Kenny was gasping for air as he attempted to stand up. The blow was so devastating to his stomach that Kenny thought that his insides might have been rearranged.


    Kenny kept on gasping for air as he grabbed his stomach, still trying to stand up


    ''Damn, that really hurts!''


    Kenny stood up and slowly walked backwards paying attention to the General, making sure he doesn''t leave his line of sight. Kenny reached for his sword that he had brought with him and took his stance.


    The General looked at him with an unsatisfied look.


    "No kid, that won''t do. That stance, it doesn''t suit your flexible combat style."


    "What?"


    "A stance is an important fundamental in swordplay, and your current stance isn''t bringing out your full capabilities."


    Kenny had known that a stance was important, but never considered changing it since he was used to it. It was also the stance his father taught him, so he was hesitant to replace it with another.


    ''No, if it''s to get stronger, then father wouldn''t mind. Even so…''


    The General walked over to Kenny and stopped in front of him. Kenny thought he would give him guidance as to what stance he should adopt. But no, the General moved his arm back, and with tremendous force struck Kenny on the side of his face. He was flung across the white crystalline room, crashing into one of its walls.


    As he crashed back on the ground, he attempted to get back on his feet as trembled to do so, a sudden burst of anger flooded him.


    "Dammit old man! I thought you were suppose to be teaching me and making me stronger, your just beating me the hell up!"


    General Yemel began to walk over to Kenny. Kenny with all his strength got up knowing what the General was trying to do.


    The General was making sure Kenny knew that he was superior to him in every way possible. He was trying to make their level difference known.


    Kenny began to think about how he could survive this with taking minimal damage. Kenny assumed the General would would charge at him with great speed, but he just continued to walk at a normal pace.


    ''This isn''t a battle for me to win. I just need to meet his expectations and survive his attacks. So, just as his son he''s probably going to vanish an appear in my blind spot.''


    A sudden deep voice interrupted Kenny''s train of thought.


    "Kenny, you think too long. In an actual battle a demon isn''t going to wait for you to finish assessing it. I''m not saying don''t think, but think faster and do it while in combat."The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "What about my stance? You said it didn''t suit me so what should I do?"


    "I may be your teacher now, but I''m not going to hand everything over too you like a baby, but I will give some advice. Just do whatever you want, whether use your current one or another, it''s ultimately up to you, do it how you feel most comfortable. But remember, efficiency is best in a battle."


    Do whatever he wanted? What kind of advice was that? Kenny understood that he probably wasn''t going to be handed everything, but what kind of advice did he mean by "just do whatever you want"? It perplexed him.


    Kenny looked at the General with a muddled expression. Kenny put his hand on his chin thinking about what the General had just said. Then, everything went dark.


    The General looked down at Kenny motionless body.


    "What the hell did I just say?"


    ***


    Kenny opened his eyes and as soon as he did, he got Déjà vu from seeing the familiar room. A sudden and painful migraine came to him. He put his hand on his head as he looked around the familiar room.


    ''Am in the medical ward? What the hell happened? I remember training with the old man. Was I knocked out by the General?''


    Abruptly, the door was smacked open and the blonde, green eyed beauty walked in. She rocked grey baggy pants, a long grey sleeve shirt along with a dark grey jacket, and black boots. She wore a metal breastplate with small pauldrons on her shoulders, the typical recruit uniform for Vanquishers.


    "Claire?"


    Claire walked over to Kenny with a grin on her face.


    "How does it look?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Claire closed her eyes and let out a big sigh of disappointment.


    "I mean the Vanquisher uniform, Ken."


    "Oh, yeah it looks good on you."


    Claire let out a big sigh yet again.


    "You know, I miss the old you. Back when we were kids you were always energetic and cheerful with a big smile, ranting on about how you were going to be the strongest Vanquisher, always knowing what to do. Now you''re all serious, stubborn, and cheeky."


    Claire''s comment annoyed Kenny. Since he thinks that he is superior to Claire in every way, this made him want to retaliate with a comment of his own, but controlled himself not wanting to prove her right.


    "Anyways, I was surprised when I heard that the General is Sponsoring you, the entire Corps is talking about it."


    Kenny did think it was amazing but immediately remembered the beating he took from the General. Now he knew what Genral Yemel meant when he said that he was going to suffer.


    Kenny disregarded the thought quickly, not wanting to remember it.


    "Also, how come your in here again?"


    Just when he forced himself to forget.


    Kenny told Claire everything that had happened in the training room, what the Generals’ "training" was, which sent shivers down Claire''s spine.


    Claire and kenny chatted for a while about how the first day of training was for the other Vanquishers. Since Kenny was immediately sponsored during the Recruitment Trials and because of a certain passing, he did not attend the couple of days of training which left him out of the loop for what the rules and curfew are at the Vanquisher Corps.


    "One more thing, you know that guy you lost to? He was looking for you, he was probably mad about how you hit him, although I didn''t see it."


    "What? Why would he be mad?"


    "Probably because he was hit by a commoner with a handicap."


    Kenny cursed under his breath. He guessed that the noble would have it out for him which made him feel exhausted already. He didn''t want to deal with that problem in his current state.


    ''Well, whatever.''


    Kenny felt the pain coming back to him from the previous beating he took which made him stay in bed till the next day.


    ***


    Claire came barging into the room were Kenny was staying in. On the floor was Kenny doing pushups. Kenny was lean with small scars around his muscular forearms. Claire instantly turned around at the sight of Kenny, her ears burning up.


    "Hey what are you doing, why do you have your shirt off! What if someone comes in the room!"


    "I mean, it''s more comfortable that way for me, plus your supposed to knock before you enter a room."


    "Whatever just get dressed!"