009

BRRAAKKK!!!!

Ouch!!

A boy was thrown down by a man in a martial arts uniform. He's currently laying down on the floor, head spinning, body aching... many spectators are looking at him.. the boy tries very hard to stand up and keep on fighting...

"Again", he said.

The man in front of him was a young man in his early twenties, but the strength difference between them was too far apart... the young man was actually smiling, seeing the boy's high spirit.

The boy stood up, started to form the pencak silat defensive stance and used the 8 direction steps, he moved forward carefully and jumped forward with a kick.

"Ciiiaattt!!!"

His opponent blocked with two hands and followed up with a rising hip and a roundhouse kick

"BANG"

The boy dropped to the ground... he gritted his teeth and gathered his strength again. He flipped up and did a triple kick... but all three kicks were blocked or dodged.. a counter punch came to his face.

"BANG"

The boy's face hit the floor again... he closed his eyes and really wanted to give up, but a beautiful face came into his mind again... together with a beautiful voice ... he will never forget.

'I believe in you, Barry'

Barry rose up again and this time he rushed up with a body slam!! His opponent, still smiling, only moved a little step to the left and pushed Barry's shoulder softly...

"..."

Barry lost his balance and fell again...

"Enough! I like your fighting spirit but passion without using your brain will only get you killed!"

The young man turned around and spoke to the 50 people around him:

"Everyone understand?

"Yes, instructor Milo!!"

The young man is Milo, the young Black squad member Karate specialist. He was assigned to train this group of new fighters. Today's lessons are sparring. His karate was good practice for the pencak silat trainee. This will teach them about adapting to a different kind of opponent.

"Well done Barry"

"But I wasn't even able to touch you Mr. Milo.."

"Don't worry. With your spirit and enough practice, you will pass me one day"

Barry's eyes were suddenly glimmering with hope... Milo was worried that he might have given him a bit too much praise.

Barry has joined the fighter group more than a week ago. Each week was harder than the next. Not only the difficulty was increased everyday.. but it's harder for Barry because he has been love-struck. He really misses Cynthia.

"Barry, I saw you have a real passion in combat, whatever your motivation is, keep it up!.. This motivation will make you survive the disaster."

"Yes, instructors."

"We are going to the Curahee mountain again.. 20 miles up 20 miles down. Let's go."

The practice always starts and also stops with running up and down the mountain, wearing the full combat equipment: Sword, shield, and spear. The main purpose was not stamina, but to create discipline and a bond between the squad.

One two One two One two One two...

This is actually already the 10th day of practice, tomorrow the group will be divided into the regular fighters and the elite fighters. The whole 10 days of basic training; martial arts, weapon combat, formations, and firearms were also some sort of a test to pick the talented fighters. These fighters will get better training and better treatment in the future. But of course, will also be responsible for the more dangerous mission.

This is the reason he has been trying really hard. Barry wishes to get chosen to be in the elite. Only by becoming an elite member will he be able to fulfill Cynthia wishes, ''To be the very best."

While running through the mountains his mind calculating his chance to get accepted. Each instructor gave a mark for each fighter.

Name: Barry Hans

Age: 16

Firearm skill: Average

Formation understanding: Low

Weapon combat: Average

Hand to Hand combat: Average

"Too much Average, this is going to be a problem. I don't think I will get accepted."

While his mind was running off to the Lala Land, suddenly... Milo Shouted!

"Gather up!!"

"Defensive phalanx formation!!"

The fighters would draw out their spears and shields...they would lock their shields together, and the first few ranks of fighters would project their spears out over the first rank of shields. The phalanx, therefore, presented a shield wall and a mass of spears pointed at their enemy, making frontal assaults against it very difficult. The firearms will be at the very back, as long as the defense held, the firearms won't need to waste their bullets.

"What happened?"

"Smoke at the front, something is coming"

Not long after, the group saw it. A group of rats! At least one hundred of them!

"Don't worry we can defeat them!" Milo tried to calm the fighters. All these fighters have limited to zero fighting experience. But fighting mutated rats was the best practice for them.

After mutation, the rat's bodies grew much bigger. Each of these rats, some are as big as dogs and some the size of cats. Their bite could take out a chunk of the human body. They run faster and their body skin also turned harder. Their main threat is their numbers, these rats always come in groups. They are like wolves packs.

"Stabbb"

Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!

"Firee!!"

Dratatatatatatatta

The situation was currently under control, the phalanx formation was at its best facing incoming enemies. The fighters were standing so close with each other, there was no opening...but suddenly...

5 mutated cats were approaching from the back. This is the phalanx's main weaknesses. After being formed, the formation will become too rigid to move. An attack from the back could easily destroy the formation...

These mutated cats don't look like a cat at all, they are more similar to tigers and lions. They are at least 300 kilos each.These five cats might currently move slowly, but when they attack, most normal humans won't be able to dodge. The claws and the teeth of these cats are terrifying.

Milo quickly thinks of a solution. 30 fighters and firearms men stay within the phalanx formation, while Milo picks 20 men to form a group of the five-man little formation.

This is the most basic small squad for assault, all using a saber. Each squad handles one cat, while Milo will face the last one himself.

Barry is accidentally included in one of these teams, the cats are scarier than the rats, but for Barry, this is the one chance to prove himself.

The five-man team is the easiest to learn and also the most effective in fighting an enemy stronger than one squad. When a member of the 5 squads was threatened, the other four would jump in and help. Unfortunately for Barry two of his squad of five, was shocked by the Cats attack and suddenly froze up.It takes a lot of effort to finally kill one cat, but it also heavily injured one of the fighters. Barry was suddenly enraged and rushed to help the other group.

SWISH!! SLASH!!

A few minutes later the situation was under control. Milo checked the condition of all of the squads, a dozen light wounded, four heavily wounded. No deaths. Milo was pleased with the result… he then saw the boy Barry, his whole body covered with blood and his hand still trembling, holding his bloody saber. This left a good impression on Milo.

The group checked out the mutated animals and found two spirit stone from the rats and one from the cats. The mutated animals have a much smaller chance to drop spirit stones. Milo also organized a transport to deliver the mutated animal bodies to the Starbase.

Finally, the group returned to the Antiga city, before they separated, Milo approached Barry.

"Well done Barry. The most important qualities to be in the elite fighters is courage."

Milo gave Barry one of the spirit stones and a badge symbolizing his entree to the elite fighters group...