Chapter 10. Wastefulness?

This time, Aska was surprisingly condescending.

- Even if you don't feel hungry now, you still need to eat, you see, there is a white-orange marking on the can, it will be something delicious.

Kaas took the last can of food with interest. At the same time Aska renewed his stocks, where, as if by magic, 5 sets were added at once. Kaas was about to grumble, but she didn't give him time.

- Look, there are too many training techniques, I have collected for you the most popular of those that Zemtsu beginners use and for which there are the best recommendations from coaches.

There were changes in Kaas's interface, in fact, the entire scene where simulators were previously demonstrated came under his control, however, there was an excessively large list of all kinds of training programs with their descriptions.

- There is a filter that can limit the choice, but without knowledge of the language you still cannot use it, just tell me what you need when you decide what is right and what is not.

- Thank you ... Sooo..., let's see what we have here. - he replied scrolling through a list of more than 200 items.

Reluctantly holding a can of food in his hands, and trying to understand what this sweetish cocktail tastes like, like a coffee with cream or a milkshake with strawberries, Kaas once again thoughtfully looked at the "punching bag".

"These marks on the floor are probably for choosing a distance, what else could it be?"

- Aska, can you see if there are programs that are better suited for this simulator, while still including movement and footwork?

- Easy!

The list was reduced to 14, and Kaas looked closely at the descriptions.

"Interestingly, there are only 3 exercises in this course, but they combine so many things in each of them."

He pointed to the program that interested him more than others to watch a video demonstration. In the video, a pretty girl in tight sportswear stood in front of the exact same simulator as his. She adopted a medium stance with feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, left shoulder in front, fists just below the chin at shoulder level.

"Don't you need to protect your head?" he thought and read the description 'Basic stance, straight punch', the girl started to move, a short step at a distance, left hand punch, vertical fist, really straight punch, the fist was at shoulder level and remained at the moment of impact.

* Bam *

Very fast. The video repeated 10 times slower.

Kaas saw countless fights in his life, of course, mostly on the screen, this, and the training experience, made it possible to disassemble and understand the movements, even without the explanations that were in the Kiva language and which he still did not understand.

"Substep only with the front leg, with the turn of the hips, at the same time, the turn of the body, the shoulders are lowered. The blow was delivered from a medium distance, although the bag succumbed, the arm is still not fully extended."

Then they showed a few more hits that could be delivered from this position in the same way and differed only in the position of the fist. A straight punch is a straight punch.

"And the girl is great, the speed of the Shotokan, the solidity of the Kyokushin, the beauty of the model", he praised her to himself.

The second movement, everything is the same, but a punch with a change of stance, with a different hand, from a further distance, when the stance actually changed to a mirror one.

The third movement, close range, the same punch with the far arm, but without a complete change of stance, only a small squat of the far leg and work with the body, but the impulse of the punch turned out to be even much greater than in the first two cases.

"You can watch how she moves forever."

Next, the main training modifications were shown, with different widths in the stance, which in the maximum version was more like stretching training.

From the text description, it was clear that the markings on the floor would change for training to suit different combat situations.

"Optimal assessment of progress and adjustment of difficulty, will allow the use of this program at any level of training of a fighter". Kaas read it and thought about it.

"In fact, any technique can and should be taught by a master, but not every technique can be understood and mastered by a beginner. This technique is also not so easy for a beginner student, at least it will not be easy to reach the level of this girl."

- Aska, - he called.

- What? Have you decided?

- Actually, any simple techniques will do for a start, but let it be this one.

Kaas took the can of the drink and closed his eyes, sipped the juice.

"I did nothing, but I was already so exhausted."

- Aska, I'll lie down for a little while, can you tell me when the next class will be?

- Okay, - she answered, with a graceful movement she took from the table a fancy glass with an iridescent greenish drink, which was clearly not there before, and went to her favorite place, to the window.

Kaas finished the can and put it on the shelf, laid down on the bed and thought,

"It turns out that although I don't notice it, my control over the body is now limited, as are reflexes and everything else."

"Oddly enough, but the practice of cultivation from science fiction books may well help, even if it does not work like cultivation, but at least breathing practice, focusing on the work of the body, on movements and sensations during exercise, increase self-control and concentration."

"Besides, what if ... all of a sudden, these special abilities, which will appear in 5 years, are somehow connected with the stories from these books, then, according to Aska, I just need to start cultivating them right now so that the body and mind are ready for it."

"It will turn out as if I cultivated almost from birth. The main thing is that it should not be some kind of fierce delirium like magic wands and casting spells."

"But I don't need to tell her about it, it's better to let her think that this is just breathing exercises and rest. Also, I could do this practice even when she's not around, what can the camera record? How I am lying on the bed?" Kaas clearly did not want to seem like an idiot, hovering in fantasies, doing something that does not bring the expected result.

"All that I achieved in my attempts in a past life, only sensations that could be attributed to self-hypnosis, but who knows, I started my experiments too late, when it should not have worked according to the theory from the same books, skipping the so-called "Golden time". On the other hand, this is still the realm of fantasy novels. But isn't what is happening to me at the same sort?"

Kaas continued his breathing practice, while focusing on those places on the body that were, considered the main points of acupuncture, trying to feel as if from inhaling, the qi movement occurs, as before, it was the point between the eyebrows, the solar plexus, the throat, the heart, the recalcitrant point below the navel, which in the books was called dantian, and the tailbone. If in a past life, he easily felt a distinct warmth, pressure and pulsation, now there was none of this.

"I don't even just feel the pulse. Synchronization 8% ..., hmmm." He said to himself and sighed.

"Any human invention has some kind of basis, all these stories about cultivators were based on qigong practices, meditation, and ordinary martial arts. Even if it doesn't work, it certainly won't harm, only benefit."

"However, this world has already stepped 300 years forward, focus on becoming a fighter in this world? Haven't I read science fiction avidly until I reread most of it? Writing fantasy is much easier, because there are many times more books on this genre. But if you compare them, what kind of books are more useful, so that I could use knowledge and ideas right now?"

"It would definitely be a mistake to bet on sports and martial arts, but it would be the same mistake not to engage in them at all. We need to learn as much as possible about this world, right now I am a child, before whom the whole future is open, if I miss something important just because I just get carried away with something, then I will definitely be a complete idiot."

He threw away all thoughts and remembered the videos of the techniques he had just watched.

"Although this world is high-tech, the conventionally barbaric martial arts are developing quite actively here. How many kinds of them were there while we were searching? How many training programs were there? And this punching bag is no joke either."

"And then there's that dynamic suit that I haven't tried yet. Aska said it was popular entertainment, maybe the reason is ..."

- Kaas, in a minute it will be necessary to study, do not fall asleep. - Aska interrupted his thoughts.

Kaas took a deep breath and immediately stood up.

- I'll just wash, and I'll be able to start right away. - He said and went to the shower to refresh his face.

"In my past life, in my 10 years, I didn't give even a quarter of effort. What can a child achieve when motivated by an understanding of the shortcomings of a past life?"

"The last question is how to deal with laziness!"

He came out of the shower, in the room, the scene with his predecessor was already waiting for him, and a bunch of indicators.

- Well, let's go, - he said, and training began.

Phrase by phrase, step by step, two hours passed almost imperceptibly, the indicators showed an average result of 36%. The next two drinks were gone while he was studying and there was only a can of food left for lunch.

In displeasure but sweetly Aska grumbled as Kaas sipped food from the can sitting on the bed and gazing at the view from her window, diligently avoiding staring at the beautiful figurine in the next room.

The next two hours passed just as boring, without new information, and although it was only 3% progress, Kaas caught himself on the fact that now he already distinguishes significantly more words and it became easier for him to recognize speech.

"Maybe the old Kaas had linguistic skills? Or have some of the old skills miraculously been preserved?"

He immediately took a set of food to eat it early, and not just before training.

- Aska, where is that training load suit?

- In the shower, in the same place where you took the clothes that are now on you.

Kaas finished his drink and went to the shower to watch this miracle of technology.

Indeed, there was a belt in the clothing compartment, rather thick and heavy. As soon as he focused his attention on it, the information icon was highlighted in the interface, which Kaas immediately touched, after which the screen was literally flooded with information. However, everything turned out to be quite simple, he had to undress and just put it on his lower back, which Kaas immediately did.

As soon as the belt was put on, it, as if becoming liquid, covered his entire body, taking a shape resembling a tight-fitting jumpsuit, which covered his entire body completely, leaving only his face unaffected. This suit was white with contrasting black and red stripes. According to the instructions, they were to be highlighted in those places where there were muscles on which there was an increased load. As it turned out, the color of the red stripes could be adjusted as desired, and where it was white it could be made transparent.

Critically examining himself in the mirror, into which the wall of the shower turned at his command, Kaas was satisfied. It was comfortable, looked like a regular training leotard. Although this suit was tight-fitting to the body, in the disconnected state it felt light enough and did not hinder movement at all, as if its original weight had evaporated.

Kaas got out of the shower and began to sort out the settings of the suit. Everything was extremely easy, a simple adjustment appeared in the interface and a couple of windows that could be opened and hidden. The adjustment was responsible only for the level of the load, which could be increased or decreased, and also, it was possible to enable and adjust the progression mode, in which the load gradually increased. The windows were informational, one with statistics, and the other, repeated his view in a suit from the side, in two projections, where it was clear where and which parts were involved. In addition to the windows, there was a switchable augmented reality element that illuminated the suit in the field of view and added visual data about its work.

- Aska, is that kind of thing free for kids too? - Kaas asked, surprised at how advanced this dynamic suit was.

- Not at all, where did you get it? This suit took almost half of all your funds. - She answered calmly.

- Wait, you talked about saving on food and delivery and just like that, you immediately took and spent half of the money on a tracksuit?

- To be more precise, even more than half of the funds were spent on the simulator, suit and training program. What exactly surprises you?

- Everything surprises me! If you had said this before, I would not order it! - Outraged by such waste, he flared up.

- If you are worried about one-time expenses, then in vain. Their potential benefits outweigh their cost, assuming you use them, of course.

- Aska, we still need to think about how to get the equipment for you, let alone the body. And I still know almost nothing, especially about where to get the money.

- For the updated version of the PAK you will need school money. As for expanding the energy package ... - Aska paused briefly and continued.

- Your savings would not be enough for it, even if you put off the allowance for another 10 years. As for the issues of my future, this is really beyond the horizon of possibilities, and I myself have no idea how this can be solved. - She said in a slightly weakened voice, not directly saying that she would need a body.

- Aska, can you tell me exactly how much money we have and how much it costs?

- There is only half an hour left before your workout, let's better talk immediately after it. - She answered softly, - it needs more time and attention.

Kaas was nervous. Indeed, for the past 30 years, he has been quite frugal, especially since he became retired. It would seem that Aska knew better, but he literally felt as if the suit was burning his skin. Although this money became his own, he still felt as if he was spending stranger's, which left a cloudy residue in his soul.

- Kaas, - Aska called out, - for training, it's best to remove all unnecessary things from the room and leave only the simulator.

He looked around, and indeed, the bed took up a fairly large space, and the bag was almost in the corner, which limited movement.

- How can the bed be removed? - He asked.

- You can put away and hide anything you want, look, - she waved her hand, and the bed sank into the floor, leaving not even a trace, just as empty cans had disappeared before.

- Move away from the center of the room.

Kaas moved to the side of the shower room, and the simulator, as if alive, moved to the very center of the room.

- How can I do it myself? - He asked watching this, everyday 'magic'.

- It's easy when you learn to use the interface, you just command your things.

Kaas sighed and turned his attention to the simulator, which was now exactly in the center of the room. Now it really looked like a perfect gym, a bag in the center of the room, like a pillar growing out of the floor, about 2 times his height and about shoulder-width apart in diameter. Circles were drawn around the bag on the floor to indicate the distance.

He selected an information item on the augmented reality simulator interface and began to examine its settings. It was possible to change everything, size, shape, color. Kaas played with the color, leaving him as a result of snow-white as it was originally, it was really extravagant and beautiful. In his past, bags were mostly of rather dark, practical colors - black, brown, red, blue.

After making sure he was completely satisfied with the bag, he sat with his back to it and closed his eyes to rest before training.

But not even a couple of local seconds had passed, Aska had already reminded:

- Its time to begin. Look at your interface, - she admonished - just choose a training program, add a simulator to it and launch it. I will duplicate the instructions for you with text. Don't talk while exercising.

Kaas got up and turned to face the simulator, just pointed his finger at the program, after which it highlighted in the interface in blue and showed the interface with actions, then, he also poked his finger in the direction of the bag, and it also became highlighted, which in fact was not very different from visual interfaces in programs from his past.

Then he pressed the button that meant 'Start'.

At the same moment, the floor underfoot lit up and the drawings around the bag changed, the distance marks completely disappeared, there was only one circle, bordering the walls, yellow and two palms wide. Additionally, straight lines appeared, going from the bag towards the walls, dividing the room into 16 sectors. Kaas's legs stood on two of them at once, and they glowed faintly, as if showing that it was in these sectors that he was.

After that, not the girl who demonstrated the techniques appeared, but a guy of about 20 years old, dressed in a blue leotard with vertical white stripes. He glowed a little which indicated that he was only a projection in augmented reality.

- Hi! - He said, - My name is Adri, I will be your instructor.

To his delight, Kaas understood almost everything himself, only the new words, 'instructor' and his name was new to him. "Female name?" Kaas grunted. But, apparently, the rules for composing names were only conditional.

- During training, I will use two projections, - having said this, he literally came out of his body and there were two of them.

Kaas, who already thought that nothing would surprise him, almost jumped away in fear.

- There will be marks on the floor for the position of the legs, watch and repeat after me, - he began without preamble and stood in a standing position in front of the bag, - do as I do, take position on the marks on the floor.

One image of the instructor was to the left of him, and the other to the right, which gave a view of the counter from both sides. In front of Kaas, on the floor, the contours of the feet appeared, he just stood in them and squatted down a bit to imitate the stand in which Adri was.

- Pay attention to the additional outline around me, it repeats your stance. Back a little, straighten your shoulders, - along with his words, Kaas's phantom appeared on top of the instructor, and he could clearly see that his body position was significantly different from the standard.

Once the flaws were fixed, Adri continued:

- Keep that position while I explain. Your task is to get used to it.

- This is the main stance, from it you can easily make movements for transition and blows.

In fact, it was the simplest stance that could be, for Kaas it was not a surprise. The arms are in punching position, the legs are slightly bent and ready to move. But the coach told everything in detail while Kaas stood patiently in the stance.

It's good that he was no longer a child, perhaps the program provided for mutual communication, but after Aska's warning, Kaas would not dare to ask questions even to the virtual trainer and just did everything that was required and listened patiently and read the subtitles of all the explanations. Although the stance was the simplest, why it was so was not insignificant and every aspect had meaning and significance.

- I see that you are already tired, - the coach continued, - but we will often stand in a stance to strengthen your muscles and so that your body gets used to being ready during the fight. This will be the basis for your victory over the enemy. If you do not have the strength, you will be easily beaten, if you are distracted and are not ready to dodge or attack, then you will lose. Conversely, as long as you are strong, enduring, focused and ready for the enemy's actions and act on your own, you will win.

- Continue to stand, and at this time I will show you some good punches. - A gambling note appeared in the serious voice of the virtual instructor.