Chapter 17: Heart

I laid down, thinking it was the best position to focus all my attention on one thing: applying the aura to my heart.

It's a strange sensation — like a delicate wrapping around my heart, pulsing faintly with each beat. Oddly enough, it doesn't bother me. Can I use this membrane of aura to stimulate my heartbeat? The rhythmic thudding echoed through my body, each beat loud and distinct in my ears. The sensation was almost hypnotic, like a steady drum guiding my focus.

"Uh-huh!"

Damn, I went too hard. For a second, I thought I was going to crush my heart. No big deal. I'm not getting discouraged over one poor, squashed heart. Let's try again — softer this time. I closed my eyes, slowed my breathing, and carefully pushed the aura into my heart again. This time, I eased it in, feeling the gentle pulse as the energy wrapped around the organ, syncing with its natural rhythm.

Whoa. I can feel my pulse racing when I squeeze my heart between two natural beats. Bet I'm all red right now with the blood flow surging at a speed I've never felt before. Maintaining this acceleration requires intense focus. Each throb sends warmth flooding through my veins, spreading to my limbs. If I lose the rhythm and press when my heart contracts naturally, it feels like a heart attack.

Alright. Let's see how long I can hold this acceleration — a minute should be my limit at this stage.

The Chief introduced a new exercise to push our control even further: breathing drills. We sat cross-legged, eyes closed, focusing only on the rise and fall of our chests. Each inhale pulled aura into our hearts, and each exhale pushed it outward, spreading warmth through our veins. The challenge was maintaining the flow while keeping the breath steady. One wrong breath, and the aura would scatter like sand in the wind. Hours blurred together as we fought to perfect the rhythm, our chests rising and falling in sync like waves on a calm shore. The sensation grows more familiar with each passing second, the steady thrum of my heart becoming almost comforting. It's like I've unlocked a hidden part of myself, tapping into a deeper connection with my own body.

"I can see you've instinctively grasped how to use your aura to enhance your heart's capacity. Now, you're going to do the same thing while walking."

Walking? Honestly, I'm not confident about this. The focus it takes while lying down is immense, and now I have to move? Still, we've managed to pass every training task so far. No point in backing down.

Next came the balance drills. Wooden beams were placed across the training ground, narrow and unforgiving. The Chief's instructions were clear: channel aura to our hearts and legs while walking across, feeling every heartbeat guide each step. The first few tries ended with me tumbling into the dirt, the aura slipping away the moment my concentration wavered. But slowly, step by step, the connection grew stronger. My heart's steady pulse became a metronome, guiding my movements with a newfound fluidity. The beams no longer felt like obstacles but part of the flow, each step a delicate dance between balance and power. I pushed myself up, feeling the residual warmth from the aura still pulsing through my veins. Each step forward felt heavier, like my body resisted the idea of movement while maintaining the delicate balance of aura control.

12 PM:

"Stop there. Let's eat and go over this morning's session."

"I think the jump in difficulty between exercises is too big. It's going to take us ages just to learn how to control the aura over our hearts while walking."

"If that's your only concern, then you're on the right track. Remember, mastering the aura takes patience and discipline. It's normal for some exercises to take days. Don't worry — these heart mastery sessions will be mixed in with the usual training. Just because you've done a push-up or a burpee doesn't mean you're done. Consider yourselves lucky. You're progressing faster than average."

"If you say so, Chief."

Two weeks later:

"Chief, we're out of money. We want to keep training, and sure, we can now do hundreds of push-ups and our burpees have become fluid, but we still haven't managed to run while using aura on our hearts and legs at the same time."

Over the past two weeks, our bodies had transformed. What once felt impossible now came almost naturally. Push-ups blurred into a rhythmic dance of strength and control, while burpees flowed with a grace and fluidity that made the movements feel almost effortless. But running — that was a different beast. The complexity of channeling aura into both the heart and the legs simultaneously demanded a level of mastery we hadn't reached yet.

"I told you kids — I only asked for housing and food. But if you're looking for some quick cash, I know a way."

"Easy money? My parents always said there's no such thing."

"They're right. Except for those who train hard. When you push yourself every day, everything starts feeling easier."

"So, what's the plan, Chief?"

"The coliseum."

The word hung in the air like a challenge. My heart, still wrapped in aura, gave an extra thump.