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[Skills]
• Basic Breathing Technique (Major 260/500)
: It's the most fundamental breathing skill created to promote the health and activeness of the populace.
Perk: [Healthy]
[Healthy]: Optimizes the target's health by a small margin.
• Basic Fighting Technique (Major 300/500)
: The most fundamental fighting method for young warriors.
Perk: [Fighter]
[Fighter]: +5% Damage Modifier
• Basic Footwork Technique (Major 250/500)
: The fundamental movement technique for young warriors.
Perk: [Lightfooted]
[Lightfooted]: +5% to movement speed and agility while in combat.
• Fencing (Minor 10/250)
: Sword Art created for needle-type swords. Emphasizes speed and precision.
Perk: [Sword Art]
[Sword Art]: +5% Damage when using a (needle) sword.
**
'When did this page even get this populated? 'TJ sighed to himself as he saw the huge changes in his [Skills] page.
Barely a week had passed since he started attending the training camp, yet he had already learned a lot of skills.
The funny thing is that this isn't even considered a lot. A true combat professional has a lot of skills, trained skills, to aid them in their work. Investing in one's skills has always been one of the most common ways to increase one's strength.
This was just the beginning. The stronger TJ gets, the more packed this page will get. He should start getting used to this now.
TJ closed his skill page and closed his eyes to concentrate for a bit. He then recalled the information he received from his awakened boon, Dream Echo Battlefield.
The dream echo he defeated last night dimmed. Beneath its statue, there's a countdown that started 24 hours after he defeated it. When he tries to summon the same person again, he gets no response.
This meant that there's a cooldown for each dream echo, the minimum being 24 hours. During the cooldown, he can't fight them again. He had to pick another target.
Luckily, he still had nine to choose from...well, 8, actually. The named dream echo was currently beyond his abilities, so he wouldn't even bother with that for now.
The cooldown of the dream echoes had a reason, though. Although he didn't receive any concrete information about it, he's pretty sure that he received a small boost to his physical strength after he defeated the dream echo last night.
He won't be wrong about this; TJ has always been cognizant of how strong he was, so this little boost cannot escape his senses.
Right now, he had no idea if he'd receive this kind of boost each time he defeated a dream echo or if there were limits to it. Nevertheless, he welcomed it.
He's already happy to spar with dream echoes; it's already more than enough that his other boon worked in there, so him receiving a strength boost whenever he defeats dream echoes was already too much. But he wasn't complaining.
"Alright, brats! Eyes ahead."
Mr. Eden's loud and gruff voice woke him up from his daydreaming. The young warriors looked towards his direction and gathered up to listen to whatever he had to say.
"Look at this." Mr. Eden pointed at a large floating screen behind him. "The randomized sparring starts today. I'll start the draws. Find your name, and you should see your sparring partner."
"Same rules apply. No killing, maiming, crippling, or any funny business. I'll be watching you. If you even dare, you'd eat my fist. Keep it fair and educational. Understood?"
"Yes, Mr. Eden!"
At the announcement of the randomized sparring, varying reactions appeared on the faces of your warriors. Some were excited; others were nervous.
TJ was neither. He just blankly waited until the draws started.
With a sharp 'Ding! ', the draws began. Shortly after, TJ saw his name and his supposed sparring partner.
'William Kepler? Who's that? '
TJ didn't recognize the name. To be fair, aside from Sieg, he doesn't really socialize with the rest of his fellow warriors.
"Who the hell is Tristan James Whitlock? Come up here to be beaten!"
'Not the government name...' TJ sighed as he heard his name being called up in a high-profile manner by who he assumed should be William.
Dreading this already, he walked up anyway. As he got close, William's eyes landed on him; he held the eye contact while making the other party ask:
"Tristan?"
TJ nodded at this, then he took his time inspecting his sparring partner.
William was a young man through and through. He's reckless and hot-blooded and moved as if he were three times bigger than his actual size. Judging by the way he carried himself, it seems that he came from a rather wealthy background, which apparently is enough for him to think that he's better than everybody else here.
"Tsk. What a bad draw. You're so thin that I'm afraid I'll break your bones in a single punch." William clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
William's weapon choice was a spear. He held it in such a confident way, like he's been using it since he was born. His physique was more muscular compared to TJ's, which made him say that comment.
"Do you want to go somewhere else to spar? It's a bit crowded here."
TJ pointedly ignored his jeer and suggested this instead. Alas, it seems that he's been partnered with someone who's clearly testing his patience.
"No need. I'll beat you up right here and now to end this right away. I don't want to waste my time on extras."
TJ had to close his eyes to stop himself from smacking this guy's mouth. He nearly did; he really did, but he stopped himself in time.
Behind him, Sieg's large frame passed by and whispered, "Hey, just a reminder, you're not allowed to kill him."
"I know," TJ whispered back, but his eyes never left his arrogant sparring partner.
William rolled his shoulders and gave him a look of disdain. He then said:
"Come and get some. Stop wasting my time."
TJ drew a breath, and then, with a piercing calm, he asked, "Are you sure you want to do this here?"
"Shut up and come! I don't want to hear you—!"
Pow!
William didn't even get to finish his words. More specifically, TJ didn't let him.
In a surprising burst of speed, TJ bridged the short distance between them and landed a solid punch on his face. His fist sank satisfyingly on William's face, causing the poor guy to collapse on the floor.
The sound of his punch echoed in the battlefield, startling the others who had yet to start their sparring matches. Even Mr. Eden was looking in this direction.
"Ooh! Right in the face!" Sieg winced and reacted from a distance.
William was concussed. His vision spun, and his consciousness blurred for a few seconds. It was the pain in his face that returned some clarity to him. Then, it was the shame and anger that pushed him to stand back up.
But TJ's punch was stronger than he could ever expect. As he stood up fast due to shame, he felt dizzy again. He subconsciously touched his cheek, then felt liquid pouring from his nose. It was blood.
"Y-you bastard!" He snarled.
Ignoring his bleeding nose and aching face, he drew his spear, determined to lay down the pain on TJ. With a firm grip and a twist, he stabbed his spear forward, aiming to pierce through TJ's body.
Pow!
But just like before, in a speed he couldn't even react to, TJ avoided his attack and punched him again, this time on his left cheek. It's as strong as before, and it once again rattled William's head strongly enough to cause him to fall down.
"Ooh! Left side this time! Hey, at least it's even now!" Sieg commented from a distance.
Everybody was watching with grim fascination. Some of them thought that this was too cruel; others understood that it's supposed to be this way since they're warriors.
They all agreed, however, that TJ was too fast. It's something they need to be prepared for should they become partners with him in the future.
William picked himself up again. This time, slower than before. He shook his head to regain his clarity, but his ears were ringing too loudly because of TJ's punches.
Shame burned within him, and the pain made it worse.
On the other hand, TJ felt satisfied now. His earlier annoyance has been cleared after punching William's face twice. Now, he's just waiting for his next move.
"Mr. Eden! This isn't okay! He's violating the rules!"
Unexpectedly, instead of fighting back, the ashamed boy turned and asked for an adult's help. The move was so out of the blue that even TJ was stunned.
But whatever it was that William expected from what he did won't happen because Mr. Eden had no respect nor love for a spoiled brat like him.
"Shut up, boy!" Mr. Eden's gruff snarl vibrated throughout his body. It's like a lion roared at him.
"You talked big earlier, and now you're crying out for help because you got punched twice? You're a goddamn shame to the warrior lineage!"
"If you want justice for yourself, use your fist and the weapon in your hands to take it. If you can't then, then shut up and train some more! That's the whole purpose of this camp, fucking idiot!"