A crowd of disciples were heading out for their training.
"Hey, did you see the duel yesterday? It was amazing. Senior brother Kavi was so cool."
"Yeah, I know right. Even the air was moving when he used the Seven Trinity technique…"
- At the Training Grounds -
"Hey Kori. How'd you sleep yesterday? You must've been exhausted by the duel right?"
"What. Yeah I was."
Yesterday's duel taught me something. Even though my brain is used to fighting, my body can't keep up. It won't be enough just having the spirit and knowing the future. I actually need to put effort into my physical training if I want to even stand a chance of saving the lives of others.
That's why I started doing the aura training last night.
- Flashback -
Alright. Everyone's sleep. Now I can start with my real training.
Mount Kamadu is the best place for aura training. It is the second highest peak in the world surrounded by trees and herbal plants. These plants are not only a great source of medicine but also the purest form of natural energy that can be converted into aura.
In my previous life I didn't get to make use of the enormous reserves of natural energy of this place and when those demons attacked, this place lost all of its beauty and energy resources. I won't let that happen this time.
Ah. The moon looks so beautiful tonight. I hope you're doing alright on the other side, Sakura.
"Stop thinking about that stupid, it's time to do training."
Humans can accumulate aura inside their bodies using aura breathing techniques. Based on the type of fighting style, one can make an aura centre within their body to draw aura from.
There are three widely known aura centres that everyone chooses from. First for hand to hand fighters aka martial artists, the aura centre is formed in the middle of the abdomen. This makes it easier for them to draw aura directly to their arms and legs.
The second is inside the heart. This one is used by swordsmen and almost every fighter that uses a weapon instead of their body to fight. While this one doesn't improve strength, it does improve the agility and overall health of the person.
The third one is rare and only a few have managed to pull it off in the world. It's an aura centre that is formed in the brain. Compared to the other two this one is highly complicated and deadly in nature. But the reward is unparalleled strength that outmatch even martial grandmasters. I knew a mage who was able to…
Kori was sitting at the peak of the mountains.
"Breathe in, breathe out… Breathe in, breathe out…"
Now take this dense natural energy and turn it into purified aura.
As he kept breathing, the air around him started to become visible. It entered inside his body and traveled through his veins. Inside his veins it turned into nothing as though it had been consumed completely.
The aura I used in my previous life was unique. Instead of creating an aura centre it converts the natural energy into purified aura that is directly processed by the body. The purified aura doesn't act as a reserve to draw from rather it becomes a part of my body. It mixes up with the blood in veins that reaches every part of my body.
While it is a highly effective method, the downside is that it takes more time to see any effect. Naturally the purified aura inside the body gets digested which makes the body more healthier but there isn't any aura left to draw from.
Which makes this technique pretty useless for a martial artist and only recommended to sick people so their bodies can recover. However, I know the aura technique that can bypass this effect.
- Hours later -
The visible air stopped being absorbed inside his veins and started to linger like fog.
"Ah. It seems I have hit my limit, no matter, this is enough for today."
I can feel my body getting faster as I run back down the mountain. It is now light and my aura is more refined than before.
"Severance Dash - Full Throttle"
Kori zapped down the mountain heights as though stepping down a ladder. He was fast but also light as a cat, landing ever so gently when he jumped…
- Back to the present -
I finished my physical training early today. But I need to do more exercise to strengthen this body. It's great that my body doesn't feel tired today. Let's do fifty more push ups, hundred squats and thirty more rounds of running.
"Kori what's up with you today. How are you able to do this much training without a sweat?"
"Let's just say the duel with brother sparked something in me."
"Stop saying stupid stuff you moron. Just yesterday you were out of breath running ten rounds. What did you eat to gain this much stamina?"
"Bean-rice"
"Stop lying. You didn't even eat beans yesterday."
- Later in classroom -
In a small open area surrounded with wooden windows that were opened halfway through, all the disciples of the temple were gathered, sitting on wooden floors. Kori and Uroi stepped through the open door and saw senior brother Kavi, waving at them.
"Junior brother Kori. You're finally here. Come sit with me, I saved you a seat. You too Uroi. You remember the promise right."
"Ah thanks senior brother Kavi," said Uroi.
"Yes, senior brother, I do remember."
"You look refreshed Kori. Did you get good sleep yesterday?"
"I did, senior brother."
"Really, I didn't get much sleep because my arms hurt from the duel.
That reminds me, where did you learn the martial technique you used yesterday. Serve.. Servan.. What was it called again?"
"Its severance senior brother. I learned it from an old book I found in the library."
That's a lie. That technique is from another country that I visited in my previous life. That was the only one that didn't require much aura to pull it off in my current state.
- Hours later in Food Hall -
"Kori, are you going to eat those beans?"
"Yes I am. Don't even look at them."
"Greedy!"
"How am I…"
"Are you Kori?" asked an unfamiliar disciple who was standing next to Kori.
"Ah.. Yes I am."
He's a senior. What was his name again?
"Great. I'll be sitting here starting today."
"What?"
"My name is Ryuk. I'm sure you know who I am."
Actually I didn't.
"I heard what happened yesterday. Although I was not there to see in person. Our juniors speak highly of you and your performance in yesterday's fight."
"They do..? Thanks senior brother."
"I didn't come here to get your thanks. I'm here because I want to ask you something."
"Ask me something. Of course senior brother, if it's something I can do then…"
The disciple stood up with a serious look on his face, he said, "I, Ryuk Kiyoshi, ask my junior brother Kori Kiyoshi to teach me the martial arts you used yesterday."
Other disciples sitting in the hall inadvertently looked towards Kori.
"What me? Teach Martial arts?"
What is he doing all of the sudden? Asking me to teach him martial arts in front of everyone. He isn't even a bit embarrassed to ask something like that from his junior.
"Wait. Senior brother, how can I teach you anything? I am still…"
"No need to be modest junior brother. I heard you landed solid hits on Kavi.
To be honest I have trained myself tirelessly to someday defeat him in a duel. But so far the best I was able to do is three hits. But I heard you landed four, which means your level is better than mine at this point."
As he was saying this, Kori saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes.
How is he saying these things so nonchalantly? I swear these monks have made us too considerate.
"I admit that is true, but I was only able to land those hits because senior brother Kavi went easy on me."
Even if I wanted to can't train anyone else at this point. There's little time left before the disaster. I need to focus on my own training.
"Please reconsider senior brother. How can I teach you a…"
"I'm not talking no for an answer. If you don't want to share your martial arts knowledge with me then fight me after the meal. If you win I'll stop bothering you."
"What. Another fight. I can't…"
"I'm leaving. I have nothing else to say."
Damn it. Another duel. This can't be happening. The duel itself isn't a problem but I only started doing the aura training yesterday. If I use aura that soon in a fight, I'll have to spend another several hours rebuilding my…
- After the meal in Training Grounds -
"Junior brother Kori, let's give it our best…"