Kenny emerged from the rubble, dust covering his clothes, but aside from a few scratches, he was fine. Without wasting a second, he ran to join the others.
"You're pretty good," Koman said with a calm but confident tone.
"I could say the same about you," Kenny replied with a grin. "Your body feels like solid metal."
"Tell me your names," Koman asked.
"I'm Kenny. The blond one's Yumé, the girl is Carla, and the last one is Ikku."
"Very well," Koman nodded. "Your control over karma is impressive. If you managed to get here, it means you've already learned to expand your energy."
"Yes, sir!" they all answered in unison.
Koman folded his arms, observing them sharply.
"Good. During this entire training, you'll have to stay in that state. What you still lack isn't power, it's physical awareness. Your bodies are strong, but not yet refined. And everything starts with your breathing."
"Breathing?" Ikku repeated, confused.
"Exactly," Koman replied. "I'm part of the terrestrial and underwater hunting unit. To join that squad, you need an extraordinary level of physical conditioning. And the foundation of it all… is breath control."
He took a step forward, his gaze heavy with purpose.
"For this exercise, you'll attack me for ten minutes straight—while maintaining your karma… and without breathing."
"What?! Without breathing?!" Yumé exclaimed. "That's impossible!"
"Of course it is," Koman admitted with a smirk. "At least for now. Each time you're out of breath, take one gulp of air, then continue attacking. If you truly understand karma, you must also know about awakening. Forget that. Here, we speak only with our fists."
"The awakening?" Ikku asked.
"He probably means the Brand," Kenny explained.
"Got it," Ikku said, raising his fists.
"Then let's begin!" Koman shouted.
He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs, then dropped into a fighting stance. His spiritual energy flared, stirring the air around him like a hot wind. He motioned for them to attack.
"He's following his own rules, huh," Ikku muttered.
"Then so will we," said Carla, determination in her eyes.
The four of them held their breath and charged at once, their energy bursting like a storm. The ground cracked beneath their feet. Koman moved through their strikes effortlessly, his body flowing between attacks with surgical precision.
Ikku leapt up, kicked off the ceiling, and dove toward him. Koman sidestepped with a smooth pivot, and Ikku's attack hit nothing but air. Kenny appeared from behind, throwing a powerful punch—but Koman deflected it with a subtle twist of his arm.
Only two minutes had passed. Their faces were turning red, lungs burning, chests tight. Ten minutes felt like an eternity.
Koman's voice broke through the silence, steady and calm:
"Breathing is the key to everything. It fuels your muscles, feeds your mind, and anchors your spirit. Over the next few days, you'll face different physical trials—each one without air. You'll run for twenty minutes, push a massive boulder, swim underwater for twenty more, and finish with combat like today's."
"This training's gonna be hell…" Yumé groaned.
"Of course it will," Koman said. "But it's the bare minimum to survive the path to the Temple of Sormiou. After that, your survival will depend on your will alone."
"We'll make it," Ikku said, fire burning in his eyes.
Days turned into weeks.
Koman's training was relentless, breaking their limits, reshaping their bodies.
At first, they could barely last two minutes before collapsing, gasping for air.
But time worked its magic. After a month, they held their breath for six minutes straight.
Their control over their own breathing transformed them. Every inhale, every heartbeat strengthened their bodies, sharpened their reflexes, and expanded their endurance.
After three months, they were unrecognizable. Thirty minutes without air. Muscles hardened, focus absolute. Even Koman could no longer handle all four at once. Battles were now one-on-one, and to his shock, he couldn't defeat any of them.
"Your progress is beyond belief," Koman said, genuinely impressed. "I can't keep up anymore. I didn't think the outside world had warriors like you."
"Thank you," Ikku replied with a smile. "We owe it all to you. So… are we ready for the temple?"
"Almost," Koman said. "There's one last lesson. It won't take long. We call it the Hardening."
"The Hardening?" Kenny repeated.
"Yes. You already know how to expand your karma extending it around you. And you've learned how to erase it completely, becoming invisible. But Hardening… is different."
He closed his eyes, and energy flared around him, radiating warmth and pressure.
"This is expansion," he said. "With this, I can sense everything nearby, even with my eyes closed."
Then, in an instant, his aura vanished. The air grew still.
"This is erasure," he continued. "Invisible, undetectable perfect for stealth or recovery."
Finally, his aura returned, tighter, denser, wrapped around his body like a thin armor.
"And this… is Hardening. Yumé, hit me."
Yumé hesitated.
"Are you sure?"
"Go ahead."
Yumé threw a punch to his stomach. The impact echoed, but Koman didn't move an inch.
"I get it!" Kenny exclaimed. "That's what you used against me the first time we fought!"
"Exactly," Koman said. "With Hardening, you can withstand immense underwater pressure. But there's a cost, you won't be able to use your awakening in this state."
"So that's why you made us train our bodies first," Ikku realized.
"Precisely. Now, it's your turn."
One by one, they tried. Instantly, a thin layer of energy coated their skin. They had succeeded on the first attempt. Koman smiled proudly.
The following days were spent underwater.
They learned to move, fight, and hunt in total silence, relying on luminous minerals that glowed when touched by spiritual energy. Koman guided them through the depths, teaching them how to survive and navigate through the dark abyss.
After a week and a half, the final day arrived.
Koman stood before them, flanked by Ilia and the elder.
"Thank you for everything," Ikku said, bowing deeply.
"Save your gratitude for your return," the elder replied. "Do what no one has ever done before… and come back alive."
"Yes, sir!" they all shouted.
They dove into the water.
The silence of the deep wrapped around them. Communication became a series of hand signs. Ten minutes later, they spotted it, the entrance to the temple. Like the Topura Kingdom's passage, it formed a great U leading upward to dry ground.
Before they could advance, a shadow moved in the darkness, a massive sea serpent, scales glinting like obsidian.
Yumé motioned that he would handle it. The others stepped back.
The beast lunged. Yumé raised his forearm, the blow crashing against his hardened aura with no effect. He countered with a single punch. The serpent went limp, drifting lifelessly.
Yumé turned, thumb raised with a cocky grin. The others smiled behind their masks and pressed on.
They swam through the U-shaped tunnel, finally emerging on land.
The chamber before them was vast, walls shimmering with prana minerals that illuminated the temple with a soft, ethereal glow.
Ikku stepped forward, taking in the sight, heart pounding.
"We finally made it…"
"Stay sharp," Kenny warned. "We don't know what's waiting inside."
"We're ready for anything," Carla said.
"Yeah," Yumé added with a grin. "That jewel's ours."
Ikku clenched his fist, eyes burning with determination.
"Then let's go!"