Chapter 10: Determined to Succeed

Aoroi sat on the cold porcelain toilet, eyes closed in concentration. "Breathe! Phew!" He exhaled loudly. "Take a deep breath, Phewww!" He inhaled deeply again, expanding his lungs. "Now control your breathing. Let it help you concentrate!"

Aoroi focused his mind inwards. "Now concentrate, feel every fiber of your body!" He tensed his muscles, trying to hone in on the sensations in his gut. "Focus...and locate the poop in your guts and push it out..."

For two hours he sat there, struggling in vain to sense the stool inside him. There was only a vague cramping, but he could not capture the slippery mass. With a sigh, he straightened his spine, bulged his abdominal muscles as he inhaled, then braced and bore down in the traditional way. Success at last! He wiped, flushed, and went to bed, frustrated but relieved.

The next morning, Aoroi woke to the harsh blare of the monitor alarm. He rubbed his bleary eyes and threw open the curtains.

"Darn it. I guess it's morning already." Aoroi shuffled to the shower, where perfectly heated water soothed his body and mind. After toweling off, he wrapped the cloth around his waist and got dressed.

As he made his way downstairs, other students mocked his skinny frame. "Look at weakling!" one jeered. Aoroi ignored them and caught up with Captain Ghost and the other students at the elevator. Together they rode to the combat arena, where Doctor Pain awaited. Aoroi steeled himself, hoping today's training would go better than his last endeavor.

Aoroi stepped into the training arena where Doctor Pain stood in the center with his menacing figure and crooked smile.

"Today we will continue practicing total concentration," Doctor Pain announced in his chilling unsettling voice. The other students focused intently, ready to begin.

Doctor Pain wheeled over a cart containing vials of opaque red liquid. "I will once more inject each of you with tinny blood orbs, this time I will use frog blood which is believed to be more excruciating. Your task is to isolate them from your blood flow and force them out."

Aoroi glanced around nervously as the exercise commenced. The other students scrunched their faces in concentration as beads of sweat dotted their skin.

Aoroi tried to steady his breathing and visualize the tiny blood orb swarming through his veins. After several minutes, his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Doctor Pain checked his stopwatch. "Twenty seconds. That's your limit, Aoroi?" He shook his head. "You must learn to truly feel what is happening inside if you want to master control else there will be no room for you at this acedemy."

Despite his earlier success on the first day of training, Aoroi was having problems sensing the blood orb. He was lagging behind the success of his fellow students who at this time were able to accomplish the task within fifteen seconds. Once again, he had failed. His cheeks burned as the other students snickered. There had to be some way to improve his skills. But how?

After the humiliating training session, Aoroi wandered the halls of the academy deep in thought. There had to be some knowledge or technique he was missing. Some secret to unlocking his abilities that the lessons weren't providing.

As he turned a corner, he found himself in front of the grand arched entrance of the library. Rows of sconces cast a warm glow on the walls lined with books. Of course - this was the most comprehensive collection of information in the city. There must be something here that could help him.

With renewed determination, Aoroi stepped inside. His footsteps echoed on the polished stone floors as he gazed up at the towering shelves, packed tightly with leather-bound tomes. Intricate wrought iron spiral staircases ascended through the levels, accessed by spindly metal catwalks.

The air was pleasantly cool and dry. As Aoroi's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, he could make out desks with reading lamps nestled between the shelves. High above, elaborate brass chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling.

This sanctuary of knowledge calmed his nerves. The solutions to his struggles were here somewhere, tucked between the thousands of pages. He just had to find them.

With cautious optimism, Aoroi began scanning the shelves nearest to him. "Meditation techniques... mental focus... bodily control..." he murmured to himself as he searched for anything that might help develop his powers. This library represented hope. Hope that he could still become the hero he dreamed of being.

As Aoroi pondered where to begin his search, a cheerful voice broke the silence.

"Welcome to the library! Can I help you find anything today?"

He turned to see a young woman beaming at him. Her skin was a light violet and her eyes were large and bright. What really caught Aoroi's attention though were the colorful flowers seeming to bloom from her hair and cheeks. They twitched and swayed as if alive.

"Oh, hello," Aoroi said, caught off guard. "I'm, uh, just looking for some books on meditation and mental focus."

"Wonderful! We have a great selection of those," the attendant replied enthusiastically. Her voice was musical and soothing. "Feel free to let me know if you need any recommendations. My name's Lily, by the way."

"Thank you, Lily. I appreciate it."

With an affirming nod, Lily glided away, leaving Aoroi to his search.

Where to even start? The shelves towered above him, packed with more books than he could count. Running his fingers over the dusty spines, he scanned the titles: Advanced Telekinesis, Unlocking Your Inner Strength, The Psychic Mind...

There were entire sections on psychic abilities, mental powers, energy manipulation. His pulse quickened. One of these books must contain the key he needed.

With renewed hope, Aoroi dove into his search, knowing the answer was here somewhere amidst the sea of books.

Aoroi scanned the shelves intently, fully immersed in his quest. After some time, his eyes landed on a small, worn notebook tucked away on a bottom corner. He crouched down and carefully slid it from the shelf.

The cover read 'Meditation - A Guide to Unlocking Your Inner Power' in faded gold letters. Flipping through the yellowed pages, he saw it was handwritten with diagrams and notes in the margins. This was no ordinary book.

Aoroi's heart raced with excitement. This handwritten guide felt special somehow, containing wisdom and techniques lost to time. He knew he had found exactly what he was looking for.

With the mysterious notebook clutched tightly in his hands, Aoroi rushed to check it out. The curious librarian Lily scanned the book, raising her eyebrows at the sight of the unusual find but said nothing.

Notebook in hand, Aoroi hurried back to his dorm room, eager to delve into the secrets contained within its pages. He cleared a space on his floor, sat down cross-legged, and began to read.

After a brief rest to rejuvenate his mind and body, Aoroi felt motivated to attempt the meditation techniques described in the old notebook.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, straightened his back, and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the present moment, observing the sensations in his body and the sounds in the room.

Aoroi's mind tried to wander, but he gently brought his attention back to his breath. Inhale. Exhale. He visualized his breath as waves slowly entering and leaving his body.

After some time, his mind began to quiet. Aoroi continued following the meditation instructions, concentrating on his surroundings using each of his senses one by one.

He felt the texture of the floor beneath him. Heard the hum of the air conditioner. Smelled the lingering scent of his morning coffee. Tasted the minty freshness of his toothpaste.

Aoroi observed each sensation mindfully, without judgement. His focus deepened. External distractions faded into the background.

A feeling of calm washed over him as he sank into a meditative state. His worries about controlling his abilities no longer consumed him. Aoroi's mind was clear and his body relaxed.

This first attempt brought hope that with practice, the ancient meditation techniques from the notebook could help unlock his inner power.q

Nearly an hour had passed when Aoroi slowly opened his eyes, emerging from the deep meditation. He felt present and more aware of his body than before.

However, as the minutes ticked by, a feeling of disappointment grew within him. Despite his best efforts to clear his mind and connect with his inner self, Aoroi did not experience any breakthroughs or new insights.

He let out a frustrated sigh, running his fingers through his hair. Aoroi had hoped meditation would provide the key to controlling his abilities. But after following the guidance so meticulously, the session proved unsuccessful.

Standing up, he began to pace around the small dorm room. Why hadn't it worked? Where had he gone wrong? Doubt started to creep into Aoroi's mind.

Perhaps these ancient techniques were not the solution after all. Or maybe he simply lacked the focus and patience required. The more he analyzed it, the more his frustration mounted.

Aoroi kicked his bed in anger, cursing under his breath. He had wasted so much precious time and energy on this futile endeavor. And he was no closer to mastering his powers.

The disappointment weighed heavily on Aoroi. But he knew he couldn't give up. There had to be an answer out there somewhere. He would just have to dig deeper and keep trying.

For now though, his first attempt at meditation felt like a failure. Aoroi would need to process these emotions before trying again. With a weary sigh, he collapsed onto his bed, determined to figure this out.