Sparing
Author: Kuraii
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Seeing the group make their way into the training room, Arran had to clamp down on the sense of foreboding that he was feeling. When they had all gotten to him Arran finally had a chance to get a good look at them all.

Apart from Rommel, who Arran recognized, the rest all gave Arran a mixture of various feelings. Arran was able to sense that all of them had very different opinions about him, chief of those being a strong dislike that Arran was feeling coming from the eyes of a particular well-muscled gorilla.

As the group reached Arran, beating Rommel to the chase, Stock wasted no time in saying, "boy come over here, we have a little test we want you to participate in."

Rommel, who was about to say something, shot a glare at Stock but ended up keeping his words to himself. It would not be good to look divided in front of an outsider who did not know of the rivalry that existed between them.

What he failed to realize was that Arran did not miss this particular detail.

Arran, knowing that he was under other people's roof, did not have any big reaction and instead asked.

"What is this test that you all want me to participate in?"

Stock replied, "it's very simple, you just have to spar with this recruit over here." Saying so, the group opened up and Stock pulled out a person who had been behind them all this time.

Arran looked at this person closely. He had actually seen him before, hanging behind the group but had quickly dismissed him as an unimportant person since his aura did not quite fit into the overall group.

Now Arran paid closer attention to this person.

At a glance, Arran was quickly amused. The person was for want of a better use of a word, unsuitable to be called a sparring partner.

He was a slightly freckled person of average appearance and he was still wearing a white lab coat which gave away his identity as one of the medical staff.

Seeing the look in Arran's eyes, Stock realized the situation and was slightly embarrassed. He shot a look of dissatisfaction at the person they brought for the test.

Brendell was a person who could be said to have great ambitions. He had grown up from humble beginnings and had put in a lot of effort to get to this place. Other than hard work he had prided himself on being able to spot various opportunities to attach himself to different pillars of strength.

He knew that he did not have the talent to become a warrior and instead had to use his smarts to develop as an intellectual instead.

That was why, when this group of bigshots came to the lab to asked for new recruits to perform a task for them, he was the first to rush up and offer himself in order to curry favor with them. Even if they were not from the same department, who knows, he might just impress them and they will, in turn, remember him. For him, that was enough.

That was until he got here and found out that the task was to spar with this person.

He had heard all of the rumors of a mortal that had recently been brought from the lower realms and upon sensing that there was not a shred of vital energy coming off of Arran, he was already very sure of his identity.

Feeling confident, he stepped forward and said loudly, "mortal I will be your opponent. But don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

Taking a quick look to the side and seeing the perplexed looks on the faces of the bigshots, Brendell felt that they were impressed with his attitude and this confirmed his resolve to put on a good show.

Arran was looking at the clown while sneering in disdain.

He had already figured out what kind of person he was, so without sparing him another glance, he turned to Stock and asked, "how am I supposed to spar when my opponent is stronger than me in the first place."

Stock, whose skin was sufficiently thick answered, "you don't have to worry. Since you don't have any attainment, he will suppress his in other to even the playing field."

He continued, "in case you say we are still being unfair, then you should know that your martial skills are much higher than his, so you should have enough confidence to not lose very badly.

Brendell frowned when he heard the bigshot say that the mortal's skills were better than his own. Sure, his martial skills were not his best achievements, but he did not think that he would lose to a mortal.

Arran did not care for Brendell's thought and immediately agreed.

Seeing that Arran had already agreed, the group made their way to the side to make way for Arran and Brendell to move to the ring at the center of the room.

Immediately they got onto the ring, Brendell's face turned hideous and he did not bother looking at Arran straight, instead choosing to do so with his nose up in the air.

He said to him, "mortal, it is your misfortune to be able to exchange blows with me. For me, it would not even take more than a single hand to defeat you even if I have to suppress myself."

Arran upon hearing this, was on the verge of laughing out loud because he had heard something similar from Kasack the other time. This situation was very amusing because Brendell in front of him did not even give him a tenth of the pressure that Kasack gave to him, so what gave him the courage to say those words to him.

Arran was enraged and was feeling murderous because he knew that he was being underestimated and his face held a wisp of killing intent.

To the side, Rommel and the group had the urge to beat Brendell senseless, but after feeling the killing intent coming from Arran, their expression changed and they were looking forward to the match even more.

Not wasting any time, Stock immediately said, "begin."

Immediately, Arran moved.

Arran's steps were steady as he made his way towards Bredell. Each stride that took him closer to Bredell increased his aura and momentum such that it gave one the impression that there was a dangerous beast lurking by the corner ready to pounce.

Stock and the rest nodded because they knew that this was an intimidation tactic that was used against a strong enemy in order to make them flustered and lose their cool, which will lead to them making mistakes.

Brendell was affected by this and it made him feel a trace of doubt in his ability to deal with Arran. This only infuriated him and he felt a sense of shame knowing that the bigshots were watching this fight. Because of this, he was determined to crush Arran.

When Arran was close enough, Brendell immediately swung his arms ferociously, like a mad bull swinging its horns around. His move created a strong gust of wind as his arm made its way to Arran's face.

Arran felt the strength contained in that punch and knew that he could not receive it, so at the next moment his moves changed and he retreated.

When Brendell saw Arran retreating he was overjoyed and started giving chase. In his mind, Arran was afraid of him and he did not dare to meet him head-on.

As the fight continued, Brendell's moves grew increasingly wild and unrestrained. Each of his moves felt like it could rend flesh and shock bones. Seeing this Rommel and the others frowned in dissatisfaction.

Arran who was facing him smirked to himself, his actions were steady. He was tossing probes and taunts, trying to bait Brendell into revealing holes in his defense and fall into a trap. One moment he was throwing a jab to the waist, in the next he circled around Brendell to deliver a kick to his shin.

As the fight continued, Brendell was getting impatient.

Arran was like a slippery loach and there was no way to land a hit on him. Knowing that he was likely to exhaust himself before he could land a hit on Arran, Brendell stopped and purposefully exposed a flaw. He started gathering power like he was about to make a big move.

Arran immediately noticed this flaw and did not let it go to waste. Like a tiger, he pounced forward and stomped on the floor to deliver a kick to Brendell's head.

Brendell sneered to himself and immediately threw himself towards Arran.

What Arran didn't know was that the technique that Brendell was using was a way of accumulating power in the body so that one would be able to resist one attack and catch their enemy off guard and capture them in a grapple hold.

This was used especially to trick the enemy and end the fight in one fell swoop.

The people-watching on the side shook their heads at this and started commenting.

"Sigh, the boy was too hasty in that attack now."

"If he had been a little more patient, he would have been able to exhaust his opponent."

Someone else said, "you can't blame the boy, it's not like he is familiar with our move. I feel that he has done well so far."

"That's right. Besides, who's to say that the boy would not end up exhausting himself instead since his vitality is far from his opponent's level?"

Everyone felt that the fight was already over and that Brendell would win.

Stock looked at Rommel and said, "Rommel do you see that. I said that the boy would not be able to compare to his peers. Look he cannot even win against an intellectual even when he was given a handicap."

Rommel looked at him and said, "The fight has not ended yet, so what's the hurry?"

"Hmm, do you see something that we don't, or are you just reluctant to admit defeat," Stock asked.

Rommel just let out a small smile and said nothing. The others who knew how Rommel was immediately shifted their gaze to ring and paid closer attention.

At this moment, the situation on the ring was progressing as predicted and Brendell who was confident in his victory was laughing loudly and said.

"Hahaha, I told you that there was nothing you could do to win against me. I said that you had no chance."

"You are just like a clown jumping in the palm of my hands."

Arran hearing all this was still very calm.

Just as they were about to come into contact with each other, Arran withdrew his leg and they brushed past each other.

Brendell's face betrayed his shock.

"How?" he was about to ask.

Arran did not give him any time to recover and using his foot as a pivot to swing his body, he kicked Brendell in the back of his head.

The kick stunned Brendell whose movement froze slightly. For Arran, that was all he needed.

Not letting up, he delivered another kick to Brendell's temple and continued punching him until he was almost knocked senseless. Seeing as Brendell was not falling even after receiving a serious beating, Arran could not help but be envious of his vitality, even if he did not specifically train his body.

This furthermore confirmed to him how strong everybody here was. Even someone who was not a fighter was able to cause Arran to use all his strength to defeat him.

Not giving Brendell any time to catch his breath, Arran continued to beat him down until his face was bloody and he was rolling on the ground like a bug. He would have continued if Stock had not raised his voice to interrupt.

"That's enough."

Throwing one last kick to the gut, Arran immediately made his way down the ring and stood before Stock and the others as he asked cockily, "well, how did I do?"

Related Chapters

  • Kingsman Return   The Aeth

    The expression on the faces of Stock and the rest of his companions were a sight to be seen and Arran had to admit that he enjoyed the feeling he got from seeing them embrassed. He could almost hear a resounding slap that seemed to echo across the room.Stock's face was unsightly to look at and as he looked at Brendell who was passed out on the ring, he started to wonder as to who was the smart guy that came up with this idea in the first place. He had not only lost face in front of Rommel and his peers but had also done so in front of the mortal.At the time it seemed like a brilliant idea but now... not so much.It was at this moment Rommel spoke up. As much as he did not get along well with Stock, he had to at least spare him some face in front of outsiders."You did well."Arran nodded before asking again, "if it's possible, may I ask what purpose this test served to achieve?"Stomped for a moment, the faces of everyone changed once more

  • Kingsman Return   Ether City

    What was that saying again, 'The endless sea of stars is the road leading to the future'!These words that his father said to him at some point in his youth, continuously resounded in Arran's mind as he traveled across the cosmos toward the home of the Aeth-the Etherium.Along the journey, Arran was able to confirm some of his doubts, chief of which was the status of the known universe.From what he found out, the universe was divided into different realms, and these realms further existed in the form of layers, like the steps of a ladder. It is in these layers that the concept of lower and upper realms came into existence.Let's take an analogy, for example, take a tree as an example, the roots of the tree would correspond to the lower realm in the universe. From the roots onwards, the trunk of the tree, its branches and leaves, and also its fruits would all correspond to a different layer in the universe.In this way, the layers of the universe c

  • Kingsman Return   Council Assembly

    Have you ever had this one moment where you knew that it was going to be one of the most important moments of your life?Like when you were a kid and you were just starting kindergarten, you wake up early in the morning to a nervous wreck of a mom who dresses you in sharp and clean clothes, and dad, who takes you to the dinner table to give you the talk!When you take your first steps into the hallowed halls of the place called a school with your mom seeing you off at the doors with hugs, kisses, and tears.Then you're taken to your class where you are faced with the stares of your fellow kids who are silently looking at you, judging you and you know that this was the moment and that the first thing that comes out of your mouth would decide the way you would be received in the future.That was how Arran felt when he was taken from the docks.At some point on their journey, Arran was shocked to notice that he was the only one from the original group

  • Kingsman Return   Kingsman Bloodline

    "The Aeth have a myriad of different lineages and bloodlines. It is with these bloodlines and our inheritance of over ten thousand years that our race has been able to rule over this high realm with almost no rivals in the universe." Councilman Homer said, not giving Arran any more time to consider his questions.Looking at the councilman, Arran knew that his doubts were about to be cleared. And sure enough, what the councilman said next, did just that."In regards to your case, there is a special bloodline that belongs exclusively to our Aeth race. It is the most special bloodline in our race, and even in the entire universe, there are very few that can rival its might. It is called the Kingsman bloodline and it is called such because for our race it is also known as the state protector bloodline. Anyone who possesses the Kingsman bloodline will grow to possess the power so great that they would be able to rule over a vast region of space by themselves alone."

  • Kingsman Return   Kingsman Academy

    'My darling boy, if you are reading this, it means that I and your father are no longer by your side. By the time you get this, we would already be very far away from you. We don't know when we would be back or when our task would be done, but we will assure you that we will do everything in our power to get back to you.''Your father and I have made some preparations for you in the event of our disappearance, but in the meantime, you should make the best of the situation that you find yourself in and don't ever forget all that we have taught you because it would be the capital that you will need to face the world by yourself. Take care of yourself and know that in the box is your greatest assurance and that only when you are strong enough, then will you have the right to know all the things you need to. In this world, strength is all you need. Love, mom.'Arran finished reading the letter from his parents for the third time.Immediately after the assembly, Arra

  • Kingsman Return   Arena Battle

    There were powerful waves coming out of the building. What seemed like cannon shots were sounding loudly throughout the area in short intervals, followed by cheers and loud roars.From the sounds, Arran could guess that there was currently a battle taking place inside.The building's exterior looked like a standard-sized coliseum, but as they made their way inside, Arran was shocked to see a field that was twice the size of two Olympic stadiums.Not knowing how the size of a building's interior could so vastly different from its exterior, Arran looked around curiously.Before Arran's eyes were the vast space of the stadium. It was sectioned and divided into different segments with each having its own functions. Right in the middle of the field, there was an arena, and it was from here that the sounds were generated and it was currently surrounded by a lot of people.Commander Margo took Arran in that direction of the arena and Arran was able to get

  • Kingsman Return   Introduction

    "Everyone listen up. This here is Arran. From this point onwards, he will be studying here with you all." Commander Margo said to the waiting cadets who were looking at Arran and herself.When they heard that, they were all shocked. That was because they were able to tell that Arran was still a mortal that had not trained his vital energy.The woman who looked like an instructor had a meaningful look on her face as she looked at Arran. Unlike her students who were usually only focused on training, she was aware of who Arran was, and naturally, since he would be in her class, she also knew that he would be arriving here today.As much as the cadets had their doubts and it was very obvious on their faces, they knew better than to question Margo at this moment since everything seemed to be set in stone and they could do nothing about it.Margo on the other hand turned her attention to the teacher who was in front of her."Fel, I'll be handing him over

  • Kingsman Return   Confusion And Doubt

    WHAT!!!Their shout was like a chorus echoing throughout the whole arena. To the cadets, the words that came out of Arran's mouth were like a thunderclap, shocking them senseless. It was too absurd to believe.Who was a Kingsman?They were a group of people who possessed the number one bloodline in the whole Aeth race, and who would later go on to command pinnacle levels of strength and power in the universe.For people who possessed this powerful bloodline, they would surely be known to the entire race and would have already received training from a very young age. People who have the Kingsman bloodline commanded a lot of prestige with the Aeth, this was very true considering the fact that the bloodline was difficult to pass on and that the Kingsmen were very little in population. Now a mortal who had not even trained his vital energy was here before them telling them that he possessed this top bloodline.In one word, it was hilarious!Sudd

Latest Chapter

  • Kingsman Return   

    Endings Are Sad But We Must Always Look Out For New Beginnings

    Hello everyone, it's your favorite author here. So this is where this book will be ending for now. The story is not over for Arran and his companions. There are many more adventures to share with everybody. But I decided to end this book here because I felt that it had reached a mature point and it was time to evolve the story to something more. From the sequel book onwards, it will no longer just be a story about a boy searching for answers alone but Arran will be accompanied by other main characters from my other stories. So for those who haven't read any of my other stories, you should really give it a try. Though those stories aren’t complete yet and they haven’t gone as far as this one yet, I’ll be using this chance to complete those stories so everything can progress together. Thanks for sticking with me till the end and see you on the flip side. Until next time. Kuraii, out. 😁

  • Kingsman Return   

    The End… For Now!

    The battle which would later come to be known as the Apocalyptic Battle For Earth’s Survival ended in a dour note. This battle lasted for 4 hours and many lives were lost. Of these lives that went missing in the chaos of the battle, two were especially noteworthy for their relentless efforts to resist the vile invaders that threatened the planet Earth.They went by the names Arran Galen Von Stratenoff Nero and Faith (Poltergeist) Ohimai both of whom were presumed missing but still alive. Nobody knew where they went or what corner of the universe they currently found themselves. But wherever this was, they were both surely missed and everybody prayed for their safety and eventual return. … The Etherium… inside the royal council hall. A meeting of the highest importance was currently being held. In this meeting, every council member was present. Along with them, there were seven extra seats which were located at the highest point in the entire hall. Seated upon these esteemed chairs w

  • Kingsman Return   

    Final Chapter

    Arran was sucked away into the void fissure which closed immediately after, but not before Poltergeist had managed to latch onto his thigh for whatever reason. Seeing Poltergeist clinging onto him, Arran was confused before suddenly developing the urge to retort vehemently. But he wouldn’t have that time for things were just starting to go very wrong. The space within the void fissure was just that… a literal void where nothing existed but the vast expanse of space. But the stability of this void was seriously compromised allowing for multiple fractures in space and time to open up in the surrounding void. Due to the force of the vacuum that pulled arran and Poltergeist into the void fissure, the two of them were barreling through this space uncontrollably without the ability to stabilize themselves. Arran was too weak at the moment after having all his strength drained from him while releasing the Earth’s World Will. As for Poltergeist, she was also weakened. This was because she

  • Kingsman Return   

    World Will

    The awakening of the world's will of earth was not something Arran had ever expected much less that its awakening would have to do with him. It was then that Arran realized the cause of everything. In Arran’s hand, Soran lay there quietly, no longer trembling as before as if it had gone to slumber. But when Arran thought of how everything that just happened was all because of it, Arran was shocked beyond belief. Arran thought that he already understood what Soran was capable of yet only now did he know that he was yet to scratch the surface of all of Soran’s capabilities. Soran’s ability, Triumph, granted Arran the means to win. Before Arran thought it only made it so that he could meet his enemies power blow for blow regardless of the difference in the realm. But what if there was a situation where Arran was up against an opponent whose gap in the realm was impossible to cross logically? For instance, how would Soran ensure Arran’s victory if he was up against a god as a mere mort

  • Kingsman Return   

    Full Awakening… The Spark Of The Universe 3

    Soran left Arran’s hand, trembling powerfully in the air and creating a buzz of vibrations that spread into the surroundings. Arran was shocked by this not expecting it at all. Just as Arran was about to reach out to Soran to grab him, he suddenly paused as a feeling overcame him. Something was calling out to arran. Even more surprised, Arran looked around swiftly but he couldn’t find anybody around him. Then he thought of something and turned back to look at Soran who continued to tremble in the air. Indeed, just as Arran thought, as he focused on Soran, that call rose in his heart once again. It was as if something was reaching out to him through Soran from a mysterious place. Arran didn’t know who this person was but he knew what they wanted… to be freed. Arran didn’t give it much thought at all — there wasn’t anything to think about. The situation right was already dire. In releasing this person, what was the worst that could happen? Inwardly, Arran tried speaking to the ent

  • Kingsman Return   

    Full Awakening… The Spark of the Universe’s Origin 2

    With the eyes of the old face half open, everything took a drastic turn for the worse for Arran and his group. Everybody else had lost consciousness except for arran who retained only a bit of consciousness in this situation… and one other person. With the opening of the old man’s eyes, the defense line was broken not only on Arran’s front but also on that of the Earth. The barrier of distorted space-time surrounding Earth after its barrier shattered was also broken through. Apart from Eris and Charmy, it was this barrier that prevented the blood sea from approaching Earth. But now that it was broken nothing was stopping it anymore. The polluted blood sea was free to advance on Earth. But the Aeth and the others could also now approach the planet. Having lost consciousness, all of them were free falling into the earth at this moment. They were unable to control their descent and were hurtling toward Earth at an incredible speed. At this height, falling with such a speed was enou

  • Kingsman Return   

    Full Awakening… The Spark Of The Universe’s Origin

    Kasack vanished from the battlefield, scooped away into the safety of the dark star planet causing Arran to miss his chance at finally ending this threat once and for all. Arran was frustrated not knowing when he might ever have another chance like this again. But he didn’t wallow in his frustration for long. In no time arran calmed down and analyzed the situation. While it was a pity that he couldn’t kill Kasack, arran realized the urgency of the situation. Whatever Kasack did before his disappearance, it was bad… very bad. Looking at the visage on the surface of the dark star planet, Arran’s mind was met with a deluge of corrupting thoughts that tried to erode his mind. Even his resistance granted by his reality gate against mental pollution was not able to stop this corruption forcing arran to turn away from the planet. Yet even then, a chilling and slimy feeling lingered in Arran’s mind as his consciousness was continually under attack. Only with the combination of the World E

  • Kingsman Return   

    Final Death Throes 2

    In his madness, Kasack did something drastic. He completely unleashed the power of the old one sealed within the dark star planet. Lying within the core of the dark star planet was the old ones' power. This power was meant to be given to his chosen champion as a means to fight the Aeth civilization. It was the strongest legacy left behind by the old one which could not be inherited directly. This power was only meant to be used at the critical time of the conflict with the Aeth civilization. It was Kasack’s greatest trump card one that he was reluctant to ever use. Yet at this moment, In the face of death, Kasack unleashed this power knowing full well the repercussions of his action. Moan! Following Kasack’s mad ravings, a loud wailing moan echoed throughout the surroundings sounding like an old machine shutting down or large gears slowly going still. In the chaos of the battlefield, this sound was so conspicuous that it forced everyone to notice it. Gradually, the fighting stopp

  • Kingsman Return   

    Final Death Throes

    Kasack was sent flying after being hit by Arran. His chest was sunken and bloodied from the barrage of staff thrusts delivered to him and a mouth full of blood burst from Kasack’s mouth. Kasack was severely damaged, his injuries extremely grevious. But the most severe blow done to Kasack was the blow to his mind and ego. Despite everything, despite all the preparations and plans he had made, Kasack still hadn’t succeeded in killing Arran, yet it was he who was left battered and on the brink of death once again. This thought, Kasack could not bear it. His previous shame which he had hidden beneath a well of anger and rage resurfaced once more, bursting onto the surface like an erupting volcano. Aaaahhhhhh! Kasack didn’t know who was screaming so desperately. In his daze, he heard a voice filled with fury and indignation. His mind was foggy from the impact of Arran’s blows and the bruise on his pride and ego. When the fog finally cleared a little, that is when Kasack realized that