The sparring partner assigned to Odis by Fedray was a seasoned veteran, one typically reserved for the club's senior members...
During their initial exchange, he had been surprised at being paired up with a novice...
But the moment he called for the sparring match to start, Odis had stepped forward in tandem with extending his right hand, his open palm striking his chest and sending him flying.
Clutching his sternum, the Odis's assigned partner rose up. Had it been a fist, he would have been injured.
Odis hurried to help him up, "Are you alright?" he asked.
This was his first time applying martial arts against another person, and he hadn't expected to send someone airborne so effortlessly.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," his sparring partner muttered, his pride bruised, "I wasn't ready just now. Let's go again!"
'I must have been careless.' he convinced himself.
They resumed their stances. The opponent noted Odis's peculiar preparatory pose... His body was slightly crouched, and his fists were positioned asymmetrically.
"What style is that stance from?" he asked.
Odis hesitated before he shamelessly replied, "The Emperor Roselle Style!"
In truth, it was the opening stance of 'Bajiquan', a martial arts from his memories.
After becoming a 'Melee Scholar', he realized he had somehow mastered this martial art despite only having seen movies and videos about it... {T/N: I recently re-watched Jet Li's "The One (2001)" Film... Jet Li uses this martial arts (Bajiquan) during the final showdown with himself... The movie itself is meh... But that fight was dope, it'll also serve as a good point of reference if you're interested in seeing how Odis fights in this chapter...}
But this was the 'LOTM' world. No one knew what Bajiquan was, so Roselle made for a convenient cover...
The sparring partner blinked, "Emperor Roselle practiced combat?" He didn't press further though, instead, he steadying himself, "Begin!"
This time he struck first, sweeping low at Odis's seemingly unstable legs.
Odis sank slightly, his body coiling like a boiled shrimp. He blocked the kick with both forearms, then he suddenly exerted force and pushed upward, driving his shoulder into his opponent and launching him backward.
Odis held back of course... He used the broad part of his shoulder rather than the bony peak, which could've damaged his opponent's organs.
Midair, Odis's sparring partner's face twisted in shock. The force carried him clear out of the padded practice area, guaranteeing a painful landing... But just before impact, an unseen force braced him, setting him gently upright...
Turning, he saw Fedray behind him, "Mr. Ferdray sir!"
The lanky coach had appeared without notice, "Take a break. I'll spar with him."
The man retreated, baffled.
Odis offered an apologetic smile, "Sorry, I'm still learning to control my strength."
"I know," Fedray said, settling into stance, "You weren't trying to hurt him... Ready? Begin!"
Fedray's right fist lashed out. Odis ducked, evading the blow, but in doing so, he left Fedray's exposed right armpit vulnerable.
As Odis moved to strike, Fedray's right leg snapped up, poised to kick his chest first.
Crossing his arms defensively, Odis took the impact and let it propel him backward, landing lightly on his feet.
This all happened very quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the exchange between the two was over.
Only then did Odis realize, 'That opening was a trap...'
Fedray spoke, "I have grasped what you need to learn... So today's lesson is: Eyes must be faster than fists."
Their bout resumed...
And just like their previous exchange, Odis defended well, however, counterattacking proved impossible.
Soon, their bouts were noticed by other club members, and they gathered to watch. Despite Odis's disadvantage, their duel showcased combat at its finest... It was precise, fluid, and relentless.
After an hour of practice, Fedray finally halted and declared, "That's enough for today."
"Thank you," Odis said sincerely...
He did not leave the fight club immediately, instead he replayed each exchange in his mind, drilling insights into muscle memory.
After his recent advancement, his memory was impeccable. Three hours passed as he dissected every little detail of that single hour of sparring.
During the reviewing process, one realization stood out... Fedray might be a combat-oriented Beyonder...
Although Odis had never experienced close quarter combat before, from his exchange with the assigned sparring partner, he felt that his newfound skills surpassed ordinary human limits.
Only another Beyonder could challenge him...
....
~Evening, Streets of Backlund~
By dusk, thick fog had swallowed the city, leaving only swaying carriage lamps visible in the distance...
Arriving at the public coach stop, Odis waited alongside commuters.
His gaze drifted back toward the club, where a disheveled middle-aged man caught his eye, the same one who had been observing him earlier.
Noticing Odis's attention, the man smiled openly before looking back at the club.
No threat radiated from him, so Odis shrugged it off.
At this time, a newsboy weaved through the crowd, selling the evening paper...
"Evening Post exclusive: National Atmospheric Pollution Council member and major shareholder of the Coim Company, Lady Mary, threatened by unknowns… Loen Kingdom and Feysac Empire warships face off near Sonia Island's south…"
"Daily Observer exposes East Borough's conditions…"
Odis thought of the reporter named Mike Joseph, and Klein's role in protecting him during that East Borough investigation...
He beckoned the newsboy, "One copy of the Daily Observer, please."
He traded coins for the paper.
The front page detailed East Borough hardships. As he read, his coach arrived. Odis boarded, then he continued scanning the newspaper until a passage about Lady Mandy "recruiting" in the East Borough gave him pause...
Though it wasn't that it was Lady Mandy, anyone familiar with the 'Rosewood Pavilion' would recognize her.
Odis frowned, 'Gray industries thrive in shadows. Perhaps a chat with that reporter is in order...'