Dark King

"Damn it! The wound has gotten worse because of this stupid rivalry." Sergei's face had turned ugly. He covered the wound with the towels but he could still feel the bursts of hot pain from his scapula. He frowned but still didn't give up.

Dudian had already sensed the smell of blood oozing out from Sergei's wounds and the moment he saw Sergei covering the wounds his mouth curled into a smile.

Sergei looked at Dudian. He saw that Dudian's arm was shaking badly but he was still able to stabilize his body. Even the angle of the elbow didn't change. Sergei was anxious. He wanted to announce the end of the training so as not to worsen his wounds. But his lips didn't open. Sergei thought that if he was the one to throw the towel first and afterwards if Dudian saw his wounds then the kid would certainly think that Sergei had retreated because of fear of injury!

Thinking of this Sergei changed his mind. He wrapped towels around his chest and continued to carry the stones to build the pier.

Dudian saw that Sergei didn't say anything so he didn't open up the conversation too. Half an hour later Dudian felt that his arm has reached the limit. Moreover Sergei's breathing has got heavier too. The white towels which were wrapped around his chest were dyed red in blood. Dudian knew that if Sergei continued this way at the end there would be big damages. Dudian said: " Today we are going to finish here."

Sergei's heart was relieved. He thought that he finally won the bitter struggle. He sneered: "What? Can't you hold anymore?"

Dudian's eyebrows wrinkled: "I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to continue."

Sergei replied: "me? I'm not affected at all even if you are exhausted."

Dudian coldly looked at him: "So you are not affected? Alright, let's continue!"

"Yes, lets continue!" Sergei sneered in ridicule: "Don't shake your feet to much or else the lead plate would fall out."

Dudian didn't answer but instead his fingers firmly buckled the sand. He forgot the soreness and continued to stand in inverted frog pose.

Time passed slowly.

The training lost its purpose as it had turned into secretly rivalry between Sergei and Dudian. Jin, Scar, Gwyneth, Nicholas and the others were standing behind the windowsill at the castle and watching the stubborn two continue to practice.

At about nine o'clock Sergei's bleeding was so much that he couldn't physically support his body. He lost control of his body as he sat on ground. He was pale as a white paper. His body sweated a lot as his hands and feet gently trembled.

Nicholas immediately ran towards him while he ordered the maid to prepare new towels and hot water. Nicholas helped him back to the castle.

Dudian knocked the lead pieces from his feet and spinned his body. He stood straight on ground. Scar and Jin rushed out from the castle to help him.

Dudian saw Nicholas using the medicine from the box to help Sergei. The man's body was soaked with blood as he laid on sofa. Sergei's face was weak and sluggish.

Dudian sat down on his chair as his hands trembled. However he still maintained the ninety degree posture as he sat. However he couldn't stragten or bend his right arm. In such a case an extremely strong pain would hit him. The left arm didn't have consciousness but he had to take into account that Nicholas and others weren't aware of this secret. So he maintained the same position as his right arm so as not to expose the secret.

"Today ... I ...." Sergei obliquely looked at Dudian as he panted. He didn't have the power to move his head.

Dudian was exhausted but his body was not damaged. He looked at Sergei: "Senior hunters are so so..."

Sergei's mouth twitched but he didn't refute.

Nicholas finished bandaging Sergei's wounds. He looked at him and smiled: "Why did you do such a harsh training at your first day of training? Look at your body..."

Dudian breathed slightly and said: "I'm hungry. Let's have dinner."

Nicholas slightly smiled and commanded the maid to prepare the dinner.

Dudian made hand gestures for Scar and Jin to help him out to the table.

Dudian was fed by maids as his arm was in pain and didn't want to expose the capabilities of the other arm.

Dudian felt that he had recovered a bit of strength and his arm pain was also reduced a lot after eating the meal. He walked upstairs and used his shoulder to knock off the door. He took out the knife and wood from the drawer. Fortunately his left hand didn't feel no pain so he began to slowly carve the wood.

After few hours of exercise his felt asleep.

The next day.

Dudian woke up on time. But the first feeling he felt was the soreness coming off his right arm. Even after a night of sleep his body still failed to recover. The continuous training had gone beyond the limits of his body.

Dudian sat up and put on his shoes. He came downstairs to dining room to find that Nicholas has long awaken from sleep. He used hot water to soak his arms to sooth the stiffness of bones.

By the time he finished the breakfast, newspapers were brought.

Dudian's arms had been soaked for almost half an hour in hot water so the soreness had eased a lot. Bending the arm was no longer unbearable. He took the newspapers to check them.

"Military newspaper!"

"The effect of the 'military crossbow' in the border war is surprising!"

"The first batch of the military crossbow produced by the Huashen consortium was only numbered at two thousand. However it played a surprising role in defensive battle at the snow-capped mountainous border. Its close combat effectiveness was good enough to keep off barbarians from successful attack and make them retreat!"

"The following piece is the interview of the army colonel Bruno who was responsible as the chief of the..."

The headlines of the military newspaper were related to the battle that happened yesterday.

Dudian didn't expect that the size of barbarians were so large that they would even dare to attack a border fortress. It was lucky that he had brought up 'military crossbow.' It's invention coincided with the war which was really lucky for him. The war had brought up its value too.

He continued to read other newspapers.

"Temple Daily -"

"The youngest architect to get 'epoch' medal in the history had already invented a top grade four-star item. He is in preparation of creation of his next item. How amazing it will be?"

"... Green consortium has reported that the architect Dean's new invention has been deemed by himself as a five-star item at pre-sale offer ..."

Dudian had become the focus of the Temple of Elements. Moreover he was observed by the major consortia. In one of the newspapers his recent bail of Sergei and others were mention too. However it was declared that it was Old Fulin who had bailed but he had involvement in the process.

The content of the news was an attempt to destroy his reputation.

Dudian was relieved to see that this piece of news was written by the newspaper which belonged to Mellon consortium.

The newspapers belonging to other other consortia mainly speculated and made assessment about his upcoming invention because of Green consortium's reports.