Ang reached out and pulled Dana up from the ground. He did not use much force, yet his grip was as solid as a steel cable.
A mischievous glint flashed in Dana's eyes as the corner of his mouth curled up. He suddenly exerted force, trying to drag Ang down with him.
Yet the feedback from his hand was like grabbing hold of a boulder buried deep underground. No matter how hard he pulled, Ang's legs remained rooted like an old tree, utterly unmoving.
Dana froze for a moment, then could only stand up sheepishly. "How did you see that coming?"
Ang patted his arm and smiled. "You need to use your brain more."
"Torei tricked me with that move back then. I learned my lesson after that." Dana clicked his tongue and curled his lip. "I beat that guy up several times because of it... but I learned pretty fast too, right?"
Ang smiled, but his expression suddenly turned serious. "Remember this: on the battlefield, doing whatever it takes is the true way to survive. Showing mercy to your enemies is being cruel to your brothers."
Dana blinked, then suddenly grinned. "Got it, Ang."
After a short rest, the two changed into training weapons.
Ang chose an unsharpened North Wind Steel Sword, steady and powerful. Dana, meanwhile, selected a long-handled hammer. Its head was made of soft iron clay; though it looked heavy, it was only meant for training and would not cause serious injury.
When the two stepped back into the center of the training ground, the watching children had already held their breath.
Norma tightly held Yus's hand and murmured, "Uncle will definitely win, right?"
Yus said nothing. His clenched fists had turned white as he stared nervously at the two tall figures in the field.
This