Training

'Training? What is training?' Aru thought as he stood in the empty training ground.

While preparing for the winter hunt, most warriors prioritised safety and proper rest. That was why the training ground was empty. Rather than injuring themselves before the hunt, they wanted to be in their pristine condition, to act on a moment of notice.

But that didn't mean the warriors were not training. They were just taking it slow during the week before the hunt.

Thus, there was no one in the training ground early in the morning.

'I have to do intense physical exercise and expend the spirit energy before I eat breakfast. That was the optimal way to train.'

Once he determined the task, Aru began to think of the most rational and efficient way to complete it.

'What is the best exercise my six-year-old body can handle?'

'There is no way I can lift heavy stone like the brutes I saw when I initially came to the training ground.'

He thought while looking at the wide array of polished stones placed nearby.

These stones were the training instrument of the Boulder tribe. They didn't have modern gym equipment like dumbbells or barbells. So, they could only make way with the things they had— a lot of stones.

They lifted the heavy stones using a wide array of poses to train their muscles and exhaust themselves. And by the look of it, it was very effective. Aru noticed that immediately when he saw the solid block of muscles the warriors had.

'Stones are a no-no. Even the smallest one would weigh more than two hundred kilograms. Even attempting to lift them would be foolish.'

'Then the there is only one thing left.'

Aru moved his eyes to the corner of the training ground. There he could have some wooden things stacked.

'Clubs.'

Not the kind that you would party in.

The kind that was made out of wood and was swung around for exercising.

Aru moved towards the club and picked one up by the handle. It weighed about five kilograms.

Although it only weighed five kilograms, picking it from the handle at one end made it feel like it was twenty.

'Five kilograms. That's about one-fourth my body weight.'

Aru was a six-year-old child. He was barely out of his toddling years. The fact that he could lift the wooden club at all was due to the genetics of the people of this world.

Even as a child, he had comparatively more strength than a child from his original world.

'Although difficult, it is the best training equipment I can use.'

'First, I should warm up before using it.'

Aru stretched his muscles and began running around the training ground. On the chilly winter morning, it was the best way to get his blood flowing. He even did some push-ups and pull-ups to try and find his body's limits.

Hanging on from a tree branch, he realised that his body was 'crazy good'.

There was no other way he could describe this feeling. His childish body was extremely mobile. Complimenting it was his exceptional stamina.

'In my past life, I couldn't even do five pull-ups. Now I can do fifteen at a time.' Shame washed over Aru just thinking about it.

'It's because this body is a child. It only weighs a little over twenty kilograms. It would be easy to do pull-ups with less weight. That must be it.' He thought to console himself.

"System- show status."

He immediately called out snapping himself out of the train of thought of self-pity. He wanted to see the amount of spirit energy he used up during the short duration of exercise.

[Symbiotic links available - 2]

[Spirit identity - Seed form, Elemental affinity - Water 70%, Earth 10%, Lightning 1%, Wood 1%]

[Spirit energy - 2.9]

[Missions:

Daily mission -(temporarily unavailable) Share all of the user spirit energy with the linked lifeform. Reward +1 link.

Challenge mission - Defeat a rank 1 lifeform. Reward +5 link.]

"2.9!"

"There are still 2.9 units left?"

Aru couldn't hide his shock.

Although it was only a short session of exercise, he could feel his muscles slightly aching in fatigue. And yet, he only used 0.01 units of spirit energy.

Aru couldn't understand why this happened.

"My body would break before I use up all the spirit energy."

"Maybe I am doing this wrong. Maybe my spirit energy is not being activated while train."

Aru's guess was correct. It was the first time Aru was exercising in this new world.

Once a person awakens, using spirit energy doesn't come naturally. They have to make their body acclimate itself with the process of using spirit energy through intense training before they can use it in battle.

The whole process of physical training was to allow the warriors to familiarise themselves with utilising spirit energy and make it second nature to them.

In combat, there would be no time to think and use spirit energy. So, before they find themselves in that situation, they have to become capable of using it instinctively.

In the case of experienced warriors, like the chief or the shaman, they would be capable of using spirit energy as effortlessly as breathing. But that was far from the reach of Aru.

'When I meditate, I can mobilise spirit energy inside my body easily. But during exercise, I can't.'

'Maybe, it is due to my inexperience.' His speculation hit the mark once again.

'But I remember the feeling I got when I first used the spirit energy in combat.'

'When I faced off against the bullies, in the moment of desperation, I instinctively utilised the spirit energy to attack. It was a kind of flight or fight response that was activated without my control.'

'I need to find a way in which I can recreate a similar motion of spirit energy consciously. I can't always rely on my flight or fight response to kick in.'

'I need to master the technique of using spirit energy.'

'To become a rank 1 warrior. I need to be capable of using spirit energy and strengthening the body.'

'Let's do one more test.'

Thinking that Aru began to continue his exercise regimen. He ran around, did push-ups and pull-ups and even swung the club.

Finally, he felt like he would collapse.

It was almost the same feeling he had when he found himself in spirit energy exhaustion, but even worse.

Spirit energy exhaustion, although made him feel like a deflated balloon, didn't cause him physical pain. But exhaustion from the exercise made him feel like his muscles were being torn apart.

And that was correct. His muscles were actually being torn apart. That was the normal way in which muscles were strengthened.

"System - Status of spirit energy."

[Spirit energy - 2.5]

Even after working hard for an hour, his body had barely used 0.5 units of energy.

'This is a problem. The cycle of using and recovering spirit energy is the best way to familiarise myself with it and grow the maximum amount my body can store. If my body can't even exhaust it, it would take a lot of time for me to master it. Is that why I am untalented?'

'If it's a problem. I should solve it, right?'

A smile formed on the face of Aru who was pondering deeply.

Unlike other untalented people, Aru had one more tool at his disposal.

'I think I found a way to use the system.'

His thoughts were simple. If his body can't use up all the spirit energy, he should find some other way.

He didn't wait even for a second after that. Immediately, Aru returned home dragging his exhausted body.

Within a couple of minutes, he stood in front of the oak tree—his first link.

In a couple of minutes, the tribe would begin distributing the meals. He had to use up all the spirit energy before that.

"System - show the oak tree's status."

[Normal oak tree <Spirit energy 9.7>]

The oak tree had recovered all its spirit energy. Even when it was covered in snow, it looked cheerful.

"It's worth a try."

Aru sat on the ground, closed his eyes and began to envision himself sharing his spirit energy with the oak tree. Maybe it was due to the system's help, but he felt the spirit energy inside his body riling up.

The oak tree had the maximum amount of energy it could hold. It didn't need Aru's spiritual energy. Still, he pushed the riled-up spirit energy to move towards the oak.

Just as he imagined, spirit energy inside his body began to drain and move towards the oak.

Aru tried his best to concentrate on the feeling of mobilising spirit energy. He wanted to etch the feeling onto his memory.

*Swish*

A pale blue line of spirit energy left Aru's body and merged with the oak tree. Slowly, Aru felt the spirit energy inside his body drain.

In the beginning, he didn't know if it would work. After all, the oak had full energy.

But once he realised that it was working, Aru was thrilled.

'I am awesome.' He thought in delight.

However, that was debatable.

But his method indeed worked this time.

Shortly after, all the energy drained out of Aru.

Meanwhile, unknown to Aru, something had happened to the oak tree.

He was in for a shock when he opened his eyes.