Chapter 136: Daily Life in Uruk
A few have gone by since Zenkichi and his friends found themselves in Uruk, and their quest to fixing the singularity has been...stale to say the least.
"Ahh!"
"Ooof!"
"Ugaaa!"
Screams of pain resounded in the military barracks as the new recruits were undergoing intense training. Zenkichi and his friends had integrated themselves into the daily life of Uruk, each finding their own way to contribute to the city in order to get Gilgamesh's approval, which was a waste of time in his opinion.
They could've just fixed this whole singularity right now if they just went along with him to find the Three Goddesses, rizz them up somehow, find Gorgon and Kingu to stop the rise of Tiamat. Which was better said than done.
The problem here was the quest trials he had in store; defeating ancient monsters that held powers corresponding to the seven deadly sins. With how powerful Zeb was when he was just born in just a few minutes, there was no doubt that they were a great danger to humanity. He needed to find them, fast.
For a singularity to be fixed, all anomalies were needed to be erased.
Which is why he needed Gilgamesh's approval and support, as it was a necessary step to gather the information and resources they needed to proceed their journey. The asshole thought it'd be funny to make it so that no one should be releasing any great information from the outside to the Chaldean Embassy, which was Zenkichi and his friends. Only after he satisfied his amusement would they be allowed to access critical information.
'Haaa... I shouldn't think so pessimistically. He's the better version of himself, the Caster version. With the Clairvoyance skill that I've heard that he has; which makes it possible for him to peer into possibilities of various parallel worlds, he might have formed some kind of elaborate plan.' He paused for a moment and let out a sigh.
'Or he may just be doing this to gain some entertainment.'
Zenkichi was currently overseeing the training of new recruits alongside Leonidas. The King of Sparta was a relentless and demanding instructor, pushing the recruits to their limits, much to their dismay.
"Come on, you call that a swing? Put some muscle into it!" Leonidas barked, his voice carrying across the training grounds, while wearing his face helmet; which looked quite menacing to most of the new recruits as they quickly pictured the Spartan trainer as some sort of a demon. With a shiver down their spine, they hurriedly started swinging their weapons with renewed vigor.
"He's really putting them through," Zenkichi couldn't help but chuckle at Leonidas' strict but effective methods. "Well, not like I'm any different." He shifted his head to the right, dodging a punch from the soldier he was training, in a swift counterattack he grabbed the soldier's wrist, twisted it firmly, and swept his legs out from under him.
The recruit landed on the ground with a thud, he quickly tried to get up but Zenkichi pinned him down with a swift arm lock, applying just enough pressure to keep him immobilized without causing harm. With a calm but firm voice, he said, "Stay down until you learn to control your movements. Your opponent won't wait for you to get up, they would either beat you up or continue on restraining your movements until you lose consciousness....or simply die from suffocation."
The recruit gritted his teeth and nodded, his frustration evident but his determination shining through. Zenkichi waited for a while to see if he can escape his hold, but the recruit remained still, acknowledging the lesson. With a nod of satisfaction, Zenkichi released the arm lock and helped the recruit to his feet.
"Although I commend you for acknowledging your weakness, remember, failure in battle means certain death. However, considering your main enemies right now are mostly demonic beasts, I'll let you all the hook for now." Zenkichi said, placing his hand on the recruit's shoulder before telling him to line back up to the others before him, which were at least a hundred men. With knowledge and great mastery overall numerous martial arts, Zenkichi has the qualification to teach soldiers hand-to-hand combat.
"The martial arts I'm teaching you aren't simply for self-defense or fighting other humanoid enemies, but to also teach your bodies to move with precision and efficiency, to react instinctively in the heat of battle," Zenkichi continued as he addressed the group of recruits. "Every movement you make could be the difference between life and death on the battlefield."
The recruits listened intently, realizing the gravity of the training they were undergoing. They knew that in the face of powerful enemies and deadly adversaries, they needed to be prepared for anything.
Zenkichi proceeded to demonstrate various techniques, illustrating the importance of balance, speed, and timing in combat. He emphasized the need to adapt and improvise, to never become predictable in battle. He then began sparring everyone of them at the same time; to teach them teamwork and that fighting fairly in a battle was idiotic.
Mercy should not be given to an enemy, strike for the kill. Zenkichi emphasized this harsh reality to the recruits. They were not just fighting for their own lives, but for the survival of Uruk itself. He moved through the crowd of recruits with fluid precision, his movements a blur as he dodged, parried, and countered their attacks, demonstrating the effectiveness of the techniques he had taught them.
"Remember," he said, his voice carrying over the sounds of combat, "your strength lies not just in your individual skills, but in your ability to work together as a unit. No enemy, no matter how powerful, can stand against a coordinated and determined force."
The recruits, though exhausted, pushed themselves harder, their eyes filled with determination and a newfound respect for their young instructor. Though he looked incredibly younger than they were, he had far more experience and skill than any of them could muster.
Zenkichi's relentless training sessions were molding them into a formidable force, one that could stand against the monstrous threats they would inevitably face.
As the training session progressed, Zenkichi observed the recruits' progress with a critical eye. He could see the determination in their faces, the fire of ambition; their loyalty and duty of serving their city burning brightly within them.
Zenkichi nodded satisfied with their efforts and began to be lost in thought. 'Man, never thought I'd become a martial arts instructor. I wonder how mom's doing right now? Oh right, from what the system said, my world's time is slowed down to a crawl so it's basically been just a few seconds has passed.' He looked up at the darkening sky, the first stars beginning to twinkle overhead.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over him as he watched the recruits hone their skills, should he become a teacher after graduation like his mom? Hmm, well he has a lot of time in his hands after all, so he should try becoming a doctor first, it'd make his mom proud, plus, he could help save a lot of lives.
Plus, if people wanted to look at him with respect and awe, becoming a Doctor was the right way! The Asian way.
As the training session came to an end, Zenkichi latched an arm around Leonidas and smiled. "Welp, training's over. It's time to go back to party at the Chaldea Embassy!"
"Ah, I am all for a little celebration to see me off, but a party...?" Leonidas hesitantly asked, his brow furrowing slightly beneath his helmet.
Zenkichi chuckled, clapping a hand on Leonidas' armored shoulder. "Come on, Leonidas, I'm sure you can handle a mug or two, plus, you can just use one of the carriages you're bringing with you on your way to the Northern Wall as a bed if you drink too much," Zenkichi teased, knowing Leonidas' penchant for modesty and discipline.
A drunk Leonidas is a very open and fun Leonidas, is what Ushiwakamaru said.
Leonidas grunted, his expression softening into a small smile. "Very well, I shall accompany you to this celebration. But do not expect me to partake in any excessive revelry, again."
Zenkichi laughed, patting Leonidas on the back. "Of course, Leonidas, we wouldn't want you getting too carried away. Let's just enjoy a night of relaxation and camaraderie."
With that settled, Zenkichi led the way back to the Chaldea Embassy, his mind buzzing with anticipation of the upcoming party as well as any missions that was connected to the Goddesses and the Ancient Monsters.
After sending a very hungover Leonidas off, he and his friends stood in the living room of their residence with bewilderment as they stared at a smiling Merlin.
"A....day off?" Gudako muttered.
Merlin nodded with a bright smile, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Yes, a day off! Siduri said that there'd be no requests for today, man, you're all very helpful. You've pretty much all solved most of the residents' problems since you arrived."
Mash blinked in surprise. "A day off? That's... unexpected."
Fou, perched on Mash's shoulder, chimed in with a cheerful "Fou, Merlin, you've finally said something good in your pathetic life, fou!"
Everyone blinked and turned turned towards Fou in surprise. While Merlin glared at it, Gudako muttered. "Huh. That's the first I've heard Fou say a full sentence."
Altria's lips twitched, having gotten used to Uruk, she now wore a long, loose-fitting, robelike white garment with golden accents that covers her entire body, except for her face, hands and feet; with yellow sandals on. Though the garment was loose, her big and firm breasts were still noticeable as they bounced as she stepped forward to scratch the little white creature's head. "Trust me, you're lucky he's only saying this much."
She began to remember about her world's Merlin and Cath-eh, Fou. The things he would say/growl towards Merlin could make even the bravest knights flinch in shock, while Mordred would always laugh or copy its words.
She would always have words with them, they were knights! Saying such crude words and engaging in such antics was unbecoming.
"So, we can really have a day off? No catch?" Brunhilde asked, crossing her arms. She too began to wore Uruk style clothing as she adapted to the environment. Her attire consisted of a similar loose-fitting blue robe covering her waist and legs, while wearing green crop top; revealing her flat stomach with abs faintly etched into the surface, the clothes complimenting her eyes and hair, with intricate designs that mirrored her stoic elegance, allowing her to blend in yet maintain her unique presence.
Merlin stopped glaring at Fou and nodded. "I'm not lying~ Especially when it comes to lazing around."
"You're not even gonna deny it." Altria deadpanned.
She then turned towards the others, "He looks honest about it. So, what are all of your plans?"
Zenkichi shrugged. "Well, I was just planning on either sleeping in or wander around the city. We've been here for a few days now but we haven't really explored the vast city."
Altria clapped her hands together. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Zenkichi! I'll accompany you."
Brunhilde smirked and placed her hands on Altria's shoulders. "Don't forget about me, I'm in as well!" she then whispered to her ear, "stealing my man now, I see~? Well, I'm fine with sharing him but you still gotta prove yourself~"
"I-It's not what it looks like!"
Mash shyly squirm around, stealing glances at Gudako.
"Ah, Senpai, I was about to ask if we..."
"Excuse me."
"Ahh!" Both Mash and Gudako let out a yelp as Ana interrupted the moment, coming down the stairs with a blank expression, still wearing her dark cloak.
"Hm? Ana? What's up?" Zenkichi asked, noticing the emotions she was hiding through his skill, Empathy. She was feeling anxiety and sorrow.
She looked slightly hesitant for a moment before walking up towards him and replying, "All of you are free for the day off, right? If so, I have a job I'd like to ask you to do, Zenkichi-nii." Surprisingly, for the past few days, Zenkichi had gotten close to her to the point she started calling him by his name and with such affectionate suffix.
Not like he spoiled her with all the sweets and cookies and other treats he had been giving her since they met. He couldn't help it, she just reminds him of Shiranui. That little gremlin.
She raised her hand to reveal a handful of silver coins and said, "Here's all the silver I've saved up. Would that be enough to have you accompany me?"
They all shared a look with each other. Zenkichi lightly smiled rubbed her head. "Leave it to us, Ana. And there's no need to pay us either.
We're here to help you, no matter what." Zenkichi's voice was gentle and reassuring.
Ana blinked in surprise, her expression softening. "Thank you, Zenkichi-nii," she murmured, a hint of gratitude in her voice.
Zenkichi smiled warmly at her. "No need to thank me, Ana. Let's go and see what you need help with."
.....
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