Xam had moved into a fighting stance.

With his arms and knees slightly bent, he looked ready to pounce on Lug.

The ghost’s body had changed a lot - since his nudist time -, he was now built like a real soldier.

His abs were drawn, his chest was protruding.

His trapezoids stood out and showed a visible border with his deltoids.

He had a combat-ready body.

And a killer gaze.

Lug couldn't help but feel small upon seeing him shirtless.

In comparison, Lug’s body was still rather fragile, a consequence of the days spent in Primont.

He still hadn't fully recovered.

Lug positioned himself in the same way as Xam, not knowing what else to do.

Sweat was beading on his forehead.

The two fighters were inside a circle drawn on the ground.

It was about three meters in diameter, each of them was placed at one end.

Lug could feel his heart beating, his muscles shaking.

Suddenly, Xam dashed forward.

He tried to put Lug down by tackling him in the stomach.

Lug did not have time to react.

Xam put a shoulder blow in Lug's belly

But nothing happened, except a slight groan of pain from Lug.

He did not move an inch, though.

Xam stepped back quickly, a little confused.

One could read on his face the incomprehension.

"He didn't move? Damn. What does that mean? What do I do now?" thought the ghost.

But Xam was a soldier, he had been trained and had seen combat.

He quickly pulled himself together.

"I can't move his physical body. Okay, but I know he feels pain..." he thought.

He stood up, and said to Lug :

"I'm sorry, I would have preferred to put you down without pain."

While saying that, Xam had a sad expression.

Lug did not have time to understand what he meant.

Xam got back into position and charged again.

But instead of trying to knock Lug down, he hit him.

Quick and vicious blows, made to be painful.

In the liver, in the chin, in the joints.

Xam had an efficient fighting style.

He hit the most sensitive areas very quickly.

His footwork allowed him to be unpredictable.

The pain was so intense that Lug began to lower the density of his psychic body.

When Xam saw that he could no longer touch Lug, he stepped back.

"What does that mean? I didn’t know you could do that." said the ghost.

Lug coughed on the ground.

The blows he had received had left him short of breath.

"Cough cough... Umm... Sorry about that... Just a bad reflex. It's hard to take a beating." Lug densified his psychic body again, as he spoke.

He had regained his composure.

"I’m ready. And sorry, it will not happen again." said Lug, as he took position on his corner.

"Perfect." replied Xam.

The fight went on until sunset.

Xam had set a simple rule.

If Lug managed to put him down, he could move on to the next stage of training.

But if Xam managed to put Lug on the ground 100 times before the sunset, Lug would not be allowed to eat.

A few minutes before sunset, Xam put Lug down for the hundredth time.

He couldn't push him, so his method was even more radical: make him fall down in pain.

He hit him so fast and so hard that Lug collapsed.

Xam, once the sun had set, began to put his armor back on.

"That's all for today. You will spend the night in the circle, without food or water. And don't try to run away, it will disqualify you. See you tomorrow." Xam said soberly.

Lug watched the ghost leave, then looked around and laid down in the corner of the ground that seemed the least unwelcoming.

Lug was curled up on the ground.

He lowered the density of his psychic body, but the pain remained.

"His blows are so strong... What a horrible feeling... Worse than stabbing..."

Lug stood up and looked around.

It was getting colder and darker.

His stomach was rumbling.

He poked himself to force his stomach to calm down.

"Not tonight, not tonight. Tomorrow, I promise, we'll eat." he said.

Then he laid down in a fetal position.

He had buried his head in his coat and his hands in his pockets.

He was cold.

Too cold to sleep.

So he began to strengthen his muscles by 10%.

A gentle warmth then emanated throughout his body.

"Ooooooooh.... It feels so good." he said in a whisper.

He spent the night like that.

He didn't really sleep, the reinforcement required a concentration that he couldn't maintain while sleeping.

The next day, Xam came back to see him at sunrise.

"Good morning, how was the night?" the ghost asked as he removed his armor, to make himself ready to fight..

"How can a man who hits so hard, look so kind and caring?" wondered Lug.

Xam got back into a fighting stance.

Lug got up slowly, tired and numb.

He took off his coat and his sweater, as well as his T-shirt.

He was bare-chested.

His white skin and frail body were visible.

Xam looked at him, with the same sad look as the day before.

Lug flinched slightly as he felt the cold air on his skin.

Then he picked himself up.

He got into a fighting position, looking Xam straight in the eyes.

"Ah, that's much better. Fatigue, hunger, cold. It's a perfect mix to get determination. This is starting to get interesting. Go ahead, Lug. Don't disappoint me."