The Golem Mage

Chapter 8: Combat Training

After dismissing the other kids to continue their training, only Arthur remained by Alecʼs side.

Curiously, Arthur asked, ”So, whatʼs this behemothʼs name?” hoping for a cool and impressive answer.

However, he could practically see question marks hovering over Alecʼs head, indicating his lack of a name for the golem.

Arthur couldnʼt help but express his disbelief, saying, ”

Wait, donʼt tell me you havenʼt named this incredible golem yet, Itʼs obvious that it holds a special significance since itʼs your very first one.”

Alec admitted with a sheepish smile,

”Oh, I never really thought that far ahead.”

As he stared at the towering golem, he pondered what to call it.

Suddenly, with a bright look on his face, Alec turned to Arthur and exclaimed,

”What about ʼfattyʼ?”

Arthurʼs expression clearly reflected his confusion as if to say,

”What on earth is wrong with your sense of naming?”

Trying to offer an alternative, Arthur suggested,

”How about ʼTitanʼ? It perfectly suits its size and significance as your first creation, A name like that has a certain dominant appeal, donʼt you think?”

Arthur turned towards his friend, seeking his approval for the name he proposed.

After a moment of contemplation, Alec sighed and conceded,

”I think Iʼll go with ʼTitan,ʼ the name you chose, I canʼt deny that it sounds better and feels right.”

Upon hearing their combat instructorʼs voice, Arthur chimed in, saying, ”Well, letʼs not waste any more time, We should head in and get to practicing.”

The instructor had called the young boys to participate in combat drills.

Alec and Arthur swiftly returned to the training ground.

Alec took on a round of basic boxing and hand-to-hand combat with one of the instructors in the corner, ready to improve his skills.

[ Learnt Basic combat skills. Lvl 1 ( 0/50)]

Alec couldnʼt help but notice that a myriad of ideas and techniques for hand-to-hand combat filled his mind.

It felt as though he had become a seasoned veteran, someone who had been practicing for years.

However, he humbly chose to follow the instructions given by the instructor, diligently executing each skill one by one.

Even though Alec felt he already possessed a deeper understanding of the techniques than the instructor himself, he remained focused and committed to perfecting his execution.

[ Learnt Basic combat skills. Lvl 1 ( 20/50)]

However, Alec couldnʼt help but notice that his proficiency continued to increase with each practice session.

It was apparent that practice truly made perfect in this world.

Alec smirked at his own progress, recognizing the improvement he was making.

As he continued to practice the combat techniques, Alecʼs movements became even more fluid and graceful.

The instructor couldnʼt help but stop and watch in awe as Alec flawlessly demonstrated his fist styles.

The instructor couldnʼt help but feel a sense of inferiority as Alec seemed to have reached his level of mastery.

Word began to spread among the other kids, fueling their admiration for Alec.

They saw him as a monster in human form, and this only solidified his position as their revered leader.

The instructor, realizing Alecʼs remarkable talent, contemplated switching him to a more advanced instructor, feeling that Alec was wasting his time with basic teachings.

Unbeknownst to the instructor, Alec had completely grasped the technique within a matter of minutes.

A new instructor, surprised to see Alec, approached him.

” Attack me with what you have learned, let me see your progress,”

the new instructor challenged, assuming a defensive stance.

”Alright,” Alec responded, rushing towards the man.

He initiated a punch with his right hand, but the instructor quickly realized it was a feint as Alec swiftly withdrew his right hand and delivered a punch with his left hand instead.

The instructor managed to calmly redirect his hand to protect his exposed ribs, showcasing his skill.

Undeterred by the instructorʼs defense, Alec decided to continue with the punch.

He wanted to test his strength since acquiring this new system, and he intended to use this instructor as a benchmark.

With a resounding ”Bam,” Alecʼs punch landed squarely on the man, causing him to take a few steps back as he tried to steady himself.

Alec observed the reaction and noticed a system panel sign appear before him.

[insight skill activated ]

[status]

Name : unknown ( Gordon’s instructor)

Level : Tier 2 mage ( low)

Progress to next level : 10% (mid Tier 2 mage)

Affinity : Earth (medium affinity)

Alec was taken aback by the astonishing new option presented by the system.

He had never imagined that such heaven-defying skills existed, allowing him to peer into and assess his opponentʼs realm of strength.

”Oh, it seems youʼre quite formidable,”

the instructor commented nonchalantly, his previous underestimation of Alec forgotten.

”I shouldnʼt hold back since youʼre also a Tier 1 mage.”

Alec observed his opponent, a growing sense of danger tugging at his instincts as a brown glow enveloped the instructorʼs body.

The instructor assumed a fighting stance and swiftly dashed towards Alec, who had raised his hands in a defensive position, signaling he wasnʼt ready to engage in combat.

The instructor threw a punch directly at Alecʼs face, aiming to inflict some bruises and redeem himself from his prior humiliation.

The perilous sensation intensified, and Alec realized he couldnʼt halt the impending attack.

Thoughts raced through his mind at lightning speed, desperately wishing his golem was by his side.

Miraculously, as if jolted by his unspoken wish, the golem sprang into action. It swiftly positioned itself in front of Alec, shield raised protectively. With a loud ”bang,” the instructorʼs hands collided with the golemʼs sturdy shield, causing it to crack slightly under the impact of a strike from a Tier 2 mage.

However, the shield had served its purpose, absorbing the full force of the punch and shielding Alec from harm.

Alecʼs eyes trembled with awe at the golemʼs remarkable battle awareness, which had successfully thwarted the imminent danger.

”Alright, thatʼs enough,” a voice intervened.

Alec turned his gaze to find one of the senior instructors approaching them.

Recognizing the elder, the instructor quickly lowered his head, respectfully extending both fists in greeting.

”senior ,” the instructor acknowledged.

”I can see that not only are you talented in your elemental affinity, but you also possess considerable combat skills”

”To be able to endure and exchange blows with a Tier 2 mage shortly after becoming a mage even if he was holding back but it still shows youʼre remarkable, young master,” the elderly man praised.

“What? Young master! I canʼt believe I was just attempting to bully the next heir of the Gordons family,”

the instructor thought inwardly, his forehead now damp with nervous perspiration.

He anxiously pondered the possibility of facing punishment from the senior instructor himself.

To his relief, the instructor quickly realized that the elder displayed no interest in engaging with him.

The elderʼs focus was solely on the young master.

Seizing the opportunity, the instructor made his exit silently, careful not to draw attention to himself.

Following their conversation, the senior instructor and Alec conversed for a while longer before Alec resumed his training.

This time, he directed his efforts towards honing his combat abilities, using a wooden puppet as his practice partner.

By the end of the day, as Alec left the training area accompanied by his golem, he had successfully elevated his combat skills to level 3.

Filled with newfound confidence, Alec now felt ready to face any opponent in a one-on-one confrontation.

[ Learnt Basic combat skills. Lvl 3 ( 45/200)]

Alec returned home exhausted and overwhelmed from the intense training he had undergone that day.

Determined and focused, he decided to take a relaxing bath before diving back into his cultivation practice.

Despite achieving the impressive feat of becoming the first mage in the younger generation, Alec knew he couldnʼt afford to slack off or become complacent.

Within the younger generation, Alec had come across several incredibly talented individuals.

One of them was Arthur, who seemed to possess immense potential, Utilizing his insight skills with the system, Alec discovered that Arthur was already on the brink of reaching Tier 1 mage status.

This realization only fueled Alecʼs determination to keep pushing himself, knowing he had worthy competitors standing beside him.

[status]

Name : Arthur Gordon

Level : Undecided

Progress to next level : 67% ( Tier 1 mage)

Affinity : Earth ( Medium affinity) metal(High affinity)

He was well aware that others with dual affinities wouldnʼt be too far behind him, so Alec was determined to create a significant gap between them.

It was crucial for him to maintain his status as the leading mage among the younger generation in order to protect his reputation and prestige as the young master.

”Hey, come out, smelly boy,”

Alec heard his grandfatherʼs voice from outside, prompting him to make his way towards the old man.

”Whatʼs up, old man?”

Alec responded nonchalantly, fully aware that if others witnessed his relaxed demeanor towards the patriarch of the Gordon family, they might be angered.

However, in that moment, it was just him and his grandfather, allowing him to feel slightly more at ease.

”You cheeky brat, come here and let me have a good look at you, You didnʼt even bother to inform me when you became a mage, you little rascal!”

The old man wrapped his hand around Alecʼs head and delivered a solid knock, no matter how much Alec struggled, he couldnʼt even budge the old man.

”Old man, youʼre choking me, stop it!”

Alec tapped out, a signal of surrender, However, the old man seemed to still hold some resentment.

Still, he eventually let go, saying, ”How dare you not tell me youʼve advanced to become a Tier One mage! I should have been the first person to hear such good news.

But no, you kept me in the dark, Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to find out from others that my own grandson has become a mage?”

He said this while tightening his grip on Alecʼs ears.

”Ouch! Spare me, please! It was a mistake!”

Alec pleaded, desperately trying to appease his grandfather, who had paid him quite the visit with such a temper.