3 Chapter 2: Meeting Hajime

"Mc pov"

I started my training, and I was surprised to say that my workouts were not as hard as I thought. At first, I needed clarification as to why I was not very tired. I should be huffing and puffing like crazy.

I had prior experience with this regiment and after going through that regiment once I knew I should have been tired by now but I only had a light fatigue

It took me about 2 and a half hours to complete the regiment.

"..."

It might be because of my ever-adapting body I wished for.

After that it was getting late so I headed home.

It's been a week since then.

Currently, I am meditating to feel my ki. You might be thinking why ki, why not mana well I tried but I felt nothing.

So, I switched to ki instead.

I broke out of my meditation and thought today was a failure too, huh?

"Am I missing something?" A sudden voice came from my back, "What are you doing sitting here alone?"

"Oh, Dad nothing I was just meditating", I replied to my dad.

"Meditation, since when did you start meditation", Dad asked. 

"About a week", I replied.

Dad raised his eyebrow. "Why are you meditating, I have never seen you meditating before, is there a problem I should know about?", Dad asked.

"..."

"Well, you see I recently watched a martial arts anime where the main character trains and becomes the strongest. After watching that anime, I was motivated. I also want to be strong enough to protect myself", I looked at my dad with determined eyes.

"..."

"Is that it", Dad asked me.

"Yes, do I need more?"

"..."

Silence fell for a minute, in that moment no one talked.

I observed Dad was in a thinking posture, and after about a minute he spoke, "Then how about I train you", Dad said.

"..."

My eyes widen," eh! You know how to train people".

Dad laughed after hearing my response, "Did you forget what my job is?"

Oh right, I almost forgot," you are higher up in the military".

"Not just a higher-up, I was a soldier, I have a medal of honour you know", Dad said with pride in his voice.

"So, would you like me to train you?"

"Yes yes~ please", I replied enthusiastically.

"Before that how about calling me that again?"

Hearing what my father wanted me to say. My whole body froze in embarrassment, my next words came out in reflex.

"Hell no". 

I close my eyes in embarrassment. It then dawned on me that, I unconsciously had cursed in front of my father.

"..."

"Rihito~, I think we need to have a little talk." 

Dad was looking at me with a smiling face, but why didn't his smile reach his eyes?

Is this the legendary Oni face? That I have seen in many animes, that's scary.

I snap back to reality and apologise. "I'm sorry Dad".

Dad gently looked at me and said, "I will accept your apology after, we have a little chat".

That day I swore, I would never curse in front of Dad again.

"..."

"Next day"

My dad started my training, at first Dad asked what exercise I normally do, and I answered him with a smug face. "100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and 10km run".

"..."

That should be right for now. Ok, "Rihito as your father I will teach you all the martial arts, and weapon techniques that I know, are you ready for all the hardship that is about to fall upon you?"

This time Dad looked at me with open eyes. I didn't expect him will open his eyes in this situation. From what I know and have seen it was extremely rare for Dad to open his eyes in front of people, so I was stunned for a moment.

Those crimson eyes looked at me like they were looking right into my soul, my whole body stiffened in fear, and I felt a huge pressure on my body. Then my father's voice came, "Answer me Rihito", my father commanded, I somehow calmed myself, half cryingly answered him, yes, I am ready for all that is about to come. For a few minutes, Father looked at me, just when I was about to pass out. Two hands gently catch me in midfall, "I am sorry I had to be sure that you had the resolved yourself or not. In a fight 'resolve' is one of the most essential things you need".

"You showed me that you have resolved yourself, take a good rest for today because from tomorrow your training will start", after telling me that Dad looked at his watch. 

"Oh, it's getting late I will make dinner now". After that Dad left for the kitchen.

I was thinking, those words Dad said, 'You have to resolve yourself'. My determination grew, I will learn everything Dad can teach me I will master them all, 'Arifurata, Plunderer' None of that matters only thing that matters is how strong I can get.

After that day Dad taught me martial arts, swordsmanship, spearman-ship/polearm handling, marksmanship, club handling, and many more weapons. According to Dad in a real fight anything and everything can be a weapon you just have to identify it and utilize it at the right time. If you can do that your chance of winning a fight will drastically increase. Of course, this type of fighting style should be initiated only when you are in a life-threatening situation.

"Time skip"

It's been 2 years since my training with Dad started. If you ask me to describe the training I have only one word to say, hellish. There is nothing else to it. I also found out I am extremely good with swords, especially 'odachi' which became my primary weapon to train.

At first, my training was going fine but after a week or so my training intensity skyrocketed. It might be because Dad found out my body is more resilient than others, so he is pushing me to my limits, I also kept improving and we also found out the current limit of my body.

After a certain amount of time, my body stops growing stronger. I was puzzled, and then I realized most of my powers were sealed, it's only natural my current body had limits, and I will get stronger soon enough it is only a matter of time. By the way, I still am not able to sense mana, but I made progress on the ki, I tried to control it but It kept slipping away like a fish in water. Just when I am about to get a hold of it it slips from my grasp. Honestly, it's getting frustrating.

Oh, on a side note, I found the protagonist of Arifurata 'Hajime Nagumo'. Who would have thought he and I go to the same junior high, you think it's a coincidence, I think not. Anyway, Hajime and I became good friends, what do you expect when "2 otakus" meet it can go 2 ways either we will clash or become friends, and I chose the latter.

He and I became the best buddy. Hajime was a loner, well it was not like everybody disliked him or anything, he just had his priorities straight, he already knew what he wanted to be so he focused on it, so I asked him what he wanted to be in future, and he told me that his father is a game designer and mother creates girls' manga, he is already working as part-timer where his parents work.

"..."

I didn't know this bastard was living his dream. So, I did what I needed to do I bowed my head exaggeratedly and said "Please master teach me your ways". All the nearby students started gossiping seeing me bowing in front of Hajime.

Hajime panicked after seeing me pull this stunt, so he hurriedly asked what I meant by that. I told him I also wanted to learn about game designing and creating manga. He asked why didn't I ask him like a normal person, I told him "Where is the fun in that", and hearing me say that Hajime put his hand on his forehead and groaned.

After school, I met with Hajime's parents. they were happy to know that their son made a friend, and then they started telling me about his embarrassing past. I talked with them about, how I also want to do part-time work like Hajime and gain some experience. they warned me it would be tough, I assured them I already knew about it, and after thinking for a few minutes they accepted. I thank them for accepting my request.

Now I have to convince Dad.

"..."

It took me quite a while but he accepted, and I had to use my secret weapon, tsk.

On another note, my training time was shortened but that's fine, I already learned most of the things Dad taught, I just have to practice it to perfection. That can be done in my free time.

Now I train and work under Hajime, he teaches me how things work on designing software and how to draw manga, honestly, it was fun to work on something you are passionate about.

My father also met with the 'Nagumo family'. Everything was going happily but Hajime's mother asked about my mother.

"..."

Well, things became a little awkward, but everything became normal when I explained that I was adopted. My mother had died before I was adopted and because Dad loved my mother very much, so he didn't marry again. Hearing this the whole Nagumo family was in tears. Hajime's mother hugged me saying, you poor child and Hajime's father patted my dad on the back. "It must have been hard for you after your wife died, you do not have to be sad any more from now on you both are part of the family" After, hearing that I looked at my father in shock. He was as calm as ever. After, we had dinner.

On our way home with an imperceptible smile Dad said "you made a good friend". 

I replied with a smile, "I know".

Chapter End.