Chapter 372: First fight and reward

"You must be wondering, some of you especially, how you went from being an ordinary athlete or yoga instructor just a week ago to standing here, expected to fight. Most of you have received some training, but a week of preparation amounts to little when placed against the horrors waiting beyond these walls."

Jimmy sounded unnaturally serious despite the faint smile that still tugged at the corners of his lips. "However, the world you are about to be plunged into will not care how much you have trained, how much experience you possess, or whether you are ready to sacrifice yourself. Out there, hesitation will not earn you mercy."

He crossed his arms over his chest and continued, "I know many of you never wanted to be a part of this. That is only natural. Every human being wants to live. But this is your new reality, so you had better learn to accept it as quickly as possible. Running away from it will only make things worse. In the end, dying at the hands of a nightmare may be far kinder than what happens to those who turn their backs on this world."

His grin widened ever so slightly, and several people could not help but swallow nervously.

They had already been warned about the consequences of revealing this hidden side of reality or attempting to escape it. Jimmy’s words merely forced that truth back into their minds, reminding them of the reality they now had to swallow whether they liked it or not.

"Alright. I know most of you have little to no combat experience, but when you step onto that field today, fight as though your life is on the line. Because it is. How you perform here will determine how much longer your training continues."

Then Jimmy offered them the carrot.

"The better you fight, the sooner you will be allowed back into the world."

That immediately lifted the spirits of many, particularly those who had once been sentences to death as punishment for the crimes they had committed. For them, this was more than a training exercise. It was a chance to reclaim the freedom they had thought was already lost.

It was a golden opportunity for Rey as well.

He rubbed his hands together, barely able to conceal his eagerness, before asking, "When can we begin, instructor?"

The silver-haired man hummed thoughtfully before announcing, "Since you seem quite eager, Cadet, why don’t you come forward with a partner of your choice?"

Rey grinned and immediately reached for the woman standing beside him, pulling her along as he stepped forward.

She giggled softly and followed without protest.

Jimmy watched them for a moment before allowing his gaze to sweep across the remaining cadets. His eyes eventually settled on a certain redhead.

He grinned.

"Miss Elena, if you will?"

The excitement in Rey’s eyes immediately sharpened into something far less innocent. His gaze lingered on Elena, openly tracing her figure with undisguised lust as he slowly licked his lips.

Elena clicked her tongue in irritation. Rather than acknowledge him, she turned toward Kyle.

"Do you mind coming along? I don’t think you have anyone to pair with."

Kyle was actually eager to get started. He had a particular goal in mind, and accomplishing it would require him to perform well in front of everyone here. Whatever happened next, he intended to make sure his performance left an impression.

He nodded and stepped forward.

Almost instantly, Jimmy’s face split into a broad grin at the sight of Kyle taking the field. There was a distinct curiosity in the man’s eyes, and Kyle noticed it immediately. The instructor had clearly been waiting to see what the golden-eyed young man was capable of.

And Kyle would certainly entertain him since he had already decided that he would no longer remain hidden in the shadows.

He had come here to be noticed, and there was hardly a better opportunity to draw attention than by standing against someone like Rey.

Soon, the others gathered along the edge of the pit while the two pairs stepped onto the soil-covered ground.

"Hmm?" Elena frowned slightly as she felt the loose earth shift beneath her boots.

The other woman began bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. "It’s quite nice."

The simple movement was enough to catch the attention of several men nearby, their lingering morning drowsiness disappearing almost immediately.

Rey, however, had eyes only for Elena. The look in his eyes made his intentions painfully clear.

He intended to use this opportunity to teach her a lesson, one he believed would finally make her understand her place.

Elena stared back at him with an irritated scowl.

She had tolerated his behavior for far too long. Time after time, she had restrained herself and chosen not to retaliate, even as his provocations became increasingly shameless.

Eventually, she had lost her temper and attacked him, only to find herself dragged into a lecture the following day.

But now, things were different.

She finally had the perfect opportunity to shatter his arrogance and his balls without being held responsible.

"Alright, cadets," the instructor called, his voice cutting through the murmurs.

The entire pit fell silent.

The woman beside Rey suddenly smirked and locked eyes with Kyle. Her relaxed posture changed almost immediately, her feet shifting apart as she lowered her center of gravity.

Her stance was practiced and disciplined, resembling that of a martial artist who had spent years training rather than someone who had only recently been introduced to combat.

Kyle paid little attention to the change.

Instead, he silently commanded the system.

’Turn it on and show me the quests they relay.’

[Understood, Host.]

The system’s response echoed in his mind.

Kyle’s golden eyes narrowed as his attention finally settled on the woman standing before him. Whatever the viewers had prepared for him, he would find out soon enough.

The instructor suddenly raised his voice.

"Start!"

"Eheheheh!"

Rey charged straight at Elena, his hand shooting forward in a heavy strike aimed at her chest. Elena calmly shifted her feet, letting the blow pass harmlessly beside her.

Rey immediately followed with an elbow strike, but Elena brought both arms up to absorb the impact before answering with a loose-handed smack across his face.

Dhak!

Rey staggered back several steps.

"Oof..."

He touched his cheek, then grinned.

"Finally, a taste."

He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Elena refused to let his provocation get under her skin. She needed to win this fight. For the first time, she had been given the means to uphold the name of her family, and she would not waste the opportunity by allowing her emotions to control her.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the pit, Kyle’s opponent tilted her head and looked him over with open confidence.

"Are you sure you’re built for this? You can grovel on the ground, and I’ll step on you to claim my victory."

Kyle merely hummed.

’System.’

[Quest: Make the woman surrender without touching her.]

[Reward: Concentrated Domain.]

Kyle’s lips curled into an inward smirk.

Interesting.

Both the condition and the reward were worth his attention.

If he remembered correctly, Concentrated Domain allowed its user to establish a field with their own body as the anchor, granting them the ability to sense attacks and hostile intent within its range.

It was precisely the sort of defensive technique that could make a person extremely difficult to surprise.

He immediately thought of Amanda.

If he could give the skill to her, it would provide her with a powerful defensive technique, one that could compensate for weaknesses in her reactions and make it considerably harder for anyone to catch her off guard.

"What? Still considering your options?" the woman asked with a sneer, clearly mistaking his silence for hesitation.

Kyle gave her no answer. Instead, he calmly lowered his center of gravity, settled into a fighting stance, and beckoned her forward with one hand.

The woman’s grin widened.

"Fine, then. I’ll have my revenge right here and now."

....

"Are you sure about this?" Veronica asked as she stared at the golden-haired young man standing before her.

She had only just returned to the base when Ethan came knocking on her door. He had barely waited for her to settle in before bringing his request to her.

Ethan nodded slowly. "I need to do this. If I keep staying within my comfort zone, I’ll never know my limits, let alone surpass them."

Veronica sighed. "There is still a difference between defeating a horde of Ghouls and facing a single Special Grade."

Ethan was asking for permission to deal with a Special Grade on his own, and to Veronica, the request bordered on recklessness. He had been growing rapidly, but rushing into a fight against something of that level simply to test himself was another matter entirely.

Ethan lowered his head, his hands tightening slightly at his sides.

"I won’t be of any use to him if I stop growing stronger. I don’t want to lose my worth. I want to serve my Lord with the greatest ability I can offer."

Veronica let out a long breath.

Seriously...

Ethan had changed so completely that, at most times, she could hardly believe the young man standing before her was the same person she had known before.

In the end, Veronica pushed herself to her feet.

"Fine. But I’m accompanying you."