As we continue our training for a couple hours I begin to feel more and more relaxed, surprising to say, seeing as if I was a human I would be exhausted at this point. As If being drawn by a mysterious sense Master Shikan moves from the training area to the front of the dojo. There he is met by three fungal monsters carrying a bag full of something wiggling and turning. "Master Shikan, we captured as many as we could." As if amused by the size of the bag Master Shikan turns to me and says "Young one, it's time for a more practical training" reaching into the bag one of the mushrooms pulls out an oversized BUG! The bug has intricate and elaborate patterns, designs, and features on its body, giving it an aesthetically pleasing and decorative appearance.The antennae and legs of the ornate bug also has an ornamental detail to it. the fine hairs, bristles, or delicate spines, adding to the overall ornate appearance. Their eyes have unique patterns and colorations, contributing to their captivating beauty.
I'm expected to fight that thing!? It's just barely bigger than me! Master Shikan, you're making a mistake; I just started martial arts today.
"Come young one you're going to fight this Coleoptera today" What is this some base level test for me, to see what I'm made of or something?
Gathering the attention of everyone in the dojo the monster was brought to the sparing area and in front of me was released. The bug whose focus was on me begins to lunge forward toward me trying to perform a headbut; I narrowly dodge it. Realizing this fight is going to be a tough one I get into a fighting form. I can't let my training go to waste. As the bug passes me I chase after it and perform a jab with all my might into its lower thorax. The shell almost feels like a mid grade plastic neither hard nor soft, but somewhere in between. I leave a dent in the shell of the beast. Screeching bug noises come out of the bug and from what I can tell I made it mad. The Coleoptera turns to me and this time attacks with its front most claws. I take damage from this attack. It hurts too much to not be real, I was thinking this may have been a fever dream up till this point but experiencing my first couple points of damage I can't help but be snapped back into reality. Regaining focus, I use my spore burst to distract it. A plume of smoke emits from my gills pushing back the bug and covering the whole sparing area.
[Spore burst has reached level 2]
I can tell the bug has a hard time traversing through the spores as the spores begin to settle all over the bugs face. It begins to clean off the spore using its front legs. I take this opportunity to charge in at the monster and use the third form of the martial arts I was shown. Leaping in at the monster I drive another strike into its carapace, leaving it feeling dazed. I continue my onslaught delivering another four strikes before it finishes cleaning its eyes. It grabs me with its front claws and rends flesh from my body, this strikes a piercing pain into my mind. Twisting out of its grasp I use my Regenerative Growth skill to start healing up from the damage, trying to completely heal my injuries. This bug looks like it's on its final legs. Leaping at me with its spring-like legs it reaches me in a split second, I guard for the worst and it bounces off my arm, pushing me back in the process. I can't believe I'm actually fighting a monster on equal grounds. I wonder if I can attack it from a distance, as I feel my Hyphae start to move out of my hands into a long whip-like shape. This must be my Hyphae Generation. I reach my arm back and swing it forward, swiping at the monster's head. Leaving it stunned from the action it begins to wobble from side to side. Time to finish this thing off. I lunge at it using the final form of martial arts I was shown and deliver a decisive blow to the monster cracking its carapace on its face open with my accuracy. I see its brains spill out.
[You have defeated a Level 2 Infantile Coleoptera.]
[You have gained XP.]
[You have reached Level 2. One skill point awarded.]
With the battle over there was an awkward still left in the room, no one expected the battle to take on such a form. They must be disappointed that I didn't use only martial arts. Master Shikan looks to me then grabs the bag "This time only Martial arts"
Another one so soon, I'm already mentally tired from the first one. Without a second to catch my breath the second Coleoptera is already at me lunging at my cap with its mandibles. I can't believe they would do this to me. I quickly strike its underside with an uppercut, sending it flying back very minutely. It begins unfolding its wings. No! Not an air battle. It quickly zooms past me and as I turn it is already flying at me with highspeeds, I begin to dodge and as I do it clips me with its wings. Leaving a welt in my stem from behind. There was no time to dodge that one. I can see its next move, as it comes back to me I swing a jab out at it leaving it to fly higher in the air. This one is going to be much more tricky if I can't ground it. An Idea pops up in my mind. I wait in the second form of my martial arts leaving me in a defensive posture. Waiting for its timing I reach out to grab it, missing barely it zooms around at me again. This time I'll get it. As it passes me I barely grab its leg and as I do I use the full weight of my body to yank at it as if performing a judo flip. I cause it to land on its back, seeing the opportunity I jump on top of it. Plumbing it with all my might. Cracking its stomach carapace open and spill its guts out.
[You have defeated a Level 2 Infantile Coleoptera.]
[You have Gained XP.]
"Good now for the last battle." As Master Shikan grabs the last bug he opens up the elytra and breaks its wings off. "We don't need this one flying around." This one looks bigger than the others. This is the last beetle too, the bags empty. As he does that I hurry into the second form. I know this guy is just going to release this bug with no warning like the other ones and as I think that he does… I block the initial rush from the bug diverting its momentum to the ground.
[Skill Acquired Low-tier Fungal Martial Arts]
Finally a martial arts skill. As I think that I begin to feel the gaps in my own martial arts understanding begin to grow shallow. I have to stay focused though. The monster is still alive and kicking. As it begins to lunge at me I preemptively dodge the strike, the bug zooms past me and into another Fungal being. The Fungi quickly grabs it and faces it back at me. Looks like they're definitely not helping me on this one. The Coleoptera springs at me landing a hit into me. This one's definitely going to be tough. I begin to swing at it seeing as it has closed the gap between us. The bug's carapace bends under my strikes. I jump back from it to give myself room to get into another form and make safe distance wary of another attack landing on me. I quickly assume defensive form and wait for its next attack. As it lunges at me with its claws it scrapes off mass from my arms, I can't let that happen again, but it leaves itself open to a counter attack. I begin to jab at it and it dodges, causing me to miss. Stay still little buggy and let me kill you. I move in closer using normal walking movements. Attacking this thing feels so tricky. I switch to the seventh form and swing a huge kick at the monster landing directly on its elytra, cracking it in half. Good. Not stopping the momentum is probably the key to this form. As I finish the kick I begin to ready another blow before it can move. It quickly swipes me with its elytra and claws several times before I manage to cleanly perform a cross to its face and deliver another kick too. Looking like it's on its last legs, it begins to squirm around the room avoiding everything else I mustered to try against it. I ready myself into my second form waiting for the right timing. The beast eventually stops and I find myself lunging in using the strikes from the later forms to suspend its movements any further, breaking four of its six legs. Exhausted, I finally put the thing down.
[You have defeated a Level 4 Infantile Coleoptera.]
[You have gained XP.]
[You have reached Level 3. One skill point awarded.]