A new start

KASTAR CITY (six months after leaving Ol'Tree village)

Restar was resting after his fight. Some wounds were still bleeding on his arms, the blood dripping on the concrete floor making a small puddle at his feet. The bare concrete formed a square of twenty meters by twenty, framed by crude ropes limiting the arena.

He was gripping an iron axe in his two hands, red from top to bottom, with a spike at its apex, still piercing some bit of flesh. The metal was crude, with just a little wild engraving on the metal shaft saying "MORE". It was actually Restar that had written this word with a crude stone, trying to remember to always aim for the top.

His muscles were now bulging under his shirt sleeves, his eyes carrying a will to slaughter what dare raise against him. He didn't have this boyish look seen when he leaves his village anymore, replaced by a terrible will to prove himself, weapon scars on his face, making him look like a barbarian.

In fact, he was slowly developing as one, using various murderous weapons to accomplished his feat. He was beginning to be known in the underground fighter area of Kastar city, having won fifteen battles in a row, never letting his opponent a chance, fighting with all he had.

He was actually known for another reason too, to let his opponent live at the end of each fight, a rare deed indeed in this underworld."The Lenient" was Restar new surname, even if his fight were really bloody, they were actually really appreciated for this paradoxical occurrence.

"I must not flinch, my resolution should be as hard as my weapon, slashing the doubt assailing me."

He had become a weapon fanatic, changing from one to another each new fight. Learning by fighting crudely and remembering the sensation in his body. He was actually progressing quite fast.

After letting Octogon village, he didn't really know where to go. In the letter he wrote to his adoptive parents, Eline's one, he just told them he won't be coming home before a long time, but not where he was going contrary to Eline who seems to have her ready-made future.

Having wandered in the deep wilderness, choosing a direction without care, he let fate decides. He hunted, killed beasts, was hunted by other creatures and finally survived without really knowing how. When he exited the mountain on the other side, he had passed five-month in this damned place, emerging as a new man.

He quickly discovered the utility of weapons without which he couldn't be alive today. His versatility of it allowed him to change depending on the beast he confronted, letting him be at his optimal against them when he had the best weapon under his grasp.

Fortunately, during his trip he encountered a group of hunters that let him hunt with them, allowing him to improve fast and learning the way of the wilderness. With five other people helping him, he was like a fish in water, letting his anger speak through his weapon.

The fellowship they developed during three short months was deep and he promised to meet them three months later, now two. He wanted to experiment with fighting against human beings before exploring the world with them. With their advice, he chooses Kastar city, one of the most known city for its illegal fights.

Now he was, fighting for Nichor Deville, a well established noble of the city, quite influent that owned a small team of fighters. He was quickly spotted with his strange behavior when fighting, making for a perfect star in Nichor's words who seems to search for peculiar fighters and not the best one.

"It didn't matter what he wants, I understand winning the battle isn't what he is most interested in, it is the way it attracts spectator and increases his popularity that interest him. But with him protecting me I can fight to my heart content so it's a good deal I think. He even said if I was able to win a hundred battles without losing once, he would gift me the way to absorb energy in my body! I don't think I could trust him on many matters, but for him, a deal is a deal, it's his reputation that is at stake, so it should be OK... I hope."

Restar was healing his wounds, letting water coursing on them, cleaning the blood. Putting bandages on them until he was satisfied, he returns to his training room, ready to improve the mistakes he made in the last fight.

He wasn't good at dodging or paring, he always chooses the offensive to dispose of his adversary in the quickest time possible. But such a solution wasn't always good, in particular against humans. Beasts were easier, it was a clash of strength and techniques, not of wits and craftiness.

During his daily training, the door to the training room open to let Nichor entered the place. He was elegantly dressed, a small mustache on his upper lips, an eyeglass on one eye linked to his black jacket by a golden chain. He was pretty tall and a little thin, his grey hair giving an elderly aura.

-"That was good Restar, you never failed to amaze me, such an honest young man, even in the way you fight, you don't use any trick, just trying your best! The audience loves this, you're already one of their favorite fighters, Miko or Ersa pale before you even if they are in another level altogether!"

-"Thank you, Mr. Deville, you now what I want already and I think I know what you want too, so why are you here today?"

-"Hehehe, no need to be this suspicious of me young man, I don't want to lose an honest fellow like you too quick. I know you come from a rural area so they are lots of things you could be unfamiliar with, having grown up in a village structure, quite different from the one in the city, a little backward if you want to know my mind..."

- "No need to continue, I don't want to hear someone downgrade something they don't know..."

-"A little respect young man, I'm your boss, after all, hehehe, you are lucky I don't mind it, others could have put you in a death-fight for you little character... But I'm not here to speak of this, tomorrow I want to organize a grouped fight, three against three, are you in? I know you have never fought against multiple enemies so I won't force you as it's a little early."

-" No problem, the more, the merrier, but if I win I want to make it count as three victories in our deal !"

-"...Such a greedy boy...Fine, it's OK for me, after all, the earlier you improve, the better it would be..."

Turning over, he let Restar resume his training, you could not see an ounce of stress in his eyes, just anticipation.

__________

TELLAMA FOREST (a week later)

Alix was now able to walk an run a little, his Evaporation level enables him to adapt quickly to the situation, even if the downside was his increased sensitivity. For most people, it wouldn't change too much, even the increase in pain was gradual, increasing with each new level.

However, Alix had already improved his body probably to the maximum possible without destroying it. His sensitivity was already on par with most Gaseous level or even Condensation one. So the increase was particularly painful for him. Each little insect that touches his skin made a myriad of information go up to his brain, submerging it.

He had to adapt again, but this time his intellect was intact, if not upgraded, making him a little more talkative. Running in the forest, he was following the astonished Lor.

-"How come you can follow my speed when I'm an entire level beyond you...?"

-" Well, running at this snail pace, you won't let me in the dust as you said little genius !" The sarcastic's ton of Alix had reappeared, mocking the shorter size of Lor despite his age being bigger.

- " Tchh, I didn't do my best by fear of frightening you, don't end up lost in the forest, I will be at the hunting ground in no more than ten minutes hehe, Ciao !!"

A cloud of dust formed behind Lor as he accelerates, literally disappearing in a second, mobilizing his energy on his feet, letting his bones take the bulk of the effort, having already strengthened them with Gaseous energy.

-"Well I don't really see a difference, did you do something...? Hehehe"

Smugly, Alix was sliding on the soil, practically flying, his feet never really touching it, just caressing it from time to time.

-"Whaaaaat? How could you...?"

-" If you could, how could I not, hey?" Alix was pretty pleased with himself, his powerful body sufficient to resist the stress of running at high speed for a long time. He had already partially recovered some of his previous body strength with the help of the wilderness beast Lor and Erik had brink back during the week.

Today was the day he was going to help them, he was with Lor, Méline was with her father and Cilis was protecting their home, not willing to let strangers or beast visit during their absence. After having healed his mind by breaking through the Evaporation level, Alix had quickly begun to talk with the other, gaining their trust without too much effort.

"I fear they won't live long enough with putting their trust this easily in a complete stranger, not all of them are like me, easy, funny and honest..."

What he didn't know was that they were actually quite the good judge of character and with experience had decided that he wasn't a threat to their family, just a mysterious young man suffering from some kind of trauma but who was genuinely thankful for their help, proof being he wanted to help them hunt, knowing it was necessary with his large meat consumption.

Suddenly, Lor speed started to decrease before completely stopping, Alix elegantly stop next to him as if with no effort.

-" It's here, there is a little group of Megaceros, two or three families. You see them with their gigantic antlers? They are quite quick, but not as much as us, so it's necessary to isolate one, the ill one at the back should be perfect. We must be careful, in panic they can shake their head haphazardly and it could wound us !" Looking back at Alix, Lor didn't saw him anymore.

-"What the... Where are you, Hey, don't go alone !" Seeing Alix had already jumped towards the ill Megaceros at the back of the little horde, Lor follow back, cursing.

Alix quickly charges upon its prey, seeing perfectly well its escape path and blocking it. The whole group hadn't reacted yet when he hit with a palm the head of the beast, killing it in one blow, waves from the palm making the brain of the peaceful beast explode.

"Katas are so useful, I knew it was a good choice to focus on it! Poor beast, but it's the natural selection..." Making sure it was dead by piercing its heart with the knife Lor gave to him, he glanced back only to see the stupefied Lor.

-"Where did you learn to hunt that way... This isn't at all what we must do..."

-"If it works then that's fine, no?"

"BEHIND YOU!!"

The bigger Megaceros, a male with a black fur glistening in the sun had charged headfirst Alix to tried to protect his fellow, not knowing it was already too late. Alix turned over, contorting as if his body didn't have any bones in it, dodging the powerful charge in a somersault, his mind calm.

One of his hand gripped an antler, allowing him to pivot while in the air, falling on the side of the beast which had lost its target. Seeing its fellow didn't move anymore, it shouts loudly in sadness, running for its life after the rest of the horde.

-" And where in the hell did you learn to dodge like that ?? You are more than meet the eyes, my fellow genius... Come, show me !" Lor's eyes were shining with a will to fight.