Training (1)
"What just..." Issac began to speak, but his words were cut short as an intense pain shot through his entire body, and the ground beneath him shattered with a deafening sound.
BAM!
Mr. Ritchie had slammed Issac onto the ground, and the attack was executed with such incredible speed that Issac couldn't even perceive it happening. The shock and confusion were evident on Issac's face as he tried to make sense of the situation.
"Gah…" Mr. Ritchie approached Issac as he struggled to catch his breath. Kneeling down, he inquired, "Did you see the attack?"
"Guh… No.." Issac managed to reply between gasps for air. Mr. Ritchie nodded in understanding, then stood up again. He spoke firmly, "Then that's your first goal."
Mr. Ritchie extended his hand, and Issac grimaced with pain as he reached out and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.
"Wow," Issac muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on the shattered floor beneath him. Amazement and a sense of awe washed over him. An attack of such incredible power, and yet he couldn't even see it coming. The realization of how terrifyingly skilled Mr. Ritchie was settled in.
As Issac steadied himself, Mr. Ritchie's voice broke through his thoughts. "That's the kind of level you should aim to reach. Quick reflexes, precise anticipation, and agility that allows you to respond instinctively to any kind of threat, as though it was nothing. That is the goal of every universal hunter." Mr. Ritchie spoke with his usual monotone voice.
"Exactly how strong are you, Mr. Ritchie?" Issac's eyes glowed with intrigue. A thirst for information and knowledge was evident in his expression. Mr. Ritchie, his demeanor as composed as ever, adjusted his tie and ran a hand through his hair before responding, "You will know once you beat me, Mr. Volante."
Issac's eyebrows rose. The thought of facing off against someone as quick and powerful as Mr. Ritchie on equal footing ignited his competitive spirit. "Fair enough," he replied, a newfound enthusiasm present in his words. "So, how do I get there?"
"It's simple enough." Mr. Ritchie waved his hands in the air, and with remarkable speed, a robotic arm descended from the ceiling, and its sudden appearance caught Issac off guard, making him take a step back in response.
"What the-" Issac's eyes widened in astonishment as he took in the sight of the mechanical arm, its movements so quick that he couldn't even see it coming. His focus then shifted to the object that the robot was holding, which was a pair of high-tech goggles that gleamed under the room's lights. Intrigued by the device, he continued to inspect the gadget, his curiosity now piqued.
"What're you doing?" Mr. Ritchie's raised eyebrows indicated his amusement as he observed Issac inspecting the robot arm. Issac turned to look at Mr. Ritchie, his facial expression containing a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "What?" he asked, his head tilting slightly to the side.
"The goggles." Mr. Ritchie pointed his hand at the goggles that the robot arm held, his tone matter-of-fact. "Who are you waiting for? Those are for you. Put them on."
"Okay…" Issac's although confused, quickly reached out and donned the goggles. The world around him seemed to shift, blending his vision with a holographic loading screen that seemed to have appeared from thin air.
"The goggles shall provide you with a simulated environment that merges seamlessly with the real world using advanced augmented reality technology." Mr. Ritchie's voice was heard through his ears.
"So it's like augmented reality," Issac nodded with understanding, his gaze shifting between the loading screen and the actual room. "I get it."
"Now, are you ready for your first opponent?" Mr. Ritchie asked, his voice still sounding monotone, and Issac responded with an enthusiastic thumbs up. "Hell yeah!"
"Good," Mr. Ritchie adjusted his glasses with a slight nod before he rapidly tapped his fingers on the touchscreen tablet in his hands, and within seconds, Issac felt the surroundings undergo a complete transformation. The loading screen and the bland room that Isaac was actually staying in dissolved, and in its place appeared the simulated rendering of a bustling urban street. Crowds of virtual pedestrians passed by Issac, who stared at them with widened eyes.
"Uh, Mr. Ritchie…" Issac's brow furrowed with skepticism as he glanced around his surroundings, uncertainty evident in his voice. "... Are you sure I'm in the right simulation?"
"Yes, you are," Mr. Ritchie replied, his tone unwavering. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, uh, I'm kinda standing in the middle of a regular street," Issac explained, his confusion evident. "Isn't this simulation supposed to emulate dungeon environments where the enemies usually are?"
"Who said that's the only possibility?" Mr. Ritchie's question hung in the air, challenging Issac's assumptions. Issac shrugged in response. "I- I don't know. I guess I just assumed-"
"Well, don't just assume anymore," Mr. Ritchie advised with a resolute tone. "Your enemy is determined by the mission parameters, which may or may not involve dungeon scenarios. Do you copy?"
"Uh, yes. Yes, sir," Issac responded, although his comfort level had taken a hit. He surveyed the virtual street, his eyes scanning for any signs of suspicious activity or potential threats.
Flip!
All of a sudden, a semi-transparent display materialized in front of Issac, which captured his attention, and he stared at it with curious eyes.
'What's this?' His eyes widened in astonishment as he read the information displayed, and his immediate instinct was to call for Mr. Ritchie's attention. "Um, Mr. Ritchie…"
"Yes, Mr. Volante?" Mr. Ritchie's voice remained steady, maintaining his usual monotone demeanor. Issac hesitated briefly before responding, his tone revealing his surprise. "I just... I came across the enemy information card."
"And?" Mr. Ritchie's inquiry was direct, prompting Issac to elaborate on his concern.
"Well, I just thought we'd be starting off easy.." Issac said, but before he could finish his words..
BAM!
All of a sudden, a massive explosion tore through the scene, causing debris and dust to fill the air as the shockwave rocked the surroundings. Issac instinctively raised his hands to shield his face from the sudden onslaught of chaos.
In the middle of the street, with his fist slammed onto the shattered ground, was Archer Onana, the highest ranked normal hunter in the world.
"GYYYAAAA!" The air vibrated with terrified screams as the crowd scrambled to flee, their instincts urging them to escape the dangerous scene. Amid the chaos, there stood one exception: Issac, who faced Archer with a nervous expression on his face.
Flick!
An information card popped up right in front of Issac once again, and he let out a helpless sigh after reading the pop-up.
"So I have to beat him in order to complete the mission, huh.." Issac couldn't help but let out a short chuckle in response to the words he read out loud.
He, a young hunter who somehow barely cleared a B-rank dungeon solo, was supposed to defeat the highest ranked normal hunter in the world?! Someone who has the ability to clear multiple B-rank dungeons on his own?!
"Mr. Ritchie," Issac's voice held a tinge of desperation as he sought further clarity. Mr. Ritchie's response remained unchanged, "Yes, Mr. Volante?"
"I just want to confirm that you indeed want me to kick off my training by squaring off against the world's strongest normal hunter?" Issac's tone held a mix of both confusion and a sense of surrender.
"Yes," Mr. Ritchie replied with a single word, not even bothering to explain his reason, and Issac wanted to curse out loud at him, but he resisted the urge to do so.
He must surely have his reasons, Issac reasoned silently. 'He did mention that Universal Hunters have a different potential threshold compared to regular hunters. So perhaps it might not be that big of a deal to beat a normal hunter, even if he's the strongest among them.'
After thinking about it for a few seconds, Issac elevated his hand and settled into a combat-ready posture, and on the opposite end, the projection of Archer Onana did the same as well.