RE:volt! Chapter 20: Hand to Hand Combat
Sitting on his cot, Ark's jaw clenched, his mind in turmoil as he processed everything Jasper had said.
"Watcha thinkin about?" Nine asked, the girl in Ark's face with her blue eyes staring at him widely.
"Nothing. Go away." Ark said, focusing on the icon and opening his spellbook.
[SPELLBOOK LvL 1]
[T1: 3/3]
[EXP: 5/100]
[SPELL PAGES AVAILABLE: 1]
Bastard… I wish you were here so I could strangle you. Ark grimaced to himself, his hands balling into fists.
"Why you so angy all the time?" Nine asked, both hands poking each of Ark's cheek. "Come on! Smile smilesmile smile-"
"Enough!" Ark snapped, batting her hands away. "Why are you so happy all the damn time?!"
Without missing a beat Nine smiled. "Because it makes the pain go away."
Ark blinked. "What?"
"Boop!" Nine giggled, poking Ark on the nose and prancing off before he could process what had been said.
"ON YOUR FEET! ON YOUR FEET!"
The door of their barracks suddenly burst open, followed by helpers screaming, yelling, ordering everyone to their feet.
Ark and the rest of the combat thralls stood to their feet before they were quickly marched out, delivered to the training field where they began grabbing painted rocks from a basket.
Looks like today is independent training. Ark thought to himself as he looked down at his rock.
Seven.
The number painted on the stone. He glanced at the other slaves, one of which would be his sparring partner.
The others split off, each slave looking for their sparring partner and showing their rocks to one another.
It wasn't long before Ark found his partner.
The red-haired boy. The alpha of the group.
The teenager looked Ark up and down, frowning to himself as he stretched his neck. From the side, the girl known as Thirty-Four looked at the pair but said nothing as she paired up against another kid.
"I won't go easy on you. Six two six." The boy said.
Neither will I. Ark said to himself. He smiled inwardly, eyeing his welcome back present.
The boy was considered the strongest of the group. The alpha along with his sister Thirty-Four.
Here Ark could see his way in, his path to garnering interest and support with the group who didn't want anything to do with Ark.
While the boy was a whole head taller than Ark and possessed thicker muscles, Ark had one thing the kid didn't.
Experience.
Ark smiled, needing a stress reliever before he and the rest of the slaves stood to the side, waiting for their turns to be called up as Knight Bruno walked into the arena
The knight paused at the center of the sand pit, sweeping his gaze across everyone with his metal boots kicking at the sand.
"Alright. What the fuck you all waiting for?" Bruno called out before cocking his head to the side. "Group one, get up here."
The knight walked off as Thirty-Four and a little girl walked out of the line to stand where Bruno once stood.
Thirty-Four towered over the small girl, her eyes focused on her fellow slave as she waited for the signal.
"Go!" Bruno called out, the knight leaning on a nearby wall.
Immediately the little girl ran forward, attempting to go for a tackle only to flinch as Thirty-Four raised her fist.
This was a mistake, one that Thirty-Four capitalized on and grabbed the girl's head, kneeing the child in the face.
Thirty-Four wasted no time as the girl reeled back. With a well placed kick in the stomach, the child landed in the dirt, squirming around in pain as the red-haired lifted her foot up to-
"ENOUGH!" Bruno barked, halting Thirty-Four's foot that was mere inches from stomping down on the crying girl.
The knight walked to the center of the pit.
"Get up." Bruno ordered, pushing Thirty-Four back. "Did you hear me you scrawny brat? I SAID GET UP!"
Quickly, the girl rose to her feet, her hands peeling away from her broken nose to stand at attention despite the tears flowing from her face.
"Do you know what you did wrong?" Bruno asked, circling the pair with his armor clinking with every movement.
Both slaves kept their heads down, eyes staring at the sand where blood began to pool.
"You aimed for the waist with the intent of knocking your opponent to the ground." Bruno said, placing his armored palm on the top of the sobbing girl's head who was trying her best to keep her crying eyes open. "A commendable effort, but this was a mistake."
Bruno turned his gaze to the crowd.
"You attacked an opponent that was bigger, stronger, and faster than you. Starting this fight off at a disadvantage. Then you hesitated." Bruno said, grabbing the girl by the back of her neck. She tensed up, tears still flowing.
"Never hesitate." Bruno hissed. "NEVER HESITATE!"
At the man's roar, the crowd of slaves tensed up. Well, everyone but Ark.
"If you're going to attack a stronger opponent, you have to go hard. You have to go fast. Don't relent, don't stop, Keep. Attacking." Bruno said. "Your aggression must be at its peak if you want to survive."
Bruno clapped his hands.
"Now! Let's discuss tactics."
One by one the slaves fought, after each fight, Bruno would come up, explaining and breaking down the tactics used. Despite being an utter piece of shit, the man was earnest in his endeavor to teach. Giving sound advice and suggestions on how to fight and win.
Finally, it was Ark's turn.
He walked to the center of the pit, standing parallel with the red-haired boy, the teenager staring smugly at him.
"Go!" Bruno barked.
Yet Ark didn't. He stared at the teenager, eyes focused.
"Whatever," The redhead said, rubbing his nose before walking up to Ark.
He threw a haymaker, attempting to end the fight in one blow. Yet he didn't account that this was what Ark wanted.
Ark ducked, cleanly avoiding the swing and throwing his own uppercut toward the redhead's most vulnerable spot.
His crotch.
The redhead's eyes bulged with his body reflexively lowering, allowing Ark to stand up and deliver a headbutt with the top of his head that sent the teen back.
Without wasting a moment, Ark jumped, throwing both legs out and kicking the teen in the stomach with both kids landing in the dirt.
Ark rolled to his feet as the teen did as well, however Ark was faster, and shot forward, delivering a savage punch to the teen's face.
Thirty-Three hit the sand on all fours, letting out a roar and spinning to try and face Ark but being rewarded with a kick in the jaw instead.
Much to Ark's surprise, the boy wasn't out, he reeled forward and sprung up, using his weight to push Ark off balance where he began to throw punches.
Ark kept his eyes forced open, staring at the redhead despite being punched. Ark reached out, grabbing a handful of sand and shutting his eyes before throwing it into the teen's face.
"Gah!" The teen spat before Ark seized the opportunity. He clapped the boy's head, his palms cupping the redhead's ears before punching the kid in the jaw and then twisting his body.
Ark was now atop the teen, delivering his own punches as the redhead recoiled from his nose being broken.
"ENOUGH!"
Despite the order, Ark didn't stop, his fists still punching, rage flowing through his body.
"SIX TWO SIX!"
Ark let out a roar, his pent up emotions coming out as he kept striking the redheaded teen.
"ENOUGH!"
Suddenly Ark was sent flying from the force of a boot striking his ribs.
Ark rolled, getting to his feet with a snarl where he prepared to pounce.
"Stop you monkey."
Every muscle in Ark's body came to a halt as he nearly made a fatal mistake.
Attacking the man in armor.
"Sir!" Ark immediately stood to attention, attempting to placate the man who threw Ark to the ground.
"When!" Bruno spat, punching Ark.
"I tell you!"
Punch.
"To stop!"
Punch.
"YOU FUCKING!"
Punch.
"DO!"
Punch.
"WHAT!"
Punch
"I TELL YOU TO DO!" Bruno roared, leaving Ark curled up bloody and bruised in the dirt before standing back, out of breath and huffing.
"Now!" Bruno spat, clapping his hands as Ark groaned. "Now! Let's talk about what Six-two-six and Thirty-Three did wrong and right!"