Rebirth: Necromancer's Ascenscion-Chapter 23: Lesson Through Pain

Ian barely had time to react before the wooden stick slammed into his side. The impact sent him sprawling, his breath leaving him in a pained gasp as he hit the ground hard.

"Too slow," Eli said, twirling the stick in his hand as he looked down at him. "Pathetic."

Ian groaned, pushing himself up onto his elbows. His ribs ached from the blow, but he forced himself to his feet, shaking off the pain.

He had expected training to be rough, but this was downright cruel.

Eli smirked.

"On your feet faster next time. Again."

Before Ian could even process the warning, the stick whistled through the air. He barely managed to twist away, but the tip still caught his shoulder, sending a fresh jolt of pain down his arm.

"Better," Eli mused. "But not good enough."

The training continued in much the same way for the next few hours. Eli moved like a phantom, his strikes unpredictable and precise.

Ian, on the other hand, was sluggish. His reactions were slow, his footing unsteady. Every failed dodge earned him another painful lesson.

By midday, Ian was covered in bruises, his body aching from head to toe. He stood panting, sweat mixing with the dirt that clung to his skin.

"Alright," Eli finally said, lowering the stick. "That's enough for now."

Ian let out a relieved breath, dropping onto a nearby rock. His limbs felt like lead, his entire body screaming in protest.

"You're still hopeless," Eli remarked as he sat across from him. "But at least you're stubborn. That's something."

Ian scoffed. "I'll take the compliment, I guess."

Eli smirked but said nothing, tossing him a small canteen of water. Ian caught it and took a deep drink, letting the cool liquid soothe his parched throat.

After a short break, the training resumed.

---

A Day had gone by.

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Ian woke up sore. Every muscle in his body protested as he stretched, groaning as he sat up. The bruises from the previous day had deepened, and he felt like he had been trampled by a horse.

Eli, of course, was already up, idly twirling his training stick between his fingers.

"Up," Eli said. "We're wasting daylight."

Ian gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet. He refused to give Eli the satisfaction of seeing him struggle.

The morning session started much the same way as before—Eli attacking without mercy, Ian desperately trying to keep up. But something was different this time.

Ian found himself reacting a fraction of a second faster. His body wasn't moving quickly enough yet, but his mind was. He was beginning to see the subtle shifts in Eli's posture, the slight tightening of his grip before a strike.

He still got hit.

A lot.

But he dodged more than he had the day before.

By midday, he was panting but standing, which was more than he could say for yesterday.

[Agility +1]

A notification flickered in his vision, the familiar translucent blue glow of the system catching his eye.

Ian let out a short laugh. "Hah. Progress."

Eli tilted his head. "Something amusing?"

Ian shook his head. "Just... noticing improvement."

Eli gave him a look before smirking. "Don't get cocky. You're still slow."

Ian rolled his eyes, rolling his sore shoulders. "Trust me, I can feel that."

---

By the third day, Ian was no longer the same sluggish fighter he had been. His body still ached, but it adapted. He had begun to anticipate Eli's movements—not perfectly, but enough to react before the blows landed.

Eli noticed.

For the first time, a genuine flicker of approval crossed his face as Ian narrowly ducked under a sweeping strike, countering with a quick step back before Eli could reposition.

"Better," Eli admitted. "You're reading me now."

Ian was breathing heavily, but he grinned despite the exhaustion. "You're just not trying."

Eli chuckled. "And yet, you were eating dirt two days ago."

Ian wiped sweat from his brow. "Yeah, well... improvement's improvement."

Another notification appeared.

[Agility +2]

He could feel it. His movements were sharper, his footwork smoother. He still wasn't anywhere near Eli's level, but for the first time, he wasn't completely helpless.

Eli spun the stick once more before tossing it aside.

"That's enough for today," he announced. "You're no longer completely pathetic."

Ian smirked, rolling his shoulders. "High praise coming from you."

Eli shrugged, heading back toward the fire. "Get some rest. We're not done yet."

Ian exhaled, dropping onto the ground as he stared up at the sky. He had survived another day.

And tomorrow, he'd be faster.