OP Absorption
Chapter 39: More Training

Chapter 39: More Training

The trainees were given a short break to recover while the instructors set up for the next test: Speed.

A complex obstacle course snaked across the training field – walls to scale, ropes to swing across, narrow beams to balance on, and finally, a hundred-meter dash to the finish line.

"Speed isn’t just about running fast in a straight line," Instructor Henry announced, his voice regaining its usual sternness, though his eyes kept flicking towards Fin.

"It’s about agility, control, navigating difficult terrain efficiently. Fastest time through the course wins. Fall, you get a time penalty. Fail to complete an obstacle, you’re disqualified from this test. Go!"

The horn blared again.

Trainees surged forward in waves. Fin watched the first few groups tackle the course. Many struggled with the taller walls or slipped on the balance beams. Lila went through smoothly, her movements nimble and practiced, earning her a fast time near the top of the early results.

When Fin’s wave was called, he took his starting position. The horn sounded, and he exploded forward. He hit the first wall, didn’t climb – he channeled mana into his legs and jumped, clearing most of it in a single bound, using minimal handholds to vault over the top.

He hit the ground running, flowed into the rope swing, crossing the gap with effortless momentum.

On the balance beam, while others wobbled or crept slowly, he ran across it, his mana subtly adjusting his center of gravity, keeping him perfectly stable.

He moved through the rest of the obstacles with a predatory grace that seemed unnatural for a D-rank. It wasn’t just raw speed; it was efficiency, control, almost like he knew the course before he started.

He hit the final hundred-meter dash. Here, he let loose a bit more, mana burning in his legs as he covered the distance in a blur, crossing the finish line well ahead of anyone else in his wave.

He slowed to a jog, breathing slightly harder than after the endurance run, but still far from exhausted.

He looked at the timer held by an assistant instructor: a new record, shattering the previous best time set by Lila by several seconds.

Lila, watching from the sidelines, whistled softly. "Okay, where did that come from?" she muttered, shaking her head with a grudging smile.

Instructor Henry stared at the recorded time, then at Fin, his expression unreadable. He made a note on his clipboard, underlining Fin’s name twice.

’Endurance like a seasoned porter, speed and agility like an assassin... What is this kid?’

Next came Strength. Heavy stones needed to be lifted onto platforms of varying heights, followed by striking power measurements against reinforced training dummies.

Many brute-force specialists excelled here, their muscles bulging as they hoisted the massive weights.

Fin wasn’t the biggest guy there.

He watched the B-rankers easily lift stones he knew would strain his natural limits. When his turn came, he approached the first stone.

He gripped it, and as he lifted, he channeled mana not just into his arms and back, but infused it directly into his muscles, reinforcing them, amplifying their output.

The stone came up smoothly.

Not with the explosive power of the pure strength builds, but with a steady, controlled force that surprised the onlookers. He moved through the weights, clearing each one, his technique efficient, his mana usage precise.

At the striking dummies, he planted his feet. He recalled the feeling of punching the berserk zombie, the impact, the transfer of energy. He channeled mana into his fist and through the short staff he now carried, focusing it into a single point. He struck the dummy.

CRACK!

The dummy registered a score far higher than expected for someone of his apparent build and rank – well into the B-rank range, rivaling some of the dedicated strength specialists.

He hadn’t relied on brute force, but on focused power and efficient energy transfer.

Henry made another note. ’Mana control is exceptional. Strength application far exceeds D-rank standards. Possible hidden ability or advanced mana technique.’

Finally, the Instinct test. Trainees faced holographic projections – monsters lunging from unexpected angles, simulated traps triggering underfoot, projectiles firing from hidden emitters.

The goal was reaction time, threat assessment, and effective response under pressure.

Many trainees froze, dodged too late, or reacted inefficiently. Lila moved well, her combat awareness sharp, dodging and firing imaginary arrows with precision.

When Fin stepped into the simulation zone, he seemed to relax. His senses sharpened, the world slowing down slightly, just as it had in real combat.

The first holographic beast lunged from his blind spot. He didn’t jump or flinch; he pivoted smoothly, his staff blurring as he struck its projected weak point.

Projectiles zipped toward him. He weaved between them, not with frantic dodges, but with minimal, precise movements, letting them pass inches away.

A simulated floor collapsed beneath him; he reacted instantly, using a mana-boosted jump to clear the pitfall. His movements weren’t flashy or textbook; they were raw, efficient, honed by actual life-or-death struggles.

He countered, parried, and struck with an economy of motion that spoke of real battle experience, not just training drills.

He completed the simulation faster and with fewer ’hits’ than anyone else, his score topping the charts once again.

The field was silent as he walked out of the simulation zone.

Every eye was on him.

Instructor Henry lowered his clipboard slowly, staring at Fin with an intensity that bordered on disbelief. Endurance, speed, strength, instinct – this D-rank hadn’t just performed well; he had dominated every single category, setting records in two of them.

"Scores are tallied," Henry announced, his voice tight. "The winner, with the highest overall score achieved in the history of this joint training program..." He paused, looking directly at Fin. "...is Fin Carver, D-rank Hunter of Arclight!"

A wave of murmurs spread through the trainees – shock, envy, grudging respect.

"Carver," Henry called out. "Step forward."

Fin walked to the platform, his expression calm, though his heart hammered in his chest.

"As per the rules," he said, his stern gaze unwavering, "you have earned the provisional spot on the Rank 6 Dungeon Joint Task Force. Report to the designated briefing room tomorrow at 0600 hours. Do not be late."

Fin nodded, meeting the instructor’s gaze. "Understood, sir."

He had done it. The path to the Rank 6 dungeon was open.

As the crowd of trainees began to disperse, some heading back to the city, others lingering to discuss the unexpected results, Fin felt a light punch on his shoulder.

He turned to see Lila standing there, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her glove. A tired but genuine smile touched her lips.

"Okay, Fin," she said, shaking her head slightly. "You got to tell me. What kind of monster chow have you been eating? D-rank my ass."

He laughed, the tension from the competition finally easing. "Just sticking to the basics, you know? Burnt toast mostly."

"Right," she snorted, leaning against a nearby equipment crate. "Because burnt toast explains shattering the speed record and dominating the strength test like you were tossing pillows. Seriously, that was insane. Where were you hiding all that?"

He shrugged, looking down at his boots, suddenly feeling a little awkward under her scrutiny. "Guess I just... needed it more." He thought of Meg, of Juliana, of the promise he made to himself. "Been through some stuff, you know?"

Lila’s teasing expression softened into something more understanding. She nodded slowly. "Yeah. Heard whispers about that. Sounded bad." She paused. "You really wiped the floor with everyone today, though. Honestly? Pretty impressive."

"Thanks." Coming from her, pragmatic and rarely offering easy praise, it meant something. "You weren’t bad yourself. Top five, right?"

"Fourth," she corrected, but didn’t seem upset. "Good enough for me. But you... that Rank 6 dungeon spot? That’s big league." She looked him directly in the eye, her usual lightheartedness gone. "And dangerous. Really dangerous, Fin."

"I know," he said quietly, meeting her gaze. "But it’s the fastest way."

"Fastest way to what? Get yourself killed?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly with concern.

"To get strong enough," he clarified. "Strong enough so... so things like that dungeon mess don’t happen again. Strong enough to protect the people I care about."

She studied him for a moment, seeing the raw determination beneath the exhaustion. She sighed softly. "Just... be careful, okay? Rank 6 isn’t like anything you’ve seen. Don’t be stupid."

"I’ll try not to be," he said with a small smile. "Got too much riding on this."

She pushed off the crate. "Alright, well, I’m heading back. Need a shower that lasts about three hours." She offered him a fist bump. "Congrats again, seriously. You earned it today."

He bumped her fist back. "Thanks. Means a lot."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, turning to leave. "Don’t let it go to your head, record-breaker. And try not to die on that mission, alright? It’d be annoying to find a new sparring partner."

"Wouldn’t dream of it," he called after her.

He watched her walk away, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. Having someone like Lila in his corner, even if her encouragement came wrapped in sarcasm, made the daunting path ahead feel a little less lonely.

He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and turned towards the city. Tomorrow, the real work began.

---

From a distant, Scarlet watched, amusement clear on her face.

"Seems my target is getting stronger. That’s good, you need to give me a challenge at least. I can’t wait to rip you to shreds."