A New Master...A Martial Arts Fanatic This Time

"Keep doing those push-ups, brat," Sogetsu said with a grin, his breath stinking of alcohol as he took another swig from his gourd.

Gritting my teeth, and sucking in my stomach as much as possible, I glared up at Sogetsu, "I'll do the damn push-ups...when you stop spitting alcohol onto the fire below me!" I yelled, only earning a grin in return, "No--!" before I could properly get my words out, Sogetsu, the absolute alcoholic, spat his alcohol onto the fire, making it burst upward like it was angered.

I knew for sure that I was angered. But ignoring such anger, I lowered myself into the flames and felt my skin being burnt. Not instantly charred but slowly burned, like slow cooked meat. Why was I doing this? To work up my pain resistance and to temper my body with the elements.

Or whatever bullshit reason Sogetsu could think up whenever he started my training. As I did the push-ups, I thought back on the year I was under his teaching.

The first six months had been intense. Leagues beyond Alexander's teaching, in both intensity, and threat to my own live.

As soon as Sogetsu found out about my healing factor and my ability to heal back from just about anything, even if my bones were dust and my muscles were in pieces, he kicked up my training from near death inducing, to pretty much throwing me at death and saying 'Take him'.

I was restrained by super-strong chains and thrown into the sea, he used his weird Chinese acupuncture moves to disable my arms or legs and forced me to survive in the wild for a week with no help. Only about half of our time was spent on actually training the Chinese Kenpo stances that he specialized in.

But by the end of the 6 months, those super-strong chains could no longer hold me, I could brute force my way through the acupuncture moves and restore my arms and legs without any trouble, and through the many live and death situations I'd been through, my Chinese Kenpo was refined to a very deadly art, focused on destroying the enemy with whatever I could. It didn't seem fair to call them martial arts anymore...more like killing arts if anything.

Anyway, my ability to survive was increased leagues above what it was, alongside my use of my strength.

Then after those six months, I said goodbye to Roanapur, and Balalaika and Alexander-sensei. Because, like Sogetsu said, we went to China so I could refine my martial arts further in the underground arenas.

Sogetsu strapped heavy weight after heavy weight to my body, increasing the load after each match, and this not only increased my technique in employing the Chinese Kenpo skills, but also refined my strength, endurance, and explosive speed. Alongside Oliva's muscle formula, and the exercise poses given to me by Akisame and Kureha, my physical prowess increased even further and became thoroughly inhuman.

Once, I tested it, and stamped on the ground as hard as I could. The result? A 10 meter wide crater, about 5 or 6 meters deep. Apparently the shaking could be felt a few kilometers away like there was an actual earthquake.

And that was a single-footed stomp. Without Overdrive.

I was definitely among the peak of the Grandmasters when it came to physical prowess. Which is why Sogetsu is so hard on me in physical training, like he is being right now.

We'd done this fire training before, so my skin was pretty resistance to fire. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when I'm getting cooked alive by the flame. But the reason Sogetsu is being so hard on me, even more so than usual, is because an esteemed guest is sitting a few feet away, watching the training.

Isshinsai Ogata.

Next to him was a fair-skinned boy with purple hair and purple eyes, with glasses. He had a well-developed frame, and he looked quite menacing. But to me, he looked pretty weak. He was only around the High-Disciple level, and when compared to my strength at the Grandmaster level, and my technique which had crossed over into the Master level...he wouldn't last a single half-assed punch from me.

But this boy was Ryuto Asamiya. Kenichi's childhood friend and one of the boys who was peeping on Karla and Miu when we were 5-years-old.

...Back then was pretty long ago, huh? 8 years feels like it's passed in the blink of an eye.

*Wack!*

"Do the push-ups, brat! Stop daydreaming!" Sogetsu gave a yell, hitting me with a bamboo stick he'd pulled from somewhere, and I begrudgingly continued the push-ups, an ungodly amount of weight balanced on my back. Enough to probably make a physically strong horse collapse under it. Not only that, but along my body were special bands of leather wrapped around it, with little curved daggers attached to them. Whenever I did a push-up wrong, the blades would dig into my skin, cutting it. It couldn't get through my muscle, but it still hurt like hell.

"Interesting..." Ogata spoke for the first time in a while, "Your body adapts quickly and your physical capabilities are simply inhuman. I wonder...how quickly can you adapt?" he smiled gently, like a calm and serene person but underneath that smile, I could feel his terrifying aura.

I felt like I could match him but against this absolute martial arts fanatic, I feel like he had a trick up his sleeve that could flatten me. Not to mention the fact that he knows how to use Dou and Sei Ki at the same time. I can only switch back and forth between them, sadly.

This was the man Alexander and Sogetsu recommended me to. A man who could help me solidify my martial arts style, and merge my Ki together. That last part was added on when Alexander found out that I had the ability to use both Ki. Apparently it was a rare ability and only the most talented can do it.

Before I could reply, Sogetsu gave a chuckle, "This brat has surprised me again and again with his ability to grow. Physically, he's already stronger than a normal Grandmaster, and he's only 13, so there's definite room for improvement. His technique is rapidly catching up as well. I'm sure you'll take him on now that you know his ability to learn and adapt is so inhuman," he smiled mischievously before taking another swig of his alcohol.

"As strong as a Grandmaster?" Ogata gave a surprised look before he stood up and came over to me. He squatted next to me and held up one of his hands, "Punch my hand. As hard as you can."

Looking at him for a second to see if he was being serious, I figured that he was, and stood up, letting the tremendous amount of dead weight on my back fall off and onto the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust along with a dull thud that echoed around the surroundings. Seeing that he asked for it, I saw no point in holding back anything as I kicked up Overdrive and felt my blood speed up, creating heat from the friction that spread to my skin and the faint sound of boiling liquid could be heard.

I'd made multiple developments on my Overdrive form over the past year. I'd learnt how to activate it quicker by kick starting the process by making my blood pump around my body at a speed that produced quite a bit of heat. The faster blood also increased the strength increase I gained from the form, so it was an overall improvement to the form.

The fire training also helped me deal with the heat produced by the form much better as well.

Dropping into a mixed-stance, I brought a fist back before rapidly tensing my muscles, and using the power form my legs, I launched myself at Ogata, creating a crater where I was just standing, and appearing in front of him, my fist outstretched and going for his hand.

His eyes widened at my show of strength and speed. Even if I was right next to him, he seemed to have thought he'd be able to see me clearly move no matter how quick I was.

Bad move by him.

His Ki exploded out of his body with terrifying force, both Sei and Dou Ki mixed together into a volatile substance which boomed with power, making the air crackle in it's presence. Most of his Dual Ki was focused around the hand that would be receiving my punch, but even then, I knew he'd underestimated me.

*BOOM!*

With a colossal booming sound like thunder in a storm, Ogata flew backward. Even with his feet firmly planted in the ground, he still went backward a few meters, flying past his disciple and leaving two tracts of kicked up dirt where his feet had pressed into the ground, trying to stop him.

The shockwave created by our meeting spread outward and cracked the ground, leaving a small trench where the air pressure from my punch had dug into the ground and also resulting in a cloud of dust being kicked up into the air around us, obscuring everyone's vision. Even me.

Even the trees shook back and forth under the shockwave and wind caused by my punch.

This wasn't purely my own physical strength. Me pushing off of the ground earlier helped me bolster my power, yet a good part of it was still my physical brawn. I hadn't even used Dou Ki to bolster the attack either. Why? Because my Ki was a bit imbalanced at the minute. If I used one-side of the Ki too much, the other would act up. So until I got them both under my control, I'd vowed off of using Ki for now.

That didn't mean I didn't still practice my Ki Control, just that I didn't use it when I was fighting. I wasn't stupid enough to stop my training, after all.

Why was it unbalanced? No idea honestly. Which is why I am actually eager to study under Ogata. He could most likely sort out my problem. I've just got to hope that he doesn't use me to test one of his new, possibly lethal techniques as some kind of lab rat.

...Though it will probably happen, if I'm gonna be honest.

Anyway, the dust slowly cleared up, revealing Ogata in a slightly low stance. His light purple hair was messy and unkempt, while his clothes were ruffled and covered in dust. The bandage that covered his hand - the one I punched - had been completely cut into nothing, leaving the bandage around his forearm loose.

His hand seemed alright for the most part, yet the subtle shaking of his hand and arm didn't go unnoticed by me.

Smirking, I felt happy at my progress. I knew how strong this guy was in canon, let alone how strong he was in this new world. With the addition of Baki, his body was probably much stronger than it was in canon, yet I could still push him back so far and leave his arm shaking in strain? I was well on my path to being strong. I could be classed as a Master/Grandmaster at this point, in technique and physical ability respectively.

Though I'd definitely say that my physical strength, defense, and reaction are much higher than a normal Grandmaster. Not to mention my recovery and regeneration ability which was downright inhuman. But my physical ability doesn't just take those things into mind, after all, but also my agility, speed, balance, flexibility, stamina, etc, etc. I have to raise them all otherwise I'd be left with glaring weak points. Even then, I'd say I'm definitely above average when it comes to physical ability among Grandmasters.

And may I just point out that I'm 13?! I've still got a lot of time to grow, physically, I mean. So, if this is what I can do now, I wonder what I'll be able to do when I'm fully grown?

Anyway, despite being sent so far back by a child over a decade younger than him, Ogata had a wide smile on his face. So wide, in fact, that I felt that he was about to split his face him half as his lips stretched from ear to ear, his eyes full of a fanatical light.

"Hahahahahaha!" he suddenly burst out with laughter, his face twisting into something manic, "Brilliant! Fantastic!" he roared in a sort of manic joy, "To think such a prodigy existed in this world!"

As he continued to laugh, I turned to look at Ryuto, who looked at me like I was some sort of monster. He wasn't particularly wrong, either, if we're gonna be honest. His purple eyes looked at me with awe, admiration, and...fear. Seemingly not unsettled by his masters less than sane display, Ryuto stood up and uneasily walked over to me.

Despite being the same age, I was a few inches taller than him at around 5'9", while he was around 5'6". He put out his hand in a greeting.

"It seems that Master has decided to take you on. I'll be in your care from now on, Yukiro. My name is Ryuto Asamiya," he bowed his head, along with his body. Taking a deep breath, I dispelled Overdrive as I didn't want to touch the guy with my skin that was practically like fire.

"It's good to meet you, Asamiya-kun. If you need any help, just ask me," I nonchalantly said before smiling, "I'll accept ice cream for any favors~!" I said with a happy smile, wondering how much ice cream I could get if I charged people for favors.

Ahh~ The cold and chilly bliss of ice cream~

"What was that form of yours!? Why didn't you use Ki in your attack?! Do you want me to help you perfect that stance you were using?!" Ogata fired off question after question suddenly appearing next to me, a new bandage around his hand - where did he get that from? - and his face leaned in close to me and Ryuto, his wine red eyes filled with a fanatical love for anything to do with martial arts. He turned to Sogetsu, "I'll be taking him off your hands for now, Sogetsu! We're going back to my mountain!" he shouted before picking up Ryuto and putting him on his shoulder before motioning for me to follow after him. As soon as he did that, he disappeared, running away.

Sighing, I turned to Sogetsu and bowed in thanks, "Send my stuff to Ogata when you get the chance. If you lose anything in that suitcase or backpack, I'll come back and destroy your secret stash of premium alcohol, old man," before rushing off after Ogata, leaving a raging Sogetsu.