Magnus woke with a groan, his entire body protesting as he tried to sit up. Every muscle throbbed from yesterday's fight with Tri Tran, and he knew today wasn't going to be any easier. Tri had promised brutal training, and Magnus believed every word of it.
After dragging himself out of bed, he dressed quickly and headed toward the dojo. His legs felt like lead, and his arms were sore and heavy from the relentless battle the day before. But if he wanted to get stronger, he had to push through.
When Magnus arrived at the dojo, Tri was already waiting, arms crossed, standing in the middle of the room. His expression was unreadable, but his mere presence carried an aura of intensity that immediately put Magnus on edge.
"Good, you're on time," Tri said, not turning around. "Today, we're going to break your overreliance on powers. You've got a body, Magnus—let's make sure it's not just there for decoration."
Magnus stifled a sigh. He already knew this was going to be brutal. "So, what do I need to do?"
Tri walked over to a line of wooden dummies set up along the far wall. "These dummies are your first challenge. But here's the catch: no mana, no portals. You're going to punch them until you learn control, precision, and proper technique. If you hit them wrong, you'll hurt yourself."
Magnus eyed the dummies warily. They didn't look dangerous, but something about Tri's tone made him second-guess.
Tri dipped his hands in a bucket of water and motioned for Magnus to do the same. "Wet your hands. The dummies are designed to rebound whatever force you throw at them. Too much power without control, and you'll pay for it."
Magnus dipped his hands in the cold water, feeling the chill seep into his bones. His knuckles already ached from the previous day, but he pushed the pain aside. This was just the beginning.
"Control. Precision," Tri reminded, stepping back to observe.
Magnus took a deep breath and threw his first punch. The moment his fist connected with the dummy, pain shot up his arm as the dummy absorbed the hit and bounced the force back at him. He winced, pulling his hand back. His knuckles were already throbbing.
"Again," Tri said, his voice steady but stern.
Magnus gritted his teeth and punched again, trying to control the strike better this time. But the pain was still sharp, and the dummy barely moved.
"You're using just your arm," Tri observed. "Engage your whole body. Punch from your core."
Magnus nodded, but inside, frustration was building. Why focus so much on control when brute strength could get the job done faster?
After what felt like hours of relentless punching, Magnus's hands were raw, his knuckles bruised, and his arms felt like they were on fire. He kept hearing Tri's instructions, but something inside him snapped. Why control his power when he could just hit harder?
Without thinking, Magnus stepped back, clenched his fists, and muttered to himself, "Why control it when I can just hit harder?"
"Magnus, what are you doing?" Tri warned, noticing the shift in his stance.
But Magnus was done listening. His frustration boiled over, and he threw everything he had into his next punch. "Pain is just an illusion!" he roared as his fist connected with the dummy.
The wooden dummy shattered, splinters flying across the dojo as Magnus's punch obliterated it completely.
Tri raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "That... was unexpected."
Magnus stood there, panting, his knuckles bleeding, his hand numb from the impact. The pain in his hand was searing, but he couldn't help the small flicker of satisfaction at seeing the shattered dummy.
Tri walked over and examined the broken remains. "You've proven you can use brute strength, but that's not the point of the training. Power without control leaves you vulnerable."
Magnus wiped the sweat from his brow, still catching his breath. "But it worked, didn't it?"
Tri gave him a hard look. "Your body will break before the enemy does if you keep that up. Now, your legs."
Magnus's eyes widened. "My... legs?"
Tri pointed to a stretch of jagged, uneven rocks laid out outside the dojo. "You're going to run across those barefoot. It'll teach you balance and build strength. You can't brute-force everything, Magnus."
Magnus stared at the rocks, his stomach sinking. His arms were a wreck, and now his legs? But he knew better than to argue. Slowly, he kicked off his boots and stepped onto the rocky path.
The pain was immediate. The sharp stones dug into his feet, each step sending jolts of pain up his legs. He winced with every movement but kept moving forward.
"Keep your balance, or you'll fall. Again," Tri said, watching closely.
Magnus gritted his teeth, trying to stay upright, but after just a few steps, his foot slipped on a jagged rock, and he stumbled, barely catching himself.
"Again."
Over and over, Magnus crossed the rocky path, his feet becoming bloodied and raw with every misstep. Each time he stumbled, Tri forced him to start over. By the time he finished, his feet were covered in cuts, and his legs trembled with exhaustion.
"Good enough for now," Tri said with a nod. "But we're not done."
Magnus wiped the sweat from his forehead, trying to ignore the burning in his legs. "What now?"
Tri led him back inside, where thick ropes weighted with iron balls hung from the ceiling. "Your last task for today: dodge. No powers, no enhanced reflexes—just instincts. If you get hit, you start over."
Magnus swallowed hard but took his place in the center. Tri sent the first iron ball swinging toward him. He ducked just in time, but as soon as he dodged the first, a second ball swung from the other side, catching him off guard.
The iron ball slammed into his side, sending him crashing to the floor.
"Get up," Tri said. "Again."
Magnus groaned but pushed himself back to his feet, wincing from the pain in his ribs. He took his place again, determined not to get hit. The iron balls swung faster this time, and Magnus moved on instinct, dodging the first two strikes.
But the third caught him on the shoulder, knocking him off balance and sending him to the ground once more.
"Again."
Hours passed with Magnus dodging, stumbling, and getting knocked down repeatedly. His body screamed for rest, but Tri pushed him relentlessly, demanding perfection with every movement.
By the time the sun began to set, Magnus's arms and legs were covered in cuts and bruises. His feet were swollen, his knuckles raw, and he could barely stand.
"That's enough for today," Tri finally said. "But tomorrow, we push harder."
Magnus nodded weakly, too tired to speak.
"Go rest. You'll need it," Tri added as he turned to leave the dojo. "Tomorrow, we'll work on endurance."
---
When Magnus finally made it back to his room, he collapsed onto his bed, every part of his body screaming in pain. His feet throbbed, his arms felt like lead, and his ribs were on fire from the repeated impacts of the iron balls.
Before he could rest, he reached for his communication device. He needed to talk to Ava, to hear something normal after such a brutal day.
The call connected, and Ava's face appeared on the screen. She looked slightly annoyed, but a smile crept onto her face when she saw him.
"Finally! I've been waiting for you to call," Ava said, crossing her arms. "How's the tournament going? Did you win?"
Magnus shook his head, laughing weakly. "Not exactly. I lost to Tri Tran."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "Wait, the martial arts master? You fought him?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't even close," Magnus admitted. "Still, he made me his disciple."
"His disciple?" Ava's eyes widened in surprise. "That's huge! I mean, aren't you the first person he's trained in like... forever?"
Magnus nodded, though the weight of the responsibility settled in again. "Yeah, I guess. But the training today... it's brutal. My body feels like it's been run over."
Ava chuckled. "That sounds like you're in for a rough time."
Magnus hesitated before asking, "By the way, has Sarah visited yet? She was supposed to check in on you."
Ava's expression darkened a bit. "No, she hasn't. I thought maybe she was busy, but it's been a while."
Magnus frowned. That didn't sit right with him. Sarah was always reliable, and he specifically asked her to check on Ava. "I'll check in on that. Just stay safe, okay?"
"You too," Ava said, her voice softening a bit. "Don't push yourself too hard."
Magnus smiled, though he knew he had no choice in that. "I'll try."
After hanging up, Magnus let out a long sigh and sank deeper into his bed. His mind was racing, but his body demanded rest. With a weary groan, he closed his eyes and allowed the pull of the Lone Dream to take over.
---
In the ethereal expanse of the Lone Dream, Magnus appeared, his body still aching despite the healing energy that surrounded him. Xavier materialized, his golden form flickering softly.
"Magnus," Xavier said
, eyeing the bruises and cuts covering him. "You look... worn out."
Magnus gave a tired nod. "You don't say."
Xavier tilted his head. "I assume Tri's training is as brutal as expected?"
Magnus let out a dry laugh. "Brutal doesn't even cover it. I spent the whole day punching dummies that punch back, running barefoot on rocks, and dodging iron balls. My body feels like it's been torn apart."
Xavier gave a knowing nod. "That's how Tri trains. He values control more than brute strength. But it looks like you've already tested the limits of both."
Magnus leaned back, sighing. "I've never been this exhausted. Every part of me hurts."
"That's how you know you're improving," Xavier said. "Pain is temporary, but what you gain from it will last."
Magnus nodded, letting the healing energies of the Lone Dream soothe his battered body. Tomorrow would bring more pain, but he knew it was worth it.
For now, all he could do was rest—and prepare for whatever hell Tri had in store next.