For the first time in a long time, Frank was in a good mood.
It had been a month since he last faced that horrifying spider, and now he was surrounded by teammates who had helped him hone his skills.
The last month had been intense, full of training day in and day out. He hadn't expected to stick around so long, but the time flew by.
Frank glanced around at his training partners: Elara, Max, and Leo, each displaying a confidence that had once felt unattainable to him. They were laser focused, and he hadn't thought he would ever catch up.
But that was over a month ago.
---
In the beginning, Elara demonstrated a series of footwork techniques combined with precise strikes. Frank tried to mirror her stance, but this was all completely new to him. He felt like a child mimicking his parents.
Max was at a heavy bag, delivering powerful blows that reverberated through the space. Each impact was jarring, but he noted the strength behind Max's strikes. Even with his naturally high strength and constitution, he knew he'd be in trouble if he was hit by one of those.
Leo darted around the edge of the room, weaving between obstacles with surprising agility. Though his confident training demeanor was terrible at masking the anxiety in his eyes. Every so often, he would glance toward the barred windows, clearly having some idea of what was going on outside.
Frank couldn't blame him, as occasionally "Sixth Sense" would go off in his mind, only to quickly disappear after the distant sound of gunshots.
Commander Arlo had provided basic training materials for Frank, but he was never the type to have patience for books. He preferred to dive in and get his hands on something.
"Come on, Frank! Engage your core," Elara called, breaking his concentration. She moved closer, demonstrating how to throw a proper punch. "Use your hips."
Frank nodded, working to mimic her instructions. They were formidable fighters, each with their own strengths, and he felt the pressure to keep pace.
As the days turned into weeks, Frank pushed himself relentlessly. The thought of protecting Ana from the growing danger outside fueled his efforts. Each training session gave him little time to think about anything else.
Without the effects of his "Oathkeeper" ability, he felt the true limitations of his current abilities. Progress was slow, each sparring match leaving him exhausted and bruised. Yet there was no choice other than to keep going.
If he stopped, he was sure the monsters outside would be far less kind to him than these three were.
"Keep it up, Frank!" Max encouraged after another round, but there was concern in his voice.
Rumors around the compound told of growing numbers of undead, new and more powerful variants of monsters, and the once-scarce powerful monsters becoming more commonplace.
They all heard these rumors, and it drove them to train harder.
Then one afternoon, Elara announced a new approach. "Today we are going to try something different," she declared, causing the others to pay attention. "We'll be simulating an attack. The goal is simple: to fend off the attack and protect a civilian."
Frank was nervous. This was as practical as training could get for him, and he did his best to focus as they took their positions. He gripped his new mock weapon, a heavy pipe, and prepared for the exercise.
As the simulation began, he observed his teammates moving in sync, efficiently clearing the simulated threats. Elara and Max cleared out the area as Leo kept them updated on enemy positions.
Frank struggled to keep up; matching their speed was a chore, especially considering his agility was still his weakest stat.
"Stay sharp!" Elara shouted.
Her warning caused him to see Max charging toward him, taking the role of an ambush. Frank raised his pipe to deflect, but the impact still sent him sprawling to the ground.
The exercise dragged on for what felt like hours, each moment demanding everything he had. Despite the pain and fatigue, he knew giving up was not an option.
At the end of the day, lying on the gym floor panting, a long awaited notification flickered in front of him.
[System Notification: Training Complete!
Bonus XP for participation in simulations: +50 EXP]
Frank groaned but lifted his head, enjoying a faint sense of achievement. He was making progress, albeit far slower than he liked.
Still, it was progress.
The following week passed quickly, filled with training sessions of rapidly growing intensity. Each session felt more urgent than the last, pushing them to grow at even faster rates.
Slowly, he began to gain strength and agility. As he grew more comfortable, he expanded his training sessions, refining each movement and focusing on becoming more effective. With every strike he made and every step he practiced, Frank felt his abilities improving.
[Stat Update:
Host: Frank Gunn
Level: 6
EXP: 50/750
HP: 60/60
MP: 25/25
Strength (STR): 27+
Constitution (CON): 30+
Agility (AGI): 13+
Intelligence (INT): 7+
Charisma (CHA): 5+
Luck (LUC): 0
Stat points: 10
Skills:
Oathkeeper (SPEX)
Sixth Sense (Innate)
Regeneration (Lvl 2) -> (Lvl 3): 3HP/30 secs -> 5HP/30 secs
Persisting Strength (Lvl 2)
Featherfoot (Lvl 1) *New*: You're adept in moving both nimbly and silently, leaving your movements slightly harder to detect.
Hand-to-hand combat (Lvl 1) *New*: Increases damage and dexterity by 10% while unarmed.
Makeshift weapon proficiency (Lvl 1) *New*: Increases damage and dexterity by 10% while using improvised weapons.]
The updates filled him with excitement. He was improving, which was good because the noises coming from outside daily grew more and more intense.
One evening, after a particularly rigorous day, Elara and Frank began their daily spar.
The record was currently 19-0, with Frank unable to land so much as a single hit on her.
Today, to her surprise, he not only managed to block her initial attack but also countered with a swift jab that caught her off guard. The incredulity on her face was almost enough to make him cry tears of joy.
"How did you do that?" Elara asked, excited yet curious.
"I've been practicing," he replied with a grin, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
As the days continued, Frank focused on mastering new techniques, blending his growing strength with his compounding agility. His confidence grew, along with his respect for his mentors.
As the month came to a close, Elara stated that the training was just about completed. Before then, there would be a final assessment of their skills.
The day of the assessment, Elara, Max, and Leo stood at the center of the room.
"Alright, Frank. We're going to set up a scenario," Elara said, wasting no time. "Over the last month, your growth has been impressive, unbelievably so. I'm embarrassed to say I don't think any of us would be a match for you one on one." She admitted.
He considered her statement seriously; he was level 6, while Elara was level 3 and the others were level 2. It was only natural that he should be ahead of them now that he had some practical experience.
"So, I want to see what you're really made of," she continued. "To figure out just how wide the gap is, your next opponent will be all three of us at once."
Frank chuckled, "Are you sure this isn't just an excuse to try and beat me up one last time?" he chided with a grin.
"I don't have the slightest idea what you might mean," she retorted with a mischievous smile.
She didn't have to confirm anything; the look on all three of their faces was clear. They were planning on teaching him a lesson to put him back in his place.
"Whatever you say, then," he laughed as he moved to face them.
With determination and a bit of excitement igniting within him, he took a fighting stance.