Erik took a deep breath as he finished his final lesson of the day at the Red Palace. He had been training for months, and he could feel himself growing stronger with every passing day. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a swig of water from his canteen.
After some time, he noticed Benedict sitting at the bench where he usually took his breaks, and he was there, looking deep in thought. Benedict quickly became one of Erik's closest friends at the Palace, and they had been through a lot together already due to the attack perpetrated by the Crystal Cross Gang. Erik took a seat next to him, and they exchanged greetings.
Benedict turned to Erik and said, "I heard you're going to have a new fight again today. Are you ready?" He had a huge grin on his face; Benedict was like that, a very enthusiastic person who loved to compete and fight.
Erik shrugged. "I'm ok; honestly, I don't think there is anyone at the peasant rank who can beat me at this point. Maybe, Anderson, but I wouldn't be so sure about it either…"
"Yeah, man, even I have to say that your growth was remarkable. Anderson told me how you were a couple of months ago. I can't believe you couldn't even throw a punch before coming here," Benedict remarked.
"I did the best I could…" Erik replied. "But I also have to give credit to the trainers here. They really pushed me beyond my limits and helped me develop my skills," Erik added with a smile of gratitude.
Benedict nodded. "Yeah, I know. I myself have seen the same improvements since I came here." They shared a moment of silence, and then Benedict asked, "By the way, what do you know about your next opponent?"
Erik shook his head. "Not much. I've seen him around, but I've never fought him before. I'm not even sure what his name is."
Benedict leaned forward. "Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing. You'll be able to go into the fight without any preconceptions, which could work to your advantage." Benedict just said something weirdly sharp for his usual self.
Erik nodded. He didn't feel threatened at all, and he just wanted to get this over with, as he couldn't learn anything from the fights he was currently having.
Benedict grinned. "Anytime, my friend. Just remember, you've got this. You are now the best fighter at the peasant rank. Damn, you probably surpassed Amber and Anderson, and I know how strong they are!"
Erik smiled, feeling a surge of pride. He stood up from the bench, ready to head to the Blue Palace to have his fight.
"Thanks, Benedict. I'll see you after the fight," he said before turning and walking away.
"Have fun!" Benedict said.
Erik quickly left the Yellow Palace and headed to the bus that would bring him to the Blue One. The awakener stepped onto the vehicle with a calm look; after all, he had been through so much that he felt nothing when he had to fight.
The bus was packed with students heading to the same destination, hoping to win the fight that would propel them higher, and Erik had to squeeze his way past several passengers before he found a seat. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, visualizing the fight ahead. He was calm and knew he would win, but he wasn't stupid.
Erik's mind wandered as the bus trundled through the Red Palace's garden. He thought about his opponent, wondering who they would be. He hoped it wouldn't be someone annoying or with a nasty personality, as he was sick of arrogant people believing themselves to be the boss while, in truth, they were only as significant as a tiny, scurrying ant.
However, he was still a relative newcomer to the Red Palace's fight scene, and he knew he had a lot of climbing to do before he reached the top.
Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop, and Erik opened his eyes. He was at the Blue Palace. He got up and went to the entrance, where he received the customary notification.
_________________________________________
ERIK ROMANO (RANK 370, FIRST YEAR) VERSUS DION TUCK (RANK 270, SECOND YEAR)
ROOM 823, EIGHTH FLOOR.
HEALER: MARTIN MIDDLETON.
__________________________________________
Erik quickly glanced at the healer's name.
<It is still him; I wonder if they are assigning him to me on purpose...> the young man thought. As for the fighter, Erik didn't really know who the guy was, but having seen him around, he had a couple of information about him. He was one of the best peasant-rank fighters, had a reputation for being ruthless, and had knocked out many opponents in the past but could not beat the other top fighters and was stuck at rank 270.
From this general information he knew, he judged the man to be a skilled fighter, but despite knowing this, he wasn't worried at all. He beat Nathaniel, who was destined to go to the squire rank in the following month at least.
Erik quickly made his way to the elevator, and then, once he arrived, he reached room 823 on the eighth floor. As soon as he entered, Martin, the healer, greeted Erik.
"Good evening, young man. How are you?" he asked.
The two exchanged pleasantries, and after five minutes, the door to the place opened; Dion had just arrived. Erik couldn't help but be impressed by the man's athletic physique. Standing tall at 1.9 meters, Dion had a powerful build that hinted at his dedication to his training.
His broad shoulders and chiseled chest were accentuated by the tight-fitting shirt he wore, and his strong arms and legs looked like they could lift and carry heavy weights with ease.
Erik noticed that even his posture conveyed a sense of strength and confidence. As he walked across the room, Dion's movements were fluid and controlled, his steps landing with a quiet grace that spoke to his athletic prowess.
His dark hair was neatly trimmed, and an uneven light stubble framed his angular face. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room with a focused gaze, and his serious look seemed to put everyone in their place.
Erik was, however, unbothered by the young man. "Let's do this…"
The two went directly into the middle of the room, and Martin headed to the control room, closing the door behind him and activating the barrier.
Erik looked across the room, directly at his opponent, who didn't say anything at all, and saw Dion staring back at him, his face unperturbed.
"You can start the fight; you know the rules."
Like that, the fight started. For the first few minutes, Erik and Dion circled each other warily, trading blows but not making any real headway. Erik could feel Dion's power with each punch; he was strong, but not as much as he was.
Even though Dion was one of the best fighters at the Red Palace's peasant rank, with years of experience and a reputation as a strong fighter, the young man knew immediately that he would win.
Erik moved quickly, throwing jabs and uppercuts with precision and not even putting that much effort into avoiding Dion's. His speed and strength made his opponent seem taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure and began to fight back.
Erik noticed again Dion's experience and skill as they circled each other in the ring, as the fighter tried to find weaknesses to exploit in order to win the challenger. Erik tried to stay one step ahead, but Dion was smart and didn't really allow him. The awakener could see that he was trying to lead him to make a mistake, waiting for an opening to strike, but Erik didn't fall for it.
"Why aren't you using your blade?" Dion asked, clearly annoyed by the lack of respect Erik showed to him.
"There is no need…" the awakener replied.
"We will see…" Dion's anger grew as he watched Erik's arrogant attitude.
At that moment, the man channeled mana and transformed into a human-tiger hybrid. His strength and speed severely increased.
Despite this, Erik stayed focused but calm and used his sharp senses to anticipate Dion's moves. Dion tried to land several powerful blows on Erik. Still, he failed again, despite his increased strength and speed, and this gravely affected Dion's mood, who started to understand the disparity between him and Erik. However, he refused to back down and surrender; he thought he had a chance.
However, as the fight continued, Erik saw the subtle hints that Dion was already growing tired; keeping up with his speed wasn't simple for the young man. Erik, on the other hand, was still full of energy; he knew he had an advantage in terms of strength and stamina, and he wanted to take full advantage of it.
Erik seized his opportunity, as Dion had problems keeping up with the fight, unleashing a flurry of punches that caught his opponent off guard. He stumbled, and Erik landed a mighty blow that sent Dion tumbling to the ground.
Erik observed him for a bit, doing nothing. He realized his superiority in full and started feeling a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Dion struggled to get up, growling angrily as he turned to Erik. "You think this is a game? You're not taking me seriously!" he roared.
Erik stood tall, staring down at Dion with a calm expression. "I take every opponent seriously," he replied, his voice firm and steady.
Dion snarled, his eyes glowing with fury. "Then fight me like a man!" he shouted.
Erik shrugged. "I'm doing what I need to do to win," he simply said. "And I don't need that much against you; I'm sorry if this upsets you." He added. To be honest, Erik himself was weirded out by his words; they sounded more arrogant than he intended. But he was telling the truth; there was no need for him to give his all in this fight.
Dion gritted his teeth, his claws digging into the ground. "I'll show you what happens when you don't take me seriously!" he yelled, lunging forward to attack again.
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