The First Legendary Beast Master novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Unarmed Combat Training

"Ah, Rita, welcome. It's good to see you back here as a teacher instead of a student. Who is this that you've brought with you?" The instructor, a small but muscular man in his late forties, asked. _{freeweɓnovēl.coɱ}

Chances are he wasn't part of the elite, he was too old to have been chosen even a decade ago, but if he was a martial arts expert, he would be the perfect person to be training new recruits. They wouldn't be stronger than he was, and they knew basically nothing, unless they happened to have some special training at home, with the hope that they would be in the lucky five percent that managed to gain an affinity to mana from the injection.

That was a fairly big risk to take, but some would surely have done it, just in case.

"This is Karl, he's an agility type warrior with a ranged magical attack that utilizes the claws on the gauntlets. It has proven quite versatile, and since it's a gauntlet type weapon, he should fit in fairly well in your unarmed combat classes as well." Rita explained.

"Well, that sounds like it's a properly versatile skill set. Alright, let's see what you can already do, and what you still need to learn." The instructor agreed.

Karl laughed and Rita smirked. They both knew that he knew nothing, but with the enhancement that he had been getting from Hawk, at least he might not embarrass himself.

The instructor noticed his uneasy look and smiled. "Don't worry too much, it's unarmed combat. Just leave your gauntlets over there, and we can spar a little. If you're a complete newbie, just do what feels right, and that will tell me what way is best to help you develop."

[Yeah, swoop down from above and break his neck.] Hawk added.

[Not helpful, I can't fly.]

[Then jump or something. I don't know.] Hawk pouted.

Karl set his gauntlets off to the side and took a combat stance that he had learned from Rita on the first day. At least he now knew how to throw a punch without hurting himself, but they would have to see how the actual match went.

The instructor threw a sudden punch, and Karl swatted it aside as Rita had told him, then counterattacked with a punch of his own, which the instructor simply sidestepped to evade.

For a man who couldn't be an elite, he was insanely agile, and Karl's follow-up punch also missed, making him think that Rita had been taking it even easier on him than he had first suspected.

The instructor's knee caught Karl in the midsection, forcing him back, but he swung his leg out in a sweep, trying to knock the instructor over.

He misjudged the range, but being down low let him block the next knee, and tackle the instructor, who was only a little taller than Karl was.

That turned out to be the wrong move, as the man caught him, and then suddenly Karl was spinning through the air to land on his back. Dust puffed up around him as the wind left his lungs and Karl gasped, but rolled to his feet.