As Marcus relentlessly pressed his attack, Ahiro found himself retreating with each blow, desperately trying to defend against the onslaught. Marcus's attacks were coming from every direction, making it a struggle for Ahiro to even maintain his defensive posture, let alone formulate a counterattack.
With each powerful strike from Marcus, Ahiro was pushed further back, until he felt the unforgiving hardness of a stone block against his back. There was no room left to retreat, and as Marcus prepared to deliver a final pounce, panic began to well up within Ahiro.
In that desperate moment, Ahiro's mind raced. He remembered the countless hours he had spent practicing with his awakened ability, experimenting with its capabilities. Among those experiments, one idea had stood out – the ability to quickly disengage and reengage his protective shield.
A plan formed in his mind. In a split-second decision, Ahiro disengaged his golden shield, his other hand instinctively reaching for his trusted multiknife. With a swift motion, he activated the taser feature on the knife and thrust it toward Marcus.
The surge of electricity caught Marcus completely by surprise. His body convulsed involuntarily as the electrical charge coursed through him, temporarily paralyzing his movements. It was a momentary advantage, but it was all Ahiro needed.
Taking advantage of the shock, Ahiro sprinted toward the denser parts of the forest, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. He needed time to regroup, to plan his next move. In the eerie silence that followed, the forest seemed to close in around him, concealing him from his relentless opponent, at least for now.
As Ahiro retreated into the forest, he knew he had only bought himself a brief respite from Marcus. The electrical shock he had administered would have temporarily incapacitated his opponent, but it was far from a permanent solution. Ahiro needed a plan, and quickly.
He retrieved the sharpened stick he had crafted earlier, an improvised weapon he hoped would give him an edge in the upcoming battle. During his weeks of preparation leading up to this test, Ahiro had struggled with the realization that his awakened ability lacked offensive capabilities. To address this deficiency, he delved into online resources, but in the current times, the content available online is based on age as well as the clearance level, and a small boy of age 12 plus an orphan had only access to basic resources only, especially anything related to violence was basically age-restricted.
But it was here his identity now as an awakened came into play, among the perks of being awakened a perk included his increased area for searching, and he had access to a website specially made for the awakened called WaF (world awakened forum).
It was a site where awakened individuals could trade for resources, showcase their talent, create chat groups, etc. One of its features is Online classes arranged by some professionals meant to impart knowledge.
Thus in search for a solution, Ahiro came across a video titled "Barrier Tactics." In the video, an awakened individual with a similar shield ability demonstrated a technique that intrigued him. The person in the video wielded both a spear and a shield, effectively balancing offense and defense. Intrigued by this technique Ahiro enrolled in his lecture. Ahiro had to use most of his savings to even enroll for this.
In the lecture, they explained how to balance offensive and defensive abilities while using a shield and spear. They also mentioned that this art dates back centuries.
But one of the prerequisites for mastering this technique was reaching Manifestation Stage 2, a level of mastery where an awakened could manifest their ability through different methods. For shield users, this often meant creating a shield without using both hands like using one hand or in some advanced cases, even using no hands at all.
The video provided some insight into the technique ,ways to practice to achieve it. Initially, he struggled with the concept, and even now, he could only maintain the one-handed barrier for a fraction of the time he could sustain his regular two-handed version. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Ahiro was willing to try anything to survive this ordeal.
In the midst of the forest, Ahiro took a deep breath and focused on what he had learned. He needed to buy more time, perfect his newfound skill, and find a way to overcome Marcus's relentless assault. As he gripped the sharpened stick, he knew that his determination would be just as crucial as his training in the battles yet to come.
Marcus's anger had flared into an inferno of frustration and rage. He had not expected such a counterattack from Ahiro, and it had shaken his confidence. He couldn't accept the fact that his prey had fought back, even momentarily.
As Marcus regained his composure, his features still distorted by his fox-like transformation, he sprinted through the forest with predatory grace. His nose, now a canine snout, picked up Ahiro's scent effortlessly, closing the gap between them in no time.
"Is this all you've got, Ahiro?" Marcus snarled, his voice laced with contempt as he approached his prey. "A feeble shield and a wooden stick? You're pathetic!"
Ahiro, on the other hand, had prepared himself for this clash. His one hand stretched forward, ready to manifest his shield, while the other clutched the sharpened stick. As Marcus drew near, Ahiro activated his shield, its golden glow radiating with newfound strength.
Recalling the lessons from the online video, Ahiro adopted a balanced stance, one hand maintaining the protective barrier while the other poised with the makeshift spear. It was time to face Marcus head-on.
With a furious battle cry, Marcus lunged at Ahiro. Ahiro stood his ground, the tension in the air palpable. Marcus taunted him, but Ahiro focused on his training, reminding himself of his newfound abilities.
As Marcus closed in, Ahiro swung his shield with all his might, connecting with Marcus's side and sending him staggering. The force of the blow made Marcus stumble back, but he swiftly regained his footing.
Ahiro didn't relent; he followed up with a quick stab, aiming the sharpened stick at Marcus. But Marcus was nimble, dodging the attack with agility. The fight had intensified, and both combatants were locked in a dance of offense and defense, Ahiro didn't let any opportunity pass by him, he had learned very little and his opponent was much more experienced, in such cases, he was left with an only single choice to not let his opponent make a move.
Marcus, fueled by anger, fought ferociously, but Ahiro had an edge now. With his newfound determination, he had become a formidable for Marcus. The balance of power had shifted, and Marcus couldn't dismiss Ahiro's abilities any longer.
As they clashed in the heart of the forest, it was clear that this battle would determine not only who would gain the upper hand but also the fate of those coveted badges.