The next day.
I sat under a tree, chest still heaving from my earlier sprints. The town's activity buzzed in the distance, but my focus was inward. I'd been pushing my body harder with each training session, both with and without chakra, but I knew there was more I could do. My body was screaming for rest, but I'd heard enough from the greats back in my old world to know one thing: the brain always quits long before the body does.
"Forty percent," I muttered to myself. Goggins had said it. When your brain tells you that you're at your limit, you're really only about forty percent of the way there. I wasn't going to stop now. This wasn't just about strength, it was about survival. In this world, strength wasn't a luxury; it was a necessity.
I stood up, shaking out my legs and arms, still burning from the effort. For now, I will train without chakra. It would force my body to become stronger naturally. Chakra was a tool, but if I relied on it too much, I'd never know the limits of what I could accomplish with just my own body.
I started with pull-ups again, my arms trembling as I lifted myself up to the branch. One. Two. Three. Each pull was slower than the last, my muscles straining as I fought against gravity. My hands felt raw, and my grip was slipping, but I clenched harder, refusing to let go.
When my arms gave out, I dropped to the ground and hit push-ups. Wide-grip to target my chest and shoulders, then switching to close-grip for my triceps. My arms shook with each rep, but I pushed through the discomfort. Goggins had said discomfort was where the growth happened, and I wasn't about to back down now.
"Come on… keep pushing," I whispered to myself, gritting my teeth.
I switched to planks, holding my body in position, tightening my core, even as sweat dripped down my face. The burning in my abs and shoulders was intense, but I forced myself to hold it longer, 10 more seconds, then another 10.
After the plank, I hit a series of burpees, my chest and legs burning as I dropped to the ground and jumped back up again. I imagined I was dodging attacks, weaving through enemies, but in reality, I was just fighting against my own fatigue.
"Forty percent," I reminded myself again, pushing through the pain.
After a few rounds of that, I moved on to my legs. Box jumps onto rocks, lunges, and then sprints around the town's perimeter. Without chakra boosting my stamina, I could feel every muscle in my body protest with each step, but I knew I had more in me. I focused on explosive movements, making sure my body wasn't just conditioned but ready to react at any moment.
By the time I finished the sprints, my legs were trembling, and my lungs were screaming for air. My body was on fire, but I knew I still wasn't at my limit. I could go further.
That's when I let the chakra flow.
I closed my eyes for a moment, steadying my breathing. The energy I'd been experimenting with, the chakra, pulsed inside me. It responded quickly now, almost eager to be used. I let it gather in my legs, sending a cool wave of relief through my tired muscles. The pain didn't vanish, but it dulled just enough for me to keep going.
"Let's see what you can do," I muttered, focusing on the chakra as I began running again. This time, it was different. My legs moved faster, the chakra enhancing every step. The exhaustion that had been weighing me down was lifted, like my body was lighter. I pushed myself, sprinting even harder, feeling the wind whip past me as I zipped around the perimeter of the town.
It wasn't just speed, though. I could feel my awareness heighten, the chakra flowing not only to my muscles but to my senses. I noticed every detail around me, the trees swaying in the breeze, the villagers' distant conversations, even the faint rustle of leaves underfoot as I ran.
When I finished the lap, I stopped, panting but still buzzing with energy. This was what chakra could do, boost my speed, strength, and even my awareness. But it also told me something else: if I relied on it too much, I'd never push past my natural limits.
I sat down, letting my heart rate settle, and thought back to what Goggins said. Forty percent. That was just the beginning. If I trained my body without chakra, I'd get stronger naturally, and with chakra, I'd be unstoppable.
....
After cooling down, I returned to the village. The streets were bustling again, and I walked through the market, trying to pick up more words from the locals. Conversations swirled around me, and now I could catch a few more phrases, hello, morning, thank you.
I stopped by a stall selling some kind of skewered meat, gesturing toward the food. "How much?" I asked, mixing English with the few words I knew in Japanese.
The vendor blinked at me, then smiled, holding up two fingers. "Two coins."
"Two, huh?" I said, repeating the word in English as he pointed at the coins in his hand. I didn't have any money yet, but at least I was starting to understand basic prices. I nodded to the man and moved on, keeping my ears open for more words.
As I wandered the town, I practiced what I could, asking for directions and learning what I could from brief exchanges with the villagers. Each conversation felt like a test, and each word I learned was like gaining another tool. If I wanted to survive and thrive in this world, language would be as important as chakra control.
....
By the time noon rolled around, I had a better grasp on the village's layout. There was a path leading deeper into the mountains to the east, and the forest to the west was dense, perfect for more training. I spent the rest of the day pushing myself harder, alternating between training with chakra and without.
For my afternoon session, I focused on building core strength and flexibility. I started with hanging leg raises on a low tree branch, bringing my knees up to my chest in controlled movements. Then I moved on to side planks, holding each position for a minute on each side to work my obliques. Flexibility exercises came next, lunging into deep stretches, working on mobility in my hips, legs, and shoulders.
Chakra flowed into my muscles again when I pushed past the pain, circulating through my body and helping me recover faster. The balance between using chakra and raw strength was crucial, if I could master both, I'd be unstoppable.
....
By evening, I returned to the inn. My body was sore, but I wasn't done yet. I sat down, meditating once again, focusing on refining my chakra control. This time, I concentrated on my hands and feet, sending chakra to each fingertip and toe, trying to get a more precise feel for how it moved. The better I could control it, the better I'd be at fighting, dodging, and even the ninja arts I'd heard about.
"Tomorrow's another day," I said to myself, as the last bit of sunlight faded from the horizon. My body was stronger, my chakra control improving, and I was getting a handle on the language. Bit by bit, this world was starting to open up.
Damn.. i miss chicken..
----
Patreon: SageBlank