Noah barely had time to catch the training baton Alice tossed at him before she charged forward. The dull thud of her boots on the floor echoed in the empty room, and the expression on her face told him she wasn't holding back.
"Wait, what?!" Noah yelped, stumbling backward as Alice swung her own baton—a polished metal rod—toward him in a wide arc. He barely managed to lift his weapon in time to block it, the impact reverberating up his arms.
"Rule one: Never hesitate!" Alice barked, following up with a quick jab toward his ribs.
Noah twisted to avoid the strike, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated. "I thought this was supposed to be a training session!"
"It is," Alice said, her baton spinning in her hand. "And the first lesson is how not to get your ass handed to you. Focus, Noah!"
The next swing came faster, aimed at his shoulder. Noah flinched and tried to parry, but his grip was too loose. The baton slipped from his hands and clattered to the ground.
Alice stopped, her expression a mix of disappointment and amusement. "Pathetic," she said, crossing her arms. "You're not even trying."
Noah groaned, bending down to retrieve the baton. "Maybe because I've never done this before! You can't expect me to fight like some kind of action hero on my first day."
Alice sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fair point. But if you want to survive, you'll need to learn fast. Aberrations aren't going to give you time to prepare."
Noah straightened, gripping the baton tightly this time. "Alright, fine. What's the first step?"
Alice's eyes softened slightly, and she nodded. "Good. First step: Stay calm. Panic makes you predictable, and predictable gets you killed."
She demonstrated a simple stance, her feet shoulder-width apart and her baton held at an angle in front of her. "Keep your center of gravity low and stay balanced. This isn't about strength—it's about control."
Noah mimicked her stance, feeling awkward but determined. "Like this?"
"Better," Alice said. She stepped forward and swung her baton in a slow, deliberate arc. "Now, block."
This time, Noah managed to deflect the strike, though the impact still jarred his arms.
"Not bad," Alice said. "Now counter."
"Counter?" Noah repeated, confused.
Alice sighed. "If someone's trying to kill you, you don't just stand there and take it! Use the momentum of the block to push back. Like this."
She demonstrated a fluid motion, parrying an imaginary strike and following up with a quick jab toward her opponent's torso.
"Okay," Noah said, taking a deep breath. "Let's try again."
For the next hour, Alice drilled him relentlessly. She kept the pressure on, alternating between attacking and defending, forcing Noah to react without overthinking. His movements were clumsy at first, but as the session went on, he began to find a rhythm.
[Skill Progress: Improvised Combat 32% → 68%]
Sweat dripped down Noah's face, and his arms felt like lead, but he refused to give up. The Grindstone pulsed faintly in his pocket, and every successful block and counter seemed to resonate with it, filling him with a strange, subtle energy.
"You're improving," Alice said grudgingly as she stepped back to let him catch his breath. "Still a long way to go, but you're not completely hopeless."
"Thanks," Noah panted, leaning on his baton for support. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Alice smirked. "Don't get cocky. This is just the basics. Next time, we'll work on your footwork and reaction speed."
"Next time?" Noah groaned, sinking to the floor.
"Yeah, rookie. You think one session is enough to make you a fighter? You're going to be training every day until your body remembers these moves better than your brain does."
Noah opened his mouth to protest but stopped when a notification appeared in his vision:
[New Quest Complete: Beginner Combat Training]
Reward: Minor Agility Upgrade
As the reward took effect, Noah felt a subtle shift in his body. His movements felt slightly lighter, his reflexes sharper.
"Looks like your Grindstone is already rewarding you," Alice said, glancing at the faint glow in his pocket. "Good. You'll need every edge you can get."
Noah stared at her, his earlier exhaustion giving way to determination. "What's next?"
Alice raised an eyebrow. "You're eager. I like that. But you're not ready for the next level yet. For now, rest up. Tomorrow, we'll push you harder."
Noah nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. He had a long way to go, but for the first time in his life, he felt like he was on the right path.
As Alice turned to leave, Noah called out to her. "Hey, Alice… thanks."
She paused, glancing back at him with a faint smile. "Don't thank me yet, rookie. You haven't survived anything worth celebrating."
With that, she left the room, leaving Noah alone with the Grindstone's faint glow and the quiet hum of possibility.
End of Chapter 8.