The training session ended after an hour, leaving Andel tired towards the end. The steps of Krav Maga were intense and energy-consuming. Despite his years of practice, Andel still left gasping for breath after going through them.

“Hmm, you should go take a short break.” Frendez came after finishing his own sets. “After an hour, you have to show yourself in dining for our breakfast.”

“Got it.” Andel nodded and turned around, ready to leave.

“Wait!” Just then, the pleasing voice of Lilia rang in his ears. Frendez and Travis threw a curious glance towards them before going away. They knew why Lilia asked him to wait. To make the girl feel less awkward, they decided to leave her alone.

“Yes!?” Andel turned around and looked at her. As she stood so close to him, he could smell a mix of sweaty and perfumed fragrance wafting from her. Maybe, it was because he hadn’t hit puberty, Andel didn't feel any arousal from the tantalizing scent.

“Back then, it wasn’t my intention to use my Talent on you.” Lilia felt embarrassed to explain herself to a kid half of her age. But it was necessary since she was the one who screwed up. Using one’s abilities on someone without asking for permission was a form of provocation and even forbidden by law. While she wasn’t afraid of the law, she still didn’t want to leave a negative impression.

“It’s alright.” Andel had never put that into his mind. “I didn’t mind that at all.” He was surprised, yes, but wasn’t scared or harbored any ill will towards her.

“You really didn’t mind!?” Lilia inquired. She came dangerously close to Andel’s personal space. Without much choice, he had to step back. “Ah, I am sorry.” Lilia apologized again.

“It's alright. Please don’t mind it as I certainly didn’t.” However, curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn’t stop himself from asking about the skill. “By the way, what was that? Why did it make me feel relaxed?”

“That’s one of my Talents, which I couldn’t control no matter how hard I try.” Lilia sighed and stopped saying further. It was a taboo to ask about other’s spell or Talents. “Sigh, you should go and freshen up. You smell, to be honest.”

“What?” Andel sniffed his pits and blanched from the smell. “Okay, meet you in the dining hall, then.”

“Hmm, alright.” Lilia nodded and turned around to leave. Seeing her, Andel also proceeded to walk away. “Be careful of Two. He is a disgusting fellow.” He heard Lilia’s whisper right next to his ear.

Your Sound Immunity gained 10 EXP

If not for this notification, he would have really believed she was whispering to him. Andel stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at her. However, she had long since left the hall. Narrowing his eyes, he shook his head and left the place.

However, he didn’t forget to commit her warning to his heart.

‘Two, eh!?’ As the name rolled on his tongue, Andel felt a sudden dislike towards the number. He seems to can’t run away from people with a lower level of thinking. Shaking his head, he returned to his small room. Sometime later, while sitting on the toilet seat, Andel opened his Physical Attribute interface.

Constitution

70

Strength

13

Defense

14

Reflex

18

Stamina

15

Five years of rigorous training showed its results as all his stats had become double digits. Despite himself, Andel felt proud of it. There was a reason why he was able to defeat all those ki practitioners of his age. Nothing comes easy, and his achievement was certainly not. There were times when he had to go to the medic to treat himself.

Since his stats were pretty low, he could feel the changes clearly. Otherwise, there was no way he would still be standing after going through all those intensive moves. And if he had to do pushups now, Andel was sure he could do at least 1050 times.

However, today’s event gave Andel an idea to farm his stats. How did his strength and stamina rose with just one exercise? Wasn’t it due to him trying his hardest and break past his limits? Then, if he does the same, would he be able to improve all his stats indefinitely?

Only trial and error would prove his theory. Andel decided to do so after he had his breakfast. None the less, until Selina comes back, he wouldn’t have any specialized training anyway.

After he freshened up, it was time to join others in the dining hall. It was a hall too, but smaller compared to all the training halls they have there. The hall had two big dining tables, designed for the eaters to stand and eat.

“Hey, Andel, come here.” Travis, with his signature Mexican hat that looked way out of place, waved towards him. With a nod, Andel walked towards him. The table was a bit high for someone of his height, so he would have to hold the plate with his hands.

To his side, Lilia nod at him before going back to her plate. Somehow, Andel felt she was a bit different from before. Like, she was trying to distance herself from others. Two stood opposite to Travis. Seeing Andel coming, he snorted in disdain.

However, Frendez was not there.

“Where is our captain?” Andel aksed curiously. He put two pieces of bread, an egg, and slices of bacon on his plate and came back to stand beside Travis.

Munchin on a piece of chip that he found somewhere, Travis answered. “Captain went up to open the dojo. Don’t forget that we are running a dojo to people outside.” Munching on a dried piece of salted bacon, Travis continued, “It was Selina’s turn today to coach those brats up there. But, since she wasn’t here, as her protege, you will go.”

“Pfft!” Lilia burst out laughing after Travis finished. Wiping the corners of her mouth, she looked at Travis then to Andel before hiding her mouth with her hand. From her shoulder’s shaking, Andel knew she hadn’t stopped laughing for some reason.

He felt a weird premonition from that unusual reaction.

“Is there something’s wrong?” Andel asked Travis with a pleading look. After all, if something could make this stoic-acting Lilia laugh, it should be something to worry about.

“Nah!” Traying and failing to control his laugh, Travis shook his hand in an attempt to play it cool. “It's nothing. You will be fine.”

…

“Yo, kid! You are a new face, huh!? Who are you?” A mohawk-hairstyled man around his late teens looked at Andel and asked rudely with a delinquentish accent. Behind him stood three more teens with similar hairdos. They wore half-leather jackets with ripped sleeves and skin-tight pants.

Typical delinquents. It was Andel’s first impression of them.

“He is a new pupil of Selina.” Two came out of nowhere and spoke with too much enthusiasm. “He will be her personal pupil when she comes back.”

‘Somethings not right!’ Andel thought. Two shouldn’t be this enthusiastic, not after what happened between them.

“What? How can this be possible?” The lead mohawk widened his eyes and took a step back to have a good look at Andel. “He is too weak. How can big-sister accept him as a pupil? You are pulling our leg, Two.”

“I’m not.” Two shrugged his shoulders before walking away towards a bunch of young adults standing at the other corner of the dojo.

Boom!

Suddenly, an explosive sound heard throughout the hall as a figure wheezed towards Andel.

‘Sigh! I knew something is wrong with the situation. Damn that bastard!’ Andel thought while sidestepping the Mohawk haircut’s incoming punch.

“Since you are chosen by big-sister, I won’t say much. But this Paul must see with his own eyes if you are worthy of her time or not.” Paul gave Andel a look filled with anger and jealousy. His right hand had red scales covering it, while his fingers had turned into claws.

Clenching his claws, he pointed his left index finger at Andel, “come at me with everything you have got, kid. I won't go easy on you.”