Sai reached the edge of the ocean, his eyes scanning the horizon for a way to cross the vast expanse of water. The waves crashed against the shore, their rhythmic sound both soothing and daunting. As he pondered his options, he felt a presence behind him. Turning around, he saw a snake slithering towards him, its scales glistening in the sunlight.
"What are you doing here?" Sai asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
"I'm here to cross the ocean," the snake replied calmly, its voice a low hiss.
"Wait, you can talk?" Sai exclaimed, taken aback.
"Yes, why do you ask?" the snake responded, its tone almost amused.
"You can't be serious right now. You tried to eat me, and when I helped you, you didn't say anything," Sai said, his frustration evident.
"First, you were prey, and I don't talk to prey. And you caused that wound," the snake explained, its eyes narrowing as it recalled the encounter.
"Okay, but you tried to eat me," Sai retorted, crossing his arms defensively.
"Again, I am a snake. You are prey. If I don't eat, it will be weeks or months before I eat again," the snake said matter-of-factly, as if this justified its actions.
"Fine, but why do you need to cross the ocean?" Sai asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Because my master lives in the middle of the ocean," the snake replied, its gaze shifting towards the distant horizon.
"So, you're telling me I just got a free ride?" Sai said, raising an eyebrow.
"What free ride?" the snake asked, confused.
"You," Sai said, pointing at the snake.
"No, no," the snake responded, shaking its head.
"I spared your life and healed you. This is the least you could do," Sai insisted, his tone firm.
"Fine, get in my mouth," the snake said, opening its jaws wide.
"No, do I look dumb to you?" Sai asked, stepping back in alarm.
"Trust me, entering my mouth will help. I am going to enter the ocean, and you cannot breathe underwater like I can. Being in my mouth will help you breathe, and I will move fast so we can reach the island where my master lives," the snake explained patiently.
Sai hesitated, weighing his options. The snake's logic made sense, but the idea of entering its mouth was far from appealing. Finally, he took a deep breath and climbed into the snake's mouth. "If you eat me, don't forget I have a spear. You will die a painful death, so don't try me," he warned, his voice echoing slightly in the confined space.
The snake chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "Humans have so many trust issues."
With Sai safely inside, the snake plunged into the ocean. Sai felt the rush of water around him but found he could breathe comfortably. The snake moved swiftly through the water, its body undulating with powerful strokes. "You are slow," Sai muttered, though he was secretly impressed by the snake's speed.
Before he knew it, they had reached the island. The snake opened its mouth, and Sai stepped out, astonished at how quickly they had arrived. The island was lush and green, with towering trees and vibrant flowers. The air was filled with the scent of salt and blooming flora.
"Wait, it was that fast? Sorry, snake," Sai said, feeling a bit sheepish.
"Stop calling me snake. My name is Tai," the snake said, transforming back into its human form.
"Okay, Tai," Sai replied, nodding.
An old man stood on the shore, watching them with keen eyes. His long white beard and flowing robes gave him an air of wisdom and authority. "Hey Tai, who is that?" he called out.
"I am Sai Velarion," Sai introduced himself, stepping forward.
The old man's eyes widened in recognition. "Velarion? Is your mother Victoria?"
"Yes, how do you know?" Sai asked, surprised.
"Because I am her stepfather," the old man said, a smile spreading across his face. "My name is Master Shi."
"No way," Sai said in disbelief.
"Yes way, Master Shi is here," the old man confirmed with a nod.
"I'll be the judge of that," Sai said skeptically.
Shi moved his hands, and trees on the island broke apart, their trunks splintering with a loud crack. Sai's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow, you are Shi."
Shi nodded. "Yes, now why are you here?"
Sai's mood shifted, anger rising within him. "The King of the Kingdom of Pride attacked our village. He killed my brother and my father," Sai shouted, tears streaming down his face. "And my mother…"
Shi's expression darkened with anger. "What?"
Sai continued, his voice trembling with emotion. "I need your help to get stronger so I can free my village and kill the king."
Shi took a deep breath, his eyes softening with understanding. "Okay, but first you must pass a test."
"What kind of test?" Sai asked, his determination unwavering.
Shi turned to Tai. "Tai, transform back."
Tai transformed into his human form, his muscles rippling under his skin. Shi said, "If you can land one punch on Tai, I will train you. You have one minute."
"Wait, wait, wait," Sai said, holding up his hands. "Tai, you're human? You can turn into a snake?"
"Yes," Tai replied, his expression calm.
"Then why did you try to eat me?" Sai asked, bewildered.
"I was hungry," Tai said simply.
Sai turned to Shi. "Master, can we start?"
Shi nodded. "Your time starts now."
Sai handed his spear to Shi. "Smart," Shi commented, a hint of approval in his voice.
Tai dodged Sai's strikes with ease, his movements fluid and precise. Sai jumped up, and Tai looked up to see Sai's spear falling towards him with incredible speed. Tai dodged the spear, but it caught his clothes, pinning him in place.
Sai grinned, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I'm going to enjoy this." He punched Tai repeatedly, but Tai's face remained unscathed. Tai was stronger than Sai, and his punches barely had any effect. In his snake form, Tai was not as strong, and he had not trained in it, so he was vulnerable.
Shi watched the scene unfold, his expression thoughtful. "Just in time," he said as the minute ended.
Sai, panting, asked, "So, will you train me?"
Shi nodded. "Yes, you and Tai will train together. But before I train you, both of you will learn the value of hard work."
Tai groaned. "What?"
Shi explained, "Tai, you are strong physically but not mentally. And you, Sai, are physically weak. So, every day, you will do 50 push-ups and run up the island 1,000 times."
Shi clapped his hands. "Start!"
Tai dropped to the ground and began doing push-ups with ease, while Sai struggled to complete even ten. Tai ran around the island 30 times, while Sai managed an impressive 200 times.
Shi watched in amazement. "How are you that fast?" he asked.
Sai, panting, replied, "When I came here, a lot of things chased me—bears, snakes, and even a large bird. To survive, you have to be faster, smarter, and stronger."
Shi nodded. "Wow. Time to repeat until you can complete the full set."
Tai groaned. "Can we rest?"
Shi nodded. "Okay, seven minutes."
Tai and Sai sat down, catching their breath. Sai turned to Tai. "How are you that strong? How can you turn into a snake? And why did you come here?"
Tai sighed. "I lived with monks who trained me, but I was weak. They told me to come here. Before I left, I found a book in one of the temples. It showed me five steps to become a snake and to be as strong as what they believe to be the queen of snakes."
Sai nodded. "Okay, that explains why you don't have hair."
Tai chuckled. "It grows back."
Shi clapped his hands again. "Seven minutes are over. Repeat!"
Tai finished the push-ups in seconds and ran around the island 100 times. Sai managed 30 push-ups and 300 laps. They repeated this routine for an entire month.
Shi observed their progress. "First, you did 50 push-ups for a week, then 500 for a week, then 5,000 for a week. Now you are doing 50,000 push-ups."
Tai started finishing his sets in ten seconds, running 100,000 laps around the island, matching Sai's pace.
Shi nodded in approval. "Wow, now you are ready to be trained by me."
Tai protested, "I was already ready to be trained."
Shi shook his head. "No, you always quit midway and left training to go hunt."
Tai sighed. "Fine."
Shi smiled. "Go and rest. It will soon be time to train