Chapter 13: Unrelenting Precision

The aftermath of Kairo's grueling assessment was a restless night, his body aching from Roderick's relentless assault. Despite his fatigue, he couldn't shake the instructor's parting words:

"Mastery isn't a peak—it's a constant climb. You're still at the base of the mountain."

Kairo's body bore the marks of his intense training, but his recovery was unlike that of an ordinary person. The experiments he endured had left him with extraordinary regenerative capabilities. Cuts, bruises, and fractures that would take others weeks to heal seemed to fade in days, sometimes hours. Though he wasn't immortal, his regeneration allowed him to endure training that would break most people.

Even so, the pain lingered, a constant reminder of his failures—and his potential.

The next day, Roderick introduced a new element to their training: unpredictability.

"Today, we're testing your ability to adapt. A fighter who reacts the same way twice is predictable—a dead man walking," Roderick declared, his voice sharp and cold.

The training ground had been altered overnight. The once-clear space was now scattered with obstacles—crates, barrels, and uneven terrain meant to simulate a chaotic battlefield. A flick of Roderick's wrist conjured humanoid dummies, each radiating faint traces of aura.

"These will be your opponents," Roderick said. "They're more than lifeless mannequins. Adapt, or they'll overwhelm you."

Kairo squared his shoulders, stepping into the arena.

The dummies launched their attack, three of them moving in synchronized strides. Kairo reacted swiftly, his body a blur of motion as he executed a series of evasive maneuvers. A somersault to avoid a low kick, a handstand to vault over an incoming strike, and a mid-air twist to position himself behind his attackers.

His strikes were precise, dismantling the dummies with calculated efficiency. A low sweep disabled one's legs, while a spinning kick sent another crashing into a crate. The third dummy lunged with surprising speed, but Kairo sidestepped, his palm striking its neck joint with enough force to sever its connection.

But Roderick wasn't done. With a snap of his fingers, the dummies reassembled themselves, their movements now erratic and unpredictable.

Kairo lunged forward, aiming for a clean strike, but a sudden shift in a dummy's trajectory forced him to twist mid-air. He landed awkwardly, rolling to avoid a follow-up blow.

"They're learning," he realized, his amethyst eyes narrowing.

Adjusting his approach, Kairo wove through the terrain to create choke points, limiting their angles of attack. He vaulted over a barrel, using the elevation to deliver a downward strike that shattered a dummy's torso. But the uneven terrain proved treacherous; a miscalculated step sent him stumbling, leaving him vulnerable.

A dummy's strike grazed his ribs, the aura-infused blow leaving a searing pain in its wake.

Roderick's voice cut through the chaos. "You're thinking too much. Feel the rhythm—make it instinctual!"

The final wave was the most challenging yet. Five dummies closed in on Kairo, their movements coordinated and relentless. His body moved on autopilot, a seamless blend of offense and defense. He flipped over a charging dummy, delivering a precise kick to its head before landing in a crouch. A backflip brought him out of range of another's grasp, while a spinning elbow strike dismantled a third.

But the strain was beginning to show. His breathing grew labored, his muscles screaming in protest. A feint from one dummy distracted him long enough for another to land a solid hit, sending him sprawling.

Roderick stepped in, his aura flaring to life as he dispatched the remaining dummies with a single wave of his hand.

"You're improving," he said, his tone devoid of praise. "But improvement isn't enough. You have potential, but potential means nothing if you don't exceed it."

Kairo picked himself up, his eyes burning with determination. "What's next?" he asked, his voice steady despite the pain.

That evening, Roderick introduced the next phase of training.

"Your Ren needs refinement," he explained. "It's not just about power—it's about endurance. You'll maintain it for as long as possible while avoiding and deflecting aura attacks."

Kairo stepped onto the training ground once more, his aura flaring to life. The dummies reappeared, their movements more calculated than ever.

For hours, Kairo pushed himself, weaving through the obstacles while maintaining his aura. The relentless barrage of attacks forced him to stay focused, each deflection testing the limits of his control.

By the time Roderick called an end to the session, Kairo's aura was flickering, his energy nearly depleted.

"Not bad," Roderick said, his tone begrudging. "Once your foundation is solid, we'll begin the real work—your Hatsu."

Kairo's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Hatsu, but he said nothing. For now, his focus remained on mastering the basics.