I regret everything and want to give up.
This was all I could think of while lying on the floor, drenched in sweat, my clothes clinging to me like spandex. Every muscle in my body throbbed with the kind of pain that made you reconsider every decision that had led to this exact moment. My arms refused to move. My legs felt like they’d turned to jelly, and even blinking seemed like an insurmountable effort.
Funny how yesterday, I’d been practically bouncing with excitement. “I don’t regret a single thing, I can’t wait to get started,” I’d thought. I now proclaim to the heaven’s, I shall learn how to travel back in time, so I can strangle past Rai for being so damn stupid.
Above me, Chronos stood like a smug god of suffering, casually flipping a water bottle in one hand. He looked down at me with an expression that danced on the line between pity and amusement.
“So,” he said, his tone maddeningly casual, “is it fun yet?”
I tried to answer, but my lungs had apparently gone on strike. The best I could manage was a wheeze, which earned me a low chuckle.
“Don’t worry,” he said, crouching down so I could fully appreciate his infuriating smirk. “You’ll get used to it. Or you won’t, and you’ll just adapt out of sheer desperation. Either way, we’re making progress.”
Progress. That word alone made me want to cry. Or maybe laugh. I wasn’t sure anymore. The lines between every emotion I’d ever felt had blurred together under the crushing weight of exhaustion.
“You’ll thank me someday, Rai,” Chronos added, patting my shoulder like I hadn’t just spent the entire day fighting for my life against the concept of gravity itself.
A weak groan escaped my throat. My body was too battered to voice the retort I desperately wanted to make. Instead, I let my head loll to the side and stared at the ceiling, trying to summon enough energy to even regret my choices properly.
This had all seemed so simple in theory. Get stronger. Train hard. Unlock my potential. But as I lay there, a puddle of my own defeat, I couldn’t help but relive the events that had led to this moment, the gauntlet of torture Chronos had oh-so-cheerfully called Training Arc.
And that’s when the memories started flooding back.
The morning air was brisk, crisp enough to make my lungs ache as I stood at the edge of the sprawling track encircling Chronos' estate. A course of winding paths, uneven terrain, and strategically placed obstacles lay before me. Chronos stood beside me, dressed in his usual athleisure wear, looking far too relaxed for someone about to put me through what could only be described as cardio hell.
“Alright, Rai,” he began, pointing to the distant treeline. “You’re going to start with a warm-up: five laps around the track. After that, we’ll move on to the fun stuff.”
“Define ‘fun,’” I said warily.
He smirked. “Oh, you’ll know it when you feel it. Now go. Clock’s ticking.”
I groaned but started running. The first lap wasn’t too bad, my legs found a rhythm, and the cool air helped keep me from overheating. By the second lap, though, my lungs were burning, and the soreness from earlier training sessions started to creep in.
Chronos jogged alongside me for a bit, not even winded. “Pick up the pace, Rai. At this rate, the snails are going to start lapping you.”
By the fourth lap, my legs felt like lead. The uneven terrain didn’t help; every dip and incline was a fresh torture. I stumbled over a loose rock and barely caught myself.
“Eyes up,” Chronos called from a nearby bench, where he now lounged with a stopwatch. “If you’re going to trip, at least make it dramatic. Bonus points if you roll into the koi pond.”
“Why don’t you try running this?” I wheezed, wiping sweat from my brow.
“Because I already know I can. This is about you, kid.” He stood, crossing his arms as he watched me struggle. “Push through it. Your body’s screaming, sure, but that’s just weakness leaving. Or at least that’s what people say to sound inspiring.”
I grit my teeth and kept moving.
Weakness leaving, huh?
It felt more like my soul was trying to escape.
After finishing the laps, barely, I collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air. My victory was short-lived, though. Chronos pulled me up and gestured toward the obstacle course.
“Don’t get too comfortable. We’re just getting started,” he said, leading me to the first challenge: a series of low walls to vault over.
“I don’t vault,” I said flatly.
“You do now. Come on.”
The first attempt was a disaster. I scrambled up the wall awkwardly, barely managing to swing one leg over before toppling to the other side. Chronos’ laugh echoed behind me.
“That was… something,” he said, grinning. “Try not to look like a fool next time.”
The second attempt went slightly better, though it still wasn’t pretty. By the third, I was starting to get the hang of it—just in time to move on to the next obstacle.
Crawling under nets, jumping over hurdles, and weaving through cones left me drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. Chronos kept pace, shouting corrections and the occasional taunt.
“Come on, Rai! Even my grandma could clear that hurdle!”
Is your grandma even ali- wait is she?
The last part of the session was a timed sprint. Chronos pointed to a marker about 200 meters away. “You’re going to run to that point and back. Fast as you can. No stopping, no excuses.”
I groaned. “You do realize I’m half-dead already, right?”
He raised an eyebrow. “And yet you’re still talking. Impressive. Now run.”
With a resigned sigh, I took off. The first few strides were torture, my legs screaming in protest, but I pushed through. The wind whipped past me as I focused on the marker ahead, blocking out everything else.
By the time I stumbled back to the starting point, I was on the verge of collapsing. Chronos caught me by the arm, steadying me.
“Not bad,” he said, nodding. “You’ve got a long way to go, but you didn’t quit. That’s what matters.”
“Thanks,” I gasped, doubling over. “Now, can I die?”
He chuckled. “Not yet. We’ve got weight training and a whole evening of flexibility training ahead. But hey, at least your cardio’s improving.”
I shot him a glare, too tired to come up with a witty retort. As grueling as it was, though, I couldn’t help but feel a small flicker of pride. I had survived another round, and for now, that was enough.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
Wait… just how much is he going to have me do?!
The training area was a nightmare factory of heavy things. Sandbags, kettlebells, weighted ropes, and, of course, the massive tires I had been glaring at since morning. In the center of it all sat a weighted sled, stacked high with what I could only describe as an unreasonable amount of metal plates.
Chronos gestured toward the sled like a game show host revealing the grand prize. “Your next challenge.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” I said, staring at it. “You want me to push that?”
“Push, pull, drag—however you want to move it,” he replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Think of it as a bonding experience. You and gravity, duking it out for supremacy.”
I rolled my eyes but stepped up to the sled. Bracing my hands against the cold metal, I planted my feet firmly on the ground. With a grunt, I pushed. The sled moved an inch, then stopped dead, like I’d just run into a brick wall.
Chronos crouched beside me, barely hiding his amusement. “You know, I expected this to be hard for you, but even I’m surprised. You’re giving ‘weak’ a whole new definition here.”
“Ah yes the 13 year old doing weight training for the first time is weak, what a surprise they should give you an award for this impressive discovery,” I muttered, sweat already dripping down my face.
“You’re thinking too much about the weight,” Chronos said, standing back up. “Don’t focus on how heavy it is. Focus on the fact that it can move. All you need to do is make it happen.”
“OH GEE, WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?” I grumbled, but I adjusted my stance and tried again. This time, the sled moved a whole foot before I had to stop and catch my breath.
“Better,” Chronos said. “You might make it across the field before sunset at this rate. Maybe.”
I shot him a glare, but his teasing was oddly motivating. I threw my weight against the sled, inching it forward little by little. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, my legs felt like jelly, my arms burned, and my back threatened to give out, but I didn’t stop.
Chronos followed me, his sharp wit never letting up. “You know, if you collapse now, I’ll have to carry you back. And honestly, I’m not sure you’re worth the effort.”
“You’re so generous,” I shot back between gritted teeth.
“Aren’t I?” he said, grinning.
By the time I reached the halfway point, I was gasping for air. My shirt was soaked with sweat, and my hands trembled from the effort of holding onto the sled. I wanted to stop, to give up and just collapse on the ground, but Chronos’ voice cut through my exhaustion.
“Pain isn’t the enemy, Rai. It’s the teacher. You can hate it all you want, but if you listen to it, you’ll learn where your limits are, and how to break through them.”
Why do you have to make sense?
With a growl of frustration, I pushed harder, the sled scraping against the ground as I forced it forward. Inch by inch, I moved it across the field, until finally, it came to rest at the far end.
I collapsed onto my knees, chest heaving, and looked up at Chronos. He stood over me, arms crossed, a small smile playing on his lips. “Not bad. You’re weaker than I thought, but you’ve got heart. Keep that up, and you might survive the week.”
“WEEK?! WHY THE WEEK??”
“Oh didn’t I tell you? Your mother agreed to you staying here 5 days out of the week for training.” He said innocently
“NO YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!” I yelled.
“Well now you know, now keep it up! That was just the warm-up for today’s strength training.”
My heart sank as he motioned toward the sandbags.
Just you wait old man, once I reach your level I’m gonna kick you so hard they’ll need to search the stars for you.
The next few hours were a blur of grueling tasks. I carried sandbags across the field, flipped tires that felt heavier than I was, and swung weighted ropes until my arms felt like they’d fall off. Chronos corrected my form with infuriating precision, pointing out every mistake with his usual blend of wit and criticism.
“Straighten your back, unless you want to look like a question mark by the time you’re thirty,” he said, as I struggled to lift a particularly heavy sandbag.
“Thanks for the encouragement,” I groaned.
“It’s what I’m here for,” he replied, completely unapologetic.
By the end of the session, I was drenched in sweat and barely able to stand, but a small part of me felt proud. I had pushed myself farther than I thought I could, and even though I was exhausted, I could feel the tiniest flicker of progress.
Chronos clapped me on the back, nearly sending me sprawling. “Good work, Rai. You’ve survived day one. Barely.”
I looked up at him, too tired to come up with a witty retort.
“Get some rest,” he said, his tone uncharacteristically soft. “Tomorrow’s going to be harder.”
Great. Something to look forward to.
As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the training hall, Chronos brought me to a quiet corner of the space. The air here felt calmer, less intense than the areas filled with weights and training dummies. A large mat stretched across the floor, dotted with blocks, bands, and what looked like a foam roller that had seen better days.
“Alright, Rai,” Chronos said, motioning for me to sit. “Time to find out how bendy you are.”
I plopped onto the mat with a wince, my body already sore from the day’s earlier torture. “I’m as flexible as a paraplegic doing gymnastics.”
Chronos smirked. “I noticed. You’ve got the flexibility of a steel beam. Let’s change that before you tear something important.”
“Like my dignity?” I shot back.
“You harm something you didn’t have,” he replied, dropping into a cross-legged position with infuriating ease. “Now, follow my lead.”
He moved through a series of stretches that were deceptively simple at first. Basic hamstring stretches, gentle forward bends, and side lunges. My muscles protested with every movement, tight and unyielding like rusty hinges.
“Breathe into it,” Chronos said, his voice surprisingly calm. “The goal isn’t to force your body into submission. It’s to coax it into letting go.”
Agh… I wanna die.
I took a deep breath, leaning forward in a seated stretch, trying to touch my toes. My fingers barely grazed below my knees. “I think my body is in protest of such change in the community.”
“Then convince it,” he replied, shifting into a deeper stretch. His hands easily wrapped around his feet, his posture perfect. “Flexibility isn’t just about your muscles. It’s about control. Relax your mind, and your body will follow.”
If I could just “convince” my body to do shit like this I wouldn’t have this problem. I am QUITE the persuader.
Chronos didn’t just focus on static stretches. He also had me work on balance. Standing on one leg, shifting into tree poses, and even attempting a warrior pose that had me wobbling like a newborn deer.
“You need to find your center,” he said, arms crossed as he watched me flail. “Right now, you’re about as stable as a house of cards in a hurricane.”
“I’m starting to think I finally have competition for the witty retorts,” I muttered, nearly toppling over.
He stepped closer, steadying me with a hand on my shoulder. “Focus on your breathing. Your body follows your breath. Control that, and you’ll find your balance.”
I took a deep breath, focusing on the steady rhythm of my inhales and exhales. Slowly, the shaking in my legs subsided, and I managed to hold the pose without tipping over.
“Not bad,” Chronos said, stepping back. “For someone who’s never done this before, anyway.”
As the session wound down, Chronos guided me through a series of gentle, restorative stretches. Lying on my back, pulling my knees to my chest, and finally sinking into a corpse pose that felt like a gift from the heavens.
“Flexibility isn’t something you can just get overnight,” Chronos said, sitting cross-legged beside me. “It’s a long game, and it’ll test your patience. But trust me, it’s worth it.”
I nodded, too exhausted to respond.
“Alright, that’s enough for today,” Chronos said, standing and stretching his arms above his head like someone who hadn’t just orchestrated my complete physical annihilation. “Get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll see if you’ve learned anything.”
I propped myself up on one elbow, trying to muster enough strength to glare at him. “Hey, when am I supposed to learn-”
Chronos wagged his finger and clicked his tongue, cutting me off mid-question. “Tsk tsk, there’s no way I’m letting you learn anything with that body. Until you’ve built a solid foundation, you’re not throwing a single punch. So you better get to working hard.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the rumble of my stomach spoke louder. The sound echoed embarrassingly in the training hall. Chronos chuckled, shaking his head. “Come on, chef. Let’s fix that.”
“Chef?” I muttered, dragging myself upright with what little strength I had left.