My hell began with a single swing, I guess my joke wasn't very funny, nor appreciated. But I quickly realized that this fight wouldn't end so quickly, at least as fast as last time. I was well aware of how much stronger Ted was than me, but I hadn't just been goofing off during this week either. When everyone left, I ignored the pain of my injuries and trained every day, not improving my stats at all, but adjusting my body to its new strength and familiarizing my body with my newly advanced swordsmanship. It was well worth it, and hopefully it showed the results I wanted here.

I parry the attack with difficulty, my hands numbing as the blades collide as I rapidly get pushed back. I quickly retreat, widening my stance in the process, readying for the flurry of blows that may follow. Nothing came as I saw him staring at me. I cover myself hastily,

"You shouldn't stare like that, I feel like your undressing me with your eyes." I pretend to be embarrassed and distract him but I only get a low growl in response as he readies himself again, this time circling around me to try and find an opening.

I take the initiative and step forward, opening with an upwards strike, missing as expected but I bring my sword right back down, yet he sidesteps with time to spare, as if predicting my moves. Leaving an opening, he takes advantage, lunging at my side with a thrust. I quickly turn and swipe at the thrusting sword, knocking it off target, having it only graze my side. I use the momentum to spin and try for a low swipe. My sword hits the ground, a foot suddenly on top of it as Ted's wooden sword rested on my neck.

"I win." He lifts his foot from my sword and looks at me with a thoughtful face. Looking over I see that Garth and Rorik have made their way to us as well, both seem visibly surprised, at what I don't quite know.

"How exactly did you manage to last so long against Ted? I mean, he is almost a B rank Mercenary."

"No." Rorik corrected, "He is a B rank now, he passed the test while you were off doing whatever. You shouldn't last more than an exchange or 2"

"So I can go up to D rank right?"

"No"

"No" Both of them reply simultaneously, shattering my hopes of ranking up quickly.

"You look like you've been training with your sword, your technique makes up for the lack of physical strength but not enough to fight on par with other D ranks." Rorik pushes the harshness of reality back onto me. I look towards Garth, the bundle of joy, hoping for some type of good news.

"Actually, If you get a little stronger, you probably could actually get to D rank. I give it a week at most before you can pass the test."

"I give it a month." Rorik adds his very biased observation towards my training.

"Well seeing that your only satisfied when something's perfect, if you train him it would probably take a month." Their bickering is interrupted by someone I didn't expect,

"3 days."

I turn to look at Ted, who was looking at me with a predatory glint in his eye, as if I was prey.

"I will get him to D rank in 3 days."

"That's quite the promise there, hope you can do it then." Garth shrugged off the statement, I don't think he cared because it was pretty close to his guess. Rorik only shook his head and left, leaving Ted and I to our own devices. Slightly fearful of what was to happen, I get a new contract right as the 2 left.

*Contract: Rank Up

You have been offered a chance to reach the next rank, make use of it.

Become more accustomed to your new body, allowing you to reach the next level.

"We shall start now, draw your weapon." I ready myself, hoping for mercy, but getting none.

So began my hellish training for 3 days. All I did during the day was fight, I fought not only Ted but other Mercenaries as well. He said it was to keep me from adapting to fighting one type of opponent. I faced all types, ranging from hulking brutes to rangers and rogues. When I wasn't fighting, I was either eating, sleeping, or doing one of the strange obstacle courses set up for me. It seems they were pre made and were used to train you to dynamically react to your environment. It had everything from swinging logs and rope climbs to almost lethal pitfalls and dart traps. Needless to say, I was battered and bruised the entire time I trained, but it was worth it, because the afternoon of the third day, I got a notification.

*Contract: Rank Up

Your control over yourself has exceeded that of normal people by a large margin, you have stepped into the realm of the superhuman, D rank!

Rewards: +2 STR

+1 DEX

+3 CON

+3 INT

+2 WIS

+4 CHA

Seeing the large boost in stats, An exhilarating feeling fills my body, as if some kind of bottleneck was broken. What followed was a comfortable warmth that seeped into my muscles, tempering them. I look towards Ted, my trainer the past few days.

"I'm ready for the test."

"Very well, I will be your instructor, if you pass we will register you as a D rank, if not then you keep training."

He called over an enormous beast of a man and quickly explains to him what he'll be doing. I assume the man was a D rank, what with the slightly more dangerous aura he gave off compared to E ranks I've fought. He hands him a wooden great sword, then hands me a smaller wooden sword. We stand apart from each other, roughly 10 steps, waiting for the signal. My muscles tense in anticipation until I hear him shout out,

"Begin!"