Training -2

At last, the trio reached their destination an hour later. At the location, there were lush forests surrounding the big waterfall. The white, milky warm water was pouring into the pool with the sound of a dragon snoring, which made the foam and mist, causing the foggy environment in the surrounding.

It was a beautiful sight to admire the beauty of the world. However

*Thump*

Zack suddenly fell on his butt and lay there. He didn't seem like he could move an inch as he was taking long, heavy breaths with a tired face.

Zack didn't care how beautiful the view was or how fresh the wind felt. All he wanted to do now was lie there and sleep.

His motivation to become stronger went to the gutter as his own old habit of laziness kicked in after running from his home to this location, covering 30 miles in an hour.

"Damn, I probably thought I would have died back there if I didn't stop to rest. Are they still humans? How can they behave like they just stroll in the garden after running this long in so little time?" Zach whined as he looked at those abnormal beings, who were the cause of his weariness.

"Did we really have to run all the way in one go?" Zack grumbled as he calmed his breathing slowly.

"Huh, if we didn't come running fast enough, did you wish for us to come tomorrow?" Kassandra retorted as she sat down on a stone boulder near him.

"What do you mean?" Zack shifted his head to stare at her.

"We would have probably been attacked three or four times if we had rested along the way. Magical beasts have a higher sense to observe their surroundings. If we stayed in a place longer than needed, they would have sniffed us out.

Kassandra states the facts and looks at him again: "I can take care of myself, but you would probably become the food of those magical beasts."

Zack becomes silent after knowing the truth. He felt ashamed. He came to become stronger, but he was already a burden on the first trip of a little distance.

"Wah! Big sister, this place is nicer than the backyard at Momo's home." Momo, who was astonished by the fantastic view, came running to regroup again.

"Yes, it is beautiful, and this is one of the places in the forest where magical beasts don't come. I used to come here with my father and mother." Kassandra recalled the old times as she commented absentmindedly.

She shook her head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts.

"Alright. The time is up for rest. Let's start your training."

Kassandra stands up straight like the general of a strong army. Hand behind her back, she gazed straight into Zack's eyes.

"From today onwards, I will teach you how to fight. You are already close to being awakened now. I will give you the most important advice: most of Awaken ignore it, so you should keep it in your deep memory. Ascending to a higher cultivation level or rank doesn't mean you are becoming stronger. Literally, increasing your cultivation does make your body stronger, but" She exerted all the pressure on Zack, making him fall to the ground as she continued.

"If you can't make your body move faster than your enemy, then you will be lying down on the ground beneath the foot of your murderer."

She paused, then phrased it in understandable words,

Therefore, it is necessary to train for combat without depending on skills. When you combine both your combat training experience and skills, you will have victory in your grasp in every fight you do, which will increase your survival chance a bit. Got? "

Zack and Momo both nodded their heads vigorously.

"Alright, do you see that marked tree across the pool?" Kassandra inquired, pointing to a tree in the distance that was marked in the shape of an X. "You both have to run there through the pool and return here."

Zack looked at the tree, which seemed to be dozens of meters away. It didn't feel like a difficult task, so he rushed toward the pool without hesitation.

When Zack stood in the pool of water, only then did he realize that this simple task was like ascending to heaven for him. Even though the water was only over his knees, it was difficult for him to stand inside the pool. Forget about running; even taking a step was harder for him as the water was flowing in the opposite direction.

"What are you dilly-dallying about there? Hurry up! You are already behind your little sister," a cold and commanding voice sounded behind Zack, making him look ahead. There he sees his little sister Momo was already close to reaching the marked tree, making him dumbfounded and speechless.

Since he is already behind, he can't catch up to her. Knowing that he just tried his best to finish the first phase as soon as possible, and complete this impossible task.

Sometime later, Zack was standing back in front of Kassandra, tired and soaked in water. He could not help but steal glances at his sister. Momo, who was also standing near him, had a slightly tired face. However, she doesn't look like he has done any hard work because she still has that innocent smile and energy to look at the waterfall and birds.

"Not bad, not bad at all for the first timer; now note the time. Your first phase of training is to finish the same distance you just ran in half the time." Kassandra said in a cold voice, "And you have to do it in a week."

"Doing it in half the time in a week?" Zack gasped as he looked at the lady in front of him, who somehow felt changed. He can't find his old big sister, who teased him now and then. "Are you being serious?"

"Why can't you do it?" Kassandra squinted her eyes at him.

"Momo can do it" before he can answer, a lovely voice made him feel embarrassed and dumbstruck.

"Don't complain yet; completing it within a week might be impossible if you stay the same after a week as weak as now. However, you will be getting stronger with every passing day since the day you chose to be awakened. Unless, of course, you get killed." Ksaandra smirked as he said this to Zack.

"Don't give me the death flag," Zack muttered in his mind.

"Does it make sense to you?" Kassandra continues, "If it does, then hurry up and run a few more times before noon."

Zack sighed and started running again in the pool, which felt like sand to him. After a trip back and forth, he was so tired that he felt like there were mountains of weight on his shoulders and legs, making him stumble with every step he took.

However, Zack didn't give up; taking a few minutes to rest between trips, he repeated the task given to him again and again until noon.