Greatest of All Time – Season 2Chapter 11: The Training of the Tiger
The sun had barely risen over Tiger Mountain.
Yet Arashio was already standing.
In front of him...
Was the Tiger Master.
Behind the old warrior stood a massive training ground carved directly into the mountain.
Stone walls.
Ancient trees.
Hundreds of stairs.
And one enormous waterfall crashing down from the mountain above.
BOOOOOOM!!
The sound shook the entire valley.
Arashio stared at it.
"...That's where I'm training?"
The Tiger Master nodded.
"Yes."
Arashio looked at the waterfall.
Then at the mountain.
Then back at the Tiger Master.
"Can I choose something easier?"
"No."
"Can I choose something slightly less deadly?"
"No."
"Can I—"
"No."
Arashio sighed.
"Fine."
Inside his consciousness...
James was laughing.
"HAHAHAHA! Bro hasn't even started and he's already complaining!"
Saku crossed his arms.
"That's our legendary warrior."
Arashio's eye twitched.
"Both of you shut up."
The Tiger Master suddenly looked at Arashio.
"Who are you talking to?"
Arashio froze.
"...Myself."
James whispered,
"Nice save."
The First Training
The Tiger Master threw something toward Arashio.
CLANG!!
A massive metal weight landed at his feet.
Arashio stared.
"What is this?"
"Put it on."
Arashio lifted the weight.
His eyes widened.
"How heavy is this?"
"Three hundred kilograms."
Silence.
Arashio slowly looked at the Tiger Master.
"...Three hundred?"
"Yes."
"Kilograms?"
"Yes."
Arashio dropped it.
BOOOOM!!
The ground cracked.
James immediately screamed.
"THREE HUNDRED?!"
Saku laughed.
"Bro, you're finished!"
Arashio clenched his teeth.
"Fine."
He grabbed the weight.
His muscles immediately tightened.
CLANG!
The iron weight was attached to his leg.
Then another.
CLANG!
Arashio's entire body shook.
The Tiger Master pointed toward the mountain stairs.
"Climb."
Arashio looked up.
There were thousands of stairs.
"...How many?"
"All of them."
Arashio nearly fell.
"ALL?!"
The Tiger Master turned around.
"Begin."
Arashio took his first step.
THUD.
His leg almost collapsed.
"Ugh!"
Second step.
THUD.
Third.
THUD.
His breathing became heavier.
James shouted from inside his mind.
"COME ON, ARASHIO!"
Saku laughed.
"You're slower than a turtle!"
Arashio shouted,
"I'LL KILL BOTH OF YOU!"
The Tiger Master suddenly stopped.
Arashio froze.
The old man looked back.
"You have enough energy to talk?"
Arashio swallowed.
"...No."
"Good."
"Continue."
The Rice Trial
Hours later...
Arashio finally returned.
His legs were shaking.
His entire body was covered in sweat.
He collapsed onto the ground.
BAM!
"Finally..."
"I can rest."
The Tiger Master placed a giant bowl in front of him.
Arashio's eyes opened.
"Food?"
"No."
"...Then what?"
"Count."
Arashio stared at the bowl.
Inside were thousands of grains of rice.
"...You're joking."
"Count every grain."
Arashio slowly picked up one.
"One."
Another.
"Two."
Another.
"Three."
James became silent.
Saku became silent.
Arashio continued.
"One thousand..."
"One thousand one..."
"One thousand two..."
Suddenly—
Saku screamed.
"WAIT!"
Arashio jumped.
"What?!"
Saku pointed.
"You counted that one twice!"
Arashio looked at the rice.
"..."
James burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Arashio grabbed his head.
"YOU TWO ARE USELESS!"
The Tiger Master appeared behind him.
"Start again."
Arashio froze.
"...WHAT?!"
The Water Test
The next morning...
Arashio stood before two enormous buckets.
The Tiger Master pointed toward them.
"Lift them."
Arashio picked them up.
His arms immediately began shaking.
"Keep your arms straight."
Arashio's eyes widened.
"For how long?"
"Until sunset."
Arashio stared at him.
"You're actually evil."
The Tiger Master smiled.
"Perhaps."
Arashio held the buckets.
One minute.
Ten minutes.
One hour.
His arms burned.
His muscles screamed.
The buckets became heavier.
His knees began shaking.
But he didn't drop them.
Inside his consciousness...
James became quiet.
Saku also stopped joking.
Arashio's thoughts returned to Siya.
Her smile.
Her voice.
Her kindness.
Then—
The Dragon King's face appeared in his mind.
"Three days."
Arashio's grip tightened.
"I won't let him hurt her."
His arms shook even harder.
"I'll become stronger."
James slowly smiled.
"That's the Arashio I know."
Saku nodded.
"Then let's become stronger together."
Arashio smiled.
"...Yeah."
The Tiger Master's Warning
Night arrived.
Arashio sat beside a small fire.
His body was exhausted.
The Tiger Master sat across from him.
"You have talent."
Arashio looked up.
"Really?"
"Don't become excited."
"...Okay."
The Tiger Master continued.
"Your greatest weakness isn't your strength."
"Then what is it?"
"Your heart."
Arashio became silent.
The old man looked into the flames.
"You fight because you're angry."
"You fight because you're afraid."
"You fight because you don't want to lose the people you love."
Arashio lowered his head.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing."
The Tiger Master looked directly at him.
"But the Dragon King will use that against you."
Arashio's eyes widened.
"Your enemy is stronger than you."
"Faster than you."
"More experienced than you."
"And he knows exactly how to break your mind."
The fire crackled.
The Tiger Master stood.
"If you want to defeat him..."
"You must learn to control your emotions."
Arashio slowly stood as well.
"I understand."
The Tiger Master suddenly attacked.
WHOOSH!!
Arashio's eyes widened.
A palm was heading directly toward his face.
SWISH!
Arashio barely dodged.
Another strike.
WHOOSH!
He jumped backward.
Another.
Arashio ducked.
The Tiger Master suddenly disappeared.
Arashio's eyes widened.
"Where—?"
BAM!!
A powerful kick sent Arashio flying.
He crashed into the dirt.
BOOM!
James screamed.
"ARE YOU OKAY?!"
Saku laughed.
"That was fast!"
Arashio slowly stood.
"Stop laughing!"
The Tiger Master looked at him.
"Again."
Arashio charged.
The old man dodged.
Arashio attacked again.
Miss.
Again.
Miss.
Again.
Miss.
The Tiger Master never attacked seriously.
He only dodged.
Arashio became frustrated.
"STOP RUNNING!"
"Control your anger."
Arashio attacked harder.
The Tiger Master disappeared.
BAM!
Arashio hit the ground again.
"You're too emotional."
Arashio slowly stood.
Blood dripped from his forehead.
But his eyes were different.
Calmer.
The Tiger Master smiled.
"Again."
This time...
Arashio didn't rush.
He waited.
The Tiger Master moved.
Arashio reacted.
SWISH!
He dodged.
The old man's eyes widened slightly.
Arashio countered.
BAM!
His fist stopped just inches from the Tiger Master's face.
Silence.
Arashio had finally landed close enough.
The Tiger Master smiled.
"Good."
Arashio breathed heavily.
"Was that..."
"Progress?"
"Yes."
James shouted,
"LET'S GOOOO!"
Saku laughed.
"FINALLY!"
Arashio smiled.
But suddenly—
The sky above Tiger Mountain turned dark.
BOOOOOOM!!
A distant explosion shook the heavens.
Arashio looked up.
His smile disappeared.
"What's that?"
The Tiger Master stared toward the horizon.
His expression became extremely serious.
A dark crimson energy was spreading across the clouds.
Then—
A voice echoed from far away.
"Two days remain."
Arashio's blood froze.
The Dragon King.
He was sending a message.
The Tiger Master clenched his fist.
"The Dragon King is reminding you."
Arashio's eyes slowly turned cold.
"Then I'll remind him..."
He clenched his fists.
"...that I'm coming."
Inside his consciousness—
James smiled.
Saku cracked his knuckles.
The blue lightning around Arashio began flickering.
Crimson flames appeared beside it.
The Tiger Master looked at the two energies.
"Interesting..."
He had finally realized something.
Arashio wasn't simply training to become stronger.
He was preparing for war.
And somewhere far away...
Siya was waiting.
The Dragon King was waiting.
And Arashio's next battle...
Would determine everything.
TO BE CONTINUED...