The Third Day
Adam had been feeling increasingly unsettled lately. Just as in the past two days, his new boss was behaving oddly today as well.
Not oddly in a negative sense, but in a 'how on earth does he maintain this relentless energy?' kind of way.
Engaging in such vigorous activity is generally beneficial, keeping both the mind sharp and the body well-conditioned. Adam wanted to feel invigorated too, but something about the situation struck him as suspicious.
He was certain that the boss wasn't using any drugs or enhancers; if he were, Adam would have noticed by now, given the inevitable side effects those substances entail.
But the boss wasn't indulging in any of those. Instead, it seemed as though he was becoming increasingly energetic with each passing day. This would be perfectly normal— and even commendable— for someone his age.
But... how is he becoming more energized each day when all he's doing is getting pummeled? Does he have some kind of bizarre fetish...?
No, if he did, Adam would have figured it out long ago, and the boss's facial expressions would have betrayed him.
At that moment, Adam was sweating profusely as he slowly lowered himself to the floor, his body overwhelmed with exhaustion. He desperately wanted to collapse and take a long, deep rest, but he couldn't.
Not now, not in front of the boss.
Thinking about the boss again, Adam glanced over at him and noticed that he appeared to be in even better condition than before.
William, as usual after a grueling training session, was lying on the floor, meticulously analyzing his performance during the fight and contemplating different techniques that might have improved his performance.
Adam observed the calculating look on William's face and couldn't help but smile, though he didn't consciously realize it.
Then, that nagging feeling of unease returned, and Adam felt the urge to ask the boss something. But he held back. What could he possibly say?
'Boss, why are you so energetic today? Did you get a girlfriend?' Or 'Boss, why are you so full of energy? Did you finally get laid?' Or even 'Boss, do you have some kind of masochistic fetish that makes you more and more energized every day from getting beaten by me?'
No, he couldn't ask such things. Although, except for the last one, the other two were within the realm of possibility— but he didn't get his hopes up.
Not that it was a bad thing—it just wasn't what he expected right after a rigorous training session.
Adam realized where William was going with this and quickly shook his head, correcting him. "No, it's not like that. I was just thinking about something work-related, and that woman happened to come to mind."
"Oh! Okay," William said, deciding not to pry further. "So, did you hear what I said earlier?"
Adam shook his head. "Sorry, boss, I didn't. I was lost in thought, so I missed it. What was it you asked me?"
"No worries, it happens. What I asked was, do you think I'm training properly?"
Adam paused for a moment of contemplation before nodding absentmindedly. "I'd have to say yes. I can't quite put my finger on it, but you're improving... rapidly."
"So that's a good thing then?" William asked, interrupting Adam's train of thought. Adam nodded in agreement.
"Of course it is. If you can sustain this newfound energy— wherever you've discovered it from— and don't worry, I won't ask about it anymore, then you'll be able to master most things within a few years."
"Quick enough to beat you in a few years?" William asked, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Adam laughed, "Hahaha. No, not that fast... but who knows?"
Adam said, and before he could delve too deeply into his own words, he stood up and left the room, saying, "Alright then, same time tomorrow, boss."
"Yeah."
The Next Day
'Okay, now this is truly odd.' Adam thought as he deftly dodged the twin-bladed sword that William swung at him. He quickly sidestepped again as the other blade came dangerously close.
'He's not just learning fast; he's learning at an astonishing rate.' Adam thought, ducking beneath another sword strike.
'Too fast, in fact. It already seems like he's completely in sync with this weapon... NO. It's not just this weapon, but all of them.' Adam thought, his eyes widening in realization, only to have his thoughts interrupted by blocking a horizontal slash with his own blade.
'He's not just learning quickly; he's learning in mere moments. Weapons that would typically take months or even years to master— he's becoming proficient with them in hours.'
'But how on earth is that possible?' Adam wondered, narrowly avoiding another strike that would have decapitated him.