Tobi woke up a week after collapsing. It was already past noon. He heard some voices arguing in the parlour. Soroyi was giving Gbobi an earful concerning Tobi's training.
"Yeah, there's the idea of the Shirin's shenanigans and margins about training, but have you forgotten he is your only son? What if he does?" Soroyi said
"I know, and I know what I am doing. He is not going to die. Trust me." Gbobi was trying to assure Soroyi. Soroyi was not convinced. "Well, sure he is not. Why? He is a Shirin. He has been asleep for a week, and he has not wok- oh, you're awake now," Soroyi saw that Tobi had entered the parlour. Without waiting to hear Tobi's greetings, she held his hand. "You don't have to do this. You can always be the instructor you want to be. I won't stop you. Even your father won't,"
Tobi released his hand from his mother and held hers. "I am sorry, mother. I can't stop here. I have made up my mind. Don't worry. I'll be fine." Soroyi was still not convinced as she looked deeper into Tobi's eyes. "Well, I say you stop! Go and rest!"
"No, Mother. I can not rest. Not now. I will be fine. This is what I must do. My mind is made up.,"
Soroyi left the parlour for the kitchen, defeated. Tobi would not listen to him.
Without wasting any time, Tobi resumed his training. This time he won't be jogging. It had been called off. Gbobi motioned for Tobi to move some steps backwards. "Armory, come." He said, hitting his two palms together. Suddenly, a large shelf broke out from the ground. Tobi was amazed at the technique his father had just hard and at the contents fo the shelf. The shelf contained weapons like daggers, knives and swords. The weapons were of different designs and sizes. Some were short, and some were long.
"Tobi, stretch out your hand and say "Come".," Gbobi instructed Tobi. "Come," Tobi did as Gbobi instructed, and to Tobi's surprise, a sword came out of the shelf and landed in Tobi's palm.
The sword is made out of steel. It was one metre long, with the blade taking up eighty-five per cent of the whole length. The tilt was metallic but had a wooden covering that had the word "Endurance" carved on it. At the lower part of the blade closest to the tilt, Shirin's symbol was inscribed. This sword is the only sword with the Shirin symbol inscribed on it. The wooden tilt was matte black, while the sheath of the sword had a dark red colour. Gbobi was shocked for a moment seeing the sword that had chosen Tobi.
Tobi was unsure of what had just happened. He was still admiring the sword when he was interrupted by his father's words. "You have unlocked the Supiringan is known as the Sword of Shingan. The only shingan with a sword ability. That is why the sword has picked you. The supiringan is very rare and has only been unlocked twice in the whole history of the Shirin."
"How do you find the sword," Gbobi asked.
"It's nice and great. It looks cool." Tobi replied.
"It is time for the speed training., Gbobi started.
Gbobi led Tobi to the middle of the backyard, where the logs of wood were fixed to the group. "Hit all 15 three times in 7 seconds. That is the task. Go!" Tobi had no time for questions and started the task. It was not as easy as he had imagined. His best for that day was 60 seconds. He repeated this task for the next three weeks.
In the first week of the ninth month of his training, he hit all 15 three times in 5 seconds. On the completion of this task, he was given a new one. This time more dangerous than any other regimen. "Dodge all knives without a scratch." The knives were shot with a slingshot. Tobi had to increase his reaction time to dodge all the knives thrown at him- without a scratch. He continued with this task for the next two weeks. In the third week of the ninth month, he mastered the task and completed it. He had completed the Speed, Stamina and Strength training Jn nine months.
"As you know, Shirin's skill attribute is Fire. You have seen it first hand. It is time to refine your fire abilities. There are seven basic techniques. The first is the Ball of Fire, the second is the Whip of Fire, the third is the Flood of Fire, the fourth is the Breath of Fire, the fifth is Inner Fire, the sixth is the Steps of Fire, and the seventh is the Flowing Furnace.," Gbobi read the techniques out of a scroll which he handed over to Tobi. The scroll contained the methods to learn the basic techniques. This training session was the fastest and easiest for Tobi. It was as if it was second to nature for him. He mastered the basic techniques in four days.
"You have mastered the basic techniques. It is time to learn the ways of the sword. Just as before, the basic techniques count, but with the sword, you can use the special techniques called Combo techniques." Gbobi explained.
"What are combo techniques?" Tobi asked.
"Combination of more than one technique used in an attack either simultaneously or intermittently. It is also important you create your techniques, be it hidden or special or normal, as you continue in your journey." Gbobi answered and explained.
Gbobi taught him the basics of using combo techniques while teaching him how to control his energy. "To use the combo techniques, you must be able to control and distribute your energy well. Control the flow of energy in your body and channel it to the parts where you want them to be. Feel the energy as it course through your body. Focus on the core and spread the energy within your body." Tobi underwent the energy control session for the next six months.
During the six months, he was constantly duelling with duelling his father. His task was to touch his father's back. Using all the information he had gotten from his mother's book and the training he had received in previous months, he tried to touch his father's back. Everything he tried was futile, and he failed to touch his father's kimono.
"It has been six months since you started duelling with me," Gbobi started.
"And I have not been able to scrape your kimono even once." Tobi retorted.
Gbobi laughed for a bit. "Haha, I'd tell your mother to bury me alive if you did touch me."
"Then why make me try? I am embarrassed." Tobi said as he felt offended.
"You shouldn't be. Consider yourself lucky to have duelled with me. Many don't get the chance." Gbobi commented. "Today marks one year and six months since you started your training. I can finally say you are ready to take the selection examination. From the information I got, the examination is in two months."
"Two months? That's pretty near." Tobi remarked.
"The selection exam will take place at Kirara. Kirara is a seven-day journey from here on foot. You'll be leaving for Kirara in a month. Get prepared. This is the end of my training for you. The rest is up to you." Gbobi started and left for his study.
Tobi continued with the energy distribution exercise, but for some reason, he always had trouble controlling the energy flowing through his eyes.
His training ended, and he was about to venture into a world he never thought to be in.
"Finally, I'm done with this hell of a training. Time to proceed."