Souls Online: Mythic Ascension
Chapter 204: Instincts and Intent

Chapter 204: Instincts and Intent

While to the outside world the sparring match had between a burly 6’5" (195cm) former pro fighter vs a tiny soon to be college freshman girl who was a ’mighty’ 5’2" (157.5cm), but to those who witnessed it and knew the truth, it was a sight that left them speechless.

The indomitable Luna, the one who never backed down from a challenge or a fight had willingly conceded this time, failing to even make his knee touch the mat despite her massive advantage in speed and strength.

Leo was honestly in awe at the skill that Greg had showcased and felt like he needed to learn from him in order to help himself improve his own combat ability inside the game. While he had been doing relatively fine so far, he was still just relying on his instincts to fight and they could only take him far. He needed training.

When Greg finally left the ring, Leo was there with a towel and a water bottle. He tossed the towel to Greg who caught it with one hand, a nod of thanks sent back in return. However when Leo didn’t immediately say anything or do anything else after, Greg could tell something was up with him.

"What do you want, man?"

He asked gruffly, wanting nothing more than to retreat back to his office and put on an ice pack or two...or twelve.

Leo hesitated for a moment, looking like he was trying to find the right words. His grip on the water bottle tightened slightly before he finally spoke.

"I want you to teach me."

Greg blinked. "Teach you what?"

Leo met his gaze, standing straighter now. "How to fight. Properly. Not just flailing around and hoping for the best. I want to learn how to actually handle myself."

Greg narrowed his eyes slightly. "You’ve been doing fine so far. You’ve survived worse than most."

Leo shook his head. "I’ve been lucky. And instincts can only carry me so far. Watching you fight just now... that was different. You were reading her movements, responding to pressure, not panic. You stayed calm. Focused."

Greg looked at him for a moment longer, then turned away, rubbing his neck with the towel.

"That wasn’t some glorious display of skill, kid. That was just experience keeping me from getting my ribs turned into paste."

"Exactly," Leo replied without missing a beat. "That’s the part I don’t have. I want it. I need it."

There was a pause. Greg let out a slow breath through his nose and reached for the water bottle. He twisted the cap off and took a long drink before replying.

"You sure you’re ready for that kind of grind? It’s not fun. It’s not flashy. Most of it’s gonna suck. You’ll feel like you’re not getting better for a long time."

Leo nodded. "I don’t care. I want to be better. I want to protect the people around me and keep pulling my weight."

Greg studied him for a moment, then let out a dry chuckle.

"Alright. You’re serious. Fine. But don’t come crying to me when your knuckles split open or you can’t lift your arms after the first week."

"I won’t."

"Good. You start now.

Leo blinked. "Wait, what? Now? As in right this second?"

Greg tossed the empty bottle into the nearby bin and rolled his shoulder with a quiet grunt. "I’m sore. I’m tired. And I’m probably gonna hate myself in the morning. But you want this? You start now. Lesson one."

Leo quickly straightened up. "Alright. What’s lesson one?"

Greg turned, fixing him with a steady look. "Footwork. Always footwork. Doesn’t matter how strong you are or how fast. If your feet are in the wrong place, you’re already halfway to losing."

He gestured toward a patch of open floor. "Get over there. We’re starting with shadow steps. Slow. Controlled. I want you to feel every movement."

Leo moved without hesitation, planting himself in the spot Greg pointed to.

Greg followed, cracking his neck. "First thing you’re gonna do is forget everything you think you know. Because if you step wrong in a real fight, you don’t get a do-over. You hit the ground, and you don’t get back up."

Leo nodded, absorbing every word.

"Good. Now move."

And just like that, the lesson began.

Lily looked disgusted as she watched Leo dive head first into training.

Lily looked disgusted as she watched Leo dive headfirst into training.

"Ugh! He’s just like his sister! How could anyone enjoy this? I feel all sweaty just looking at them!"

She flopped onto a nearby bench and fanned her face dramatically.

Luna shot her a side glance, unimpressed but amused.

"You know, one of these days I’m gonna drag you into a training session. Just once."

Lily groaned. "Nooo. I’d melt. My body isn’t built for suffering."

Luna smirked, resting her hands on her hips. "That’s exactly why it needs fixing."

"What was that?" Lily asked, suspicious.

"Nothing," Luna replied casually, then mumbled under her breath.

"Maybe start with a light jog. Add squats every time she complains. Burpees if she tries to run away..."

"I heard that."

Luna grinned slightly. "Did you? Must be those enhanced reflexes from not skipping any day~!"

Lily stuck her tongue out. "Rude."

"You love it," Luna said with a small chuckle, before turning her eyes back to Greg and Leo.

What she recognized was the difference between her and Leo. She knew that relying on instincts was her way of fighting but that method of fighting didn’t suit Leo the same way it did her.

She frowned as she continued to think about it. He couldn’t use a gun like Lily could, he couldn’t fight using his instincts like she could, however he could emulate it to a terrifying degree of competency.

’If he can integrate Greg’s fighting style..and other techniques from others...’

She couldn’t finish that thought as it seemed too impractical. If he could pull that off, he would become an absolute monster in combat and for some reason, that terrified her a little.