Ace lunged at me, his spear poised to stab me in the gut. I sidestepped and threw my arm toward him, grabbing the spear and yanking it toward me. Caught off balance, Ace stumbled. I kicked his legs out from under him, sending him tumbling to the ground. Tossing the spear away, I jumped on him, [Punching] him in the chin where the helmet on his head didn't cover.

His head snapped back under the impact as his jaw slammed shut. A pained groan came from him as blood dribbled out of his mouth. I [Punched] him twice more until he disappeared into a puff of smoke, disappearing to the back of my mind.

Sighing, I rolled off the pillow I'd been imagining as 'Ace'. It was a terrible sparring partner but it was good for practicing [Punch] without having to constantly break my hands.

[Warning! Your Stamina has reached dangerously low levels! You will be forced into a state of unconsciousness unless you take a break!]

I groaned from the floor. My body still ached, though, despite using a softer method. I'd started using [Kick] on the pillow, too, after I remembered I'd gotten that skill. That had taken a pretty big toll on my legs.

I'd worked up a huge sweat while training. Lying still on the cold stone floor helped, though it was uncomfortable on my unclothed back. I'm so glad they hadn't taken my trousers...

My stomach rumbled, reminding me of the other physical pains I'd been pushing through while training. I ignored it, though. I didn't know what would help, so I just waited for whatever thing that was causing my gut to hurt so badly to heal.

Funny how Frost was complaining about the same pains and you just blew him off...

So?

You're hopeless, you know that?

I don't even bloody know why the heck you're talkin' to me, mate. What're you on about?

You really don't have a shred of conscience in that thick skull of yours...

You're off your rocker!

I'm not the one talking to a voice in his head am I, now, mate?

Huffing, I tuned the voice out and turned to something else to hold my attention: training [Lesser Radar]. If I couldn't move from a lack of stamina, I could still be productive. Closing my eyes, I focused on the Skill.

'There isn't much,' the Skill said. 'I think there's somebody somewhere close, but it's kinda fuzzy...Oh, oh, someone's coming! BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Someone's coming! BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!'

I snapped back to attention, mind shaky from the shrill screaming. Full contact with this Skill is something I need to be careful about in the future. And I thought the ringing in the back of my head was bad...

Soft footsteps alerted me to the approaching being [Lesser Radar] had sensed. Much to my dismay, it was Inge. She saw me lying on the floor, exhausted, and cackled. "Ha! Not zo pig und pad anymore! Vu did not like mein little slap, I zee."

The bump she'd given me had since healed, although the area throbbed whenever I touched it. Scowling, I turned my head away. "What do you want?"

"Vu vant to pe free, ja? If vu are not zo rude zis time, I take vu to parracks. Okay?"

Don't be a douchebag.

"...Fine. Just wait for my stamina to-hey!"

Inge had pointed at me and muttered under her breath. Whatever she'd done took a hold of my body, forcing me to stand. She smiled as she unlocked the padlock and slid the door inside before gesturing forward. The alien power walked me toward her.

"What are you doing to me?" I hissed, struggling against her control over me.

"[Forced March]," she quipped. "Now, come! Ve haffe much blace to valk."