the moat.

Kei made many mistakes, but one of them was opening his mouth. He couldn't comprehend the desire to stay silent and take a step back. Whenever something impacted him, he didn't keep quiet, but in a way, he couldn't be blamed for his nature—a brash, irreverent way of doing things, rough and without discernment.

-Listen, kid, would you like to practice Mongolian wrestling? Join my training regimen. I'll be training 50 young men, and, of course, this training is designed to forge the ultimate weapon,- said Madanba.

-I can't right now, I have to attend some fights in Yami. But if you give me time, I'll join you soon,- Kei replied, glossing over the fact that weakness had been haunting him ever since he saw the Connector. A need to stand out, a need to exceed his limits, was growing inside him. He wanted to act the middle way, the simple way, but now he desired to take full control of his life.

The decision was made—the main directors of Worn would train future warriors, future bearers of the Tiger. Meanwhile, Niko would handle the research team, developing their skills or perhaps even teaching them forbidden new abilities, along with Gu rituals. Members who succeeded in a Wu ritual were considered the most powerful due to their exceptional capacity to grow.

In terms of general combat, excluding the Connector, Yami had the upper hand by far. But the Connector was an entity that defied quantification—perhaps only Hayato could fight him, a being over 4,000 years old.

He drank while others attended to various matters. After seeing him, Kei thought that swallowing his pride was the best way to continue with his goals. He took a beer, drank, and extended it, signing a silent agreement. Drinking was about calming down—it had a certain measure, and the man seemed carefree. Without that murderous intent, though surely he had it back in the days when he was driven by urgency and strength.

-What's the matter?- he asked.

-You don't breathe… At first, I thought you were using some strange breathing technique to buy yourself some time, but I was completely wrong. You never cease to amaze me,- Kei said.

-Mmmm… your instincts are good, remarkable even, but I think you have ulterior motives,- the Connector remarked, his expression unchanged.

-Of course, I do. I want you to train me, but I honestly don't think you'd accept. You'll be taking care of the Xia. It's funny—we never think about death, but when we do, we realize how much we've failed,- Kei commented.

-Mmmm… you want me to train you?- the Connector asked, a hint of mockery in his tone. -The man you want to defeat, the man you want to kill, you want him to train you?-

Kei furrowed his brow.

-Why kill you? Life shouldn't be wasted. There are so many talented people… it amazes me how many are killed. Some just need time to find their path. Besides, we live so briefly, it's pointless to rob others of that time… Fighting, and killing shouldn't be an ideological commitment. I believe killing should only be about survival—you only kill when there are no other options,- Kei said.

-Why are you telling me this?- asked Shen Gu Long.

-Because you demand it, even if it doesn't seem that way. It's your manner of speaking—you don't seem to do things without reason. Like your very nature. I don't think it's wrong to say you appear different as if you look at people and see us all as sheep grazing on a hill,- Kei said.

-You are certainly precise,- Shen Gu Long commented.

-I know,- Kei replied, drinking his beer. The two then drifted into a conversation about pairing shrimp with beer or other foods that go well with it, like salami. It was a complex topic for both of them, different and difficult to grasp.

...

Kei's words angered the other Niko, who could only nod and drag him off to train. The first session was with Lu Tian, who followed Niko's instructions: -Make him suffer so he doesn't open his mouth.- He pushed Kei to his limits, hitting him repeatedly as they practiced Chinese martial arts, alongside formless techniques. Kei was left lying on the ground, full of pain, and mechanically tended to. Then, he was thrown back into even more intense training. His mind wandered, thinking of Miu's smile. Shortly after, Lu Tian took him to the pit and told him the only way to break the rule was to fight to the limit.

-So, I have one week to return to Japan,- Kei commented.

-Yami will call for a general meeting,- Lu Tian replied. -For now, you need to follow orders. The medical work and experiments are alive because of our cooperation.-

-I'll do it,- Kei said, taking a breath as he stepped into a circle, where the only way out was on a stretcher.

-Here, you can go wild. Use the elimination technique, the possession technique, or any other. Practice what I've taught you,- Lu Tian said, throwing Kei into the arena. He fought again and again. The first opponent was a karateka, who mixed his style with boxing. The second practiced judo. The third was a street fighter, not an ordinary one. The fourth practiced Systema, followed by a fighter with knives. Each was fiercely strong, each had the skill of a disciple. He fought ten consecutive battles until he could no longer breathe. But then came the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth.

They placed bets—he was supposed to lose, but he kept fighting… pushing himself, even on the brink. He used the elimination technique, his percentage at 39%, utterly deadly.

The torches and the crowd's cheers introduced a giant of two meters, a powerful man who couldn't have been younger than 20. The man towered over Kei, and Kei felt as if he stood before the Elder. Using the formless system, the battle began.

-On one side, we have the Force Destroyer,- Lu Tian said. -This is the perfect test after 20 fights; this one will be the real challenge.-

-He's a powerful kid,- Rogiri Toko, the martial fighter merchant, commented.

-Very powerful. He might just beat your boy, the Destroyer,- Lu Tian said.

The giant was the typical power-focused fighter, skilled in grappling and wrestling. His hands could break bones. His strength was overwhelming, a force beyond the usual measure.

-The kid will win. I've taught him some good techniques,- Lu Tian said.

...

Kei moved his arms, redirecting the force. The man attempted a tackle, but Kei sidestepped and took three steps back, evading the giant's two massive arms.

One arm aimed at his face, but Kei combined the Fire Kata with the Redirection Kata. First, he grabbed the man's hand and spun his body quickly, followed by an aikido movement. He redirected the full force forward. But with the Fire Kata's side-step and advance, Kei twisted the opponent's arm 180 degrees. The Destroyer's shoulder was dislocated, leaving it weak.

Without stopping, Kei executed a boxing technique that concentrated his back muscles like a spring—a style similar to Myunbosh but more focused on boxing. A type of boxing that completely shattered basic concepts. He unleashed three strikes, each charged with ki. The Destroyer, a brute, took them head-on. Blood was the last thing he saw before his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

-Combat 21,- Kei muttered, his muscles burning.

A young man with white hair entered—a familiar face, Himuro Ryu, a man with distinct skills, and different power. A man Kei respected.

Unfortunately, he was weak. Disgustingly weak. It took just three moves.

And so it continued until the 32nd fight when Kei could barely move. He was annihilated by a fighter who used acupuncture. A painful defeat.

...

A bucket of water hit his face. Kei was dazed, utterly exhausted.

-That last fight was pathetic. Someone with your power can only be called a fool,- Lu Tian said.

-I know, but I was completely drained,- Kei replied, breathing heavily.

-What was your mistake?- Lu Tian asked.

-The Adamantine Kata… I relied on it too much. I should've used the formless style along with my punches, and my boxing. Rationally, I think if I'd used a guard, I wouldn't have fallen into the trap,- Kei murmured.

-That's correct,- Lu Tian said. -Tomorrow, you'll fight again, but this time with weights on your arms and legs, and a light dose of poison. A poison designed to numb the senses.-

Kei's smile was unwavering.

...