Kaidan stood in the center of the training ring, eyes locked on Garin. Sweat beaded on his brow from the rigorous training session, but his body felt alive with the constant challenge. He had come so far since the first day he arrived, but Garin was never satisfied. Each lesson, each painful drill was another step toward something greater—or so Garin said. Kaiden wasn't sure if he believed it, but he trusted the old man's brutal methods more than anyone else's.
Garin stood in front of him, arms crossed, surveying his student with a calculating gaze. He'd been pushing Kaiden harder and harder over the past weeks, and Kaiden could feel the toll it was taking on his body. His muscles were sore, his mind was weary, but he couldn't stop. Not when Garin's voice cut through his doubts like a blade.
"Today, Kaiden," Garin began, his voice cold but steady, "you're going to learn the full extent of Vanguard's Grip."
Kaidan's heart raced. He'd been training with Garin's style for a week now, learning how to fight with strength, speed, and devastating power. But there was always something new, always something deeper that Garin hinted at but never fully explained.
"Sit down," Garin commanded, pointing to a mat in the corner of the room.
Kaidan obeyed, dropping to the floor, the muscles in his legs protesting the sudden movement. Garin walked over to a wooden table in the corner, where a set of scrolls and parchment lay. With a flick of his wrist, he grabbed one of the scrolls and unfurled it, showing Kaiden the intricate lines drawn on the page.
"Vanguard's Grip is not just a fighting style," Garin began, his voice lowering as if he were about to share a secret. "It is a philosophy. A way of life. And like any philosophy, it has its ranks. Its steps."
Kaidan's brow furrowed. He had suspected as much, but hearing it from Garin's mouth made it all too real. There were steps to this madness. Ranks that he would have to climb, each one more grueling than the last.
"The ranks go as follows," Garin continued, pointing to the scroll with his finger.
Trash – The starting point, where the body is nothing but a weapon waiting to be honed.Novice – The first breakthrough, where the student learns the basic forms and techniques.Apprentice – The stage where a fighter starts to understand the fundamentals of combat, but they are still far from mastery.Journeyman – A seasoned fighter who begins to rely on instinct and experience more than mere technique.Veteran – A fighter who has faced real battles, understanding the art of war in its truest form.Expert – A master of the style, capable of deadly precision and control in battle.Master – One who is beyond mere technical mastery, able to push the limits of their body and mind.Warlord – A commanding presence on the battlefield, capable of leading armies and conquering nations.Conqueror – A fighter whose power is absolute, feared by all who face them.Immortal – The ultimate rank. A fighter whose skill transcends human limits. To become immortal is to achieve the pinnacle of combat prowess, to be a legend.
Kaidan stared at the ranks in disbelief. Immortal. The word echoed in his mind, the weight of it sinking in. He had already been through so much, endured so much pain. But the idea of reaching Immortal seemed impossible. How could he, a boy who had barely survived the wilderness and the brutal training Garin had put him through, even think about achieving such a thing?
"You're at Trash right now, Kaiden," Garin said, his voice suddenly harsh. "But I'm going to make you more than that. You have the potential to reach Immortal." Garin's gaze locked onto Kaiden, intense and unyielding. "I've seen your will. Your strength. Most men don't have it. But you do. If you want it, if you put your mind to it, you could be the greatest weapon the world has ever seen."
Kaidan's heart skipped a beat. Immortal. The words reverberated in his mind, like a drumbeat that only he could hear. He wasn't ready. But Garin was right about one thing: he had the potential. It had always been there, buried deep inside him, waiting to be unlocked.
"Don't think this will be easy," Garin continued, pacing back and forth in front of Kaiden. "The path to Immortal is long and filled with blood. But I'll be here, guiding you, pushing you until you can't go any further. And when you reach the top, there will be no one who can stand against you."
Kaidan clenched his fists at his sides. He wasn't sure if he believed Garin's words, but one thing was certain: he would train like he had never trained before. He would survive. He would push past every limit, because there was nothing else for him now. This was his life.
Garin turned to him, his expression cold and serious. "From today forward, you will train with these ranks in mind. You will understand what it means to rise through them. Immortal isn't a title you can just claim. You'll earn it with every fight, with every step you take. And you'll suffer every inch of it."
Kaidan nodded, his resolve solidifying in the face of Garin's harsh words. Immortal. That was his goal. That was his destiny. And nothing would stop him from reaching it.
As the days passed, Kaiden worked tirelessly to hone his skills. Garin was relentless in his teachings, pushing him to the edge and beyond. Every day was a new test. Every hour was filled with grueling practice. Kaiden had never known such exhaustion, but it didn't matter. He couldn't afford to slow down.
He moved through the forms of Vanguard's Grip, each one more complicated than the last. With every strike, every block, every movement, he felt himself getting stronger, faster. He could feel the potential Garin had spoken of—his body was changing, his skills were sharpening.
But it wasn't enough. Not yet.
Kaidan's thoughts were consumed with one question: How do I reach Immortal?*
The four-month training period flew by in a blur of pain and perseverance. But Kaiden didn't stop. He couldn't afford to.
When the time came, Garin was standing in the same training ring, his expression unreadable as Kaiden walked toward him. Garin's eyes narrowed as he took in Kaiden's transformation—his body was leaner, more powerful, his movements more fluid, more deadly. He had pushed himself to the edge and beyond, and Garin could see it.
"You've made it," Garin said simply, his voice low. "You've moved beyond Trash. But this is only the beginning."
Kaidan nodded, his body aching but his spirit unbroken. He had climbed the first rung of the ladder, and now, he would keep climbing, no matter what it took.
Four months had passed in the blink of an eye. And Kaiden had come one step closer to becoming Immortal. But the path ahead would only get harder.
This was just the beginning.