A year had passed since he took Saint as his Master. During this year, he was in hellish training. However, it was no more unbearable to him. He found joy, each time he mastered a new thing.
Even though it had been a year, his morning routine did not change. He had to run with weight on his back. Now, he had to carry a boulder weighing a ton. It did not stop here, on his both hands, he also carried the heaviest metal in the world, Nebraska Metal.
It was a metal that could be and only found in Nebraska Mountain. Nebraska Metal size of Heero's arm was about 300 kilos. Heero was carrying Nebraska Metal with him. Each of his arms carried one Nebraska Metal. Meanwhile, his feet also had two Nebraska Metal each.
So, in total, Heero carried about 1200 kilos weight each time he was doing a run in the morning. After running, he would train with Saint. The longest time he could stand was six hundred breaths. He achieved it a month ago. However, since his Master asked him to carry the heaviest metal with him Heero could only last for ten breaths.
"Hooyah! Hooyah! Hooyah…!"
"If you can't stand properly and firmly, how can you beat King Specter!?"
Heero was lying down looking up to the sky. Once again his Master took him down with ease in five breaths. He could see his Master's movement, but the weight on his feet made him late to react. He could not move freely with 1200 kilos of Nebraska Metal on him.
Hearing his Master's provocation, Heero gritted his teeth and stood up.
"Good! Good! Let's start again!" Saint grinned at his disciple. After saying those words, Saint vanished.
Heero took a deep breath and focused his Ki on his eyes. his black pupil turned blue. It was as if everything slowed down, he could see the surroundings clearly in slow-motion, except his master who only left a black shadow behind his movement.
Heero tried to follow the black shadow movement, but then suddenly he lost his sight of Saint. It was as if Saint vanished into nothingness. Heero was used to this kind of situation.
He did not panic but closed his eyes. Then, he spread his Ki to the surrounding. After a while, Heero opened his eyes.
"Behind!"
Heero bent his body down and avoided a kick from Saint.
"Not bad… but it's not enough!" Saint changed his kick direction down to Heero's head.
Heero knew that bending down was not enough to avoid the kick so he immediately rolled forward and avoided his Master kick.
Bam!
The kick landed down to the ground and left a small pit. One could see that Saint was serious with his kick. If Heero received such a kick with his head, it would be fatal for him.
Just as he wanted to get up, Heero felt his Master's aura right before him. As soon as he looked up, he saw a kick already flying toward his face. This kick could not be avoided.
Heero put his two hands before his face. If he could not avoid the attack then block it.
Bam!
The kick clashed with Heero's arms.
"Urghh!"
Heero let out a pained groan as his body flew back. The kick was no joke. It was strong enough to push him five meters back.
Just as he was looking for his Master's presence, without knowing how he felt his body was flying in the air. At the same time, an acute pain assaulted his back.
Heero could only stand for eight breaths for this round. Once again, his Master knocked him down easily.
Just like this, Heero continued. He never gave up despite the pain and exhaustion he felt. He kept standing up again and again.
…
After the training with his Master, the most awaited moment for Heero arrived. Mastering the sword technique.
His Master fulfilled his promise. After he mastered the use of Ki like the man did inside the sphere, Saint taught him a sword technique. Though it was more like he learned it by himself.
Saint gave Heero a sphere. This sphere was even more precious than the one before. It was because the sphere contained hundreds of techniques from ninety-nine Saints, including his Master.
Not only a sword technique but there were also other techniques recorded inside the sphere. The same as beforehand sphere, he only needed to imbue his Ki to the sphere. The rest was depending on him, what technique would appear inside his mind. So it was more like the technique chose the owner, not Heero chose the technique he wanted to learn.
The first technique he got from the sphere was Lightning Thrust. It was not a technique for a sword, but a spear. Saint told him that he could learn the second technique only after he mastered the first technique.
Just like its name, Lightning Thrust was a technique that utilized lighting as the main power and fast footwork. The basic of this technique was similar to the basic sword move, Pierce.
Seventh Saint was the one who created this technique. Simple move, but unstoppable and destructive.
Even though Heero was having a hard time at first, but he already grasped the core of Lightning Thrust. The only problem was his footwork, he still could achieve the speed. Heero's Lightning Thrust was destructive, but not unstoppable. It meant; his Lightning Thrust was easily avoided as he was not fast enough. Furthermore, he had to bring a lot of weight with him or it would be harder for him to reach the standard of Lighting Thrust.
Heero however did not complain to his Master. He kept trying and never gave up.
After training his new technique, Heero continued with his Ki Comprehension even though he learned many ways of utilizing Ki, but Ki was more like a sky. It could not be measured. The more he explored Ki the more ways he learn to utilize Ki.
Just like this, another three months passed, Heero managed to last for sixty breaths under his Master's barrage of attacks. Moreover, lately, his Master often accompanied him in training.
Today, his Master taught him a new technique, the footwork. Walking also had its technique and his Master offered him three footwork techniques.
Lightning Step, Mirage Step, and Nimble Step. Heero could not learn all of it and had to choose one of them.
As for the Lightning Thrust, he almost mastered it. He only needed the last touch. Even with over a thousand kilos of Nebraska Metal on his body, he could use Lightning Thrust albeit a bit slower than the one inside the sphere.
Amongst the three footwork, Heero wanted to choose Lighting Step. He felt Lighting Step would be perfectly fit for his first technique, Thundering Thrust. But he liked more Mirage Step, he felt it was kinda cool, Mirage Step.
As for Nimble Step, he was not interested in that footwork. He felt Nimble Step was just too plain. However, his Master advised him to take Nimble Step.
"My advice is to take Nimble Step, but you are the one who makes the decision."
It was what his Master said to him. Saint did not tell the reason why he advised to take Nimble Step.
Heero without hesitation chose Nimble Step even though he did not know the reason behind it. He trusted his master, he believed his Master's choice was for his good. So Heero chose Nimble Steps.
A month later, he mastered Lightning Thrust. He perfectly mastered it with the help of Nimble Step. Even though he had not yet mastered Nimble completely, but it was not a problem for Heero to perform a standard Lightning Thrust.
After mastering Lightning Thrust, Heero learned another new technique from the sphere, Flame Spear. Flame Spear was different from Lightning Thrust, it was a skill demanded in controlling Ki.
He must create a flame spear with his Ki, a solid spear. Heero saw an image of a youth creating nine flame spears and freely manipulated them in the air. Not only that, the youth's flame spear was stronger than an ordinary weapon. This was the problem, Heero must make a stronger flame spear than a real weapon. Moreover, manipulating the spear with Ki was a level higher and harder than creating a strong flame spear.
This technique was created by 57th Saint. His Master told Heero that 57th Saint had another title, Flame Emperor. He was called Flame Emperor because all his techniques were related to the flame.
Just like this, another year passed by which meant Heero had been training for two years under Saint guidance. During these two years, he only managed to master one skill, Thundering Thrust. As for the Flame Spear, Heero is still stuck with making a solid flame spear.
Today was also an important day for Heero. Saint would test what he learned during the last two years and the test was a survival mission.
Heero would be placed in a jungle full of the beast. The weakest was a rank 1 beast whilst the strongest was a rank 5 beast. Rank 1 beast was just an ordinary beast, but rank 2, rank 3, and rank 4 was called Warrior Beast. Not only stronger but also smarter. Meanwhile, the rank 5 beast was called Beast Generals. Beast Generals were most troublesome as they moved in a group. General Beast always had five to seven Warrior Beasts around.
From today, he would stay in this jungle for 30 days. There was no condition for the test, he only needed to survive for 30 days, without weapons, armor, even ration with him.
He must make his weapon and look for his food. 14 years old Heero started his first test after two years of training.