The first day of training was a disaster.

Towan and Elliot ran down the mountain at full speed, but neither of them made it to the village without completely exhausting themselves. Towan, as stubborn as ever, tried to maintain a constant flow of essence to gain speed, only to end up with his legs shaking halfway. Elliot, on the other hand, preferred using essence in short bursts, controlling his steps and breathing, but even he was gasping for air before reaching halfway.

Both collapsed on the ground near a clearing. Towan was drenched in sweat, his face red from the effort. "How the hell does the master expect us to do this every day?" he said between gasps.

Elliot, though equally exhausted, sat cross-legged, trying to catch his breath. "It’s not about brute strength, Towan. It’s like... handling a glass of water. If you fill it too quickly, it spills. You have to control how much you use."

"Yeah, sure, Mr. 'Everything’s about control,'" Towan muttered, lying on the ground. "Tell me that when you’re not as tired as I am."

Elliot rolled his eyes and fell silent. He knew it was pointless to argue when Towan was frustrated.

When they returned to the dojo that day, they could barely walk. The master greeted them with a calm smile and a single question: "How did it go?"

Both of them stared at him in disbelief. Towan let out a snort. "Horrible. This is impossible."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The master didn’t respond right away. He simply served two plates of rice and placed them on the table. "Impossible is just what you haven’t tried to improve. Rest for today. Tomorrow will be a little easier... or not."

On the third day, Towan tried to replicate Elliot’s approach but quickly lost patience. He decided to divide his essence between speed and strength, managing to go a bit further.

Elliot began practicing using essence to reduce the impact on his legs while running, discovering that he could last longer if he softened his steps.

Both of them made it to the village for the first time, completely exhausted.

By the end of the week, they started noticing physical changes: increased endurance, more strength in their movements.

Towan began to enjoy the challenge, although he still complained. "I’m going to be faster than you, Elliot. You’ll see!"

Elliot, while still focused, began to notice small mistakes in his technique and worked on correcting them.

After two weeks, both of them managed to complete the round-trip journey for the first time.

Towan discovered that using small bursts of essence to propel himself took less energy than he thought, making him faster and more dynamic.

Elliot learned to combine control and endurance, maintaining a steady flow without draining his reserves.

On the last day of training, at the end of the third week, the master gave them a special test. Instead of running to the village, they had to carry a package with them. The package, a simple wooden box, was filled with stones.

"You can’t drop this," he told them, looking at them seriously. "If you do, you’ll have to start over."

Both accepted the challenge with determination. During the journey, they learned to use the essence not only to run but also to stabilize the package while maintaining their balance on uneven terrain. It was a test that challenged not only their physical strength but also their control and creativity with the essence.

When they finally returned to the dojo, exhausted but triumphant, the master greeted them with a smile. "You’ve improved. A lot. But remember... this is just the beginning."