Shree sat cross-legged beneath the plum blossom tree, his gaze drifting toward the waterfall. Droplets shimmered in the air, catching the illusionary sunlight that bathed the cavern in a golden glow. His muscles still ached from the relentless training, but the fatigue had dulled to something more manageable.
As he let his mind settle, that strange sensation from yesterday returned—a faint, elusive presence, like a whisper in the air.
He closed his eyes and focused. It was there, but… distant. Slipping through his grasp the moment he tried to reach for it.
"Chat, this energy is really messing with me," he muttered internally. "I can feel something, but the moment I try to interact with it, it's like trying to catch fog."
"I noticed," Chat replied. "It's like standing outside a banquet hall, smelling the feast but not being allowed in."
Shree sighed. "Annoying."
"Very."
They both fell silent for a moment, contemplating.
"You know," Chat mused, "considering everything we've seen so far, I don't think you're qualified to interact with this energy yet."
Shree raised an eyebrow. "Qualified? I've been breaking my body training for days, and you're telling me I don't even deserve to touch it?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
Shree groaned and fell back onto the grass. "Great. Just great. I thought I was making some profound discovery, but turns out I'm just a clueless rookie."
"Pretty much," Chat replied bluntly. "We haven't even seen a single real martial artist yet. How can we assume we're at the level to interact with this kind of energy? We're like kids who just learned to walk, trying to run before we even understand balance."
Shree clicked his tongue. "Alright, fine. We put this mysterious energy on hold for now. No use running headfirst into a wall I can't break."
"Now you're thinking logically," Chat said, the amusement in his voice clear.
Shree sat up again, brushing fallen petals off his robes. "So, instead of chasing things beyond my reach, let's refine what I can do."
"Meaning?"
"My martial arts. I've been improvising techniques as I go, but I need to polish them. Strengthen them. Make them mine."
Chat hummed in agreement. "Good call. Your Plum Blossom Strike is promising, but you're still wasting too much energy in your movements. If we streamline the execution, you'll be able to conserve strength and increase speed."
"Exactly," Shree said, eyes gleaming. "And I need to explore different variations—attacks, defenses, counters."
"Not to mention footwork. If you can't close the distance or dodge an attack properly, even the best technique is useless."
Shree nodded. He already had ideas forming in his mind. It was time to experiment, test, and refine every technique he had created so far.
But then, another thought crossed his mind.
"You know," he murmured, "as much as I love this place, I can't just train in isolation forever. Sooner or later, I'll have to leave."
Chat was silent for a moment before replying, "Yeah. If you want real progress, you'll need to meet actual people. Learn from the world outside."
Shree exhaled. "Which means figuring out how to leave. No way am I spending my whole life in a cave, no matter how nice it is."
"Good. That means we have two goals: refining your martial arts and finding a way out of here."
Shree grinned. "And here I thought I'd finally get to relax a little."
"You? Relax? That's the funniest thing you've said all day."
"Oh, shut up, Chat."
"No, really. You're either training, overthinking, or talking to me. I'd bet my circuits you don't even remember what true relaxation feels like."
Shree clicked his tongue. "I just took a bath yesterday."
"And within minutes, you were back to training. My point stands."
Shree sighed dramatically. "Maybe I should just lie here all day and become one with nature."
"Yeah, sure. Let's see how long that lasts before you get bored and start shadowboxing against the air."
Shree smirked but didn't argue. Chat was probably right.
For now, he would focus on refining his skills and preparing for whatever came next.
Because sooner or later, he would leave this place.
And when he did, he'd make sure he was ready.