The day started with training. Marian told me not to use the method of Vlad's killing intent.
"Your body might be ok, but your mind needs rest."
This reason wasn't very convincing, but Marian also added. – "You will have a regular challenge today."
"WHAT?!"
"Yeah, I forgot about it."
I was stunned. 'Challenge? I will die!'
Marian patted me on the shoulder. – "Don't worry. Regular challenges are just some simple fights against beasts or some actual challenges with specific rules. Since you're not even on the first level, you will have to fight beasts."
He continued to explain, and I slowly calmed down. Since apparently, he was considered a promising slave, probably the beast wouldn't be deadly.
"And that's all to say that it would be a good field training for you with low risk."
[…]
There were no audience seats, but everything inside the arena was transmitted to special magic screens.
A booming voice announced the fight as I was going through a long corridor towards the arena. – "TODAY IS THE FIRST NORMAL CHALLENGE OF A NEW MEMBER OF NORTHERN BARRACKS!"
There weren't many people watching. The normal challenge of a newbie wasn't all that interesting.
I slowly became excited.
Since I still knew no barehanded moves, I could use, I took the already somehow familiar sword I used before.
"WE FOUND A SPECIAL OPPONENT FOR TODAY'S CHALLENGE." – I frowned. – "THEY LIVE IN VOLCANIC WILDERNESS, MINDLESSLY KILLING AND DEVOURING. ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE DESCENDANTS OF THE MAD DRAGON."
'I didn't hear about them!'
"WELL, WE BROUGHT ONE FOR TODAY'S CHALLENGE!"
'I don't like this.'
I entered the arena and the first thing I saw was two meters high metal box. It was trembling. Someone was hitting it from inside.
I mentally prayed and concentrated on the upcoming fight.
"THE FIGHT STARTS…NOOOOOW!"
The metal box immediately crumbled into six pieces.
*ROOOOOOAR*
'A dragon-man! F*cking dragon-man!'
He had a pair of black curved horns on his head full of white hairs.
His forearms were complete covered by scales.
I gulped nervously. He turned towards me. I immediately felt some killing intent but fortunately, it was nothing after my training with Vlad.
Suddenly the guy moved. He ran in my direction.
'He is fast.'
I raised my sword and slashed forward. He sidestepped and tried to slash me with his fangs. Somehow, I expected him to do this, so I changed the direction of the sword and the slash hit the guy.
I heard a *cling* sound and was pushed a few steps back. 'Are you kidding me? The sword was stopped by his scales. This is cheating!' He immediately followed me with another round of slashes.
I managed t dodge most of them, but one got me on the left shoulder.
It was damn painful.
The good news was that I also managed to slash him on the leg. His mobility was slightly compromised.
We continued for a few more rounds.
The only thing that helped me was the fact that even a common beast was more strategic and rational than this guy.
As I managed to stab him on the shoulder and was secretly thing that I have won suddenly my opponent opened his mouth and shot a flame blast right on my face.
I ducked, but because I was unwilling to let go of the sword I was, and my left arm became unusable.
The pain was monstrous. Suddenly a black scaled punch connected with my ribs my body was sent flying.
It was a disaster.
My left arm was heavily burned, and at least two of my ribs were broken.
Ah, and the sword was left in the dragon-man's shoulder.
Total disaster.
I managed to stand up, while my enemy approached me. His stupid eyes were shining with bloodthirst.
I backed up.
I was trying to come up with a solution, but nothing good came to my mind. This guy was just too tough of a nut to crack without any weapon.
My only solution…no, not a solution, a hope, was my purple flame.
I recalled the fleeting sensation I had the day before that I accidentally used it.
'I need more time!'
I steeled my resolve and…started running away from my opponent. My legs were in better shape than his.
*ROOOOAR*
I probably enraged him.
But I continued running like a headless chicken while trying to connect with my purple flame.
After a full five minutes of running, I noticed a very bad thing.
That descendant of an overgrown lizard was healing while chasing me.
'Damn! At least I will die fighting!' I thought and stopped.
While turning around and facing my enemy I recalled everything Vlad has ever told me about punching.
I emptied my mind.
The only thing I saw was the dragon-man.
He was running towards me.
I suddenly felt something. My heartbeat became slightly different, but I suddenly didn't care.
I just wanted to kill this b*stard.
I moved my right leg slightly back. My right arm was tensed. My fatigue was slowly melting away and I dashed towards the dragon man.
I don't know how but It felt like one step, but the enemy was right in front of me.
*Ta-Thum, Ta-Thum*
I punched.
Fear appeared on dragon-man's face.
My punch connected. His chest bone caved it slightly.
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
A burst of purple flame shot from dragon-man's back. He breathed out a small cloud of smoke.
Dragon-man's body collapsed on the ground.
I sat directly on the ground. I felt tired. And hungry.
"THE WINNER IS THE NEW FIGHTER OF THE NORTHERN BARRACKS!" – Announced the mechanical voice.
I won! I survived!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
*Marian and Vlad's POV*
"Woa! He has done it! Nice!" – Marian smiled.
Vlad also let out a relieved sigh. – "He has some talent for barehanded fighting. That was a good punch. Even without the flame, he would have destroyed the dragon-man with a few of these punches."
The manager also was happy since he betted on Eliot's victory.