Chapter 10: Fight for the future.

The next day everyone is already up and training what I wake up to is this:

[You have gained one Biomass.]

[You have gained one Biomass.]

[You have gained one Biomass.]

[You have gained one Biomass.]

I finished off the pill in my sleep and it seems that the Biomass pile was slightly absorbed by me. I feel refreshed. I should check on my pit monster I'm growing. As I walk over to the pit I begin using the Cell Harvest ability to pull off more of my mass obviously replacing the missing parts with Regenerative Growth. 

[Cell Harvesting has reached level 3]

[Regenerative Growth has reached level 3]

I toss the parts down into the pit and as I do Master Shikan finds me. "You really like our meditation pool don't you, you can spend some of your day here but not all day. You have training to do young one. Dr'va will be your training instructor for the time being." as he says this a thinner mushroom Dr'va appears behind him. I find this to be weird but for now I guess it is understandable, I can't be taking up all his time, he is the headmaster of this dojo after all. I notice him walk up to a group of mushrooms and they head out of the dojo.

Dr'va stares at me for a minute, is he expecting me to do something? As I think that, he points to the training area. He must be wanting me to do those forms from yesterday. I walk over to the training area with him and begin to do some of the forms. Dr'va begins correcting my form. In doing so I begin to understand it better than yesterday… After a while he starts shadow boxing the forms out, but, from what I can tell it is only the first form that he wants me to practice. I do so seeing this he pushes my arm down and pushes my leg out, correcting my form and giving me a small nod. I will continue practicing this for the next several hours. Looks like the first form is root to most of the other forms. This must be crucial to the way the Fungal Martial Arts works.

[Low-tier Fungal Martial Arts has reached level 2]

Speak of the devil. The leveling speed on this isn't too good, maybe because I'm not using it against an opponent or maybe it is because I'm not too good at it yet.

Hours go by like this and the next thing I notice is Master Shikan and the mushrooms are back and in hand they have more Biomass from outside the dojo… and another big wiggly bag, yup that's probably for me. This is definitely Hell. I can't understand why they are pushing me so hard, I'm just a newborn.

As if on cue Dr'va ushers me over to Master Shikan. Upon arrival he begins to bow and forces my head down too. It looks like they must have gone on an outing to collect more biomass for the group. Master Shikan is a good guy, he really takes care of this dojo. 

Opening the bag he pulls out a horrifying monster not a beetle this time but a huge ornate mantis, nearly two heads bigger than me. Why are there so many huge bugs here? The oxygen levels must be insane for them to get this big naturally. "This will be your sparring partner for today" sealing up the bag which is still squirming with motion. 

I move to a more open area and take a fighting stance. Master Shikan releases the beast. The first thing it does is tilt its head at me and raise its two arms in the air. Neither of us are moving. I wonder how different this fight is going to be. Holding form I begin to get anxious, should I make the first move or wait for it to strike and find an opening. Out of anxiety I move first, moving into the strike zone. I wasn't fast enough was the last thing I could think before realizing the thing cleanly slicing off my non dominant arm. No matter what, I still have to make an attack. I strike the bugs' carapace with a jab. Leaving a crack in its shell. Crack! That's my mark now, as I evade backwards out of striking distance. I begin to move around to one of its sides as it twists only the upper part of its body around to face me. Expecting it to stay still it lunges at me. Oh no! It nearly clips off a small chunk of my cap. Leaving itself open I strike the same spot again breaking the carapace clean off it leaving a gushy looking innards exposed. This time as I move in to attack it latches on to my cap and starts gnawing on my cap. Ahhh! It hurts so bad. I can't let this go any further. I use all my might to wail on it while it has me in its grasp. All my martial arts training has to be for something, I can't go down like this. I start kicking at it with much force and it loosens up its grip enough for me to stick my hand into its innards. Hyphae Generation! I tear apart its insides with my Hyphae causing the beast to go down.

[Hyphae Generation has reached level 2]

[You have defeated a Level 5 Infantile Mantodea.]

[You have gained XP.]

[You have reached Level 4. One skill point awarded.]

Once again to my surprise I completely heal from all the damage. I know I wasn't supposed to use anything but martial arts, but that thing had me in its grasps and I panicked. Hopefully they didn't notice. I look to Master Shikan who has a face of indifference on him. He is probably weighing out my survival instinct versus talent for martial arts. 

Without a second to gain my bearings he pulls out another Mantis from the bag. Another one… I can't understand why he is making me fight these guys; they're tougher than the Coleoptera. This time I begin the fight in the third form. Master Shikan releases the monster and instantly it lifts its arms displaying its scythes. I hold my stance this time waiting for it to move. It lasts for about four minutes before it even shifts its body. I know I want to rush through this fight but I have to be patient. There is no other way, I really don't want to get hurt. I begin to see that the mantis has no plans to move any time soon. I wait another five minutes and it still has its claws up at me just like the other one, eying me up. I begin to inch closer and closer, it's unnerving to see this creature waiting to strike. I move to its side trying to find an opening. This creature doesn't seem to let its guard down at all. I moved closer almost within the strike zone, if only I could dash in and strike it before it got to me. Holding pace with the Mantis I see that there is a pattern to the way it shifts, it doesn't mind me getting behind it. I get close enough to do a quick step lunge and then a clear jab to its abdomen. If I can't fight it head on I'll have to fight it from behind. After a couple punches to its abdomen it turns and lunges at me. Taking me a second to understand what happened the mantis almost had me in its grasp. Nearly avoiding certain death, I shift out of the way. I swap to the sixth form and from there I begin swiftly weaving myself through its strikes. The mantis clips my stem with its scythe. I can't hold this up for much longer. Striking intermittently I land a couple punches on its thorax. Dodging a horizontal swipe from the mantis, I jump in and kick the creature to death.

[You have defeated a Level 5 Infantile Mantodea.]

[You have gained XP.]

As I finish the bug off, I see Master Shikan messing with the bag again. This is going to be rough. I use Regenerative growth to heal my wounds. Alright I'm ready. "Here is the last one." says Master Shikan. Out comes another Mantodea, looking no different from the rest. I think it was best to wait and bide my time with these guys. As I do so, I begin to encroach on the Mantodea. Having gotten into trouble with these guys before, I'm hesitant to make the first move. Attacking from the side I find myself within range of the scythes, I bob and weave through two of its attacks but one of them leaving a slice from my gills down to my stem. I land a couple blows to its head and thorax using the fifth form, but from there it just gets trickier the beast ends up taking a sizable chunk off of my glimmering cap down to my gills. However, I end up landing another attack on its thorax, breaking its carapace. Taking serious damage, losing part of an arm in the process. Time for my final form, transitioning in the form I feel more balance, readiness and poise. I let out a series of decisive strikes and one of them lands perfectly into the broken carapace killing the monster, however I end up taking major damage across my chest and waist.

[Low-tier Fungal Martial Arts has reached level 3]

[You have gained XP.]

[You have reached Level 5. One skill point awarded.]

[You have reached the Level cap. Evolution menu available.]