Novels2Search
Anarchy in Freedom (Isekai Fantasy)
Chapter 6.5: Past and Future.

Chapter 6.5: Past and Future.

Connor was confused.

If he remembered correctly, he had a challenging battle against the Ancient Primate Gef. Abe made sure to set up a tent for him to recover from his bruises.

The problem was:

He didn't have any bruises.

Seriously, how could someone who took a punch that could break a tree in half be standing and full of energy? It's very strange, even for him.

"But after all, what am I?"

Connor began to analyze himself, as he had done when he woke up in that giant tree. Shallow scales on his skin, visible pointed ears, straight hair, black skin, and strength, resilience, agility, and flexibility beyond the normal capacity of a human being.

"Human..."

His "Supernatural Knowledge” was starting to act. With some ideas and hints regarding his own physiognomy and biology. Besides, he remembered that so far, all the Primates called him "big ears," which was true, but for some reason, it felt... like something was off. People don't normally mention others' ears in their past lives.

His Supernatural Knowledge... No. Connor decided to name this ability.

"I think I should call this Erudite Sense. It suits me better. Back to my species, the most accurate would be..."

"A Wood Elf." He said verbally, finally solving his puzzle.

In fact, this explains a lot, especially his resistance and incredible ability to recover from that fight. In addition to his heightened perception and high agility in exchanging punches. And also, his weird connection with nature.

Before, he didn't care at all about nature. He liked the megalopolis and streets. The amount of opportunity it had and the amount of people in the streets. But now? He cared for the trees, the plants, the animals… He even felt pity over one of his hunts. And he was hungry when he killed the animal.

"This still doesn't explain the scales on my body..."

Connor decided to go out and cool his head with this revelation. It wasn't a big deal, but he also didn't want it to be a concern in his subconscious. He greeted some of the Primates who were incredulous to see Connor standing as if he hadn't fought just yesterday.

Honestly, some people worry too much.

He decided to test his physiognomy. Since his body was that of an Elf, and according to his memories, Elves have great potential for a variety of things, he began to practice some exercises that would be difficult for beginners.

First exercise: Push-ups.

He did 80 push-ups in just under 2 minutes, without many problems, stopping only because he was satisfied with the results.

Second exercise: Sit-ups.

After 60 sit-ups, he realized he could do this exercise all day if he wanted to. Excellent physical conditioning.

Third exercise: Squats.

At this point, Connor also did Calf Raises, Alternating Knee Lifts, Jumping Jacks, and Planks, all of them without much difficulty.

He was testing his limits near a tree. He had a silly idea, something he saw in a boxing anime once, but maybe it would work. It was a simple exercise, picking up ten leaves falling from the tree before they all hit the ground. Honestly, he didn't know how much of the things that appeared in sports anime were true, but he was willing to try at least this.

He gave a light kick to the tree trunk, and some leaves fell. He focused and began to alternate between Jabs and Crosses to catch the leaves from the tree. What he didn't expect was that he could catch 20 leaves instead of 10.

"This type of fight is quite unorthodox," Abe said suddenly.

"Gagh!!!"

Connor fell to the ground in surprise.

"Hmm. But you still easily lose focus," the Primate added, with his unwavering neutral expression.

The now-called Elf just sighed at his simian companion's comment.

"Do you guys really not know what boxing is?" he asked, still frustrated.

"As I told you, I was surprised it's a thing, but it doesn't mean I know about it."

"Okay, let me explain what boxing is, then," Connor said, getting up from the ground.

Abe sat, expecting a clumsy and awkward explanation. Connor adjusted himself into a fighting stance and began to explain.

"Boxing is a martial art style that uses only fists to attack your opponent, with strikes aimed at both the head and the body. However, legs are not forgotten, as foot positioning and how you behave during the fight are crucial. After all, you don't want to take a punch to the face right at the beginning."

Abe was surprised at how well the introduction to boxing was explained, but Connor hadn't finished.

"There's no exact date for the origin of boxing, but the Greeks were using it before their civilization split. However, as for when this martial art was used as a sport, there should be records over two thousand years old."

Connor was practicing some punches while explaining, testing his speed for the punches rather than directly testing in a fight. Something he should have done before the fight, but we'll ignore that fact.

He looked at Abe, who was waiting for more information about boxing, something Connor had to offer.

"The sport even died for some years after the Roman Domination, and they liked the sport there. The Roman Empire altered the modality. Boxing became practiced by gladiators who fought with gloves filled with metal. Something expected, as the objective of the fights, most of the time, was to end with the death of one of the fighters."

"Changing a sport to kill..." Abe grumbled, which Connor heard.

"I didn't like knowing about that part either, but the Roman Empire doesn't exist anymore, so I think it's okay," Connor tried to ease the situation. It worked.

"These places, Greece and the Roman Empire... I've never heard of them."

"Oh, right, I'm not in my world..." Connor thought.

"W-well, it was a very ancient civilization; the origins of these places don't have many details, and the few records are incomplete."

Abe just nodded in agreement.

"After the fall of the Roman Empire, the 'sport' died for good. The few records of it were modified for the present day. My grandfather called some of his friends who knew boxing techniques, and only we know them." Connor concluded his explanation with a slight lie.

"So, your family holds the last teachings of the sport. That makes sense," Abe agreed with himself.

Connor felt uncomfortable but didn't show it. He was glad that Abe didn't know about world history.

"Anyway, the four main punches in boxing are the Jab, the Straight, the Uppercut, and the Hook." Connor continued, trying to steer the conversation.

"I imagine you used these punches against Gef yesterday, right?"

"Yes, but not only those. Let me show you."

Connor assumed his stance, placing his left hand in the front and his right hand farther back, then threw a few Jabs.

"This is the Jab. A quick and simple punch, usually used to set up another attack, break the opponent's defense, or stop an attack. It's not a powerful blow, but it allows you to control the course of the fight."

Abe analyzed Connor's explanation and stance. The stance wasn't random; it was perfect. The position of his feet was good; it would be challenging to knock him down with a leg kick. The position of his hands was also good, allowing him to skillfully use his punches.

Perhaps he should reevaluate how he saw Connor.

By the way, it seemed that Abe was now the student. Curious…

"Now..." Connor began.

He used his right arm and punched the air a few times, applying the "Straight."

"This is the Straight. It's a stronger punch, though slightly slower. The Straight is used with your stronger hand to provide the necessary impact to knock down or knock out the opponent."

Connor threw a few more punches and glanced at Abe, who was analyzing the attack.

"This Straight... Does it involve your legs too?" Abe asked, seeming more rhetorical than doubtful.

Impressed, Connor replied, "Uh... Yes... I shift my weight to my front leg, slightly rotate the hip, and flex the shoulder, delivering the ideal impact for the attack to be most effective."

"Impressive," Abe praised.

Connor didn't know how to feel. He had been complimented before, of course, but it seemed like Abe was applauding the Martial Art more than him. It obviously irritated him, but he held back.

"We also have this."

Connor threw some alternating Crosses with his arms.

"The cross is a lateral strike at close range. To execute a perfect cross, you need a solid base and to flex your legs. This push will be crucial at the end of the movement. There should be a rotation of the shoulder and hip, where the force is directed not forward but to the side," he explained while still practicing the move.

"I remember this move. You used it when Gef was about to strike your head with the sword," commented Abe.

"Yes, yes. The strike is aimed at the head, but it's also effective on the torso, taking the breath away," Connor completed Abe's thought.

"You've changed a lot too since the fight focused on boxing. It seemed like you were..." Abe didn't finish his sentence.

Could Connor really have reacted purely on instinct? No. He remembered the events vividly, even the efficiency of the attacks.

"In reality, after he agreed to continue the fight with punches, my mind went blank."

What? His mind went blank? What did that mean?!

"Went blank?" he asked, hiding his astonishment.

"In fights, it's always like this, at least for me. When I start fighting, my body acts for me. It's like becoming a passenger with a privileged view of the battle," Connor said, looking at the sky, observing some clouds. One of them resembled an apple.

"You..." Abe whispered, still surprised by Connor's statement.

"Anyway— there's also the Uppercut. The Uppercut travels on the vertical plane, from bottom to top, along the opponent's chest, slipping through their guard toward their chin. There's also the Hook, a slight variation of the Uppercut, targeting the jaw instead of the chin, with a much wider angle." He demonstrated the moves to illustrate the difference between them.

"I understand..."

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"..."

"..."

"Wanna give it a try?"

"...Huh?"

----------------------------------------

Connor was dodging a sequence of Jabs and Straights that Abe was throwing. The speed of the blows was decent, but Connor was comfortably evading them all. Abe was frustrated but didn't attack ruthlessly. The fighting style might seem stoic at first glance, but it was quite technical.

A Jab could interrupt a stronger attack, like a Hook or Uppercut, since the lead hand is much faster, leaving an opening for a powerful Straight capable of knocking down the opponent. It was something incredible that Abe didn't expect, but the risks of this Martial Art were worth it.

Abe gradually understood how each strike worked and which one should be applied. Connor automatically adapted accordingly, showcasing his experience in this combat style.

Connor blocked some attacks and counterattacked a few times, surprising Abe with his speed and precision. Both stopped practicing. Abe was panting, but Connor was breathing normally.

"Abe, if you can, I'd like to be alone," declared Connor.

"How... like...?" Abe gasped.

"I need to think a bit. That's why I came near this tree," He gestured towards the tree in question.

Abe just nodded. He needed to think too. Every moment he spent with Connor was a new surprise. Some good and some bad...

Once Abe was far enough, Connor pondered.

"The first thing I did when I arrived here was stir up trouble"...

Indeed. He didn't know anyone there and was already securing his ticket for expulsion. He didn't even know the consequences of what he had done. A mistake that always recurred in his life. Many times, Daniel would act according to the "now," solving whatever problem presented itself instantly. The shot always backfired since the consequences of his actions were always severe.

In one of these events at his school when Daniel was 9 years old, around lunchtime, some boys were bullying him for being an orphan. He would ignore the insults and jabs, but he also never reported these abuses by students to his teachers or guardians. So, when he couldn't take it anymore, he would attack his oppressors without remorse, sometimes breaking a few noses. This happened several times in his life, resulting in 14 expulsions from various different schools.

He is an orphan because his parents died in a plane crash that Daniel and a few passengers had the luck to come out alive. He never felt motherly love, never had fatherly advice or parents arguing while he was playing video games.

He only had his grandpa.

The mistake of acting on emotion and ignoring the consequences of his actions wasn't limited to school but occurred in various other situations. It was rare to see Daniel at parties because Connor's guardian was always anxious that suddenly, "the delinquent" might get the idea to "attack other kids for no reason."

This led many adults to openly express their opinions about Daniel's behavior, all offending or criticizing the child. This made Daniel very secluded and antisocial.

However, despite being sad and angry, Daniel never vocalized, "My life is horrible" or "I hate myself." He knew that his life didn't have the brightest spotlight, but it also wasn't the worst life one could have.

The few times Daniel paid attention in class, completed school assignments, among other things, he knew there were people with much greater pain than his. Shit, just think about people undergoing cancer treatment. Imagine the pain their families are feeling. And those with terminal illnesses? That's why he never complained about his pain. He faced it in his own way, even if it meant avoiding it.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. There were still a few things to do.

Connor returned to the push-up position and did some with just one hand, alternating between his arms. Realizing he wasn't having difficulty, he proceeded to use just his fingertips, which was a shock. The difficulty of the push-ups increased, but not by much, leading him to the idea of using only two fingers. The difficulty increased considerably, prompting him to use both hands.

Connor was impressed and frightened by the capability of this body. Were all Wood Elves this strong? He decided to test a bit more, doing a handstand, stretching his entire body using his arms to support himself on the ground. Then one arm. Then just one finger. Meanwhile, he was swinging his legs to find perfect balance, but it was almost unnecessary. He could leave his legs floating in any position, and the balance wouldn't disappear.

He did a few more tests. In summary:

1 - He could jump the equivalent of a one-story house.

2 - Lifted a boulder weighing approximately 180 KG, though using the strength of his entire body.

3 - Ran a distance equivalent to 2 KM in about 5 minutes.

4 - Hold his breath for approximately 5 minutes.

5 - Could perceive small insects, animals from a considerable distance, and what the Village members were doing, even from over 300 meters away.

More tests could be conducted, but he was already feeling the good old hunger.

Slowly, Connor pondered: if he could lift 180 KG, even though he seemed to weigh around 90 KG, how resilient is he?

Hell, how strong is he?

A question that has to be answered after a good lunch..

----------------------------------------

Connor was once again recapping the events of all his misadventures so far.

Until now, it hadn't quite sunk in, but he lost to Telemarketing. And now, after learning several things from Abe, he lost to Gef. In his record, two consecutive defeats. Losing was a part of it; it happened to anyone practicing any martial art. But it's so frustrating to know that you could have done something different that the anxiety and shame after the fight make some people depressed.

Connor hadn't felt this until now because of his obvious appearance in another world. Training the limits of his new body made him remember what he felt in that alley... Lane... He couldn't remember the place, but he remembered the feelings:

Anger.

Anger for losing.

And he was having that feeling again. Even with the best instruction and the greatest strength, being older than before and more analytical, he still lost. He didn't like this feeling. No one does, but for those who take pride as warriors, this shame comes heavily. It couldn't even be identified as shame.

He was humiliated.

He walked back to the village, still with these thoughts. Looked for something to do to distract his mind. Since there are no cell phones here, the closest thing is to be schizophrenic or invent something on the spot. He began counting how many peasants were in the village.

"33... 34... 35..."

"Thirty-five people?"

He did the most sensible thing and sought out Abe for an explanation, even though the Primate himself wasn't obligated to answer that question.

His search came to an end when he found him in the hunters' tent, where 3 Primates were getting ready to leave.

"Connor, you're going hunting with them," Abe said before Connor could express any intention to converse.

"Huh?"

"Grab something that will help you hunt. They'll leave in 5 minutes."

And with that, Abe left the place.

"Okay... That just happened."

"Pleasure, I'm Gok," said a Primate shorter by Primate standards.

"I'm Luf," said a chubby one.

"And I'm J," said one in normal physical condition.

"Just one letter?" Connor asked casually.

"Jay.”

"Ah, that makes more sense."

After all five finished the introductions and loudly expressed how "amazing" Connor was facing Gef on equal terms the day before, our Big-Eared one decided to ask some questions.

"Okay, but what are we going to hunt?"

"Anything, there are many animals around here. It shouldn't be difficult to find one," Gok answered.

----------------------------------------

The hunt could be summarized in a few points.

The first is that the hunt took longer than it should have. Despite Connor being educated by Abe in hunting and tracking methods, he lacked the experience of hunting alone. Abe did most things, giving a hint here and there for Connor to understand what he was doing.

The second was that, despite Connor's enhanced physical attributes, he was slowing down the Primate hunters. Seriously, how are these guys as fast and agile as he is? They are monkeys in a jungle they've known for years, besides Connor not being accustomed to his new body, of course. But still, it was frustrating to know that he was technically EQUAL and still causing a disadvantage.

The third and final point was that the Primates criticized the Big-Eared one whenever they had the chance, almost attacking them in response. Which obviously isn't one of the best attitudes. Upon returning from the hunt, they brought back a deer and two hares. Well, the primates brought them back. Connor returned empty-handed, feeling angry at himself. But mainly at his "hunting companions."

He sat on a bench near the Main House and dropped the spear he had borrowed. Stared at the sky for a few minutes. A bitter taste in his mouth that wouldn't go away, and the feeling of uselessness was starting to form.

Seriously, what was he doing there?

He's projecting a bad image of himself. Being violent for little or no reason and getting frustrated for having poor performance.

"Calm down, it's only been 2 days here..."

That's what he told himself. Hasty conclusions lead to wrong judgments. He had to do something that fit into that environment. And the sooner he did it, the better.

It was then that someone appeared by his side.

"I heard you assaulted one of our hunters, outsider."

Connor looked from the corner of his eye to confirm whose voice it was. It was Ukk. Who else would start a conversation so "friendly."

"It wasn't exactly like that. Whoever told you that forgot to mention some details," he said, now facing her.

"Forgive me if I believe more in my people, whom I've known for over 50 years, than an outsider who just arrived," said the Shaman in a bitter tone.

Connor clicked his tongue in response. Ukk gestured for him to follow. Connor wasn't in the mood, but it would be better than causing more problems. So, he simply agreed in silence.

Ukk walked a bit until they reached what would be a tent with various tools. Some for pasture, others for fishing, hunting, construction, training, and the like.

"As social work isn't your forte, I took the liberty of putting you here," Ukk said, pointing to an axe leaning against some boxes.

"Do you want me to be a lumberjack?" he asked ironically.

Ukk showed no sign of reacting to Connor's attempt at humor.

"You never smile or anything like that?"

"I acknowledge your attempts at humor; I just find them fruitless in their purpose."

...

After a brief silence, Connor turned the most significant "?" expression one can muster.

"We need at least 100 logs cut into 4 equal parts," she said upon leaving the tent, ignoring his shock.

Connor was confused and angry. It was rare for him not to have these two feelings.

So, without wasting time, he picked up the ax and analyzed it. A primitive tool made of a sharp stone and a sturdy wooden handle, both wrapped in vines and some kind of glue.

Connor started working on the collection. It wasn't exactly a complicated job. Axe cuts the tree. Tree falls. Remove twigs and leaves, separating them into another compartment. Take the wooden trunk to the village and cut the log into several medium-sized pieces to later cut into equal pieces. Pieces that should fit into a simple campfire. Leave the cut pieces in the sunlight to dry and make them easier to burn. Leave twigs and separated leaves going through the same process as the wooden logs. A straightforward job.

In theory.

In practice, it's a tiring, time-consuming job that demands a lot from the body both physically and mentally. And Connor never had his mind as a strong suit.

Fortunately, the job was quite therapeutic. Connor could think about what he was doing and what he would do. He also reflected on some past events, bringing a slight sense of nostalgia to himself as he remembered the jingle from a toothpaste commercial.

By the end of the day, he had cut a little over 100 logs.

----------------------------------------

"Abe, you better tell me the reason we're here again," grumbled Gef.

"Indeed, what would be the reason for the meeting?" said Ukk, somewhat annoyed.

"It's about Connor, clearly. We need to take action regarding him. Not only that, but also our village's day is approaching."

"What should we talk about first?" Gef asked.

"If it's about our future visitor, I have an idea on how we can resolve this issue.", Ukk offered.

"I'm all ears," Abe replied.

----------------------------------------

CLACK

"One hundred and twenty-two..."

CLACK

"One hundred and twenty-four..."

CLACK

"One hundred and twenty-six. I think that's enough."

Connor wiped the sweat from his face with his arms and looked at the sky. It was already night. Around 7:00 PM, if there were only 24 hours in a day in this place.

He decided to go to the river near the village to bathe. It was much calmer. Chopping wood reminded him of when he used to train in boxing, taking a sledgehammer and hitting a tire. It was indeed an experience he enjoyed having. He felt regret for not making the most of that time.

Enjoyed? Regret?

FLASHBACK

"Why do you want to learn boxing?"

"..."

"Come on, tell me. You had no interest in fighting. Just wanted to lock yourself in the room. What changed?" Jack was growing impatient with his grandson's reluctance.

"...losing." Almost inaudible, but a sentence came out of Daniel's mouth.

"Hm?"

"I don't want to lose anymore."

"Lose? What do you mean?"

Daniel began to cry, but not out of sadness.

It was...

Hatred.

Hatred of being weak. Hatred of losing. Hatred of not being able to do anything, being tossed around like a toy and discarded when broken.

"I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANYMORE! I DON'T WANT TO BE USELESS ANYMORE! I WANT TO BE SOMETHING IN LIFE! SOMETHING THAT OTHERS CAN REMEMBER AND NEVER BOTHER ME AGAIN! NEVER MISTREAT ME AGAIN!"

There was a lot to process. He had no idea that Daniel had these thoughts. These feelings. He never spoke about what he felt either. The fact that he was saying something after a long time in a vow of silence...

Jack listened to the child in front of him scream. He didn't exactly know how to help him. Would it be wise to introduce him to a world where losing could mean the end of everything? From one angle, the boy didn't have much to lose. From another, he didn't want the child to suffer.

It was a tough choice, of course.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Oh, now I remember. My priorities for boxing were different."

...

"What a shame to myself…"