A distant and powerful screech could be heard all throughout the area. A Kryptodrakon was in the middle of fighting somewhere in the sprawling savannah surrounding the tribe.
Despite it's powerful screech, it was only one of many ambient sounds that filled The Human Tribe's air as the sun was beginning to set.
SNAP!
WOOSH!
Mikhail's spear broke in two as he used it as a springboard to narrowly avoid the piercing blow of a water tentacle.
SHLUK!
A water tentacle violently pierced through Mikhail's throat. He let out gurgling and choking noises as his ability to breath was nullified. These, too, were some of the many ambient sounds that were resounding throughout the otherwise peaceful and serene melody of the evening.
Like a statue, the woman stood in the exact same spot, with the exact same pose. Her arms were crossed, and her legs were crossed over each other too. She had been leaning to the side like this ever since they had started this… "Training" session more than eight hours ago.
SHLUK! SHLUK! SHLUK! SHLUK!
Blood oozed out of his mouth as he was holstered in the air by several water tentacles. He was gritting his teeth together and his eyes were bloodshot. If it wasn't for the tentacle piercing his throat, he would've been screaming in agony.
Yet, the fear in his eyes was gone now.
It had been gone for a few hours already.
Throughout this seemingly farcical "training" session, Mikhail's budding sixth sense slowly made him aware of the lady's true character. And his impression of her vastly contrasted with what he was experiencing.
He felt a sincere sense of warmth and care from the woman.
It was almost motherly in nature. This feeling clashed violently with the perception of a terrifying harbinger of death. However, after losing count of how many times he had been fatally wounded by the healer, his rational side had taken over.
This was training.
The woman was doing this in order to train Mikhail. In order to teach him a valuable lesson. It was like Mikhail was reaching out to touch the flames burning above a stove, and the woman was smacking away his hand. Only way, way more extreme.
As his fatal injuries got healed yet again, he thought about what it was she was trying to teach him. He had been doing this for a while at this point. Was this a lesson about futility? Was this evasion training? Was it a lesson about the water element?
Was it some ghastly combination of the three?
He didn't know, but as he thought about their training session, he felt to have learned many things. He felt to have gained many insights about the Water Element, for one.
Its flow seemed completely under the control of the woman. And he noticed how this water wasn't reflective, only shining with an azure hue, even now that it was evening.
He felt to have gained many insights about futility. How it was impossible to go up against someone stronger than him. How there was no way to run away from someone faster than him. How there was no way to trick someone that was smarter than him.
And he knew his capability to evade devastating attacks had become incredible.
His opponent was too strong and too fast for him.
Yet he could still dodge an attack or two, maybe even three.
But the only way he could dodge her attacks was if he predicted the attack beforehand and reacted based off of this theoretical information.
The only way he could dodge her attacks was by making a gamble.
Mikhail had turned avoiding harm from an instinctual response to an active response.
He could dodge a single attack from the lady with certainty, two with uncertainty, and three through sheer luck.
He was set down on the ground gently, and the woman let out a yawn. She had become far more emotive throughout their training session.
"I think we can call it a day here. Tell me, what have you learned?" the woman said while Atticus picked up the broken spear.
"...I've learned a lot," he said while watching the spear seemingly mend itself while in Atticus's hands. He had seen him do it a lot by now, so it wasn't that interesting of a spectacle as it was the first time.
"Tell me, what can you do against an opponent that outclasses you in every way?"
"Nothing."
She nodded with a gentle smile.
"That's right. If someone outclasses you to such a degree, you shouldn't even consider fighting them. It can't even be considered a fight, but suicide. Which is why gauging your opponent's strength is an important skill to have."
"Yet, knowing your own strength is even more important than knowing your opponent's strength. If you think you're stronger than you actually are, you will inevitably find yourself up against someone you can't compete with. And if you underestimate yourself, you'll lose out on opportunities that you're fully capable of pursuing."
Atticus chucked the mended spear to Mikhail, who caught it with one hand.
"Is that why the unofficial rankings exist?"
"Yes, that's right. Grand Elder Maya had taught them to gauge the strengths of others and themselves, which is why the unofficial rankings came to be. Anyway, we'll be leaving now. Good night, Mikhail!"
"See you tomorrow, Mikhail," Atticus said with a smirk. He liked this kid quite a lot, and it was obvious that his woman felt the same way. They would be having an interesting conversation on their way home…
Meanwhile, as the two departed, Mikhail dropped off his spear at the stone shed before leaving. Kids were running about still, adults were lounging around and conversing with each other, and some adolescents could be seen leaving their job for the day.
Mikhail's body was in immense pain as he walked home, so he had to take multiple breaks on his way back. In doing so, he was able to recuperate the mental stamina needed to push through the pain of walking.