Daimonji had a serious anger problem against Kenichi Shirahama, which was secretly more of an issue of honor. They both attend the same middle school, but unlike the content Kenichi, Daimonji trained hard to become a more powerful man.
One day, Daimonji pushed Kenichi aside, sending him crashing into the classroom door. The aggressor then went to the karate club, while the assaulted Kenichi, cursing his weakness, spent a week diligently learning the steps Miu taught him - a slow step with a hip twist. Miu's instructions were clear: face the opponent, then move your feet quickly. Allow the opponent to get close, then produce a spinning motion.
Kenichi took the training to an extreme degree, practicing the taught step for at least 5 hours a day for a week until the "gu-bo" and "pa-bo" movements were ingrained in his mind.
Miu observed the incident, commenting that Daimonji was quite rude. Kenichi continued focusing on perfecting his footwork, able to spin faster on his axis each time.
***
Kei was conducting his mental fight against Muteba, using not only the data he had gathered from their actual confrontation and other appearances but also observing the information he had amassed after much thought and deliberation. He had created a roster of fighters, with the ones he had most readily available being Kovac, Shogo, and Shiba, followed by Niko, Ohma, the Commander (an interior member who used Sambo as his martial art), Cai, Wilches, and Muteba himself. Unbeknownst to Kei, he had inadvertently saved Wilches from certain death in the jungle, the stray bullet intended for the captain, as the medic was a vital part of the three hunters. But Cai had been much faster and more ruthless.
-I lost again, - Kei murmured, projecting his fifty-five virtual fights against Muteba. He used all the information at his disposal, but could not coordinate the attacks properly - they were precise yet always injured his entire being.
He calmed his breathing, regulated his heartbeat, and took another breath in his meditation. The projection required composure, but his activity continued. The next fight was against Niko, which lingered in his memory, as he cultivated all kinds of Niko-style abilities. For now, his combinations were unacceptable, and blending the adamantine and fire katas was simple, but water and redirection posed a challenge to imitate in combat unless he used weights, but that was a soft target.
-You must regulate your body as a unit, Kei. You overthink things too much. In time, you will understand the Niko style movements - the key is to just keep training, - Niko said.
The arena left Kei in the middle, projecting fifty more fights in less than two hours until they entered and broke his concentration. It was Wilches, the team's substitute medic.
-I see you're doing better now, - Wilches commented.
-I feel like I've been run through the chest, - Kei joked, with evident fatigue. He had woken up on a plane headed to the United States, and his physical recovery was excellent compared to a normal person. It was just that amidst his constant training, he had received all kinds of care. Medical supplies can save lives, which is why medicine has such a broad reach in the world of war - anyone who needs them knows their importance.
-It's best you take it that way, boy, - Wilches said.
-It doesn't matter, it's better this way. I haven't eaten this well in some time, - Kei murmured, sampling every bite they provided, even though chewing the meat pieces was painful - he craved to taste it every day without fail.
-We'll arrive in Japan soon. Do you still want to be left in the interior? -Wilches asked.
-Yes, I know my story, - Kei commented. He had recently explained that he has a master who teaches him and they planned to meet in the interior, but everything ended unpleasantly, and he ended up being kidnapped. It was a headache, but he earned the honorary badge of the wolves, along with the contact information of these people who used to perform all sorts of missions, entering and exiting.
-We'll enter through Rozha. The rest is up to you, - Wilches commented, with a certain disdain for the place.
-Then it's better if I'm left in Japan. Crossing borders is exhausting, and I don't have my master to guide me. For now, it would just be suicide for me to run through the interior, - Kei said.
-We'll be there soon, although I fear to say that according to Cai's recommendations and our group, you should solidify your techniques. The pre-initiative technique requires guidance and much experience - it needs a very good master to learn, - Wilches said.
-It doesn't matter. It's better to ask now and eat later. I have some plans to improve my strength. For now, I'm not satisfied. Death can come at any moment. Muteba was just an alarm for me - the next mistake will cost me dearly, - Kei commented.
-Although maybe we can teach you the breathing techniques you asked for. They're essential in martial arts and aren't complicated. Some of them are perfect for improving concentration, calmness, energy, and physical performance, - Wilches said.
There are many types of breathing used. The first is the fire breaths or Kapalbhati, which are for energizing the body. When exhaling, the abdominal muscles contract and perform rapid and strong exhalations for minutes. This technique can be used in battle to maximize the will to fight. The next is Tummo, used to generate body heat. It involves visualization and meditation in a cycle, with the breaths concentrating from the abdomen to be effective.
However, there are meditations used to improve the flow of chi in the body through visualization, overcoming blockages, and coordinating the body with breathing. This is the third breathing technique you should learn.
***
-Yes, sir. The radar explains that the boy will be in Japan in two hours, - a member of the Takemoto dojo commented.
-Thank God. We must be careful, but now with Kei's arrival, we can keep our eyes on the rebellious boy, - Roshi commented.
He wasn't just one of the people who was always worried about Kei's state, although the substitute presented by Shiba was good and exceeded the common denominator. He believed Kei had more strength - he was a boy who stood out wherever he was. After all, he was the man chosen by Bakuya News to replace Takemoto.
-Prepare everything. The boy's training must be installed. He has another Kengan match at the end of October, - Roshi said.
...