Fifteen days later…
"Alright, let's get going." Zenon firmly grabbed both edges and began climbing.
It was around six in the morning, the perfect time to use the training center since nobody was up this early. Zenon followed this training routine during the morning for the last two weeks, since he couldn't just sit and read.
There were practical themes in the survival books he had studied, and just knowing theory wasn't enough. Luckily, the shelter had almost everything you could need involving physical training.
A facility beside the training center was used for climbing and only that, and Zenon abused this place up to its limits. Since his cooking or tailoring skills would slowly become better, he couldn't sleep on something as important as climbing.
He was on the verge of falling multiple times inside the Awakening as well.
"Hmph!" Zenon jumped a distance of a meter and a half with a jump and continued climbing.
This climbing wall was as high as twenty meters and Zenon only had close calls on completing the course, always falling off before reaching the bell. The first time, he reached the ceiling in two hours. Now he was sure of getting a below-hour mark.
The main problem was the sections involving cracks in the wall and nothing else. Those were deadly for his fingers but doable. In thirty minutes he reached the ceiling.
"That was a good run… haha…" Laughing, Zenon wiped the sweat from his forehead and clutched both rocks to the ceiling.
He looked down and saw the vast distance separating him from the life-saving - three meters high - pad. That bad boy has saved Zenon's ass more than once.
Taking a deep breath, Zenon separated his legs from the wall and was left dangling in the air. His arms were tightly clutching the rocks and after some seconds, he moved forward.
One rock, then another… It wasn't long until his fingers stopped losing grip. Noticing this, Zenon quickened his pace, his eyes set on the bell in the middle of the ceiling.
Just as he wanted to grab the last rock…
"No! Fu-!"
He slipped and started falling, only to be saved by the pad. Zenon remained lying down on the pad before covering his face with his hands. He was sweating buckets and feeling somewhat frustrated as well.
'I can't reach the bell, I always slip out at the last rock.'
*Clap, clap, clap.*
Noticing the sounds, Zenon quickly sat up before looking at the door. When he saw who was clapping so sarcastically for him, Zenon couldn't help but sigh.
"Not intending to offend. Most Unseens can even make it halfway through."
Zenon continued staring at her with dead eyes before getting up. The girl, obviously Aurea, chuckled and took her tracksuit off.
Then without batting an eye, she walked to the climbing wall and began the course.
She swiftly moved upward, sideways, not seeming to stop with any of the zones that Zenon thought were the hardest. Dumbfounded, he stared at the girl with his jaw slightly dropped.
Not even ten minutes passed and Aurea was already on the ceiling. Not only that, having her legs dangling wasn't a challenge for her, as in less than three minutes…
*Ding!*
She hit the bell and gracefully fell to the pad, landing on her feet. She remained silent for some seconds before saying,
"I think that's my personal best. Well, I didn't keep track of the time anyways so I'll rule it as foul."
"What the… how did you-?!" Zenon stuttered.
"Experience, naturally."
Aurea walked towards her tracksuit and grabbed it while saying,
"I heard some sounds here while going to the library, I didn't expect you to be here though."
"Uhm… surprise? I was training what I learned, that's all."
The girl looked at Zenon with widened eyes before re-adjusting her neck warmer,
"Learned? You didn't come to a lesson once, however."
"Well…" Zenon crossed his arms and said, "Let's say I have read over six books already involving some survival techniques. I just had to train on climbing."
Aurea looked at him, shrugged, and replied, "At least you aren't lying on this one."
Zenon sighed loudly.
"I thought we were done with lying. I already told you, I haven't said a single lie since the moment I Awakened. It's up to you to believe it or not."
Zenon then proceeded to walk past Aurea and exit the climbing room. He already worked on some techniques and he wanted to take a shower and continue studying.
Perhaps then, he could sleep for some more time.
"Wait a moment."
'Agh… fucking hell.'
Zenon reluctantly stopped walking and turned around. Aurea threw her tracksuit to the ground with a swift throw.
"What do you want now…"
Aurea fixed her neck warmer and said, "Nothing much, I want to have a quick spar with you."
Zenon looked at her with dead eyes.
Of all the reasons to stop a human being from continuing its existence, this was - by far - the dumbest one. Well, there could be other reasons.
"A spar? Now? State your reasons then."
"What? Hahaha." Aurea laughed, not even attempting to hide it, "State your reasons? Who do you think you are? Do you seriously believe that you can win?"
"... I never said that."
"I just thought, since you are here already, I could use it to wake myself up as well."
Both Unseens looked at each other. One with indifference and the other gleaming in expectation.
Zenon sighed and said, "So, am I just a punching bag for you right now?"
"What? Of course not. You are a respectable Unseen inside this facility, except for the respectable part. I just want to spar, that's all."
"Do you want to spar? Or do you mean vent the frustration you've been carrying on me? That's beating me up but with a more subtle tone by the way."
"Just trade some punches, test you. You've been the only one to not wipe the floor yet anyways."
Zenon couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
He was aware of Aurea's monstrous combat sense. If he were to go head-on against her, it's more than probable that he joins the corner of shame along with all the other Unseens.
It's not that he was avoiding fighting her. After all, he was also anxious to test this insane strength and speed she had. But just mere tauntings won't work.
"So, do you want to spar a bit with me?"
Zenon looked at Aurea, who had her arms crossed before saying,
"Nah, I'll pass." And walked away.