Physical Combat Training-2

Ranav sidestepped, twisting his body, his fingers barely brushing Number 2's wrist. Using the knight's momentum against him, he redirected the force, sending him stumbling forward.

But Number 2 was no amateur. He recovered in an instant, turning with a brutal backhand. Ranav barely ducked, the wind of the strike brushing his hair. If it had connected, it would've knocked him out cold.

A flicker of hesitation, and Number 2 was on him again. Fast. Strong. Relentless. A knee slammed into Ranav's stomach, forcing air from his lungs. Pain exploded through his ribs as he staggered back. No time to breathe. The knight's foot lashed out, aiming for his legs.

Ranav leaped, twisting midair, barely avoiding the sweep. But before he could land, Number 2 struck again.

A brutal punch to the face.

Crunch.

Pain flared as his nose broke, blood spurting instantly. His vision blurred, stars dancing in his eyes. He hit the ground hard, gasping, his mind spinning.

Number 2 didn't stop. A heavy boot came down, aiming to pin him.

Jessica's voice cut through the chaos. "Incoming, twelve o'clock."

Instinct kicked in. Ranav grabbed the incoming foot, twisted his body, and flipped Number 2 over his head. The knight crashed onto the ground, dust flying into the air. The move should have stunned him, but Number 2 rolled back to his feet, breath steady, unshaken.

Ranav's fingers ached. Two of them had bent the wrong way during the flip. Broken. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore it.

Number 2 wiped the sweat from his brow. "You're better than I thought."

Ranav said nothing. He was losing. He had landed no real hit, only redirected force. His strength meant nothing if he couldn't finish this.

The knight came again. A feint, a low punch before shifting into a high elbow strike. Ranav barely dodged, but this time, he didn't retreat. He stepped in. It's a do or die situation. He couldn't fall back.

Before Number 2 could pull back, Ranav's hands latched onto his wrist and elbow. A sharp pivot of his waist twisted the knight's entire arm backward in a joint lock. Number 2 snarled in pain, but Ranav knew he would break free. He had one chance.

His head shot forward. A vicious headbutt straight into the knight's face.

Bone met bone. A sickening crack. Number 2 reeled back, his nose shattered, blood gushing.

Ranav didn't stop. With his opponent off-balance, he lunged, arms wrapping around Number 2's waist. Using all his strength, he lifted the knight completely off the ground.

A desperate roar tore from his throat as he slammed Number 2 into the dirt with all his might.

The impact shook the air. Dust exploded around them. Number 2 groaned, breath ragged. His body twitched, trying to rise. Then, he went still. He couldn't move.

Ranav collapsed onto his knees, panting, blood dripping from his face. His fingers screamed in pain, his broken nose throbbed, but he didn't care.

He had won. But all of his strength expended in this fight. He could use Regenesis to recover instantly, but doing so under the watchful eyes of so many would be foolish.

Standby guards entered and carried both fighters to the shed. He was placed on a wooden bed, sweat-soaked and aching.

A healer approached and pressed a pill into his mouth. The moment it dissolved; strength surged through his veins.

Jessica spoke, her tone neutral but approving. "It's a high-quality energy pill. This is necessary. Healing expends patient's energy, and right now, you barely have any left. If they tried to heal you without restoring your energy first, it could be dangerous. They were well prepared for this."

Ranav nodded. "I know. That's why healers always advise patients to eat sugar or sweets after treatment."

Jessica's invisible lips quirked. "Yes, but you haven't read the alchemy books yet. Pills are covered there. It's far more convenient to feed a pill to a patient than solid food, especially if they're too weak to lift a finger. You should pay special attention to pills. As a chemical engineer, you might excel in this subject."

Ranav exhaled, exhaustion creeping into his bones. "Okay, I'll take your advice. Alchemy, forgemastery, and array-related books are the only ones I haven't gone through yet."

Two more healers approached, hands glowing with magic. Ranav felt his broken fingers straighten, his nose reset, his bruises fade. He felt slightly tired but nothing serious.

One of them nodded. "You're clear to go. Just avoid any severe physical exertion for the rest of the day."

When Ranav stepped out of the tent, the fights had ended. Nathaniel stood beside the arena, his expression unreadable.

Seeing Ranav, he gestured. "Number Seven, come here."

Ranav walked over, standing before him.

Nathaniel's voice was calm. "You have superior strength for your size. You can redirect an opponent's force due to your agility. And you have more mental resilience than most your age. But you lack aggressive striking techniques to actively pressure opponents. You rely too much on strength-based attacks, which will be ineffective against a skilled fighter. Your technique is poor, or you don't have one."

He paused, eyes scanning Ranav. "You need to develop a more balanced fighting style. I'll teach you a hybrid approach that uses your strength and agility together. You'll learn explosive close-combat strikes, advanced throws, and grappling techniques. Since you tend to fight larger opponents in future, you should aim for their weak points like joints, ribs, liver, jaw, nose. Remember that."

Nathaniel stepped back, cracking his knuckles. "First, I'll show you the fundamentals of breaking a fall. You'll practice them on your own."

He moved smoothly into a demonstration. "When falling forward, slap the ground with both hands and forearms to distribute impact. If you're knocked backward, tuck your chin, roll back, and slap the ground to absorb force. If thrown sideways, extend one arm, slap the ground, and keep your body relaxed. And for rolling breakfalls, use momentum to roll out of a throw and land in a safe position."

Straightening, he continued. "Now, for throws. You need four basics. A sweeping leg throw to unbalance your opponent. A hip throw where you lift them over your hip and slam them down. A shoulder throw where you turn and flip them over. And a foot sweep to trip them quickly."

His gaze sharpened. "Ground techniques are just as important. Pinning, holding your opponent down to secure victory. Chokes and strangles, applying controlled pressure to force submission. Joint locks, targeting their limbs to gain control."

Finishing the demonstration, he met Ranav's gaze. "Tomorrow, you'll have live practice. Today, focus on the movements, visualize every possible scenario. And don't forget… tomorrow, you'll face a new opponent. I've been guiding everyone personally today. They'll be much better tomorrow."