A full month has passed beneath the ever consistent day/night sky of Quietus Forest.
For me, every day has been rambunctious and ever-changing.
Days blurred into a 'grul'ling cycle of physical strain with Kael and mental strain with the physician.
My body, already pretty powerful in and of itself, had amassed an even more monstrous level of power.
Where I once simple-mindedly used brute force, I now handled with finesse like a gallant Ostrich.
…That sounds uncool, I'll change it—no, no, I'll let it stay.
The sparring ground didn't feel as heavy as before; it didn't feel like knee-deep mud when I stepped foot on it, fearing that I'll fall down and stick to the floor.
No, it felt more like a dance floor.
And I, the dancer.
Kael, ice cube that he was, stood stoicly opposite to me.
This time, there were no practice swords or sticks—we held our real weapons.
For him, the ceremonial sword he's equipped himself with ever since his retirement.
For I, the axe that I had commissioned from the blacksmith of the settlement.
Her name's Natascha, by the way.
A worthy successor to Sasha.
Instead of raising my axe above my head as I did before—always ready to slice down—I held it low, guarding my center.
The standard form for a defensive posture.
A 'fool's guard', something that invited enemies to charge headfirst, never realizing the defense was aiming precisely for that.
Of course, Kael already knew this, but this was the posture I felt most comfortable with when I fight against the old man.
"An entire month, Grul."
Kael's voice was softer now, devoid of the irritation it held for the first few weeks.
"Show me that I haven't wasted my time."
Kael initiated the attack, a lightning-fast sequence of thrusts and low sweeps that had, a few weeks ago, sent me sprawling.
I did not grunt, I did not make any sounds—I simply moved.
My head shifted five inches to the left, dodging the first thrust aimed squarely at my nose.
I countered the follow-up low sweep with a graceful spin that was unnatural for my bulk, simultaneously using the forward momentum to bring my axe around in a perfectly controlled, horizontal counter-swing.
Kael moved just in time to miss the axe-head, but the handle connected squarely with his ribs, knocking the air from his lungs in a sharp gasp.
You'd think that this single strike would knock the old man out, but he was a persistent, stubborn old man wearing high quality armor.
Kael stumbled for only a moment, but recovered as if he was never hit in the first place.
He adopted a familiar, rigid defensive stance that I had been forced to learn by heart.
The Pflug stance.
Pressing my advantage, I used Kael's lessons against him.
I feinted an overhead swing to force Kael's guard up, tricking him into transitioning his stance into an Ox stance, then immediately dropping the weight of my axe and pivoting my feet in the exact same motion Kael had done a thousand times.
The move was so fluid, so devoid of unnecessary movement, that the axe slid past Kael's hurriedly made low guard, stopping precisely one millimeter from the retired legionary's sternum.
Kael lowered his sword, his breath coming in ragged puffs.
It was over.
I had finally won.
Kael let his sword drop to the dirt, the dull thud echoing in the now silent training grounds.
Kael looked me up and down, a complicated mix of defeat, pride, and utter disbelief etched across his usually impassive face.
"It is finished. You have learned more in a month than most legionnaires do in a lifetime."
I know, right?
Yeah, I'm kinda perfect.
"My only problem with the fight was your hesitation during your counter; had you swung without delay, you could have ended the fight in one bout; an outcome far more welcome than prolonging the fight."
D'oh, I still hesitated?
I guess I did, I mean, I am fighting against Old Man Kael, how could I just crush his ribs like that?
"Aside from that…"
He stepped back and gave a stiff, formal nod.
"Your prowess now… it rivals that of our elite legionnaires. Perhaps even surpassing them. Whatever creature you lost to then, you will overcome now."
I, Grul, the orc who had been forced to communicate in grunts and rough drawings, the one with the Orcish Blood trait often overriding his attempts at human speech, paused.
I bowed my head at Kael, and used the full, clear sentence I had been painstakingly practicing with the physician.
"Thank you for your instruction, Sir Kael."
Kael froze at my words.
His eyes widened and his mouth's shape turned into a perfect sideways 'D'.
Then, an entirely new reaction erupted from him—an explosion of sheer, uninhibited laughter.
Kael threw his head back and guffawed.
"PUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHA, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!"
A sound that I had never once heard before from the cold old man.
Kael slapped his armored thigh so hard it rang.
"You spoke intelligibly! I didn't know you had it in you, you stubborn brute! Ha!"
This stubborn brute just beat your ass to next Sunday, old man!
I wanted to yell that out in response, but I knew that if I tried to, my voice would only speak some incoherent Orc speak instead.
Kael took a deep breath after laughing his guts out, his eyes shining with a glint.
He moved forward, his hand extended towards me.
"You have great potential, Grul."
Kael spoke, the humor in his voice dying down to a serious tone.
"Disciplined, strong, and capable. The Empire would be more than happy to welcome you. I will personally recommend you to them. You would be a captain in a year—become part of the Primus Cohort, even. You'll have the finest treatment, the best food, the highest salary, and a life of honor and glory."
I looked at the outstretched hand, mind working overtime calculating the pros and cons of his offer.
It was tempting, sure.
Constant fighting, which is just neuron activation for someone like me who can acquire skills and level up.
No worries over food or shelter or gold or anything like that.
A clear purpose and goal.
Most would be fine with that.
I would be, too.
But…nah.
I'd prefer not to be in a golden cage when I have the entire world to enjoy.
Shaking my head, I pointed at the direction of the forest.
"Atigat."
Kael, understanding my message, sighed and returned his hand to his side.
"If that is your wish. Just know that my offer still stands whenever."
Thus, with this training arc of mine complete, I can now finally return and finish my quest—
"Oh, and before anything, Sir Silver has told me to notify you of your schedule on reading tomorrow. The contract you both have looms over him."
Oh, come on!