Way of the Knights

Chapter 54 - Losing It's Flare

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Inside the Virtual Beast Arena.

*Boom*

A punch straight into the stomach and a monstrosity fell down onto it's knees. That punch was considered a little too strong for it too handle that it even cause the beast to cough gastric acids out of it's mouth.

In a fierce battle, this kind of damage is particularly dangerous since it leaves one's defence wide open for another attack of that caliber. Anyone or anything that has even the slightest bit of fighting experience should know this, this beast was no different.

It's instincts were screaming to get out of the way, but because of the stinging pain from the punch earlier, the movements it could do are very minimal, so it did what most of people or beast would do in that situation; to defend of course.

It raised it's large paws to receive the blow, the beast even clenched real hard to endure it but alas…

*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

Bones were shattered and the beast moaned in pain. If the beast didn't know that it was fighting a human, it might've guessed that it was hit by a cannonball instead. The arms of beast fell limply on it's sides, it then heard a swirl of air that raised it's attention everywhere.

When the beast's vision adjusted, it tried to look for the human who was fighting it, but the youngster wasn't in sight. That was when it hit the beast…well the youngster's fist hit beast…square on the head.

The beast's skull shattered and it's brain was damaged beyond repair. Even if the beast lived after this, it would no longer be the same. Knowing this, the youngster did it a favor and ended it's future misery.

Borrowing the magic of gravity, the youngster's soles transformed and looked like it was coated with shiny black paint. The human crossed his arms on his chest and allowed gravity to work. His whole body descended and before it reached the ground beneath him, his feet ruthlessly stepped on the beasts heart and ended it's life. Blood spewed and completely covered the youngster's entire body making him look extremely horrifying despite his kind expression.

"This lost it's flare already."

The youngster's voice is none other than Raven, who sighed after killing a Bipedal Mountain Tiger. It had been at least two weeks since he started his training with the [Iron Mountain Blows] and he could perform some other moves.

The 'Iron Fist' and 'Tremor' had been trained to it's current limits, the technique he performed earlier where his soles were coated with condensed energy is called 'Mountain Supression'. This move, in it's early stages, coats not only the soles but his entire leg, just like 'Iron Fist', but when it reaches the later stages, this move will allow him to mimic the heaviness of a real Iron Mountain and use it to suppress his foes and would also not be limited through his legs.

He is also training the move which is called the 'Unmoving'. This was a defensive move which allows him to bolster his overall defense and allow him to literally be Unmoving against myriad of attacks. From this set of movements alone, one could tell what kind of fighting style it's creator has. Strong, arrogant and overbearing.

The option to exit the arena rose behind him, Raven sighed once more and left the formation. The reason why he sighed was because the formation is becoming more and more useless to him. He recently went out to buy more beast remains so that he could add it to the formation. Now, there is at least 200 types of beasts which they could randomly face. While it does get more and more challenging the farther you go, it could only give him a superficial boost since it is a simulation and not a real thing,

As the maker of the formation itself, Raven had the mentality that none of the creatures he fought inside were real, even if he wasn't the one who created it, with his knowledge alone he would be able to identify this. Thus it really takes away the experience, it was exciting and fun at the beginning but what he needed the most now, is the real thing, and that's the source of this rut.

As he exited the formation, he observed that his friends were still inside. Over the course of the whole month that they had this formation along with him providing them with Battle Arts, their growth became explosive. Previously, none of them can't even pass the first enemy/stage without trading their lives for the enemy's, but now they are able to reach the until the tenth stage before that happens.

The Battle Arts he gave to them are honestly pretty common in the kingdom. Battle Arts have their own rarity, and it is represented through class: D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS. Each of this grades are also divided in three separate grades such as: Low, Mid, High. But there are also some Battle Arts that does not follow this rankings.

The [Iron Mountain Blows] is a widely known to be a Mid grade D-Class Battle Art but in reality, it is a Scaling-class Battle Art, which means the technique becomes stronger along with further analysis, integration and growth of it's user.

What he gave to his friends are also Battle Arts that are widely available throughout the kingdom and also ignored by most people since they don't know that they are Scaling-class Battle Arts, Raven could even say that they might not even be aware of what does Scaling-class means.

For Paul, he gave him the [Warlord's Approach], focused on endurance and soaking attacks while also promoting the user's advance in the battlefield and a quick yet very efficient way of disposing his foes.

For Mark, he gave him the [Traceless Macabre], focused on swift and stealthy movements while also targeting dangerous parts of an opponents body and also capitalizing on mistakes.

For Ellen, he gave her the [Crimson Trail], a good mix of offensive and defensive maneuvers, specializing on simplicity over grace, if she polishes this technique even further, she'll be unstoppable on the field.

As for Anne, he gave her the [Sagittarius], it is more of an Auxiliary Art since it allows her to craft arrows based using her energies,enhances her kinetic vision and even provides close combat moves which are very useful for archer trainees. She might be able to snatch the title of 'Hawk' from Raven's dad if she mastered this technique.

Last but most definitely not the least, for Luna he gave her the [Light Shifting Spear]. It was a set of spear stances and attacks that promotes decisiveness and sharpness. If she mastered this technique, then she could probably strike her opponents at the speed of light or even morph herself into light as well.

Just like Raven's choice, these are D-class techniques, and Raven can't wait to see the crowd's confusion when they see these on a different light.

Raven briefly watched his friends fight using the main control of the formation, he then found out that they just entered moments before he was out. He knew that they are going be in for a while so he decided to do a very mundane task…grocery shopping.

Since the beginning of their training, him and his friends' appetites increased exponentially each day and this also applied for the girls. Just the six of them alone, could chow down at least a dozen people's worth of food and that's not an exaggeration…not at all.

What can they do? They are growing kids, they needed nutrition on their bodies in order for them to support this high intensity training. They weren't at the point where they could just inhale in energies and be fine. However, the increase of their appetite doesn't also mean that they can't survive without eating for a whole day, their bodies could handle that, but the feeling of hunger and the temptation to satiate one's self is gonna be quite a factor for them.

After a quick jog, Raven arrived at the market. His eyes then automatically gravitated towards meat and he suddenly he felt his stomach grumbled a bit, only now he remembered that he hadn't eaten yet. He then proceed to order at least a month's worth of food for him and his friends, this caused many people to pay attention to him and some vendor's are even attracting him since they Raven as a huge spender.

But this is Raven, he obviously know where the good stuff is. He then followed a rather discreet path and arrived at a very humble stand in front of a humble hut. He saw an old man lifting crates here and there and similarly, the old man noticed him as well.

"Raven! It's been a while! Come, come! Fresh from delivery, take your pick!" The old man hurried to his stand to put down the crate and invited him over.

"Sure Uncle Marco, just like before, a whole month's worth of goodies.." Raven laughed and started to check the goods one by one.