In the empty room meant for meditation, Kaiser was at it again. How many times has he tried now? Ten, maybe more? He didn’t know anymore, having lost count along the way. All he knew right now was that he was sleepy and exhausted, and this quiet, calm room was the perfect setting to fall asleep instead of meditating.

Kai… hadn’t slept well last night. Not because he had spent the night in an intimate company with two beauties—which he never had the courage to propose and for an obvious reason. Let’s be real here: girls aren’t that easy to get. From what Kai had seen through his life, though he met many but never proactively approached one. Women were complicated creatures, each one different, or similar in personality but with some shared traits— Firstly, they were less stupid than men. Which is a blessing and a curse for us fellas; curse, because it’s why we die younger; blessing, because men are daring enough to achieve the things they set their eyes onto, whatever it is, foolish, even. That’s why most great innovators are men.

Anyway, back to the topic of women. They have the unique ability to dish out an absurd amount of mental damage capable of traumatizing him for life. And they’re definitely not easy to approach, much less propose something idiotic to—a blind girl and a goddess, no less.

Not like he had romantic feelings for them, to begin with. He doesn't even understand what "love" is, let alone felt it, despite having lived a whole eighteen years. What a pitiful soul.

‘Don’t blame me; it’s not my fault girls are too complicated!... Besides, I could barely feed myself back then, let alone think about dating! I mean, look at me—average-looking with an unsociable personality. What do you expect?’

In short, he was just a poor, introverted, delinquent loser with nothing to brag about. No wonder the only girl in his life was a blind one who had no choice but to stick with him and an immature goddess. LoL

‘And whose fault is that?’

…

At least be grateful I gave you a goddess, show some gratitude, ungrateful bastard.

Though, Ariella, for instance, being a goddess, was obviously a no-go for Kai despite her beauty and innocence. She wasn’t even human, and that crossed the line of even his brashness. He might be foolish at times, but he knew when to stop. It would take more than just to fool him; he knew something terrifying lay behind that pretty head of hers, and he wasn’t about to risk divine punishment from the heavens by making a move on her.

Then there was Cia—Kai’s first true girl "friend". No way was he going to ruin their friendship with some awkward line like, “Hey, since you’re blind and rely on me, wanna... you know? F together” Seriously, who would say that?

‘Totally not me! ...Wait, why am I even thinking about this?’

Who knows? Maybe last night’s ordeal had finally broken something in his head. Funny how he could withstand hell yet falter in the face of a woman’s scolding and those cold shoulders, Ariella and Cia don't seem convinced by his justifying words, till now. Garba had really done him big this time. Kai swore he would pay that old geezer back tenfold.

In any case, time to actually do something meaningful. With a sigh, Kai sat lazily in the middle of the room, trying once again to cultivate some semblance of concentration.

Kai had done so many stupid things lately, it was about time he got his head on straight. Thankfully, despite all his constant doubts and occasional mockery of the old man’s teachings, he still followed the assigned routine. He might question Garba’s methods, but he never skipped a session or took shortcuts. And, because of this, his progress in meditation had finally become noticeable.

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Once again, he found himself focusing on that one, solitary point—the distant beat of his own heart. He had practiced enough by now that he could even control its frequency—having learned it at some point—adjusting his breathing to let that sound fade as he slipped deeper into a dark, calm stillness, by not over relying on the beating of his heart and drifting to nothingness. Strangely, focusing on “nothing” had sharpened his mind. His thoughts quieted, the usual chaotic storm of worries and impulses stilled, and he was left… clear. For once, he didn’t feel like himself so much as an empty, alert vessel—more like a mindless item, but contradictory aware of more in his surroundings than he had ever been.

Most importantly, Kaiser is finally learning how to appreciate meditation meaning and benefits. Which answers his questions about why it's so famous in Earth's media.

He despised it before, but after learning how to enter the state of utter thoughtlessness, it wasn't so hard anymore. Furthermore, the benefits it gave were surprisingly awarding.

Slowly, he tuned in to that rhythm, breathing deeply, sinking into the quiet until he felt like he was floating in pure stillness. It quieted his mind better than anything ever had.

As he meditated, the worries that once felt like heavy weights on his shoulders—whether he had embarrassed himself too much with Cia, how to make a believable explanation for what happened last night, the pressure to learn his lessons, the uncertainty of his future in the larger settlement they're moving to, how to finally get a girlfriend, why is Ariella so damn cute but useless, was he even practicing swordmanship, is his mentor gay—began to fade. All these thoughts, which once stirred constant frustration and anxiety, now felt lighter, like they were simply passing clouds. Helping him focus more in the moment rather than the past or future.

Even things that would have once made him fume—Garba’s insistence on the horrid dancing lessons,—no longer bothered him much. Strangely enough, his not that disturbed by watching a saggy swan twirled around too much by now, or was he getting used to seeing an old man dance like a tribesman ballerina, half naked? No, the distraction in Kai's mind was simply lessening, filtering unnecessary thoughts to pay heed the important details more, rather than unnecessary ideas. He could see them more clearly, understanding the value without getting riled up too much.

Though, he still struggled. From the sense of absurdness Dance of the Wind exert never fades, but instead, intensified the more he understood the steps.

However, nothing matters in this newfound calm, where he felt oddly at peace.

Over time, Kai noticed other changes, too. His mind, which was usually filled with chaotic thoughts bouncing from one worry to the next, now felt clearer. It was like fog lifting off a mountain peak; everything in his mind felt sharper, more focused. He could think without distraction more frequently, his thoughts no longer tugging him in different directions all the time. For once, he felt like he could just exist in the moment without overthinking.

Simply focusing on the task at hand without distraction, paying heed to stray thoughts and just concentrate on what his supposed to be doing.

And perhaps the most surprising change is that, his mood had shifted. Rather, Kai could gain more control over his emotions, making it more inclined to positivity instead of negativity plaguing his mentally which is deteriorating. Needless to say, Kai's life had not been simple on Earth and in Greenland. The deaths, the killing, bloodshed and weight of it all was inflicting damage on his mental health despite his relatively exceptional emotional tolerance. The accumulation was inching his mind to madness, which is manageable at the time being but the same doesn't go for the future.

Kaiser only realized it now how much he needed some kind of reprieve. It just so happens that meditation does the job well, letting him recover the internal scars faster than before all the while reforming his mind for the better. He was secretly thankful to Garba for teaching him meditation, even though his reluctant to learn at first.

Not to brag, but he felt he had talent for this. Kaiser's fast progression in the soothing world of internal tranquility was proof. But honestly, it's not that his talent or anything, Kai's personality just aligned with the nature of the serene practice from the start. His been born an introvert, innately having little energy for joining with the masses and socializing. His unsociable character was only shaded darker by his poor living conditions. Deprived of any emotional support, aside from his two delinquent friends, Paul and Aron. Who shared some similarities to him as failures in the school.

Still, nothing changed the fact that he prefers solitude most of the time, spending time alone with his thoughts, entertained by his own ideas even in loneliness. Kai was never sad alone, if only his life wasn't littered with problems.

But here in the Shattered Realms. Everything changes.

Kai had power, something to rely on which he'll strive to improve because it gave him a calm sense of confidence that he couldn’t remember feeling before. Meditating isn't much, but he wasn’t as trapped by his own mind anymore. For instance, he felt like he was in control of himself better, mentally, emotionally and physically.

Taking another deep breath, Kai realized that the days of grumbling through meditation might actually be over.

Shortly after, Garba prompted him for another dance viewing session, one of the many he already went through. But this time, Kai trembled, because... Finally, he realized what it is.

'What the heck... how is that even possible?'