12 Training! (1/1)

I don't think I've ever made such a huge mistake in all my years of living, this damned Tiger King sure knows how to train; three hours 'cultivating' the internal energies and another three training under a waterfall he'd created specifically for tempering my body - I wasn't allowed to even circulate the energy I had recently learnt how to use, I was to use my own bodies endurance to last under the torrential stream, everytime I came close to death he would give me some medical herbs to heal my body before starting the training all over again.

...

”This is hell.” I complained to the Tiger King whilst lying on the ground, my body twitching with pain uncontrollably as I tried to move my body, ”Hurhur,” He gave a short laugh towards my almost lifeless body.

”I did ask if you were sure of being trained by me, consider this the Karma for killing one of my sons; tch despite him being useless my wife hasn't let me have a good rest in days.”

I sighed for the poor man, over the last few days we'd become much closer - yet it'd also made the Tiger King train me more intensely as a way to relieve the stress he'd accumulated from his wife complaining about my presence on a daily basis. I felt sorry for him and yet I couldn't help but resent him for his ruthlessness when dealing with my fragile body; several of my bones had been broken or fragmented in recent days if not for both the medical herb efficency and my own recovery speed, another perk of the Mortal Leaving realm, I would've long been left crippled.

”Can we stop the training for today.. please?” I looked up at him with a pleading gaze, he returned it with a one of ruthlessness as he stared back, I knew I was in for more pain so I could only groan as I stared daggers at him which he continued to ignore. Despite the difference in our strength I no longer feared him like before instead I respected him, for both his troubles as a man and his power.

...

”Aghhhhhh!” I screamed in pain as the skin of my body was torn away by the impact of the waterfall, if not for my body being reinforced I would've long collapsed like the first time I was forced under here just days ago, I sighed and bit my tongue thinking back to how quickly I had grown in a mere few days, with just a few more days I was confident I would be able to withstand the pain that came with this torture easily.

”Don't become arrogant, I see that look on your face; when you can easily handle the force of this waterfall I will increase the difficulty tenfold.” A cold voice echoed in my head instantly pouring cold water over my head and waking me up from my daydream, there was no becoming stronger without pain in this world - it was an equal exchange which I had to suffer through I could only continue to bite my tongue until I drew blood to get through.

The skin on my body began to heal itself as quickly as it was being stripped away, although it was slightly lacking and after a while failed to catch up to the speed at whcih it was being stripped away from me; of course if this was a normal waterfall then such a thing like this wouldn't have happened, I may have been crushed under the pressure yes but my skin would've maybe remained intact at the very least - I glared at the Tiger who was currently sleeping at the side, a stream of energy could be seen drifting visibly off his body and into the water of the waterfall, what was cutting me wasn't truly the water - it was the power of this monster before me and it hurt like hell.

”Oh? Do I need to increase the power? If you have the strength to glare at me with such eyes I'm obviously not working hard enough.”

Oh fuck.. I had made a huge mistake, in an instant the pain I felt was tripled as my knees started to bend; I tried my hardest not to fall and kneel on the ground and yet my body refused to do as I commanded it, eventually buckling in pain I fell to the ground kneeling.

”Meld.” I yelled in my mind, the pain had become too intense to bear so I quickly vanished into the Shadow Realm, my proficency in doing so had become several times higher after being taught how to use internal energy to control my body. I could now enter and exit at will and even melt into the Shadows with just a thought - I had practiced this ability for at least an hour over the last few days but despite that I had no idea what the conditions for leveling it up were, if I could remain in their longer and maybe even move as fast as the old man had I wouldn't have to worry about my means of transport in the future.

”You couldn't handle it anymore it seems,” The Tiger King looked up at me with disappointment as I bowed my head in shame, he was right I had given in too easily; these were words he'd left unsaid but I knew what he was thinking. He wasn't surprised by my ability to enter the Shadow Realm, he had revealed to me that because of my meagre strength even if I did that someone with a strong enough perception could easily find me, even someone weaker than me if I wasn't careful. He'd told me there were many people with special abilities in this world, something he'd discovered from his inherited memories; he'd had his own encounter with the old man at some point where James had almost killed him on the orders of the man named King.

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth thinking of how weak I currently was.. I needed to grow stronger fast, I didn't want to be crushed again like I had been before.. I tightened my hand into a fist and punched forward, it was a meaningless gesture but I made a promise to myself in those moments.

No matter the opponent I will never give in, no matter the training I will perserve! This is my promise to myself!

At the side the Tiger King seemed to understand what I was doing and nodded his head seemingly in approval, I walked back over to the waterfall and he lay back down once more; my body was instantly thrown back into a whirlpool of pain and yet despite this I continued to stand, I blocked out the pain I was feeling with my promise; everytime I thought of giving in I thought back to my reason for growing stronger and perserved, ”Just one more minute.. one more.”

For eight hours straight I stood there unyielding muttering the same thing to myself, the Tiger King stared at me in surprise, ”That is enough for today.” He said forcing the waterfall to stop. My body was destroyed with countless injuries and my clothes were in no better shape, practically nothing remained beside dregs of the fabric, luckily the Tiger King happened to possess some of those who had fallen prey to his clansman so I didn't worry too much about that. ”Your strength.. is admirable for a Human.” He looked at me with approval, the feeling of pride I had expected to rise in my heart never coming; I felt nothing from this, it was surprising but it made sense, this was simply the beginning - if I felt pride from just this then do I deserve to become stronger?

”Let me continue.” I shouted to him, remaining under the waterfall; I wasn't ready to stop for today - the injuries on my body had already recovered to a certain extent. ”Increase the strength.” I gritted my teeth and prepared myself for pain beyond the reaches of my imagination.

The Tiger King simply nodded and proceeded to allow the waterfall to flow, a hint of admiration could be seen in the depths of his eyes that no one had managed to notice.. This Human, the strength he's shown makes even me shudder thinking of his future potential; I wonder just how far he will go..