Chapter 20 -20-Fighting With the dummies

Chapter 20: Chapter20-Fighting With the dummies

"Start!"

When I heard Allen's voice, I sprinted forward without a second thought, daggers in hand.

I quickly reached the robot and leaped into the air, aiming for its neck.

Just as my dagger was about to slice it, the green light on the robot's forehead suddenly brightened, showing it was fully activated.

To my shock, the robot moved with surprising agility, stepping back and dodging my attack.

'What? How did it?'

Still in mid-air, I felt a powerful force slam into my stomach.

I looked down to see...

The giant robot had punched me.

The blow was so strong that I coughed up saliva and got thrown into the corner of the training room.

Gasping for breath, I clutched my stomach and struggled to stand up. Allen watched silently, his expression unreadable.

I couldn't tell if he was concerned or just observing, but his calm demeanor somehow fueled my determination.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I focused on the robot.

'This guy... Is he really an Iron-Rank?'

It stood there, ready and waiting for my next move.

I was really surprised by its speed and fighting skills.

They were way too fast for me.

When I was fighting it, it felt like I was up against someone of a much higher rank.

The difference between us was huge, from strength to agility.

I couldn't match anything it did.

It was like I was a deer trying to escape from a lion, or in this case, a robot.

To counterattack against his agility and strength, I needed to be smarter, not just faster.

Remembering what little I knew about fighting, I decided to change my approach.

I circled the robot, trying to find an opening.

It turned to face me, its movements surprisingly smooth for such a large machine.

I feinted to the left, then quickly darted to the right, aiming for its leg this time.

If I couldn't take it down with a direct hit, maybe I could slow it down.

There was also another reason I targeted its legs.

The dummies followed certain regulations, and three of them were crucial.

First, a robot could only take 100 hits before it automatically shut down.

Secondly, it will recognize you as its opponent only when you emit a certain level of killing intent towards it. As for how they can sense it, only they and the company that made them know.

Thirdly, the more you hit a certain part of the robot, the slower that part becomes.

That's why I focused on its legs.

My dagger scraped against the metal, but before I could pull away, the robot reacted, swinging its arm down towards me.

I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.

The impact of its fist left a dent in the floor where I'd been standing.

I thought everything was going according to plan until the robot's next move caught me completely off-guard.

Unexpectedly, the robot changed its attack pattern, using its leg instead of its hands to kick in my direction.

'Oh no.'

I crossed my arms to block it, but the force was too strong.

I was thrown a few meters away, landing hard on the floor.

'Shit, My arms.'

Pain shot through my body, and I realized my arms were broken.

They were completely numb, leaving me paralyzed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bottle flying towards me.

I caught it instinctively and looked up to see Allen standing there, his expression as blank as ever.

He had thrown the bottle, but there was no concern in his eyes.

There were more pressing matters demanding my attention than dwelling on the past.

With adrenaline burning in my veins, I slowly rose to my feet, clutching both daggers tightly.

Ahead of me, Allen had already set up the dummies, signaling if I was ready to start.

I signaled back, my resolve firm.

As Allen uttered "Start!" once more, another robot sprang to life, charging at me with a threatening demeanor.

However, this time, I was prepared.

As the robot closed in, its right fist aimed straight for my face, just as I had predicted.

Reacting swiftly, I ducked under the powerful blow, feeling the rush of wind as it passed inches above my head.

Seizing the moment, I lunged forward and slashed at its left leg with my dagger, the blade slicing through the metal with a satisfying clang.

However, I knew my strike wasn't enough to take down the towering machine.

Anticipating its counterattack, I sprang backward, narrowly evading the swift kick that followed.

'That was close.'

With a thud, the robot's foot collided with the ground where I had been standing just moments before.

As I landed a few meters away from the robot, I quickly assessed the situation.

It was crucial to maintain a safe distance and plan my next move carefully.

'Here we go again.'

***

'Anybody help me... Anybody.'

There were robots scattered everywhere, next to me, collapsed and shut down.

Yeah, you're right.

I defeated them, but at what cost?

I can't fucking get up.

Why?

'I'm too tired.'

I was totally exhausted, lying flat on the floor, soaked in sweat, and too drained to budge an inch.

The minutes seemed to melt away, and I couldn't keep count of how many healing potions I'd chugged down.

But one thing was certain: I had faced five robots after the first one, and this time, I managed to defeat them in less time than before.

Yes, I know I said I have no idea how much time has passed, but somehow I feel like I defeated them a little faster.

Fighting against these guys is making my movements smoother. That's really good.

It felt like I was getting better and better with each fight, and even though I was dead tired, I felt a little proud of myself.

I wanted to shout in happiness, but I couldn't. I felt so tired that even talking seemed impossible.

Out of nowhere, Allen's voice cut through my exhaustion.

"Great work, young master. You've gotten better since your last fights," he said, coming closer with a slight hint of smile in his face.

But it vanished quickly, and he went back to his serious expression.

Did he just smile, or was it my tired mind playing tricks on me?

But I couldn't think about it too much. I was too tired to focus on anything else.

Ignoring Allen, I rolled over on the floor to face away from him, seeking a moment of respite.

Bringing my right hand up to my face, I fumbled to open the watch strapped to my wrist, desperate to check the time.

...

Name: Michael Frostburne

Total Rules Broken: 1

Current Rules Broken: 0

Time: 12:35 AM

Year: 2130

Rank: Iron-Rank Hunter

...

Seriously...