Chapter 15: Step by Step

"The sword doesn't change. So you have to adapt to the sword. You can't change your surroundings. They only change once you have changed." -Bjørn Aris

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|SHIN|

I open my eyes slowly and my head hurts a bit. I seems like I collapsed after my battle against gramps. I gently move to sit and try remember what happens after our fight.

I see... I remembered that gramps used a technique called Tsubame Gaeshi at me to knock me out and then he took off. I just can't help but to sigh.

He didn't hold back even just for a bit. He's incredibly strong, I can't even see myself beating him even after ten years. He's strong despite his age, how much more when he was in his prime? He must be a monster, feared by everyone.

"Brother! You're awake! You've made me worry!" Aria jumps at me crying and hugged me tightly. "I saw you unconscious earlier at the garden! I'm so worried I thought you were dead, stupid brother!"

My lips formed a small smile on its own knowing how worried my little sister is towards me. I brushed her hair and hugged her back and whispers in her ears.

"Don't worry, Aria. Your big brother will never leave you and gramps alone."

She removed her hands around me to brush off her tears and she pouts at me. "What are you even doing there in the first place!? And why is your chin so swollen?!"

I touched my chin a bit and it hurst. It must be the result of gramps' last attack. That move really did caught me off guard.

"Don't worry about that, I was just training." I said and messed her hair.

"Now that mom and dad is gone, do you know how hard it is to keep an eye on you before you do something stupid again?!" She exclaimed as she crosses her arms and pouts even more. My sister is always calm and collective just like mom, but sometimes she shows her cute side to me.

"I'm sorry please forgive your big brother." I clasped both of my palms and close my eyes trying my best to make her forgive me for making her worry.

I heard her deep defeated sigh and pinched my left cheek. I opened my right eye to take a peak and looks like she's not super angry anymore but she's still pouting.

"Alright, I forgive you. But be careful when training next time okay?" She said while smiling at me, I immediately nod my head as a response and she then took my wrist and pulled me up.

"Come on brother, get up now! I'll make you cook my favorite meal as punishment for making me worry and mad." I just let her drag me to where she wants to go, I can't complaint because I did made her mad.

When we reached the kitchen, gramps is already there preparing our food for dinner. He looked at us with a big smile and said.

"Come on you two, dinner is almost ready! Sit down and I'll serve it to you."

Aria looks so defeated because she wasn't able to make me cook dinner, but I don't think she's giving up on that idea yet.

"You'll be cooking my breakfast tomorrow, you got that?!" I knew it. I just can't help myself but too laugh, my little sister is indeed adorable.

"Fine, I'll cook you curry for tomorrow's breakfast." I saw her eyes brimming with joy. She must be excited.

All of us started eating while chatting about how our day went by. Goza-san said that he spend his entire day with his grandchild today that is why he arrived home a bit late than usual.

After eating, I was tasked to clean the dishes but gramps said he wanted to help me. Aria immediately went to sleep and Goza-san said that he wants to take a walk outside for a bit. Now it's just me and gramps doing the cleaning together.

"How's your chin? Does it still hurt?" He asked as he continues to dry the plates that I wash using a towel.

"It still hurts but not that much." I answered.

"I'm sorry for that, I'll be careful next time. I just got carried away, it's been a while since I used that technique afterall." He said while laughing so hard which made me look at him in disbelief.

Man, gramps also have a few screw loose just like dad. The saying is true. Like father, like son...

"Anyways, get up early tomorrow, we'll be starting your new training plan immediately."

"Alright, gramps."

After that, we just continue to clean all the dishes we used so that we could rest well because we'll be having a long day tomorrow.

*****

Just like what gramps asked, I wake up early before the sun rise up. And as I promised to Aria last night, I cooked her favorite food which is curry as her breakfast and I immediately went out to look for gramps.

I saw him standing infront of the village's gate holding a long stick. He must be waiting for me.

"Gramps! I'm here!" I called him out and he looked at me with a big smile.

"There you are! Come here, quickly!" He said while waving his hands at me.

"So what should we do first gramps?" I asked while stretching my whole body.

"You'll be running around the village today-" That's it? It's a bit easier than what I've been expecting. "-run ten laps without stopping." Oh, just ten laps!

Wait..

"WHAT?! Are you for real gramps?!" He just showed me a big smiled without answering my question.

"G-Gramps? You realized how big the village is, right?"

"Yes."

"And you know that it's impossible for me to complete that ten laps task, right?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you making me do that!?" Damn, he's so unreasonable! Does he want me to die or something!?

"Because I said so."

What in the world is that reason!? He does have a few screws loose! No, he is definitely insane! He's as brutal as mom! Or even more!

"Hurry up and run, or I'll smack you with this stick in the butt using my full power!" He said while swinging the stick he was holding.

Yeah, I'll choose the running instead. I don't want my butt to explode when he decides to hit it with his full strength...

And just like what gramps asked, I run and run and run until I dropped dead. But whenever I think that he'll smack my butt if I failed to complete that task, it's giving me enough strength to finish what he asked me to do.

It took me for about three and a half hours to complete that task, and good thing I'm still alive, but that was definitely tiring!

I was panting really hard and I'm covered with sweat! That running was torture! I can feel my knees still shaking because of that running!

I was about to sit on the ground when gramps grabbed me on the back and decides to drag me to who knows where.

"There's no time to rest, Shin-kun! You'll be able to rest in your next task!" He said while laughing as he continues to drag me somewhere.

Another task without resting!? I just can't help but to sigh. He's really planning to kill me with this task, isn't he? Yeah, that must be it...

*****

Gramps and I stopped at a waterfalls, and clearly this is the next task he's planning to make me do.

He carried a huge rock and place it under the waterfalls. I still don't know what's the purpose of that rock but I guess this task seems a bit easier than the next one.

"Shin-kun, sit in that rock and let the water from the waterfalls hit you body. It seems unreasonable but it will be worth it." After he made me run for miles, I don't see that next task is unreasonable at all anymore...

And just like he asked, I sit on the rock he place under the waterfalls and let the falling water hits my body.

I was surprised by how heavy the pressure from the falling water hits my body! It seems like this task is no different from the first one! But I have to endure it, I'm still afraid that gramps will hit me with his stick in the butt.

"Relax yourself shin-kun! Close your eyes and start to medidate!" I can hear gramps' voice and what he's asking me to do. I still don't get it but I decided to follow his instructions.

I closed my eyes and do the dhyana mudra hand position just like what I saw the monks do inside the village. I cleared my head and starts to endure the pressure of the water hitting my body.

It's indeed hard at first but when I got used to it, it makes me feel at ease. With a clear mind, I feel so light as if I'm one with the nature. I stayed in this position for a long time I didn't even bother to count.

I just went back to my senses when I heard gramps' voice calling out for me again.

"Shin-kun! That's enough, we still have two tasks left for you to do!" I opened my eyes and walk towards him, I feel a bit calm after that task, but my shoulders hurts a bit because of the pressure coming from the water.

"How was it?" He asked as the two of us walks to where my next task will be held.

"It's hard at first, but definitely better than the first task you gave me." I can still remember the agony I felt during that running task.

If it wasn't for the fear of getting spanked, I definitely won't be able to finish that task.

After a few miles of walking, we have arrived at a rocky mountains. The top of each rocks are narrow and steep. Their shapes are like cones and it will be difficult if you try to climb it.

"Shin-kun, for your next task, I want you to balance yourself on one of the hills over there." My eyes widen when gramps said those words and points at one of the rocky hills!

That is madness! I can't balance myself on top of that! I can only put one foot at max at the top of any of those rocky hills!

"G-Gramps? Are you sure you're not trying to kill me and make it look like an accident?" He just laughs at my while tapping my back!

"Shin-kun, you idiot! Of course not! I also did this kind of training when I was your age!" He stated as he continues to laugh with both of his hands placed on his waist.

I knew it... This old man is indeed a monster!

I don't have a choice because he's still holding the stick that he said he'll use to spank me right in his hand, that's why I followed his unreasonable order even if it can kill me...

I tried to climb up one of the mountains and try to balance myself with just one foot. I tried it many times, and I've also fell down many times than I could count.

But I never gave up, I continue to climb and find my perfect balance for the sake of this training and my butt to not get smacked.

I tried it many times and when I got the proper balance of my body and locate where my center of gravity is. It feels easier than I thought it would.

I pressed my two palms together while I placed the soles of my left feet next to my right knee, to achieve my perfect form in balancing. I closed my eyes to feel my surroundings so that I can adjust which part of my body should I put some more weight.

I stayed in that positions for a while when gramps called out to me once more. I guess that's the end of that task, I wonder what the last one would be. I bet it is also unreasonable just like the first three.

Without uttering a single word to each other, me and gramps continues to walk for another mile when he stopped at the middle of the forest.

"For you final task Shin-kun. You must escape this forest that is full of traps and return home on your own." After gramps said those words, I'm not surprised anymore. After me made me do the first three impossible task, I'm already certain that this last task is also insanely hard.

"I know you still don't understand why I'm forcing you to do these unreasonable tasks, but one day, you'll know it's benefits." Well atleast gramps is aware that the tasks his making me do is unreasonable, I can give him that.

He already vanished from my sight even before I manage to utter a single word. I looked at my surrounding and it's already a bit dark. I must return home quickly or else I'll make Aria worry again.

I'll complete this task gramps, just like what you're expecting me to do. I've passed through the first three tasks, and this one won't be any different! I'll return home and cook dinner for Aria on time!

"Let's go, forest! Show me what you got!" I screamed and rushed back to where I came from! I must finish this last task and return home immediately!

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|ARIA|

When I wake up in the morning earlier, brother really did fulfill his promise that he'll cook my favorite food for breakfast, but when I looked for him, he's nowhere to be found.

It's getting pretty late and the sun has already starting to set. I wonder where my brother went this time. He's making me worry all the time!

I walk around the village and the people here are also greeting me, all of them are friendly that's why I don't feel sad even if we're far away from our real home.

I picked some flowers that I could find near the village's gate and decided to go to granny and my parents' grave.

Gramps already explained to me what happened to them, he also said that brother doesn't have the courage to tell me the truth because he know's that I'll be sad.

It's true that I feel so sad when I heard what happened to mom and dad, it hurts my heart but, knowing that they risk their lives just to protect us and the entire Kingdom, I just can't help but to admire them.

I put flowers on each of their graves and sat infront of them. I gently dusted off their graves and smile.

"Mom, dad, granny, I'm doing well again today. I just practiced my spearmanship with the help of Goza-san. I don't know where my brother is right now but I know he's also training hard to become strong."

I brushed the tears that was about to fall from my eyes and smile again.

"Always look after us from way up there okay? Specially brother, he always do something dangerous."

I stayed there up there for a while when I heard gramps calling out for me at the foot of the hill.

I say goodbye to granny, and mom, and dad first before I run towards gramps. He's waving his hands at me as I continue to run towards him.

"So you're here, Aria-chan? Did you talk to your granny and your parents? How long have you been there?" He asked one question after another as he picked me up and carry me in his shoulders.

"I've been there for quite some time, gramps. I'm just talking to them about how my day went."

"I see, good for you then." He said and messed my hair as he continues to walk home while carrying me.

"By the way, gramps. Where's my brother?" I thought that brother is with him but I don't see him anywhere? I tried to look around if he's just hiding but there's no signs of him.

"He'll be home soon, let's head back first. I'll be the one cooking our dinner tonight."

"Okay, gramps."

He's still not home, huh? I wonder where he went this time! He'll definitely receive another earful scolding from me once he return home full of scratches and wounds again!

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End of chapter 15