The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Cain woke up, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Stretching his arms, he realized he wasn't sore at all.
The human body in One Piece really adapts fast, he thought, marveling at his lack of stiffness. His body felt slightly stronger than the day before—not a drastic change, but enough to notice.
Happy by this improvement, Cain completed his morning tasks and went for a run, choosing a new route to further explore the village. As he jogged past the small shops and homes, he memorized the layout of the place that was slowly beginning to feel like a home of his own.
He completed the run and returned to the dojo, not as exhausted as yesterday but still breathing hard. He spotted some unfamiliar equipment set up in the training yard and felt a little curious.
"What's all that for?" he asked, approaching Taro, his training partner from the day before.
Taro greeted him with a grin. "Balance exercises. Master Koushirou says they're critical for what we'll be doing today!"
Moments later, Koushirou stepped into the yard, calling for everyone's attention.
"Today, we will focus on endurance and strength," he announced, his voice carrying an air of authority. "Building these takes time and consistent effort. We'll start with a long-distance run, around the village and up into the hills."
The terrain around the village was rough, and Cain had never attempted a run of that length. But he steeled himself, eager to push his limits.
Cain was able to rest a little before the group exercises began so he wasn't feeling much exhausted.
They set off, and at first, Cain found a steady rhythm. His legs pumped with energy, and his breathing was controlled.
But as they began to climb into the hills, he started to feel the fatigue accumulate. His thighs burned, and each step felt heavier than the last. He could feel his breath becoming shorter. Still, he pushed on, telling himself that he couldn't afford to fall behind.
Halfway up a steep incline, he slowed, his vision blurring slightly. His legs trembled, and he felt an intense urge to stop. But as he glanced around, he saw the other students pushing on. Even the younger ones seemed to move with determination.
Cain clenched his jaw and forced himself to keep moving, fighting against the urge to stop. He wasn't just battling physical exhaustion—he was grappling with his own doubts, the sinking feeling that maybe he wasn't cut out for this level of training. But he dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. He'd keep going, even if it meant crawling to the top.
When they finally reached the end of the run, Cain collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. His whole body felt like it was on fire, and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
He'd finished, but just barely. And in that moment, he realized how far he had to go. His stamina was far below where it needed to be. Gritting his teeth, he set a personal goal to improve his endurance, vowing that he'd make it to the top next time without slowing.
After a brief rest, Koushirou gathered the students again for the next part of their training: high-intensity interval drills.
"These drills are designed to push your speed and power to the limits," Koushirou explained. "You'll sprint, do explosive push-ups, and complete shuttle runs. Each burst of energy will be followed by a brief rest, but don't let that fool you. Every round will leave you exhausted."
Cain took his place, feeling the fatigue from the run still lingering in his legs. Koushirou blew his whistle, and they took off at a sprint.
In the sprint, Cain did surprisingly well this time. I see that my body is good at changing my momentum rapidly, that means with proper training, my reflexes and dexterity can become much higher.
The sprint was followed by push-ups, each rep feeling heavier as his arms strained to keep up. By the time they moved into shuttle runs, his entire body felt sluggish, his movements less controlled.
After what felt like an eternity, the intervals came to an end, and Koushirou instructed them to move onto balance exercises. Cain dropped to the ground, his muscles still shaking as he tried to catch his breath.
"Next, we will do balance exercises. Remember, to be a master swordsman, you also need to understand the footwork and for that, balance is crucial." said Koushirou. "You'll each take a position on the beam, and maintain your balance while swinging your shinai. In combat, your ability to balance will often determine your success."
Walking up on the narrow platform, he first found his balance and then started swinging the shinai. It wasn't too difficult for him to keep his body stable, showcasing his great sense of balance. Looks like I do have talent for this! He thought, happy to find another advantage.
Finally, Koushirou introduced them to the concept of mental endurance.
"Training your body is important," he said, "but training your mind is equally important. Without focus, you'll lose your way. If you have high mental endurance, you will be able to keep going even when your body wants to give up."
Koushirou's gaze settled on Cain. "You, especially, need this. I've noticed your frustration when you can't keep up. In battle, and in life, maintaining composure is essential. Anger and impatience will only cloud your mind."
Cain felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment but nodded and reflected on Koushirou's words. He is right. I am losing my patience. I won't get stronger in just a few days. It's a long term game!
Koushirou then instructed them to hold challenging poses for extended periods, forcing them to focus through the discomfort.
Cain tried to maintain his focus, but his mind kept wandering. He found himself thinking about his sore muscles, the day's challenges, and his struggle to keep up. His body wavered, muscles twitching as he held the pose, and he nearly gave up more than once. If I'm going to be a real swordsman, I need to master this too, he reminded himself, gathering the will to stay steady.
Cain forced his mind back to the present, concentrating on his breathing. Gradually, he felt a sense of calm settle over him.
He could see now how much work he had to do, not just physically, but mentally. He needed to build his focus, to stay calm and focused even when he felt pressured.
As the afternoon rolled in, Koushirou introduced the group to another exercise. "Today's training will end with visualization exercises," he said. "Imagine your stance and movements, see them in your mind before executing them. Visualization is a powerful tool for refining your technique."
Cain closed his eyes, picturing himself balanced and controlled, his shinai moving with perfect precision. He envisioned each strike as clean and strong, his footing stable on the ground. The more he practiced in his mind, the more real it began to feel.
When the session ended, Koushirou approached Cain and suggested he begin keeping a journal of his progress. "Record your goals, track your victories both small or big, and you'll see growth over time," he said.
"Thank you for the suggestion Master!"
Inspired by the suggestion, Cain took out a small notebook and began writing his first entry. He listed his weaknesses—poor stamina, lack of focus under pressure, struggles with controlling his emotions. But he also noted his strengths—the speed he felt during sprints, his good balance, and his growing resilience.
Turning to a blank page, he wrote down his goals:
Improve endurance so I don't fall behind.
Strengthen my mental focus.
Learn to remain calm and collected, no matter the challenge.
As he closed the journal, he felt a sense of accomplishment and clarity. He felt he was moving in the right direction.
Cain followed the routine for the next few days and kept improving at a high pace. These days, he also worked on the farm once.