Morning sunlight breaks through the clouds hanging over Dragon Mountain. Bolt stands on the training ground, nervous yet eager.
Master Thomas stands before the three disciples, his voice commanding:
"Today begins your training, Bolt.
To determine where to start, I want you to fight Leo."
Bolt blinks in surprise. Leo, calm and confident, just cracks his knuckles.
"Go grab your weapons. Wooden swords only."
The two walk toward the weapon rack. Bolt tightens his grip on the hilt as he returns, holding the wooden sword with both hands. He looks at Leo — his opponent.
Master Thomas:
"Take your fighting positions… now!"
A tense silence.
"BEGIN!"
Bolt charges forward, yelling with determination. He swings down — but Leo sidesteps at the last second, jumps over him mid-strike, and lands a swift kick to Bolt's back. Bolt stumbles forward and tries to regain his balance — but Leo is already behind him.
The cold wood of Leo's sword touches Bolt's neck.
Leo (smirking):
"And… that's game. I win."
Master Thomas (sternly):
"Don't waste time lying there. GET UP!"
Leo extends his hand. Bolt grabs it and gets back on his feet.
Leo (curious):
"I still don't get it, kid… how did you manage to strike the Master?"
Bolt stays silent, wiping the dirt from his cheek.
Master Thomas:
"Now... put the swords back.
Time to test your hand-to-hand combat. No weapons. Take your positions."
The two face off again. This time — bare fists.
"BEGIN!"
Leo comes in fast — a series of sharp punches aimed at Bolt's chest and face. But Bolt, surprisingly, blocks most of them, his reflexes faster than expected. Chris watches, stunned.
Chris (to himself):
"He's keeping up with Leo?"
But Master Thomas notices something.
"His stance... too many openings."
Leo suddenly ducks and sweeps Bolt's legs from under him — Bolt crashes to the ground, winded. Before he can react, Leo's fist stops inches from his face.
Master Thomas (nodding slowly):
"Hmm...
Sword skill: zero.
Hand combat: flawed — too many gaps.
Sage nature: unpredictable… but…"
He looks straight at Bolt.
"Your physical ability — it's raw, but impressive.
With the right training… I can make you into someone perfect."
Bolt, still panting, grips the ground beneath him. A fire begins to flicker behind his eyes.
Master Thomas (sternly):
"The first thing you must begin to master is your sage nature. But that alone won't make you strong. Your body must be as perfect as your spirit."
He walks in front of Bolt, arms folded behind his back.
Master Thomas:
"Starting tomorrow, and every morning after that—you will do 100 push-ups, 100 squats, and a 10 km run. After that, you'll meditate beneath the waterfall… until sunset."
Bolt's eyes widen.
Bolt:
"F-For real...? That's... a lot."
Without saying another word, Master Thomas turns around and walks away, his coat swaying with the breeze.
Chris walks up beside Bolt, resting his hand on his shoulder with a smirk.
Chris:
"Who said it was going to be easy, kid?"
Bolt looks down for a moment. But then… a grin forms on his face. In his mind, he speaks to himself:
Bolt (thinking):
Finally… after all these years of running, rejection, and being called worthless… I've got a real chance to become a sage. And I'm whining about a bit of hard work?
No. I'll give it my all. I'm going to be the strongest.
Suddenly, Leo walks by with a broom in hand, raising an eyebrow.
Leo:
"Hey, you! Stop grinning like that. You're starting to look like a villain."
Chris (laughs):
"Yeah, wipe that crazy face off and come help us clean, hero."
Bolt chuckles and nods.
Bolt:
"Alright, Let's do this."
The sun rose gently over the mountains, casting golden light through the morning mist. The forest was alive with birdsong, but amidst the peaceful harmony—
"53... 54... 55..."
A strained voice cut through the calm.
A boy with untamed black hair was drenched in sweat, his muscles quivering with each push-up.
Bolt didn't stop. His breath was heavy, but his will was heavier.
"78... 79... 80..."
Now squats.
Then a mad dash down the mountain trail, through rocky paths, across muddy forest floors.
He ran to the town.
Then back.
10 kilometers. No rest. No shortcuts.
Bolt (panting): "Now... it's time for that damn waterfall."
He dragged his aching legs toward the mountainside spring where the water roared down from above like nature's punishment.
Bolt (muttering): "But... why do I even need to meditate under this freezing water? I should've asked the master..."
Just then—
Chris (walking up casually): "Still not under the waterfall, huh?"
Bolt: "I was about to, but a question struck me. Why meditate under the waterfall? Isn't meditation just about sitting still?"
Chris (smirking): "Tch. You're really a dumbass sometimes, kid."
Bolt scowled but didn't argue.
Chris: "Meditating under the waterfall isn't just about sitting still. The crashing water distracts your senses, numbs your body, and drowns your thoughts. If you can focus your aura under that... then you'll be able to control it even in chaos."
Bolt: "So it helps me control my sage nature..."
Chris: "Exactly. If you ever wanna use that power of yours at will—you gotta conquer your own mind first."
Bolt (grinning): "Got it... But man, this water's freezing."
Chris (laughing, walking away): "That's your problem. Just don't catch a cold, alright? I'm not taking care of you."
Bolt stares at the waterfall. It looks like a beast roaring at him. He steps forward.
Bolt (thinking): "Alright... come at me."
And with that, he walks into the downpour, disappearing beneath the thunderous crash of the water.
Bolt sat cross-legged on a massive boulder beneath the roaring waterfall, his eyes closed, breathing steady. The freezing water crashed down onto his head and shoulders, but he didn't flinch. He focused—every thought, every ounce of will—on the sage nature inside him.
Each day, he worked harder than the last.
The scene cut to him doing push-ups in the dirt, sweat mixing with the mud.
"45… 46… 47… 48…"
Muscles trembling, he refused to stop.
Squats next.
"89… 90… 91…"
His legs burned, but he gritted his teeth and kept going.
Then the 10 km run—from the base of the mountain to the town and back—sprinting like a beast unleashed.
"Haaaaaa!! I'm going to be the strongest!!" he roared as he pushed past his limits.
Back under the waterfall, he concentrated again.
"One point… focus on one point…" he muttered to himself, trying to visualize his inner energy.
Bolt wasn't born a prodigy. But through relentless effort, he was forging himself into one.
Days passed in silence under the roaring waterfall. Bolt sat, unmoving, eyes closed, body drenched by the cold torrent above him. With each session, the image in his mind — a small blue flame — grew clearer and stronger. He could feel it: the Sage Aura building within him.
But today… something was different.
He sat longer than usual, trying to visualize the flame. Nothing came. The image was gone — not faded, not dim — simply… gone.
Bolt's brows furrowed in confusion.
"What's happening?" he thought.
He tried harder, focusing, clearing his mind, reaching into that silent part of his being.
And then—
Warmth.
A strange heat spread across his palms. Bolt's eyes snapped open.
Blue flames.
They flickered and danced gently on his hands, glowing brilliantly even beneath the waterfall. His heart pounded in awe and disbelief. He didn't move — afraid the moment would disappear. But after a few seconds, the flames vanished.
But it was real.
Bolt stood up in excitement, breathing hard. "I did it… I actually did it!" he whispered.
Without wasting a second, he sprinted down the rocky path, all the way to the hut where Master sat in meditation.
Bolt: "Master! Master! I saw it — the flames! They came out of my hands!"
The Master opened his eyes slowly. His gaze sharpened the moment Bolt mentioned flames.
Master (thinking):Blue flames… so early in training… Who is this child? In all these years, no one has ever awakened their Sage Aura this soon…
"Show me," the Master said firmly.
Bolt nodded, stepping back and raising his hand. He closed his eyes and focused on his right palm.
FWOOSH.
The blue flames erupted again, wild and powerful.
But then—
Bolt's body trembled, his knees gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
Unconscious.
The Master rushed to him, his face for once showing true concern.
"He really did it… The boy has awakened."
After hours of unconsciousness, Bolt slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, his body drenched in sweat, and every muscle ached as if he had been crushed under a mountain.
As his senses returned, he was surprised to see the Master sitting silently beside him, watching over him like a guardian.
The Master let out a sigh of relief.
Master: "So… you're finally awake."
Bolt (groaning): "Ugh… My body… it feels so heavy. I can't move properly. I feel completely drained…"
Master (nodding): "It's the side effect of using excessive Sage Aura. You may have awakened it earlier than most, but you still lack the stamina and inner capacity to store or regulate it."
Bolt blinked, trying to process the words.
Bolt: "Wait… Are you saying I…I felt drained because of that?"
Master: "Exactly. Sage Aura isn't something that flows endlessly through our bodies. It's a limited, potent force — spiritual energy fused with willpower. You overused it. Your body wasn't ready. That's why you collapsed."
Bolt's fingers curled weakly.
Bolt: "I see… So that's why everything felt so heavy."
The Master stood, placing a hand gently on Bolt's shoulder.
Master: "You've taken a big step forward. But rushing ahead without control will only destroy you. Rest for today. Regain your strength… and your aura."
He turned, walking slowly toward the door of the hut.
Master (without looking back):
"Tomorrow… I'll teach you how to control the amount of Sage Aura you bring out. That's where true mastery begins."