Novels2Search

Chapter 105: The climb

Allan ended up almost falling down, which forced his right hand to tightly grip for stability. It was enough, while his right biceps swell with power, and caused him to stabilize once more. This ended up being good, but he figured out the problem he faced the most.

He has a strong body through the many training but was nowhere near fast or flexible to underway this sort of training. The whole premise of the rock climbing he was doing was forcing the whole body to move upwards. Body weight, joints, muscles, and everything revolving around the movement of the body were important.

It was not exactly a bad thing to make this training, as he never felt the need for training this kind of method. Now, it seemed his weaknesses were exposed through this training, which was that much enchanted by his inability to see.

“I see. 36 is quite clever. Hands and feet are important in a way of fight. That, I know for a fact. This training, on the other hand, forces other things, unlike spars or simple exercises. It is the core of the body, and it is constantly adjusting itself according to one's will. Rock climbing is all about the shifts of body, grip, strength, and flexibility to move. This could help me in the end, if I will figure out the right technique to do everything.”

Minutes went by as Allan was forcing himself to go up and beyond. He was already around 10 meters above the ground, which he couldn't tell even if someone asked him that. His answer would be right in his own mind. 40? 30? Maybe 20? He wouldn't be right even if he tried his best.

This time of the climb felt much longer to him than Sarey, who was surprised he kept his steady pace for that long. From the notes of the pages that 36 left her behind, this was a kind of surprising to her. His comments about the particular chosen training made it quite obvious that he made certain adjustments to Allan's needs. It was about time for her to act, as the truth of this training was in her hands.

She grabbed the rope with a rock around one end and swirled it around herself. At one quick moment, she let go of the rope and the momentum was enough to let it fly above the climbing Allan.

“Catch the rope and get down.” She shouted.

“Huh?” Allan cried out, as he couldn't hear her amidst his focused mind.

Yet, he noticed something flying up through the motion of the air. Allan, surprised by her sudden intervention, felt the pebble that dropped on his head. The rope fell around his shoulder and stayed there.

“Ouch. Oh well. I guess she has something to say.” Allan complained and noticed the rope around a piece of rock.

He secured the rope into a small crevice and a knob, that will stay there for a long time.

Sarey held the other half and looked at his uncertain descent. Although she could only watch, as he had to use his head to climb down, which consisted of figuring out where to put his legs. Allan used the rope and swayed down at a slower pace then.

Back on the ground, the sigh of relief was all he could muster. He also felt like thanking mother earth, for being there for him once again.

“So, what do you have to say? Did you not see me suffer in the try to climb?” Allan asked at last, before doing something awkward.

“Nothing in particular. You are doing quite well, to be honest. This is your training, and I am your assistant.” Sarey proudly claimed.

“T-that is nice, I suppose?”

“Anyway, what you are doing is not wrong at all, but better understanding wouldn't hurt you.”

Allan listened and cursed in his mind. It seemed she once again left out something she shouldn't have.

She pulled the scroll across her hand and read out loud. “2nd type of training. Rock climbing. User has to resolve their indifferent minds from their bodies. Strength is one thing, while flexibility and the ability to overcome oneself are important. Only strong could go past the mountain as the body is your own temple. Becoming the master of the body and moving up towards the sky. That is just the basic definition and something to cheer the reader up.”

“36 left certain notes for you to take care of. Since you managed to solve the initial 1st stage of training. Rock climbing consists of two major things that you need. Stability and getting body towards the summit within the time limit of what I have to decide.” Sarey finished her small talk for the betterment of Allan's mood.

“S-summit? Are you serious? I am not even questioning the feasibility of the climb, but how am I supposed to go down?”

“No idea. There could be a path downwards on the other side. This mountain has some forest above since this big crevice that you climb used to be a mountain without this wall.”

“Whatever you say... I don't care what is this, but this time limit... I don't believe it's a good idea to limit myself for the sake of rushing things up.

“I am not saying anything. This is a task you have, so if you feel afraid of this training, we can always figure things out with 36.” Sarey tried to calm Allan down, who wasn't getting the reason at all.

“Alright, I am not afraid, but should I take it seriously? It shouldn't be about the time, because it would be... dangerous and unreasonable. The climb shouldn't be about the speed. It's for making sure my body is acting according to my will.” Allan argued.

“Hmmm. I guess whatever you say isn't wrong, but 36 left things rather vague. You know him, so don't feel mad about whatever fear you have. It's for your own good, after all.”

Allan snorted from such an answer since he understood the reasoning behind this training. The flow he experienced some time ago was still fresh. He could feel the stained strained fingers, elbow, and most of his arm, which were still numb from these few minutes of climb.

He understood it immediately since it's not that different from the spars. They were different from the climb because they went for an extended time. When climbing, Allan felt more weight in his whole being. It went deeper into the bones and muscles and made the climbing more difficult. His body weight was something he wasn't used to carrying in such a manner.

This was a stage he was unsure about, but what if what he was doing wasn't right or wrong? Tell anyone to do something specific and there will be vast or smaller differences. There could be even the completely same results.

Climbing could be done in the same manner. Experience and strength of the body went into different results. Someone experienced but leaner and lighter could get much further than someone who isn't. Allan was neither, while his body weight was questionable. He knew he wasn't the lightest, while he was quite strong himself.

“Hmmm. I must ask this. Is this about that strange energy that is within every being? 36 talked something about the stress and the slow approach to awakening it. Is this what he came up with? I hope there won't be some issue with this rock training, since I am not feeling very confident about it.” Allan said in worry, which went to Sarey, who couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic.

“How am I supposed to answer that? It isn't part of the Unmoving technique, nor something 36 wanted from us. All you have to do is feel it... whatever... that means. I am sorry... I can't help.” Sarey replied in a helpless manner.

“So, what should I be doing, then? I can't even imagine what sort of thing I need to do to even get into half of this mountain. Are you even aware that this stage was supposed to be for a month or so of training?”

“What can I say? The world is full of surprises?”

“Bah! Anything else positive at least?”

“I think you do great. You moved better than I anticipated since the exercises were much better. You will improve at this stage of training for flexibility and your core. Rock climbing is about that, you know? Think of it like the exercises you have done. You can do small steps before being comfortable for a full-blown try. It's the same with others, too. You can try destroying the stones as before, or go into the river up into the mountains not so far away for the 3 part.”

“Doing a little bit of everything? Is that better than doing it right first, until I am finished?”

“No. Consider it like this. Let's say you finish this climb in whenever time without doing any other parts. Experience of the climb could have some effect on the other 2 parts, while you can get stronger while doing it. It could diminish the strength of this training in the long run.”

“Seems rather reasonable until you figure out the true answer, Sarey.” Allan said with a stern expression.

“Tell me.” Sarey looked at him in expectation and what he wanted to say.

“This training is a way to get stronger and act according to 36 techniques. The Unmoving has for sure more profound rules than what 36 left out to our wonders. It should be a part of the immortal ways of doing things.”

“That is not the answer.”

“No? Getting stronger is what is the body forging. I will do this rock climbing, alright? Make sure to toss me a rope whether I will need it. After this, I will do the training as you wish. Is it enough of your so-called reason?”

Sarey looked at him in a questionable manner. His reasoning sounded good as he reasoned her answers, without giving her anything in return. Yet, she could only tell him the basics because 36's materials have stages that sounded normal at first.

Now, when she saw it within her own eyes, it may be a way out of proportion. This mountain wall which went straight into the sky is at least 200 meters tall, which isn't the worst thing. The only part which was good news is that the surface seemed the same everywhere. It's the case of the straight wall towards the summit that ended with the edge on the top. There was even resurfacing vegetation and some vines.

“No need to argue about whatever problem you have. I bet you will increase your progress more than enough in the upcoming weeks. Add 15 meters every day and you will be done in no time.”

“15 meters is 15 meters of what? How am I supposed to know where and how long I have to go?”

“Then how did you reach those 15 meters today? I don't think I would fare any better than you in any sense of form.”

“ I did only 15 meters? You are lighter, so that doesn't count. How tall is this wall, anyway? I can't tell it, so those little crevices and pebble on the way, you know?” Allan argued in agitation, which is unlike what Sarey expected from him. It seemed to her that this was getting a bit more out of her hand.

“I guess you are right. It's about 200 meters, which sounds reasonable. No one goes into this part of the forest since it belongs to my father.”

“Even mountains? How did he manage to get so much? It feels like dozens of square kilometers.” Allan lost his train of thought in this conversation as Sarey chuckled from her change of topic.

“Is that a lot? Apart from this forest, there is only a barren region of planes. Father got it from some military achievement from what I've understood.”

“How rich. Anyway back to the topic. I guess I will give this climb another few shots. It felt like a quite stressful exercise, while 10 minutes feels like an eternity to me.”

“Go on. You can use your previous rope for support. Take it around your back, or hips, and when done, you can use it. Tossing you a rope every time seems unreasonable.”

“Rope? Right... Sure, I will do that.”

“But! Before that. Since you are managing the rock climbing according to 36's wishes, it's time for his idea of what he tasked me with. How about the usage of the weights? 36 made a point about them to add a little note about their use and I forgot to include them on the first try.”

“Weight? Oh, right... I forgot about it myself. How unreasonable a goal did 36 have in mind? No way I will do it with weights!”

“Calm down with the complaints already. I've got about a dozen kilograms of some metallic parts. That's not a lot. In fact, they are necessary according to the notes of the Unmoving technique. It's for the improvements that you do. Am I right?”

“ Just a dozen?”

“Yea. It's about right. You will use them for some practice runs while climbing. When you are comfortable with the weight, I can increase it. Of course, if you feel like improving or trying something to get familiar with the climb, you can do it without it.”

Allan listened to her words and noted a few things. Weight added a small variable he wasn't sure about. Especially this small amount of weight that he feels was negligent. Unsure about the reasoning, Allan went along with the weights, since it's part of the Unmoving technique.

Sarey put a rope around his hips and put weights that would be hanging around a meter below his feet when climbing.

“Why can't you put the weights onto my back? Shouldn't it be easier?” Allan asked in wonder.

“It is described like this. Bare with it and don't complain. I don't know what is this about either.” Sarey said with a smirk that Allan couldn't notice.

It was for her defense, but she knows the truth. Finding some sort of reasoning with 36 was sometimes more difficult than comprehending the meaning of life.

Allan was a step away from complaining, as he felt the dragging weight as he walked to the wall. He wasn't tired anymore from this little rest, so another few tries of climbing couldn't hurt him. That was at least what he thought.

Hanging below his feet was the weight Sarey had secured with the rope. Allan felt no real difference with this amount of weight, so he started from the bottom of this mountain.

He soon discovered that he climbed into different kinds of parts of the wall than before. Rocks and crevices were in different places than as he remembered them on his first try.

“Hmph. I will get the full picture of this wall in no time. Just wait, Sarey. I will blow your mind!” He decided for himself, as he continued his ascend.

As he climbed, it no longer mattered to him to care about his path. Any sense of order was picked in his mind, as a path was coming through his mind map. He could do so, because of his good memory, as his touch made small points of interest in his mind map.

The sight would be the best in this situation, but this sort of challenge was something Allan was kind of excited for. Whether he planned it or not, a smile appeared on his face.

He was reaching with his hands one by one, and before Allan knew it, he reached the 15-meter mark.

Yet, there was something different with this 2nd ascend that he felt with his body.

Flickering weight was scrambling below his feet from the wind in these mountains. It put a weird sense of stress on his center of gravity and pulled his hip and limbs into more difficult positions each time it moved.

“Damn. I knew this was nothing normal. 36 thought of everything, did he not?” Allan cursed in his mind, as another obscurity was before his path.

This one was the deadliest of them all, but also the most useful of them all.