Laughter Amidst Fatigue

As the day of training came to a close, Kai made his way home, exhausted yet determined, he noticed his friends in a similar state, their bodies showing signs of the rigorous training they had undergone.

With a playful laugh, Kai approached them.

"You guys are so beaten up! What happened to you all? You're shaking and everything," he remarked, a mischievous smile on his face.

Aoi, panting slightly, replied, "Well, you're not in a much better state than us. Your hands are shaking like crazy!"

The group erupted in laughter, teasing Kai about his exhaustion.

Ethan joined in, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Hey, don't get angry, Aoi. He's just teasing you," he said, grinning.

Aoi chuckled and replied, "I'm not angry, just stating the facts," accompanied by a sweating smiley face.

Curiosity was piqued, and Kai asked his friends about their training experiences.

"How was your training and what did you do?" Kai inquired.

Ethan eagerly shared his story, explaining that he and Sarah were both under the guidance of Sensei Mei.

"Well, you know Sensei Mei is my mentor. She's not only knowledgeable about spears but also the staff. So, Sarah and I will learn from her.

At first, I thought the spear was meant to be thrown like a javelin, and Sensei Mei got pretty mad at me for that.

But eventually, we started by striking and blocking each other's attacks. After some time, we got exhausted and had to stop.

Sensei Mei pointed out our mistakes, like our messy forms and improper weapon handling. But she also praised us for our first attempt.

She created a routine for us and sparred with us, though it was more like her beating us effortlessly.

We couldn't even touch her!"

Leon joined in, revealing that his mentor was Master Ken, who specialized in blades.

"As for me, my mentor's a bit bulky and intimidating at first, but he's actually a nice teacher.

He started by demonstrating the techniques used with a blade.

They were elegant and formidable.

Then he told me that even though I've lost some fat through physical training, I'm not flexible enough yet.

So, my training for the next week will focus on flexibility, how to hold my weapon, and stance training."

Turning to Aoi, Kai asked about her experience.

"How was your training, Aoi?" Kai inquired.

Aoi stated that her mentor, Sensei Reina, tended to display a cold attitude; however, her heart is filled with kindness.

"And, Since my weapon is twin daggers, there were no wooden prototypes. Instead, they gave me dummy daggers with blunt edges. But they look so real," Aoi said, showing her friends the daggers.

"Anyway, for my training, she is focused on increasing my stamina and agility to prepare me for future training."

Finally, Ethan turned his attention back to Kai.

"What about you, Kai? You've heard our stories, so tell us about your experience," he prompted.

Kai took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering.

"My mentor is Master Liang, and let me tell you, he's strict when it comes to training," Kai began.

He recounted their first spar, where Master Liang effortlessly deflected all of Kai's strikes without moving from his position.

"I felt exhausted and clumsy, but Master Liang assured me that improvement would come with practice," Kai continued.

"He set a routine for me: 500 vertical sword strikes and a 10-minute sword stance hold, increasing the duration as it became easier."

Aoi couldn't help but remark, "So that's why your hands are shaking like that!"

Leon added, "Our teachers are on another level of strength. It's almost like they're monsters!"

Kai, Ethan, and Aoi nodded in agreement, recognizing the formidable power of their mentors.

The friends said goodbye and promised to catch up again after the weekend before taking off in different directions toward their homes.

Upon reaching home Kai felt completely spent and collapsed onto his bed without bothering to change out of his school uniform.

His mother tried calling him for dinner.

But he was fast asleep and unaware after an exhausting day.

Kai stretched himself awake somewhat later than usual - glancing towards the familiar clock ticking steadily away above him with mild shock reflecting in his expression.

Relief surged through Kai's body all too soon when reality dawned upon him: It was one of those rare weekends where there would be no schooling or obligations whatsoever!

Laughing gently to himself at having spent last night fully dressed in his uniform without even realizing it till now - Kai knew then just how hard recent days must have been for him to drop off like that in such clothing.

Upon beginning his day with some stretching, Kai proceeded as per usual with the rest of his morning routine before retiring back to his room.

Gathering spiritual energy was his next task, so before embarking on his rigorous hour-long routine.

He consumed a Spirit Gathering Pill, focusing on his training with unwavering determination.

Once he had absorbed a sufficient amount of spiritual energy, Kai proceeded to follow the training routine that Master Liang had assigned him.

The routine included 500 vertical sword strikes and a ten-minute stance hold.

He executed each movement with precision, feeling the strain in his muscles as he pushed himself to his limits.

The vertical sword strikes demanded strength and control, and as he performed them, his hands trembled from the exertion.

The 10-minute sword stance holds tested his endurance, forcing him to maintain a steady posture despite the burning fatigue in his muscles.

Time seemed to blur as Kai dedicated himself to the routine.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kai completed the training routine.

Sweat drenched his forehead, and his body ached with exhaustion.

He collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily, yet a sense of accomplishment washed over him.

With his training complete, Kai allowed himself a well-deserved break.

He reached for his laptop, seeking a moment of relaxation and distraction from the intense physical and mental exertion.

After a brief break, He decided to attempt another set of the routine: 500 vertical strikes and a 10-minute sword stance hold.

As he completed half of the strikes, he realized he hadn't fully recovered from his previous training, but he pressed on, determined to finish what he had started.

Finally, after around one hour and forty-five minutes, Kai completed the routine.

Suddenly, a notification from the system caught his attention:

[Ding!]

[Your endurance has increased by 4].

Intrigued, Kai opened his attribute window to assess his progress.

[Attribute Window]

Name: Kai

Age: 17

Rank: None

Level: 0

Experience: 92/100

Strength: 18

Defense: 13

Agility: 16

Intelligence: 11

Endurance: 15 → 19

Spirit: 8

Luck: 13

Charm: 14

Vitality: 10

Spiritual Energy: 108

Unused Stat Points: 15

Skills:

1. Ability Acquisition

2. Spiritual Absorption

3. Spirit Manipulation (Lv1)

Satisfied with his progress, Kai allowed himself a well-deserved break, resting his fatigued body and giving himself time to recover.

He knew that proper rest was just as important as rigorous training.