Their training area is on the opposite side of the village from where the entrance gate is, as we were walking through the village I noticed that World Tree was not inside the village as I imagined, it is a little further away from the training grounds.
When we get to the training camps I see many different training structures.
There was a place full of logs standing far apart, I could see a mock battle between two groups of three people on top of these logs.
This should help them learn to keep a sense of their surroundings while keeping their balance at all times, fighting in a place like this makes you have to pay attention to many things at the same time, that’s a good way to train, it seems that I’m going to have to change the Dungeon boot camp designs to add a few more things.
I turn my gaze to a large arena made of stone, there were three groups of five people fighting using only martial arts in a three-sided mock battle, it looks like they are training to coordinate group fights.
I turn to another place where there are archers training long-range target shooting, by long-range I mean around 1 km.
There’s also another place where targets were launched into the air while a Mage changed the targets’ trajectories in the air, this to train aiming at moving targets.
I turn to another place that seems to have a light show going on, it was another arena, but this one had a barrier around it and it had Mages battling inside, a true magical battle.
I kept looking but something caught my eye, there was something missing in this place.
“(There are Dark Elves and White Elves here, but I don’t see Gray Elves.)” (I)
“This is our training ground, here our Mages and Warriors do daily training to always be up to their duties.” (Eleanor)
“We also allow visitors to use the training grounds as you can see there.” (Eleanor)
I look over to where Eleanor pointed and see Alan fighting Darcia using only his combat techniques, Bianca was reading a book in the corner without even looking at the arena where her teammates were training.
Each strike of Alan’s two-handed sword created a gust of wind forward, but that wasn’t a blade-type skill, it was just the result of his superhuman punching strength.
Darcia didn’t dare receive these powerful blows from the front, she used her shield on one of her arms to defend the angled blows that would make Alan’s sword change direction, this disperses most of the power of Alan’s sword strikes.
,m Darcia used these moments to use the sword in her other hand and hit Alan, but he could defend himself by hitting the side of Darcia’s sword with his hands or with great dexterity using the body of the sword to defend himself.
Alan was clearly stronger and faster than Darcia, but Darcia was more skilled in combat, plus she used her advantage very well of having both a sword and a shield while Alan only used a two-handed sword.
The way Darcia managed to wield the shield and sword at the same time in such different ways made me want to fight her, it reminds me of my own martial art.
“Would any of you want to train? We can leave the crop fields for tomorrow if you prefer.” (Eleanor)
“…” (I)
I look at my group and I see Freya looking at the archers, I see Diana, Sophia, and Jade looking at the group fights, I see Ibuki looking at Darcia, most likely she is thinking the same thing as me.
Nira and Vanessa don’t seem to care too much about the rest of things, but most seem to want to stick around.
“Then I guess we’ll stay here until late afternoon.” (I)
“Then I’ll leave you here, just don’t cause any fuss.” (Eleanor)
“Don’t worry, but before you go I wanted to ask you something if possible?” (I)
“Ask whatever you want.” (Eleanor)
“Where are the Gray Elves?” (I)
“I see White Elves and Dark Elves training, but there isn’t a single Gray Elf here.” (I)
“Their training here is at night, during the day they train in the forest outside the village, their training consists of splitting into two groups, one hides and the other seeks.” (Eleanor)
“Why do this kind of training during the day, wouldn’t it be better to do it at night?” (Kira)
“Because during the day it’s harder to stay hidden, it’s also easier to see the movements of your pursuers.” (Eleanor)
“It makes training more difficult, plus the training ground is very dark and quiet at night, this environment is great for them to fight.” (Eleanor)
“(Looks like Kira is interested in Gray Elf training.)” (I)
“Can visitors also participate in these pieces of training?” (I)
“…” (Kira)
“They can, but almost everyone gives up quickly because of the difficulty level.” (Eleanor)
“Can I, Master?” (Kira)
“Maybe yes.” (I)
“Thanks, Byakko it’s time to wake up, let’s train.” (Kira)
“Five more hours… just five more hours…” (Byakko)
“The training does not allow the use of hired spirits, they are training on the person’s own techniques.” (Eleanor)
“Leave Byakko to me and Vanessa, I think I’ll find a place to sit and do some work I left on hold.” (Nira)
“I’m just going to read a few books, so I guess I’ll go back to the place where we’re staying with Nira.” (Vanessa)
“Alright, I hope everyone enjoys their free days.” (I)
There’s something I don’t understand, why do Elves let visitors participate in their training?
I thought this sort of thing was supposed to be secret.
“Eleanor, why do you let visitors participate in your training?” (I)
“Because we’re not teaching anything, it’s just hands-on training, all visitors use the training to perfect their own techniques.” (Eleanor)
“(That makes more sense.)” (I)
Now that I think about it, all I’ve seen on this training ground are mock battles and aiming practice, there are no one training techniques or teaching anything.
I turn to everyone and say they can participate in whatever training they want, Nira and Vanessa are going back to the place where we are going to live around here, Eleanor is going to accompany Kira to the place where the Gray Elves are training, just in case I told Nix to go along with her.
Me, Ibuki, and Layla head towards the place where we saw Alan’s mock battle.
“Ibuki, I don’t think I’ve seen how you’ve adapted to the martial arts I taught you.” (I)
“How about a mock battle between you and me?” (I)
“Yes, yes, yes, I will show the master how strong I am now.” (Ibuki)
“This arena is going to be in pieces, hahahahah…” (Layla)
“Don’t laugh ahead of time, if you haven’t noticed these arenas are reinforced with spiritual runes and magical barriers, then you won’t get a scratch.” (I)
“Besides, I won’t use my full strength, my physical capabilities are way above Ibuki’s, if I used my full power it wouldn’t make any sense in this training.” (I)
“I saw the master training at home after he woke up from his evolution, I couldn’t even see his movements.” (Ibuki)
“I will teach you this training as well, but that will only be when necessary, that training helped me to adapt faster to this body.” (I)
As we walked to the arena we were talking, Ibuki was excited to be able to train together with me like in the times when we were still in the Goblin cave.
Alan stops his training and keeps looking suspiciously in our direction, Darcia tried to run towards me as soon as he saw me, but he hit his face in a magic barrier, Alan went to Darcia to stop him from coming to me.
I wave at them while smiling, since yesterday I’m not wearing any mask, the others the same, apparently it was no use trying to hide our identities in this place, so there’s no reason to keep trying something so problematic here.
After Alan managed to control Darcia with Bianca’s help he came to talk to me.
“Why did you come back? How did the Elves let you into the city after what you did yesterday?” (Alan)
“I wanted to leave, but someone convinced me to come back here, which was lucky since this place is beautiful.” (I)
“What was that that happened yesterday?” (Alan)
“You may not believe it, but it was all a big misunderstanding.” (I)
“Were you going to kill all those people over a misunderstanding?” (Alan)
“The misunderstanding was on both sides, so it wasn’t just my fault, I still say it’s their main fault.” (I)
“…” (Alan)
“Don’t be nervous Alan, what he did yesterday, brutal as it was, can still be understood.” (Bianca)
“What are you saying? How can the carnage he was going to do yesterday be understood?” (Alan)
“I heard some Elves talking yesterday as we walked in.” (Bianca)
Bianca moves closer as she looks at me like she’s trying to understand or analyze me. .
“You thought the Elves were trying to kill your groupmate, right?” (Bianca)
“Yeah, that made me a little angry.” (I)
“Don’t you regret what you did yesterday?” (Alan)
“No, if I thought any of my teammates were in danger, then I probably would have done a lot worse than I did yesterday.” (I)
“Stop looking at the master with those angry eyes, what my master does or doesn’t do is none of your business.” (Ibuki)
“That’s right, you idiot, idiot…” (Layla)
“Stop it you two, he’s irritated is his problem, so stop teasing others, besides we came here for me to see your progress Ibuki, let’s go up to the arena now.” (I)
“Alright, let’s go…” (Ibuki)
“I’m sorry about them, Ibuki has a bad habit of saying everything that comes to his mind and I advise you not to fall for Layla’s provocations.” (I)
After talking to them I go up to an arena with Ibuki, then I take off my cape and hood just like Ibuki, that way we won’t have anything that gets in the way of our movements.