Chapter One - Part One

After a few minutes an older man almost two metres tall and covered in muscles, that only seemed to be contained by the multitude of scars and a simple leather armour, appeared. He walked steadily out of one of the arena's passage ways. Each step was full of purpose, confidence and unmistakable power.

Jon was sure that if the old man started to run you would certainly feel the ground shake. Above him floated several words.

>

Kong

>

"Listen up you young pup's, names Kong. I run this here Arena. In my wild youth I fought on its blood soaked sands, crushing the skulls of my foes into the dirt under my heel. They called me Iron Crusher and although the Glorious days of my Golden youth are behind me I have battled Devilsaurs, Jungle Fiends and whole packs of Raptors. It would be foolish to think I'd lost my edge."

He growled at them as a strange sensation washed over them, the air even distorted a little.

-:You have been Hit by a strong >. You are now affected by >.

Movement speed reduced by 30% for 10 minutes

Attack power reduced by 30% for 10 minutes

Defence power reduced by 70% for 10 minutes

Jon stared at the system message blankly before dismissing it and looking around at some of the other people in the group.

Several were on their knees shivering and a couple had fainted. One poor sod had been so affected that he was convulsing on the deck while foaming at the mouth; the crotch of his beginner gear noticeable soaked. No one seemed unaffected but at least Ogre had remained standing.

Old Kong gazed at the latest sorry bunch of trainees through his one good eye, a jet black a patch covered the other and the tell-tale scars of old claw marks could just be seen poking out of the top and bottom.

'Useless....useless....not bad........'

His piercing stare locked on to a single youth. His body wasn't well built and his features were unremarkable, his mono-brow looked like someone had stuck a caterpillar to his face but nothing shouted out 'here is something special'. But the Iron Crusher had spent years honing his instinct, like all his kin, and that same instinct was now alert.

He had always been told that instincts like these are primal things and he had always thought of his like a wild beasts predatory sense. Now his great stalking tiger of instinct was growling menacingly at the only youth who seemed only mildly affected by his >.

A > that could make even the Great jungle beasts turn and flee with their tails between their legs like whipped dogs.

'.......interesting.'

After a simple explanation of the Ground Rules of the Arena he withdrew to the side lines to oversee the training of the Clans next generation.

Several people chatted in smaller groups but most headed to the weapons racks and then sought a sparring partner as they had been instructed. They would be spendng the next four weeks of in-game time prohibited from leaving the town so what else was there to do.

Ogre sauntered over as well and took a long hard look at the weapons on offer. All were wooden and well used.

He had decided to wield a weapon and not become a monk because Jon was not a fighter. He had thrown his fists around the playground in his youth but not to the extent that he would call himself a martial artist.

So when his eyes roamed over the faded leather strips tightly wrapped around the barrel of a smooth club he knew he had found something.

He picked it up and was greeted by the now familiar blue boxed system message.

-: 3-Pound Lumber:-

Durability: N/A

Damage: 1-2

A trainee club type weapon. Cannot leave the training hall but all are free to use it herein.

Requirements:

N/A

Jon was overcome by nostalgia. Long before he turned to video games the guidance counciler recommended to his parents that he vent his anger issues at the local batting cages. As he had been a very angry kid he had spent most of his evenings and weekends there; pummeling balls with all his might.

So it was no surprise then that he had made the team when on a whim he signed up for the schools baseball try outs.

However Jon knew he had no talent for the game, a harsh fact, but he continued to polish what little skill he did have and every game day he would leave all his anger out there on the diamond. Even then he knew he wouldn't be able to take it far, not when a fellow little leaguer was being touted as 'the Reincarnation of the Babe'.

Eventually people had growth spurts and quickly over took what little ability he had.

But he had never forgotten the feel of the bat in his hands and as he gave the club a few practice swings it was like he was back there; in the prime of his short career.

Maybe it was the Barbarians higher strength but satisfying small clouds of dust were blown around with each successive swing. He put it behind his back and did the few warm up drills he remembered before the first challenger approached him.

"Yo. Fancy a quick round?" the bright eyed youth inquired playfully fidgiting with two short wooden daggers, one in either hand.

"Sure" Ogre grunted in reply.

They made their way from the side racks to the wide centre space, which was now occupied by several other pairs already fully engaged in sparring. a few spectators had gathered in the stands and around the inner wall by the weapon racks.

Ogre tapped his new bat against his leather shoes before gripping it in both hands and holding it level at waist height.

The other saw that he was ready and began his charge from several metres away. The quick dash in was meant to build enough momentum to either shoulder tackle him; knocking him down or back or both. Or, as was more probable given his weapon choice, allow for a greater build up of speed to unleash a flurry of twin slashes.

Ogre was unmoving as the figure covered the distance faster and faster.

Just as his opponent was about to enter his strike zone he shifted his feet taking a wider stance, drew back the bat and swiftly swung it forward with all his might. Sometimes it's the simple things that work the best.

'HOMERUN!! Oh my God I didn't think he had it in him, did you?' 'No I didn't. I definitely didn't think he'd make this sort of comeback so late in the season. Could this be the return of Mr. Full-Swing?'

Two sport pundits commented in his mind as the body of his former opponent flew like a rag doll across the arena and into one of the surrounding walls. What was so difficult about hitting a charging person when you had experience striking a 95 MPH Exploding Fastball.

(AN: Told you his little league was full of prodigal talents)

Plus to increase his speed the dual wielder had run with his head forward and angled slightly down trying to use gravity to increase his acceleration. The ninja-esque run style had one unfortunate effect. It brought the vulnerable head directly into the strike zone at an almost perfect position.

No one caught that pop-fly.

The arena was completely quiet as spectators watched in stunned silence as the boy's body slide down the wall and slumped on the ground.

The silence was broken by an old hag who shuffled in and began chanting >.

Although the Barbarian race had low magic capabilities and couldn't become first class Mages or Priest without years of suffering, they did have a good aptitude for the Shaman class.

It was a jack of all trade type class that could heal, buff, curse and use swords or maces.

Within moments the dual wielder was back on his feet.

He crossed the difference and thrust out a hand towards Ogre who hadn't moved from the spot since hitting it out of the park.

"That was incredible. Next time I'll be even faster and a hell of a lot harder to hit. You had better look forward to it so remember the name Nitro."

"Un.." Ogre grunted in reply. A bro-mance was blossoming in the eyes of all the onlookers, the birth of an eternal rivalry.

'The next time we meet he'll probably be some sort of speed based assassin.'

Jon pondered absent-mindedly shouldering his weapon as several people approached him to be their next sparring partners.

And so he spent the next four weeks sparring constantly in the arena. This actually took around 19 weeks as he could only play from four hours a day (eight on weekends) due to RL commitments but thanks to the 1:4 time dilation in RR he finally completed the basic training almost five months after first logging in.

The sparring sessions of the arena lasted until one challenger either surrendered or had their health reduced to 1 and were rendered K.O'd. Thankfully while in the arena you couldn't be killed; only die shamefully from low satiety.

**********

Today was the final day of his grueling training program and as he drove his faithful 3-pound lumber down vertically into the summoned wolf familiars skull, he was rewarded with several system messages.

-: You have gained 1 strength: +1 strength:-

-: You have gained a title: Future Champion of the Arena.

You have shown promise in the Barbarian Rock Arena, many of your people look forward to your rise to fame. +10 Fame.

This title is given to all who complete the Basic Training at Barbarian Rock.

-:You have completed the Basic Training: +10 Fame:-

-: Your fame has increased by 20. NPC's shall treat you slightly better:-

Jon was pleased, he had blown his stress away every night in the red-brown sands of the arena but it was starting to reach its limits. Now with his training complete and his probationary four weeks in-game over he would be free to begin exploring the Continent and looking for more stress releif.

Apart from the 40 points he had got in strength, agility and stamina he had also gained a new stat > and a new skill >. His training would have gone smoother if not for the surprising arrival of a human girl.

The player was level 50 and her name was Da-In, a human shaman who had climbed the Barbarian Rock to learn some spells from the Shaman teacher old Granny Kang (the Iron Crushers wife). She was by far one of the prettiest woman Jon had ever seen but after a few days in her company he quickly got over his little crush.

When there were no Players to spar with or NPC's ready to train for their Rite of Passage the Iron Crusher would unleash his menagerie of Beasts upon Ogre, which he didn't mind. It was fun taking on something different and new every once in a while. The problem was Da-In.

She stood on the side lines casting her spells.

At the start she would buff Ogre increasing his attack power, his speed and his strength. She even threw a few heals his way or de-buffed his foes when things went south. However she had an unusual hobby. When the ferocious beasts he was clobbering seemed on the brink of death she would heal them back to nearly full health. Sometimes she even buffed them with the same skills she had used on him.

The worst part was that she even cast her de-buff's on him.

In fact Jon was convinced that he had earned the > stat quicker thanks to her constant torment.

She stayed with the old Arena owners learning from both Granny Kang and Old Kong for several weeks but one evening when Ogre arrived for his sparring session she was gone. Jon felt a little lonely for a while but then he heard she had accepted a group invite to hunt in the undiscovered Sky-City.

He prayed that she wouldn't play around too much with her new teammates.

His only issue now would be how to unlock the hidden Berserker class that he wanted so badly. He was just about to visit the Warriors Guild and the Intelligence Guild to search for a hint when Old Kong approached him.

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