The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and fresh dew. Sunlight broke through the canopy in slivers, casting golden lines across the training ground. For Elric, however, the peaceful beauty of nature felt more like the calm before a storm.
He trudged beside Orin, yawning, stretching his sore limbs, and muttering under his breath. "Every morning feels like a death sentence… I wonder what torture Master Orin has cooked up for me today."
Orin, walking ahead with a calm authority, carried something wrapped in thick cloth over his shoulder. Elric eyed the bundle nervously. That doesn't look like breakfast… it looks like trouble.
Finally, they reached the familiar clearing where yesterday's bruises still haunted Elric's body. Orin dropped the bundle onto the ground with a loud THUD. The earth trembled slightly.
Elric's eyes widened. "Uh-oh… that doesn't sound like apples in a basket."
Orin knelt, unwrapping the bundle with deliberate slowness, as if unveiling a sacred relic. Beneath the cloth gleamed pieces of dark, metallic armor. Heavy plates, straps reinforced with steel, and shoulder guards thick enough to withstand a boulder.
Elric's jaw dropped. "What in the name of roasted chickens is THAT?!"
Orin's tone was firm, almost ceremonial. "This, Elric, is the Titan Shell. Forged from metal to push the human body beyond its limits. Heavy beyond measure, yet designed for training alone. With it, your body will learn to endure weight, so that without it, you will feel as light as air. Only through this will your speed and strength rise."
Elric gulped. "M-Master… are you sure this is training? Because it looks more like a medieval torture device."
Orin smirked ever so slightly. "Consider it a gift. Or… a punishment. Either way, you will wear it."
He lifted one of the chest plates as though it were made of feathers. Handing it to Elric, he said, "A sword is useless if the body collapses. The Titan Shell will forge you into steel itself."
Another line followed like a hammer to Elric's heart:
"If you cannot carry this weight, how will you carry the weight of your family's memory?"
Elric flinched. Orin's words cut sharper than any blade.
Still, he tried to laugh nervously. "Yeah, sure, no problem. I'll just… wear this giant frying pan on my chest and pretend I'm invincible."
Elric struggled to strap the armor onto his body. First the chest plate, then the shoulder guards, then the leg guards. With each piece, his body bent lower, until finally—
THUD!
He fell face-first into the dirt.
"Master… send… help…" he groaned in a crushed voice, sounding like a man buried under a mountain. "I've officially become a pancake…"
Orin raised an eyebrow. "Stand up."
"I would love to, Master, but I think the earth and I have become one now…"
"Stand. Up."
With trembling arms, Elric pushed against the ground, legs wobbling like jelly. After what felt like an eternity, he staggered upright, swaying dangerously. His breaths came in sharp bursts.
"I didn't move a single step… and I already want to die," he wheezed.
Orin's reply was simple: "Good. This is the beginning. Move."
Elric stared at him in horror. "Move?! Master, I can't even scratch my nose right now!"
"Move," Orin repeated, his voice like stone.
Elric sighed dramatically. "Fine… but if I collapse into a puddle, tell people I died bravely."
He tried lifting his foot. It felt like dragging a boulder. His entire body shook from the effort. After what felt like hours, his right foot landed an inch ahead.
"Hah!" Elric shouted triumphantly. "I… I moved! Call me the king of turtles!"
Orin folded his arms. "At this pace, the cursed shadows will politely wait for you to arrive before killing you."
Elric shot him a glare, then whispered, "Note to self: sarcasm is not allowed in training."
Every step was a war. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His arms burned. His back screamed. The Titan Shell pressed on him like the weight of mountains.
But then Orin's voice cut through his exhaustion.
"Imagine the armor is light. Breathe deep. Focus your mind. Your body bends to your will—if your will is strong enough."
Elric inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. He pictured the Titan Shell as nothing more than cloth. He exhaled slowly, steadying his stance.
Step.
Another step.
Slowly, his pace grew steadier. He still looked ridiculous, like a turtle dragging itself across the sand, but progress was progress.
Inside his heart, Elric thought, If I want revenge for my family… if I want to protect people from those cursed shadows… then no matter how heavy this feels, I have to keep moving.
The sun climbed higher. Hours passed. Elric's body screamed in agony, but his steps grew less shaky. From one step per minute, he now managed several. Each breath synced with his movement.
Finally, as the sun dipped low toward the horizon, Orin raised his hand. "Enough."
Elric collapsed backward, panting like a dying animal. He tore off the Titan Shell with trembling hands. The moment the weight left his body, he gasped in wonder.
"I… I feel so light! I could jump to the moon right now!" He leaped once, only to stumble and fall flat again. "…Okay, maybe not the moon. Maybe a small hill."
As Orin collected the armor, he glanced at Elric. "You are lazy. But I will forge that laziness into strength. I will help you achieve your goal. Step by step, you will change."
The words hit Elric harder than any strike. For a moment, he didn't see Orin—he saw his father.
His father's voice echoed in memory: "You're lazy, Elric, but you're my son. If you keep moving forward, one day, you'll surprise even yourself."
Elric's eyes burned. He clenched his fists. I'll do it. For my father. For everyone.
As they walked back toward the hut, Elric limped, still sore but strangely proud. Orin walked in silence, his presence steady, almost fatherly. The sun dipped below the mountains, painting the sky crimson.
For the first time in a long while, Elric felt… stronger. Different. Changed.
But deep inside, he knew it wasn't enough. Not yet. Not even close.
Before entering the hut, Orin glanced at him and said in a calm but firm tone:
"Today was one percent of your journey. Tomorrow, we make it ten."
Elric's heart sank. "T-Ten percent?! If this was one percent, then tomorrow I'll really die…"
Orin's eyes glimmered with something between menace and encouragement. "Good. Die as you are now, and be reborn stronger."
Elric muttered, half serious and half joking, "Master, are you secretly trying to kill me before the shadows even get a chance?"
And with that, the day ended—setting the stage for even harsher trials to come.
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Elric survived his first day with the Titan Shell! He struggled, he crawled, and he nearly died of exhaustion—but he also grew. Tomorrow, Orin promises something even harsher. Will Elric survive the next step of training? Stay tuned!