Chapter 3:

The Training Of Gold

Kaneko: The Golden Child


He then steps back and turns around, while I stare in the air in shock. “Your training begins now.”

“What? Training? NOW?!” I yelled while looking for an escape.

I ran to the nearest doorway, but he swiftly appeared in front of me in the thin air. He laid his hand on my chest and pushed. I flew back to the other side of the room.

“Kaneko. I am currently stronger than you, but you will forever be stronger than me. In order to exit this place, you must defeat me.”

That’s it. I must defeat him. But I must get stronger first. I got up and looked at him with a smile on my face. I take what I have learned from my experienced in boxing. Guard up, chin up and throw the punches. I run towards him while charging with my fist up.

“Weak.” He says, before dodging my punch and tackles me.

“You must know how to control a martial art before you can use it in battle. Martial arts are a good way to mix with your powers and therefore can be very lethal.” The expert begins to make a stance. Wing Chun?! How am I going to fight against something like that? Well, I guess I must try my best. Learn how to control martial art, tch. Easy.

One day later.

Tries after tries, I could not land a punch. Argh! I will try to land one last punch. I step back, I am on the other side of the altar and the expert is on the opposite side. I prepare. Tightens my knuckles and begins to sprint. In a flash, I am above the altar and 3 seconds before him.

“GOLDEN PUNCH!”  While I launch my punch, half of my arm gets covered in gold. The expert doesn’t have time to react and is shocked. Right in the face, I hit him. Yes, I did it! I really did it! I said while jumping around. The expert vanishes from the ground and roundhouse kicks me in the face. “Idiot... Never let your guard down after knocking an enemy. You still have a lot to learn. Now keep punching me and I will only block.”

I do not have a track of the time, as my mobile phone is dead. I keep punching and punching, but why me. Why am I here? “So, what is your name expert?” I ask while punching him.

“I have no name and nor identity. I am God's messenger to you.”

“God’s messenger? So, you’re an angel?”

“Not quite. More like someone to exist till their mission is done. And in that, my mission is to make you stronger and teach you. Now, let me explain. Crystals hold power and are sent down to earth because of earth blocking their way to the designated area. The designated area is a planet beyond earth. Every winter season more than a hundred crystals are struck down on earth. But God cannot change that. Because the only way to change it is to destroy planet earth. The humans have then used these crystals for good and bad with the powers they gained when consuming a crystal. The powers can be any elements or anything beyond imagination. To harden the durability of the power, you must get in physical shape by training, to strengthen the power's spirit and sense, you must train by meditating. With a stronger spirit and sense, the more focus you will become when using your strength.”

With a long talk, I have gained more knowledge and understand more about crystals. I begin to feel tired. I drop my guard every time I punch and within seconds the expert lands a right hook and knocks me out.

Four days later.

I have had nice and easy sleep after the physical pieces of training. I wake up slowly and see the expert with a grocery bag in his right hand. “Here eat something. Your second part of training begins soon.” He said while throwing the bag at me. I stay seated and confused about what's in the bag. I grab something and unwrap it and eat it. Mmmm, tasty. I see the sunlight crawling through the tunnel and shines on the altar.

“So, what's the altar all about?” I ask while chewing my onigiri.

“The altar is your next training. It’s used for meditating. Try to sit on it.”

I get up and walk towards the altar. I sit on it. The sunlight is reaching further and some seconds later the light is pointing at my eyes. The expert gives me a handcloth. “Wrap it around your eyes.” He spoke. I wrapped it around my eyes and bites my onigiri while in meditating position. Suddenly he hits me and my onigiri flies out of my hand.

“What was that for?!”

“Focus. Dodge.” He spoke.

Focus and dodge? How am I going to do that with a blindfold on? I swallow the last bit of my rice ball and breaths slowly in and out.

“Focus, clear your mind and become shapeless, become what your enemy cannot predict. You must know to become a saviour; you must defeat the hunters. Do not become prey, become the hero.”

I keep focus, but he keeps hitting me. What did he mean by becoming what my enemy cannot predict? Predictions. I straighten my back and dodge on instincts and senses. I see! I must use my senses! I focus on my senses and become shapeless as he said. I can feel and hear him moving. Every second of his breath and every second of his movement. I dodge and dodge, become what I cannot predict myself.

A week has gone by.

I feel refreshed and ready. This day, I will fight him. I get up and stretches my body.

“I see you are trying to get ready.” He spoke while drinking his greenish tea.

“Oh yeah, totally prepared. You better look out, because I have made up some serious tricks.”

“Oh really? Well, you may fight me now then.”

I smile and get in my fighting position. A highly new stance that I made myself. We both walk around the altar, me with my guard up and him with his teacup. He seems distracted by the tea. I charge at him and sends a flying high kick. He blocks. I quickly slide away, as he tries to punch me back. He is too slow or is he just holding back? I charge again and this time with a barrage of punches. He is overwhelmed by the punches, but steps aside and kicks me in the stomach in one motion. Argh! I quickly get up again and runs towards him. Faking my first kick and turns around with a half-circle kick landing it in his face. Full power kick and he gets knocked out. I stop for a moment.

OH NO, what about my mother! This whole week, I forgot about I had school and things to do. I quickly grab my stuff and sprint towards the tunnel exit.