The training had continued differently to how it was before Sitniha's actions had transpired. Milek was considerably slower with the sharp, deadly shards of crystal hindering his movement. Bultear, on the other hand, was considerably less weak as time passed by. Seeing this, Milek cursed inwardly.
'Fair my ass! The amount of damage I did to him was not nearly as severe as what she did to me. Whatever, he's just a newbie I can handle this much. I just hope she doesn't interfere again.'
Milek promptly dodged a kick from Bultear while simultaneously launching a punch at his left side. The punch, while slower, was still too fast for Bultear to react to as he was late in raising his left arm to block. His left cheek was caught by a mean punch, forcing Bultear to stumble backwards with his face red, and nerves trembling.
'Damn it, that ability of his is doing more damage than the punch itself.'
Every punch from Milek had a twofold effect; the outer physical pain, and the inner nerve damage caused by [Nerve Death]. In the heat of battle having your reaction time halt along with the effect of paralysis would often spell death for his enemies.
'I need to quickly do something. He's attacking with out caring what my abilities are. I can predict that he thinks whatever I throw at him would be easily handled by him, but I can smell a scent of wariness emanating from him that wasn't there before. Him underestimating me in combination with being wary of Sinthia, who injured him, is making him slow down even more.'
Bultear crossed his two hands in front of his face to block a jab, the pain from his nerves making his hands go numb. Milek had increased his input.
'He wants to finish this quickly! Think, if my conjecture about Sigmund is correct then I should have abilities congruent to wolves\dogs. What do hey have that I could also have... Claws for example.'
As Bultear's thoughts flowed , Milek's right fist was fast approaching. It had become hard for Bultear to block any more attacks with his heavy, numb hands. This hit would surely defeat him, he was certain of that. Bultear weakly spread his hands in a vain attempt to stop a fist that was far too quick for him. Then it happened.
* shing* *spurt*
Sinthia, who was observing from the back, opened her eyes in shock as she saw Milek spurt blood from the fist that was about to deliver the final blow to Bultear. In his balled fist now a sharp object was sticking out. She squinted her eyes to see better.
'Is that... a finger nail?'
She was correct, from Bultear's out stretched hand his index finger was now missing a nail. He had shot it like a bullet.
'Holy shit! So this is my third ability.. I can shoot nails from my fingers like a gun!'
The victim of this unexpected attack reeled in pain, while looking at his stabbed fist. The nail was considerably longer than a human's, making it so that the nail went through the entire fist and was not just embedded halfway, showing Milek how potent it was.
'What kind of ability is this? He seemed more like a close quarters fighter earlier, is he actually a long range one?'
He turned his gaze away from his shaking hand and looked at Bultear more seriously now.
"This power and penetrative potency is not akin to that of a newbie... If it was, it would not have been able to completely penetrate the fist of someone of my level... You truly are special, Bultear."
"Thanks!"
"What are you doing?!"
A cheerful Bultear responded by pointing his middle finger at Milek.
*fwoom* *crash*
The nail from his middle finger flew out at Milek with a menacing glint, yet this time a prepared Milek would not be caught off-guard again. Compering the two craters caused by Bultear and Sitnhia; Milek concluded that Sinthia's attack was more destructive while Bultear's nail was more penetrative as the crater was not as big, the nail had reached deeper than the crystal rose.
'He's only just a newbie; how strong is he going to get when he starts moving up the stages in his evolution?'
The thought made him smile in anticipation.
"Okay that's enough, the purpose of this training was achieved, no need to continue."
A voice rolled in as Fjoroft walked between them.
"Now that he knows his second ability, he should rest and recuperate before continuing the training... Come, Brock and Pax are waiting for us in the infirmary."
Beckoned Fjoroft while walking away with Sinthia following silently behind. The worn down, bruised and battered Bultear walked shakily next to a bloodied Milek.
"Why're you smiling so much?"
Asked a perplexed Milek while looking at the beaming smile plastered on Bultear's face.
"I was correct in the end, so I'm happy."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember how cockily you declared that no mater how many sneak attacks I do, none of them would land... Well you know what they say, third luck's the charm...*hahaha*... "
Hearing his mocking, gleeful laughter Milek could only let out an ashamed groan. He had looked down too much on Bultear. The two injured men walked side by side, one beaming in delight while the other frowning in shame. It was truly comical seeing the usually proud and haughty Milek hang his head in defeat.
"It is nice seeing you, the great 3rd seat Milek, get humbled by a newbie."
Said Sinthia mockingly from the front.
"Don't mock me Sinthia, you are the reason for this! I never would have gotten hit by his attack if you hadn't injured me prior!"
"Excuses are for losers..."
Chimed in Bultear from the side.
"Exactly Bultear, you should serve as a role model for him, he could maybe learn what being a good loser means."
"But Miss. Fullplum, I'm just a puny subordinate, I thought that he was supposed to be the role model..."
"No need to call me that anymore, call me Sinthia. A person who knocks Milek down a peg is a friend of mine."
The gleeful tone evident on her stoic face.
"You!"
Milek's blood boiled in rage as the sarcastic pair of man and woman bonded and became closer by making fun of him together.
'Who befriends one another by mocking their comrade?...'
Thought an indignant Milek to himself, as the merry band slowly reached the infirmary.