" I replied as I did my 2 punishment sets. 'Fuck... Here we go.' I thought to myself.

'Fuck, I can't feel my arms.' I thought as I did my sword training. I've been here for the entire day and Instructor Lucas is still hyper focused with my form.

"YOU CALL THAT A STRIKE? PUT SOME MORE POWER INTO IT!" Lucas bellowed. You can see his veins bulge from his arms to his neck.

"THIS IS HOW YOU DO A STRIKE!" Lucas grabbed his sword and struck the air. The wind was almost strong enough to knock me off my feet.

"YOUR FORM WAVERED, BACK TO ZERO!" He ordered.

This went on for many more hours until the sun began to set. The only break I had was when I had to eat lunch.

"Stop. It's time for your final training. I want to personally see if you have the guts to actually attack someone." Lucas said as he picks up a wooden sword and assumes a stance.

"Now, attack me." He ordered. I took a stance and stood around 10 meters opposite of him. As I was starting to get ready to attack, my body froze.

I've never felt anything like that before. That feeling of helplessness. Yes, there was fear. Intense fear, but it was more of the feeling that no matter what I do, there's no hope for me in winning. My body didn't do as my mind wanted to. It instinctively started to move backwards.

'Ah... This is it, the fear of dying. That feeling of being weak and helpless in the face of a strong enemy.' I thought as I stared at Lucas.

He didn't look the same. It looked like he grew twice as big and that even his shadow can engulf me. My body fell to the ground and I dropped my sword, my voice unable to escape my throat.

"GET UP AND ATTACK ME!" Lucas screamed. I got up and took the wooden sword and assumed a stance again.

'If this is what it feels like to be faced against monsters... I have to get used to it.'

I grit my teeth and clenched the handle of the sword tighter.

[Primal Instinct] skill learned

[Indomitable Will] skill learned

[Primal Instinct]

When faced against an enemy too strong for you, your body is pushed to its limits. You began to react faster and move faster. Rational thinking is now limited.

[Indomitable Will]

Your willpower became stronger. You are almost invulnerable to any psychological attacks aimed at you. Your resistance to pain has grown.

Right as I saw the screens pop up indicating that I've learned new skills. The terrifying being that towered over me began to transform back to Lucas' normal shape. The pressure was still there but the overwhelming fear has subsided.

[Primal Instinct] skill activated

"AAAAAAAAARGH!!!" I scream as I run towards him with my sword above my head ready to strike. Thud! Thud! Thud! Lucas easily deflected my blows.

"Hoooh, you can still keep going even after I let my intent to kill out. Impressive." I can see a slight smile from his face as he parries and deflects my blows.

I didn't stop attacking. I screamed as I attack, using all of the strength I have left to raise my sword and bring it down. The pressure he emitted never lessened.

"AAAAAAAAARGH!!!" I screamed and screamed until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"That's enough John. You've been screaming but you couldn't even raise your arms to attack me anymore." Lucas smiled. "You're a little monster, you know that right?" Right as he said that, I realized that I couldn't feel my arms. They were numb and I couldn't move my fingers. My sword was on the floor. I look up at Lucas, my eyes starting to feel heavy.

"Did... I... win?.." I managed to get the words out before my body collapsed to the ground.

'Ugh... I can't move. What time is it?' I struggle to get out of bed.

'Huh? Why am I in bed? Wasn't I training with Instructor Lucas?' Confused, I get up and immediately pain started coursing through my body.

My legs go weak and my arms felt like they were on fire. I look around and see that it was morning.

'Is it the next day already?' I thought.

A knock can be heard coming from the door.

"Honourable, you're late for your studies. Your teacher, Cleo Matthews, has been waiting for an hour." A voice from outside my door said. I recognized the voice.

"Oh! Madeleine, please tell her that I'll be ready soon and please tell her I'm sorry." I got up and got ready before heading out meet Teacher Cleo.

"You're late, John. This isn't how a noble should act." Cleo said as she sees me enter the room. Unlike the other instructors that train me in the courtyard, Teacher Cleo teaches me in the castle's library. It was surprising at first seeing the number of books and bookshelves we have in the library. It almost seemed like a library for a small school. There were books about history, magic, different races and their attributes and even the a book about the former barons and their families here in Eshon.

"I'm sorry, Teacher Cleo. I might've overdid it with yesterday's training with Instructor Lucas." I look down to my feet expressing my apology.

"Sigh. I told that meathead not to push you too much, but I guess that's normal seeing that we have a genius in our hands." Cleo smiled as she starts to assess me with her eyes.

"Well, no matter. Even if you are a genius in the field of magic, we still need to fill that empty brain of yours with knowledge. Sit down, let's begin." She added.

"Yes, Teacher Cleo." I replied.

The day went by as usual with Teacher Cleo, there were no noticeable difference from the way she would normally teach aside from being stricter and fiercer when I answered something wrong. It was the same as usual. Learning about the kingdom, tests about important figures and their names as well as their families. I could say that this was one of my rest days as well.

The session with Teacher Cleo ended and a maid went inside the library. "Honourable, Lord Connor is asking for your presence in his room." she said.

"Oh okay." I look towards Cleo. "Thank you, Teacher Cleo for today." I say as I give her a bow.

"Go on, don't keep your father waiting. Also, John, do take care of yourself more." She smiles at me as she closes her book and starts packing, ready to leave. I give her another bow and head towards my father's room.

Knock! Knock! I knock on the door waiting for his permission to enter. "Come in." Connor's voice sounded out. I went inside the room.

"Father, you were looking for me?" I replied.

"Yes, you've been doing great with your training. This is why I have decided to enroll you into the royal academy that's in Froelia." He said as he was writing down something on a piece of parchment paper before sealing it with the family seal. "You will be leaving next month. The academy doesn't start in another month and a half but you will still have to travel."

I stood there frozen. "R-r-royal academy? Am I ready for that, father?" I stammered with my words trying to stay calm.

'Shit, royal academy? Since it has the world royal in it, are nobles the only ones allowed to go there? Seeing that we're a barony... That means I'll be the lowest of the low there with the other baron's children.' I secretly thought to myself.

"Yes, this is not up for discussion. Your talents will be of better use for the kingdom if you joined the royal academy." He ordered. "Yes, father." I replied.

I turn to head out of the room. "Oh and John, I've heard about what happened yesterday with Lucas. You did great standing up to him and even attacking. Not many of your age would be able to do that. I'm proud of you."

I don't know why but this intense feeling of joy and happiness encompassed my heart, He's not my real father and maybe its just the body reacting but I was happy nonetheless. I turn back to face him and gave a solemn bow.

"Thank you, Father! I will do my best to make you proud!" Tears starting to form in my eyes, I head outside of the room and closed the door.

'This feeling... It's been a while since someone told me they were proud of me...' I thought as I clenched my chest. 'Alright, royal academy? I'll be the best there and make my family proud of me.'

I head to my room, my head held high. This was the moment that I decided to be strong. Strong enough that people will realize my worth in this world. Strong enough to make the people close to me proud that they knew me. This was the moment that I decided to change.