Dattebayo

Learning my lesson from last time, I paced myself while trying to leave the different stances he showed me.

I was no longer rushing myself as he was going to teach me other things I'll need in between regardless of my progress.

That being said, that's why I was currently sweating nervously while against a wall.

"One of the best tools in a ninja's arsenal, is reaction.

With it, you can dodge attacks, anticipate an enemy's moment, and change direction while maintaining balance and focus.

Those with a good reaction time can do the impossible.

There is a story about one who could even dodge bullets.

Your reaction time however, is almost non-existent.

We're going to work on that today.

Your objective is to run across the yard and avoid getting hit by this ball.

Should you get hit you have to do 10 pull ups, 10 push ups and 10 leg lifts each.

Once done you start over at the start line and try again.

Well stop this when you successfully cross the finish line."

The yard is about the size of a basketball court and flat with no way of taking cover.

For the purpose of this exercise, a pull up bar is placed to the side where Ill have to walk when I most definitely was going to get hit by the ball.

As I prepare myself at the starting line he stops me.

"One last thing, from now on whenever you train, you'll be wearing this."

He tosses a vest and leg bracers on the ground at my feet.

Picking up the vest I see 10lbs written on it, which makes me inspect the leg bracers which have 5lbs written on each.

Sighing as I put them on, I knew that there was no way I wasn't going to get hit.

Wearing he weighted clothes, I struggled to even get to the starting line.

I felt like I was always in a state of carrying somebody.

He blows his whistle, signalling that the exercise has started and I take off running.

Or I would like to think I did.

Instead I take sluggish wobbly steps forward and I know I look pathetic.

After hearing him laugh at my struggle, he puts me out of my misery by tossing the ball at me, and I can't even dodge.

Heading over to the bar, I suddenly realize how painful this is about to be.

After an hour of trying, I barely get through the required pull ups and such before Mamoru tells me to take a break.

Sebastian approaches with an electrolyte that I chug down.

They have been my main drink since I learned they help regulate my powers.

Feeling the bioelectrical activity within me, I will the soreness to be relieved.

Then I get an idea, what's stopping me from maintaining my bioelectrical activity at a hundred percent 24/7.

I figured it was almost like the breathing techniques in Demon Slayer, and if someone like Inosuke can do it, I could.

I walk back out to the yard, where Mamoru is leisurely laid back in a lawn chair, awaiting my recovery.

"I'd like to try that again." I say as I come up behind him.

Turning around he says, "Don't push yourself kid, this training is tough and you have to pace yourself."

Seeing that I wasn't budging, he sighs.

"I see you're the type of kid who has to learn from your mistakes. I don't know what you foresee thrats making you exert yourself like this but getting hurt before whatever comes will only put you at an even greater disadvantage.

Don't put too much responsibility on yourself. You're just a kid, you should be worried about what toy you don't have, not the future."

We make it to the training course which ends his lecture.

Putting back on my weights, I close my eyes, willing the bioelectrical activity to extend throughout my entire body.

I picture it flowing through my muscles and my brain.

It listens and I feel myself getting stronger, my breathing more concise, my thoughts clearer.

Smiling, I jump from one leg to the other as I don't even feel the weights anymore.

Watching me, Mamoru raises an eyebrow, but still blows the whistle.

I launch forward in a blur, leaving a trail of dust behind me.

He narrows his eyes at my improvement and raises a ball.

Slowly winding it back, he tosses it with a force that almost breaks the sound barrier.

Hearing the approaching ball, I turn and focus on it.

It somehow slows down and I can see the ball rotating dangerously towards me, but I remain unfazed.

I smile as I outreach my hands and brace myself.

The ball slams into my hands and it pushes me back a little but I fight back as well.

Mamoru's cigarette drops from his mouth as he sees that I actually caught his ball.

Smiling devilishly, I raise the ball as he did and launch it back at him.

It doesn't fly as fast as his, but it's enough to bring him out of his stupor.

He steps aside at the last second, making the ball narrowly miss him as it sails past.

His attention turns back to me as he studies what I've done.

Impressed with myself, I think about this improvement to myself.

I was wrong in my earlier assumption that it was comparable to breathing techniques.

This felt more like Killua's Godspeed.

Testing my strength, I quickly dash to the pull up bar and easily do 20 within thirty seconds.

Laughing maniacally, I drop to the ground and proceed to do 20 pushups in thirty seconds as well.

Not satisfied with my testing myself, I turn towards Mamoru who has been intently studying me so far.

Mamoru senses my bloodlust and takes off his sunglasses.

He looks at me with a dangerous stare, warning me to back off but I arrogantly stare at him smirking.

I take a step forward, and Mamoru sighs as he walks away from the lawn chair towards me.

Just as he steps onto the grass of the lawn, I sprint forward, closing the gap between us.

Reaching him, I strike out at his face, which he steps to his left to dodge.

I quickly recover and swing at him once again, but he slaps my fist to the side, the momentum carrying me further along his right side.

I immediately sense danger and by instinct, I jump to the right narrowly dodging an elbow aimed at my back.

Getting a good distance between us, I pace back and forth while I plot a good way to take him down.

While I mill over a way for his defeat, he never stops studying me, trying to understand why I'm now looking at him like prey.

I crouch down on the ground, the spring forward and he snaps back into focus.

Nearing him, I use my left leg to swipe at his.

He pulls his right leg back to avoid the attack, and I stop, pulling my right hand forward and throwing the sand I grabbed at his face.

His eyes grow wide at my surprise attack and his left hand instinctively goes up to block the sand.

Taking advantage of the opening I've given myself, I punch towards his exposed stomach, smiling at the possible outcome of victory.

Just as my fist is about to connect, Mamoru pulls back, to where his back is parallel to the ground, avoiding both my punch and the sand.

Seeing that he's basically in a pose like the Matrix throws me off for a second.

Using my slight second of hesitation, he places his hand down on the ground behind him for support as he lashes out with his left leg.

I attempt to jump back out of its way, but as I focus on it I see that it's too long for me to completely escape its range.

Putting both my arms up, I brace for impact.

When his leg hits my arm, panic travels throughout my entire arm and the wind is knocked from me as I fly back.

I land on my back as I gasp for breath, while looking at him with anger.

Straightening back up, he tests his leg to see if he sprained it because I hit his ankle.

Correcting my breathing, I charge at him, red in my eyes and just wishing to inflict pain on him.

He sees that I'm in a dangerous state and prepares to counter as I approach.

Just as I get near, pain assaults me from all across my body.

It's so intense that I instantly black out.

He sees that I'm out of it and the momentum carries me towards him.

He catches me, then pauses in disbelief at what just happened.

After a few seconds, he pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lights one up.

'Just what is this kid preparing for?'