The dojo was restless that morning. A tension hung in the air, thick enough to feel in the lungs. The disciples whispered of a test, though no one knew its shape.
I stood at the center of the training hall, the wooden floor cool beneath my bare feet. Across from me, Master Bang watched with arms folded. His eyes were calm, but sharp as a blade poised to cut.
"You wish to walk beyond this dojo," he said. His voice was steady, not raised, but it filled the hall nonetheless. "You wish to chase other masters, other fists. Tell me, Kaizen, what do you think you will gain by leaving?"
My throat was dry, but I forced the words out. "Understanding. To know what the body can truly become. To master not just one path, but many."
Bang's gaze hardened. "A man who walks too many roads risks arriving nowhere."
"I understand," I said, bowing my head. "But I would rather stumble on every road than sit still on one."
Silence followed. Then Bang nodded, faint but final.
"Very well. If you are to walk your own path, you must first prove you have a foundation. Show me that the Flowing Stream has entered your bones. Today, you will be tested."
The disciples circled the hall, anticipation bright in their eyes. Garou leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Bang clapped his hands once. "You will fight," he declared. "Not one opponent. Not two. All of them."
My eyes widened. The disciples murmured, shocked.
"All of them?" one asked.
"Yes," Bang said simply. "You will face them in waves. They may not hold back. Only if you endure will you be permitted to speak of Bomb again."
The blood drained from my face, but I bowed. "I accept."
Garou's grin widened.
The first disciple stepped forward, a broad-shouldered young man with arms like tree trunks. He lunged, fist aimed at my chest.
I exhaled, recalling Bang's lessons. Flow, not clash. Redirect, not resist.
His strike met my palm and slid away like water off stone. My other hand darted forward, striking his side. He stumbled, off balance. I pressed, sweeping his leg, sending him crashing to the floor.
The crowd murmured.
The second disciple attacked immediately, his strikes faster, sharper. My arms burned as I parried, redirecting each blow. A knee caught my ribs, pain flaring white, but I flowed with it, twisting, using the momentum to hurl him aside.
More came. One after another.
My breath grew ragged, my muscles screaming, but I refused to stop. Every lesson, every bruise I had earned in this place now roared through my veins. Flow. Redirect. Strike when the stream turns.
A fist split my lip. A kick rattled my ribs. Blood blurred my vision. Still, I stood.
Hours felt like minutes.
Finally, the last disciple fell, chest heaving as he gasped on the floor. I staggered, swaying, but did not fall. My body was battered, my knuckles raw, but the fire in my chest burned brighter than the pain.
Bang studied me in silence.
Then he nodded once. "You have endured."
The room erupted with whispers. Some voices held disbelief, others respect.
Garou's smirk had faded. His eyes burned with something else curiosity, perhaps, or a darker spark.
After the disciples dispersed, Bang approached me alone. His steps were silent, his presence heavy.
"You did not win because of talent," he said. "You won because you refused to yield. That is strength of its own kind. Do not forget it."
"Yes, Master."
"But remember this as well." His gaze sharpened. "Garou is talent unbound. He will outpace you, strike harder, learn faster. If you only chase him, you will break. Your path must be your own."
I nodded, though the words sank like stones in my chest.
Bang's tone softened. "When the time comes, you may seek Bomb. But only when you can show me the Flowing Stream without flaw. Until then, you remain here. Train. Bleed. Endure."
"Yes, Master."
That night, I collapsed in the courtyard, the stars cold above me. My body screamed with every breath, but my heart was steady.
I had survived. I had endured.
Garou appeared, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. He stood over me, silent for a long moment.
"You're stubborn," he said finally. "Stubborn enough that maybe you won't break. But remember this, Kaizen while you're trying to learn everything, I'll be surpassing everyone."
He turned and walked away, his shadow long in the moonlight.
I closed my eyes, blood drying on my lips, and smiled faintly.
"Then I'll just have to endure longer than you," I whispered.
The stream flowed on. My path had only begun.