- 2nd August 2138, Morning, GCA Campus Gym -
According to the timetable I'd been kindly sent by Minerva, today was one of the designated training days. I'd spent the rest of the night after my sudden rise from the depths of slumber to read the training method Alastar had bestowed upon me. Addmiitdely it was written in a very strange style of writing. Though through the myriad riddles and allagories I'd managed to glean how to properly train under it. The first step was to train my body to a point where I could 'split rocks in thine wake.'. Not knowing how much training this would require, I'd decided strength training at the GCA's gymnasium was the best course of action.
Looking around the gym, it seemed sparsely populated. Grunts of masculine intensity could be heard from the corner. Walking over to investigate, I saw what could only be described as a monolith of a man in front of me. Was he even a student? Every ripple and contour in his muscles were visible under his tightly packed skin, like an avatar of a god. He towered at a good 5 heads taller than me and was currently bench pressing the entire machine. Which was strange, because I'd expect somebody to lift the barbell alone. His body gleamed with the strength of virility of life, a strength I wished to someday attain. Instinctively, I activated my Exalted Sight with a burst of Xanthous flame twisting and turning at my sight.
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[Name: Warmund Doremetido]
[Age: 18]
[Singularities]:
-[Pugilism]
[Attribution]: Phenom
-[Rank]: A
-[Affinity]: Sound
[E-Signature]: 370M
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This overwhelming avatar of physical aptitude is only two years older than me? Crazy. His Sound affinity seems odd. For such a large man I would have thought it'd be something more... Physical? Like the metal and rock slinging capabilities of mineral, or the strong, adamant inferno of Blaze.
Setting my things down next to the treadmill, I began running. Step by step I could feel my fatigue growing and my energy diminishing. Was I really this physically weak? Nonetheless, I kept persevering, taking intermittent rests for a good 3 hours of training. Wiping beads of sweat off my face, I sat on the ground. Completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. I had pushed myself to my limits and beyond, but it didn't seem to be enough. I was still weak, still far behind where I wanted to be. Was it this difficult to get stronger? How much hell was I in for just to be able to enhance myself properly?
Collecting my things I headed to the gym's exit, exhausted and ready to eat some good food. Though waiting at the door before I left was that absolute giant of a man, his short brown hair soaked in sweat.
"You're new here aren't you, little shrimp." He said, taking a swig of his foul-smelling protein shake.
I was taken aback by his bluntness. Is nobody at this academy normal? Minerva and Siska are deranged, now we have this guy. I hope he's not any weirder than this.
"Yeah, I want to get as strong as I can," I replied, hoping he'd move out of the way for me to leave.
He stopped me again, "I will train you. Shrimp into a Shark"
Was it a good idea for me to accept this? Looking at his physique, survival may not be an option for whatever training he'd put me on.
Memories of my miscast and what Alastar had told me flashed before me. If I wanted to take the high road to success I'd have to knuckle down and train as much as possible.
I took a deep breath and steeled myself. It was time to get to work.
"Alright. I'll do it." I replied, still gasping for air from my workout.
"We fight. Meet me in the Arena" He said, in a voice gruff as ever.
The arena? We have one of those here..? Pulling out my InfoComm, I checked the map. Indeed, there was an arena. Right next to the gym. I put the InfoComm away and headed over to the arena. The only way to grow stronger would be through failure. Breaking myself down and rebuilding myself in a stronger image.
The arena was a large, open space with a few rows of bleachers at the entrance and on the other side of the room. The other side was taken up by a large stage. On the stage was a simple reinforced square of designated space for combat. An array of hexagonal glass panes covered in protective EX-Energy forming a dome on the roof. There was a small crowd of people gathered in front of the stage. Were they here because of Warmund?
Warmund stood proudly in the middle of the arena. As expected. Peculiarly his rough, calloused hands grasping an ornate violin with energy conductive metal in ornate patterns across the body. his posture like that of a member of the finest orchestra. Bow in hand, in one swift, a liquid motion he conducted a somber reverberating note that engulfed the entire stadium, my feet shook as the reverberation propagated through the floor... The juxtaposition of pure masculine physicality to the beauty and elegance had me flabbergasted, my mouth agape. Was this true masculinity?
The note he played was so beautiful and elegant that it made me question what true power was. Was this manly man the epitome of strength? His physicality was that of a monster, but his skill with the violin was so beautiful and elegant that it made me wonder where his true potential lied.
Enough pondering.
I assumed a fighting stance on the other side of the arena. I didn't have much experience fighting so all I could muster was a shoddy boxing-esque stance at best. As of now, it was all I could muster.
"Do you have no weapon? Very well." Warmund said, putting away his violin into a small bag strapped to his waist that really shouldn't fit an object so large in comparison. Before assuming a similar stance to mine, yet more refined and full of vigor.
Before I could even move a muscle he'd closed the gap between us with a quick, powerful step. This looked like something straight out of an anime. Winds rushed past me as my ebony black hair was swept back by the sheer force of this man's movements. At the moment he reached me, I managed to quickly duck down, his fists glancing off the top of my head.
"Shit." I mouthed, rolling out of the way of his follow-up, a two-handed hammer-like strike to my head.
He was incredibly quick. It was apparent his training was time well spent. Though I wondered how much of this strength came from his Enhancement method. He was relentless in his assault, not giving me an inch to breathe as I was constantly on the defensive. Taking more and more hits. It was abundantly clear he was holding back. Or I'd be a mere splat on the ground. I managed to get in a few hits of my own. Though they were quickly shrugged off or avoided entirely. A part of me was getting angry. This was visible on my face, my brows furrowed in rage. If he wanted to fight, then I would give him a fight. I wasn't going to hold back any longer. He suddenly stopped attacking.
A smirk on his face. "Oh? You want to fight now?"
Concentrating on the spiraling energy within me I cast a {Zeigen}, flinging it at him. The spiraling ball of lightning made contact with his rippling muscles, his absolute monolith of a figure completely shrugging off the attack. He wasn't even pushed back.
"Is that the best you've got? I haven't even started for real yet."
His mouth muttered the words {Maxi-Otokogeki} as his fists seemed to start vibrating with a faint hum akin to that of a violin. With a swift and prepared strike, he charged straight at me much faster than before. His body moved in special rhythm with some sort of internal music slowly propagating from his fists. Such an elegant form of sorcery.
Not giving me even a second to react he hit me square in the chest. "Got ya!"
He smiled. This was all a game to him.
I felt the vibrations ripple throughout my body bouncing with echoes of pain. Was this the power of his Sound attribution..? Vision began to fade as my body winced in pain. My heartbeats growing louder and louder as I lost balance.
Only one thought echoed in my head as I fell to the ground.
I needed to get stronger...