Stepping through the dojo doors, I found myself in a small lobby. It wasn't the massive open hall I had thought it would be. The wooden floor creaked beneath my feet, the walls were filled with photographs and newspapers. A single desk sat near the entrance, with a simple bell on it.
I hesitated for a moment before ringing the bell. Moments later, the door behind the desk opened and a man stepped out. He was in his mid forties with black hair tied back into a small bun. He wore a traditional martial arts uniform, and his eyes scanned me out curiosity.
"Can I help you?" he asked, his tone neutral but polite.
"I want to train here," I said.
The man nodded slightly. "You'll need to fill out some forms," he said, sliding a few papers over the desk. "Take your time."
As I scribbled my details onto the paper, he introduced himself. "I'm Master Chen. I oversee most of the training here."
Master Chen's presence was peaceful. Not the loud, boastful type of person you might see in the movies, but the kind that came from years of discipline and training. When I finished the paperwork, he glanced at the form and gave me a nod. "You're all set. Come back tomorrow at 8 AM for your first session."
The next day, I returned to the dojo. Master Chen was already there, moving through his own warm-up exercises while teaching a group of students who were ahead of me.
"Today, we'll start with the basics," he said, gesturing for me to join him. The session was harder than I had anticipated. Basic strengthening exercises, squats, push ups, drills that trained every muscle group.
When we finally moved on to the sword techniques. It was difficult, I had never held a sword before obviously. I first had to learn how to hold a sword properly, how to swing with control, precision. Slow and steady was the advice he gave me while walking to the next group of students.
I quickly realized how long it would take to reach the level of an Okolye or Sif—hell, even Master Chen's techniques were probably not that close. The gap between me and the villains I'd be fighting in the future is massive.
But that wasn't the only thing bothering me. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't activate Incursio. The armor remained unresponsive, I can't awaken it yet, I thought to myself, frustration growing. According to the anime sufficient physical strength is needed in order to bond with incursio. I'll have to wait until I grow stronger before I can try again.
"Don't rush," Master Chen advised as I struggled to perfect a basic strike. "You need control before speed. Power without control is nothing."
A week had passed and each day I returned to the dojo, going through the same routine. The soreness in my muscles stayed but I started to notice minor improvements in holding my sword. I was faster, more stable, and the wooden sword felt a little less like a foreign object in my hand.
Then came my first sparring session with Master Chen.
"Alright," he said, standing across from me with a practice sword in hand. "Let's see where you are."
My heart raced as I gripped the wooden training sword. I knew this was a test. Chen stood calmly, his stance relaxed but poised. I moved first, charging at him with a swing aimed at his right side. He stopped it with ease, the sound of wood hitting wood echoing in the dojo.
Before I could react, he struck, a fast blow that tapped my left shoulder. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to show me how far I had to go.
"Too slow," he said calmly. "Your left side was completely open due to your overcommitment. Try again."
I came forward again, this time with a more controlled approach, but Chen countered every move effortlessly. He was always one step ahead. After a few minutes, I was breathing heavily, my muscles burning up, while Chen didn't even sweat.
The difference between us was obvious. While I was still learning the basics, Chen had years of experience on his side. I felt frustration inside me, 'I couldn't even get close to him,' I thought.
"You're improving," Chen said he ended the spar due to my exhaustion. "But don't expect miracles overnight. It takes time, patience, and effort. Keep training and you'll eventually reach this level"
By the time I made it back to my apartment, I felt like I was dying. My legs were burning up and every step I took was torture. I barely managed to take off my shoes before throwing myself on my bed, not even having the strength to pull my blanket over me.