Rogue Nation

Krist sat on the floor, still catching his breath. "Delaney, I'd love to spar with you, but Ash has already taken what little energy I had left. I'm too exhausted to fight again."

"That won't be a problem," Delaney said, stepping into the ring with a calm smile. He tossed Krist a bottle.

Krist caught it, glanced at it skeptically, and unscrewed the cap. "What's this?"

"Rejuvenating water," Delaney replied.

Krist shrugged and took a long gulp. The moment the liquid hit his tongue, a warm sensation spread from his mouth to his stomach, and then coursed through his entire body. The exhaustion melted away, replaced by a surge of energy. He blinked in surprise, looking at Delaney.

"What is this stuff? I feel like I could run a marathon."

Delaney smirked and gestured toward the rack of wooden weapons outside the ring. "Pick a weapon of your choice. Let's see how much fight that energy gives you."

Krist stood, testing his newfound strength. His legs felt sturdy, his arms light. He approached the rack, scanning the array of wooden weapons before selecting dual swords. With the weapons in hand, he returned to the ring and gave Delaney a respectful bow.

Delaney mirrored the gesture and raised his wooden flail. "Come at me."

Krist didn't hesitate. He charged forward, his dual swords flashing as he aimed a flurry of strikes at Delaney. The older fighter deflected each attack with precision, the wooden flail moving in smooth arcs that made it seem almost effortless.

"You're relying too much on speed," Delaney said, stepping aside to avoid a wide swing. "Speed is good, but it means nothing without control. Watch your footing. You're leaving yourself open after every strike."

Krist gritted his teeth, adjusting his stance as he launched another attack. This time, he tried to keep his movements tighter, his strikes more deliberate.

"Better," Delaney said, parrying the dual swords with the handle of his flail. "But you're focusing too much on offense. Defense is just as important. A good fighter doesn't just attack—they anticipate."

Krist took a deep breath, nodding as he absorbed the advice. He backed off, circling Delaney and watching his movements more carefully. When Delaney swung the flail in a low arc, Krist jumped back, using the moment to step in with a counterstrike.

"Good!" Delaney said, deflecting the blow but giving an approving nod.

The sparring continued, the two moving faster and more fluidly as Krist adjusted his technique with each exchange. Sweat dripped from his brow, but he didn't feel tired—he felt alive, every nerve humming with focus.

But Delaney was still a step ahead. With a sudden twist of his wrist, he used the flail to catch one of Krist's swords and yank it out of his grip. The wooden blade clattered to the floor. Before Krist could react, Delaney's flail was at his chest.

"Match," Delaney said with a grin, lowering his weapon.

Krist let out a breath, dropping the remaining sword. "You're too good."

Delaney clapped him on the shoulder. "You've got talent, Krist. But talent without refinement is wasted. You've got a long way to go."

He stepped out of the ring and reached into his bag, pulling out a small, weathered book. He handed it to Krist, who accepted it with a curious look.

"What's this?"

"A training manual," Delaney said. "It's all about using a flail. It's not the most common weapon, but if you can master it, it'll teach you balance, precision, and adaptability. It'll also help you understand how to counter it, which is just as important."

Krist flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the detailed illustrations and explanations. "Why a flail, though?"

Delaney smirked. "Because it's unpredictable, just like you. But it's also one of the hardest weapons to master. If you can learn to wield it, you'll understand the importance of control. And once you have control…"

"...I can make anything work," Krist finished, nodding.

"Exactly."

Another round Delaney ask and krist accepted before stepping into the ring again

Krist attacked first, the dual wooden swords whirling in his hands. The energy coursing through him from the rejuvenating water made him feel faster, stronger, and more focused than ever before. He lunged at Delaney, his strikes swift and precise.

Delaney parried with his wooden flail, each of Krist's blows meeting an unyielding defense. The clatter of wood echoed in the gym as their spar intensified, drawing Blake and Ash's attention from the sidelines.

"Not bad," Delaney said, sidestepping a spinning strike and countering with a wide swing of his flail. Krist blocked it, but the force pushed him back a step. "That water doesn't just heal; it sharpens your senses too. Let's see how far you can push yourself."

Krist grinned, circling Delaney. "You might regret giving me this boost."

He darted forward again, feinting to the left before pivoting to the right. His swords came down in an X-formation, aiming for Delaney's torso. Delaney deflected the first strike with the flail's handle and ducked under the second, spinning behind Krist in one fluid motion.

"Predictable," Delaney said, his tone teasing.

Krist spun around, trying to match Delaney's speed. "Not for long!"

Their sparring grew more intense, Krist adapting to Delaney's movements and forcing the older fighter to change tactics. Delaney smiled faintly, impressed by Krist's rapid improvement.

But then, mid-swing, Delaney noticed something unusual. As Krist's dual swords came down in another flurry of strikes, a faint shimmer appeared around him—barely perceptible, like ripples in the air. Delaney's eyes narrowed as he parried and stepped back, watching closely.

"Again," Delaney urged, gesturing for Krist to attack.

Krist didn't hesitate. He charged forward, his strikes faster and more aggressive than before. This time, the shimmer became clearer, surrounding Krist like a faint aura.

"Interesting," Delaney muttered, blocking another strike.

"What's interesting?" Krist asked, breathing hard but refusing to slow down.

"Your energy," Delaney replied, deflecting a thrust and countering with a sweep of his flail. "It's reacting. You're channeling it, even if you don't realize it."

Krist frowned, stepping back to reassess. "Channeling what?"

"Essence," Delaney said, his voice calm but serious. "The same energy Blake mentioned earlier. It's not supposed to manifest like this, especially not without training."

Blake, who had been leaning casually against the doorway, straightened at Delaney's words. "Wait, he's what?"

Delaney nodded toward Krist. "Watch him. Every time he moves, the essence reacts. It's faint, but it's there."

Ash, still nursing her bruised pride from her earlier loss, narrowed her eyes. "Is that even possible? He's barely started training."

Krist, confused and slightly unnerved, glanced down at himself. He couldn't see or feel anything unusual, but he trusted Delaney's judgment. "So… what does that mean?"

Delaney lowered his flail, signaling a temporary pause. "It means you have untapped potential. The rejuvenating water might have acted as a catalyst, but this isn't normal. Your body is instinctively using essence without you even realizing it."