The next morning.
In the student union room.
The president is looking at the applications in front of him. There are ten applications and all of them belong to the current top ten ranking members of circle 1.
He looked at the ten people standing in front of him. There is a cold look on his face as he spoke.
"Do I look like a fucking joke to you guys? You want to enter Circle 1's second half forest right now?"
"Yes, President," Kuma answered as if he didn't see that murderous look of the president.
"On whose orders?"
"Pardon?"
"On Whose orders are you going?"
"President, we are all individual and independent adults. We are not anyone's subordinates. We are doing this to improve our own battle prowess. We realized that the current first years are extremely gifted and were inspired by how hard they are working.
We just want to do our part. After all, we might not be able to stay in the academy by next year. We need to make the most out of the current situation."
*BAM* *CRASH*
The president crashed his fist into the wooden table making it go bust. He stood up from his chair and stepped towards these people. A strong pressure weighted on their shoulders as the president spoke in a very cold and icy voice.
"You motherfuckers. What the fuck do you think you are?
Just because you are going around licking the feet of some noble kids, do you think you can treat me like a fool? I will cut you up and feed your guts to the fish in Circle 1 lake."
All Circle 1 members started sweating profusely.
They couldn't stand and one after another fell on their knees.
After all of them are done, he turned to the two subordinates.
"How fucking dare you two? Last night, I gave explicit orders to not fucking let anyone enter the forest. And you are ignoring orders this morning? It seems like I mellowed a whole fucking lot. How about a 'training session' for a week?"
The two subordinates shuddered.
One of them weakly spoke.
"P.. President, I am sorry. I.. I couldn't resist. My… My brother works under young master Kai's father. I could only process the applications. If… If…."
President sighed, before walking forward and punching both of them in the face.
Their faces were swollen. But they were not severely injured.
He spoke in a low voice.
"Tell those young masters, that you got caught last minute to me and you didn't reveal any information. I won't take any action on this. I will let it go just this once.
In the future, if you face any threats like this, don't go and be a bitch. Come to me and talk to me. I will help your sorry asses."
The meeting was adjourned.
The news about the Circle 1 rankers trying to get into the forest spread and the news that was stopped was also spread along with it. The student union president made it spread so that the two idiots wouldn't be in much trouble.
Just like he assumed, Kai couldn't care less and couldn't think less about the student union member and his brother.
While the school is going through such a controlled but Chaotic state, Viswa is going through his morning training.
Even though he is in the middle of the forest fighting beasts, Mr. Guide didn't let him off.
He is doing the movement technique training and he is so close to passing the second level. He exhausted himself like usual and started cultivating to get ready to face the new opponents for the day.
While recovering, Viswa took a look at his system stats, attributes and skills.
[STATUS
NAME: VISWA
CULTIVATION LEVEL: ELEMENTARY LEVEL INITIAL STAGE (52%)
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE: EARTH-STYLE ASSIMILATION TECHNIQUE
ATTRIBUTES
SKILLS
MISSIONS
ACHIEVEMENTS
SHOP
KARMA POINTS: 146
TICKETS: 0]
[ ATTRIBUTES
STRENGTH: 61
AGILITY: 44
STAMINA: 60
COMPREHENSION: 38
WILL: 49
SPIRITUAL ENERGY: 52/100]
[SKILLS
BASIC HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT- 13%
BASIC KNIFE SKILLS- 14%
BASIC SHOOTING SKILLS- 15%
BASIC CLIMBING SKILLS- 20%
BASIC RECONNAISSANCE SKILLS- 10%
BASIC COOKING SKILLS- 8%
BASIC DIGGING SKILLS- 28%
BASIC SCULPTING SKILLS- 20%
BASIC MOVEMENT SKILLS- 10%]
His progress has been decent. It is within his expectations and just from yesterday's interaction with the fox, his movement skills increased by one percent.
His attributes that plateaued also increased finally. But the only concern he had is that his agility is lagging behind and the distance is not reducing no matter how much he tried.
As he was contemplating, Mr. Guide suddenly spoke.
[Even though the progress is slow as a snail, your movement technique is still progressing bit by bit. But you cannot lag behind in other combat skills.
So, I am assigning a new training method to you.]
Viswa nodded and listened intently.
[The strength of the beasts in this forest is perfect for you. So, from now on you will focus on not only fighting them to simulate your potential, you will use that battle to increase your skills.
Your proficiency in knife skills is higher which is suitable for close combat. So, we will start with that till you get used to it.]
"So, what should I do Mr. Guide?"
[You use that stone knife of yours that was sculpted last night in the next fight. No matter what opponent you face, you have to fight it with your knife and you can only use the most basic of knife skills. Stab.
You cannot slash with your knife, you cannot block with it, you cannot slash with it.
All you can do is stab with it. That too in a forehanded grip. You cannot use any other grips like backhanded or ice pick. You understand me?]
Viswa was dumbfounded. He remembered the fight he had with that fox. If he couldn't use everything he had, he wouldn't have been able to escape it at all.
"What about my defense?"
[Simple, use your movement technique. Dodge. If you cannot defeat the opponent with your stab today, just run away from them. But if you use anything other than stab, I will shock you until your remaining two brain cells are dead.]
With that, Mr. Guide disappeared. Not bothering to listen to Viswa's pleas.
Viswa sighed and picked up his things.
Because of the fox's attacks, he couldn't carry much meat and he even lost some of his water along with his clothes and knife.
He only had the stone knife, some meat, and some medicine and pills he brought, along with the two very small knives he carved out of the fangs of that boar.
These knives are way too small though. But they could still be used for contingencies in a dire state.
He picked up his things and started looking for some traces around.
He prepared a plan beforehand. The thing he is looking for is a water source.
A stream, lake, pond. As long as there is a sizeable water source, it would be fine for him.
And the best way to find a water source is by tracing the footsteps of the nearby beasts. Animals always have an area they stay and that would be not too far from the water source.
Not too long after, he found some feces nearby and after searching around a bit, he found the footsteps that looked like they are made by a hooved animal. He followed his footsteps for twenty minutes before he reached the water source.
It is a large lake.
He was pleasantly surprised when he saw a hedgehog currently drinking water. It is not a big beast, but definitely bigger than a normal hedgehog.
Viswa hid himself and watched as the hedgehog finished drinking the water and moved toward the forest. He followed behind it closely.
The hedgehog is giving him a sense of threat, but it is nowhere near the level of the fox or the boar. It is dangerous but not to the extent of killing him. But it is fast.
Viswa had to run very fast to keep up with it. After around ten minutes, he saw the hedgehog stopping somewhere as it sniffed around. It seems like it is searching for something.
Viswa took this chance and decided to go and catch it off, guard.
He slowly sneaked up on it with his stone knife in his hand.
*snap*
As he neared the hedgehog, he stepped on a small twig that snapped. The hedgehog raised its head and all of its spikes stood erect before they were released.
Viswa was stunned as he looked at dozens of spikes flying everywhere. He saw four to five of them coming at him straight. He felt a chill as he hurriedly dodged. He instinctively wanted to raise his knife to block the spike that was coming at his face.
But he remembered what Mr. Guide told him and gritted his teeth before using his hand directly to block the attack.
"Argggh"
He groaned in pain, he didn't dare to waste his time. He ran after the hedgehog which already is trying to run away. Viswa used his spiritual energy and it enhanced his already existing speed.
Within no time, he caught up with the hedgehog and lunged forward.
He shot himself like an arrow and used his stone knife to stab it in its back.
The hedgehog was stabbed on its back. Viswa couldn't feel that the stab went through properly. The hit was clean, but the back is too thick for him to do much.
Viswa looked pulled the knife out hurriedly as the hog struggled. He didn't dare lose his knife on its back. He could imagine how much fun the suit-wearing snob will have while torturing him with electric shocks.
The hog struggled and it still tried to escape. Viswa didn't want to let it go. He jumped once again and stabbed it. He tried to stab it in the same spot as before. But he missed and the knife landed nearby.
The hog finally stopped running. It looked at Viswa with its teeth bare.
It started circulating the spiritual energy and then only Viswa noticed that on the back of the hedgehog, the spikes are slowly growing.
Even though the spikes are not long enough to attack him, they are discernible. The more energy it is using, the longer the spikes are growing.
Viswa hurried forward.
He didn't want to wait any longer.
The opening he created with those two stabs, cannot be lost.
Viswa jumped forward. The hedgehog targeted Viswa's legs. Even though the hog is as big as a wolf from back on earth, it is still very short for Viswa. They are not on the same eye level.
Viswa bent forward and hurriedly pressed forward on the head of the hedgehog that rushed towards his leg. Viswa's legs slid backward due to the force of the impact. He then continuously stabbed in the eyes of the hedgehog.
One stab after another. Within a second, he stabbed four times. The hedgehog stopped moving/
Viswa heaved a sigh and knelt on the ground. It is easier than the boar. That is for sure.
He cut open the neck and let the hog bleed out before skinning it carefully. He left the guts there, but for the back leader of the hedgehog, he kept it.
It is a good material.
He collected the meat and walked towards the water source and then moved to the temporary camp he had created the night before.
He now had water and food. Of course, he lost 3 Karma Points.
He then took out a notebook and he wrote the notes about the battles he had until then. Along with the notes about the layout of the forest. He knew that he would be spending a lot of time for the next few months.
So, he decided that it would be better for him to do thorough research on this forest.
He cataloged the layout, flora, and distinct features of the environments, as well as the beasts that he interacted with.
This will help with his reconnaissance skills to.
After doing all that and recovering his energy, Viswa sharpened his stone knife once again before he went on to search for his next opponent.
For the whole day, he just fought with his knife. Only using stab. He fought with another two boars and then came across some goats.
The fights were harder when he is fighting with the boars. But he also understood how a stab can be used from various angles. Different levels of force and speed would make a lot of difference.
With great timing and precision. A single stab is a game-changer.
That day and the next. That is all that Viswa did. Stab the animals to their deaths in long-drawn and exhaustive fights.
After that, Mr. Guide came back and changed the way he fought.
Now, for the next two days, all he can do is use a slash of the knife. He cannot stab or block with the knife.
But Viswa didn't mind. He understood the point of this exercise. Most of the beasts are something he could take care of. So, it is better for him to practice each individual skill in such a space rather than do it in a much more dangerous environment.
Time passed.
After another two days, Viswa was asked to use a different method. And this time it is much more difficult than before. Because he has to use only a jab.
No even his arm. But just one jab which is a very difficult thing to do. After all, there is only so much power he can pack into a jab. If he has to make a decisive blow he has to use spiritual energy in his jab and land the punch in a sensitive and delicate area.
This time, the battles were much longer than before. He went and looked for another boar to fight because he is not confident fighting smaller creatures with just a jab. They are way too agile and he has to get used to throwing a jab in much more unusual angles.
Which he is obviously not familiar with at the moment.
But soon, he started getting used to it.
Another two days later.
It is the seventh day since Viswa arrived in the forest. It has been a great improvement and an even greater experience. But he ran out of all his pills and medicines. He needs to restock them so that his cultivation wouldn't stagnate.
He decided to go back. Of course, he has to pack all the spoils he gained from the forest.
Right now, he has some good quality spiritual beast meat, some leathers and pelts and even some herbs that he grabbed from the beasts he killed.
Viswa opened his system to check how far he has come.
[STATUS
NAME: VISWA
CULTIVATION LEVEL: ELEMENTARY LEVEL INITIAL STAGE (68%)
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE: EARTH-STYLE ASSIMILATION TECHNIQUE
ATTRIBUTES
SKILLS
MISSIONS
ACHIEVEMENTS
SHOP
KARMA POINTS: 146
TICKETS: 0]
[ ATTRIBUTES
STRENGTH: 70
AGILITY: 66
STAMINA: 70
COMPREHENSION: 38
WILL: 51
SPIRITUAL ENERGY: 68/100]
[SKILLS
BASIC HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT- 18%
BASIC PUNCHING- 12%
BASIC KNIFE SKILLS- 24%
BASIC SHOOTING SKILLS- 15%
BASIC CLIMBING SKILLS- 20%
BASIC RECONNAISSANCE SKILLS- 15%
BASIC COOKING SKILLS- 10%
BASIC DIGGING SKILLS- 28%
BASIC SCULPTING SKILLS- 22%
BASIC MOVEMENT SKILLS- 18%]
His stats increased significantly. It matched his growth in the first week of his training. And a new skill was created. Basic Punching. He remembered that Mr. Guide told him that punching, kicking and other skills would also be unbundled from the hand-to-hand combat.
With his usage of only jabs, he finally got an understanding of how this happens.
He decided to go back to the academy, collect his resources and come back.
His momentum is good and he could just react the 100% proficiency in his cultivation technique in two to three weeks.
He walked with a skip in his step. Viswa is really happy with the progress.
"From what I heard, it would take at least half a year for someone to go to Circle 2 from Circle 1. That is considered above average and even the geniuses took more than three months.
Even if I take three more weeks, it would still be only a little more than a month.
There might not be anyone at the age of 15 stronger than me."
[Seems like you like boasting and dreaming a lot.]
All of a sudden Mr. Guide came out of nowhere and commented.
"I mean, my progress is indeed faster than the norm here. Don't you agree?"
Mr. Guide stayed silent for a moment and said.
[For your next sculpting project, pick a large rock and start sculpting stairs.]
"Stairs? Why?"
[You need some to reach your high expectations of yourself. That is the only way you can reach them after all.]
With those words, Mr. Guide left. Viswa just stood there with his mouth wide open.
He is frustrated, but he couldn't say anything.
He just walked forward while grumbling.
At this moment, he suddenly felt a sense of threat.
He hurriedly ducked forward. A sword went past his head from behind.
Viswa dropped his bag and hurriedly stood up before throwing a jab.
A person wearing a black dress dodged his attack and stood there with a rapier in his hands.
Viswa frowned and took a boxing stance as he got ready to fight.
"Who the hell are you?"
Viswa asked. His opponent is completely covered in black and even his face is covered with a black mask.