Chapter 4: Strength and Skill
When I woke up in the morning, Sena was not beside me.
Stepping out of the hut, I first felt a faint breeze brush against my cheek.
It was the time when the darkness of night began to fade, and the sky started to lighten.
As I walked, I sensed an air that felt somehow different from usual, filling my body with anticipation.
In the familiar walking path for the two of us, there she was—Sena—standing in the grassland.
Flowing with the wind, surrendering herself to its embrace, she was dancing—Sena was dancing.
From her body, particles of light radiated.
Twisting and turning, she spread her arms wide, swaying gracefully, then bending her body to its limits, she spun around.
With a leap, she soared from the ground, landing lightly as if gravity had no hold on her, continuing her dance.
I recalled a performance I had seen in Japan called the Kagura Dance.
I thought it bore some resemblance, but her movements were far more intense, dynamic, and streamlined. It was as if she had been liberated from gravity, yet her movements contained a raw power.
Watching her dance, I was left speechless, losing track of time as I became entranced.
After what felt like an eternity, she noticed me staring and stopped her dance, turning to me with a question.
“How was it…?”
Sena, who rarely showed her emotions, asked me.
“I can’t put it into words, but it was amazing.”
I could say my vocabulary had melted away.
“It’s a way of expressing gratitude to the gods.”
“Gratitude to the gods?”
“Yes, gratitude to God. Thank you for the blessings you bestow upon us.”
She spoke to me, radiating with a divine aura, releasing particles of light.
“At the same time, it’s a ritual to calm the gods.”
“A ritual?”
“Yes, to prevent the God Tainted by Evil from becoming more agitated.”
The phrase “God Tainted by Evil” sent a shiver down my spine.
“And this is also a form of Martial Arts Training to resist such a God Tainted by Evil.”
Sena’s eyes, as she answered, were those of a fighter.
They resembled mine, and I couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t mere vanity.
When I suggested starting rehabilitation, Sena happily accepted my offer.
“Leave it to me.”
“Thanks, Sena. I owe you one.”
“Just think of it as riding the Titanic and leave it to me.”
“Wait a minute. I’m feeling an ominous vibe like never before.”
“I meant the Mary Celeste.”
“But all the passengers were lost…”
I was filled with nothing but anxiety.
Now, there’s a training method in Chinese martial arts called Zhan Zhuang.
It involves lowering your stance a bit, focusing on your breathing, and circulating your Qi throughout your body.
I might not make much sense, and honestly, I don’t fully understand it either. Please forgive me for any inaccuracies.
The reason I started explaining this is that I was about to experience it myself.
“Lower your waist a bit more.”
In the same grassland where she had danced, my rehabilitation training began.
“Good. Focus on your abdomen. Yes, the key is your breathing.”
Her training was shrouded in mystery.
“From your abdomen to your waist, to your legs. From your abdomen to your chest, head, and both hands. Be aware of the Qi you cultivate within yourself and let it flow throughout your entire body.”
“Excuse me, what is Qi?”
“Qi is Qi.”
“So what exactly is Qi?”
“Qi is just Qi.”
After my repeated questions (which were only natural), Sena let out a sigh and said in a chillingly low voice, “Ichiro, do you lack motivation?”
“Of course not! I want to learn from you, Sena! I want to understand Qi! I want you to continue helping me with my rehabilitation!”
Was there anything else I could say? My super agreeable nature had exploded.
“Alright, then.”
Seeing her return to her usual expression (a bit devoid of emotion), I felt a bit relieved, but I continued to train diligently, careful not to upset her.
Eventually, I finished when a puddle of sweat formed beneath me.
Ugh, what a hellish experience.
“By the way, will this training actually contribute to my rehabilitation?”
It was a perfectly reasonable question.
If all this training didn’t help with my rehabilitation, it would be meaningless.
“Hmm?”
She tilted her head adorably, as if to say, “What a silly question.” Her small, animal-like gesture was quite cute.
“Yes, of course. If you train like this, you’ll return to your previous physical abilities.”
“But that’s not all,” Sena continued,
“There’s a Boar over there. Just watch.”
A Boar… What the heck is that!?
Why is something like that suddenly appearing!?
That’s not just any boar!
What is that?! Is it the God of Boars?! It’s big enough to wipe out an entire military unit! It’s like a Choco Monaka Jumbo! (I was losing my mind.)
Sena, releasing particles of light, gracefully approached the Boar, eventually facing it head-on.
The weight difference was so vast it was almost laughable.
Instead of comparing it to animals, it was more like the size of a building or an apartment complex. Regardless, she somehow evaded the Boar’s foot stomp and lightly touched its massive leg.
“Break!”
This was what you’d call a fierce shout of determination.
The Boar shuddered unnaturally and came to a halt.
Without delay, its gigantic body collapsed, shaking the ground beneath it.
The Boar had already turned into a hunk of meat, and I could no longer sense any life from it.
“That was just a warm-up.”
Huh!?
What was that!? Is this the Hokuto Shinken?
Perhaps my overly frightened reaction displeased her.
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
With a look that suggested she didn’t really believe that, she continued,
“Right now, your strength is merely riding on your skills.”
She spoke in a somewhat provoking manner.
“That’s a hollow strength built on a sad misunderstanding.”
I had a feeling she was right. No, I was certain of it.
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
Sena repeated herself,
“If you’re fine staying weak as you are.”
What kind of man would back down after being told that?
I shouted with all my might, as if to inspire myself,
“I can do it!!”
To this day, I still don’t know why I chose that particular shout.