The morning sun spilled over the village, spilling golden light across the training grounds. The dew on the grass sparkled faintly, though the peace of the morning was quickly broken by the sound of Hunnt's voice cutting across the clearing.
Hunnt stood at the center, fists clenched, eyes scanning the three who stood before him: Corwin, Elara, and Pyro. His shoulders carried the weight of leadership now, even more so after awakening that strange black power in his fists. But today wasn't about testing that new ability. Today wasn't about flashy strikes or monster hunts. It was about something much simpler—yet just as vital.
"Today," Hunnt said firmly, "is about stamina and endurance. Without them, all the strength in the world will collapse in minutes. And if your stamina fails, your Haki will fail. Understand?"
Corwin gave a small nod, hammer resting on his shoulder, his expression serious. Elara adjusted her bow strap and let out a controlled breath, determination flashing in her eyes. Pyro tilted his head, golden eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Nyahaha… Master, we'll follow you!" Pyro chirped, tail swishing. "But don't blame me if I outlast you all, nyaah!"
Hunnt allowed himself a faint smile. "Then prove it. First, warm-ups. Run the perimeter of the clearing twice. Control your breathing—don't let fatigue set in too fast."
They started off together, feet pounding against the uneven dirt and grass. Corwin's heavy boots left imprints in the ground, his hammer bouncing slightly with each stride. Elara's lighter steps matched her leaner frame, though her quiver rattled against her back. Pyro darted from side to side, springing onto rocks and tree roots, then rejoining them, as if mocking the idea of a simple run.
Hunnt ran at the front, setting the pace. His fists were wrapped tightly, bandages darkened from the past few days of training. Sweat quickly beaded across his brow, but his breathing stayed steady. He knew every step was another brick in the foundation they were building.
By the time they finished the second lap, Elara's face glistened with sweat, and Corwin's broad chest rose and fell in heavy but controlled breaths. Pyro, on the other hand, bounced onto Hunnt's shoulder, grinning smugly. "Nyahaha, see? Easy! You two look like you wrestled trees already."
Corwin shot him a flat look. "You weigh less than my hammer."
Hunnt chuckled, raising his hand for silence. "Next—stretch and maintain your stances. Even when tired, your form must stay strong. If you let fatigue break your stance in a fight, you lose. Remember this."
Elara wiped her brow, then asked carefully, "So this… is connected to Haki? Like how Tekkai hardens the body, and Kami-e lets us dodge?"
Hunnt nodded, his tone instructional. "Exactly. Armament Haki strengthens your body like Tekkai, letting you block or strike without fear of breaking. Observation Haki sharpens your senses like Kami-e, letting you avoid strikes almost before they happen. But both eat stamina fast. If your endurance is weak, you'll burn out after only a few moments. That's why today is about building stamina, not skill."
He turned to each of them. "Corwin—you'll focus on bracing. Swing heavy until your arms shake, then brace yourself again. Build staying power. Elara—draw your bow until you feel you can't, then force your body to keep proper form. Pyro—dodge until your legs burn, no pauses. And I'll work fists until they bleed again."
The three nodded, and they split into drills.
Corwin swung his hammer in wide, deliberate arcs, each swing thudding into a reinforced training post Hunnt had set up. His shoulders bulged with strain, sweat streaming down his temple. After every few strikes, Hunnt barked, "Brace!" and Corwin would plant his feet, muscles locking into Tekkai, absorbing the vibration of his own hammer blow against the earth.
Elara moved to her side of the clearing, setting up wooden targets. She drew her bowstring again and again, her arms trembling after the fiftieth pull. Still, she forced herself to steady her stance, correcting each mistake Hunnt pointed out. "Elbow higher. Grip lighter. Control—don't fight your own bow." Her arrows landed with dull thuds, not all perfect, but each a mark of endurance over precision.
Pyro zipped across the clearing, darting from log to stump, weaving past Hunnt's strikes with a stick he used to simulate claws. "Nyaah! Too slow, Master!" Pyro chirped, before Hunnt suddenly extended his reach with Soru, forcing Pyro to roll clumsily out of the way. "Nyahaha! Okay, okay, that was close!"
Hunnt ignored the teasing and returned to his own drill. His fists pounded against a thick oak, each strike a heavy thud that echoed through the forest. The bark tore, dents forming. Blood stained the bandages, but Hunnt didn't stop. His breathing grew heavier, yet his form remained controlled.
Hours passed like this, the sun rising higher, until sweat poured from all of them and the air itself seemed heavy with heat and effort.
Finally, Hunnt raised his hand. "Enough. Rest."
They collapsed onto the grass, chests heaving. Elara sprawled on her back, staring up at the sky. "My arms… I can't feel them anymore."
Corwin sat cross-legged, resting his hammer across his knees. "Good. That means progress."
Pyro lay on his back, paws in the air, tail twitching lazily. "Nyahaha… this is tougher than fighting Ravagerak, nyaah! At least then I could scratch something!"
Hunnt chuckled, though his chest rose and fell heavily. He wiped his brow, letting the silence linger for a moment before speaking again. "You all did well. But this is only the beginning. The goal isn't just muscle—it's stamina under control. Your bodies must obey even when your minds want to give up. That's the only way Haki will hold when we need it most."
Elara turned her head, sweat dripping from her chin, but her eyes still burned with determination. "Weighted clothing… you mentioned it earlier. You mean to make us train with it?"
Hunnt nodded. "Yes. Tomorrow, I'll finish crafting it. Each piece will weigh you down, slow you, make every move harder. But once you adapt, your bodies will last longer, hit harder, and your Haki will flow easier. It's brutal… but it works."
Corwin gave a faint smirk, his usual calm settling back into place. "Sounds like hell. But we've walked through worse already."
Pyro rolled to his side, blinking up at Hunnt. "Nyahaha… I'll take the lightest set, nyaah. Don't make me a walking rock!"
Elara let out a tired laugh, though her arms still trembled. "I don't care if it's heavy. I'll wear it until I collapse. I'm not going to fall behind any of you."
Hunnt stood, flexing his sore fists. His eyes softened as he looked at them—his team. His family, in many ways. "Good. Then tomorrow, we begin the real foundation of our strength."
As the midday sun hung high above the training grounds, the four of them lay there, battered and exhausted, but smiling faintly. Every ache, every burn in their muscles was a promise. The road to strength was unforgiving, but together, they would endure it.
The forest beyond the clearing was calm for now, but Hunnt knew monsters still lurked. Their hunt was far from over—but with each day of training, they drew one step closer to being ready for whatever awaited them.