"Curious," the prince said with dissatisfaction as he watched Stas demonstrate his method of speeding up prana. "Yes, you've managed to accelerate your prana, healer. But for such an approach, my sensei would've broken five bamboo sticks over me. You've resorted to crutches that will only hinder you in the future. Do you plan to adopt this stance in battle and ask your opponents to wait?"

"No, Jishin," Stas stopped further acceleration of his prana and, for a few seconds, enjoyed the sensation of warmth it provided. In addition, the world also began to seem a bit clearer and slower. "I am currently working on removing the vocal part. And I manage it nearly every time. Next, I will work on eliminating the hand movements and, finally, the stance itself."

"Don't drag it out too long," Jishin's anger gave way to mercy, nodding his head in satisfaction. "In training techniques, we warmasters endlessly repeat and push ourselves to the brink to hammer the knowledge into our muscles and flesh. The prana itself eventually starts to assist us in doing what it has become accustomed to. I've already mentioned that this is how one develops affinity with the legendary circle of elements. However, if you train this pseudo-acceleration of yours, you risk never learning to do it properly. Your body will permanently memorize the incorrect technique."

"I understand," Stas nodded confidently, taking Sumada's advice very seriously. He had no intention of making such foolish mistakes at the beginning of his path.

"Now we'll begin studying the first and simplest technique of prana control. While it is the simplest, its importance cannot be overstated," whenever Sumada began explaining something, he involuntarily took on the appearance of an old, experienced Kung-Fu master. All that was missing was to add a long white beard, hand him a staff, and the image would be complete.

It wasn't difficult to guess that he was subconsciously copying his teacher, who had taught him the intricacies of prana control.

"I'm talking about the body-strengthening technique. In most cases, it determines whether a warmaster will survive and be able to return to their family and clan. Elemental techniques, no matter how fast, still require some time to achieve their goal. This means there is always a chance to see danger and dodge."

"Jishin," Stas caught his attention and frowned slightly, noticing something not adding up. "Does this mean a person can train both prana acceleration and body strengthening at the same time?"

"Usually, they don't do it that way," Jishin explained despite the irritation evident on his face. "But we don't have much time. If we manage to enact your plan, you must be able to do at least something by then. Otherwise, the clan might not appreciate my efforts in training you."

'And they'll kill you to prevent leaving knowledge in the hands of someone who couldn't even master it partially,' Stas mentally continued the part the prince had chosen not to voice.

Jishin wasn't trying to scare him, but the subtle hints and remarks made it clear that the Sumada clan was a tangled nest of snakes where the slightest weakness was seen as an invitation to latch on one's throat.

'A merry place, this friendly Sumada clan of yours.'

"And now, if you're not going to interfere anymore, I'll continue. Body strengthening and prana acceleration - these are two pillars upon which masters of martial arts stand. The latter have, for various reasons, chosen to focus on the development of their bodies, rather than elemental transformations. Nevertheless, no one forbids an experienced warmaster from being a master of both martial arts and some elemental skills."

The prince took a cup of tea and moistened his throat. Their conversation took place in the prince's quarters, and Jishin decided to conduct a small tea ceremony. Servants promptly brought everything necessary.

Stas's changed status was also noticeable here. Sumada had called Stas his friend, which meant he recognized him as, if not equal, at least worthy to stand on equal footing occasionally.

So, if previously only the prince himself drank tea, now a cup was also granted to Stas. However, it wasn't to say that the earthling was proud of the honor.

Back on Earth, he had splurged a couple of times on super expensive packs of "real tea," yet failed to notice much difference from ordinary tea bags. He also tended to drink almost everything with a lot of sugar, so it would have been strange if he could discern all the flavor nuances.

Here, Stas simply didn't like unsweetened tea.

"Nevertheless, all supreme warmasters possess both acceleration and body strengthening," Jishin stated with utmost seriousness. "The reason is that someone who has not paid enough attention to such important disciplines risks not even realizing what killed them. Moreover, reinforcing the body with prana allows one to withstand not only physical blows but also partially elemental damage. Where a water blade would bisect a person, after proper prana reinforcement, it would merely get stuck in the muscles."

"By the way, I keep forgetting to ask you. Jishin, what rank are you?"

"I am an advanced warmaster," boasted Sumada. "For my age, this is a significant achievement. If my prana continues to increase, I plan to approach the title of supreme warmaster in a few years. You, Shiro, should not hope for such, as you do not have a lineage like the great Sumada clan, and your age is not suitable. If I were you, I would have already given up."

"Thanks for the reminder," Stas grimaced at Sumada's "concern."

"That's what friends are for, to tell each other the truth, even when it's unpleasant," the prince shrugged, giving Stas another reason to ponder over Jishin's very peculiar understanding of friendship.

Considering the atmosphere in the warmaster clans, Stas seriously doubted that the young man sitting in front of him had ever really trusted anyone in his life or even knew what "friendly" communication was.

"If prana acceleration improves your reaction, then prana strengthening will give you the ability to move with speed and power matching your new reaction rate. There is also a third skill, which is too early for you to train. I'm telling you about it just so you're aware of its existence. It's called 'surface attachment.'"

Jishin chuckled, clearly recalling something amusing.

"Warmasters who can use it are able to walk or stand on vertical surfaces. This skill also plays a huge role in martial arts. As you know, warmasters can inflict tremendous damage with their prana-infused bodies, such as crushing rocks and even altering the landscape. But if there's no good footing, the warmaster risks simply throwing themselves back, inflicting minimal damage. The outcome will be quite different if they are well attached to the surface beforehand."

"In that case, all the energy will go straight into the wall they've attached themselves to," Stas could almost picture it.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Exactly," the prince nodded amiably. "We once stormed a small fortification that had stone walls. The noble who hired us wanted us to just let his troops inside. He wanted to save on our services. Then my teacher approached the wall, swung hard, and literally drove a significant portion of it straight into the city. The dust rose so high it almost covered half of that rat nest. Nevertheless, you're not yet ready to master that, so for now, try to master prana acceleration and strengthening as best as you can."

"Alright, I'll do my best."

"Now, regarding what you need to do. You've somewhat figured out prana acceleration. But it doesn't require complex movements from you. You're just nudging your energy to flow where it would naturally go. Now, you need to direct it into your muscles and maintain a constant flow."

Sumada once again sipped his tea with pleasure, while Stas patiently waited for the continuation.

"There's no point if your arms become stronger for just a second when you strike, because a threat can come even when you don't see it. Constant strengthening is the only way to survive in warmaster fights. And prana acceleration will allow you to notice a deadly strike in advance. Is everything clear?"

"How am I supposed to do that, Jishin? I hope you're not going to say something like 'go meditate' again?" Stas asked suspiciously.

"I would like to," the prince's face twitched into a smile for a second, but then he became serious again. "But that would be pointless. Here, you must have at least some knowledge for successful action."

The prince stood up and leisurely walked over to the calligraphy table. From there, he took an unremarkable scroll and returned to the tea table again.

Unrolling it under Stas's interested gaze, Jishin revealed its contents.

Before Stas lay a roughly drawn schematic of the human body, entwined in a web with black dots scattered here and there.

Clearly, Sumada had drawn it himself, choosing the most inconspicuous scroll.

'So, these are the prana channels and nodes,' Stas realized immediately, looking more closely at the drawing. It was difficult to overlook the large black circle located where the heart should be.

"I see you understand what I wanted to show you," Sumada nodded in satisfaction. "Here are the main prana points through which it is easiest to release prana into your muscles. If you look at the arms, legs, and neck, you'll see that I've depicted far more nodes there than elsewhere. That's why elemental techniques are usually performed with hands or feet."

"Um, with feet?" Stas decided to clarify the strange point.

"Yes, some earth techniques can be created by directing prana through the legs into the ground. It's not a very popular art, but the warriors who use it do exist and can catch you off guard. However, we're getting sidetracked. Now, you need to memorize the location of the main prana nodes on your body. Then, you'll try to direct your prana to these specific points. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Jishin," Stas nodded. Finally, they had reached real magic that could truly make him stronger.

"Then memorize," the prince's finger first touched the neck of the figure on the drawing, then he pointed to himself, patting his throat. "This point is called 'Ka.' It's a very important node, as masters of fire often use it to breathe out fire techniques, emulating legendary dragons. Then comes the 'Ku' point," his finger moved to the jugular notch in the throat. It's important because it helps strengthen your neck so your head doesn't snap off during sudden loads. It's a shame I can't mark all of them on your body with charcoal as my sensei did. It would make it much easier for you to remember their location and direct prana right to them. But if someone accidentally sees these black dots, it would raise too many questions."

"How many nodes do I need to memorize?" Stas inquired about the scope of work.

"A couple of hundred should suffice," Sumada mused, causing Stas to balk. Memory was one thing, but such a volume of information was not easy to remember. "But for now, a couple of dozen of the most important ones will do," the prince smirked slyly, showing it was a joke.

Amusing how when there was distance between them, Jishin didn't allow himself to joke so often.

'You know, prince, I can be quite the joker too,' Stas chuckled inwardly, returning a good-natured smile to the prince, which made him wary. 'I wonder when I should tell him that I accidentally 'forgot' one of my tools inside him during the operation?'

*****

This conversation took place just before the planned departure day to the city. As Jishin was finishing explaining the last points, there was suspicious movement in the corridor and the familiar rustle of armor.

When the doors were opened after a knock and several ashigaru from Nobunoro's personal guard peeked inside, Stas had already retreated deeper into the room, pretending to be a piece of furniture, not drawing attention.

"Nobunoro-sama wishes to speak with you, Sumada-san," the samurai commanding the escort addressed the captive respectfully. "I regret to inform you that you have little time to prepare."

"Thank you for the care," Jishin nodded to the guard, rising regally. "I shall immediately accompany Nobunoro-sama if he so desires."

Stas scrutinized the prince closely. His patient could already walk quite comfortably, which delighted the earthling, making him proud of his work.

The samurai nodded his head in thanks. Jishin's status could have created unnecessary problems for the samurai if Sumada had started to fuss or stall.

Without another word, the entire delegation left the room. Jishin didn't even look back at Stas.

'The daimyo's son suddenly remembered about his captive,' Stas smirked inwardly. 'I wonder if it was his own idea or if daddy sent an angry letter? Why do I lean more towards the latter option? In any case, it's safe to assume that the negotiation processes have already started in full swing, and every day that passes plays against us. Good thing I managed to establish the necessary connections among the palace servants and guards in advance.'

When Jishin returned in the evening, he was sullen and silent, so Stas didn't bother him with stupid questions. Clearly, dealing with the impetuous noble hadn't been easy for the warmaster.

The following morning, Stas was approached by a very serious Roku.

"Shiro-san, we will now head to a service door near the western gates. It is currently guarded by people loyal to Akiro Yori-sama. Nevertheless, we should not attract undue attention. Keep your head down, and do not look up. When we leave the palace, do the same. No one should remember seeing us together. Once you're alone, it won't be such a problem."

Stas nodded in agreement and obediently lowered his head as if something on the ground had caught his interest. Roku nodded in satisfaction and briskly led the way, with Stas following.

They encountered surprisingly few people on the way, showing that the senior servant knew how to pick a path well. Those who tried to ask Roku anything were dismissed with a few words.

Soon, they were in the palace courtyard, heading towards an inconspicuous part of the wall. As Stas understood, this door was used for replenishing some palace supplies or for the entry of people of contemptible professions. Logically, the same cesspool cleaners should not pass through the main gates, risking catching the eye of illustrious lords and tarnishing their aristocratic noses with the stench of vile putridity.

To Stas's eyes, their goal indeed could not be called a full-fledged gate but rather an oversized door.

This was where the impressive thickness of the walls was apparent, achieved by the relatively low height and, in some places, inclining stone slopes.

Above were small towers and platforms where a few guards lazily surveyed the horizon, holding bows with detached strings. Unlike in movies, where archers could run with a strung bow, in life, the string tends to wear out and break.

Roku approached the guards responsible for opening the gate, and Stas, casting a quick glance ahead, unmistakably recognized the familiar trio of trusted warriors who had watched over the princess's quarters on that memorable day.

Another thing was that in addition to these three, there were also three other unknown guards. However, Stas immediately noted how determinedly they all looked in any other direction, just not at him and Roku.

Stas lowered his head and smiled grimly.

For some reason, he was reminded of the legendary saying of Philip of Macedon, the father of the well-known Alexander the Great: "An ass laden with gold will take any fortress."

No gold was involved here, but the guard lieutenant still planned to profit.

How did he convince his subordinates to turn a blind eye to the suspicious stranger? Did he resort to bribery or exploit fear? Stas didn't know the answer.

But he couldn't shake off the thought, 'Did these guards think about what they were doing?'

After all, Stas could have brought death to their ranks. And the blood of comrades would be the result of their own inaction, sudden blindness, and deafness.

'Probably, they dismissed doubts, deciding it wasn't their business,' Stas clicked his tongue when they had already moved away from the now-closed door behind them. 'Times and worlds change, but human reluctance to take responsibility is eternal. But damn me if I'm not pleased by it.'

Stas had long learned an important life lesson for himself, which sounded like, "Very few people try to change something in their lives." And if you move forward deliberately, sooner or later, you will be able to reach the top, unattainable to ordinary people.

Or, as they say, die trying.