The following day was bright and sunny as Leonard and Saburo readied themselves for their training on the temple premises. Just as they were heading towards the assigned spot, Leonard's attention was drawn to the stones that littered the ground.

"What are we meant to do with these rocks?" scratching his head in puzzlement. "Are we having a game of dodgeball or something?"

"Not exactly, these stones are brought in to carry out certain training purposes—a test of concentration, balance, and accuracy."

"We call this technique Zhu She Gong, where you strike this rock using your foot, it enhances your kicks which are simple yet in the same breath complicated. You will start off to this small then bigger ones like those over there." Saburo points to the boulder at the distance. Leonard said to himself: "Is this a training or an execution."

"There's a saying that you can throw off an opponent as far as the ones that trained with." Saburo smile's "I wonder if that same applies to you."

Leonard stood tall, bracing himself for the impending challenge. It might appear to be a task worth shying away from, but with Saburo around, he knew well that it was well within him. And just before he unleashed his strikes on the stone, Leonard felt this inner desire, urge to prove to his master that had entrusted him why he was worthy.

When Leonard swung his blow against the stone, pain exploded in his foot causing Leonard to bite his lower lip. With a yelp of agony, he fell backward, hopping about before crumpling to the floor.

"Aaah, sh*t, aaahh, it hurts," Leonard groaned.

"You'll get used to it sooner or later, shaolin trains the body to surpass and traverse pain. Our bodies may be torn, but our spirit is unbreakable."

"Whatever you say, old man."

Leonard slowly rose to his feet, the pain still throbbing in his foot.

He stood up and wasted no time in springing into action. With a swift motion, he hoisted the log onto his back, as he prepared to tackle the next phase of his training.

The log, gnarled and heavy, found a new home upon his shoulders.

He sprang into motion, the log an extension of his will. The temple grounds blurred greens and browns as he surged toward the mountain's base.

Leonard ran towards the mountain hill with a log strapped to his back, he couldn't help but feel the strain of exertion coursing through his muscles. But just as fatigue threatened to overwhelm him, a familiar voice taunted him behind.

"Tired already?"

Leonard turned to see Saburo effortlessly carrying six stacks of logs with a single hand, he was composed, and calm despite having to run for hours without rest. The sight left Leonard speechless.

"HOW ARE YOU EVEN DOING THAT???"

Saburo chuckled softly.

"Years of training, discipline, and focus," he replied simply. "The body is capable of incredible feats when the mind is strong and the spirit unwavering."

He watched Saburo effortlessly leap from tree to tree, with six stacks of logs balanced effortlessly on one hand.

"What does that even mean?!" his mind filled with confusion as he struggled to comprehend the sheer magnitude of Saburo's abilities.

Saburo's agile form disappeared into the distance. "Wait!" he called out, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice as he pleaded, asking for Saburo to slow down.

Watching Saburo's incredible display of skills, Leonard couldn't help but marvel at the seemingly impossible feat before him. "How is he even doing that?"

As the sun dipped down the horizon, Leonard found himself drawn to the beauty of the spring well nestled amidst the lush foliage. Intrigued by the sight, he made his way toward it.

Even the leaves dared not disturb the twilight's sacred. Saburo, seated nearby. His eyes remained closed, lost in deep meditation. A sense of calm radiated from him, his posture relaxed and his breathing steady.

Curiosity tugged at Leonard's mind as he observed Saburo's serene demeanor, wondering what thoughts occupied his mentor's mind during this communion. He approached quietly, not wanting to disturb Saburo's moment of introspection.

The spring well beckoned was a mirror to the heavens. Leonard leaned closer, the cool stone against his palms grounding him.

Perhaps it's the essence of souls, regrets, and unspoken wishes.

"Inner peace..."

Curiosity in his eyes as he observed Saburo's serene demeanor, wondering what thoughts occupied his mentor's mind.

"Saburo, I was looking for yo-"

"Inner peace..."

"Well, look, I was tryin-"

"Inner peace..." 

"Huh?"

"Meditating, finding stillness in the midst of chaos."

In that quiet exchange, Leonard glimpsed the heart of Saburo's teachings, where battles were fought not with fists, but with souls.

"The hell is this nut sack saying?" he muttered, trying comprehend Saburo's cryptic wisdom.

Saburo, undeterred by Leonard's mental commentary continued...

"When one reaches enlightenment," he began, "they gain profound insight into the true nature of reality. Impermanence weaves through all phenomena-a thread that binds us all."

"Inner peace and equanimity," Saburo continued, "are the fruits of this understanding. They lessen the impact of suffering and pain-not by avoiding it altogether, but by transforming our relationship to it."

"Pain," he said, "is the mortar of our flesh-the very substance that builds our essence. We are connected like a web, threads of fate. And sometimes, the force that shapes destinies is not mere chance, but something divine."

In that moment, Leonard wondered if enlightenment was a path he could bridge between the mundane and the celestial.

"When one realizes the impermanent and interconnected nature of all things, they become less attached to transient phenomena, including their own ego and desires."

Saburo vanished into the smoke. Leonard's eyes widened in disbelief. When he turned, Saburo is sitting at the water's edge.

"How did you get there?!"

When he turned, Saburo was on the waters edge standing at one foot at his staff.

"Attaining a sense of one's own internal strength and balance allows a person to cope with life’s adversities much more effortlessly and elegantly."

"That suffering is simply a hallucination due to ignorance of the true conundrum. There are problems that stem from the body that carries our spirit, and within it such duality of pain and peace - even overcoming it."

His gaze shifted to Leonard. "To pursue the path of the sage is to look behind oneself and to comprehend that flesh is only a container, and that endured misery is passing."

"Come, son."

"Do not forget,” continued Saburo, ”In order to surpassed even the limits which have been placed upon us. Go... Beyond.”

✳✳✳

As he dashed to a giant oak tree, his fingers gripping its knobby roots, he inhaled sharply in gasps.

Upper trunk of the tree was held by Leonard's hands. He pressed against it, his muscles bulging. But the oak did not yield; it was held fast by its roots that went deep into the earth. Leonard’s efforts failed to do more than tease the roots out of the ground.

Wondrous was the maid of Saburo. A sound that had locked in Leonard’s memory for a long time came pouring. She was overjoyed and gleefully put her palms together having seen the efforts of Leonard.

The iron board stood tall in front of Leonard: "You will bash your head against that board." Leonard was in shocked.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" Leonard's voice cracked. The very notion of smashing his skull against the metal seemed absurd, for him this was a cruel test of madness.

"It's part of the training," he said.

Leonard scoffed. "Ha! Then do it yourself, old man!"

"It's easy," Saburo declared. "I'll show you." He reached for a spear.

"W-WAIT!" Leonard stammered, panic seizing his chest. "I WAS JUST JOKING, SABURO! STOP!"

But Saburo paid no heed. Leonard's protests turned frantic. "SABURO, STOP! NO!"

And then, with a swift motion, Saburo headbutted the spear. To Leonard's astonishment, the spear flattened, its metal bending like a reed.

"See?" He wiggled the now-malleable spear. "It's so floppy."

In that moment, Leonard glimpsed the impossible...

"What kind of human breed are you?" Leonard's voice trembled, his words a desperate plea. "Gorilla?" And Leonard, caught between awe and fear, whispered the only word that fit: "Monster..."

Four Months Later

The forest bore witness. Leonard's body-badges of endurance. He stood, victorious.

"I'll reach the summit."

He ran his legs pumping, heart soaring. The mountain loomed, a challenge carved in stone.

"You're so cool, Leonard!"

"Thanks. Thought I'd fail."

They shared laughter. Leonard, once broken, now whole.

"Congrats, Leonard!"

"Madness and victory. We're more than flesh and bone."

"How did he..." Saburo muttered to himself, his calloused hands clenched into fists. The layers of glue on his hardened nails had been meticulously crafted over a decade, infused with pitch and tar derived from pine resin-the same materials used by seafaring civilizations in ancient times to seal and waterproof their ships.

"Tsh... I have spent 10 years hardening those nails with pitch and tar derived from pine resin... those were used even in ancient times. It sealed and waterproofed their ships... and... it has 10,000 layers!" Saburo thought bitterly.

Each layer represented countless hours of work, a testament to his dedication. He had studied ancient scrolls, consulted sages, and honed his skills until those nails became indestructible. But now, facing an adversary who had shattered them, doubt crept in...

"I see... I now understand what you meant by your teaching... That the strongest of will are born to be conquerors of worlds, that they aren't born to fail but to be progenitors..."

Saburo's realization dawned. Those nails, once mundane, held essence. A lineage stretching back to forgotten mariners.

"Your right, Master Hachizen," Saburo said.

✴✴✴

The sparring hall loomed-a solemn sanctuary carved in stone. Its walls symbols tales of warriors who had honed the dancing steps of war within its confines. Saburo, mentor, stood at its center.

"Now, Leonard, this is the last phase of your training. Here, you'll prove yourself worthy-worthy of inheriting vast riches, of becoming my successor."

He tossed a katana-an extension of fate. Leonard caught it, but his hand trembled. The blade gleamed, its edge a mirror reflecting the haunting memories.

"Lucy..."

Rain-the same rain that had driven her blood everywhere. That tragic night-the night Lucy died.

"You okay, boy?"

"N-no, I'm fine."

"Don't hold back. Your sword will crave its enemy's blood, but for a cause."

"I'm ready."

Saburo vanished-leaving Leonard with a half-formed sentence.

"What? His not from above, to my left nor my right! Then..."

He looked back, instincts screaming.

"From below!"

And with a leap, he evaded Saburo's attack.

"You're more agile than last time."

"Yeah, I suppose I a-"

But Saburo's rush was relentless. The katana's handle slammed into Leonard's stomach, knocking him against the wall. Pain flared, but Leonard's survival instincts kicked in.

Leonard kicked off the wall, executing a backflip. In mid-air, he slashed downward, aiming for Saburo's head.

"Using my own tricks?~"

Their blades clashed. Leonard staggered back, heart racing. Leonard's breaths came in ragged bursts. Saburo, moved like a phantom. Each frame revealed a fraction of his lightning-fast speed. Leonard clenched his fists. "So fast!" he exclaimed. "I need to find a way to counter this rat."

Saburo leaped from wall to wall, defying gravity itself. His agility surpassed that of a hawk in pursuit of its prey.

Saburo's speed defied the laws of nature, creating a vortex of air that tugged at Leonard. The temple walls groaned under the strain.

"Dodge this," Saburo's voice echoed, and in an instant, he appears behind Leonard. The air crackled with energy as he unleashed the devastating technique-Silver Fang: Divergent Sea. Leonard's eyes widened, and before the attack even touched him, he dropped to the ground. The impact reverberated through the temple, shaking its ancient foundations.

Leonard trembled, memories of Lucy's death flooding back-the day her flesh tore, leaving scars etched deep within him. Saburo's technique, the very same thing that had taken away Lucy's life, now stood before him.

"How did you... Your technique..." Leonard's voice wavered. He needed answers.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied. "Are you referring to my technique? Some random dude with a black-purple monocle taught me that. His name is Hachizen. I was one of his disciple.."

As Saburo spoke, Leonard's mind raced. Ichiban Hachizen?! The name that has connection to Lucy's fate, to the shadows that haunted them both. Leonard vowed to unravel the truth.

To be continued...