"All this 'artificial intelligence' was invented just to mess with people's heads. I'm sure it was done by the government to protect themselves. Like... 'that's not me in the photo' when they took bribes, it's all the doings of artificial intelligence, or 'that's not me in the video,' I would never use drugs in my life, it's all 'artificial intelligence.' That's what they all said, the scoundrels, I hate them," vehemently argued the grandfather.

The young girl had nothing to do but nod and agree.

She shifted her gaze to her 'wayward' one, who had been in a plank position for half an hour.

"Hang in there a bit longer, it's almost over," she thought.

Justin's hands trembled, and each passing minute felt like an eternity to him.

"Maybe I shouldn't have turned to him," Justin thought, reflecting on his grandfather.

"Lower your A*s now!" the old man shouted.

"What kind of inappropriate plank is this?" he stated.

"I'm trying, Grandpa," Justin shouted back.

His muscles gave in, and he was already at the end of his abilities.

"Another 15 minutes," the old man shouted.

"Fifteen minutes ago, you said 'another 15 minutes,' you're just messing with me," the 'student' grumbled.

"We'll have as many 'another 15 minutes' as I say, understood? Fool!" the old man barked.

"He hasn't been in the army yet," he said with a kind face, smiling at Yumi.

"Aren't you being too harsh on him, Grandpa?" she asked.

"Me?! Harsh? Don't make things up. How about you have another piece of chocolate, dear?" he handed her a box full of sweets.

"But.. I'm also training," she pointed to her sports uniform.

*Bang!*

Justin collapsed onto his stomach.

"Weakling!" the old man shouted, rising from his seat with the support of his iron leg.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"How can such a young man like you be so weak?"

Lying on his stomach, Justin tried to regain control of his breathing and calm his racing heart, which echoed in his ears. He could hear his grandpa boastfully delivering his speeches.

Yumi approached Justin and, sitting down beside him, gently patted his back. "You're doing amazing, Jus," she reassured him.

Grandpa continued to speak, but Justin was no longer listening. Instead, he thought about his brother and the trials he had endured.

[I want to be like him], he told himself.

After a while, Justin rose to his feet, straightening his back. He could feel the soreness in his muscles, but he was ready to continue his training. This situation inspired him to become stronger and prove his resilience.

"I'm ready to continue!" Justin said confidently.

Seeing his determination, Grandpa smiled with pride. "You've already become stronger, my boy," he said. "Not just physically but mentally as well."

"Let's eat first," Yumi pleaded to Ki-hoon.

"Fine!" the old man grumbled. "But eat quickly; we have a lot ahead of us."

---

The training hall opened up to the outside through long-faded wooden doors. It looked weathered and worn, as if it had survived many seasons of intense workouts and harsh weather conditions.

The marks of long years of training were evident on the floor, where everyone who had visited the hall had given their all. Old wooden beams and gymnastic rings hung in the corners, remaining true to their purpose despite their age.

The hall was open to the outside world through tall windows, allowing natural light to filter in and illuminate the old gymnasium floor. Outside, on the training ground, you could see traces of battles with the elements – a cracked concrete surface covered in dust from countless workouts. The winds, rains, and sun had left their mark on this place, making it even more mysterious and inspiring for those who trained here.

This training hall was a place where bodies and souls had grown stronger over the years, and where each new challenge was met with confidence and determination.

---

All this atmosphere filled the young "warrior" with energy and determination. He was ready to conquer new heights of his physical abilities. However, even among all his achievements, he was now filled with a question:

[What could he have achieved if he had turned to his grandpa from the beginning?]

Not just in terms of physical strength, which allowed him to surpass his peers, but in terms of moral spirit, which he felt was lacking.

In the faces of Ki-hoon and Yumi, he found the support and belief he had been missing. Justin was ready to do anything to be even a little more like his "new" brother, whose strength went beyond human understanding. He aspired not only to physical power but to inner strength that could make him a better version of himself.

---

"Grandpa, Ki-hoon," Yumi turned to the old man. "I don't understand. What's the training plan here? In every section I've been to, there has always been some sort of training plan, but I don't see that in your workouts," she asked with curiosity.

"A training plan?" The old man sighed. "Unfortunately, youngster, we're not quite ready for that."

"What do you mean?" She asked thoughtfully.

"Well," he continued, "you youngsters must understand more than I do, but listen."

---

"There's a corporation called 'BioForce.' You've heard of it, of course."

"Of course," Justin and Yumi replied simultaneously.

"Even our martial arts tournaments are divided into two categories: 'Regular' and 'Upgrade'," Yumi said.

"That's right," Ki-hoon continued. "But what's the difference?" He asked.

"The participants in the 'Upgrade' branch take serums from the 'BioForce' company. It's a kind of promotion, as my father told me," Justin replied.

"And they are much stronger than the participants in the 'Regular' branch. I've always had to face them in demonstration events when the winners from these branches fought each other," he continued.

"But unfortunately, I couldn't last even a few minutes. The strength of these guys is simply overwhelming."

"You're right, kid, BUT," the old man said. "The training process should include not only intensive physical exercises but also spiritual practices. You must learn to control your thoughts and emotions, strengthen your inner will and confidence. You must realize that only by combining physical strength with moral spirit can you achieve incredible heights."

"In practice, almost every participant in the 'Upgrade' tournament takes..."

"Yes! I know," Yumi said.

"Because this serum has only been around for the last 5 years."

"Good job," the old man said with pride for his "granddaughter."

"But, for the most part, you've been dealing with opponents who've just started taking it. But imagine if you faced an opponent who has 20 or even 10 years of training experience with it, not to mention those with combat experience."

"It would be terrifying to face them," Justin quietly uttered.

"Indeed, it would," Grandpa said reproachfully.

"And my task is to teach you how to fight against these 'monsters'."