Secret World of Occultists-Chapter 49: Training Hall

Seeing the dimly lit ground gradually enlarging in his vision, Abel panicked. He gripped the pole as hard as he could to slow down his descent.

But all that did was burn his palms due to the intense friction.

"FUCK!!" He screamed.

For a moment, he thought that he shouldn’t have been so reckless.

Seeing that he was only moments away from landing, he recalled that feeling he had inside the Crucible while fighting against the nameless monster—how he had utilized his spirit energy.

Then, on sheer instincts, he drew spirit energy from his Spirit Cistern and coated his lower body with it.

BAM!

With a loud resounding sound that echoed all throughout the underground level, he landed solidly. Because of his legs being augmented by spirit energy, the ground underneath cracked a little.

In the end, Abel lost balance and collapsed to the ground, his entire legs feeling numb.

"Huh, not bad, lad." Hugh Preston was standing right next to him. His arms were crossed and he was gazing at him with an impressed look on his face.

"Not bad?" Abel smiled wryly. "Sir... are you serious? I almost broke my legs, you know."

Hugh revealed a light smirk. "That was your first lesson in the use of spirit energy. Remember this, Abel, to wield it properly, you must sharpen your instincts. The process must be instinctive, not analytical."

He stepped forward and offered a hand to help Abel get to his feet. "Consider this, when you throw a punch, do you first think through each motion? Do you pause to calculate how to lift your arm, how to turn your hips, how to drive the blow forward?"

Abel shook his head. "No, sir."

"Harnessing spirit energy is no different. It must become instinct—second nature. And the only way to achieve that is through relentless practice. Or, you may learn to awaken it in moments of desperation, gradually familiarizing yourself with that sensation," Hugh concluded.

He led the youth down a narrow tunnel, dimly lit by lamps mounted on the wall every few meters.

"Sir, what would have happened if I wasn’t able to apply spirit energy into my legs back then?" Abel grumbled.

"Then I would have caught you," Hugh chuckled lightly.

The tunnel opened up to an expansive underground chamber. When Abel set his gaze on this place he was taken aback, "Whoa! Is this... the training hall?!"

"Yes," Hugh smiled. "This is where the members of the Security & Special Operations team train every day."

A small area at the center was roped off, it served as the pugilism section. Adjacent to this section was the weapons training area where there were several weapons, including rapiers, qarterstaff, batons, etc. kept on stands.

Furthermore, there were wooden mannequins used for striking drills. There were also climbing ropes pinned to the ceiling and wooden beams used for upper body training.

There were weighted wooden clubs as well as dumbels. All in all, this underground facility looked like the precursor to the modern gym that Abel was familiar with.

"Ah, there you are, Abel!" George, who was lifting the wooden club and swinging it around him, called out to him.

"Hello, Mr. Chapman," Abel politely greeted.

"Please," the man waved his hand. "Just George is fine. We’re teammates now. No need for formalities."

The man was wearing a sleeveless undershirt and trousers. He was actually quite well-built underneath. It was just that the coat and waistcoat made him appear lanky.

"Alright, George it is." The youth nodded with a smile.

He then turned to Hugh and asked, "Commander, I don’t see any shooting range here. Or is this not where people usually train in firearms?"

"The sound of gunshots would scare the clients away, Abel." Hugh chuckled, pointing his finger upwards.

"Ah... that’s right." Abel awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "So where do you guys practice shooting then?"

"Newport Police Headquarters." Hugh Preston revealed a light smirk.

Abel was taken aback. "The police headquarters?! Do they... know the kind of work we do?"

"Only a select few at the top." Hugh nodded. "Whenever they receive cases related to supernatural occurrences, they turn to us for counsel. In fact, this happens a few times each year."

Abel was amazed by how far the Trust’s influence reached. He couldn’t help but ask, "Sir, are there any Occultists in the police?"

Hugh smiled wryly. "Occultists are not so common, Abel."

He paused for a moment before adding, "Occultists are invaluable assets to any nation. That is why only a select few are chosen to undergo the ritual to awaken their spirit energy.

"A great deal of investment goes into nurturing their potential. But therein lies the risk. If left unchecked, they could become a threat rather than an asset."

"...I see." The youth nodded in understanding.

That information led to a bad taste in Abel’s mouth and he wondered, Is this what the Commander meant when he said we slowly lose our freedom?

The pair arrived before the pugilist section of the training hall. George who was practicing with weights there, asked Abel, "Do you have any prior training in any form of martial arts?"

"...No, I don’t," Abel answered with slight awkwardness. "Truth be told, I wasn’t prepared for this world. Before my spirit energy awakened, I was actually studying to become a journalist."

George placed the wooden dumbells on the ground. "You know, Abel, awakening through the old method is so rare, practically unheard of in today’s age, that I keep forgetting that you didn’t awaken like the rest of us."

"Yeah, it sort of just... happened," The youth chuckled dryly.

"Then, how did you fare inside the Spirit Crucible?" Hugh Preston asked curiously. "Every trial is, at its core, a test of survival, and that demands skills in many things, combat included."

He paused for a moment before adding, "You don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, it’s not that." Abel shook his head, thinking of the right words to say. "Although I never practiced any kind of martial arts, I was still able to hold my own against the enemy in the First Trial. Actually, it’s related to my Hallmark. It will be easier to show than explain."

Intrigued, Hugh agreed. "Okay, go ahead."

Abel turned to George and asked, "Would you mind showcasing any combat techniques that you’ve learned?"

George arched an eyebrow, also curious as to what Abel was getting at, before nodding. "Sure."

The pair stepped inside the roped-off pugilist section. George got into a slight squatting position. He looked at Abel and asked, "Ready?"

"Yeah, one moment." Abel took a few deep breaths as he stood in front of the man, leaving enough distance in between for the latter to showcase all his fighting techniques.

He visualized activating his Hallmark, an action that was seamless and instinctual as if breathing. He recalled the feeling of when he had done it against the nameless monster.

Abel’s pupils constricted and suddenly his observation capabilities increased exponentially!

The air around him changed—something that didn’t go unnoticed by the two other Occultists in the room.

He looked at George and solemnly gestured. "Alright, let’s go!"