8. Punishment

The next day

I was right on time, before dawn like usual. And in front of me stood just granny. The man from yesterday nowhere to be seen.

Well maybe he was really just a guest. Granny is sure to be lonely, with just a brat like me as her company. But whatever doesn't matter.

„Good so you came on time."

That's what she said, but her tone seemed slightly, disappointed?

That's a bad sign.

„So we will begin today like always, running, you have 30 minutes for 10 rounds, body only. If you can't compete it then you will be punished. Now begin."

What?

30 minutes for 10 rounds? Sure it didn't sound much but I wore one and a half ton of extra weights and it even restrict my movements.

I will never be able to make it.

Ah shit she said to begin, that means the time is already running.

Fuck I can't just stand here, better start running.

....

„Times up! You managed to run 8 and a half rounds. The rest of the ten rounds you will use only your hands to finish. You have ten minutes. Else you will be punished."

Ah ah, huff what is that? On my hands? I never did that.

Ah crap less thinking more running.

I instantly switched to running using my hands and started running again.

I somehow had problems with my balance, as such my speed plummeted.

And after 10 minutes the results were as expected.

„Times up, you again couldn't finish your task. Forget about the rest of you running. Your punishment are 30 minutes of push ups. I won't give you a specific number of repetitions, but be aware that if you don't meet my expectations you will be punished again."

What's that? Simply doing push ups and with no specific number?

And if I'm to not meet her expectation she will punish me again? Doesn't that mean, she can simply say I didn't meet her expectations and punish me no matter how many I do?

Sigh granny sure is cruel. She's probably still pissed that I attacked her guest.

Woman sure are scary.

.....

And it was exactly like I thought granny dished one punishment after another.

After the 30 minutes of push ups, came 40 minutes of squats, then 20 minutes of sit ups,

And then? Well then I had to repeat everything starting with normal running, then running on my hands, then push ups, squats and sit ups all over again.

But luckily after the second repetition granny said we could have breakfast. So I thought that I was finally done with running and my workout, as after breakfast was my fruit training, I really couldn't wait to see how powerful my fruit is now after my breakthrough.

But I was happy to early, as even after breakfast we did nothing else as what we did in the morning, and that was until lunch.

After lunch were lessons on strategy like always, the navigation course was already over, as I could already pretty much navigate everywhere in the world with my eyes half closed.

But I didn't dare to lower my guard, even though it seemed like we were back in track of our normal routine. And I was right. As after the lessons was the same as the morning. Normal running, running on my hands, push ups squats, sit ups. Until dinner.

But this time it was finally over for real, as granny told me while we ate dinner.

„Todays training is over, go to the bath before you sleep, I made some medicinal bath for you, so that you won't have a muscle ache tomorrow. We don't want you to collapse tomorrow due to exhaustion or muscle pain right. And we also don't want any hidden injuries, no?"

I again got creeps after hearing what granny told me.

It can't be right?

.....

The next day

I again came on time. And like granny said, with the medicinal bath I felt as good as new this morning,even though I did such an extreme workout yesterday. I even felt very energetic.

But this didn't last long, as what I feared yesterday came true.

Today was the same as yesterday.

Or to be more precise the whole week was the same.

It was truly hell.

But because of this, I somehow got used to the restriction in movement of my new suit, and except the increased weight it didn't feel any different that the last suit anymore.

Today was the same morning routine as in the hell week, but that was all, only one repetition, and then we had breakfast. After breakfast it was now like normally, fruit training.

And I could finally examine closely what's different now, that I had a breakthrough.

The first thing that I noticed was, that the range increased, from the initial 7.5 to the now 12,5 meters. And the power of my various domains also increased by about 20 percent. But stamina depletion is still the same, as such my limit with the Teleportation Domain is still 3 times, the same with my limit for the other domains.

Next was, the thing I noticed the last time. I could now use 2 Domains at the same time. But this came with some limitations. One, the range of my domains decreased to 11 meters. And two, the stamina depletion drastically increased. For example I could normally use my Heat Domain for around two hours, if I did nothing else. But now when I use my Heat Domain with just the Search Domain I could only use them for around 20 minutes. Not to mention with stronger domains like the Attack or Constriction Domain.

So it was no wonder that I collapsed after only that short sequence of moves a week ago.

But my breakthrough aside, I found a flaw in my domains in that battle, and that was that only my Search Domain let me feel my surroundings, this was something I never noticed, as I normally practice in a wide open field, where I can see my enemys clearly, and even when I was sometimes in the jungle to hunt some animals, my domain normally doesn't have such a big reach, that I can't see my enemys with my naked eyes.

But the encounter a week ago showed me, that when I have my domain open, I still have to rely on my senses to find my enemy inside my domain, but this is something that shouldn't be, a domain should be able to tell me where my enemys are, even without the special search function.

So I also made that a research topic, together with new domain types and training my old ones.

Because of this I had always things to do during fruit training and the time flew like the wind, and it was already time for my hand to hand combat training.

Or so I thought, but today instead of my usual training with granny, that man that lived with us for the past week stood in front of me for training.

„Kahahaha, Brat I can finally start to teach you. I originally wanted to start a week ago, but Aria insisted on punishing you. But first let's get things straight. I the great Black Oni Barn have decided to take you in as my legacy disciple, so go and kowtow to me and greet me as Master."

That old man stood in an embarrassing pose in front of me as if were to say ‚look how awesome I am' and waited for me to acknowledge him as my master.

But no thanks.

This old geezer is even weaker than granny, and also I respect granny a lot, she is at the end of the day only strong enough to be a servant of the daughter of a branch clan master of a hidden clan.

If I had to choose a master I would go and search my father, or even Rodger or Rayleigh. I knew that I could convince them to train me, if I'm being honest I already made plans to meet them before Rodger turns himself in.

So no thanks old man.

After a while and seeing me still not doing what he wanted me to, the old man seemed slightly embarrassed and started again.

„Kid what are you waiting for? Do you know how many brats want to become my disciples back in the clan, but I don't even look at them. But here I am and invite you to be not on!y my disciple but even my legacy disciple. So I once again tell you to kowtow and acknowledge me as your Master!"

And he again took his pose.

Sigh I can't keep watching right?

„I say old man aren't you bragging a lot for someone that's even weaker than Grandma Aria?"

After hearing what I said the man seemed to have short circuited for a moment before his face grew black.

„What do you mean, I'm being weaker than Aria? Do you even know who I am? The young are truly fearless…"

Before he could continue with his rant granny suddenly appeared and shot a look at that man which silenced him.

Tsk see you are all bark and no bite.

But before I could think further the next words of granny sent my mind into stasis, due to fear.

„It seems like you didn't earn your lesson Young Master, let's continue your special training for another week."

No. No. Nonono. Noooooooooo!

Anything but that.

„But I can't deny that Barn is a little braggart, but let me tell you, what he said is true, and he is vastly more powerful than me. He was once the most feared pirate of the sea 40 years ago and is currently one of the guest protectors of one of the four great hidden clans, the Big Sword Clan. So what he said was indeed true."

It was my turn for my brain to shore circuit.

What?! So the old man wasn't just bragging but was really a big shot?

And here I am insulting him.

But still even if he is a big shot, is he really stronger than my father Rayleigh or Rodger? Even if he is that still doesn't San I should jump at the chance to become his disciple.

But I can't say that, after all I shouldn't know about them, as even though granny taught me many things, she seemed to avoid the topic of pirates and focuses more on the various hidden clans, the marines, the world government and CP.

„Oh so you weren't bragging old man. But still why should I accept you as my Master, I don't Ben know what you can teach me. Should I accept the word best spearman, just because he is best with the spear? I don't have any interest in the spear."

„Young Master don't be rude, Barn…" before granny could finish reprimanding me the old man interjected

„Kahaha, its OK Aria, this brat got a point! Very well I will show you what I can teach you."

After he finished speaking, he drew his sword, and it and his arm grew instantly pitch black. Then he swung his sword in the direction of the distant jungle.

Then something happened that I would never forget.

A giant blackish grey wind blade traveled forward, and on its way it cut every tree beast or rock down.

Its real target?

The mountain peak in the center of the island.

And even after traveling a few km and cutting countless trees beasts and rocks down, it still had enough power to clean?y shave the mountain top in two.

So something like this is possible. I also want to do something so cool.

I didn't hesitate further as I fell on my knees and kowtowed three time to the old man.

„Greeting Master!"