Chapter 8: Spar
Kiara entered the building, arriving before a huge hall. Most of the awakened individuals were scattered around the hall having light conversations with each other.
Different murmurings entered Kiara's ears as she glanced around the hallway. She was from an influential background similar to Lucian and Zeph so it was a given that her appearance would attract attention. Especially considering her beauty, she was truly breathtaking.
Hmm…Where are those idiots? Kiara murmured, noticing their absence. Both Lucian and Zeph weren't present inside the hallway. It seemed they were somewhere else.
She asked around about them, learning about their whereabouts from the people around her.
Her eyes narrowed down upon hearing the latter's answers. What do you mean by 'Spar'? Are those allowed here? She inquired curious.
—
A few minutes earlier,
Zeph arrived before the hall with a huge smile plastered on his face. He glanced around, noticing Lucian near the corner of the hall. Lucian was having a light conversation with other awakened individuals.
Zeph approached Lucian announcing his successful awakening.
Congratulations. Lucian replied with a smile. He felt increasingly happy for his best friend and hoped Kiara would bring in good news too.
Ah..It seems Kiara has lost the bet. Lucian smirked. He just acquired a beautiful assistant for a day for free.
She's probably cursing at her luck right now.
Zeph laughed heartily hearing Lucian's response. Her contorted expression was still fresh in his mind.
They joked around for a while and passed their time. Although Zeph got bored out pretty quickly.
yawn~
The instructor had specifically mentioned that further information would be provided after the Awakening ceremony was over. Sadly, There were a lot of participants so it might take the whole day.
Hey Lucian.
Hmm?
How about we spar with eachother? Zeph inquired.
Lucian hearing his request had a thoughtful expression on his face. He wasn't against sparring since he was also itching to test out his newfound strength.
Let's ask the instructor. He replied, gaining a nod from Zeph.
They approached an instructor who stood near the entrance door with a stern gaze. Instructors were roaming around the hall, carefully monitoring everyone to prevent any conflicts.
The instructor listened to their request and contemplated for a while.
Hmm…You can spar but not here. Follow me. He replied.
It was not the first time someone requested a spar and Sparring wasn't against the rules either. Sparring was allowed under the supervision of an instructor in case of any emergency.
Zeph's face brightened upon hearing the response while Lucian just calmly nodded his head. They followed the instructor for a while before reaching a training facility.
It seems this training facility was created underground. Lucian inwardly thought, glancing around.
The space inside was massive and various runes were etched all over the room including walls, floor, and roof.
He had seen similar runes in his father's training facility. These runes were mainly for reinforcement, enhancement, and self-healing. They were quite costly to set up and manage.
Runes engraving were mostly performed by Runesmiths. Runesmiths were talented individuals who studied various runes and their usage. They were similar to cosmologers but also different. Cosmologers studied mana itself while Runesmiths studied a physical manifestation of mana aka runes.
You can freely spar here. The instructor announced.
Lucian and Zeph stood next to each other, exchanging stares. They had drawn their weapons out, holding them in a battle stance.
Lucian was holding a wooden katana in his right hand while Zeph was holding a wooden greatsword. They were given wooden weapons by the instructor.
Zeph's touring figure of nearing 6'5 feet tall holding a 1.5-meter long greatsword appeared wild and menacing whereas Lucian's 6 feet tall physique matched with a 60-centimeter-long katana appeared calm and peaceful.
swish
Zeph dashed towards Lucian with incredible speed while holding the greatsword with his bare hands. He performed a horizontal slash trying to knock him down in one shot.
Lucian however swiftly ducked down, dodging the incoming slash. He clenched his sword tightly and pushed forward towards Zeph's abdomen.
ding
A dull sound echoed as Lucian's sword tip clashed with Zeph's greatsword. Right when the tip was about to hit his abdomen, Zeph had successfully twisted his sword slightly blocking the attack.
You've gotten stronger. Lucian commented, feeling the weight of his sword.
His attack was to the point and precise but Zeph easily blocked it. It meant Zeph's strength had increased further. Zeph's physique granted him great strength and endurance. It boosted his defence considerably making him the perfect meat shield.
While Lucian's slender physique granted him great speed and mobility. He easily dodged Zeph's incoming attacks but his counterattack was quite weak and dull against Zeph's physique.
Petty scratches appeared on Zeph's body from Lucian's sword. Zeph ignored those injuries and swiftly launched a vertical slash. His muscles bulged slightly with veins popping out from them as he swung it downward.
Lucian instead of dodging, clashed his katana with the greatsword. He twisted his wrist slightly and drastically reduced the attack's impact.
bang
Lucian's right foot lodged itself in Zeph's abdomen creating a dull sound.
urgh
A soft groan escaped Zeph's lips as he felt the impact of Lucian's attack.
He swiftly swung his sword upward, sending Lucian away.
That was a nice hit. Zeph commented, rubbing his belly.
You act like it did something. Lucian shrugged, glancing at his sword. Its durability had taken quite a toll, not that Zeph's sword was any better.
Playtime is over it seems. Lucian muttered, clenching his sword tightly. He quietly circulated the cosmic energy within his body, taking a battle stance.
Zeph similarly circulated the Mana from his Starseed, enveloping his body with it.
They exchanged glances and rushed toward eachother with their sword held high. Lucian calmly stared at Zeph while Zeph laughed wildly, feeling the adrenaline rush kicking in.
bang
Both their swords clashed with eachother creating a loud explosion sound. They exchanged countless moves with eachother within the span of a minute. Zeph's attacks were more powerful and destructive but Lucian was carefully deflecting them with his sword, significantly decreasing the impact.
After a while, The wooden swords couldn't resist further and broke down simultaneously. However, this didn't stop them as they continued with their fists.
bang
bang
The instructor gawked at their battle, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Although their control over Mana was downright pathetic, their foundation was extremely strong.
They had just awakened not long ago and were already using Mana during their battle. That's some next-level talent and adaptability. Similarly, their battle IQ was also pretty high. They were constantly analyzing their opponent's attack, searching for a weak spot.
Sir Dave would love their report. He muttered with a happy expression and continued watching.