"Interesting... You managed to send my cousin unconscious in one punch."
"So what? You want to be the second to that?"
Lifting his head slowly, Thawne kept his composure steady. The lad before him was not as simple as the one he punched, and a sense of uncertainty hung around him.
Woodlock knew heading into battles without assessing the opponent would result in failure. One of the orders and norms followed by Knights of Valor.
Rather than employing flashy clothes to show his nobility, Draven preferred to be more practical. His dark tousled hair and deep-set brown eyes reflected a mixture of determination and mischief.
A dark tunic and trousers were what he wore for easy movement, and a leather belt hung around his waist. Holding a small dagger within the belt, it showed his budding interest in combat.
"Why don't you face off against me then?", Draven sighed.
Thawne was starstruck by the lad's calm demeanor, making his previous actions feel childish. The fact lay that he was rather older than the kids who stood before him, however, that seemed invisible in his actions.
*If he wants to get thrashed, I will just beat him up into a pulp. Wouldn't that be so simple? After all, I defeated a dreadmourn, compared with these buffoons I'm leagues above. *, Thawne pondered.
"Come at me. Wouldn't hurt to dip my fists into your face too."
In his attempt to leap in for the strike, Thawne paused and raised his hand. He felt rather calm in the current battle and confronted Draven with a smirk on his face.
"Shouldn't we add a prize for this? It would be dull to simply fight with no riches, I mean purpose. Yes, there must be a purpose for this fight. Thawne affirmed.
"Purpose? If it is within my power, I would surely approve of it.", Draven shrugged.
*As expected of a noble. A piggy bank to plunder, he took the bait!!*
"The loser becomes the servant of the victor. Since you are so certain of winning, this shouldn't be a problem right?", Thawne chuckled.
Draven sighed in seeing the brave attempt of Thawne, against a noble nonetheless. However that was what grew his interest in Thawne even more, and with a nod he accepted.
Woodlock on the other hand, solely did this in order to gain funds for the Knight school admission. Entering was the hard stage of the knight school, and living was even harder.
The cost of items within the school was prized highly. Hence you would have to gain more credits from expeditions or scores from tests to live a calm and clean life.
However, that is easier said than done. Having a piggy bank like the young mister would increase his chances of living comfortably while training. It was the perfect life he wished for.
Flashback….
A few years ago.
"Master, why do I have to train so hard? It's not like we are going to die tomorrow, ugh."
Falling on the ground after completing a set of pushups, Thawne dropped in the towel. He had accumulated too much fatigue and was a bit lazy from constantly building muscle.
Shen sat on a lazy chair in the corner and frowned at the thought of it. The child had no idea how tough the reps and drills within the Knight Academy were, and this was slightly on par with those.
"Pick up the dumbbells before I double them up, brat. After crying at my door in the hopes of becoming a knight, you are now complaining? Shameless bastard."
"If you want to take the easy path to survive within a Knight school, make a noble your servant. They are individuals who can buy their lives of anything, and with that living becomes easier."
"So if you want that lazy life on your quest to knighthood, make a noble your servant. Not just any noble, but those of a richer standard!!", Shen affirmed.
Making a noble the servant of a commoner was nearly impossible, and Shen believed so. However, Thawne only thought of a way to make it happen.
...….
"Time to get a noble piggy bank Hehehe, Hahahaha", Thawne laughed crazily.
Draven took a battle stance to sprint and drove his body in pace towards Thawne. The lad saw a punch driving relentlessly at his jaw, and in instinct, he parried it swiftly to the right.
However that was only a feint, and in a strong burst of power, Draven struck through Thawne's lower abdomen in strength. The injuries weren't completely healed, and a successive blow spurred a drenching pain through Thawne's body.
Baam!!
Thawne was thrown off his stead a few meters away, and in a staggering motion, he rose again. His arms rose in defense, as a sense of nostalgia gave him goosebumps.
*This guy is a beast. I can't even see the strikes coming! *, he grinned.
Draven sprinted once again towards Thawne, and with a kick he pressed on. However, in another feint, Draven changed the trajectory of his strikes and drove his feet higher for a downward strike.
"Just how…"
"Because I am a prodigy! "he chuckled.
Thump!!
"Huh…."
Thawne had reacted in time and blocked the strike from dazing him. Aiming at his temple, the deadly strike sought an end to the facade, yet Woodlock wasn't giving up easily on his gold mine.
He pushed away the kick and bent for a direct punch. Draven couldn't react early enough, and the strike drove through his ribs in strength.
Thwack!!!
"Ack… it felt like I hit a metal. Just what is that guy's body made of?", Thawne complained.
Draven had been drawn back a few meters, and as such he held his abdomen in pain. The punch was strong enough to inflict a major injury on him, and his obsession with Thawne grew by the minute.
"If not for my quick reaction in condensing mana at the area of impact, I would have been a goner. I truly recognize your abilities, and as such I offer my apologies for belittling you. Let's go all out.", Draven smiled.
"Did he just say all out? So he was playing all this while?" Thawne stuttered.
"In Athena's name, I call the light, wisdom, and strength to guide my fight. With courage fierce, my heart shall rise, a beacon bright beneath the skies.", Draven incanted.
A bright light shone around him, and the ground beneath cracked from the weight of the aura. Thawne stood in fright as the pressure heightened, and Draven rose drifted his feet in a battle stance.
"Innate skill, Athena's Aegis!!"
"Crazy bastard!! Do you want to kill me!!"