The First Legendary Beast Master novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Sparring With Rita

Sergeant Rita led Karl down to the main floor and out across the grounds to a large open coliseum.

"This will be our venue for the day. You'll love it, at least when it's empty. With nobody here, you can send your Hawk as far out as you want, and we can spar with the training gear. Don't worry too much, it's capable of withstanding the attacks of Commander Rank magical beasts, we won't be in any danger from the practice." She explained.

The coliseum was actually a football stadium that was converted to an arena when the facility was repurposed as the Divine Golden Academy a decade ago after the injections were developed.

It was huge and open, with more than enough room to fight, and plated with a powerful magical barrier and armoured plating to keep the battles from affecting the crowd.

"Call out your bird, you two can make the first move." Sergeant Rita suggested as they walked to the middle of the battlefield.

[Hawk, fly up high, and attack from the side, she will be expecting you to go behind her.] Karl instructed as he checked his gauntlets and drew his sword.

As soon as he released it from the mental space, the Hawk flew up fifty metres in the air and began to circle, waiting for its master to be ready.

[Go.] Karl instructed as he slashed forward with the blade, activating [Rend] halfway through to create a small arc of power that Rita blocked with ease using one of the two daggers that had appeared in her hands.

Then she dodged to the side as the attack from Hawk streaked towards her, and parried again as a flick of Karl's fingers sent more rending energy her way.

Then she counterattacked, surging with energy and rushing toward Karl. He had no actual combat experience, but a sword was bigger than a dagger, so he sidestepped and swung his blade, which she easily parried, but while she was distracted, Hawk's next attack hit her in the back of the neck, leaving a bright red welt.

[What do we do? Her neck doesn't break when I attack it?] Hawk asked in a panic.

[Just keep attacking. She's stronger than us, but she is going to teach us how to fight.]

Karl frantically blocked the daggers with his gauntlet, but he could see that she was holding back, pushing him to see his physical limits.

"That bird's accuracy is deadly, I can see how you would have confidence against a Common Grade monster with a companion like that. If I were one of your classmates, I would likely be in the infirmary right now after that strike to the neck." The Sergeant congratulated them.