1154/1100 Stamina trainingShow
Back straight. Feet spread apart. His shoulders relaxed. His arms rigid yet steady. He narrowed his vision. Pulled back the arrow. He felt the straight in his chest, lower back, shoulders and arms. He held the drawstring for a moment, feeling the burn wash over his body in wave after wave. He had to maintain a slow and relaxed breathing pattern despite the stress on his body. Archery required muscle endurance and very sharp vision. Hoten concentrated on his target a hundred yards away. His bow lacked a stabilizer so he used his index finger and lined up the trajectory. He focused for a moment. He remembered why he was trying so hard to become stronger. Strengthening himself was crucial for when he went back to Aimi. He had to concentrate on what he wanted. To help protect Aimi. Finally as the stress on his muscles became unbearable he released the string and allowed the arrow to soar forward.
The drill shaped head struck the concrete slab. The concrete cracked slightly on the surface as Hoten’s arrow wedged itself finely in its made hole. He used these specialized arrows mainly so that he would have a good marker for where he managed to hit. So far he shot seventy seven arrows, each hitting its mark a mere hundred or so yards away. Hoten’s eyes were probably one of the sharpest in Iwa as he continued to work on his archery skills. He lowered his bow. Staring at the three slabs covered in shining glass arrows. He closed his eyes, blinking away the sweat at his brow and looking up.
Shatter. He gripped his bow tighter and tighter in frustration in himself. He hadn’t even shot a hundred arrows yet and yet he was winded. His muscles wouldn’t allow him any greater potential. No matter what he tried. He needed to become stronger if he was going to be able to save Aimi. He needed to keep her safe. Shatter!
He threw the bow across the room. It skidded across the temple floor at the feet of a familiar face. The monk narrowed his vision at Hoten. The Shoshiki lowered his gaze and walked towards his robe and covered up he previously exposed chest.
“I could feel the rumbling all the way up in the monastery.” The monk said to Hoten. The man whore ceremonial crimson robes which were custom in the temple. Hoten even wore his crimson robes. His head was shaven bald yet he had a youthful face and an overwhelmingly strong body.
“I was doing some endurance training. I apologize. I’ll keep the noise down.” Hoten responded meekly. The monk shook his head and took a step closer.
“It was not the sound of your activity that stirred me but your heart. Your soul is staggering and your mind is clouded. Your body will not become stronger if your soul and mind are too weak.” The monk lectured tranquilly. Hoten understood synergy between his spirit and body. He was a ninja. It was basics in chakra control, however implying that he needed to strengthen his spirit to strengthen his body was ridiculous.
“All due respect, sir. My body is pretty fragile. My muscles lack power and I’m incapable of strenuous activity because of it. I’ve gotten used to it.”
“I don’t believe you and neither do you.” Hoten lifted his head. “If you really had relented to your innate weakness then you wouldn’t be here right now, fighting and struggling to become stronger. Why do you want to be stronger?”
“To protect Aimi. My girlfriend… I’ve told you this before.” Hoten said uncertainly.
“Noble. Yet I don’t believe you.” Hoten stared. His face growing white with indignation. “When I first asked this question you only had an ideal. To save her. Neither a way to do that or a reason for her to be saved. The danger she faces is one within herself and you have a how. I taught you the how. Using the shamanistic arts you will be able to restrain and help her. Yet you still stand here, building your body.”
“Well I have other things to protect her from. We’re ninja. We will have to fight others!” Hoten shouted in indignation then looked away.
“You do not.” Hoten looked the monk in stark surprise. “You are ninja yes, but there are other avenues. Other ways to help yourself. You may quit. I have seen your skills elsewhere than battle. Combat is where you have the least potential. You know this. So why?”
“because,”
“Because…?” The monk took a step closer to Hoten. The man was tranquil yet stern. He towered over Hoten. The fact that Hoten could probably never defeat him in battle was an overwhelming truth at the moment. His intimidating aura was so great that the moment he was in striking distance Hoten squealed out meekly.
“Because I want to be able to protect everyone else.” The monk stared down at Hoten. The boy relented.
“The village. I want to protect them as well. All my life I’ve been looked down on because of the way I look. I have always been the last in my class and the established weakest. Everyone underestimated me. No one trusted me, not with their safety. Except Aimi. I got to protect her. I got to feel the need that a single person needed me more than anyone else and because of that I want to feel it again. I want everyone in the village to look up to me and want my help. I want to give it to them. Despite what happened with Aimi. Despite my weakness. I know its selfish of me but-“ The monk touched Hoten’s shoulder and handed him his bow. When did the man even bend?
“The clouds have parted.” The monk stepped back with a smile on his face. “You were telling yourself a lie. At least withholding a crucial part of yourself and that was causing an imbalance within you. Compensating by training your body and not your soul will only further weaken you. Now the scales have been balanced again and your potential reset.”
The monk left Hoten staring at him. The Shoshiki wasn’t sure what had happened however he did feel a slight change within himself. He felt like his body was moving a whole new way. He felt lighter. More powerful. He couldn’t be exaggerating. He felt… stronger. This was definitely incredible. He immediately returned to his shooting range.
He took his squared stand and pulled pack the bowstring. He didn’t feel the stress in his muscles as much anymore. He didn’t feel like his body was working against him. he could concentrate on his goal. He could become stronger to protect the village and protect Aimi – they were the same goal. he could feel comfort as he continued to shoot, hundred and hundreds of arrows in that day.
The drill shaped head struck the concrete slab. The concrete cracked slightly on the surface as Hoten’s arrow wedged itself finely in its made hole. He used these specialized arrows mainly so that he would have a good marker for where he managed to hit. So far he shot seventy seven arrows, each hitting its mark a mere hundred or so yards away. Hoten’s eyes were probably one of the sharpest in Iwa as he continued to work on his archery skills. He lowered his bow. Staring at the three slabs covered in shining glass arrows. He closed his eyes, blinking away the sweat at his brow and looking up.
Shatter. He gripped his bow tighter and tighter in frustration in himself. He hadn’t even shot a hundred arrows yet and yet he was winded. His muscles wouldn’t allow him any greater potential. No matter what he tried. He needed to become stronger if he was going to be able to save Aimi. He needed to keep her safe. Shatter!
He threw the bow across the room. It skidded across the temple floor at the feet of a familiar face. The monk narrowed his vision at Hoten. The Shoshiki lowered his gaze and walked towards his robe and covered up he previously exposed chest.
“I could feel the rumbling all the way up in the monastery.” The monk said to Hoten. The man whore ceremonial crimson robes which were custom in the temple. Hoten even wore his crimson robes. His head was shaven bald yet he had a youthful face and an overwhelmingly strong body.
“I was doing some endurance training. I apologize. I’ll keep the noise down.” Hoten responded meekly. The monk shook his head and took a step closer.
“It was not the sound of your activity that stirred me but your heart. Your soul is staggering and your mind is clouded. Your body will not become stronger if your soul and mind are too weak.” The monk lectured tranquilly. Hoten understood synergy between his spirit and body. He was a ninja. It was basics in chakra control, however implying that he needed to strengthen his spirit to strengthen his body was ridiculous.
“All due respect, sir. My body is pretty fragile. My muscles lack power and I’m incapable of strenuous activity because of it. I’ve gotten used to it.”
“I don’t believe you and neither do you.” Hoten lifted his head. “If you really had relented to your innate weakness then you wouldn’t be here right now, fighting and struggling to become stronger. Why do you want to be stronger?”
“To protect Aimi. My girlfriend… I’ve told you this before.” Hoten said uncertainly.
“Noble. Yet I don’t believe you.” Hoten stared. His face growing white with indignation. “When I first asked this question you only had an ideal. To save her. Neither a way to do that or a reason for her to be saved. The danger she faces is one within herself and you have a how. I taught you the how. Using the shamanistic arts you will be able to restrain and help her. Yet you still stand here, building your body.”
“Well I have other things to protect her from. We’re ninja. We will have to fight others!” Hoten shouted in indignation then looked away.
“You do not.” Hoten looked the monk in stark surprise. “You are ninja yes, but there are other avenues. Other ways to help yourself. You may quit. I have seen your skills elsewhere than battle. Combat is where you have the least potential. You know this. So why?”
“because,”
“Because…?” The monk took a step closer to Hoten. The man was tranquil yet stern. He towered over Hoten. The fact that Hoten could probably never defeat him in battle was an overwhelming truth at the moment. His intimidating aura was so great that the moment he was in striking distance Hoten squealed out meekly.
“Because I want to be able to protect everyone else.” The monk stared down at Hoten. The boy relented.
“The village. I want to protect them as well. All my life I’ve been looked down on because of the way I look. I have always been the last in my class and the established weakest. Everyone underestimated me. No one trusted me, not with their safety. Except Aimi. I got to protect her. I got to feel the need that a single person needed me more than anyone else and because of that I want to feel it again. I want everyone in the village to look up to me and want my help. I want to give it to them. Despite what happened with Aimi. Despite my weakness. I know its selfish of me but-“ The monk touched Hoten’s shoulder and handed him his bow. When did the man even bend?
“The clouds have parted.” The monk stepped back with a smile on his face. “You were telling yourself a lie. At least withholding a crucial part of yourself and that was causing an imbalance within you. Compensating by training your body and not your soul will only further weaken you. Now the scales have been balanced again and your potential reset.”
The monk left Hoten staring at him. The Shoshiki wasn’t sure what had happened however he did feel a slight change within himself. He felt like his body was moving a whole new way. He felt lighter. More powerful. He couldn’t be exaggerating. He felt… stronger. This was definitely incredible. He immediately returned to his shooting range.
He took his squared stand and pulled pack the bowstring. He didn’t feel the stress in his muscles as much anymore. He didn’t feel like his body was working against him. he could concentrate on his goal. He could become stronger to protect the village and protect Aimi – they were the same goal. he could feel comfort as he continued to shoot, hundred and hundreds of arrows in that day.
