Chương 36: First training (2)

"In the Demi-God Realm, your combat techniques and abilities aren't very diverse," Marcus began, his voice steady as he addressed the small group of trainees.

"Since none of you have condensed your divinity yet, it wouldn't make sense to train in any elemental techniques. If you awaken a divinity that doesn't align with the technique you've learned, all that effort would be wasted."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "That's why our focus will be on gaining real combat experience and sharpening your fighting instincts. This way, when you do awaken your divinity, you'll be better equipped to use it effectively in battle."

Ezequiel listened intently, his excitement building. He had fought with other kids at the orphanage before, but he had never been trained by a professional. This was going to be something entirely new.

"For most of your training, you'll be sparring," Marcus explained. "That's why there are four of you—so you can pair up and fight one against one."

As Marcus spoke, he handed out a single card, which he explained contained a close-combat manual. The card was specially crafted with arrays that could transmit knowledge directly into their minds, bypassing the need for reading. This was a common practice, especially for more complex techniques.

Ezequiel accepted the card, feeling the information flow into his mind. The manual contained a mix of fighting styles, some familiar and others more complex, designed to take full advantage of the flexibility and power of a God. The movements it described were far beyond what any normal human could achieve.

"Now that you've all received the information, we'll begin," Marcus said, his tone taking on a slightly playful edge. "Let's start with… Eric. Yes, I think we'll have a lot of fun together." A flicker of something dark flashed in Marcus's eyes, but it was gone before Ezequiel could be sure it had been there.

Eric didn't seem to notice, striding confidently into the ring. In his mind, the instructor was no threat to someone with his divine talent.

"To make this fair, I'll lower my cultivation to match yours," Marcus said calmly. "In fact, I'll even go a step lower—right to the very beginning of the Demi-God stage."

Eric, without a second thought, took the bait. His confidence swelled, and he was certain he'd win easily.

The moment Marcus signaled the start of the fight, Eric rushed forward, his attack clumsy and full of openings. He aimed a wild swing at Marcus's head, confident in his victory.

But Marcus was a seasoned warrior. He simply leaned back, his feet rooted to the ground, allowing Eric's punch to miss entirely. Then, using the momentum from his movement, Marcus snapped back into position and delivered a powerful punch straight to Eric's face.

Eric, off-balance from his failed attack, had no chance to defend himself. The force of Marcus's punch sent him flying out of the ring, landing with a thud on the ground.

"Ugh, how dare you punch me in the face!" Eric spat, his voice full of rage. "Don't you know who I am?"

Marcus stared at him, unimpressed. "First of all, I don't know who you are, beyond your name. Second, as long as you're training under me, you follow my rules. If you get punched in the face for overestimating yourself, you either accept it or leave. Now, what's your decision?"

Eric glared, his pride wounded. He looked to Johann for support. "Aren't you going to do something about this? I need a new instructor, or I'm leaving. Remember, I've awakened a high-level species."

But Johann wasn't swayed. "Marcus is the best instructor we have. If you don't want him, you can cancel your contract. But that means losing all the funds you would have received. The Devil Slayer organization doesn't lack high-level species, and there are even two others right here."

Eric's face twisted with conflicting emotions. He wanted to storm out, furious at the humiliation and the harsh treatment. But at the same time, he didn't want to lose the thousand Faith Liquid he would be granted each year. In the end, he gritted his teeth and stayed.

'Maybe he isn't as stupid as I thought,' Ezequiel mused, a bit surprised by Eric's decision. But he quickly refocused, knowing he was next and determined to not share the same fate as Eric.

Unfortunately, things didn't go much better for him. Ezequiel stepped into the ring, his mind racing as he prepared for the fight. Knowing he couldn't overpower Marcus, he focused on dodging, hoping to land a few counterattacks. But Marcus was relentless. Out of every five attacks Marcus launched, Ezequiel was lucky to dodge one. He didn't land a single attack on Marcus, even though he gave his best. In the end, he, too, was knocked down, though not as badly as Eric.

Next up were Marie and Anna. For reasons Ezequiel couldn't quite understand, Marcus was gentler with them. 'Curse their youthful looks and cuteness,' he thought bitterly. 'They deserve the same beating I got.'

Even so, Ezequiel's performance was the best overall, with Anna coming in close behind. It was clear she had received some training from her father already.

After four grueling hours of sparring and multiple bruises, their training finally ended. Normally, the session would have lasted six hours, but the delay caused by Eric's late arrival had shortened it.

Throughout the training, Eric grew quieter and less arrogant. Perhaps he had finally realized that he wasn't as special as he thought he was.

As soon as the session ended, Eric muttered something under his breath and rushed off without saying goodbye. Marie and Ezequiel, on the other hand, took the time to say their farewells before leaving.

"Don't forget about the management lessons in two days," Johann called after them as they walked away. Marie was already looking forward to them, but Ezequiel had no intention of attending.

Others might need those lessons, but managing his Angels was easy. They didn't have any particular needs, and their faith remained high regardless of circumstances. The primary purpose of the lessons was to increase the faith of one's followers, and since Ezequiel wasn't planning on revealing his full strength, most of the teachings wouldn't apply to him.

Marie, however, insisted on going, if only to spend more time with Anna.

When they finally got home, Ezequiel collapsed into bed, exhausted and sore from the day's beatings. Within minutes, he was fast asleep, too tired to think about anything else.

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