The next day dawned bright and early, but Zeke hardly noticed. He tossed and turned in his bed, excitement bubbling just beneath the surface, intertwining with a good dose of nervous energy. He had never really been the adventurous type—more of a stay-at-home, video game-playing kind of kid—but today was different. Today, he was going to become a hunter.
As he threw on his clothes, he couldn't shake the thought of what lay ahead. Would he be swinging swords and battling monsters like the hunters he had seen? Or would he trip over his own feet and end up as the comedic relief?
"Hey, Zeke! You up?" Mia's voice echoed from outside his bedroom door, breaking his train of thought.
"Yeah, I'm coming!" he called back, his heart racing. He grabbed a granola bar from his desk and shoved it into his pocket, knowing he might need some fuel for whatever insanity awaited him.
When he finally made it downstairs, Mia was already waiting for him, her expression a mix of excitement and worry. "Are you really going through with this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Absolutely!" Zeke replied, trying to sound confident. "I'm going to train hard and become the best hunter ever. Just like that girl!"
Mia rolled her eyes. "You mean the one who just fought off a monster like it was a pesky fly?"
"Exactly!" Zeke grinned, imagining himself slicing through the air with a sword.
"Just remember, if you end up in a monster's belly, I'm not coming to rescue you," she teased, stifling a laugh.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Zeke shot back, grinning as he grabbed his backpack and headed for the door.
As they walked toward the designated meeting spot, Zeke couldn't help but feel a mix of anxiety and exhilaration. He imagined the training sessions—sweating, grunting, and mastering the art of monster-slaying. But then, the thought of tripping over his own feet made him chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Mia asked, glancing sideways at him.
"Oh, just picturing myself tripping over my sword and landing face-first in a pile of monster guts," he said, laughing at the absurdity of it. "Talk about first-day blunders!"
Mia snorted. "I can see the headlines now: 'Local Boy Becomes First Hunter to Die by Own Clumsiness!'"
They both burst into laughter, and Zeke felt the weight of his nerves lift a little.
When they reached the training base, Zeke's excitement faltered slightly as he took in the scene. It looked like something out of an action movie, complete with a sprawling courtyard and high wooden training dummies—though a few of them looked suspiciously like they had been through a blender.
"Welcome, recruits!" The tall woman from yesterday appeared, looking even more formidable in her full gear. Her hair was pulled back tightly, and there was a determined glint in her eyes.
"Today, you'll learn the fundamentals of hunting. That means everything from combat techniques to survival skills. And yes, we'll even touch on how to deal with monster guts if you find yourself in that situation," she said, glancing at Zeke with a smirk.
"Oh great," Zeke muttered under his breath, wondering if he could opt out of that part.
"First up, we'll start with some basic exercises to gauge your strength and agility," she continued. "Follow me!"
As they began their warm-up, Zeke quickly realized he was in way over his head. While Mia seemed to breeze through the exercises, Zeke's legs felt like jelly. He dropped to the ground for push-ups and barely managed three before collapsing in a heap.
"Keep going, Zeke! You can do it!" Mia cheered, her voice dripping with encouragement—though Zeke could hear the laughter bubbling beneath it.
"Yeah, keep going," the woman said, her tone teasing. "You don't want to be the first recruit to quit before we even start, do you?"
"Of course not! I'm just… testing the ground! Very important!" Zeke shot back, trying to regain his dignity as he pushed himself back up.
After what felt like an eternity of exercises, they moved on to the more exciting part: weapon training. Zeke's eyes lit up as they were handed wooden swords—far less intimidating than the real deal.
"Now remember," the woman said, demonstrating a basic stance. "Always keep your feet shoulder-width apart—like you're trying to stand on a surfboard. And don't swing wildly. You'll only end up hitting your own foot."
"Noted!" Zeke replied, his excitement bubbling up again. He hefted the wooden sword, feeling its weight, and tried to mimic her stance. However, with his nerves still firing, he felt more like a giraffe on roller skates than a hunter.
"Okay, let's see what you've got!" the woman called out, motioning for them to partner up.
Mia paired with a tall, muscular guy who looked like he had been lifting weights since he was five. Zeke, on the other hand, found himself opposite a girl who looked equally as determined but had a penchant for mischief.
"Ready, Zeke?" she said, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Ready as I'll ever be!" he replied, trying to sound confident, though his legs were still shaking from the workout.
"On three!" she shouted. "One, two—"
Zeke swung his sword awkwardly, missing her entirely and almost losing his balance in the process. The girl sidestepped, laughing, and Zeke stumbled forward, catching himself just before he fell.
"Nice move! Very original!" she teased, smirking.
"Hey, I was just testing your reflexes!" Zeke shot back, attempting to regain his composure.
"Right, because dodging is definitely part of sword training," she laughed, and Zeke couldn't help but chuckle at himself too.
They continued sparring, and slowly, Zeke started to find his rhythm. With each swing, he gained a little more confidence, though it was clear he was no natural.
As they moved through the motions, Zeke's partner decided to up the ante. "Let's see how you handle this!" she said, lunging at him with surprising speed.
Zeke panicked and swung wildly, accidentally knocking her sword out of her hands. It flew through the air and landed with a loud thud—right on the training dummy behind him, which then teetered and fell over, sending a nearby barrel rolling.
"Whoa!" Zeke exclaimed, stumbling back as the barrel rolled toward him.
"Nice job, Zeke! You just took out the dummy!" Mia called out, barely containing her laughter.
"Yeah, well, I'm just trying to help with the clean-up!" Zeke replied, feeling embarrassment creep up his cheeks.
Finally, the training session came to an end, and everyone gathered around the woman for a final word.
"Great work today, everyone! Remember, hunting isn't just about physical strength. It's about strategy, teamwork, and of course, a little bit of humor when things go wrong." She shot Zeke a knowing look, and he laughed sheepishly, earning a few chuckles from his peers.
"Tomorrow, we'll be diving deeper into combat techniques and strategy. Be prepared for a lot more action—and maybe a few more dummies to knock over," she added with a grin.
As everyone began to disperse, Zeke turned to Mia. "So, what do you think? Did I impress you?"
Mia grinned widely. "You were… something, that's for sure! But I have to admit, you might want to work on your aiming skills before facing any real monsters."
"Thanks for the encouragement!" Zeke shot back, rolling his eyes. "I'll consider it my special training regimen: how to clear the battlefield by sheer clumsiness!"
They both laughed as they made their way out of the training area, Zeke feeling lighter than he had in ages. Despite the challenges, he had taken the first step into a new world, one filled with danger, excitement, and a whole lot of room for improvement.
As they walked home, Zeke couldn't shake the feeling of thrill that coursed through him. He knew he wasn't perfect—far from it—but he was on his way. And that was enough.
"Tomorrow's another day!" he declared, raising his wooden sword triumphantly, narrowly avoiding bumping into a lamppost.
"Just try not to take out the city while you're at it!" Mia called out, laughing as Zeke dodged the obstacle.
With that, Zeke felt a fresh wave of determination wash over him. He was ready for whatever came next, even if it meant a little more clumsiness along the way.
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**End of Chapter 2**