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1.93% Chaos' Heir / Chapter 20: Exchanges

Chương 20: Exchanges

An explosion followed the impact between the fiery vortex and the training dummy. Defensive screens appeared on the edges of the stage and blocked the fuming scraps of metal and flames that flew after the detonation.

A vent promptly appeared on the ceiling and drained the smoke and fire lingering on the stage. Khan and the others soon became able to see the state of the training dummy, and their mouths inevitably opened in surprise.

The training dummy was no more. It initially featured only half of a human torso, but the spell had left it with a small patch of melted metal that hung from a short stick.

'This destructive power is incredible!' Khan shouted in his mind.

Only Luke and a few recruits didn't show any surprise at the scene. They had already seen mages in action thanks to their background, so they knew how powerful spells could be.

"I think you all can understand why becoming a mage is harder and has no shortcuts," Professor Norwell announced. "Spells are far stronger than martial arts, but they have significant drawbacks. Casting these abilities requires more time, and it usually depletes far more mana."

The explanation made sense in everyone's mind. There had to be a higher price to pay for such a mighty ability.

"Let's start with the basics now," Professor Norwell shouted while jumping off the stage. "Divide yourselves into groups of two. We'll go over a few simple moves that usually work for every martial art. Many of you have already received physical training, but it won't hurt to review them."

Luke immediately turned toward Martha, but she touched Khan's shoulder before anyone could approach her.

"Let's see how good you are with proper techniques," Martha smiled when Khan turned, but the latter didn't seem too excited about the matter.

'What do we have to learn if we can't use mana?' Khan wondered as Martha led him to an isolated spot of the hall.

The various pairs did the same. They all separated and took ample empty areas for themselves.

Professor Norwell nodded when she saw how swiftly her students took their places. She eventually cleared her throat to claim their attention, and a tall hologram of herself soon appeared at the center of the hall.

"I'll teach you footwork and attacks for the first lessons," Professor Norwell announced. "Keep in mind that these are nothing more than basic moves. Real martial arts might require complicated forms, but it's not bad to have these as your foundation."

Professor Norwell bent her legs before performing a quick movement with her ankle. Her figure seemed to stretch. She left an afterimage as she slid on the floor and performed a quick side-step.

"This is the shadow step executed with advanced proficiency," Professor Norwell explained. "This form is the most basic footwork in the army, but it can match better techniques if performed with higher proficiency."

Professor Norwell then bent her legs again before her waist performed a sharp movement. Her right arm shot forward, and her palm released a low noise when it hit the air.

"This is the palm force executed with advanced proficiency," Professor Norwell announced. "This attack is the same as the shadow step. It's a very basic technique backed with high proficiency."

The tall hologram at the center of the hall began to repeat both techniques, and menus appeared under every pair. Khan briefly played with the various icons and discovered that they could mark where his feet had to be to perform both techniques.

"There are four stages of proficiency for each martial art," Professor Norwell continued. "You are all novices right now since you can't use mana. The higher proficiency levels are competent, advanced, and expert. You can reach them by obtaining mastery over the forms and the correct flow of mana."

'I get it now,' Khan summarized in his mind. 'Memorizing the forms now will give us an easier time once we become able to move mana at will. I can't slack then.'

The excitement that had started to vanish returned stronger than ever. Khan was ready to give his everything.

"Don't hold back," Martha whispered, but she quickly noticed that Khan wasn't listening to her.

His eyes moved between the marks on the floor and Professor Norwell's hologram. He seemed completely absorbed by the training. He even started to test some of the moves while listening to the explanation.

The floor revealed a red color whenever Khan failed to perform the movement correctly. Writings that described his mistakes even appeared among that shade.

Martha revealed a smile when she saw Khan's serious expression, but a tinge of annoyance filled her mind when she realized that he was ignoring her.

"You will alternate between attacking and dodging," Professor Norwell ordered. "Alternate hands and feet according to your companion, and don't hold back. Hit each other! Pain will improve your reflexes and quicken your learning experience. I'll become your training partner if I notice any slacker."

A second of silence followed that order before Professor Norwell gave voice to a loud "begin". Khan raised his head to plan the training with Martha, but a palm suddenly hit his chest and forced him to take a step back.

Martha wore a satisfied expression when Khan raised his head. Instead, Khan had no idea why Martha had attacked him so suddenly.

"Let's start with the right," Martha said before Khan could question her about her previous behavior. "It's your turn to attack."

Khan scratched his head before quickly giving up on the matter. He inspected the hologram while studying the instructions on the floor and taking his position.

"Ready?" Khan asked.

"This training also focuses on enhancing our reflexes," Martha explained. "Let's not announce our attacks. We should start as soon as our feet reach the intended position."

Khan rotated his waist and stretched his arm as soon as Martha finished speaking. His palm hit her shoulder and made her stumble backward, but the floor still showed a red light.

'What did I do wrong?' Khan wondered while reading the writings on the floor. 'Back foot didn't rotate enough, and my arm didn't follow the waist correctly.'

"You definitely hold grudges," Martha snorted while standing up to resume her position.

"I don't know what you are talking abou-," Khan had to interrupt his line to dodge an incoming palm strike.

His body rotated and successfully side-stepped Martha's attack, but the floor still revealed a red light. The same happened for Martha, and both of them lowered their head to understand their mistakes.

'No technique at all?' Khan read from the floor. 'I guess I just tried to dodge the attack without trying to perform the move.'

"I won't ignore you anymore, okay?" Khan laughed when he raised his head.

"You aren't as dense as I thought," Martha commented while revealing a smile. "Sure. Let's focus on the exercise."

Martha and Khan stopped minding each other and focused entirely on their forms. They even gained speed after a few exchanges since they established a proper progression of the moves.

Khan initially had many difficulties, especially when it came to the shadow step. He had trained his instincts in the Slums, so his body automatically tried to dodge Martha's attacks without bothering about the actual technique.

Martha had it easier since she had already received some training. However, her techniques were inaccurate and needed far more practice according to the menus on the floor.

Khan slowly managed to overcome his instincts and focus only on the moves. That approach allowed Martha to hit him many times, but he didn't care about pain as long as his technique improved.

Khan's determination seemed to affect Martha since she also stopped running away from pain and focus on the menus' teachings. Both of them ended up hitting each other many times in the two hours of the lesson.

"Enough!" Professor Norwell eventually shouted, and the floor went dark.

The hologram disappeared while Professor Norwell returned on the stage to pick a cigarette from the pack that she had left on the floor.

"No wonder you are the special class," Professor Norwell explained. "I had to stop after only one hour with the last recruits. All of you have also succeeded in turning the floor green a few times."

Khan and Martha exchanged a glance. He raised his hand to show four fingers while she lifted both of them to reveal six fingers. Martha had surpassed Khan when it came to the number of green lights.

"There's no need to keep track of today's achievements," Professor Norwell continued. "This mandatory lesson will happen every afternoon. Your focus has to be on perfecting your moves in a short time."

Some of the recruits showed ugly expressions. That training was hellish and painful, but Professor Norwell wanted them to do it every day.

"Some of you will already reach twenty percent attunement with mana in the next months," Professor Norwell revealed. "I suggest you use your nights to rest or meditate to keep up with your classmates. The Global Army will leave every slacker behind. You might have families ready to back you up, but I want to remind you that they are useless on a battlefield."

Professor Norwell then waved her hand and pointed toward the exit. "Go now. Don't waste any more of my time."

Martha and Khan sighed and turned toward the exit after Professor Norwell dismissed them. Luke and Bruce quickly reached them, but their eyes widened in surprise when they saw their friends.

"What the hell happened to you?" Luke asked.

Khan and Martha turned toward each other and noticed that their faces were full of bruises. They had also torn their uniforms in various spots during the training.

****

Author's notes: I have the first dose of the vaccine tomorrow. I might not feel well, so don't panic if you see delays.


next chapter

Chương 21: Two faces

"Did you try to kill each other?" Bruce asked when he noticed Khan and Martha's state.

"It's just training," Khan replied while inspecting the two boys. "What about you? Did you even try to perform the moves?"

A faint laugh escaped Martha's mouth at that comment. Luke and Bruce had a few spots on their uniforms, but they were perfectly fine otherwise.

"These are only basic techniques," Luke snorted. "It's almost pointless to learn them since our future martial arts will most likely ask us to modify our habits."

"He is right," Bruce added. "Our families have already purchased martial arts suitable for our physique, and I bet that Martha also has something similar. Learning these low-level moves is quite pointless."

Khan turned toward Martha, and the latter nodded while revealing a helpless expression.

"My situation is a bit different," Martha explained. "My family has a few martial arts, but they don't really suit my height. I plan to change it here."

"Height?" Khan asked.

"I learnt how to use hammers!" Martha released a helpless sigh. "Both men and women in my family are usually tall and burly, so those weapons are fine for them. However, I need to match it with a martial art that has exceptional footwork to use it properly."

Martha was shorter than Khan. She was among the shortest in the special class. Hammers usually didn't have a good range, so her height could be an issue in a battle.

'I see,' Khan commented in his mind. 'She is preparing her body for the new martial art.'

"Where can I get one of those?" Khan asked. "I've never seen a martial art. I don't even know what it should look like."

"Martial arts usually are a series of moves that culminate into special techniques," Martha explained while the group began to leave the building. "The Global Army will provide you with a low-level one for free once your attunement with mana reaches the intended level."

"I suggest you avoid them," Luke quickly contradicted Martha. "You will only develop bad habits. It's better to start directly with a high-level martial art. You won't have to force your body to forget most of your training in that way."

"How can I even put my hands on high-level martial arts?" Khan asked.

"There are a few ways," Martha explained. "You can purchase them from the army through Credits or merits, find masters willing to take you under their wing, or-."

"Or you can ask me," Luke interrupted Martha. "My family has a large collection of martial arts. You should come to Ylaco with me when the semester ends. I'm sure I can find something suitable. You can even ask me for a loan and go in specialized shops otherwise."

Martha pretended not to see that interaction, and Bruce also let his gaze wander through his surroundings. Khan didn't miss their behavior, but he still pretended to be completely overwhelmed with gratefulness.

"That would be so great!" Khan exclaimed while wearing one of his brightest smiles. "I'll definitely rely on you then. Don't you dare to go back on your words."

Khan and Luke laughed after that exchange of words. They both felt satisfied with that interaction.

Luke ended up believing that Khan was already in his pocket, while the latter managed to keep that door open without establishing any deal.

"I'll return to my flat now," Luke announced. "We have a long day tomorrow, and I'm sure that Professor Norwell's lessons will only get harsher."

"I'll come with you," Bruce replied. "My flat is in the same direction anyway."

Khan maintained his smile and waved his hand as his friends turned, but Luke seemed to recall something at the last second.

"You should both visit the medical bay," Luke said. "Our bodies might be resilient, but it's better to deal with your bruises before tomorrow's physical lesson."

Luke and Bruce left after that reminder, and Martha and Khan waited for them to disappear around a corner before exchanging a glance. The duo ended up exploding into a laugh, but they still decided to follow that advice.

Martha and Khan chitchatted during the walk to the medical bay. It was already quite late, so they tried to hurry. Luckily for them, they found many free nurses inside the building, and they quickly applied a few cold lotions on their bruises.

Khan didn't get the chance to visit Doctor Ian Parket. He had a few questions about the attunement with mana, but he gave up on the matter after learning that the man had already left.

Martha waited for Khan outside of the medical bay, which slightly surprised him. He didn't expect her to refuse the chance to hit the bed sooner.

"You didn't have to wait for me," Khan grinned. "It's already nine pm. You can't go to the canteen anymore now."

"Only you would think about your stomach at this hour," Martha snorted.

"I don't need to," Khan replied while wearing a proud expression. "I already have a stash of food in my room."

"You are hopeless!" Martha shouted, but she ended up exploding into a laugh in front of Khan's funny expression.

'I have enough time to eat, meditate, and sleep,' Khan thought while looking in the direction of his dormitory.

Thinking about his bed worsened Khan's mood. His day had been fantastic, but his recurring nightmare would inevitably ruin it.

Martha noticed the sharp change in Khan's expression. The event left her sightly dumbfounded, especially since they were both laughing and joking just a second ago.

"How much of you is an act?" Martha said, but she quickly covered her mouth and tried to justify her words. "I didn't mean to do that. That had to remain in my head."

"What do you mean?" Khan snapped back to reality and revealed a fake smile. "I'm always myself."

Martha and Khan had yet to have a deep conversation. They had known each other for a mere week, and they had interacted for less than a day. Their friendship had barely begun.

"I'm too blunt at times," Martha tried to dodge that topic. "You don't have to think too much about my words."

"You are my sparring partner," Khan laughed. "I think I need to know a bit to trust you."

Martha frowned. Khan had basically said that he didn't trust her. She stopped caring about the politeness of her words at that point and began to speak her mind.

"You have two faces," Martha explained. "You often are the simple boy from the Slums who can't take anything seriously. Yet, you turn into a completely different guy whenever we talk about mana or aliens."

"I'm just curious," Khan laughed while trying to lie his way out of that topic. "You all know so much, and that's even normal for you. How can I not pay attention when you disclose some of your knowledge?"

Martha's eyes sharpened. She inspected Khan, paying special attention to his gestures. She couldn't find anything off in his behavior, but her instincts told her that something was off.

"I've been your sparring partner," Martha announced. "I have seen how you handle pain. You don't run away from it. You coldly accept it when it's necessary."

"Isn't that normal?" Khan laughed again.

"What did you even experience in the Slums?" Martha sighed. "I hope you'll trust me enough to tell me one day."

Khan wished to say something, but Martha raised her hand while shaking her head. She didn't want more lies. The girl even began to walk in the direction of her dormitory without caring if Khan was following her.

'Women are so sharp,' Khan sighed in his mind as he watched Martha's figure disappearing in the distance. 'I should just tell her about the Second Impact. That might keep her satisfied for a while.'

Martha was right, and Khan knew that. Part of him had broken after spending every night of the last eleven years dreaming about the worst day of his life.

His determination to learn how to use mana came from his desperation. Khan wanted to put an end to those dreams, but he was out of options. He had to meet the minimum requirements for the missions in the foreign planets and search for the remaining Nak.

That alien species was also incredibly strong, so Khan needed the power to hunt them. Working hard to obtain it seemed completely normal in his mind since his sanity was on the line.

'I'll try to find the right chance to reveal my Tainted status,' Khan decided in his mind.

Khan didn't feel any shame about his Tainted status, but he preferred to avoid disclosing that news. The recruits were different from the citizens of the Slums, but they would still treat him differently after learning about his role in the Second Impact.

'I guess I only want to feel normal,' Khan laughed in his mind. 'A normal sixteen years old boy who has survived the attack of a Nak and dreams about it every night.'

Khan ended up revealing a weak smile while starting to walk toward his dormitory. He didn't even know how to explain his nightmares to his peers. His mind went to war every night, and he always lost.


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