Hiro stood in the training yard, staring at the wooden training dummy in front of him. His heart pounded, not from fear, but from the excitement and pressure he felt. This was the day he would finally start learning the first technique of his family's legendary sword style. Rose leaned against a tree, watching him closely. She was curious about what Hiro was planning to do. Hiro had been quiet all morning, preparing for this moment, and she knew it was important.
As Hiro gripped the sword in his hand, memories of his father's lessons rushed into his mind. He could hear his father's deep, calm voice as if he were standing right next to him, giving him advice again. One line echoed the loudest in his head:
"Before everything, there must be strength. Speed comes after."
Hiro clenched his fists, remembering how much his father believed in this. His father always said that without strength, speed meant nothing. Hiro knew this too. If he wanted to protect the people he cared about, he had to become strong first, strong enough that nothing could harm them. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts and focus on the training ahead.
There was something else his father had told him about this technique, something that wasn't written in any of the books. Hiro remembered his father leaning in close, his expression serious, as he shared the secret of the first technique:
"The first technique isn't just about hitting hard. It's about controlling the power. If you don't control it, it can backfire."
Hiro knew that mastering this control was key. It wasn't just about swinging his sword with all his might. He had to learn how to balance his strength and guide it properly. Otherwise, he could hurt himself more than his enemies. He knew it would take time, but he was ready.
He raised his sword, facing the training dummy. His muscles tensed as he prepared for the strike. With a strong swing, he slashed at the dummy, hoping to feel the power surge through his blade. But instead, the strike only created a weak shockwave, barely moving the dummy. Hiro's grip tightened on the sword, frustration building up inside him. He was sure he had put enough strength into the swing, so why wasn't it working?
As he stood there, trying to figure out what went wrong, his father's words echoed in his mind again:
"A dragon's strength lies not just in its size, but in its will."
Hiro's eyes narrowed. His father had taught him that power wasn't just about physical strength—it was also about how much willpower and determination a person had. A dragon wasn't strong just because it was big; it was strong because it had a fierce will. Hiro realized that he wasn't just supposed to swing the sword with his muscles. He had to focus his will, his desire to become stronger, into each strike.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Hiro focused on everything that fueled him—his anger, his desire for revenge, and the faces of the people he had lost. He let that feeling fill him, making his heart beat faster and his body feel stronger. With a deep breath, he opened his eyes and swung the sword again. This time, the shockwave was bigger and more forceful, but still not as powerful as it should have been.
Rose, still watching from the side, couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had never seen anyone try something like this before. Hiro wasn't just training for strength; he was trying to unlock something deeper, something she didn't fully understand yet. But even though his strikes were powerful, they were also wild and lacked control.
After thinking for a while, Rose walked over to Hiro. She could tell he was struggling with the balance between power and control. Hiro's potential was clear, but he needed help to focus his energy better. She grabbed some heavy wristbands and ankle weights from the training shed nearby and handed them to Hiro.
"Put these on," Rose said. "You're focusing too much on power. You need to learn control first. These will slow you down, but they'll help you understand how to guide your strength."
Hiro looked at the weights in her hands. He could already tell that wearing them would make things harder, but he trusted Rose. She had experience, and if she thought this would help, then he was willing to try. He strapped the heavy wristbands onto his arms and the ankle weights onto his legs, instantly feeling the added burden. He raised his sword again, but this time, his movements were slower, more deliberate.
As he swung his sword again, he remembered something he had read in one of the old family books. The book talked about how important it was to have a solid stance and to breathe properly during training. Without these two things, controlling the raw power of the dragon's tyrant would be almost impossible. Hiro widened his stance, planting his feet firmly on the ground, and took a deep, steady breath. He could feel a difference right away. His swings felt more balanced, even with the heavy weights slowing him down.
For the next month, Hiro trained with the weights on every day. Each swing of his sword felt like it took forever, but he focused on his stance and breathing, just like the old book said. At first, the training was exhausting. His muscles ached, and there were days when he could barely move by the time training was over. But slowly, his body got stronger, and his strikes became more controlled. The shockwaves were starting to take shape, becoming sharper and more focused.
One afternoon, after weeks of hard work, Hiro stood in front of the dummy once again. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the sword in his hand and the strength in his body. His stance was solid, his breathing steady. This time, he felt ready. With a shout, he swung the sword with all his might, but this time, the power was controlled. The shockwave that followed was powerful and destructive, smashing into the dummy and sending splinters flying everywhere.
Hiro stood there, breathing heavily as he looked at the damage he had caused. He had finally done it. After all the training, all the struggle, he had mastered the first step of the technique. But even though he was proud, he couldn't help but think about how dangerous the technique was.
"So this is why the Amadeus techniques are so feared," Hiro thought to himself. "If you don't know the meaning behind the techniques, you could easily end up breaking your own arms."
The thought sent a chill down his spine. But at the same time, it made him realize just how special his family's sword style was. The first step was complete, but he knew there was still a long road ahead. With this first victory, Hiro felt more determined than ever to keep moving forward.