Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 200: Training With Tom

“I don’t miss those tower floors,” Tom said as everyone sat at a table in the Faction dining area.

Eight massive tables with benches lined one section, while two long tables reserved for special events were pushed off at the far end, surrounded by fancy chairs.

Their trainer picked at a few pieces of meat while everyone else continued devouring the spiced meat over rice. Fresh fruit was stacked in bowls near them, and a server came by occasionally, offering more food or drink as needed.

“Once, I had sunburns so bad my skin peeled for a week. The worst was my choice to walk along that desert in armor or clothes, neither being a good choice. Afterward, I started carrying an enchanted hooded cloak that helped in those places. It was so worth the money.”

Max glanced at everyone else, seeing they had stopped eating their food and were now drooling at the thought of a cloak like that.

“How do we get one of those?” Batrire asked.

Chuckling, Tom grinned as everyone waited to hear his answer.

“You can buy them from the Faction shop just like everything else. I asked around, and it appears none of you have spent any time browsing the lists.”

Max sighed and felt Tanila’s eyes boring into the side of his head.

“Is that so?” their mage asked, her tone flat as she spoke. “Someone had mentioned they had gone to the Faction store and found nothing of value.”

Coughing, Max cleared his throat, swallowing the bite of food that had gotten lodged in it and took a long drink of the ale in his mug.

“I may not have spent as much time looking as I should have,” Max replied. “Perhaps I was a little overzealous in my desire just to keep climbing the tower.”

Tom laughed and rapped the table with his knuckles.

“This is why I mentioned it. You five are about to face the next boss in the tower, and having gotten there so fast, the real question I need to ask is, are you as prepared as possible? Have you restocked your potions? Kept up to date on any new items that might upgrade what you have? Considered purchasing or borrowing the rings we have? Also, I’ve noticed none of you have really trained as much as you should have when you were not in the tower.”

Sighing, Tom focused his gaze on each of the team members, starting with Fowl and working his way till he locked eyes with Max.

“You don’t have to go into the tower day after day. I know the rush. I know the thrill. It is exhilarating as you power through it. But when that first big wall comes, and things go sideways, wouldn’t a few extra days or weeks of training with myself or others that have already fought inside be helpful?”

Max started to talk, but Tom cut him off with a raised hand.

“Tanila, how much time have you spent working on the things we started doing with your spells?”

Frowning, their mage shook her head.

“Not as much as I should be. Those lessons were very helpful.”

“And Batrire, are you healing as efficiently as possible? Do you practice the rotation and timing? Can you do it with your eyes closed? Also, don’t forget, that we talked about gauging damage about to be done and having the heal finish casting right as it does. That way, you can save a second or three off the cooldown in case it needs to be used again.”

Their trainer turned, looking at Cordellia, who winced as his eyes landed on her.

“You should be telling them to train. How many hours have we spent shooting arrows and making small changes, knowing they all add up to better shots and more damage?”

“Thousands,” Cordellia replied quietly.

“Fowl,” Tom said, not waiting to hear if the ranger said anything else. “You got lucky. Tanila got lucky. What would you have done if I hadn’t given you that item? What are you doing as a warrior to make defending against things like that easier? Do you stop and consider the distance between you and your support and casters? A few extra yards doesn’t seem like a lot, but that extra second might mean a spell lands, or they dodge just enough, and someone else can help.”

Fowl started to speak but stopped when he watched Tom’s face harden as he turned to face Max. A frown appeared, and the older man slowly shook his head.

“Seth… we have talked many times. Everyone here knows you’re the strongest person in your party, but that also means you bear the most responsibility. Are you doing everything possible to help them succeed? You should be demanding and forcing them to train more. There should be days set aside for each of you to rest and discuss what went well and what didn’t.

“You mention that after the tower floors, you discuss some things in the cart, but be honest, is that really enough time?”

Shaking his head, Max felt the burden of leadership pressing down.

“Things are only going to get worse, and as they do, you need to decide how prepared you will be for them. Where is the man that came here, reading every book he could? What happened to the one who sought wisdom and knowledge, trying to figure out how to defeat things? I remember a warrior who told me they used their brains, turning the dungeon's own design against the creatures. Find him again and make sure that everyone is safe because he is leading as he should.”

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Five adventurers sat quietly, letting the words that Tom had just said sink in.

“Perhaps we could train tomorrow instead of rushing into the tower,” Max said as he looked at the rest of his team.

Everyone nodded immediately.

“That's good. Afterward, we can all go to the Faction shop together, and I can give some tips on items to acquire even if none of you want to share the stats of stuff you are wearing now.”

Everyone nodded and Tom stood up from the bench he was straddling, picking up his plate and cup.

“Good. Then finish eating, discuss a few things, and I’ll expect to see everyone a few hours after the sun has been up.”

The older man turned, not waiting for a response, leaving the five of them sitting there in silence.

“So… I guess I owe everyone an apology,” Max said after Tom had left the room. “Tom’s right. I’ve been more focused on clearing the tower than anything else.”

Cordellia raised her hand, and then everyone laughed, causing the elf to blush and shake her head.

“Sorry, I just felt a little like I should do that after how Tom spoke to me. He’s right, though. I should have spoken up and mentioned we were missing out. The training he gives is exceptional.”

A few grunts came, and everyone silently picked at their food for a moment.

“I guess we’ll all find out how bad training will be tomorrow?” Tanila said with a smirk. “Something tells me he isn’t going to hold back.”

“Again!”

Tom’s voice echoed across the training area; all five of them were sweating even though the sun wasn’t like yesterday, and it had only been a little over two hours.

Tanila was trying to thread tiny ice spears through metal rings Tom had set up right at the edge of her range, forcing her to work on accuracy and mana control.

Cordellia was running a course he had set up for her, weaving around objects, jumping over barriers, ducking under hanging poles, all while constantly shooting at targets downrange.

Fowl was being assaulted by four new recruits, standing in the middle of them, doing his best to block their attacks with a smaller shield that Tom was making him use.

Batrire was being forced to heal, gauging the damage done to Fowl by the four and casting when she felt it was necessary. While doing that, she still had to keep up with the fight Max was engaged in. With both men fighting, each at the edge of her healing range and vision, she had to work hard not to get in trouble when Tom called out for her to heal Max.

They all had real weapons, while Fowl was only wearing a leather set. Blood from the injuries he sustained had stained parts of the armor red, but with his constitution, the damage wasn’t much more than superficial.

Max, on the other hand, was trying not to smile.

Tom waited for him, holding two swords at the ready.

The shield and sword combo had always performed well when they clashed, but Max knew Tom was taking it easy on him. The training armor Max wore didn’t provide stats, and Tom was wearing a full set of chainmail, using two enchanted swords and most of his jewelry.

Trying to hide his stats while not getting to use most of his equipment was difficult as the older man continued to land attacks that he could have blocked, knowing if he did, it would reveal just how high his dexterity was.

A flurry of attacks came, and both of Tom’s swords moved with blazing speed, slashing and thrusting at him. Noise came from the metal on metal each time Max managed to block or parry an attack.

He has to have a Legendary skill in swords… those combinations…

Distracted by his thoughts again and the skill Tom possessed, a slash got past his defense, slicing his leg open.

“HEAL!”

Batrire was a few seconds late, not expecting that to have connected, and Tom didn’t hold back.

“He could die! Pay attention!”

As soon as the wound healed, Tom was on the offensive again, death moving toward Max with every swing and thrust expertly placed. A lifetime of adventuring and sparring was on display for the Faction members watching the training.

Word had spread earlier about what was taking place, and a crowd of over fifteen was present, watching the five struggle under the tutelage of one they all knew well.

Max saw an opening, thrusting forward with his sword, only to find Tom’s hand now on his wrist, spinning and twisting. The older man procured the weapon from his grip, taking it and using the very blade he once held against him.

“Heal!”

Batrire was on time with her heal, having watched the exchange and knew Max was about to get a lesson in pain.

Three quick thrusts opened wounds along his arm, hip, and leg as Tom showed the young man just why he was the top trainer of the Faction.

As the heals came and Tom tossed the weapon into his storage, both swords vanished, and the older man lunged for Max, moving in and reaching for the unarmed wrist.

The speed was there, but he was tired of Tom beating him.

Shifting on his feet, using a little more of his dexterity and speed than he had been demonstrating, Max slammed his shield into the older man, amazed when Tom’s right hand blocked it with an open palm. Both hands gripped it and began to pull. This time, Max was fast enough to store it in his dimensional space before Tom could take it, but as he did, he lunged forward, throwing a right-handed punch.

Tom’s hands moved with a speed that seemed impossible to believe. The older warrior's dexterity wasn’t his greatest stat, yet whatever items he had made him faster than Max. He had already done the math, having an idea and understanding of what Tom’s stats would be, yet unless he showed his real potential, Max couldn’t get past the trainer's defenses.

Both hands grasped his right arm, grabbing the wrist and forearm as Tom slid underneath the punch, driving his hip and shoulder into Max’s right side before flipping him over and into the hard-packed dirt.

The sound of his body slamming into the ground was loud enough to draw a few groans from the onlookers as Tom backed away.

“Heal! Damnit Heal!”

The injury looked worse than it was, with his shoulder socket dislocated and a broken collarbone.

Two heals hit in rapid succession, and they began to pop back into place.

“We’re done,” the older man said as he backed up, waiting for Max to recover.

“Everyone take a break!” his voice boomed across the field, and a few of the onlookers clapped as Tom ended the training session.

Rising to his feet as the pain in his shoulder and neck began to fade, Max could see the tiniest frown on Tom’s face. His eyes were narrowed just enough that it was obvious to Max something was wrong.

Turning to the edge of the training field, the master of this dirt field saw who he was looking for.

“Dexic! Come here and show this boy what you got!”

Max groaned when he saw the woman he hadn’t had a chance to talk to in forever start to walk toward him.

“Finally!” she exclaimed, grinning ear to ear.

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