Meditation and exercise

With a faint smile, Zoser bid Lady Onar farewell and left her home, heading toward the inn where Lena and Orion awaited him. When he arrived, a newfound determination was etched across his face. In a calm yet resolute tone, he said:

"I need a separate room . I must have time to meditate."

Orion raised an eyebrow, surprised, while Lena simply tilted her head, her expression a mix of curiosity and amusement. After a brief pause, she replied gently:

"Of course, Zoser. Take all the time you need."

Zoser nodded, grateful for their understanding.

---

As soon as Zoser entered his room, he shut the door firmly, sealing himself in solitude. He sat cross-legged on the floor, his back straight, and took a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he focused his mind entirely on the core of his being—the point just below his navel, where his spiritual energy resided.

He began to draw in the energy around him, feeling it flow into his body like a river carving its path. In his mind's eye, the pathways of energy glowed like a luminous map, guiding him deeper into his meditation.

**The First Stage:** A sense of harmony washed over him. His body and soul seemed to align, as if he were becoming one with the universe. The energy flowed effortlessly, leaving him feeling light and clear-headed.

**The Second Stage:** Zoser pushed further. He directed the energy toward his left eye, aiming to awaken the "Eye of Horus."

As the energy reached his eye, a warm, tingling sensation spread through it. Suddenly, his left eye glowed faintly with a golden hue, and his vision sharpened. He looked around the room, noticing details he had never seen before—the dust particles floating in the air, the faint ripple of wind through the window, even the intricate grain of the aged wooden floor.

He rose and approached the window, opening it to gaze at the streets below. The distant figures of people now appeared close, their features vivid and clear. This newfound ability was astonishing, but it drained him quickly. He felt a wave of exhaustion and realized he needed more practice.

Despite his fatigue, Zoser refused to stop. He returned to his meditation posture and repeated the process, each cycle making the energy flow smoother and faster. Hours passed, and with each repetition, his body adapted, growing stronger.

Finally, he opened his eyes, a spark of determination burning within him. He had broken through to a new level of power.

---

The next morning, after a quick breakfast, Zoser made his way to Lady Onar's residence. As he approached, he was surprised to find a group of guards stationed at the entrance. He tried to enter, but one of the guards stepped forward, blocking his path.

"You can't go in right now," the guard said firmly.

Zoser frowned, his eyes narrowing with concern. "Why? What's going on?"

The guard's tone was unyielding. "Lady Onar is occupied with examining a young lady. She cannot be disturbed."

Zoser hesitated, unsure of what to do. As he stood there, a man in his forties appeared—tall, broad-shouldered, with a piercing gaze that seemed to see through everything. His voice was deep and commanding.

"What's the issue here?"

The guard straightened. "This boy wants to see Lady Onar."

The man turned to Zoser, his expression calm but intimidating. "Come back later. Lady Onar is busy."

Before Zoser could respond, a young girl emerged from the house. She was around ten years old, with long black hair and bright eyes, though her pale complexion hinted at her frailty. Zoser's eyes widened in recognition.

"Kaira?!" he whispered to himself.

The girl noticed the commotion and addressed the man. "What's going on, Uncle Tony?"

The man, Tony, replied respectfully, "Nothing serious, young lady. This boy just wants to see Lady Onar."

Kaira turned her gaze to Zoser, studying him for a moment. Then, with a gentle smile, she asked, "Who are you?"

Zoser stepped forward. "My name is Zoser. I need to speak with Lady Onar."

Kaira's eyes lit up. "You're Zoser? My father told me about you and your friends. Thank you for saving my life."

Zoser shook his head humbly. "I didn't do much. Lady Onar deserves all the credit."

Kaira laughed softly. "I didn't expect you to be so young. But you seem brave."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver medallion, handing it to him. "If you ever need anything, come to the Governor's Palace. This will open doors for you, little brother."

She smiled warmly, then waved goodbye. Zoser stared at the medallion, his mind racing with thoughts.

---

When Zoser finally entered Lady Onar's room, he found her meticulously organizing herbs and potions. She greeted him with a warm smile but quickly paused, her sharp eyes studying him intently.

"You've broken through to the next level, haven't you?" she asked, her tone cautious yet knowing.

Zoser nodded calmly. "Yes. I've reached the intermediate stage."

Onar's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "You truly are extraordinary, Zoser. Most people take months to achieve what you've done in less than a week. Even prodigies need at least a month. This is remarkable."

Zoser smiled shyly. "What's next? What will I do today?"

Onar chuckled softly. "Today, your real training begins."

She handed him a unique outfit adorned with intricate patterns that Zoser couldn't decipher.

"What is this?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Patience," Onar replied with a mysterious smile. "Put it on first."

Once Zoser had changed, Onar led him to another room filled with ancient books. She opened a hidden compartment and retrieved a book with golden embellishments. Suddenly, a small crystal appeared in her hands.

She placed her hand on the crystal and murmured an incantation. Moments later, a stone staircase descended from the floor.

"Follow me," she said, leading the way.

At the bottom of the stairs, they faced a massive door. Onar opened it, revealing a vast, blindingly white room that seemed to stretch endlessly.

"Do you feel uneasy here?" Onar asked, noticing Zoser's discomfort.

Zoser hesitated but remained silent.

Onar held up the crystal again, infusing it with energy. In an instant, the room transformed into a sprawling grassy plain under a clear blue sky.

Zoser's jaw dropped. "This... this is incredible!"

Onar smiled. "I'm glad you like it. But now, it's time to get serious."

They sat on the grass, facing each other, and Onar began to explain:

"There are three pillars to developing your power: spiritual power, mental power, and physical power. Each requires a different approach."

"Spiritual power comes from meditation and energy control. Mental power is honed through learning and knowledge. Physical strength is built through rigorous training."

She continued, "Today, we focus on physical power. Your training will include five types of exercises:

1. Strength training to build your physical capacity.

2. Speed training to enhance your reflexes and agility.

3. Flexibility exercises to improve your movement.

4. Body control to master precise movements in combat.

5. Weapon training—swords, daggers, spears, and bows."

Onar stood and extended her hand. "Let's begin, Zoser. Prepare yourself."

Zoser's day began with intense training under Onar's supervision, who decided to push him to the limits of his strength to develop his physical skills. His body was like an uncarved stone, in need of patience and courage to shape it.

After a short break, Onar gestured with her hand, and a stone obelisk appeared on the horizon.

"Now, to warm up your body, you must run back and forth to that obelisk until you feel exhaustion."

Zoser began running enthusiastically, as if each step brought him closer to his goal. The distance was long, but his determination was even longer. After an hour had passed, his breath began to grow heavy and his muscles ached, and at that moment, Onar stopped him.

"That's enough for warming up."

She asked him to stand in front of her. She touched his outfit, and suddenly, Zoser felt as though his weight had doubled. It was as if she had dressed him in the weight of the entire world.

"What's this?!" Zoser wondered, trying to adjust to the new weight, as though his body was floating in the sea.

"I've doubled the weight of your outfit. Now, continue training with the same enthusiasm."

Zoser returned to running toward the obelisk, but the task had become far more difficult than before. After another hour, exhaustion became overwhelming, as though each step was weighing down his heart. Onar stopped him once again and touched him precisely. This time, the weight of the outfit doubled again, reaching 3x.

"Continue. This will help you build endurance and control over your body."

Every step now felt like a battle, as though Zoser was carrying mountains on his back. The air became thick, and the sun blazed as if it were sitting on his shoulders. When he finally returned with great difficulty, Onar stopped him and returned the outfit's weight to its normal state.

"You were amazing," she said with a smile, handing him a cold glass of juice to restore his energy, as if life had been breathed back into his exhausted body.

After the break, the training moved to new exercises. Onar started with push-ups, chin-ups, planks, and squats. With each cycle of exercises, she gradually increased the weight of the outfit again until it reached 3x once more. His body was drenched in sweat, but every drop of sweat seemed to carve a new determination into his heart. He did not lose his resolve, knowing that this effort would give him the strength he needed to become stronger and face the challenges ahead.

At the end of the session, Onar said, "You're starting to show the true shape of your strength, Zoser. Physical training is hard, but it's the foundation of everything. Prepare yourself, tomorrow brings even harder challenges."

Zoser nodded silently, feeling immense fatigue, but inside him, there was a fire of determination and an eagerness to grow. His body groaned, but he felt something else: a growing strength deep within him, like a small plant growing in his heart.

After the grueling training, Onar directed him to a bath attached to the room to wash off and recover. Zoser felt the cold water soothe the exhaustion of his body, as if the water were washing away his soul's fatigue before his body's. After finishing, he exited to the rooftop, where Onar told him to wait while she entered the treatment room to prepare something new.

Inside, Onar began mixing strange ingredients in a bathtub filled with water. She poured in a glowing green liquid, then added a variety of rare herbs, the blood of unknown animals, and glowing gemstones. She muttered incomprehensible words while preparing the mixture, making it seem like a magical ritual, as if she were summoning ancient power long lost.

When she finished, she called Zoser, who entered the room hesitantly.

"Enter the tub, this will help your body recover and adapt to tomorrow's training."

Zoser undressed and approached the tub. As he submerged himself in the liquid, he initially felt a soothing and refreshing sensation, as though the earth itself were embracing him. But this feeling didn't last long; a strange heat began to spread through his body, as though the liquid was burning his skin from within.

"Onar, this hurts!" Zoser said in a distressed voice, trying to endure, but the pain seemed to consume him like powerful currents pulling at a ship.

Numbness began to invade his body, rendering him unable to move his limbs, as if his body had become lifeless. But it quickly faded, only to be replaced by waves of intense pain in his muscles and bones, as though the earth itself was tearing his body to pieces.

Zoser began to groan softly, then his pain intensified until he nearly screamed, but only faint whispers escaped him. At that moment, Onar gestured for him to get out.

"That's enough for today," she said in a soothing tone, as if her words were a balm after the storm, handing him a towel.

Zoser emerged from the tub, feeling his body completely drained, but at the same time, there was something different. The pain had left behind a strange sense of strength, as if his body had become more powerful than it had ever been.

"You were amazing, Zoser. This treatment helps your body adapt to the harsh training. Come tomorrow, we have more work to do."

Zoser nodded silently, feeling great exhaustion, but he was determined to continue. He left the room, his mind full of questions about what tomorrow would bring, but he knew that what he had experienced today was just the beginning of his long journey toward strength.