"Now that we are in the third month it is time for you guys to work on opening your Solar Plexus chakras," said Hanzo. "From this month onwards, things will start to get intense and the cold weather is only going to make things worse." He took a sip from his gourd. "I hope you guys are ready for the grueling months ahead."
"Yes sensei!" the trio shouted in unison.
"This time around we will focus on endurance training and that will include aerobic exercises such as swimming and running. You will run ten kilometres in the mornings and evenings and swim half that distance during the day." He turned to the Inazuma. "Kazuo-kun, you should be able to retrieve Sūijin by the end of the month."
He took another sip. "I shall also introduce bujutsu (martial arts technique) which is the ratio of strength to speed, it was developed by ancient martial artists. When we finish this month, you should be accustomed to its first level known as Shoshin (Beginner's mind)."
Mikoto immediately raised a hand and asked, "How many levels does bujutsu have?"
"There are a total of five states of mind referred to as the Budō Seishin (Spirits of Budō) and these are Shoshin, Zanshin, Mushin, Fudoshin and Senshin (Lingering, Empty, Immovable and Enlightened mind). With the mastery of each level, your speed and your mental fortitude will increase tenfold. Shoshin is fairly easy to achieve, it refers to the openness and eagerness that you showed when you first started training. Zanshin is a state where you are fully aware of your environment and everything around you. Your mind is relaxed, but alert and aware. It needs serious practice and mindfulness meditation to master. Next is Mushin–"
"Mushin?" queried Takumi. "I don't think I can ever be in a state of no mind."
"Mushin is a state where you are able to move without having to think about it. It can't be understood with intellect, it must be experienced. To achieve it, your mind must be free from any conscious thoughts or emotions. You simply act–almost out of instinct." Hanzo elaborated. "Sorry to say this, but I had reserved Mushin and Fudoshin for Kazuo in the last two months whilst you two work on your elemental affinities."
Kazuo could not help but grin from ear to ear upon hearing that he had special training reserved only for him.
"But why Hanzo-sensei, that's not fair!" protested a saddened Mikoto.
"It's only because those require at least a year of training and K–"
"Ehhh!" Mikoto gasped with raised eyebrows and wondered what made Kazuo exceptional.
"As I was saying, not only does Kazuo here possess more prana than you two thanks to Kazuro-sensei, he has already activated a link to his subconscious. Because of that we can cheat the time-period if I piggyback onto the link's frequency and train him in there."
"The shadow plane!" Kazuo shouted. He was glad there was something he knew that the others did not. "Time moves waaayyy faster there! An hour in, is a minute out."
"Ten points for you Kazuo-kun!" applauded Hanzo. "That is all for today's lecture…let us begin training."
They embarked on the long-distance jog after the lecture, at the end of it waited fatigue and clothes drenched in sweat. Hanzo allowed them to have a moment to rest before they moved on to the swim. The end of their first day of training did not come soon enough as the trio had exhausted all their strength due to the intensity of their circuit.
Hanzo laughed at them during lunch as they had difficulty using their chopsticks due to the heavy limbs. The day had been physically taxing and their bodies ached all over. They would grow accustomed to the pain that came with the sheer hard work as the days progressed. With their endurance increasing as quickly as the days went by, they were carrying out their exercises without succumbing to fatigue.
The month went on and the dread for the run and swim decreased to a point where they began to enjoy the exercises. The evenings, which were a lot calmer, focused on Manipura chakra meditation that required them to visualize a yellow sphere located just above the navel and the trio had to form the Agni mudra with their hands.
"We have come to the end of the month and your Manipura chakras are now balanced."
The students leapt in excitement.
"That also means you can now use Shoshin, so in whatever you do you should approach it with an open mind," added Hanzo. "As for you Kazuo-kun…I think you are ready to retrieve Sūijin."
***
Hanzo gave Kazuo the directions to where the water sword was and with a sense of eagerness and determination, the Inazuma teen took a deep breath and dived into the sea hoping to recover it. The month long aerobics training meant that their lung capacities had improved and they could hold their breaths for longer underwater.
Hanzo and the rest of the team began to worry when six minutes had elapsed and Kazuo still had not resurfaced because that was a minute more than his record for being underwater. Their faith in him did not waver even though the odds were stacking up and the tension on the shore was mounting.
Finally, after seven whole minutes, Hanzo decided it was time to dive in after his pupil. He approached the sea and was stopped in his tracks by an excited scream from Mikoto when she noticed Kazuo's purple head pop out of the water.
"Ahh!" Kazuo gasped for air before shouting, "…I found it!" On his raised hand was the blue scabbard that carried the mighty water katana within it.
He tried to swim back to shore but failed miserably as he did not have enough strength left to carry himself across the sea. Hanzo jumped in to help bring Kazuo to dry land. They told him how worried they had grown but assured him that they knew he could do it as he had been preparing so hard for that very moment.
***
Air training was reserved for the fourth month. It involved balance, rigorous breathing exercises and Anahata chakra meditation. The latter was about focusing on a green sphere located at the heart centre with the Vayu mudra. That would also be the last month for Takumi and Mikoto before they focused on mastering their affinities.
The air month came and went like a gust of wind. By month end the trio had opened their Anahata chakras and achieved Zanshin. They had reached a state of inner peace, awareness of their surroundings and mental alertness. They could now move about and run faster than they did before. The end of the month signified the end of the fall season. All the tree leaves such as those of the cherry blossoms had fallen to the ground.