Kenichi was running through the hallways of the Ryōzanpaku dojo when Miu's back came into view. The dream repeated in a constant interval, resulting in a complete misunderstanding of the entire place; it was a life steeped in desperation. Kenichi found himself trapped between staircases, and it was the stairs that represented the annoying and fleeting period of misfortune that made him sweat in bed, fear weaving through his heart like stairs.
Stairs!
It was the bothersome sensation of pain, a lost cause… the stairs, formed at different angles, seemed to disappear. Only Miu's back stood as a concrete form of terror; he could see nothing but the fear of being captured in the presence of absence. His feet froze, and he could not take another step.
Various types of dreams began to envelop Kenichi's feelings as he awoke with a headache and evident exhaustion that permeated even the smallest parts of his body.
- You're awake, dear, dear Kenichi. - Ma Kensei commented, who was keeping watch.
- Apapapapapa, the talisman against good luck from Apachai is what saved Kenichi. - Apachai remarked.
- You slept for three days. - Ma Kensei stated.
- I took a complete beating. - Kenichi replied, utterly exhausted; every ounce of his being felt drained, every bone broken, and what hurt even more were the blows from Kei. He felt his skin burning as if it were a severe burn; his entire body was ablaze.
All the masters of Ryōzanpaku appeared in a burst, even the old Hayato, but Miu Furinji was nowhere to be found. From the end, she began training again, feeling that the people she faced were beyond her reach, and it was even more painful that her grandfather wouldn't let her fight as she wished.
- Hahaha, you need to double your training. - Akisame responded.
Kenichi's spirit escaped from his body; he was about to complain as he usually did, but the atmosphere was solemn. This solemnity was not common among his loving masters, who, despite his failures, would never react in such a way.
The memories of his loss flooded back—memories of the young man who copied his skills, the masters who taught him so much, skills that were copied and even surpassed in a disgustingly effective manner. It questioned his ideals, mocked his values, and led to his defeat. He swallowed hard.
For the first time, he did not see Miu, and it weighed heavily on his heart. With a hint of loneliness, he could understand that he had failed; perhaps Miu also realized that she was a failure. But he could not give up; to do so would be unacceptable.
- I'm sorry! I was weak! - Kenichi exclaimed, feeling that he had betrayed the hopes of his masters through his actions. Tears streamed down his face in a trickle, as he felt he had let Miu down, let his masters down, and failed his purpose.
The news hung in the air, but Ryuto was alive. Alive! But he was not out of danger, which was why there was a palpable discomfort throughout the group... a young man trying to cling to his life, his own defeated disciple, and the promise of the elder—a promise that could cause many problems for all the members of Ryōzanpaku. –
***
The mountains were the breeding ground for Ogata Kensei, who was training Kei in every aspect from different positions. The work being done was intense, but nothing that Kei considered impossible.
- You have an impeccable body, from your bones to your recovery ability, your mental strength; you were raised for this... but tell me something. What do you think about martial arts? - Ogata asked.
- The only thing that matters is power; good or evil doesn't matter. Following martial arts is what defines our destiny. Many talk about this and that, but the only thing that speaks in this realm is the fists. Power is the only thing that matters in life. - Kei commented.
- You're interesting. - Ogata remarked. Strange moments passed, but Ogata was a magnificent teacher, his white cloak reflecting his eccentric personality.
- I wonder what your master would say. - Ogata mused.
- Nothing. It was an experiment... As long as I develop my style and kill those he needs, the rest doesn't matter. I believe that if I don't meet his expectations, I will die... I have a Kengan battle in five days. - Kei replied.
He had to fight against a Kengan fighter, this time a powerful competitor ranked among the top 100 fighters in the company, with 30 victories and six defeats. He was one of the most veteran fighters, and Kei did not know him.
- Ohhhh, an underground fight. - Ogata commented.
- It is; an underground arena, one of the best. Powerful people, not at the level of Yami, but you subvert the fight. - Kei explained, performing steps on wooden posts, carrying two stone dishes filled with water on his shoulders, and wearing two black steel weights of 50 kilos each on his legs, with a spring pulling at his abdomen.
Kensei was painting on a scroll, his strokes were magnificent.
- We needed more training time for you to learn even more. - Kensei commented.
Kei nodded, knowing that what he was about to say would be foolish.
- We can fight. I have always been a fervent supporter of the idea that death is the best method. Let's fight; try to kill me, or at least bring me to the brink of death. - Kei suggested.
- You don't fight in five days. - Ogata replied.
- Limiters don't matter. No matter how I fight, if I don't push myself to the limit, I will never reach the fighting level I desire, taking baby steps. - Kei stated, observing the way he developed, continuing a fight against Ogata on the posts, fervently engaging from different angles.
Ogata fulfilled his role, being relentless; his punches were like arrows that could pierce the skin with just a bit more force. The impact was terrifying, as he aimed to break Kei's body. Even in his resistance, he tried to crush Kei's trachea, narrowly failing.
Kei was on a tightrope, covered in blood all over his body, while Ogata showed not a hint of sweat, throwing punches as they both jumped from side to side. Kei's strength shattered the common spectrum; initially, the master of ancient arts had calculated an hour of training, but the time extended to eight hours. It was complete and illogical; Kensei even put all his murderous intent into it, wishing to kill Kei in a flash.
Ogata was a war machine, like most of the people who gathered behind Yami.
- You're formidable, kid. - Ogata said, quickly taking Kei to the cabin; he needed to perform an emergency treatment.
...