A planet blanketed in lush greenery shimmered under the golden light, its beauty unmatched. Trees covered every inch of the land, even growing within the homes of its people. In the sky, a majestic floating building, the God's Palace, stood as a symbol of divine authority, accessible only to the worthy.
In the bustling town below, a 17-year-old boy named Shan sprinted through the streets, weaving between people. "Hey, slow down!" shouted an elderly man. "Watch where you're going!" added a shopkeeper.
"Sorry!" Shan called back, barely slowing his pace. "I've got training today!"
He dashed towards the riverside, where his master stood waiting, arms crossed. As Shan arrived, panting, his master raised an eyebrow. "You're two seconds late. That'll be 2,000 pushups before you can begin."
"Come on, old man!" Shan groaned. "Why are you like this all the time? Can't you smile for once?"
His master's gaze hardened. "Less talking, more doing. Or leave."
Grumbling under his breath, Shan dropped to the ground and began his pushups. By the time he finished, sweat dripping from his face, he smirked and said, "That was nothing. Just a warm-up."
His master didn't smile. "Then move on to meditation."
"Fine, fine," Shan muttered, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes. But as he tried to focus, a group of younger trainees nearby snickered.
"Hey, Shan!" one called out. "Still stuck in stage one? Aren't you supposed to be our senior?"
Shan cracked open an eye and shot back, "I'm four years ahead of you brats! Show some respect!"
They laughed. "Senior or not, you're still in stage one while we're already in stage two."
Before Shan could retort, a sharp slap landed on the back of his head. His master stood over him, glaring. "That's your problem, Shan. You waste too much energy on trash talk. Focus, or you'll stay in stage one forever."
"Alright, alright," Shan muttered, rubbing his head. This time, he closed his eyes and tried again, the laughter of his peers echoing faintly in the background.
Shan sat cross-legged, deep in meditation, focusing on quieting his mind. Ten minutes passed, and a sharp pain shot through his head. He groaned and opened his eyes. "My head hurts again," he muttered.
His master, watching from a distance, sighed. "Ten minutes is your maximum limit? That's pathetic, Shan. You need to meditate at home too, not just here."
Distracted by a bug crawling near a tree, Shan shifted his focus, swatting at it playfully. His master, who had been keeping a close eye on him, suddenly slapped him on the back of the head.
"Ouch! Why?" Shan protested, rubbing his head.
"Act like a grown man, Shan," his master scolded. "You're not a kid anymore."
Shan muttered under his breath, "There he goes again, loving to give advice." He returned to his meditation, though his mind wandered. "Tomorrow, huh? Fine. I'll prove to him I can handle stage 2," he thought, resolving to push through his limitations.
His master's voice interrupted again, more serious this time. "You've wasted four years on stage 1, Shan. The next two stages will be much harder than you think. Be prepared. You can go home now."
Grumbling, Shan stood up and began heading home. "Why does this old man talk so much? He's worse than me when it comes to trash talking," Shan muttered. "He literally talked for three hours straight."
As Shan made his way down the street, he heard someone call his name. "Shan!"
He turned around to see his friend Adrian, dressed in an extravagant, glowing outfit.
"How'd you get that?" Shan asked, eyeing the rich attire.
Adrian grinned. "I'm a god now."
Shan blinked in disbelief. "A god? What's your god name?"
"Thunder Shan," Adrian answered proudly.
Shan's eyes widened. "Wait, did you finish your stage 3 already?"
Adrian nodded. "Yep."
Shan scratched his head. "Ah, I just remembered—I have something important to do. See you later, Adrian!" Without another word, Shan turned and hurried off.
Adrian stood there, a bit confused. "Why's he running away from me?"
Shan was sprinting through the streets, determination etched on his face. "Tomorrow, I'll finish Stage 1 no matter what!" he muttered to himself, dodging people as he ran. His mind replayed his master's words about wasting four years, and his resolve grew stronger. "I'll show him I'm ready for Stage 2!"
Finally, he reached his home, panting but grinning. His mother greeted him at the door with a warm smile. "Welcome back, Shan. You look exhausted! Let me get you some water."
Shan collapsed onto a chair, catching his breath. "Thanks, Mom. It's been a long day, but tomorrow's going to be different. I'm going to prove I can handle it."
His mom chuckled as she handed him a glass of water. "You've been saying that for years, my boy. But I believe in you. Just make sure you don't get distracted this time."
Shan sighed. "Yeah, yeah. No bugs, no trash talk, just focus." He smiled to himself. "This time, I mean it."
"Dinner is ready, Shan," his mom called out as she placed the steaming dishes on the table.
But Shan shook his head dramatically. "No, Mom. Tonight, I'm going to meditate the whole night without a single break!"
His mom raised an eyebrow and smiled to herself. He's getting fired up... I'm not going to stop him this time. She clapped her hands. "That's the spirit, my son! You can do it!"
Just as Shan struck a confident pose, his stomach betrayed him with a loud growl. He paused, clutching his belly awkwardly. "Uh… I'll meditate after I finish my dinner," he mumbled, shuffling toward the kitchen.
His mom chuckled knowingly. "I bet you'll fall asleep right after you eat. That's just how it goes around here."
And sure enough, Shan's determination wavered the moment he smelled the food.
Shan sat down at the table, eagerly digging into his dinner. "Wow, this is really tasty, Mom!" he said between bites, his face lighting up with delight.
His mom smiled proudly. "Oh, thank you, Shan. You've been training so hard—you need a good meal to keep your energy up."
After finishing his meal, Shan pushed his chair back, patted his stomach, and stood up. "Alright, time to get serious!" he declared.
He crossed the room, sat on the floor in a meditative pose, and closed his eyes. For once, the house was quiet—except for the faint sounds of crickets outside. His mom peeked from the kitchen, watching him with a soft smile. Maybe this time, he'll last more than ten minutes.