The moment I pushed the door to the combat grounds, "Where the hell were you yesterday kid" bellowed instructor Blake. I knew I was forgetting something, I just didn't know what. I heaved a sigh before replying "The club I joined had a trip the day before yesterday, and we only returned yesterday in the afternoon so I couldn't make it".
"Then we'll make up for your absence today" he said with a smirk that sent chills down my spine. "Let's start" he said as he stood up standing a few meters away from me. I jumped towards him aggressively while throwing a jab at his face, he merely tilted his face to avoid it. But I didn't relent, I kicked at his shin only for him to take a step back before his fist battered my gut throwing me to the other side of the arena.
I stood up from the ground, the dull ache from my gut making me wince. I rushed at him again but this time attacked with a round horse kick, he parried my leg but instead of slowing my momentum his hand only served as a foothold for me as I used my second leg to deliver a kick towards his chin, but his awareness was on another level, instead of my leg hitting his chin, what it met was his forearm.
After he blocked my kick I jumped back to create some distance. "You're extra aggressive today what's wrong kid" he spoke in a concerning tone. I didn't answer him but charged at him again, we weaved through attacking, parrying and dodging. "Don't wanna talk huh, it seems I have to beat you to make you" he said.
We continued fighting, I was determined not to lose today, but it's easier said than done, like what he said when he asked me to be his student, he really was a master of myriad number of martial arts, the way he moved dodged and parried just had a different kind of finesse to it but I've also come a long way from when I was a novice, I might not win today, but I'm definitely not losing.
One had to know that he reduced his rank to the same rank as me, that is mid silver but still had the upper hand though not as overwhelming as when he first started teaching me. When he started teaching me, he could end the fight in at most five moves, but now we could go on and on.
"You're making too many wasted movement and taking unnecessary steps" he said as we were fighting. I focused on my footwork reducing my movements to a bare minimum becoming more precise in my body coordination. "Good, but it can't be worked out overnight" he said after he noticed me trying to repair my footwork.
I sent a punch to his face which he parried once again but didn't see my follow up attack as my knee slammed his guts knocking the air out of him. "Hahahaha" he laughed after stabilizing himself. "It's good you're learning never to let your opponent know your next move, never let anyone influence you that sneak attack is not noble as a warrior, I call bullshit, everything is fair in war, but you'll have to do way more than that to have a chance of defeating me" he smirked.
We came at each other again, I tried to read his attacks relying on my instincts, he swung his arm towards my chin, I tried to block it but I felt nothing hit my arm but it was too late as his other arm slammed my chest, it didn't send me flying but it pushed me back a meter.
"Another thing, you think too much, in a fast paced battle, thinking too much will make you slower and more prone to get hit than your opponent, I'm not saying don't think at all but try to tone it down a little and refine your instincts a little" he explained.
Our spar continued for about thirty more minutes before he said "Alright we're stopping here today, you've gotten way better than the past few days in such a short time, I heard what happened during your little trip, anything happen to you specifically?" he asked.
I sighed before explaining my battle with the black robed man in detail including how I 'saw my parents calling to me from above' to how Aurora saved me. "So that's why you're so aggressive today" he said in realization.
"Listen kid every warrior or powerhouse you see has had their own life and death situation, so stop being a wimp thinking about it but instead do something about it, for example growing stronger" he said.
"Um about that, I wanted to consult you on my bloodline, ever since I broke through to mid silver rank, I can't seem to advance at all no matter what I do and how I approach the matter" I explained.
"It's called a bottleneck, it happens once in a while during a bloodline holders journey, but for you this time I'll say it had to do with how quickly you jumped from early to mid silver, don't worry give it some time It'll wear off' he answered.
"You know I don't believe what you said during the first combat class" I said. "What is it that I said that you don't believe?" he asked.
"What you said about in higher ranks that martial arts and techniques are crucial in winning battles, I don't agree with that, instead I believe with pure power nothing matters especially in higher levels" I answered and explained my opinion.
'No matter how I think about it, in the top ranks when someone has more overwhelming power than you, there is no way you can defeat said person just because you practiced some martial arts.
"Hmmm pure power huh, I also agree with you, the higher the ranks the more overwhelming a person's power and strength becomes, the chasm between each ranks becomes bigger and bigger making it impossibly hard to bridge that gap in power for a lower rank.
"Then why did y-". I started to ask but he cut me off. "Got to have attention of every student in my class don't I?" he said with a smirk. "Don't tell me-". "Yeah, it was all bullshit" he said.