Al stood alone in the vast field, his gaze fixated on the colossal statue of the armored man looming in the distance. Sighing, he lowered himself onto the ground, contemplating the challenge ahead. "This won't be easy, but it's not impossible," he muttered.
Memories of his training as a boxer flashed through his mind – the runs and strenuous hikes with weights. Besides, he had the Ever-life water by his side. There was no doubt in Al's mind that he could complete the task in close to an hour.
As he continued to mull over his thoughts, Al cleared his mind, awaiting Matthew's arrival. Al could not accurately estimate the passing time without his C-stone, yet the minutes seemed to stretch endlessly. Doubts began to creep in, and Al started questioning his timekeeping abilities.
Finally, a diminutive figure materialized in the distance, gradually growing closer. It was Matthew, his movements erratic – running, stopping, walking, and then running again.
Al's curiosity quickly transformed into concern for their time limit. As Matthew drew nearer, Al could see Matthew's anguished expression. A mixture of sweat and tears dripped down his chin, evoking a pitiful sight.
Al abandoned any notion of sprinting into position; instead, he calmly approached the limping Matthew, waiting patiently for his arrival.
Al closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as he retrieved his canteen with Ever-life water. Matthew's pained whimpering grew nearer. Sobbing, Matthew shouted, "I'm sorry, I twisted my ankle shortly after my start."
Al patiently waited for Matthew to approach before slapping his palm and handing him his canteen. "No need to apologize, Matthew. Take a sip of that water." Al encouraged. After a few drinks, Al worried Matthew would become suspicious of the miraculous water. To Al's surprise, the water had minimal effect on Matthew.
After taking back his canteen, Al got ready for his run, his sword resting firmly upon his shoulders.
As he began jogging, Al contemplated the descriptions of the breathing technique he had obtained. What if he executed the technique while running?
Recalling the conditions required for the Spearmint breathing technique, Al knew it was preferably performed in a hot room to elevate the heart rate. The method was intended to cool the body. Although Jin had advised him to be seated, Al felt compelled to experiment.
Al initiated the initial steps of the breathing technique, instantly sensing his body temperature dropping. However, midway through, a sudden, stabbing pain pierced his chest, causing him to stumble and collapse to the ground.
Regaining consciousness, Al hastily sprung to his feet, resuming his sprint with renewed determination. "Damn it! How long was I out? That was a close call." he mentioned, his voice laced with a tinge of apprehension.
After approximately 10 minutes of relentless exertion, Al's body was drenched in sweat, his legs and back aflame with exhaustion.
Retrieving the half-empty canteen, he raised his helmet and took a few gulps to replenish his stamina. He felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins. He pushed himself to run even faster, determined to find the limits of the Ever-life water and his own body. He wondered which would falter first: his body or the water.
As Matthew regained his strength, Yusuf approached and asked, "How long has it been since he left?" Matthew's gaze was fixed downward as he answered, "It's only been 20 minutes since he started running."
Yusuf narrowed his eyes, observing the young, somewhat awkward Matthew. Yusuf quickly pieced the situation together.
"So, you weren't as swift as the rest. That's alright; you're also the youngest among us. Do you happen to know any breathing techniques?" Yusuf asked. Matthew slowly lifted his head, meeting Yusuf's gaze. "Yeah, but they don't seem to make a difference. My dad said it's probably because I'm a late bloomer. He said coming here would help with that." he said in frustration.
Yusuf, the eldest of his 11 siblings, saw a glimpse of his fifth youngest brother in Matthew's demeanor. A warm smile tugged at Yusuf's lips as he offered, "I'm sure your father is a remarkable teacher. How about I teach you one of the breathing techniques I've learned?"
Matthew blushed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and anticipation, yet he couldn't help but be intrigued by the offer.
"Come on, little bro." Yusuf gently encouraged, sensing the young boy's hesitation.
Back in the running tack, Al resembled a relentless steam engine, his body moving with unwavering determination at a consistent pace. With each stride, his leg muscles became mush, and even his bones threatened to snap under the strain. Slightly slowing down, he took out his canteen and took a few gulps, refreshing his spirit.
However, the pain seemed to have seeped deep into his bones, refusing to dissipate. Al had only a tiny amount of the Ever-life water remaining, but he refused to relent, pushing himself forward.
While Al couldn't discern the passing time, he had become well acquainted with the 15th Blood Ring and knew he had a few miles left. Drawing upon his reserves, he pushed the boundaries between his body's demand for hydration and his relentless determination, yet weariness suffocated his very will.
Al pushed his body and the Ever-life water's recovery ability to the brink. And then, as if summoned by his unyielding onslaught on his body, Al began to experience a sensation he had read about in the red book within the library.
A whirlpool seemed to swirl within the core of his stomach, intensifying with every breath he drew. It would rapidly unravel and reverse between inhales and exhales, dissipating throughout his body. The book mentioned that this phenomenon signaled the awakening of one's Will, promising a greater outpouring of strength and endurance.
However, Al felt no tangible surge of strength. Nevertheless, he persisted, homing in on the sensation of the swirling vortex.
He retrieved the canteen for a final time, draining the last precious drops of the Ever-life water. Once again, he surged forward, running faster than ever before, defying all expectations as his metal-clad figure moved at the pace of an ordinary human.
A tingling pain coursed through Al's left shin just as Matthew and Yusuf came into view. The sight of Al's struggle left them both in a state of shock, prompting Yusuf to position himself hastily.
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Amid the chaos, Matthew's voice pierced the air, screaming, "59 minutes and 23 seconds!"
"Snap!" Al felt a surge of adrenaline. Lunging forward, he strained to reach Yusuf's hand, but he fell short.
Undeterred, Al crawled with all his might, inch by painful inch. Finally, with a last burst of effort, he made contact. "Slap!" Yusuf swiftly ran while Matthew shouted, "59 minutes and 57 seconds!" He rushed toward Al, who lay sprawled on the ground.
Matthew knelt beside him, gently turning him over, only to witness Al wincing in agony. "Don't touch me! My left leg is broken," Al pleaded. "If you want to help, find Cesar, tell him what happened, and tell him to fill my Canteen with water. He will know what to do. Tell him to hurry!"
Matthew nodded and darted off in search of Cesar without hesitation.
Al, struggling to move, crawled across the grassy field and discarded his helmet, revealing a pale face drenched in sweat. He tried cautiously removing his boot, but the searing pain proved too overwhelming.
The spearmint breathing technique, he thought, though he doubted its ability to mend a broken leg. Perhaps only the Great Orchid possessed such power.
With effort, Al sat himself up, his left leg awkwardly jutting out, and began the breathing technique amidst the agony.
As Al continued with the breathing technique, a comforting warmth emanated from his chest, spreading gradually throughout his body. After five minutes, although his leg remained broken, the pain seemed to subside slightly.
What intrigued Al during his practice was the correlation he noticed between his breathing and the swirling whirlpool sensation in his navel.
It moved in clockwise and counterclockwise patterns. The connection between his breath and the energy within his stomach's navel fascinated him. However, despite the intriguing discovery, the breathing exercise failed to mend his broken leg, leaving Al to endure the waves of pain that threatened to overwhelm him.
"Why is he taking so long? He's supposed to start running soon anyway!" Al murmured to himself; his words strained between breaths.
Finally, relief washed over him as he spotted Cesar and Matthew sprinting toward the field where he lay. Al couldn't help but feel immense relief.
"Here ya go!" Cesar declared, tossing Al's canteen filled with the replenished Ever-life water.
"That's what happens when you push yourself too hard, you crazy bastard. You gotta learn to train smarter, like me!" Cesar jested. Al ignored Cesar's advice as he gulped down the miraculous water.
Suddenly, intense pressure began to build within his leg. "Pop!" The pain surged sharply, engulfing Al's senses.
Al closed his eyes, ignoring the pain. He was determined not to waste a drop of the precious Ever-life water and downed the canteen.
"Aaaahhh, Damn!" Al yelled as he tossed the empty canteen in agony. After a final pop, a pitiful groan escaped his lips. "Ugh, I drank too much water. I need to pee."
Setting his canteen aside, Al made another attempt to remove his boot. Although the pain persisted, he wrestled it off. His left leg, from knee to foot, was a swollen, bruised mess of purple and red.
He cautiously attempted to apply weight, testing his ability to stand, but the searing pain was still unbearable. Matthew and Cesar rushed over, eager to lend a helping hand, but Al dismissed their assistance, his voice strained as he tried to sound resolute. "Thanks, but I can do the rest alone."
Cesar's expression tilted, and he returned Al's C-stone before leaving him alone.
Al slowly lowered himself to the ground, extending his left leg and putting away his C-stone after checking the time.
After a few minutes, he began performing the spearmint breathing technique again, his mind grappling with a single pressing concern. "I really, really need to pee."
As Yusuf sprinted into view, Matthew's eyes widened in awe, and he swiftly retrieved his C-stone. "Forty-one minutes! Yusuf has already shaved off three minutes. He truly is amazing!" Matthew exclaimed.
Cesar appeared irritated by Matthew's comment. Muttering to himself, "I'll show you amazing," he positioned himself to run.
Al seemed more relaxed and attuned to the rhythm of the Spearmint breathing technique. He felt the whirlpool in his navel synchronizing with his breaths. Its warmth appeared to compliment the cooling sensations the Spearmint breathing technique produced, flowing in waves into his injured left leg.
The more he concentrated his attention on his leg, the stronger the effect. Suddenly, a resounding "Slap!" reverberated, signaling Cesar's departure.
Unlike his previous triumphant finish, Yusuf appeared utterly drained and sweaty as he approached Al and Matthew, panting heavily. Desperate for water, he glanced at Al's canteen.
He walked toward the closed-eyed Al, who was in the midst of his breathing exercise, intending to grab one of the containers. As Yusuf gapped the canteen, Al's grip tightened around his wrist, and he exclaimed, "No! You can't drink that!"
Confused, Yusuf furrowed his brow as he protested, "Please, man, just a drink. Then I'll go to my Burrow to bring water for everyone."
Al gazed at Yusuf with a complex expression, weighed down by shame and relief. "I understand, but... that's not water," he said quietly. Yusuf's eyes darted towards the canteen, realizing the warmth he felt when he gapped it, and his face contorted in disgust.
Yusuf ripped his hand from the container and yelled, "You're sick, man! That's not something you do in the open!" With a storm of anger, Yusuf left.
Al was relieved that he had finished the Ever-life water. The last thing he wanted was for rumors to spread that he had a stone that instantly healed any exhaustion or tiredness.
However, Al couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed at the thought of Yusuf spreading rumors that he liked to pee in his canteens. He hoped this misunderstanding wouldn't spread among the others. Ultimately, Al had more pressing matters, such as healing his left leg.
Engrossed in his thoughts, Al concentrated on the healing sensations from the swirling whirlpool in his navel. Waves of relief cascaded through his leg, but he couldn't determine whether the Spearmint breathing technique or the whirlpool of energy was responsible for the healing effect.
With Matthew and Yusuf gone, Al anticipated that Jin would be the next person to arrive. He continued his breathing technique and harnessed the energy within him.
His focus was intense, directed towards his leg. Still, his mind couldn't help but wonder. "Considering Matthew took around one hour and forty minutes, everyone should have shown up earlier." As if in response, his eyes opened just in time to catch Jin approaching from the housing units.
Suddenly, tremors raced up Al's leg, causing him to shut his eyes again. The critical moment marked a crucial phase in the healing process. It felt like he was pushing a thousand needles through his left leg bone.
Jin stood by, observing Al's struggle, and moved a few feet away, patiently waiting. According to Jin's estimation, Cesar would arrive in approximately ten minutes. However, those ten minutes seemed to stretch endlessly, and another five slipped away.
Jin's patience waned. The sound of rushing water echoed, reminiscent of a dam bursting open. With a choking sound, Al dropped to one knee, vomiting a black liquid that splashed on his helmet.
Picking up his helmet, Al wiped the viscous substance off. Jin watched the unsettling scene unfold. The liquid resembled rusted blood.
Struggling to catch his breath, Al examined his leg, finding it free of bruises or swelling.
Al rose, stomping on his left leg and kicking the air. Surprisingly, his left leg felt better than brand new.