C7 Fighting Genius

Finally, Odin's plans to visit the Church of Wisdom fell through. Upon realizing that he could gain experience by defeating members of the fighting club, Odin decided to stay.

After a brief introduction, Odin learned that the young woman who had initially stopped him and the individual resembling the Red-Clothed Queen were actually siblings. The eldest brother was Curott, currently acting as the club's leader. The Red-Clothed Queen herself was the eldest sister named Federica, the most powerful of the trio. The younger sister, Karna, had not yet begun learning combat skills and was diligently alternating between practicing and showcasing her skills.

The other boys were merely background characters, not warranting any particular attention.

Once Odin discovered that practicing combat skills could earn him experience, he earnestly began to work on his practice skills. His movements weren't perfect at first, but they were precise, each lasting about five seconds before transitioning to the next.

Odin's efforts caught Federica's eye. She approached him, and whenever his form faltered, she corrected it with a firm palm strike.

After completing a full set, Odin was surprised by a notification that appeared before him.

[Ahalin Ground Combat Skill - Practice Part (Strength), Level 1] Practice effects enhanced: every 100 repetitions, Strength +0.2, Agility +0.2, Constitution +0.1.

Odin was momentarily taken aback by the message, not due to any inaccuracy but because of the unexpected data changes. However, that wasn't what truly captured his attention.

What astonished him was a small plus sign next to the skill.

After pondering for a moment, he clicked on the plus sign, and the skill underwent a transformation.

[Ahalin Ground Combat Skill - Practice Part, Level 2] Practice effects increased: every 100 repetitions, Strength +0.3, Agility +0.3, Constitution +0.2.

Simultaneously, Odin felt a warmth spreading through his body, as if his muscles were committing the movements to memory.

Without overthinking it, Odin followed his muscle memory and began practicing. He was curious to find out how long it would take to complete 100 repetitions.

Odin's actions didn't escape Federica's notice. After a quick glance, she beckoned Curott over.

"Brother, where did that guy come from?"

"What's the issue? Is he not up to par? But sis, we need to eat and have a place to train. Even if he's not the strongest, we should tolerate it."

"It's not that, I think he's a genius. I've been watching him practice. The first time, he was unfamiliar with the movements, but by the second attempt, he had mastered them all. Then he paused, lost in thought for a moment, and look at his movements now."

With Federica's prompting, Curott also turned his attention to Odin's movements, noting they differed from their teachings.

"What's going on with him? Why have the practice skill movements changed? No, I need to correct this."

"Brother, you're missing the point. His current movements are the most suitable for him. He's instinctively eliminated the ones that don't fit his body. He's a genius. If we keep him, our Fighting Club in Ahalin will surely become the strongest in the city."

Curott shook his head, unconvinced. "No, the practice skill is fundamental to Ahalin's ground combat skill. We can't take this lightly."

He was about to approach Odin, but Federica held him back. "Don't interfere. Remember how our teacher instructed us? We only modified the details of the practice skill after we had been practicing for some time."

"But we had a solid foundation after practicing for a while."

"That's precisely why I'm telling you he's a genius. Brother, let's keep him. Trust me, he'll take our Ahalin's combat skill to new heights."

Curott gave Odin a stern look and huffed.

He then addressed the group, "Alright, recruitment's over for today. Let's head to the Combat Pit assigned by the school. There, we'll conduct today's combat practice and give everyone a taste of the thrill of combat."

"Later, I'll spar with Federica to demonstrate the power of our ground combat skill in Ahalin, boosting your confidence. I believe that one day, you too can achieve our level of strength."

As Curott spoke, he walked toward the newcomers. Effortlessly, he picked up a table and led the way.

The Ahalin Fighting Club was a newly established organization, so it didn't have a large Combat Pit like Wild Dance. Instead, the school allocated them a warehouse next to the sports field.

Curott and his team cleared out the warehouse and brought in sponge mats for protection, creating their own Combat Pit. Of course, this basic Combat Pit couldn't compare to the more established ones—with its concrete floor, a fall would definitely leave you aching all over.

After introducing the new students to the Combat Pit, Curott led everyone through a practice skill session. Then, he and Federica showcased their combat skills.

Odin realized that the ground combat skill in Ahalin was exactly what he had predicted: a technique that involved grappling and quick strikes. Their skills seemed to fall just short of extraordinary power, as if striving to break through to something beyond but not knowing where to start.

This gap made those with a keen eye for combat uncomfortable, yet to the average person, it was thrilling to watch. Their combat skills primarily focused on taking an opponent to the ground and striking at the face or other critical areas from above.

What puzzled Odin even more was their lack of holds to immobilize an opponent, meaning that a capable enemy could roll away to evade attacks.

While Odin was contemplating the nuances of the Ahalin ground combat skills, Curott turned to him and said, "Odin, why don't you come up and give it a try?"

"Me?" Odin was puzzled as to why they had singled him out again.

"Yes, you can't learn combat skills without testing them out. Come on, I'll show you—it's quite straightforward, really."