[ September 23, 1972, Saitama Prefecture, Niiza City. ]
On this sunny autumn day, the residents of an ordinary provincial town could observe an extraordinary spectacle. However, being polite and well-mannered Japanese, they diligently pretended that nothing unusual was happening. Fortunately, ubiquitous mobile phones had not yet been invented, so our heroes didn't become internet stars.
What was happening? Picture a young and thin, long-haired blonde guy, looking about thirteen years old, dressed in a white shirt and blue training pants, who was barefoot dragging a car tire with a rope like a harnessed horse. And everything would have been fine if it weren't for the huge muscular man, about forty years old in appearance, sitting on this tire and filling the area with his frightening laughter.
Since both were blondes with European features, the picture looked as if a father was tormenting his son.
"Faster, Arthur, faster, it's getting hot out here. Give me some breeze!" — The giant was whipping the guy's back with a thin rod.
Only the guy didn't answer him, drenched in sweat and dying from terrible pain in all the muscles in his body. He didn't even suspect some of them existed. He knew that answering meant losing his breath, which could make him fall right there, and that would add a couple more laps around Ryozanpaku later.
If the guy could use yoga, everything would be much easier - he could strengthen himself and ease the pain, but a pair of cold iron bracelets on his hands wouldn't allow it.
Suddenly, everything in his eyes seemed covered with a red darkening veil, his field of vision narrowed to a point, and his limbs refused to move. He fell into a saving faint again.
***
When I came to, I saw the now painfully familiar ceiling of wooden beams. Overcoming the horrifying pain in my body, I somehow, like an old man with Parkinson's, took off the bracelets and finally could ease my suffering with yoga.
But this wasn't a solution - pain exists to inform about your limits, and I did this only to drink the battery of potions thoughtfully left by Phineas without spilling most of it. When I had gulped down the magical decoctions that were supposed to remove lactic acid, relieve fatigue, supply the body with necessary elements, enhance regeneration and muscle growth, and also cast minor healing charms from a wand on myself, I wondered how I had come to such a life.
My personal hell began quite nicely and good-naturedly. When I woke up on the second day of my stay at Ryozanpaku - the heroes' shelter, as I later learned the name of this dojo - Hayato, whom I met on my way to the bathroom, both showed me where it was and invited me to breakfast. I left Pixie in my room, where she was snoring through both nostrils, sprawled in a star position.
"Furinji-sensei," — remembering Japanese forms of address from my first life, I decided to ask. — "Where is my teacher?"
"He went for potions, said you'd definitely need them." — I didn't pay attention to this then, but I should have.
After that, I sat at a traditional Japanese table where you have to sit on your knees. An interesting nation that constantly bows and sits on their knees. If not for yoga, such a trick probably wouldn't have worked for me - my legs would have gone numb in a couple of minutes.
Breakfast consisted of traditional products, fish and rice, but there was quite a lot of it, so I ate well.
"Thank you for the treat, Furinji-sensei. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"It's surprising that you held back and didn't ask them during breakfast. Well then, let's take a walk and talk."
We got up from the table, threw the dishes in the sink, and went outside, where the sky was covered with many scattered clouds, unlike each other. In some silhouettes, animals or plants could be discerned, but most of them were just shapeless lambs.
Walking through a small park, which mainly grew pears, plums, and cherries and which fit into a truly gigantic dojo complex, one couldn't help but think about Hayato's incredible wealth, because in Japan land isn't just expensive, it's very expensive.
"You said you're not a mage, how so?" — I interrupted our silent walk.
"Do you know the history of martial arts?" — I shook my head in response. — "And do you know why? Because Japan is an extremely closed country and doesn't like strangers. And if news sometimes leaks from China, Japanese mages keep everything in strict secrecy, so about everything I'll tell you, it's worth keeping quiet to avoid bringing problems on yourself. Is that clear?"
"Of course, Furinji-sensei."
"So, martial arts originated about three or four thousand years ago in China, although some sources speak of even earlier dates. This happened because different mage clans stopped accepting mages from outside. What caused this, hardly anyone can say now, but many believe it's connected to the fact that strangers stopped being content with the status of powerless slaves for crumbs of knowledge.
As happens in such cases, people still find a way out, and it turned out to be yoga, which came from India and Tibet. Many martial arts masters originated precisely then, traveling the world and collecting bits of information about yoga, which was then beginning to experience decline.
Over time, various martial arts appeared, combining different martial arts techniques, philosophy, and ki control." — He said, rubbing his chin.
"Ki?" — I didn't understand.
"You mages call it mana, Chinese call it qi, Indians call it shipru, and so on. The names are different, but the essence is the same — controlling your internal energy."
"What about prana?" — After my question, the man frowned.
"Prana is mainly controlled by demonic martial arts, blood mages, and vampires. And not their own, but others'. After all, life energy is essentially your life span. And they use it only in moments when there really are no other options."
"What are the relationships between mages and martial arts masters?"
"Oh, good question. At one time, mages didn't pay attention to us for a long time and were busy with their internal squabbles, and by the time they came to their senses, we had become a force to be reckoned with. Murim in Korea, the Phoenix Order in China, Ryozanpaku in Japan, there are international organizations too.
Naturally, everything wasn't so simple, and at first there was war - mages didn't want competitors, and masters felt too cramped, so they tried to strangle us in the cradle, but it didn't work."
"Are masters that strong?" — I asked, chewing a blade of grass.
"Of course, but there aren't many masters. Here it was more about the fact that if a mage didn't have time to prepare, even a student could defeat him. What do you think, why?" — I thought and then answered:
"Speed?"
"Correct, speed. A mage simply won't have time to react if he doesn't have artifacts or isn't one of the strongest mages. So martial arts fighters simply waged guerrilla warfare, attacking sharply and immediately disappearing.
However, mages responded in kind, apparating and killing masters with sudden raids. This was a war of attrition that was unprofitable for everyone. In the end, after many senseless sacrifices, a peace treaty was concluded that mages don't interfere in the world of martial arts, and we don't interfere in theirs." — Hayato finished.
"That's exactly why there's no mention of the martial arts world in the magical world? Mages are afraid that someone will study both?"
"Not quite right, there are many other reasons, but you're right. That's exactly why I'm interested in what will come of you, young mage. Well then, Phineas told me a lot about you, and I was interested that you studied some variant of yoga. I'd like to look at it — attack!"
I didn't hesitate and, getting up with the big guy, strengthened myself and began striking. Only I felt like I wasn't hitting a person, but a steel beam. And even strengthening myself to my limit of five times didn't help me change the situation! After a couple dozen strikes, Hayato simply stopped my fist with his finger.
"Good and bad at the same time. I don't know what you studied there, but you seem to have decided to start running before learning to walk. Your body strengthening skills using ki are impressive, especially since you're already doing it consciously, which mainly masters are capable of.
But your body is deplorably weak and incapable of showing your full potential. Moreover, you don't know stances and techniques, and you fight as if in a street brawl. Therefore, from today we'll begin your training."
"Excuse me, but I already subconsciously strengthen myself always. And physical training will be ineffective."
"That's fixable, let's go." — We walked from the park to some old warehouse cluttered with junk. Where, rummaging around, Furinji pulled out a dusty wooden box, inside which were two metal bracelets covered with cracks and dents.
The giant explained with a smile. — "I found them in an old tomb with walking dead. It was an amusing adventure, put them on."
When I put them on, my legs buckled. The sensation of mana in my body almost immediately disappeared, I couldn't even mentally create a single spell. I had read about this metal in Lerach's book.
"This... this is cold iron?" — I croaked.
"To be honest, I don't know. I only know that the bracelets interfere with ki control. And now, let's begin our training." — Suddenly his eyes lit up with energy emanating from them, and I became terrifyingly scared.
…
"Good morning everyone," — The old mage in a gray cloak with a staff and a baggy leather bag appeared out of nowhere with a pop. — "Already training?"
"Hohohoh, hello to you too," — The giant answered him. — "Of course, why delay?"
What was I doing? I was doing push-ups, if you can call it that, considering that two heavy sandbags were placed on top of me, and hot coals were beneath me. Without mana, I can't withstand the heat for long, so I have to do push-ups.
If I just stand on extended arms, Furinji will put his huge hand on my back, and I'll fall into the coals. Been there, done that.
"You're doing push-ups rather sluggishly. Look at your pet, she's more energetic." — This, this... sadist was mocking me.
Pixie, as always taking my example, was doing push-ups next to me with a serious face. The sleepyhead had slept all day yesterday in my pocket and flew out only this morning. Hayato wasn't surprised by her appearance and treated the little fairy quite good-naturedly, pouring her warm milk in a thimble.
But now he's setting her as an example for me and mocking me. She doesn't have heavy bags on her back! But I already understood that the more you complain, the more loads they'll hang on you. Because that's exactly how I got the second bag on my back.
"How long has he been like this?" — Black asked.
"Almost since morning. You have a good student, enduring and also silent. Maybe I should take him as my student?" — The giant thoughtfully stroked his chin.
"Don't open your mouth to someone else's loaf," — Phineas smiled. — "But it's a good idea if you're ready to share."
"Why not share? By days of the week or half a day?"
"Let's do half a day, otherwise you'll exhaust him for the whole day. This way he'll run to my lessons cheerfully and with joy." — I was so outraged that they didn't even ask my opinion that I got distracted, and this became the last straw for my weakened cotton arms, and I collapsed into the coals.
Fortunately, I managed to roll over and didn't get burned.
"You're mean, I'll leave you." — Looking at the laughing friends, I answered. Phineas rummaged in his bag and threw me some kind of vial.
"Drink it, fatigue potion, it'll get easier." — I did as I was asked, and it really became much easier.
"Hohohoh, so with these potions we can practice without a break," — Hayato chuckled ominously.
"You lie, you won't take me!" — I yelled and apparated. True, this didn't help me again - the traitor Black found me by the apparition trail and, binding me with charms, brought me back.
"Where were you going, Arthur? We've only just begun." — With these words, my personal hell came true.
…
"Don't you think this is too much?" — When his unconscious student had to be given potions and carried to his room once again, Black asked.
"I'd be glad to do it differently, but I simply don't know how and don't know another way. It's necessary to bring him to his limit, step over it, and then the body will be stronger and capable of holding more ki. Then it will begin avalanche-like, especially since he has no problems with energy control." — Hayato answered. — "Don't worry, I taught my son this way, my father taught me, and grandfather taught father."
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of." — Phineas shuddered.
"Aren't you curious yourself what will come of the boy? A martial arts master and a mage - what will come of such a combination?"
"There have been such people before, and it didn't lead to anything good. We had to kill these monsters with the whole world."
"But you still brought your student to me. Why?"
"You know the answer yourself. He's not like that. He's not chasing power, but knowledge. And he said himself that if it's worth being strong, it's only to protect himself and people dear to him. Reminds you of someone, doesn't it, my friend?" — Hayato didn't answer, thinking about something of his own.
***
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Thank you for the help with the power stones!!!