Chapter 16

Chapter 16

What's good about hitting and hurting people? Conversely, what's good about being beaten until the nose breaks and lips burst? Well, there are kids who only enjoy hitting others, but I'm a bit different.

There is something knotted. Here. In the chest. If I burst it, it feels a little refreshing, and every time I feel my skill improving, it feels like something empty is being filled. Right, a sense of fullness. Don't you feel so too?

Don't know if you understand, but fighting by exchanging blows with an opponent seems similar to sharing a deep conversation.

Because even without speaking, ah, this bastard is a trash-like guy, ah, this guy is a decent fellow, things like that are felt.

But well, fighting means there is an opponent, and there is no law that I will always win. If I lose, it's unfair and aggravating, but still, I trained hard with the thought of winning next time.

But there were kids who couldn't do it no matter how hard they tried. Are they born with it? Born with what? How do they do easily what I can't do no matter how hard I try?

Heard that if one feels something called mana and becomes able to use it, a completely different world unfolds. Well, I can't feel anything for such kids. Just a wall, wall. A wall giving no answer.

So you know, I intend to quit training.

Bolka recalled words he said in the past strangely. Couldn't remember to whom he said such words. Was it the ex-girlfriend?

Bolka, who opened his eyes in the morning, was lost in thought before raising his body. And for some reason, felt a ticklish feeling in his chest.

Naturally, things Rickart taught him came to mind. As he chewed on them one by one, all nerves concentrated there automatically.

Rather than extending a fist, care about distance first, secure the distance I am confident in first, kicks are as important as fists, etc.

Actually, these things were nothing but basics, but looking at what is learned in the Academy, posture and professor's personal know-how were everything. Besides that, had to develop oneself while fighting actually.

However, busy working, this and that incidents happening, and having to handle them as a Captain, couldn't concentrate fully.

In addition to that, physical development was all different for each student, so it was harder to get a good practice partner.

Bolka chewed on the fights he lost before Rickart. Looking now, it seemed to be seen quite clearly why he lost. The past self felt really stupid.

After sleeping well for a night, Bolka devoted himself to practice alone although his body didn't recover fully yet.

Thinking continuously in his head about something called 'distance', tried to embody movements according to it.

And although couldn't see fully all, Rickart's beautifully accurate strike was a point of aim.

Rickart watched Bolka practicing blankly hanging on a pull-up bar, then corrected posture once in a while or taught this and that know-how.

Like that two days passed, it was a day with bare-hand combat class. Children listening to the class were about 50 in total, and gender ratio was about 3:1. Among them, there was Bolka's ex-girlfriend too.

As usual, the professor taught separate groups that were still immature, and the rest gathered among themselves appearing as practice partners for each other and polished techniques.

Among them, there were kids just playing giggling between friends.

But Bolka was hitting a scarecrow alone as if somewhat alienated. Whether due to Rickart's matter, the gaze towards Bolka among children was strange.

"Hey, Bolka."

Someone called. Looking back, it was a student with a higher rank than himself, a kid who often stayed in the city rather than the dorm.

"Why?"

"Heard you were beaten by the newbie."

"So."

"Still a guy called Captain in own way, doing so can you take care of kids?"

"Since when were you interested in kids?"

"I am not interested. I am interested in my skill improvement. You aren't without talent like you."

"......"

"Aren't you just aiming for role of Captain of brats giving up since you have no talent? But now that also ended, so what will you do? Will you shine shoes or something?"

At the word shoeshine ridicule was heard here and there.

It was a truly cruel place. Place called Adventurer Academy. Enjoyed someone falling, and didn't hesitate to mock. And considered bullying a kid weaker than oneself as natural.

But it was then. The professor who saw playing kids spoke.

"You rascals, I told you to practice but there are guys playing in the meantime. Even if I'm not interested in you guys, I must have said playing during class is ignoring me."

As the professor spoke, the children became tense. Because he could do training close to torture under the pretext of physical training.

However, the professor smirked and said.

"Indeed, it is true that it's boring. Then let's refresh the atmosphere a bit. It's Pankration."

Then children opened eyes wide and shouted as if in chorus.

"Pankration! Pankration!"

The professor recalled his Academy days briefly listening to that chorus. While doing so, said.

"Confident person come out."

Then the student who was mocking Bolka raised his hand and said.

"May I point out?"

"If the pointed out target doesn't refuse?"

At the professor's words, the student looked back at Bolka and said.

"Will you refuse?"

Bolka was lost in thought for a moment. To others, it looked like worrying whether to kill pride or fight still.

However, that wasn't it. Bolka wasn't calculating chances of winning or such, but ruminating in his head what he practiced for the past few days.

As thinking ended, raised head and said.

"No. You come out."

Saying so walked to the sandpit, and here and there Oh, sounds were heard. Bolka didn't care about surrounding things and repeated continuously inside. Let's measure distance. Let's measure distance. Let's measure distance......

Fight at the distance I want, and avoid distance I don't want. If entering the distance I want, fist comes out automatically. So let's measure distance.

What would have changed so much by practicing two days, but sometimes a small change creates a big thing.

Bolka felt his heart beating. It wasn't fear of defeat, nor desire for victory. Just, expectation about something changed in himself.

"Let's not go to wrestling uglily. Kids watching should also accept, right."

The student standing opposite Bolka in the sandpit said. Similar age group to Bolka, calculating by age already an adult.

Day entering Academy was also similar, and there were days hanging out together briefly.

How did the relationship become like this. Whether inferiority complex about talent, or because there was something sad unable to speak, unknown matter.

"Both ready?"

The professor asked. Bolka nodded, and the opponent grabbed the opposite shoulder and spun arm round and round.

"Good. Except biting, kicking groin all allowed. Die, or surrender. Pankration Start!"

With the shout of start, Bolka took a stance. Something slightly different from before, he who is right-handed put left hand forward, kept right hand pulled, stance stepping left foot slightly forward.

Above all, put upper body upright and stepped lightly. With left hand measured distance and at the same time extended forward slightly as if checking.

Then at certain moment, the opponent lowered upper body first and struck in. Extended left hand powerfully, and retrieving quickly struck up right hand fist. Uh? Wait a moment.

Bolka extended arm and tilted head backward slightly widening distance, leaving everything else aside, the opponent's attack looked too slow. Is he testing?

"Haha, became a coward, Bolka? Let's raise excitement a bit."

The opponent said jumping up and down in place as if loosening body. And took stance again and struck in boldly once again.

This time also opponent's attack was all seen in Bolka's eyes. Just extending hand seems will be hit by himself? Is this allowed?

As suffering lightning-like attacks striking from Rickart's blind spot, the opponent's attack felt like playing. Before teaching or whatever, the level difference between the opponent in front of eyes and Rickart was clear.

The opponent kept pressing, and eventually Bolka was driven to the edge of the sandpit. Sand splashed by rough footsteps of two students, kids watching along with it also watched more interestingly.

Nose will break or lips will burst. Blood will drip on the sandpit. And everyone expected it would be Bolka.

But at the moment, the opponent swung fist powerfully but suddenly head bent and fell flat on the ground with thud. Bolka hit the opponent's face dodging to side.

Thwack!

Didn't hit chin accurately, hit cheekbone side so opponent placed hand on outside of sandpit. If hit chin properly and fainted should have stuck face not hand.

Still, front of eyes spinning round and round, couldn't recover senses for a moment. He stood up hurriedly with shocked face.

Everyone's eyes became round at unexpected result. Students who had no particular ill feeling towards Bolka or that opponent felt interest in result deviating from expectation.

Whether confidence disappeared entirely after being hit once, Bolka's opponent retreated hesitatingly making slightly bewildered expression.

However soon knowing there were 50 or so spectators, attacked unreasonably due to shame and mind not wanting to admit.

Bolka widened distance again, then utilizing rear foot Rickart taught narrowed long distance instantly and extended fist.

Smack!

Whether hit properly opponent's lips burst and broken teeth fell on sandpit abundantly. And he just stuck face on the ground. Fainted as it was.

"Oh? What are you. Hit a bit?"

Student fainted and fell but professor said not caring. Actually he was just High Rank adventurer belonging to guild, so lacked personally somewhere to be called professor.

"Just two hits. Very clean. With this degree of striking technique can use in actual combat too. Now, should decide? It's Pankration."

Reason bare-hand combat is important was that in actual combat weapons break quickly or missed from hand often. So wrestling technique is especially important, striking technique was also important no less than that.

And good as self-defense technique usually, above all fighting well without weapon inspires confidence naturally. Because having thought that there is last means in any situation.

Anyway, die or surrender. It was a match not ending just by fainting.

Bolka's opponent recovered senses soon, but whether body didn't listen properly wiggled on floor. Bolka stepped on such his chest gently, looking down said.

"What will you do?"

"......Su, surrender."

Clap clap clap clap clap.

Applause burst out here and there.

"What, hits a bit?"

"Bolka is decent? Aren't you also losing?"

"Don't be funny."

"But then what is that newbie?"

Students who only heard rumors staying in city threw a word each. And Bolka's overwhelming victory made interest focus on Rickart naturally.

Now Bolka's skill seen with their own eyes definitely was considerable, but since he was beaten down by Rickart from first day curiosity had to arise.

On the other hand, those close with student who was Bolka's opponent couldn't come out of shock.

If rank differed by one or two stages might lose somehow, but Bolka was 20th and their friend was 15th. Check difference as many as five stages.

Absurd and dumbfounded and hard to accept, but since ended in just two hits couldn't even say lucky.

Meanwhile party concerned Bolka was also slightly bewildered. Because judgment didn't stand well whether he became strong or opponent became weak now.

However feeling was definitely good. Something called desire for improvement which he let go from sometime seemed to revive like flame. Heart thumped.

Finishing class and leaving inner castle, kids who kept distance knowingly or unknowingly meanwhile approached and pretended to be close. And ex-girlfriend who dumped himself also approached.

"Seem started training again?"

At tone pretending nothing wrong on purpose, Bolka laughed uselessly. Because, now his heart was stolen by other thing so ex-girlfriend felt like nothing. Didn't have lingering affection of even one inch.

So didn't get angry at her, didn't resent, said just like this.

"Hey, don't talk to me. Busy."

Ex-girlfriend's face became red, and Bolka headed to dorm leaving her. And took Rickart and Bori-bori went to city.

High rank students who stopped by Academy dorm to listen to class watched boy wearing red cloak from far away.