A hot summer month passed in the blink of an eye.
During this month, Dash continued training with even more dedication in secret while recovering from all his injuries. Thanks to his excessive care, the injuries he gained in his previous tournament fully healed, and the wound on his forehead closed completely.
Throughout this time, Dash had been accustomed to using all the Kung Fu techniques he knew, not limiting himself to just Karate for the tournament. After resuming training, Dash could clearly feel that amid the sharp pain, the tenacity and strength of his body were rapidly increasing.
Dash loved that feeling because he knew he was advancing quickly in his training, and as a result, his body was developing even more.
Pum! Pum! Pum!
"Hoo... Hoo..."
"Are you exhausted? You must know perfectly well that you're not prepared to dominate the China tournament. They are born learning Kung Fu, and you've been at it for less than a year. Do you think you have the talent they don't?"
"No, Sensei Kim!" Dash shouted as he continued striking the training dummy.
"From now on, you'll call me just Mr. Kim. Remember, however far you go will be solely because of your effort," Mr. Kim said while observing the effort Dash put into the new exercise.
"Are you listening too, Lee?"
"Yes, Mr. Kim!" Devon, by Dash's side, sweated profusely as she improved her kicks with each attempt.
After the previous warm-up, Dash went to the backyard to first train by doing some push-ups before starting to strike imaginary foes around him.
"You've asked me to be tougher in training, so from now on, I'll make your bodies bleed without you dying in the attempt," Mr. Kim said as he watched Dash and Devon comply with the new training he had devised.
"In a week, the Dojo will open its doors to students who want to learn from both of you and me. So, I must ensure you understand the importance of this training and how necessary it is not to overexert your bodies."
Dash and Devon wanted to increase their training to keep improving. Winning two tournaments was not their goal for the future; they knew they had to keep improving to remain unbeatable in combat.
...
In the spacious backyard, strategically arranged for training, a shadow firmly supported his body using only his thumbs, while his feet floated on the ground's surface. The only sounds were his breaths and the slight creaking of the muscles as he moved up and down using his arms.
Sweat soaked his entire clothing as new waves of sweat continued falling to the ground, forming a small puddle.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
With each movement, his body pumped blood, further defining his muscles before he stopped training. In this training, every muscle in his body was being used to the fullest. About ten minutes later, Dash finally ended up exhausted. As he lay on the ground, he tried to recover his breath quickly, while an extreme sensation of pain slowly spread through his body.
"So tired..."
Dash gritted his teeth as his heart beat rapidly, and his hands shook. He tried to lift his body and recover as quickly as possible to stabilize his breathing. Without removing his clothes, he walked to the shower to wash off all the sweat.
After showering, Dash walked to a folding ice tub that had been prepared for him and immersed himself in it, feeling the coldness freezing his bones. This was the only way to recover quickly after training to exhaustion. He didn't do it always since it wasn't recommended for health, but every now and then, it was allowed, erasing exhaustion this way.
Today, with the possible enrollment of new apprentices, two women were hired to take care of cleaning in areas where Mr. Kim couldn't. Everything was ready to open the Dojo to students who wanted to bear the Sakura tree shield.
While Dash was in the cold water, this stimulating sensation was what he needed to feel more in tune with his goals.
"There's nothing better than a good shower after rigorous training..." Dash lazily floated in the ice-filled tub, currently having only the strength to go with the water's flow. It felt as if every cell in his body was angrily screaming at him. Still, these protests of pain gradually subsided as Dash's body cooled further.
At this point, all he wanted to do was close his eyes and enjoy the recovery process. Just as the minutes passed, his slow breathing became more active, and after a moment more, he emerged from the folding tub.
The numbness in his body made Dash stop feeling pain, and he came out with his body shaking as he walked slowly back to the shower to stabilize his body heat.
After following the routine, Dash dried his body and changed into casual clothes while walking to a more relaxed resting area.
"Did you torture yourself in that brutal way again?" Devon asked as she sat beside him.
"It's not that bad; it's just part of the triumph process." After hearing that, Dash took the gummy bag from Devon and began eating them.
While eating these gummies, Dash looked at Devon and asked, "Now that we're entering high school, do you have any idea what it will be like to make new friends?"
"As if you're everyone's friend. The only one you talk to besides me is the guy who gets bullied in school and the training dummy." Devon rolled her eyes and snatched the gummy bag.
"I'm a bit serious; many people consider me boring..."
"I'm not so sure about that. By the way, I bought some movies that haven't been released in theaters and are about many things I can't watch alone. So, you have to accompany me and be my partner for this day." Devon, who loved marathon-watching strange movies, always dragged Dash into audiovisual torture.
"The last movie we watched was about a giant cockroach eating people. Are you sure this time you've made good selections?" Dash looked into Devon's eyes and questioned her with suspicion.
"Of course, I don't always pick the same garbage as usual..."