The night was cool against Liam's skin as he staggered home, the events of the night making him feel even more exhausted than he already was. His shoulder throbbed, reminding him of the fight that had unfolded just minutes ago. He felt his shoulder hurt, but the pain was nothing compared to the adrenaline still running through his veins.
Once inside his apartment, he headed straight for the bathroom, where he examined the wound. The bullet had grazed his shoulder, leaving a painful reminder of his encounter. As he cleaned the area, the sting from the medicine bit into his skin, the wound was shallow luckily enough for him.
Liam wrapped the bandage tightly around his shoulder, while his thoughts focused on something else. This was the first time he had taken lives, and though he had acted out of necessity, it was still something he hadn't done before.
After a moment's hesitation, he dialed his grandpa's number, putting on a front. "Hey, Grandpa. Just checking in," he said, forcing a light tone into his voice. He listened to his grandpa's cheerful chatter, nodding along. Eventually, they said their goodbyes and Liam felt slightly better again.
As exhaustion overwhelmed him, he crawled into bed. His mind went back to the events of the night once more. The faces of the thugs, the feel of Incursio in his hand. Eventually, he fell asleep.
----------
The following morning, the dojo was filled with the sounds of students sparring and practicing techniques. Liam entered with his demeanor almost completely back to his normal self, but there was a new focus in his eyes. As he moved through the training hall, he searched for Master Chen, hoping for a moment to talk.
When he finally spotted his teacher, Liam waited patiently for the class to finish. The students bowed and left, leaving him with Master Chen.
"Liam," Master Chen greeted him, his voice calm and steady. "You look troubled. What's on your mind?"
Taking a deep breath, Liam told him what happened the previous night; the ambush, the fight, and the lives he had taken. Master Chen listened, nodding in understanding as Liam spoke.
"You acted out of necessity," the master said. "In life difficult choices must sometimes be made. But understand this, while it may leave a scar dont let the scar hold you down."
Liam nodded, feeling the truth of those words resonate within him. "I know,'' He said '' master can you help me train my instincts, after the spar yesterday, I noticed I was lacking something and then later at night during the fight I found out that my danger sense and instinct still aren't good enough.''
Master Chen raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You wish to sharpen your instincts? Thats not an easy thing to do. It requires many life-and-death situations to hone your instincts to a good level. What we can do, however, is train your awareness of your surroundings."
"Yes, please," Liam replied.
They moved to a quiet area of the dojo, where Master Chen began explaining the importance of awareness in battles. "To improve your instincts, you need to first learn to be present in the moment. Clear your mind of your thoughts and focus on your surroundings."
The first exercise was meditation. Liam sat cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes and trying to empty his thoughts. He concentrated on his breathing, the rhythm grounding him. As he focused, he could hear the faint sounds of the dojo more clearly. Slowly, he felt his mind begin to clear.
"Good," Master Chen encouraged. "Stay with that awareness."
After some time, they moved to reaction drills. Master Chen began tossing objects at Liam unexpectedly. At first, he struggled to react, his mind too full of random thoughts. But as the days passed, he began to feel a spark of instinct guiding him. Each time he dodged or caught an object, he felt new excitement coming from within him.
Next came sparring, with Master Chen closing his eyes. "Trust your instincts, Liam," he instructed. "Anticipate my moves."
Liam focused, using everything he had learned. With each feint and jab, he felt more part of his surroundings. He began to see the movements before they happened, his body responding almost automatically.
Master Chen observed him, approval in his eyes. "Your awareness is improving, but remember, true instincts require a lot of life-and-death battles. You cannot train this process, it is forged through conflict."
Liam said, "I understand, Master. Thank you for your advice."
After the training session, they took a moment to catch their breath. Liam felt exhilarated and smiled.
"Your instincts are improving," Master Chen remarked, wiping sweat from his brow. "But remember, you are not there yet. Trusting yourself is one of the most important factors for using your instincts."
Liam nodded, feeling gratitude. "Thank you, Master. I'll keep training."
As he walked home, he realized the road ahead would be challenging. But with each passing day, he felt himself growing stronger and more capable of facing whatever is coming for him.
That's how his day ended, and as Liam prepared for bed, he couldn't help but look at the bandage on his shoulder and smile at the victory he had achieved.