The morning air was cold.
Kenji Watanabe sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of his room, eyes closed, back straight, breathing slow and steady. His hands rested on his knees, palms facing upward. Each breath he took was deep, deliberate, controlled.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
He had been doing this for nearly an hour.
Still nothing.
At least—that was what he thought.
Then, suddenly, something felt… different.
Not power.
Not warmth.
But density.A Subtle Change
Kenji opened his eyes slowly.
His body felt heavier—not sluggish, not weak, but solid. When he clenched his fist, the muscles responded instantly, tightly packed beneath his skin. His bones felt firm, anchored, as if rooted deeper into the ground.
He stood up and took a step.
The floor creaked.
Kenji froze.
That plank never creaked before.
He looked down, confusion flashing across his face.
Was it his imagination?
He walked again—this time deliberately shifting his weight into his heel.
Creaaak.
His eyes widened.
"…I didn't do that before."
Kenji raised his arm and lightly tapped the wall with his knuckles.
Thud.
The sound was deeper than usual.
Not louder.
Heavier.Testing the Change
He moved to the backyard, where he trained daily. Morning dew still clung to the grass, and the air smelled of earth and pine.
Kenji assumed a stance and threw a simple straight punch.
No technique.
No martial form.
Just raw motion.
Whooom.
The punch cut through the air with a faint pressure wave. Kenji staggered back, eyes wide, staring at his fist.
"That felt… different."
He punched again.
Then again.
Each strike felt grounded, stable, as if his body no longer leaked strength through sloppy movement.
He dropped into a push-up position.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Twenty.
Thirty.
He stopped at fifty—not because he was exhausted, but because his breathing remained steady.
Kenji sat back on his heels, heart pounding.
"…When did this happen?"A Forgotten Book
Later that morning, Kenji visited the storage room inside the house. Dust-covered shelves lined the walls, filled with old tools, faded boxes, and forgotten books.
His grandparents rarely came here anymore.
Kenji rummaged through a corner chest and found a thin, worn manual bound in brown leather. The title was faded but still readable:
"Foundations of the Body Refining Path"
His fingers trembled slightly as he opened it.The First Realm
"Before the Spirit Gate opens, before War Spirits awaken, before true cultivation begins—
there is the body."
Kenji's breathing slowed.
"Body Refining is the first realm of all martial paths.
It tempers flesh, bones, blood, tendons, and organs.
Without it, higher power collapses."
His eyes moved quickly.
"Many mistake Body Refining for simple physical training.
They are wrong."
Kenji swallowed.
"Body Refining is divided into nine levels, each one a transformation.
Some levels are passed quickly.
Others become walls that stop cultivators for years—or forever."
His heart began to race.The Nine Levels of Body Refining
Kenji read carefully, memorizing every word.
Level 1 — Tempered Flesh
Muscles become denser. Strength increases. Fatigue decreases.
Most enter this level unknowingly.
Kenji clenched his fists.
"That's me…"Level 2 — Solid Bones
Bones harden, density increases, resistance to impact improves.
Progress is slow. Pain is common.
Level 3 — Flowing Blood
Blood circulation improves. Endurance skyrockets. Healing accelerates.
Some break through quickly. Others stagnate.
Level 4 — Strengthened Tendons
Explosive power increases. Speed improves. Movement becomes sharper.
This level often coincides with martial technique breakthroughs.
Kenji's mind flashed to Block Palms and Invisible.
Level 4.
"…That's why."Level 5 — Resonant Organs
Internal organs are reinforced. Breathing deepens. Vitality surges.
A dangerous level. Improper training causes internal damage.
Kenji shuddered.Level 6 — Unified Frame
Body acts as one. No wasted motion. Strength multiplies naturally.
Requires deep bodily awareness.
Level 7 — Refined Marrow
Marrow strengthens. Long-term potential increases.
Few reach this without guidance.
Level 8 — Iron Body
Skin hardens subtly. Blades struggle to cut. Bones resist fractures.
Often mistaken for invincibility. It is not.
Level 9 — Perfect Vessel
The body becomes a flawless container.
Only those destined for higher realms reach this.
Kenji closed the book slowly.
His hands were shaking.Realization
"I'm… already on this path."
He laughed softly.
Not joy.
Not despair.
Just disbelief.
All those years.
All that training.
All that frustration.
He hadn't been failing.
He had been building a foundation.Why Awakening Failed
Kenji sat down heavily.
"Is that why I can't awaken my War Spirit?"
He flipped pages desperately.
"Those with unusually strong foundations may delay Spirit Gate resonance.
Their bodies resist unstable power."
Kenji's breath caught.
"Such individuals are rare.
They are often labeled talentless."
His fists clenched.
"…So that's it."Progress Is Uneven
The book continued:
"Body Refining progression is not linear.
Some levels collapse easily once conditions are met.
Others demand relentless effort."
Kenji nodded slowly.
Level 1 to 4.
Fast.
Natural.
But Level 5?
Blocked.
"Those who rush are injured.
Those who persist advance."
Training Begins
That afternoon, Kenji trained differently.
No rushing.
No forcing breakthroughs.
He focused on movement precision, controlled breathing, and stance stability.
He punched trees—not to break them, but to feel recoil.
He ran—not to exhaust himself, but to regulate breath.
He practiced Block Palms slowly, emphasizing impact absorption.
Sweat poured down his face.
Muscles burned.
Bones ached.
But something inside him responded.Pain and Growth
At night, his body screamed.
Kenji lay on his bed, every muscle sore.
But beneath the pain was something else.
Stability.
His heartbeat was strong.
His breathing deep.
His sleep—heavy and dreamless.The Unequal Path
Days passed.
Kenji's strength increased rapidly.
Then stopped.
His endurance rose.
Then stalled.
Some days felt explosive.
Others felt stagnant.
But the book had warned him.
This was normal.Riku Notices
At school, Riku stared at him during training.
"…Did you get heavier?"
Kenji blinked. "What?"
"When you moved," Riku said seriously, "the ground reacted."
Kenji smiled faintly.
"I think I'm refining my body."
Riku whistled. "That's hardcore. Slow path, though."
Kenji nodded. "Yeah."
Slow.
But real.Grandfather's Approval
That night, his grandfather watched silently as Kenji practiced.
After a long while, Hiroshi spoke.
"You found it."
Kenji stopped. "You knew?"
Hiroshi smiled faintly. "I suspected."
"…Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because," his grandfather said calmly, "you would have chased power instead of understanding it."
Kenji bowed deeply.
"I'll continue."
Hiroshi nodded. "Good."A New Truth
Kenji stood under the night sky.
Stars shimmered above him.
He was not awakening yet.
He was not powerful yet.
But his path was real.
And unshakeable.