The Ashen Dominion
Chapter 56 - Back To Training

Chapter 56: 56 - Back To Training

The next day...

I woke up early and started my morning exercise to get my body going. I did that until it was time for breakfast.

Outside my room...

"..."

I stood silent. I was standing where Brock, Khan, Jin, and I usually ate and gossiped every day.

’Feels weird without them.’

I thought to myself as I ate a piece of bread with a small cut of meat before sipping a cup of pure black coffee... Literally straight ground coffee beans in hot water.

I’ve been drinking this for more than a month now, and I can tell you, this thing wakes me up forcibly even though I don’t want to be.

"This still tastes like shit... They should just give us water in the morning, for fuck’s sake."

I grumbled with a frown on my face. The coffee in my hand is much more bitter than the fate all my enemies met fighting me.

"Hmm?"

Anyway, just then—I saw Viktor. He had just finished eating his breakfast. And I had just finished mine too.

He saw me too, and after throwing his empty wooden cup... He started approaching me.

"Yo... You’re alone now, huh."

He said, an awkward smile on his face.

"Yeah, they went back to the Silver Place."

I responded to him, throwing my wooden cup away too.

"Hmm, I suggest you keep a low profile for now."

Then Viktor whispered that, looking left and right carefully.

"Huh? Why?"

I tilted my head.

And while glancing at me—

"The other gladiators here actually have a hierarchy, and they don’t like that you’re doing whatever you want here... They just didn’t confront you about it before because Brock and the others were always around you."

He explained that to me.

"..."

I glanced around, and just like he said...

I saw the other fighters looking at me—one was even glaring. There are six of us left here... Originally there were ten, but one died in a fight—then Brock, Khan, and Jin left.

Viktor seems like he’s not hostile to me. As a matter of fact—he seems to be on my side.

"Four, huh..."

I muttered.

’Could I fight them all at the same time...?’

I asked myself.

It doesn’t seem like they’ll make their move now, so turning my attention back to Viktor—

"Anyway... Going to the training ground?"

I asked him that.

"Yeah, was just about to. You coming?"

He asked back.

"Yeps."

I replied, and with that—we left the Copper Place.

*****

Viktor and I arrived at the training ground not long after, and immediately, we started lifting weights.

Both of us had already warmed up after all.

Viktor was lifting some heavy-looking weights, curling them like nothing.

Meanwhile, me—I’m still at about fifty pounds.

But honestly, I’m growing fast at an absurd pace... Even though my body is only sixteen, I just keep getting stronger physically like I have no limit, and my body is getting bigger.

It was unnatural, and I only have one way to explain this...

’There’s probably something in this world that removes or increases the limit of humans.’

And basing it on the novels I’ve read and games I’ve played before, I think it’s the mana or aether in the air.

I guess it’s just making the people here much stronger than people in my previous world.

Well, whatever. I’m in a fantasy-type world now—things like this and different from normal for me are bound to happen.

So with that, I just let it go and continued lifting weights.

...

...

...

After training our bodies for a bit—

"So, ready again?"

Viktor asked me that.

"Haaaaa... haaaa... Fuuuuuuuuu..."

I was still catching my breath. I was sweating a lot. But looking at him—

"Yeah... Huuuu... give me a few moments..."

I replied with a small smile on my face.

Viktor seemed glad after hearing my answer. Well, can’t blame him.

’It’s been a while since our last sparring, after all.’

*****

After resting for a bit and recovering some of my energy—

I went to the arena and took a wooden sword on my way. Viktor was already on the other side... And he was holding two wooden axes!

He was dual-wielding!

"I’m not holding back this time."

He declared.

Fwip—

I spun the wooden sword in my hand effortlessly. I was so used to its feel now.

"Don’t worry, I can handle myself."

I replied in a confident tone, smiling.

Anyway, seeing us here in the arena again—

"Ohhh, they’re back at it again."

"Ah...! It’s those two again!"

"The kid is back!"

Some of the gladiators I’m familiar with started showing up around the arena, watching. Even the guards.

They were the ones who always watched my duels with Viktor for a month before. Looks like they’re excited to see us fight again.

"Kid, I saw your last fight! You were amazing!"

"I saw it too!"

They exclaimed. I was happy to hear that.

But for now—

"..."

I ignored my surroundings and everyone else except Viktor. I focused myself.

"You ready?"

He asked as he took a stance.

I took a stance too and prepared myself.

"Yeah."

Then I said that.

BAM!

Viktor kicked off and dashed toward me, and after reaching me—he slashed down the wooden axe in his right hand!

TWHACK!

I intercepted it by slashing upward with my sword. His hands were flung upward, and my hands bounced back down.

Before I could even recover my stance, Viktor swung the wooden axe in his left hand horizontally straight toward my temple!

FWOOSH—

"Ugh...!"

I ducked down a bit to dodge it, and while I was in that position, I stepped closer to Viktor—

Whap!

Then I grabbed his neck with my empty left hand!

"URK?!"

He groaned. But immediately after—

BAM!

"GAH?!!"

He sent a straight kick into my stomach with his right foot. I jumped backward to lessen the impact, but it still hurt.

And also, while I was still mid-air...

SWOOSH—

I slashed horizontally with my wooden sword, aiming at his head!

TWHACK—!!

Of course, Viktor was able to block it. He just raised the wooden axe in his left hand next to his head. Welp, at least I tried.

Tap—

I landed a few meters away from him.

I immediately stood up and took a stance. He redid his stance as well.

And while we were looking at each other—

"That was good."

He said that.

"Thanks, I’ll be better."

I replied, smiling a little from the thrill of the fight.