At this moment, Michael brings forth a plate of porridge for him and looks at how the room has been disorganized before saying with an ugly face, "Drink up kid, you still have a lot of training to go through". Andrew was dumbfounded for a while before saying, "I passed? But I completed just one lap not even up to half of the requirements". "Yeah you didn't but your sheer will and determination moved me into taking you on. Maybe you would be able to complete the three laps one day", says Michael with a blank face while on the inside he was saying to himself, 'You would surely exceed all your predecessors and am sure you would be able to get to the realm in which master was at that time or even better than him', he still wasn't truthful towards Andrew maybe he was afraid of telling him the truth and letting it get into his head or just as a restraint for Andrew to do better and exceed his limits constantly. "Oh, that's nice then", says Andrew in a tone that doesn't sound too happy, before asking in a surprised tone, "What do you mean more training? I can't train when I can't move my legs right?".
Michael smiles at Andrew at this moment but on seeing such a smile, Andrew likens it to the devil's grin and he becomes nervous all of sudden not knowing what next Michael was going to say but understanding it would be anything but good. Michael didn't fail his expectation as he says, "Of course, you have to train. You don't only have your legs, do you? If your legs are not in good working condition, you use your hands. If your hands are not in good working condition, you use your face. If your face gets damaged too, you use your chest, and stomach. If those too get damaged you use your laps. You don't know the situation to expect while in the forest so you have to be prepared for anything that comes your way. Don't always expect your hand and legs to be free". "What? That is insane", screams Andrew loudly. People passing in front of Michael's house have to pause for a moment due to the loud shout before continuing on their daily duties ignoring anything happening in the house.
Michael says to Andrew in reply, "You have got no choice kid. You signed up for this and I did warn you before. You can't turn your back now since it's already too late, complaining more would just increase the excruciating pains". Andrew was shocked by the new attitude Michael took towards training him. Andrew couldn't say anything to explain himself since he did not know in what way Michael was going to increase the difficulty of the training and he wanted to avoid it if possible.
"Drink the porridge up. It did help in warming up your body to be ready for your training. You have passed out for a whole day. That means the training you missed yesterday would be added to today and if you still can't complete it, it would continue to be pushed to another day. If you miss another day, so would the training be postponed till the next. There is no lazing about on the path of being a true seasoned hunter. If you feel you can afford to heap your training then you can continue lazing around if not walk down to the training ground after you are through". "But I can't walk", replies Andrew in dismal. "Then you use your hands to walk kid", replies Michael, "Let me not waste your time any longer with these conversations, but do get down quickly though".
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Andrew who had no way to refute turned toward the meal and then starts eating. After he was through with his meal, he started walking down with his hands towards the training ground although he has been out for a whole day or more he seems to have been well taken care of as his clothes have been changed, it was likely that his body was also cleaned properly. Understanding that he was still going to sweat during training, he didn't change into the new pair of clothes put beside the mat he was lying on.
It wasn't an easy start using his hands as a means of walking but he tried his best and little by little was able to complete the feat. On getting to the training ground, he sees Michael who has been waiting for him for a while training himself with his cutlass in a special artificial muddy environment. The mud was deep to his waist which means the movement was harder than normal but he was still able to move in such an environment while swinging his cutlass with ease. Without looking toward Andrew, Michael says, "Today's training would be just like the former except that you are using your hands to achieve the same result".
"What? The same and at that with my hands? Seems like you plan to make me a cripple", screams Andrew in shock. "Well, not the same though. No need for the chains, just complete a lap with your hands. You don't need to overstrain your hands as you did with your legs after all it's not easy to find such herbs for your healing", replies Michael nonchalantly while continuing his movements. He switches from using the cutlass to binding himself with chains nailed to the same special rocks used by Andrew albeit bigger and heavier. Andrew sits on the floor while staring at Michael who was training in such an environment and was in total awe thinking of when he would be able to achieve such a state. Michael noticed that Andrew still hasn't started even though a lot of time has gone by and shouted at him, "Why are you still dilly-dallying? Do you need me to come over and kick your ass up before you start?". Understanding that Michael would do what he said, Andrew starts his training. Some more rounds of hellish training for this young boy but he still keeps on persisting, strengthening his resolve as he tries to keep up with the training.
George comes into the training ground at this moment bare-chested. He came for training also and he meets Andrew and Michael, with Andrew walking with his hands. He frowns for a bit before walking up to Michael then saying, "You allowed the kid here and you are also training him. Do you have much spare time to waste on such a kid?", George was arguing in a disgruntled tone about Andrew.
Michael keeps mute and doesn't reply to George but instead continues his training. He has been used to such an attitude from his elder brother for a long time so he often ignores his spiteful remarks made toward Andrew without even explaining a single thing to George. Seeing that he won't get a reply from Michael, George snorts lightly and goes on with his daily training routine not saying any other word, after all, he wasn't known to be a talker.
Andrew continues his training, this new training was way more strenuous and taxing on his body since he had to balance his body with his hands and endure the massive blood flow towards his head and eyes which caused veins of various sizes and shapes to pop up. His hand also were growing feeble as he continued on the training of walking with his hands around the training field.