Sergeant Dave handed Syal a sword and a flintlock pistol. "Take these with you. You know how to use them, I presume?"
Syal nodded, feeling a sense of familiarity with the weight of the sword and the pistol in his hands. He had received basic training in combat from his father, but he knew he still had much to learn.
Sergeant Dave nodded. "Good. This place is meant for learning, after all. Now, go. The meeting should be over by now, and the Colonel will likely be expecting you."
Syal nodded, tucking the pistol into his belt and slinging the sword over his shoulder. He felt a sense of excitement and trepidation as he left the armory and headed back to the Colonel's office.
Proto, still wearing the necklace, walked silently beside him, its eyes fixed on Syal's face. Syal smiled, feeling a sense of reassurance with the little robot by his side.
As they approached the Colonel's office, Syal could hear the sound of voices coming from inside. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead, and pushed open the door.
"Ah, finally here, Syal," the Colonel said, his voice firm but not unkind. "Let's get started with your training today. Vincent, come here!" he bellowed.
A soldier wearing a black uniform entered the room, his eyes fixed on Syal. He was tall and lean yet muscular, with piercing blue eyes and jet-black hair with buzz cut styles.
"Ah, Syal, this is Vincent," the Colonel said, nodding towards the soldier. "He's also a Fated, like you."
Syal's eyes widened in surprise as he shook Vincent's hand. He had never met another Fated before besides colonel, and his father but he doesn't know about fated before.
"Now, for your training today, you two will be sparring," the Colonel announced, a hint of a smile on his face.
Syal's heart skipped a beat as he looked at Vincent, who was already cracking his knuckles in preparation.
"Don't worry, Syal," Vincent said, grinning. "I'll go easy on you."
Syal smiled back, feeling a surge of determination. "I don't need any special treatment," he said, drawing his sword.
Vincent chuckled and drew his own sword. "Alright, let's see what you're made of, Syal."
***
The Colonel led them to the training field, a large open area surrounded by tall trees and a high fence. The sun beat down on them, casting a warm glow over the scene.
"Alright, listen up," the Colonel said, his voice firm. "Vincent here is a Fated with a Double Core. He has both a Flesh Core and a Neuron Core, which gives him superhuman strength and reflexes."
Vincent flexed his arms, his muscles rippling beneath his skin. Syal's eyes widened in awe.
"As for you, Syal," the Colonel continued, "you're a Fated with a rare Spirit Core. This gives you...unique abilities, but also makes you vulnerable in close combat."
Syal nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation.
"That's why you'll be using Proto in this spar," the Colonel said, nodding towards the little robot. "Proto is an extension of your power, Syal. Use it to your advantage."
Vincent snorted. "You think a little robot is going to help you against me?"
The Colonel's expression turned stern. "Vincent, don't underestimate Syal. And Syal, don't try to fight Vincent with your own body. You'll definitely lose...and possibly die."
Syal swallowed hard, feeling a surge of fear. He glanced at Proto, who was watching him calmly.
"Let's begin," the Colonel said, stepping back. "Vincent, go easy on him...at first."
The crowd of soldiers cheered and jeered as Syal and Vincent faced off against each other. The air was electric with tension as the two opponents stood 20 meters apart, their eyes locked in a fierce stare.
The Colonel raised his hand, and with a swift motion, he dropped it, shouting "Begin!"
Vincent exploded into a dash, his feet pounding the earth as he hurtled towards Syal. His eyes blazed with intensity, and his fists were clenched into tight balls.
Syal stood firm, his eyes fixed on Vincent. He raised his hand, and with a swift command, he sent Proto darting forward to intercept Vincent.
Proto shot forward like a bullet, its tiny legs a blur as it sprinted towards Vincent. Syal took advantage of the distraction to raise his flintlock pistol, cocking the hammer and taking aim at Vincent.
The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts, their voices echoing across the training field as the battle raged on.
The flintlock pistol's report echoed across the training field, but the shot went wide, missing Vincent by a good margin. Syal cursed his bad aim, knowing that flintlocks were notorious for their terrible accuracy.
Vincent, however, didn't even flinch. His crazy reflexes allowed him to dodge the shot with ease, and he continued his relentless charge towards Syal.
Fortunately, Proto was there to intercept him. The little robot clashed with Vincent in a flurry of punches and kicks, trading blows with the Fated warrior.
Proto's metal body glinted in the sunlight as he punched Vincent in the chest, only to be met with a powerful kick that sent him flying across the field. But Proto quickly recovered, launching himself at Vincent with a series of rapid-fire jabs.
Vincent retaliated with a vicious kick, but Proto dodged it by a hair's breadth, countering with a solid punch to Vincent's stomach. The two combatants continued to exchange blows, their movements a blur as they battled across the training field.
Syal watched in awe, his eyes fixed on the intense battle unfolding before him. He knew that Proto was fighting valiantly, but he also knew that Vincent's superior strength and reflexes gave him a significant advantage.
As Syal watched Proto and Vincent exchange blows, an idea began to form in his mind. He couldn't control thing to make it fly, but what if he could change its direction mid-flight?
With newfound determination, Syal reloaded his flintlock pistol. This time, as he rammed the lead shot down the barrel, he imbued it with his spirit. The lead shot began to glow with a faint, ethereal light.
Proto and Vincent clashed again, their movements a blur as they fought across the training field. Syal took aim, his eyes fixed on Vincent, and fired.
The lead ball shot out of the flintlock, but instead of flying straight, it suddenly changed direction mid-air, homing in on Vincent like a missile. Vincent tried to dodge, but it was too late. The bullet struck him with a loud thud, and he stumbled backwards, his eyes widening in surprise.
But to Syal's horror, Vincent didn't fall. Instead, he stumbled forward, his flesh already beginning to heal from the wound. His eyes had taken on an unnatural, inhuman glow, and his skin seemed to be... shifting, like it was made of some kind of liquid.
Syal's eyes widened in shock as he realized that Vincent's body was not entirely human. The shot wound was already closing, and Vincent's eyes seemed to be glowing white with an otherworldly energy.
Vincent, his eyes still glowing with an unnatural energy, charged towards Proto and delivered a massive blow, sending the little robot flying across the training field. Proto bounced and rolled, finally coming to a stop far away, its metal body dented and battered. Many of his piece fall here on there.
With Proto out of commission, Vincent turned his attention back to Syal, dashing towards him with incredible speed. Syal, anticipating this, had already reloaded his flintlock pistol and was waiting for Vincent to get close.
As Vincent approached, his fist cocked back and ready to strike, Syal jumped back just in time, avoiding the blow by mere inches. Vincent's fist struck the ground with incredible force, sending shockwaves through the earth.
Syal took advantage of the momentary distraction to raise his pistol and fire once more. The bullet shot out, homing in on Vincent just like before, and struck him with incredible force. Vincent stumbled back, his eyes flashing with anger, but he refused to fall.
Syal quickly widened the distance between himself and Vincent, using the brief reprieve to control the scattered pieces of Proto. He focused his mind, and the pieces began to stir, slowly gathering together like a puzzle reforming itself.
As the pieces clicked into place, Proto's body began to take shape once more. The little robot's body start to flickering blue light while back to life, and it stood up, its metal body gleaming in the sunlight and blue light from otherworldly energy.
But Syal's relief was short-lived, as Vincent had already closed the distance between them. Syal's flintlock pistol was still unloaded, and he knew he had to resort to his sword.
Syal drew his sword, feeling a sense of trepidation. He was not exactly skilled in swordplay, and Vincent's superhuman strength and reflexes made him a formidable opponent.
Vincent sneered at Syal, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "You think a sword is going to help you?" he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt.
Syal steeled himself, gripping his sword tightly, he infused his spirit to the sword. He knew he had to rely on his wits and Proto's support if he was going to survive this fight.