This year Nian wasn’t able to attend my birthday, sadly. But still the calm days in Aldorem were a nice change compared to my time in the academy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long until I was yet again on my way home, which was luckily without any issues.

  No more than two days later lessons began again. They were kinda boring as always, expected from two. For once, fighting theories and for the other battle strategise. But the best lesson was yet to come, it was magic. Sadly it was only taught in the coming years.

  A few days went by and I decided, I would go hunting once again. So I went out of my dormitory around midnight, because I could sleep long the next day. As I went in the forest I became aware of silent but persistent sounds, from fists clashing, far away in the distance. I thought it was suspicious, so I went to investigate. Coming nearer to the origin of the sound I began hearing cheers and people shouting. As I approached more, I felt more and more awkward. No I must be quit near, but abruptly the cheers were crazily loud and vanished than at once, as well as the sound of fighting. I was quit irritated at first, but only some minutes later I could hear them again shouting and screaming. As I went silently through the trees a clearing opened up, around it where gigantic stones arranged as seats. On them at least a hundred people sat, of whom I could recognize at least ten from the academy. In the middle of them were two guys facing each other, ready to fight. Beside them stood a third person, which was the referee, as I learned the next moment. He made a hand gesture downwards, which made the two guys launch at each other. They were strong as hell, as I watched them I began to feel weak.

  After a little bit of fighting with myself I couldn’t stop my curiousness and went down from the tree. As there was clearly an entrance to the ring, I went towards it. On the left stood an average looking guy, he seemed to be like the receptionist here. I came up to him and asked him what all of this was.

  The guy let out a sight and l inspected me from head to toe. Than he asked who the hell I was and why I was here. So I answered truthfully, I told him I found it by chance and just want to now what it is, furthermore I am a student of the academy. The guy had a menacing glance for a short time, until he answered:”Alright, this here is O.V.O.. Here everyone can fight, there are no rules, only when they are mutually agreed. The only bid is no deaths. Everyone can fight here for fun, for fame or for power, but also there are many spectators who are able to bet and have fun watching. If you want to fight or look, don’t be shy to do so. But for fighting you need to be registered by me. You will even get a nice share of the money made, through the bets, when you win.”

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  I was quit unsure what to do in the moment, but still it didn’t sound to bad. But at the same time I could see the intense fight in the background, which made me feel weak. Suddenly I realized something, my goal is to be the strongest, so why the hell shouldn’t I take this opportunity to become stronger. So I gathered my certainty and told the guy “yes, I want to be registered.”

  The process was quite easy, they only needed my name, my nickname, my age and I needed to swear I would never tell anybody about this place.

  After it I got a card, it was black and on it was in blood-red colour O.V.O., and beneath was an “F” in green. Thereafter the guy told me that the matches where randomly made, within the classes. At the moment I was in the “F-class” and with each match won I would get more points, to eventually get to the highest rank the “Champion-class”. All who are ranked there are absolute beasts and have overwhelming strength.

  As all matches were already planned, I would probably not get a chance to fight, but still there might be someone, who wants a spontaneous match, after all are done. So I seated myself and watched and waited.

  In my head I analysed the matches and the participants, both who were fighting, right now, were forces to be reckoned with. They both fought unarmed, neither of both was particularly skilled, but they were bulky, massy and had a lot of power behind their punches. The earth was seemingly shaking as their fists bumped together yet again. Their endurance was notably strong, the fight lasted long, until one of them hit the other in his abdomen and knocked him out. The guy flew at least ten meters, only stopped by the stones around the arena. The stone vibrated vividly and even cracked. I stuttered in utter disbelief at the explosive power, but then it came to me, it wasn’t just brute force. It was for sure a strong punch, but what made it so strong was the inner energy focused in his fist. The punch was risky, he left himself unprotected in exchange for the devastating power. If he was just a second late, the other guy would have hit him first and won the battle.

  The next few matches were quite eventful too. The next was a guy with two knives, he was without surprise assassin like, he had high speed paired with a deadly attack. His opponent was an average guy who seemed to be an all-rounder, but also participant of some kind of martial art. My guess was correct he used taekwondo, and was really a pro in it. As the dagger guy came at him from behind, ready to strike his opponent down, he spun around and kicked him mid-air, with a well-aimed kick in the back, flying towards the ground. The guy stayed motionless and lost, which showed the overwhelming strength of the other.

  Fight after fight went by, as well as the time. The last fight was no over with a precious strike of the fighter, disabling the opponent. While watching I realized just who vast the world was and how many people stronger than me exist. So I gathered my self-esteem and decided to train more again.