Morning came, the sun was shining, the birds were twittering, and Aias had gotten a long night of rest. He had wanted to get as much of his exhaustion from training recovered before the day started.
Aias would usually start his days early to give his body a good workout long before the sun had even come out, but today he needed every bit of energy possible for whatever challenge he was about to take on.
There was only about an hour until class started so he went to the dining hall for breakfast. Aias entered the dining hall and was overcome by hunger.
During his say in the forest outside the institute he had to hunt for his own food, however his body hadn’t been up for much so he had to rely on simple snares to capture rabbits. Which there didn’t appear to have been all that many of since he was only able to catch two during his whole stay.
To survive he had to scavenge for edible roots and herbs, in hindsight he probably should have stayed in the institute, food was essential for recovery. ‘Damn pride!’ was all Aias could think as he smelled the powerful aroma of the institutes cooked meat. Aias mouth began to water as he started picking out what he was going to eat. Though in the end it was almost pointless, he had put a sample of everything on his tray.
Today there seemed to be an increase in chicken dishes as almost his entire plate was covered with it. There was chicken wing, grounded chicken, chicken filé, chicken pie, and even some fried chicken. With it there was both rice, and diced potatoes. And atop all he had covered it in an extra thick layer of sauce.
Eating it only made him hungrier. It was just so good compared to the poorly made rabbit he had tried to grill. Staying outside the orphanage for a few days had made him realise that he really didn’t have any survival skills.
His class had taken several courses on survival, how to build fires, how to make simple snares, and how to prepare the animals caught. But he hadn’t gone through it in reality, it was only a small course they had three years ago and after it they hadn’t used that knowledge leading to it not becoming experience.
He sat there eating the hearty breakfast, taking in as much flavor as possible. When he finally finished he realised that his class was about to start. He hurried to the field where it was supposed to be held and waited in a shady corner for the teacher to get there. He still felt anxious about meeting his classmates and wanted to see them only when class had started to avoid any awkward smalltalk.
Aias sat there feeling out his body and his current condition. His body was now operating at one hundred percent efficiency. This was his current top form, it was still nothing compared to what he once was. Even if Aias is only eight and his body is very small, now only weighing twenty five kilos, it had still been effected harshly by the many months of not moving. He had weighed almost five kilos more when he began learning energy location. That was all muscle made into fat or lost altogether.
He felt weak, miserably so, even his senses were duller than they had ever been before. Meditating had caused much damage to every part of his body, Aias felt it would take a miracle for him to be able to beat anyone in class as they all had stronger bodies, more knowledge, and more experience. As well as the power of energy, most likely knowing a few ki techniques.
However Aias mind was collected, he thought of every technique they could have learned these past three month. They had probably began learning strengthening and hardening techniques in ki, and maybe some control of mana. He was without a doubt unable to take any hits, even if they didn’t use strengthening techniques his now brittle body would crumble at the weight of anyone's fists. His now dull body wasn’t even going to be able to quickly dodge his opponent. Aias wasn’t able to block or dodge, he had no idea what he had left.
His hits wouldn’t do much damage anyway with the way his muscles were broken down. Although his opponents were children and hadn’t began properly developing muscles, meaning he might be able to do some damage if he didn’t hit directly on bone or muscle.
Aias had thought of a way to win but it wasn’t something he was willing to do, not for a lack of principle but because it wasn’t a match where it should be done. His mind had told him the only way it could theorise his victory, take out the eyes. This wasn’t something like poking them and dealing a little pain to make the opponent flinch. What his mind had thought of was actually crushing his opponents eyes, permanently disabling them.
Aias shuddered at the thought of hurting his friends like that. He wasn’t going to hold his pride as undefeated over a friend’s sight. But he would definitely attack with everything he had.
Until the teacher came all Aias could do was theorise many different scenarios and ways he may be able to counter them.
…………
When the teacher finally came to start the class did Aias leave his shady spot and greet his classmates.
“Aias!” The whole class reacted to his return. Everyone swarmed around him, wondering where he had been the past week. Aias only gave them a brief explanation that he had been training.
“Teacher i have been told to participate in today’s combat practice, may i?” Aias asked his teacher wondering if he would even be allowed.
“Yes i heard you would be joining us today, class don’t hold back when fighting him!” The teacher gave a quick response. Aias hadn’t met this teacher before, he was most likely someone who taught beginners in energy control.
All the children in class became concerned for Aias, they looked at him and saw how meager his body looked compared to how they had remembered him. They had wished to fight him when he was at the peak of his power, he had left such a mark on them that it was impossible not to still compare themselves to him and feel inferior. Even if three month of training had passed!
But because they had such great respect for him it made them have to take this fight seriously. They wanted to not just test their strength but to give a statement to Aias, ‘Look at how powerful we have become!’ was what they were going to convey to him, not in words but in actions.
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Out of the crowd came a powerful voice, “Please let me go first!”Jérémie stood ready, he had the resolve in his eyes to fight Aias with all he had. He had always been there trying his hardest to win against Aias no matter what competition, but he was never strong enough. Now before Aias was beaten by anyone else he had to do it, he had to be the first no matter what.
The teacher looked at Jérémie with pride but at the same time rolled his eyes. He clearly didn’t think Aias was worth this. “Very well, i will do a quick change in the fighting order. Now let me explain the rules. First, there is no ring. All of the field is your fighting area.” He gave a quick gesture with his arm to show the expanding field where they were standing on.
“Second, all forms of bare handed combat are acceptable. So no weapons! Third and last, once you win a fight the next will start immediately, I will call out a name and that person will be your next opponent” The teacher explained then asked if there were any questions.
Midae had one to ask, “Doesn’t that mean the last of us will only get one match?” It was a reasonable assumption, and only getting one match meant not getting as much experience, which was just what the class needed. Aias looked at the atmosphere of the class and it seemed most were stuck at something. Combat practice is a great method for forcing yourself to learn something you weren’t sure of through reflexes.
The class was told that they would continue through the next week to have one class a day involving some sort of combat practice. That would indeed mean that even if you didn’t get much time training today you would certainly get it though the rest of the week.
As the teacher continued to explain what they would be doing for the next week Aias started to stretch his body. Jérémie came up to him, “Aias i hope you will get better soon, i want to fight you properly. I have trained tirelessly for the last three month. Now I’m able to win against anyone in class in any physical competition, even Midae isn’t even close to beating me anymore. You are the only one i still haven’t beat and i won’t consider today a real match. Once you have your real body back then I want to fight you again!” before Aias could say anything he had already turned around and begun preparing himself.
Jérémie however wasn’t preparing to face Aias, he was readying to fight the rest of the class. Clearly he also wanted to show off in front of Aias, maybe he even wanted to take down Aias record of beating a whole class.
Aias thought he would feel nervous for the fight to come but now after seeing everyone he only felt serene. These were the friends he had spent his life with, why be concerned if they saw him as weak or strong. None of that mattered to him anymore now he only wanted to see the results of their training and how much he could do to the new strongest.
The teacher looked over the two, he slowly became more concerned for Aias safety. Looking at how rearing to go Jérémie was made him certain, Aias could break a bone or two if he took a bad hit, he had to be ready to intervene at a moment's notice.
“Get ready…. Start!”
As the match began all the spectators looked at Aias. He stood there, not even in a fighting stance, eyes closed, just smiling to himself. Jérémie became slightly concerned that Aias may be about to die. But when Aias opened his eyes the atmosphere around him changed. He was ready, and serious, far more serious than he had ever been before. It was as if the whole world stopped for everyone on the field, Aias eyes shined with a hunger for battle.
With the opening of his eyes his body shot out, they had started with a distance of five meters but it was rapidly shrinking.
Jérémie held his hands out in a tiger stance ready to grab Aias once he got close. Aias felt something strange from Jérémies hands, it was similar to the energy in his core. It must be ki. It seemed Jérémie had learned to strengthen himself with energy during combat. Aias felt his disadvantage growing, but his mind was still working hard trying to find countermeasures.
As they were only a step from each other Aias let out a fierce attack towards Jérémie’s throat. Jérémie began pulling back his body and retracting his arms to try and catch Aias arm, however the attack was only a feint to lead Jérémie’s attention away. His real attack came with his dash, he dropped his whole body down to the ground in a low altitude dropkick. With all the weight of his whole body combined with the speed he had gained from running four steps he kicked Jérémie’s ankle. A sound was heard throughout the field, it was like a balloon suddenly went pop. Jérémie’s ankle had been broken.
Jérémie fell to the ground crying in agony and pain. Meanwhile Aias just stood there, thinking.
The whole class stood in awe. Jérémie had through the last three months spent every hour trying to become stronger, his body had far surpassed the physical records Aias had left behind. But now in only one move had he been beaten by someone whose body wasn’t even capable of running a mile or throwing a full strength punch.
Even their teacher stood in awe. He had completely forgotten to call out the next participant, now he could only stand there looking at Aias who was getting ready for his next challenger.
Aias stood there observing the rest of the class, he understood the moment he came within one step of Jérémie that he couldn’t lose. Jérémie may have been faster and stronger than him, but he had no fighting experience or pure talent. When Aias went for the throat Jérémie had given his hand full attention and didn’t look at where his body went.
And as his ki techniques weren’t actually fast enough to be applied as defence in combat it left him with dodging, something Jérémie most likely wouldn’t do as he saw it as weakness. Or block it, which wouldn’t look cool. Leaving grabbing the arm before it hit him, something which would both look cool and be seen as strong.
Then there was if Jérémie had been faster in strengthening himself with ki, Aias attack to the throat would be meaningless as he doubted he had the strength to break through ki. So if there was no chance of his attack to the throat doing damage then Jérémie could ignore it and focus on Aias, making him unable to use his dropkick. He would also most likely have lost if Jérémie wasn’t fighting to learn or impress and simply dedicated the fight to winning.
Aias noticed as the teacher actually showed some frustration on his face, the teachers aren’t supposed to show special affection or disrespect towards any student but it was clear he didn’t like his best student being beaten by someone whose body was like paper compared to his students who were like steel.
The teacher finally started getting composed but he was clearly still somewhat mad, “Midae you’re next!” He clearly didn’t want Aias to get any more of the spotlight so he sent in his second best immediately.
Midae was hesitant but after seeing Aias standing there ready she knew she had to do it.
Midae ran in with all her might, unlike Jérémie her stance was low, far to low, she looked like a tiger ready to pounce. Aias could feel ki coming from her too but now it was through her legs. The ki started to change fast, it was as if it was going to explode inside Midae’s legs. Aias could tell something was coming, and like lightning Midae leaped from five steps away to being only a brief moment away.
Aias had seen it coming. Her stance made it obvious she was either going to attack his ankles in retribution for Jérémie or pounce on his body. Out of the two the second was a better choice, Aias may not be as fast as he used to but he could still easily jump away if his legs were targeted, but the body is the center of gravity of a person, moving it quickly is much harder. And not only that but Midae’s eyes were clearly focused on Aias stomach.
Now Aias was about to be hit by Midae moving at high speed, bracing, ready to hit anything. Aias knew he couldn’t avoid it from the start so instead he moved slightly to the side so he wasn’t hit by her head, then he relaxed himself letting his body be hit.
He didn’t take much damage from Midea’s ramming pounce but it did send him flying together with her. The push behind it forced his body to cave in into a v-shape, and the sheer momentum of his sudden switch gave him whiplash. The feeling of not feeling was strange but also useful, it didn’t hurt at all when he and Midae hit the ground, which was nice.
While tumbling on the ground together with Midae he let his reflexes take over to begin the counterattack. He grabbed onto Midae’s wrist holding onto it with his whole body’s strength, he and Midae was bouncing of the ground constantly rolling around and switching positions. Finally when they came to a stop could everyone see what had happened. Midae’s wrist was bleeding, twisted, and a piece of bone was piercing out. She appeared to have fainted from the pain.
Aias slowly stood up, his eyes were still a bit hazy from taking Midea head on but he was still able to hold a fighting stance.
This time not only were the onlookers in awe. They were horrified. They had always known Aias was holding back during most competitions because he enjoyed seeing the challengers striving for victory. But now he was serious, he wasn’t going to be beaten and they all felt it. Even so they felt themselves obligated to try to battle him, even if they knew they couldn’t stop him from setting another record.
Aias kept going, challenger after challenger, without any breaks. In the end when the last student was falling to the ground he stood there broken, bruised, and bloodied, but not knocked down. Most who had been beaten now sat there being treated while staring at him, wondering what kind of monster he was. They couldn’t understand how a human could be able to endure so much and still continue fighting his opponents one after the other. There was still only one word to describe him. Genius!