Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Combat Training
Ninety-ninth floor of the Central Black Tower.
"Let me make it clear, junior. If you get hurt, I'm not covering your medical bills," Chaxes muttered as he opened a dusty door. Richard followed him, carrying the two-handed sword from Sabban.
Earlier, Richard requested Chaxes to use his synthetic beast to help him adjust to his new body and hone his combat skills.
The sudden increase in his constitution made Richard both uncomfortable and curious about his newfound strength.
What level had his strength reached?
As the door opened, a musty smell filled the air.
Behind it was a room about the size of a basketball court, with walls and floors marked by various claw marks and dried bloodstains.
On one side of the room was a small chamber separated by crystal. Chaxes walked in and tossed a bag outside.
It was a special magical bag. According to Chaxes, it contained three cubic spaces and had been specially treated to temporarily hold living things.
"Roar!"
A strange roar came from the bag, and a black wolf's head poked out.
"Junior, close the door. This is the room where the teacher tests battle beasts. Use your full strength here; the room can withstand it."
Richard closed the door, stretched his muscles, and walked to the center of the room, sword in hand.
Chaxes's synthetic beast had emerged from the bag. It wasn't large, resembling a big wild wolf with sleek black fur. It panted, staring blankly at Richard, seemingly harmless.
"Are you ready, junior?" Chaxes called.
Richard gripped his sword, white breath escaping his nose and mouth.
After the second blood alchemy, Richard's bloodline activation brought significant changes.
First, his muscles ballooned like inflated balloons, and he grew almost ten centimeters taller.
Next were the black scales covering him. Initially thin, they had thickened considerably after the second alchemy.
If he was a knight in armor before, he was now an armored vehicle.
"I'm ready, senior."
"Good."
Chaxes shouted, and the synthetic beast lunged at Richard like lightning.
Bang!
Richard staggered back two steps, his sword arm numb, while two finger-deep wounds on his chest dripped blood.
The black wolf, however, hadn't lost a single hair.
"What strength is this!?" Richard stared in shock at the seemingly harmless wolf, its power far exceeding its appearance.
Not only was it powerful, but its claws were also sharper than Richard anticipated.
The black scales on his body were like tofu before its claws.
"Careful, junior," Chaxes chuckled, seeing Richard caught off guard. "Don't be fooled by Black's size. Its constitution is a solid thirty-nine points."
"Though its muscle mass can't compare with yours, its quality far surpasses you."
Richard was taken aback, not expecting such a small creature to have such high constitution.
The black wolf attacked again, fast as lightning. But this time, Richard was ready, his sword emitting a sharp howl.
Wind Crow Slash.
The black wolf wasn't intimidated. In a flash, it twisted its body, the vibrating sword edge grazing its spine.
But Richard wasn't just a melee knight.
A red fireball appeared beside him, shooting towards the wolf like a meteor.
Boom.
The fireball exploded, fire elements obscuring Richard's view, but his mental power detected something rapidly approaching him.
Clang!
Screech...
The wolf's fangs clamped onto the sword, making a grating noise. The fireball had only slightly singed its fur.
"Impossible!"
Though shocked, Richard's hands didn't falter. He flicked the sword, sparks flying between the teeth and blade. He saw his sword bore a row of teeth marks.
"Heh, how's my synthetic beast's defense, junior?"
Chaxes chuckled again. This beast was his current masterpiece, its muscles and bones meticulously crafted to withstand elemental damage below thirty energy levels.
Given Richard's current state, unless he used a fireball staff, no spell could harm the wolf.
"Want to continue, junior? You can't win. How about commissioning a training beast from me?"
"Impressive," Richard admitted, a confident smile on his lips. "But you're underestimating me, senior."
Wizards don't rely solely on brute force; they wouldn't be a dominant force conquering many worlds otherwise.
Chaxes shook his head, amused by Richard's persistence.
Richard's strength wasn't even at an intermediate apprentice level, armed only with a sword. In this condition, his fight with Black had no suspense.
"Alright, let's continue."
With that, Chaxes directed the wolf to assault Richard from all angles.
Adjusting to his increased physique, Richard struggled against the wolf's relentless attacks. Even the simplest pounce left him bloodied, its claws marking him repeatedly.
But Richard's second fusion was with the two-headed troll bloodline, renowned for its regeneration. The wounds barely lasted seconds before healing visibly.
More effective than his armlets.
During these clashes, Richard gradually acclimated to his body.
Ding.
Richard blocked another pounce, parrying the wolf's claws with his sword.
In minutes, under combat pressure, he had fully adapted to his body.
"Want to keep going, junior?" Chaxes called from across the room.
Richard's lips curled into a smile. "No, it's about time to end this."
Saying this, he conjured two fireballs. Chaxes shook his head in disappointment.
Sub-thirty energy level attacks were futile... Hm?
A fireball flew towards him, exploding, the fire elements obscuring Chaxes's view.
"Not right!"
Startled, Chaxes hurriedly shared senses with the wolf, but as another fireball exploded, the wolf's view turned fiery red.
The next moment, a sword descended on the wolf's head.
Bang!
The thick blade slammed the wolf to the ground. Had Richard used Wind Crow Slash, it would have severed the wolf's head or at least half its neck.
"How was that, senior?" Richard approached Chaxes, sword in hand, sporting a triumphant smile.
Wizard battles aren't just about spells and brawn; intelligence is a wizard's greatest weapon.
Chaxes, confined in the small chamber, had limited vision. Attacking through the beast, Richard spotted a flaw.
If Chaxes and the wolf lost sight simultaneously, and the battle took place outside mental range, Chaxes couldn't track Richard, losing the initiative.
Though impractical on a real battlefield, no tactic is universally applicable.
"Ah, I was careless," Chaxes muttered, guiding the wolf back into the bag. "Didn't expect you to pull that off."
"Haha, how else would I win?"
Richard laughed, mentally tallying his gains from the battle.
He'd gained much, adjusting to his body and refining combat skills. But he also noticed a glaring weakness—
As an alchemy apprentice, his gear was woefully inadequate.
He had a few magical items, mostly from the entrance exam. The sword, though well-made, lacked any alchemical enhance
ments, a plain blade.
If word got out, people might think Jolord wasn't teaching his formal apprentices.
Richard stroked his chin.
"Time to upgrade my gear."
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