It’s been a month since I started going to the training ground with Viktor. And all of my efforts weren’t in vain...
My skinny body now has muscles, I also got taller. My daily intake of protein every night and resting properly helped me with those.
When I started, I was only lifting twenty pounds of weight... But now, I’m using fifty pounds. It’s not that big of a deal, but it’s a big improvement for me.
Also before, I only stood at about five feet tall—but I grew about three inches in a month.
I’m still far from being able to use the greatsword, but I’m already far from my previous version.
Now... I just have to continue working.
"Are you ready?"
Viktor then asked me, standing at the end of the arena in the training ground. He was holding a wooden sword in his right hand and looking at me with a smile.
"Uhh, yeah. I’m all good now."
I got into stance as I firmly held the wooden sword in my hand. We’re about to have our daily sparring match now.
We’ve been sparring every day for 29 days straight... And I haven’t won a single match. Especially in the first two weeks, I was always on the floor after only just a few exchanges.
Though lately, I’ve been getting draws against Viktor. But just because either his or my weapon breaks mid-fight...
"Okay, get ready."
Viktor got into his stance too. The other people who were in the training ground stopped what they were doing to watch us, even the guards.
Our daily fight has been their entertainment by now.
"Kick that kid’s ass again, Viktor!"
"Kid, don’t give up!"
They exclaimed, as they waited for our match to start. I ignored all the noises around me.
Then, just a few moments later—
"LET’S START!!!"
Viktor shouted that.
BAM!
And he rushed at me without hesitation!
"..."
I kept calm and stared at him, and when Viktor got near me—
SWOOSH!
I swung my wooden sword straight from left to right! And in response to that—
TWHACK!!
Viktor swung upward and deflected my attack, my right hand was flung upward!
"Ugh...!"
I felt a sting in my hand but I just ignored it. After all—Viktor’s sword was already coming down to split my head open!
Fwoosh—
I twisted my body and avoided it by a hair’s breadth, I was almost hit. My right hand turned into a fist as I clenched hard on my sword. Then while glaring at Viktor... I transitioned into an inside right stance and thrust my sword forward to his chest!
Fwish—
"Whoa...!"
Viktor moved back and I wasn’t able to reach him.
Bam!
But I already expected that, I kicked off the ground at the same time as him with my right arm still extended forward to follow after him!
"?!!"
WHACK!
Viktor was surprised, but he just parried my attack again.
I then rotated my whole body to the left—
BAM!
And with that, I launched a side kick straight to his stomach with my right foot!
"?!"
My eyes widened after that. Viktor blocked my attack using his left knee!
Bam!
I jumped back to gain distance from him. He also did the same.
The two of us just stared at each other, I had a straight expression on my face while Viktor was just smiling.
"Ugh, you’ve really improved a lot... I would’ve already won by now before."
"Well thanks, I worked hard."
I replied to him as I got into a close right stance. The both of us just tested each other earlier with our short exchanges.
’I need to finish this quick... I’ll lose again if this drags on too like our previous fights, I don’t have a monstrous stamina like him.’
But that’s easier said than done, I never landed a proper hit on Viktor.
’That’s fine... I’ll just land one in this fight and win.’
So with that in mind—
Bam!
I dashed toward Viktor, and when I reached him... I slashed vertically down.
Swoosh!
Viktor gripped the handle of his wooden sword with both hands and raised it above his head, and with that—he received my attack.
TWHOCK!!
And with a fluid motion—
SWISH~
He moved toward my left side and smoothly swung the sword to my torso!
TAK!
"GAH...?!"
I’ve been hit cleanly on my left ribs. But instead of dreading over the pain... A smile appeared on my face.
"...?"
Viktor looked confused seeing my expression, I just ignored him.
Fwip—
"?!"
Then I grabbed his left wrist with my left hand! He looked surprised. And before he could even try and break free from my grasp—
"CLOSE YOUR MOUTH!!!"
TWHACK—!!
I smashed my wooden sword into Viktor’s jaw by swinging horizontally from right to left with all my might!
"GURGH?!!"
I landed a proper hit on Viktor, he even stumbled back because of the damage he took from it. But I was still holding his wrist...
Fwoosh~
I pulled him toward me, and when he was just a few inches away from me—
BAM!
I sent a knee kick straight forward, and it hit him straight in the stomach!
"GAAHH?!!"
Viktor slouched from the pain. And after seeing the back of his head, I clenched the hilt of my wooden sword tightly—
"HAAAA!!"
TOK!
Then I hit him at the back of the head with it!
"URGH...!"
Viktor groaned. And with that...
THUD—
He fell onto the ground, unconscious.
"..."
I stared at him, silent.
"..."
"..."
The other gladiators in the area and the guards became silent too.
"Haaaa... haaa.. haaa..."
I was still catching my breath, confused. But just after a few seconds later...
"WHOAAAA!!!"
"THE KID WON!!!"
"HE FINALLY GOT ONE WIN!!!"
"VIKTOR IS DOWN!!!"
Everyone around me erupted in cheers.
And that’s when it finally clicked for me... I beat Viktor.
"Haha..."
A small laugh escaped my mouth, then opening my mouth again—
"YEAAAAHHHH!!!"
I exclaimed that and joined everyone else that was cheering for me.
...
Oh, Viktor is fine, by the way—I’ve experienced worse because of him.
We usually fight until one of us loses consciousness... Usually it was me, but not this time.
*****
Anyway, Viktor woke up just a few seconds after being unconscious... He wasn’t hit that hard by me, after all.
"I lost, huh."
Viktor mumbled, looking at me with a dumb smile. We’re both sitting on a bench, resting for a while.
"We both know I just caught you off guard."
"Hey, I still lost and you still won."
Viktor shrugged as he said that.
"Fair, I guess."
Then I responded, smiling back at him.
"I wouldn’t hold back next time."
"And I wouldn’t win by luck next time."
The two of us continued resting for a bit more, then after a while... We went back to our training. We’re still not done.
We still have more weight training to do for the day.
...
...
...
*****
The next day...
"You’re going to fight in an event three days from now."
A guard approached me while I was eating breakfast, then he said that.
And after me—
"You three too. Get ready."
He added with that, looking at Brock, Khan, and Jin who were with me!
"Huh?"
"Us too?"
"Ugh..."
Looks like the four of us will be fighting in the same event.