Forcing oneself

When Noctis and the two arrived at the training ground, Noctis saw the private army of the Green family doing their daily drills.

When Noctis saw it, he had decided to let Dimaria join them in their physical training so he asked Kian about it.

"Why don't you let my student join their training session, I'm sure she'll be able to handle it." Noctis said which surprised Dimaria as she thought she would be trained by her master.

"Are you up for it?" Noctis asked Dimaria and she nodded.

"Good, remember while you're doing the training drills, incorporate the breathing technique I told you and you'll be able to follow their pace but you're not going to last since you're only beginning. Also, Kian... don't hold back." Noctis said as Kian and Dimaria nodded. Kian then walked in front of the training soldiers, he as the commander should be the one to hold their training drills but because he has to leave to meet Noctis, he left the job to his assistant commander, and now that he's back, he's going to lead the training drills with Dimaria in it.

"FORMATIONS!" Kian shouted to get the soldiers attention and to get them to position.

The soldiers heard him and immediately left what they're doing and immediately went to go to their place in the formation. In no time, the soldiers lined up really well and even Noctis nodded his head seeing them lined up really well and reacted fast.

"Today, we have a new addition, although she's a girl, and a child, she's here to train with you like a soldier and there will be no exceptions, she will be just like you who works to earn your keep! Dimaria, go to the back because you're a new recruit and follow the people in front of you, got it?" Kian said as Dimaria nodded and immediately went to her position.

Kian then started their physical training drills which the soldiers call hell drills because the drills are so harsh that no one manages to complete it in their first try.

They started from push-ups, sit-ups, squats, etc. Dimaria has a hard time following her peers but she didn't mind it but rather she focused more on keeping her breathing stable with the breathing technique. The deeper Dimaria goes into the drills, keeping her breathing stable is being harder and harder but she persevered to keep it stable all the way but it just isn't enough. Her breathing started going haywire and she's feeling the heaviness of her body like she's being pulled into the ground. She tried restarting her breathing technique but it was fruitless. When the rest of the soldiers finished, Dimaria is the only one left doing the exercises.

Kian then walked in front of her and shouted at her.

"Is that all you've got?! You're too slow! In war, time is essential, if you're late for a few minutes, your fellow soldiers might die, if you're late, you won't be able to capitalize the weakness in the enemy's formation because you're late. FASTER! MOVE FASTER!" Kian shouted as Dimaria struggled to keep on going but she pushed herself past to the limits.

Although Dimaria is doing her best, Noctis has a frown on his face. Dimaria's choice of keeping the breathing technique stable is a bad choice. She should let her body breathe more naturally than trying hard to keep it stable.

Dimaria finished the drill and they were given a break. Dimaria came to his master's side and asked a question.

"*huff* Master, why does keeping *huff* the breathing technique, so hard?*huff*" Dimaria is struggling breathing right now.

"Because you're always thinking of keeping it stable. Stop thinking about keeping the breathing technique stable. Let your body do the work. Just focus on the drill and let your body unconsciously breathe." Noctis gave some advice to Dimaria.

Dimaria nodded her head and Kian called them again for the second round of the drills.

This time, Dimaria followed Noctis' idea and focused on the drill this time and let herself breathe more naturally. She decided to try what her master used when he fought Kian. She inhaled a huge amount of oxygen, way more than what the breathing technique does. She then held her breath as the oxygen started supplying her body the strength she wanted.

Feeling the strength, Dimaria felt good and did the drills easily, even the soldiers were surprised that Dimaria is able to keep up with them. Noctis on the other hand has a smirk on his face.

'Total Concentration breathing? You're going to pay for that.' Noctis thought.

Dimaria would let out her breath after each drill and would inhale large amounts of oxygen before starting the next fight. What Dimaria doesn't know is she's going to pay a price for practicing total concentration breathing without prior knowledge.

Dimaria completed the drill, and was about to go to her master when her vision started spinning and her entire body shut down causing her to lose her balance and before she hits the ground, Noctis managed to catch her. Noctis then pressed on some of her pressure points to alleviate the pain that Dimaria is going through, she then opened her eyes to see her master carrying her.

"Looks like you've experienced the backlash of constantly using Total Concentration breathing. Although Total Concentration breathing grants you the edge to fight back, its a double-edged sword. If you don't know exactly when to breathe out the massive air you inhaled? The air inside will poison you instead of helping you, that's why I told you to let yourself breathe more naturally so that your brain and body will adapt to it." Noctis explained to Dimaria.

Noctis then summoned two blankets and changed the way he carried Dimaria by putting her in his shoulders. He then laid down the blanket on the ground before laying Dimaria on the makeshift bed.

"You're not in serious trouble though, you just need to keep breathing using the breathing technique then in about ten minutes, you'll be fine." Noctis then sat dwon on the blanket and watched the soldiers continue their training.

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This is going to be short chapter, I know and your boy needs to sleep early because yo' boy is going on the company podcast interview. Of course not as the interviewer or interviewee, but one of the behind the scenes man. Wish us luck tomorrow, Ciao!