Caution looked at his opponent like they were dinner.
Everyone else faded away and he laser focused on his target. His name was Reuben Ina. 5 ft 3, short brown hair. Not too muscular. He was probably around 17, maybe 16, and wielded the adventurer starter sword.
There was something about the “official fight” that triggered a rush and it was the kind that every adrenaline junkie craved for. He had felt it many times during his boxing career, either right before a fight or between certain rounds. Obviously, he had sparred with his siblings numerous times but that was training. This was the real deal. Now there were stakes... and gauntlets.
Reuben didn’t back down from the piercing stare, instead reciprocating with one of his own. Every few seconds, he would glance at the crimson cube floating by Caution’s shoulder. Little did he know, it was an item that could not be controlled.
His feet stood far apart, a stance perfect for staying up on one’s feet but not for advancing forward. He was waiting. Bracing. Preparing. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead.
Caution shifted into a fighting stance, arms raised, body relaxed. He bent his knees slightly. The rigid tension was welcomed like an old friend.
“On three,” the exam tester said. “One, two, three!”
Caution exploded forwards and within half a second, he was in striking distance. Reuben’s eyes widened. Caution’s right gauntlet rocketed into Reuben’s stomach.
*Thud* Knees and hands on the mat, Reuben gasped for air to replace the oxygen stolen from the vicious body blow.
Caution stood over his opponent and waited, satisfied with the impact. He turned to the exam tester and almost laughed. Oh, right. There’s no count to ten. Even though he was living a new life in a new body, the soul of a boxer was still ingrained in every fibre of his being.
Reuben spluttered as he got back on his feet.
Ready?” Caution asked.
The response was a quick incantation. Reuben’s eyes glowed orange and a medium sized fire ball shot from his right palm. Unfazed, Caution slightly moved his head to one side to avoid the projectile. He had heard the incantation before the spell was activated.
Reuben repeatedly swung the sword, but Caution evaded in a way that looked effortless. It was his first time defending against a sword but his assumptions about the weapon were correct. Of course, the average sword was more lethal than the average fist. It had greater range and a greater area of damage but it was also much slower, at least in the hands of a beginner.
Caution could see the strain on Reuben’s face as the boy struggled to continuously swing the weapon. He ducked, weaved and skipped away from the blade. Purposely, he focused on defence, using the fight as an opportunity to understand the typical attack patterns of the sword.
Then all of a sudden, he lashed out, his right gauntlet crashing into Reuben’s cheek.
“Ugh!” Reuben reeled back. The sword dug into the mat as he rested his body weight on the sword’s hilt.
Caution stared at his opponent. “Is that it? Do you have anything else left to show?”
“You cocky asshole.”
“It wasn’t meant to be a taunt. I’m serious. The exam tester is watching and if you ask me, I don’t think you’ve done enough to pass.”
An announcement in crimson filled Caution’s vision.
**FIRST BLOOD!**
- ALBERT THOMPSON HAS KILLED ISAIAH BRADY
Merely seconds later, another announcement appeared.
**DOUBLE KILL!**
- ALBERT THOMPSON HAS KILLED MELISSA TORRANCE
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
A few more seconds later, another announcement appeared.
**TRIPLE KILL!**
- ALBERT THOMPSON HAS KILLED JACKSON VANG
Updates to the leaderboard have been made. Check the dashboard to find out more…
Caution took several steps back. He read the announcements once, processed the information, and then read them five more times out of sheer disbelief.
“No way,” Caution said. “No fucking way.”
He showed up the leaderboard and jumped to the first page. His jaw dropped.
Rank Contestant Points Kills 1 Albert Thompson 3,000 3 2 Joel Haines 0 0 3 Kira Kaufman 0 0 4 Zavier Evans 0 0 5 Garin Conroy 0 0 6 Naya Hines 0 0 7 Jobe Blevins 0 0 8 Xander Penn 0 0 9 Amelia-Mae Field 0 0 10 Elaine Powers 0 0
Once the shock settled, Caution found himself chuckling. Although outwardly expressing joy, a competitive beast roared and clawed at his insides. His emotions were mixed. As a man who knew exactly what was required to be strong, he admired what Albert had achieved. He must have worked extremely hard over the last decade and a half. On top of that, he must have become courageous and fully taken his advice on board. He had been able to overcome the weaknesses in his first life.
But unfortunately, Albert was now the enemy and they were no longer friends. He was one of the many competitors who stood in his way of getting back home. Due to the triple kill, the kid suddenly had a massive advantage over everyone, earning a bonus 300,000 XP. He was now everyone’s biggest threat.
Caution saw slight movement in the corner of his eye.
*Squelch*
Lilly screamed. Everyone else gasped or winced. Even Reuben was surprised and he was the one who attacked. His sword had miraculously pierced straight through Caution’s stomach.
“Who’s laughing now?” Reuben yelled. “Look at you now!”
Caution’s eyes narrowed. You better not say it. Motherfucker, you better not say it.
“You should have treated me with more caution! Haha! See what I did there? Caution not being cautious? How hilarious.”
Reuben pulled the sword out with force. Caution groaned as a torrent of crimson leaked onto the mat.
“Now… unless you want to bleed out, I suggest that you- oof, ow, oof!”
Caution jabbed three times in a row at such a speed that it would have equalled the time it took for Reuben to swing once with his sword.
In another world, whenever Manny or any professional boxer bled profusely in the boxing ring, an invisible countdown begun. Cuts that couldn’t be contained resulted in automatic disqualification which meant a bleeding boxer’s only hope of winning was by knocking out their opponent.
Today was no different.
Gauntlets raised in the air and eyes focused, Caution was immersed in a flow state and detached from the concept of time. Ironically, in that short moment, he reached a state of serenity that he yearned for every morning. His only focus was on the punches he threw which seemed too complex and specific to be random, like a cheat code for a video game.
Right, right, left, left. Blood splattered in the air and it was definitely his own.
Duck, left, left, uppercut. More blood splattered in the air but, this time, he wasn’t sure whose it was.
Left, left, right, right, left, right, left, right, right, uppercut…
When Caution finally acknowledged the world existed, the first thing he noticed was Reuben’s swollen face. One of his eyes were completely shut. Supporting himself on wobbly knees, he tried getting up but collapsed face first instead.
“You need to keep your guard up," Caution said.