Breathing

Hearing the woman call him by his name, Yamato's frown deepened. Earlier she obviously knew nothing about him but now she did.... It only meant one thing, she had investigated him. "What do you want?" He asked.

Living long in the street had made Yamato cautious of rich people. There are people you just can't touch in this world. And many times the difference between life and death is your ability to recognize those people. After all no matter how powerful a Street Fighter is he's just a thug in the eyes of the wealthy.

An army of ordinary fighters or even a gun could take him out. Worse, most rich people have Astral Wielders under their pay as bodyguards or even just thugs. It's a fact in the street that no matter how good a fighter you are you can disappear by just offending the wrong person. Not weapons or muscles, it is money that move the world.

"My name is Elizabeth De Fiker," The young lady said.

Hearing her name Yamato was shocked. That's because she has a surname, and only nobles have surnames in the Empire. However people like Yamato that is called with two names - Yamato and Armor - are common because the second name is just a nickname.

But with a prefix before the second name, it is definitely a surname. That demands the question; who's this woman?

Yamato fell in thought. 'She can't be playing with him right? That's punishable by death, faking a surname is treason after all. So she shouldn't be lying. She's really a noble then..'

Yamato wondered if he should get on one knee and bow, but dispelled the thought. "What does a noble want with me?" He asked instead.

The woman shrugged. "Don't worry I am just a tourist. I had wanted to keep a low profile in this city, who turns out a thief would take fancy to my bag? Even if you didn't stop him, Saldo here, hiding in the shadows was ready to move. However you had helped me so I thought I should reward you but you didn't give me face!"

"Didn't you follow me here for that lady?" Yamato said finding it strange. If she's so hell bent on rewarding him he'll accept her money.

"Do you know why my bodyguard was hiding instead of following me around?" Elizabeth asked.

Yamato wasn't really interested but he answered politely. "I am not sure,"

"I came here for a sightseeing however Saldo is to conspicuous and I don't know much about this city, I am in need of a guide,"

"Oh, just head to the train station... there are many tourist guides you can choose from to employ,"

"No I want you,"

Yamato frowned. "Me? I am not a guide,"

"No matter. And don't worry I'll pay you handsomely. Since you don't like being repaid for helping people and I hate being in people's debt, this will solve everything. Aren't I a genius?" Elizabeth said with a bright smile.

Hearing this Yamato was confused. "Listen Lady..."

"Call me Elizabeth,"

"Okay Elizabeth, I don't know anything about being a guide but if you want me still I'll accept," Yamato felt that this Lady wanted him to also act as a bodyguard because of his strength so he didn't suspect anything anymore.

Hearing his acceptance the woman was surprised and gave him a dubious look. "You are not doing it because you are afraid of my identity as a noble and really want the job right?"

"Yes," Yamato nodded feeling amused. "I really want the job, after all it is not easy to make money in the street,"

Elizabeth turned to the big guy behind her. "That's what I said isn't it Saldo?"

The bodyguard's lips twitched then he nodded. "Yes young miss,"

"Good, how do you want us to do this?" Elizabeth looked at Yamato and asked.

"Um.. I have school from Monday to Friday. I also have work on weekends so I am not free in the morning,"

"Then when do you get off work?"

"12PM,"

"Very well, meet me outside the market gate at 12:30 tomorrow. Please be on time,"

"Sure,"

Elizabeth said her goodbyes and went back into the car. Yamato watched the car drive away before turning and walking into the park.

He quickly walked into the woods heading deeper towards Katrina's house. Halfway through he suddenly he felt a breeze coming from behind him. Yamato quickly twisted his body to the side letting the woman fly past.

Katrina landed and rolled to her feet before turning to him with a grin. "Hi master," Yamato waved.

"You are late little disciple," Katrina told him. In a blink of an eye she appeared right in front of him and struck out her palm. Yamato quickly tried to block but her palm was just too fast, it hit him on the chest sending him flying.

Unable to put any resistance Yamato crashed against a tree then fell down.

"So slow. One would think you have learned everything that you are actually late,"

She was angry, Yamato realized however he wasn't afraid. "I got held up on an errand for my mother,"

"Good excuse," Katrina appeared before him again, but this time with a kick. Yamato reflexively moved to the side, letting the kick strike the tree, sending dust and pieces of tree barks flying.

Yamato then started throwing punches at his Master. She casually avoided them then attempted sweep his feet off the ground. But he jumped over then kicked dust towards her. Like always fighting his master he found it hard to deal with her but he couldn't beat her head on he can irritate her with petty tricks. Like the dust he kicked towards her face.

However Katrina just waved her hand and the dust scattered not even touching her. Yamato appeared before her just in time to receive a kick in his stomach sending him flying. His Master landed in front of him and stepped on his chest before he could stand up. She sighed. "You need more training," she retracted her feet and held out her hand. "Come on,"

Yamato received her hand, letting her pull him up.

"Have you eating?" She asked.

"No Master,"

"Hmm, I have rice porridge leftovers me and Tila left. It is not that appetizing but would you like that?"

"Yeah," Yamato grinned. The best thing since he met his Master is she always take care of his meals, which beats buying in the street or eating at home. Nora cooks sparingly, but she's a very terrible cook...

'Master is so good to me,' Yamato thought feeling smug for some reason he couldn't understand.

He followed his master back to the old house in the middle of the woods where she gave him food to eat. After eating they proceeded deeper into the forest.

His Master led him back to the hateful riverside he'd first started his training. "Disciple take off your shirt and seat in the river," Katrina said.

Yamato was curious but in his short time with her, if there's one thing she thought him, it was obey to quietly. He took off his shirt, folded it and kept it on the ground, then sat cross legged in the river. He winced at first when the water soaked his trousers but he quickly adapted.

"Have you seen fighters that are so fast you can't hope to match up to them?" Katrina asked suddenly.

Yamato remembered those sword men in the Underground Fight Club. "Like you master?"

"Yes like me, do you know why I'm faster than you?"

'Isn't that because she had trained longer?' Yamato thought but he realized that that might not be accurate. He conceded, "No Master,"

"There are a lot of reasons," Katrina said softly. "Most are because those fighters has more experience than you. However I could teach you a method that could make you keep up with their speed,"

Hearing that Yamato nodded eagerly.

"It's a breathing technique. Follow my instructions to comprehend it. Close your eyes and take deep breaths... in and out slowly as you would during meditation. Have you done that?"

"Yeah..."

"Concentrate. Now imagine a flame in front of you. This no ordinary mortal flame, imagine that this flame is a black hole that can devour everything. If you do that tell me,"

Yamato was deep in meditation only capable of passively following her instructions as if hallucinated. He didn't reply. Seeing this Katrina was pleased. 'Seems this guy can do anything!' Such a talent left Katrina secretly in awe.

Yamato breathed in and out as he was told. At the same time he constructed a green flame in his mind. Yamato being a fan of heroes and their stories has heard the legend of the Dragon flame, a flame that can burn anything in the world. He imagined that his flame is the Dragon flame, that it was very formidable, that it could eat up anything.

"I did it," He whispered after some time.

Katrina blinked, surprised that he'd constructed the flames already. At the same time she was also skeptical that he actually succeeded. She imagined that he was hasty and constructed a faulty flame. "Your fire can devour everything can't it? If it can't you must start over..."

"There's no need,"

"Hmph fine you have created the heart flame. Now you can throw whatever you don't want into it. Though be careful about what you throw as you might never get it back again,"

Yamato opened his eyes and asked. "Throw what master?"

"Eh.. You can throw in unwanted memories, knowledge and logic. To begin first throw your fatigue, air resistance, gravity pull and whatever you feel is making you slow into the fire,"

"What?!"

"This technique is full proof try it,"

"Master where do I find the gravity? The fatigue? The air resistance?"

Katrina glared at her disciple. "Are you stupid? Just imaging all of it in your mind, construct them into familiar objects before burning them in the flame. Just don't construct them as anything strong,"

"You mean if I shouldn't construct them as sturdy objects, can't the flame burn anything?"

"It can," Katrina could only grumble as contradicting herself. "Just do it. Start with your fatigue construct it as a piece of paper or dry leaves,"

The truth is, the mind flame is supposed to be able to devour everything, but how many people truly believe that deep down? Some think that they do until they throw the construct of a stone or metal into the flame and find that they are unable to burn it. The amount of willpower required to imagine that is too immense.

More willpower equals more belief. And belief is not something you can increase easily. That's why when making an image of what you want to burn it is better to construct it as something light and universally considered easy to burn. Like paper, wood or dry leaves.

Paper, wood and dry leaves are easy to burn by most people's logic so one does not need to force themselves to believe it and their subconscious could easily accept it.

However if it is the opposite one will need a lot of willpower to gaslight themselves. To Katrina that's just unnecessary hardship that's why she told Yamato to construct something light.