Kingsman Return

Gamble

It had been five days since the visit from Rommel. Arran was now located in a white room with soft paddings on the floor and walls. The room was fitted with various equipment ranging from a wooden rack filled with different weapons and also training dummies used for practice.

Arran was currently in a training room used by the staff here.

According to the description he received, the room offered a wide range of functions for its occupants to use. The functions included were but not limited to a gravity system, an obstacle course, and a battle simulation function.

Unfortunately, Arran was told that he did not have sufficient authority to use these functions. That was why as much as he would have liked to try out all of those, he was currently only going through regular training.

On the other side of the room where Arran could not see, there was a transparent one-way mirror that a few people were using to watch Arran as he was training. Unbeknownst to Arran, he had been under observation throughout these five days he had not seen anyone.

The people in the viewing room were watching carefully and commenting on the side.

"The boy's form is very standard and on point. There are no excess movements in his technique." Someone said.

"Yes, it is very clear that he has received professional training, and compared to the mortals of the lower realms, his standards are very high, if not at the peak." Another person agreed.

Someone else at the side added, "what is really surprising is that his routine bears a close resemblance to our race's standard military routine. It has fully embodied what It means to be fierce and direct."

As they watched Arran perform his routine, they could not help but sigh with admiration. Arran's punches and kicks were filled with a sense of ferocity... like he could punch a hole through a concrete wall and kick down a steel beam. His movements were precise and gave one the impression that they would not be to escape from him when they face him.

As everyone was watching, to the side of the room, a loud snort reverberated throughout.

"Humph!!"

Turning around, the muscular man from before could be seen leaning against the wall of the room. One of the people there, who seemed to be on good terms with him asked. "Stock, what is it this time?"

"Is there something you are dissatisfied with?"

Everyone there had a knowing look on their faces.

They were well aware of the fact that ever since Rommel suppressed him the other day with his opinions, he had been feeling more irritated by the day. Also, Stock's opinion of Arran was clear for all of them to see.

Stock looked at all of their faces and could tell what they were all thinking but he was not at all bothered by it.

While sneering, he said, "while I will admit that his talent and comprehension are very good for a mortal's standard, but so what. It is a fact that his starting point is very low and there will be no way for him to ever compare to his peers in the future, ever."

When everyone heard this, they could not help but to agree with him. Seeing their looks, Stock was very satisfied. Shooting a look at the other side of the room where Rommel was resting, he shot a look of contempt towards him. Rommel did not even spare him a glance when he felt his gaze and this caused Stock to feel his blood boil and his head bulged with veins.

Calming down, Stock snorted to himself, "Humph, continue being so stuck-up. You'll see."

Their rivalry at this point was very deep and irreconcilable.

It was at this point that someone questioned, "Is that really absolute?"

"We know his background. What if his folks have considered such a problem when they sent him to us?"

Hearing this there was another round of consent before stock snorted again and said.

"So what? All those things about his parents are but mere speculation at this point and I'll repeat myself again, no matter what preparations were made or how high his talents are, even if our people decide to nurture him, there is no way for him to catch up with his peers. Ever!"

After hearing this, there were mixed opinions concerning this topic.

It was accepted that his starting line was very low and if Arran wanted to catch up to his peers, it was going to be very difficult if not near impossible to do so. But some were of the opinion that considering who they suspected his father to be, then the situation was not entirely hopeless. Of course, it would still be very difficult.

Rommel who had been resting at the side finally opened his eyes and said to Stock, "no one will not know you're a pig if you don't stop snorting like one."

When Stock heard this, his eyes turned bloodshot. He stared very aggressively at Rommel and was close to losing it.

Seeing as everyone had looks of amusement on their faces like they were waiting to watch a very interesting show, he suddenly had an idea and looking at Rommel sneered before asking him.

"How about we have a bet, do you dare?"

Rommel frowned and kept silent. He was thinking of the means that Stock was going to use to trap him. Seeing this Stock was very excited and refused to let Rommel have any time to think and continued to goad him.

"What, you don't dare?"

After a short time, Rommel suddenly smiled and sneering towards Stock, and with amusement in his tone, he asked, "who said I don't? don't let it be said that I Rommel don't dare to accept a bet from you."

"Good, don't you regret it and go back on your words later."

"Stop playing tricks. Tell me, what are we going to be betting on and what are the stakes?"

Seeing as Rommel had agreed, Stock was finally satisfied and continued.

"It's very simple. We just have to find someone from our side and get him to spar with the boy."

Rommel frowned and was very dissatisfied.

How was this a spar?

He was basically setting up the boy to lose from the very beginning. There was no way to bet on this.

Even the others watching on the side were not in agreement with this arrangement. Even if there was a rivalry between themselves, they did not have to draw others into it not to mention that the person in question was a mortal.

One of them asked, "that is not very appropriate is it?"

Stock knew what their concerns were and so he said, "obviously we will get someone at around his level who can spar with him without using any power."

"But that's the problem, there is no one who is at that level in the whole outpost, is there?"

Stock said as he grinned. "That can be easily solved."

"Are there not some interns from the recent batch of recruits from the academies?"

Rommel answered him this time, "yes there are. What about them?"

"There should be some medical students in this batch?"

"Yes, there are." Rommel was starting to understand stock's intentions, so was everyone else.

Stock continued, "so it's very simple. We get a medical student to spar with him. Though they are not very powerful, they have been trained in our military fighting arts and should be perfect for testing him."

Everyone was very surprised.

This perfectly solved the major issue of incompatible power levels since they would not be using any power and would mainly be competing based on skills.

Granted even if there were no powers involved, for a person that had trained their vital energies, their physical fitness would still surpass that of a mortal who had not. But this will serve to close the gap between their skill levels since medical recruits do not focus on military fighting techniques.

All in all, it was a very good solution.

Rommel saw no disadvantage in this situation and no reasons to refuse and so he nodded showing his agreement.

Then he said, "that's okay, but what are the stakes in this bet."

Stock replied, "there's no rush, we can consider it as the loser owing the winner a favor."

Stock did not do all this with a specific goal in mind and just wanted to prove his point and also win against Rommel at the same time.

Seeing that there were no losses for him, Rommel agreed and so he and stock and a few others went to arrange everything.

….

Arran did not know what was going on and had just finished a round of routine training when the door to the room opened up and he watched a group of people who were giving off a sense of pressure... among which he saw Rommel amongst them enter.

He suddenly had a feeling that things were about to become troublesome for him.