Preparation for the Tournament Ch.13
(Bruce POV)
It been a few weeks since the annual meeting and I had to say that even though we had talked to the other allied races about the tournament, they were pretty quick to accept.
I don't know if it because they wanted to show off or because they also had a similar idea but this is a good thing.
The tournament allowed anyone under the age 20 to participate as to show off the newest generation of awakeners. They must have also been combat trained like going to our academy or have experience with battle. The last rule was that they must be all C rank or above.
The last rule eliminated almost all of the human domain except for 15 students from all over the human domain. We can only bring 10 of them because there only going to be 5 races participating. They are the Elves, Dwarfs, Orcs, Beast Humanoids, and us.
The tournament will start in a week, and I was already training 7 of the participants they were the main cast, of course.
They are all currently at the peak of C rank because of my special "training" or what Luna would call torture. But I disagree since I have gotten results.
Now I need to figure out a way to give them a special boost so they can breakthrough to B rank.
So I decided to throw them in the Forest of Beast. This forest is special because all the monster have the ability to use mana. Now can they use spells? Of course not, but with the mana they become more powerful and can even use it to regenerate.
Now was I planning on killing them? Of course not, it just I don't need my students to be a bunch of weaklings. With this training at least one of them can break through.Now will this be enough to win? Probably not, since the other races are born with a talent.
Like elves are usually magicians because they have a stronger connection to mana. Orcs can use mana and strengthen their body's and regenerate making most of them Tank like class. Dwarfs are just smarter and more creative and most become craftsmen, blacksmiths, or alchemists. Beast Humanoids have the ability's of their "beast" but in a human form making them great hunters.
Now what do humans have? They have higher birth rates, speedy growth and adaptive abilities. Now this seems good but most humans aren't awakeners and we have the lowest of life spans. Even if you are an awakener doesn't mean you can become a magician, warrior, or craft smith. Humans have it the worse since theirs lots of us but are mostly weaklings with no potential.
Now you must be wondering if they have special talents when they are born why aren't the other races stronger. That because the system treated all races equally and everyone has a potential that can't be suppressed by time. So for a elf with D rank potential it will live it whole life as a D rank. This hurts them as they have limited amount of people.
Also after you get strong enough those talents become useless. When one reaches S rank it doesn't matter about your race the only thing that makes you stronger than others is your skill(s). Skills are the most important thing to awakeners as they are your abilities and how to get stronger.
If a S ranker doesn't have any skills. Then all they can do it uses their body with mana to reinforce their body and weapon and that it. So without a
skill you are basically the weakest of your rank.
Anyways as long as one reaches S rank it far game no matter what race.
Then I notice something interesting as one of my favorite students seems to be battling.
Yes I have favorite students. I even have made a list putting them in order to most favorite to least favorite.
List:
1: Thomas Grayson
2:Grace Green
3:Lisa Winter
4:Allen Whit
5: Luke Falldax
6: Lily Harper
7: Noah Taylor
The villain and villainess are kinda obvious because they are arrogant and ignorant since there families spoiled them without teaching them properly.
Luke my lowest beside the villains because I have never seen Luke train any other time and then when he has been told to train.
Thomas is my favorite because his personality is funny and a joyful person to be around. He also the strongest physical and defensive wise so I have the most fun "training" him.
Grace is my second because even though she keeps her identity secret, she a open person with no harmful intentions as long as you don't have any.
Lisa is on my third place because she similar to me and mocks people in a funny way and doesn't care about most others.
Allen is in the middle because he just a smart guy that takes magic serious. He cares about magic and that's about it. He gets a little jealous when he sees magic that he can't use like Light, Dark, Holy or unique magic but that the only bad thing about him.
Anyways the student battling is Thomas. What made his fight interesting was that he was holding against a mutant b rank monster.
When going against tier above you, you usually lose but skills can turn the tables. Unless your S rank or higher you can fight against tiers above you as and stand a chance as long as you have the skills. A b ranker with good skills can fight a A ranker and win. But a A ranker with even the best skills can never beat a S ranker even if they have no skills and it the same with ranks above S rank.
Looking at the fight was interesting as Thomas was winning.
______
(Thomas POV)
A few minutes before the fight, Thomas was just walking around trying to find a way to leave the forest.
He was glad that Awakener Bruce took interested in him but every since he had started our train for the tournament it was like hell.
We would start in our classes then Bruce would take us and start to slowly burn us with his fire while we would train our body and mana.
The slower we got the hotter the flames grew. It was hell but Bruce told us to use the fire to help improve our mana and body's. And it worked some how.
He said it was because the mana around us got denser causing our exercise to improve our body's and mana at the same time. He said it would work for lower ranks but not B rankers or higher so after we all got to the Peak of C rank he decided to train us in combat.
Then all of a sudden he took us from class this morning and threw us in the forest. While at first it was scary but over time I got use to it. While I was walking around I decided to look at my status.
*
Name: Thomas Grayson
Age:18
Condition: Healthy
Potential: SSS+
Rank:C+
Unique Skill:
Herculean Fortitude(Passive)
Skills (5/5):
Will of a Beast(Passive)
Magical Rage(Active)
Terra Magic(Active)
Son of Strength(Passive )
Heart of Courage(Passive)
Arts: Berserk Weapon(B+) (Can Grow)
Stats:
Endurance: B-(A-)
Strength: B(A)
Mana: C+
Stamina: C+
Perception: C+
Charm: A-
[Herculean Fortitude]- This skill allows the user negate 95% of all physical and magical damage, this does not already include the users defense abilities so the user will have higher defensive. This skill allows for the user to have the maximum strength that is allowed for users rank. This skill improves the body to the maximum endurance for users rank. This skill grants regeneration that can recover lost limbs and organs in a few days. This skill allows for the body to grow faster. This skill improves the muscle to become stronger and harder and reach the maximum potential for the user rank. This skill allows the user to touch anything with their strength. This skill will make other skills related to the Courage. This skill amplifies opponents pain but will also amplify your own pain.
[Will of a Beast]- This skill gives high resistance to all external forces that are harmful to users mind or body. This skill raise your willpower to the point that the user can manifest it but will cost mana. This skill allows you to manipulate your manifest willpower to do physical and non physical damage. This user can use the manifest willpower to strengthen the user or weapons. The user can use the manifest willpower to sense their surroundings. This skill strength users mind and body.
[Magical Rage]- This skill allows the user to boost all stats up to 2 minor ranks but can not rank up stats if reached the peak or 2 stats up one rank. This skill causes the user to temporarily corrupt their mind but can be resisted. The user does not feel pain once activated.
[Terra Magic]- This skill allows user to manipulate and create anything that is considered "land" or "ground". This skill can also strengthen users defense and strength with earth properties.
[Son of Strength]- This skill allows you to become the strongest physical person of your rank no matter what your minor rank is. This skill allows the user to become the strongest defensive person of your rank no matter what your minor rank is. This skill boosts all physical skills. This skill strengthens the users body and strength.
[Heart of Courage]- This skill allows the user to go beyond their strength and endurance rank. This skill does not stun their strength and endurance growth. This skill allow the user to have strength and endurance beyond their rank if they exceed the ranks threshold. This skill boosts all physical abilities. This skill boosts all skills by 50%. This skill allows the user to do physical attacks with mana infused with it at no cost. This skill allows the user to not feel fear. This skill boosts willpower. This skill boosts mental ability. As long as the user head doesn't get destroyed he can survive any wound.
*
He knew he was strong, the strongest physically in his own rank but he knew that there were still ways to kill him. So he never let arrogance take over his mind just because he would have the strongest defenses and strength in his rank.
He even had an amazing magic that helped him tremendously as it could boost and support him. But he asked Bruce if he ever met an opponent that would be a threat to him. Bruce said No but then told him that even if there isn't any SS rankers that could hurt him he could still lose.
I ask him to explain and he told me that even the strongest will be killed either by themselves or by others. He said that their only three absolute things in this universe. It is mana, the universe, and death.
So he told me not to trust others with my life because that one step closer to death. He said to trust in myself and never doubt. I didn't know why but it as if he told me that as if it was going to happen or had experience it before.
While I was in the middle of my thoughts. Suddenly a beast came out. It was a fast one, and I barely saw it.
Then it suddenly appeared in front of me and slashed me. It did no real damage but I could still feel pain.
I tried to grab it but it was fast. It keep slashing me and over time the pain was annoying so I used my skill to manifest my willpower and tried to sense it. But it used mana to disguise itself.
This went on for a few minutes so I decided to use my magic. I manipulate the land and clear the trees but this cleared attracted more monsters.
Now I was surrounded by monsters but this is kinda what i wanted. So I used my magic to create earth walls and trapped all the monsters inside with me. Then the fighting began.
At first I was swinging my great sword getting lots of monster and killing them. They just kept coming and I was enduring and swinging. It felt like forever but eventually their was just one cat like beast left and I could tell it was weird.
It was fast and stab me but didn't pierce anything. Then it used mana and stated going faster then when it was right in front of me I smashed the ground but he doge.
But this is hat I wanted. Then I grabbed him in mid air. He tried escaping but my strength was letting it go any where. I killed it.
But then I felt my rank go up and I smiled a little and headed to the exit of the forest.
*
Name: Thomas Grayson
Age:18
Condition: Healthy
Potential: SSS+
Rank:B-
Unique Skill:
Herculean Fortitude(Passive)
Skills (5/5):
Will of a Beast(Passive)
Magical Rage(Active)
Terra Magic(Active)
Son of Strength(Passive )
Heart of Courage(Passive)
Arts: Berserk Weapon(B+) (Can Grow)
Stats:
Endurance: B(A)
Strength: B(A)
Mana: B-
Stamina: B-
Perception: B-
Charm: A-
*
_____
(Bruce POV)
I just smiled when he finished his fight. In the novel it focused on the protagonist and the villain but it did have some important mention about Thomas.
Thomas had the potential to be the strongest man. If he was fully grown in the novel he would have been stronger then the protagonist.
It was even stated in the novel that the only other humans that could challenge him and maybe beat him if he fully grew were Luna, Chloe, Ian, Luke, Lisa. The other races that could challenge him and maybe defeat him fully grown were the Demon King, Elven Queen, Grace, Beast Monarch, and the 4 Dragon Elders.
Too bad he die because he didn't think he was enough because he only had his body with earth magic. This happen because he succeeded a dungeon raid at the cost of his team at the time. He died in the early stages because he believed that all he was good for was to take hits non stop.
After a while he ended up in a situation where he had to put his life in both of the villains hand and they betrayed him. This started how the Noah and Lily start to become villains.
They let him die since he was a threat to their future "power" and "authority" as they came from powerful family's. But in reality they were both jealous of his ability and talent.
But now that I'm here I won't let that happen. Since with Thomas abilities and potential they can face more threats more easily then what was shown in the novel.
Anyways it good to have one B rank, 6 other students to go.