Changing their worldview.

"We need to make ourselves stronger,"

Noah said seriously. As a girl, Wanda, with her delicate thoughts, seemed to grasp the meaning of Noah's statement. Her large, beautiful eyes sparkled with excitement.

One of the boys, running his hand through his brown hair, asked, "So how do we get stronger?"

The others nodded along, curious. They are different from Noah, they don't have powers like Noah, who can easily destroy a base. Facing everyone's puzzled eyes, Noah smiled lightly.

"Before speaking about that, I need to talk about something important to all of you," Noah began, seeing everyone's attention fixed on him, he continued "Has anyone here heard of mutants?"

Most of the children looked confused,then the boy with brown hair spoke up, "I've heard people talking about them, they said mutants are bloodthirsty freaks with powers. But what does this have to do with... Oh."

As the realization dawned on the boy, Noah nodded. "Yes, you're right. I'm one of those 'freaks,' and there are others among you who have the possibility of being mutants. That's the reason why we were experimented in the first place"

Without pausing for their reaction, Noah continued, "You can probably tell by now that mutants aren't what they've been labeled as. They call us monsters, but they're the ones who cold-heartedly experiment on us to harness our powers."

"But that's not our main concern right now. While HYDRA is a big threat, the world is far more complex and dangerous than it seems on the surface, with monsters even beyond the HYDRA, including gods and demons," Noah explained.

The children grew restless, absorbing his words.

"Even though I might seem powerful to you now, there are beings who see me as mere ant. However, that won't be the case in the foreseeable future, as I'm still awakening new powers even now, including one that lets me glimpse into the future. Although in pieces, these visions show dangers not just to us, but to the entire world. That's why we need to prepare. I've gained a power that all of you can learn too, a physical enhancement technique -- breathing styles. There are swordsmanship techniques compatible with each breathing style"

"Breathing styles?" Noah's suggestion left everyone even more puzzled. How could simply breathing make them stronger?

Seeing their confusion, Noah explained, "The breathing technique expands one's lungs to take in more air, speeding up their blood flow and heart rate. It raises their body's temperature, which strengthens the bones and muscles."

"If we train the breathing techniques to extreme, we can boost our physical abilities to a superhuman level. Combined with swordsmanship, we can even control elements like fire and lightning."

"Let's go outside. It's better if you see it for yourselves."

Noah stood up and clapped his hands, urging everyone to follow him out of the wooden house. Outside, snow was still falling gently, leaving a thick layer of frost. At the far end, there were two-meter-high stones. Wanda held the hands of the two younger girls, watching Noah standing ten meters ahead from the rest of the group.

With all eyes on him, Noah took a deep breath.

Hiss       

Noah crouched down like Zenitsu, sucking a large amount of air from his surroundings. Even standing ten meters away, everyone could clearly hear his deep breaths.

"Thunder Breathing: First Form - Thunderclap and Flash," Noah announced, and the distinct sound of a sword being drawn echoed through the air.

click

In an instant, Noah vanished from his position in front of the children and reappeared behind a large rock, his sword still in its sheath. A crackling trail of lightning marked his swift movement, and as the lightning discharged, the snow on the ground melted visibly due to the intense heat.

The seemingly solid rock split cleanly into two parts along a straight line where Noah had slashed it. The cut was so smooth that it hadn't damaged any other part of the stone.

Wanda and the other children widened their eyes in astonishment. They rushed forward to examine the cleanly sliced rock, with Wanda even reaching out to touch it.

"So fast."

"We can gain this type of power just by breathing?"

"Look at that perfect cut. It's incredible."

"And did you see the lightning? It came out of nowhere."

The children excitedly discussed what they had witnessed, their eyes filled with admiration and excitement. The possibility of learning these breathing techniques and gaining such power fueled their imaginations.

No one understood the importance of strength better than they did. They knew that mastering these techniques could change their lives.

Noah turned around, faint strands of lightning still dancing across his body, leaving them in awe.I

"This is the power of the breathing technique, and what you've seen is just the beginning. When we master it fully, one person could easily demolish a building."

"Here, away from distractions, this harsh environment will accelerate our growth."

"We'll definitely live how we want in the future regardless of who stands in our path."

Noah's reassuring voice and determined gaze, shining brightly like the sun, left an enduring impact on everyone. Unknowingly, Noah had made an indelible impression on everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest. They all looked ahead with eager anticipation.

Noah led everyone back to the wooden house without delay and began teaching the breathing technique. Following the system's instructions, Noah touched each person, marking them with a sword symbol. Once marked, they could bypass the world's laws and learn the Breathing techniques. Noah realized this mark would suffice; there was no need to mark them again for any other sharable powers. He could even change the appearance of the mark if needed.

The Breathing technique involved rhythmic breathing, allowing oxygen to reach every cell in the body, enhancing natural healing, stabilizing the mind, and strengthening the body.

Each person removed their heavy jackets, donned sweaters, and squatted slightly to begin the practice. Noah carefully monitored their postures and breathing rhythms, correcting any mistakes promptly.

Definitely, alongside learning the breathing techniques, physical exercise was also a key part of their daily routine. Except for the younger children, around eight or nine years old, who did basic exercises while seated, Noah directed the older kids, including Wanda who was twelve or older, to chop trees with axes. Chopping trees wasn't just about fitness; it engaged their entire bodies, using their backs and building strength. Plus, they could use the wood for fire or to improve their wooden house, which was getting cramped as they grew older.

It was like hitting two birds with one stone.

After teaching, Noah finally began his own practice. Unlike the others, he wore only light clothes—a thin shirt and sweatpants. Nearby, he found a large rock weighing over two hundred pounds. Maintaining the sun breathing all the time, he did squats while carrying the rock.

This was a super crude workout. Crude but effective. This intense exercise clearly demonstrated to Wanda and the others Noah's dedication and strength. It inspired them deeply. Noah led by example, making sure no one slacked off. They gritted their teeth and kept going even when it was hard.

They wanted to get stronger, and they weren't going to waste their chance when it finally came. After the tough workout, everyone was exhausted but still breathed in the rhythm of the breathing techniques, absorbing plenty of oxygen that helped them recover quickly from their fatigue.

After exercising, Noah and the group replenished their energy with nutrient-rich food and the nutrient solutions from the HYDRA base.

In the days that followed, everyone found a breathing technique compatible with them, like Thunder breathing for Pietro, which was quite predictable. And so, time passed slowly but productively.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Shoutout to my patreons CHEONMA and Tony Brittain. Thank you so much for your support.