[Author's Note: Sorry if this one's short, I'll try to make it longer next time.
PS: Sorry if this came out later than I promised. My family found out about my writing passion and they really hate it, but that's not stopping me. However, updates will be slower than what I promised but I'll still continue updating.]
The next afternoon afterschool, I waited out in the court yard. It wasn't long until Luna came rushing toward me.
"S-s-sorry I'm late!"
"Don't be, just arrived myself."
"I-I see."
Yeesh, this conversation sounds like something straight out of a third-rate romance novel.
The awkward silence is really getting to me, I should break it up somehow.
"Let's go."
"O-Okay."
...
Once again, I am reminded of how lacking both my social skills and circle are.
Why didn't we meet up in the Arena or on the outskirts?
That's because the Arena is used only for official or mock duels/team battles. Unless we were fighting against another team, we can't use that for practice. The Academy does provide gyms and other faculties for students and staff to use to hone their skills, but I highly doubt we'd be warmly received in those public facilities. A girl cursed by the heavens and a foreign race everyone holds some prejudice against, need I say more?
As for the outskirts where the old man's makeshift gym is at?
Despite being called an Academy, the entire area Babylonia Academy controls is on the same scale as a city-state. By the time we reach the exit on foot, several hours would have flown by and even more would've been wasted coming back.
Even if we borrowed some horses, the Sir Charles already took apart the gym. Something about nothing have a permit
Luckily, before I met the Beastgirl walking beside me, I found a nice spot where we can train undisturbed.
After a couple minutes of walking through a path of annoying undergrowth I should really clear out. We made it to the spot I prepared.
"Tah-dah! Feast your eyes on this!"
A worn-down warehouse looking like it could collapse at any moment.
Beside the warehouse is a makeshift field I created by cutting away all the teeming shrubbery and undergrowth.
I walked in set up some wood dummies here or there. I didn't bring out the iron dummies or the ones made of special material like adamantine. Let's be real, unless you're a martial arts master, those things are impossible to break with bare hands.
I randomly grabbed a wooden dummy leaned against some weights and lugged it behind me.
"Alright, go ahead and punch them."
The Beastgirl looked at the dummies uncertainly and then turned toward me asking.
"Um, you won't be mad if they break?"
"Break?"
Please, don't look down on those dummies. Without Reinforcing my body, the most I can do is to cause it to splinter, and it hurts like hell. Trust me, kneed it in the crotch and let's just say it wasn't pretty.
Luckily, I got immediately treated by Charles, otherwise my mobility will be severely hampered during the duel with Florence. Wonder how that annoying Drill Head is doing. Hopefully I never have to see her sorry
Right, breaking dummies.
"Go full throttle on them if you like. Just try not to get any woodchips stuck in your body. I only have some disinfectant and bandages. Ran out of potions a day or two ago."
By potions, I mean those dangerously addictive/delicious Golden Apples. Seriously, the next time I meet the old man, I have to ask him for some.
"O-o-okay."
Luna jogged over toward one of the dummies and got into a fighting stance, she nervously bounced back and forth on the tips of her feet and did a few arm stretches.
After hyping herself up, she winded her arm back like a boxer several times.
From what I see so far, not bad. Definitely learned some martial arts from a professional.
But learning and putting knowledge into practice are two completely different things.
A sheltered noble might be taught their families best secret techniques, but when thrown into the wild and met face-to-face with a monster, they'll wet their pants and die in an instant.
On the other hand, a veteran soldier or mercenary may not have had the best education, but their experience on the field allows them to calmly assess the situation and find a way to either kill or escape the monster.
It's a bit to soon to fully judge her capabilities based on a stance and few exercises alone, let's see how she deals with the dummy.
She did a quick jab.
The moment her fist made contact with the chest of the wooden dummy-
*Bof!*
*CRACK-POOF!*
The dummy splintered into several thousand shards.
...
I forgot how the Beastpeople are famed for their physical strength.
If I was shocked from seeing only one dummy blown up with a single punch, then I'll be thoroughly electrocuted by what I saw next.
*Bam!*
*Pow!*
*Smash!*
*CRACK-POOF!*
*CRACK-POOF!*
*CRACK-POOF!*
With each successive hit, a dummy would explode into a shower of wood shards and splinters. She kept hitting until not a single wood dummy remained.
...
What in Vera's name!?! It took me an entire day to carve those out! And she destroyed all of them in less than a minute!?! You must be joking!
Seeing firsthand how she obliterated the wood dummy, I decided to bring out the iron ones out.
...
*Bang!*
*Bam!*
*Pow!*
Unlike last time, instead of shattering, dents formed with each punch. Might I add, without using any magic whatsoever.
Oh, and she's-
*Bof!*
Still punching them.
A few minutes later, lying all over the field are several heaps of metal bearing little resemblance to the humanoid forms they originally had.
...
This is utter lunacy! What sort of person can dent iron with their bare hands!?
What sort drugs did she take to obtain such gorilla-like strength!?
Alright, so she can shatter wood and dent iron, but those are all stationary targets. How would she fare against an actual person who can dodge and fight back?
"Hey! Luna! You can stop now!"
The silver-haired Beastgirl stopped her abuse of the metal scrap heaps and looked to me for further instruction.
"How about you and I have a go at each other?"
Luna became extremely flustered, by my suggestion.
"I-i-impossible! H-how can I possibly try to punch you!?!"
Man, this girl really needs to work on her confidence.
"Look, it's just a little spar, I can take anything you throw at me."
"O-okay! Here I go!"
I barely had time to blink before I raise my sword from pure instinct.
*Clank!*
A fist struck my sword,
What the hell!?!
By Vera's name! This brings back memories of the troll! Not pleasant nostalgic ones, but ones that make me have PTSD!
Of course I didn't say what I thought out loud.
"Not bad, but it'll take more than that to take me down."
...
Uh, hello? Isn't this the part where you stutter and get embarrassed from being praised?
I took a close look at her face and immediately regretted it.
Outwardly, she still looks the same.
Same silver hair, fluffy tail and lean physique.
However, her eyes.
Shivers went down my spine as I look into them.
They weren't the same under-confident and teary eyes from before.
No, they're much more fierce, cold, predatory.
Like a wolf hunting its prey.
In my lapse of inattention pondering Luna's eyes.
The aforementioned person took advantage of my distracted state and unleashed a flurry of blows.
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
I told her to pull back her punches, but this is ridiculous!
If this is a light strike, then what sort of power does she display when she's serious!?
Thank goodness I snagged one of the weapons from Charles' armory! Otherwise my blade would've shattered already.
Fortunately, weapons and training gear aren't all I've taken from the old man. Thanks to his teachings, my body is stronger than ever! All I have to do is outlast her until she throws in the towel.
--------------------------------------
Damnit! How is she still at it!? It's nearly been ten minutes!
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
Damnit!?! When will she stop!?! I'm barely hanging on!
The only thing I haven't done is throw in the towel myself. It hurts my pride to admit this, but she's beyond what I can handle.
"*Pant! Pant! Pant!*
Let's- *Pant!* stop- *Pant!* here- *Pant!* for now."
Against all odds, my surrender seemed to have worked as Luna's formerly fierce predatory eyes returned back to being nervous and slightly weepy.
"U-uh, alright."
Trying to put up with appearances, I used what remaining strength I had left in my legs to hobble over to an overturned crate. Upon reaching it, I unceremoniously plop myself down and use it as a makeshift seat.
"How are you doing Luna?"
"O-oh, I'm alright!"
Looking closely, I didn't see a single drop of water on her skin.
Ignorant of what I'm asking Luna asked.
"Um, s-s-so..."
Her fluffy ears and tail twitched nervously as she spoke. Seriously, she needs to work on that low self-esteem of hers.
"Did I do good?"
Do good?
Are you pulling my leg!?! You nearly killed me!
Instead of saying what I'm actually thinking, I said.
"Welcome to the team."