Breath Control and Tournament Draw
I turned my head toward the sound and saw Kind panting heavily.
"Ugh."
He was even letting out faint groans now. He looked like he'd collapse if I so much as poked him.
His stamina's run out.
I immediately grasped the situation. Kind had failed to pace himself and burned through his energy too quickly.
No wonder he started off sprinting like that.
Kind was right beside me, and I'd felt him ramping up his speed early on with those push-ups. Unlike yesterday, why was he pushing so hard today?
Yesterday's surprisingly easy completion of 1,000 must've backfired, turning confidence into arrogance.
His success yesterday had filled Kind not with assurance, but overconfidence.
"Kind, trainee—can you keep going?"
Bardwin approached and asked, raising the scorecard in his hand. He was ready to deduct points the moment Kind uttered the word "quit."
"Qui—quitting…"
Kind's cheeks trembled as he tried to force out the word.
Too bad to give up now.
Just another 200 or 300, and he'd hit 1,000. Kind's frame wasn't bad at all—if he caught his breath from here, he could absolutely make it.
"Kind."
"…Yes?"
Kind turned his head slightly at my call and looked at me. Our eyes met, and I spoke slowly.
"You need to manage your breathing."
"Breathing…?"
"Yeah. Every physical action starts with breath."
I whispered just loud enough for Kind alone to hear.
"The reason you feel like you can't go on? Messed-up breathing is the biggest culprit."
"…!"
Kind's eyes widened slightly at my words.
"Breathe with me."
One—inhale. Two—exhale.
I demonstrated slowly, shaping my mouth clearly for him to follow as I breathed in and out.
"Inhale… exhale. Inhale… exhale."
Kind matched my rhythm, and his breathing visibly stabilized.
"Better now, right?"
"Wha—whoa? Yeah, it really is!"
Kind's eyes went wide in disbelief at his own change.
"Keep that pace and ease back into push-ups. Inhale on the descent, exhale with power on the rise."
The basics of muscle breathing technique. Astonishingly, even this foundational knowledge was unknown in this world. Instinct over theory—that was the priority here.
"Huuuuh… haaaaah."
Kind resumed his push-ups, far more stable in form and speed than before.
* * *
"Ho ho."
Bardwin watched Aleck and Kind from a step back, his eyes gleaming.
What magic is that kid working now?
To Bardwin, Aleck was an increasingly mysterious little guy. Earlier, he'd stuck to the tightrope through that gale like it was nothing—nearly dropped Bardwin's jaw. Now, he'd saved a teammate on the verge of dropping out.
"Impressive the more you watch, huh?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah! The more I see, the more amazing he gets."
Norton approached and spoke to Bardwin, who startled and replied.
"Heh heh heh, my—no, the instructor's trainee. What a proud sight."
Norton grinned broadly at Aleck. It reminded him of the decade-plus wait for a disciple with true potential. Good things come to those who wait—he now understood this "zonbi" spirit the young ones raved about.
Aleck, the once-in-a-millennium prodigy after years of waiting. Norton was certain no greater talent would appear anytime soon.
"Huuuuh… slooooowly!"
Meanwhile, Kind—fully recovered—hit 1,000 and bellowed his completion of the third drill.
"Oh! He did it in the end."
"That guy's got hidden depths. No idea what Aleck's magic was, but pulling it off comes down to will and skill… and he did."
"Kekeke, yeah. A bit rough around the edges, but solid bones and talent overall."
The instructor and sub-instructor smiled at Kind, arms spread in cheer.
"Lord Aleck…!"
Kind suddenly teared up looking at Aleck, deeply moved.
Moved to tears by this?
Aleck couldn't help a chuckle. Kind was more sentimental than expected.
Kind lunged with arms wide for a hug. Whack!
"Gah!"
Aleck's hand had moved on instinct, his knife-hand striking Kind's crown perfectly.
Kind clutched his head and crumpled to the ground, tears welling in his eyes.
"Ow! You startled me. No more of that ugly stuff, got it?"
"Ughhh… yes, sir."
Kind nodded, head still gripped, realizing his blunder.
Aleck, Kind, and the surrounding trainees stifled laughs.
"You two seem close. Old friends?"
Robed popped up beside them with a fresh scent.
"Nah, met in the survival exam."
"Really? How'd that happen?"
"Hm."
Aleck recalled meeting Kind—with two other kids, trying to shake him down.
"Probably when he tried to—"
"Whoaaa, just! We bumped into each other on the road! Oh, and we met a baby primal, and Lord Aleck saved my life. Heh heh."
As Aleck reminisced aloud, Kind panicked and shouted over him.
Robed's eyes widened at Kind, then she burst into giggles. His frantic flailing made him look so disheveled.
"Haha."
Kind shot Aleck a desperate pleading look—don't tell her! He clearly didn't want Robed knowing about his thug antics.
He's hooked deep.
Aleck smirked. Normally, this would make him want to spill more—but now he had ammo to tease Kind with later. Finding this fun dynamic melted away today's training fatigue.
"Alright, training's over for today! Those doing extra, stay and go for it. Rest up otherwise! Dismissed."
With Norton's bellow, day two of training ended.
* * *
Time flies like an arrow, as they say. Since that first training, days blurred by in a frenzy.
Norton ramped up intensity daily, and everyone barely scraped through each session.
What's amazing? No one's dropped out entirely.
I eyed the assembled trainees before training, eyes sparkling.
Some lagged in one drill or another, but no one failed across the board.
Proof of Norton's superior leadership.
Had to admit it. Norton wasn't just the mantis pinnacle in power—he was an exceptional leader.
That's why they targeted him.
Erasing a Ultimate Body like Norton cleanly? Even the Four Lords wouldn't find it easy. Yet they did—testament to his threat level.
What happened exactly?
I didn't know how Norton was eliminated. Pre-regression, just rumors of death in battle. For an Ultimate Body, scant details fueled suspicions toward the Four Lords.
This time… if I can, I'll save him.
It happened pre-continental war, about five years from now.
Can I stop it?
More time, and I'd reclaim Ultimate Body, handle anything. But five years was tight—even with lucky breaks, too short to guarantee.
Unless I raid the Four Lords' treasuries clean.
Their vaults brimmed with legendary elixirs. Gobbling those could trigger rapid molts to Ultimate Body.
Either way, I'd do my utmost to protect Norton this time.
Focus on the now.
Norton was midway through explaining the tournament sparring he'd announced a month ago.
"Tomorrow's the first day of that tournament sparring I mentioned."
Trainees gulped at Norton's words.
"It's not a big deal. Think of it as reviewing the past month's gains through spars."
Norton scanned the group and added,
"Tomorrow, remove your iron weights for the tournament. Today's training: adapt to your lightened center of gravity."
"Oh…"
Trainees' faces lit up at ditching the weights.
Thud.
One by one, they unfastened per Norton's order. I did the same with my limb weights.
"Ahh."
A refreshing sigh escaped me. My body felt feathery light. A breeze might lift me skyward.
"Yesss!"
Beside me, Kind flung his arms wide, radiating freedom.
Don't get hit now.
Crack!
"Gyaak!"
"No rowdy nonsense."
"Yessir… I'll be careful."
Kind clutched his head, pouting. Laughter rippled through the trainees.
Tournament talk had eased tension anyway. Intentional or not, Kind was something else.
"Alright, light gymnastics to start today."
That day, we focused solely on loosening up per Norton.
And the next day dawned.
A massive flagpole stood center-field, planted who-knows-when.
"Come up one by one, draw a number ticket. Matchups based on what you pull."
Instant draw from an opaque box set the bracket.
20.
I eyed my ticket. My name slotted into the 20 on the 32-man bracket.
16 per side: Team 1 left, Team 2 right. I landed on Team 2.
"Bracket's set. Check it out. With 30 total, one bye each side."
A huge bracket plastered one wall. Trainees swarmed it.
"No way! I drew Ruslan."
"Ugh… Theo for me. Tournament's cursed."
Top contenders' names sparked wails from unlucky draws.
My opponent… oh ho! It's her.
I spotted my first foe and grinned. A powerhouse right out the gate.
I turned to find her. She turned too, eyes locking.
I flashed a slight smile.