SPARRING AGAINST ANOTHER STUDENT

The morning arrived and I woke up feeling both exhausted and restless. I got dressed into my training gear, had my breakfast and headed to the training area, I didn't want to risk any further suspicion from the sage. However, my mind was still consumed by the events of the previous night. I couldn't stop thinking about 'One' and the strange energy that my dream seemed to emit.

As I approached the training grounds, I noticed the sage standing there, his face inscrutable. He greeted me with a booming voice.

"Good morning, pupil! The tournament is tomorrow, and we need to make sure you're as prepared as possible." I could sense an air of anticipation however some unease around him. "I've already taught you all the useful fighting mechanics, such as effective parrying and redirecting projectiles, and the fundamentals of camelan and harnessing your nature. Now, it's time to work on your physical strength and endurance. We don't want you collapsing during the fight, do we?" His words were stern but encouraging, and I could tell he had high expectations for me.

The sage led me through a grueling workout routine, pushing me to my limits and beyond. We worked on everything from lifting heavy stones to practicing combat techniques. He was meticulous in his training, correcting my form and offering advice on how to improve. As we worked, he would occasionally give me words of wisdom, reminding me of the importance of focus and determination in combat.

After a grueling two-hour training session, we took a brief break to catch our breath. The sage sat down beside me, a serious expression on his face. "I need to tell you something," he said, his tone grave.

"Around 95 years ago, there was a man named One who dominated the fighting world with exceptional talent, despite his young age. At age seventeen, he reached the peak of the human realm and ascended to godhood. He climbed the ranks from approximately the 200th strongest god to the 50th in just fifty years, and in another thirty years, he skyrocketed to the 5th rank. Now, this may seem like unremarkable progress, but consider this - the lifespan of a god is over a thousand years. In some cases, the hierarchy remains the same for up to 100 years. So, for a new god to achieve such a feat in a short amount of time was nothing short of spectacular.

However, as you can imagine, One's rise to power made many gods uneasy and jealous. They began to question whether someone so powerful should be allowed to continue growing unsupervised, and after a lengthy debate, it was decided that he would be framed and murdered.

After accusing him of treason, One was hunted and killed by the gods. They erased his name from every history book and executed anyone who dared to speak his name. This is a secret you must never reveal to anyone, Hana," the sage said in a grave tone. "I cannot explain why One is haunting your dreams, but I suspect he seeks to possess your body to exact his revenge. If you have any more dreams, tell me immediately." I felt a shiver run down my spine as I listened to him. "I know it's not easy to hear this before your tournament, but it's a valuable lesson to remember that you can't always trust people." The sage's words lingered in my mind.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. "But is it fair to just erase someone from history like that? To kill everyone who remembers them? It seems like an extreme measure," I said, anger bubbling within me.

The sage nodded solemnly. "I agree with you, Hana. What the gods did was extreme and unjustified. But as with many things, the truth is often more complicated than what we initially perceive. Perhaps there were other factors at play, or maybe the gods were afraid of what One might have done with his power. Regardless, it's important to remember that power can corrupt even the best of us."

I nodded, still processing the information. "What do I do now?" I asked.

"For now, focus on the tournament. But as I said, if One continues to appear in your dreams, let me know immediately. We need to be cautious," he said, his expression serious.

I nodded in agreement.

We resumed our training, but the story that the sage had shared with me continued to occupy my mind. It had lit a fire within me, a burning desire to become stronger that was even more intense than the vow I had made after my fight with Alexandro. I was determined to achieve my full potential, to become as strong as possible so that injustices like that would never occur to me.

As I trained, I could feel my body responding to my efforts. My strikes were sharper, my movements more fluid, and my stamina seemed almost limitless. Every punch and kick felt like a release, a way to vent the frustration and anger that had been building up inside me. And as I continued to train, something within me shifted. It was a sense of satisfaction, a feeling that I was finally on the right path, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞...

The sage wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at me with a sense of satisfaction. "You've come a long way, Hana. Your technique and speed have improved considerably, and you've shown great progress in perfecting your strikes. But now, it's time for you to put your skills to the test and face a variety of opponents."

He paused, his eyes searching mine. "I have a friend on his way now, an esteemed master of martial arts, who has a student much like yourself. I spoke to him about you, and he's agreed to give you an opportunity to duel with his student. This will allow you to practice everything you've learned so far and get a feel for fighting against different styles and techniques."

The sage's words sparked a mixture of excitement and nervousness within me. I had been training hard for this moment, but the thought of facing another fighter in combat filled me with a sense of trepidation. "Who is your friend, and who is their student?" I asked.

The sage chuckled. "His name is Master Liu, and his student is a young man named Thanotos. He's around your age and has been training for years. Don't worry though, you're more than capable of holding your own against him. After all, you were trained by the very best!" The sage remarked.

I nodded, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves. I trusted the sage and knew that he wouldn't put me in a situation I couldn't handle. "When will they arrive?" I asked, eager to get started.

"They should be here any minute now," the sage replied, gesturing for me to follow him to the training grounds. "Remember, Hana, this is not just a chance for you to test your skills, but also an opportunity to learn and grow. Watch your opponent closely, learn from their movements, and use that knowledge to your advantage."

As we made our way to the training grounds, I couldn't help but feel a rush of adrenaline. This was it, the moment I had been training for. I took a deep breath and readied myself for the challenge ahead.

My heart raced as I waited for Master Liu and Thanotos to arrive. I tried to calm my nerves by going over the techniques I had learned during my training with the sage. I had to prove to myself and to the sage that all the effort I had put in was worth it.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door to the training hall opened, and in walked Master Liu and Thanotos. Master Liu was a tall, thin man with sharp features and piercing eyes. Thanotos was a few inches taller than me, however he looked to be the same age. He had a lean, muscular build and dark, intense eyes. He carried himself with confidence, and I could tell that he was a seasoned fighter.

We exchanged greetings, and the sage explained that the duel would be a sparring match to see how we both fared against each other. I could feel the weight of the sage's expectations on my shoulders, and the pressure made me feel as though my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

As Master Liu and the sage looked on, Thanatos and I faced each other on the training grounds. He had a dark, intense aura that seemed to pulsate with raw energy. I felt the heat emanating from his body as he prepared to attack.

As soon as the bell rang, Thanatos shot an orb of dark energy straight towards me. I focused on the teachings of my master, and concentrated a tiny bit of Camelan into my fists before swiping away at the projectile with precision. It veered off course and dissipated into the air.

Thanatos wasted no time, closing the distance between us in a flash. I backed away, conjuring up a small flame in my hand, and throwing it towards him. He dodged it easily, unleashing a barrage of rapid punches and kicks. I blocked and evaded as best as I could, but his attacks were both too fast and too powerful.

I knew that to win this fight I would need to change tactics. I stepped back, inhaling deeply before exhaling a stream of fire towards Thanatos. He responded by conjuring up a gust of dark wind, dispersing the flames and sending me flying back. As I got up, Thanatos charged towards me again, his dark energy pulsating around him. I blocked his attacks, and countered the best I could, my fists glowing with a fiery aura.

We traded blows back and forth, each attack getting more intense than the last. Thanatos unleashed a burst of kicks that I barely managed to dodge, before retaliating with a raging uppercut that sent him flying. He got up, his eyes glinting dangerously as he summoned a massive ball of dark energy above his head.

I knew I had to act fast. I focused all my energy, channeling it into my fists, and launched myself towards Thanatos. We collided, his dark energy clashing with my fire magic in a violent explosion. The arena shook, debris raining down around us.

The fight had gotten out of hand. Our respective sages stepped into the ring, their eyes stern as they commanded us to stop. Thanatos and I stepped back, panting heavily as we stared at each other with a newfound respect.

The sage scolded me, reminding me of the importance of control and discipline that he had been teaching me. I nodded, chastened, and promised to do better in the future.

Thanatos also received a stern lecture from his own master about the dangers of succumbing to his dark magic. I could see the struggle in his eyes as he fought to maintain control, and I felt a sense of kinship with him. We had both faced our own challenges and come out stronger for it.

I approached Thanatos and held out my hand. He hesitated for a moment before accepting it, and we shook hands in a show of mutual respect. "You're a worthy opponent," I said, and he nodded in agreement.

Master Liu and Thanatos made their way back to their own training grounds, bidding us farewell. The sage turned to me, a smile of pride spreading across his face.

"Well done, kid," he said, patting me on the back. "You held your own against a much more experienced fighter. I'm proud of you."

I smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over me. Despite the fight spiraling out of control, I had managed to keep my composure and fight to the best of my ability.

The sage continued to praise me, remarking on the progress I had made in my training and how far I had come since the beginning. He also reminded me that there was still much to learn, and that I must continue to train hard and hone my skills.

As we walked back to the dojo, the sage imparted more wisdom upon me, sharing stories of his own battles and imparting lessons on how to control and harness my own power. I listened intently, eager to learn and improve.

By the time we arrived back at the dojo, the sun had begun to set. The sage bid me good night, and I made my way to my room, tired but extremely excited for the tournament tomorrow.