Reflex training was arguably the training that Leo was best suited at, out of the entire training regiment that Ben had created for him.
He had great reflexes, he knew it from the system evaluation and it showed in training as for a good while after his training started, Ben could not flick a single stone onto him, much to the veterans surprise.
The training ground that Ben had created for Leo's reflex training was a maze of sharp, pointy nails protruding from the earth positioned with deliberate intent to limit his mobility, creating a treacherous landscape that demanded not just agility but acute spatial awareness.
Sometimes there was only enough area to land one feet amongst the bed of nails, sometimes he could put both, however, the area was always barely enough to correctly land a feet as even a slice mis-judgment could lead to Leo hurting himself.
" Always remember this kid, in real battle, when you are being pressured by a single opponent or multiple ones, there will always only be one correct step that you can take.
And a sea of nails, that represent all the wrong steps that will be your doom.
You won't have much time to think, it must come as an instinct to you that 'yes' I have to take this jump, I have to move this way, I have to avoid this strike!
Only then can you become an elite assassin" Ben said as he tried to explain the importance of this training as best as he could to Leo, knowing full well that although he might hate Ben for it in the short term, in the long run he would thank him for it.
Standing on the periphery of this dangerous circle of nails, Ben, with his hands full of a collection of small pebbles, prepared to throw them one at a time towards Leo, testing his reflexes and dodging skills.
Each pebble in his hand was seemingly innocuous but, under Ben's skilled flick, transformed into a deadly projectile.
The air hummed with a tense anticipation as Ben's fingers danced, sending the first pebble hurtling towards Leo at a speed that seemed to slice the very breeze it traveled through.
Initially, Leo's movements were graceful, almost balletic, as he twisted and turned, evading the pebbles with the elegance of a leaf dancing on the wind. His feet barely touched the ground, ensuring he did not disturb the menacing nails that lay in wait as the stretching training had seemingly unlocked a type of mobility in Leo that he was not aware that he could achieve himself.
"Haha. Too easy!" Leo said cockily, as Ben smiled and increased the intensity of his throws ever so slightly.
The early successes filled Leo with a quiet confidence, a belief in his ability to outmaneuver whatever Ben could throw at him.
But as the minutes ticked by, Ben's flicks grew faster, the intervals between each stone shorter, pushing Leo to the edge of his capabilities.
The pebbles soon began to rain down from unpredictable angles, forcing Leo to leap and dodge with a desperation that had not been present at the start. His breaths turned ragged, his movements less precise, and for the first time, the sharp sting of a pebble grazing his arm brought a grim realization of the stakes.
-2.
Soon, sweat began to drip into his eyes, blurring his vision and making each incoming pebble seem like a deadly comet streaking across his field of sight.
The nails on the ground which were once avoidable with careful footwork, now seemed to reach for him, as if they too were part of Ben's arsenal.
The psychological pressure of near misses and glancing blows began to accumulate as Leo felt his heart rate shoot up and the anxiety of failure reduced his performance.
The climax of this brutal symphony came when, out of the blur, Leo saw a pebble aimed directly at his eye. Time slowed as his body launched into a desperate evasion, a move that, while saving his sight, sent him tumbling onto the unforgiving bed of nails.
-30
"Agh fucking shit! Fuck it hurts"
Leo cursed as he felt his skin being cut, bruised and punctured at various angles.
The pain was immediate and intense, a searing agony that eclipsed all others. He lay there, amidst the iron teeth of the ground, feeling the warmth of his blood as it began to ooze out from numerous wounds.
Ben approached him with a soft smile on his face, his shadow falling over Leo as he offered a hand to help him up.
The lesson was clear, etched not just in Leo's flesh but in his mind that in the real world, the ground was always full of nails, and one's enemies would not aim for the places you were prepared to defend.
Today's harsh lesson was a preparation for a reality where every misstep could be fatal, and only those who could dance on the edge of danger would survive.
As Leo limped away from the field, supported by Ben, he knew this training was not just about reflexes. It was about understanding the cost of failure, the importance of awareness, and the relentless pursuit of improvement.
The nails, the pebbles, and Ben's unforgiving training methods were all forging him into a weapon, one that could survive the harshness of the world beyond this training ground.
" You performed much better than what I hoped for.
Your reflexes are like those of a honed warrior and can put even night guild assassin's to shame" Ben complimented Leo, as he tended to his wounds and stopped the immediate bleeding by bandaging them up.
What Leo lacked now, was the composure of a warrior.
He did not have the experience to hold his calm for a long time and it showed in his movements.
Once Leo learned to hold his calm. He could become unstoppable in the reflex department, surpassing even Ben if he really tried.
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/// A/N - I'm feeling much better now guys, and hence there shall be a second chapter later today! ///