Chapter 4
Then he took a shower, ate five bowls of noodles, either with chicken or beef. He then went back to meditate on top of a container, doubling his mana absorption. So there was not a single hour he went without absorbing mana, except for when he was eating or doing business. And a week of this crazy intense regime, his dormant mana was everywhere in his body, spread around every cell of his body like some sort of a parasite. And they were—except this parasite enhanced his body attributes, passively, permanently.
He kept this up for an entire month, and after a month of this regime, the result was already evident. Ash was no longer malnourished. Heck, he had muscles. His height even increased from 5 feet 5 to 5 feet 9—he grew by a whole 4 inches. But the biggest change was his accumulated dormant mana.
It didn't overflow his body, no, but his body was filled with dormant mana, hence why his body was crazily transformed, as the dormant mana passively, permanently enhanced his attributes. So he was so close to reaching the second stage. Currently, Ash was standing in front of a dojo, where a woman taught martial arts of all kinds. Why was Ash here? It was simple.
Ash had strength, and he was going to gain more, but with this strength, if Ash didn't know how to properly throw a punch, then it was a massive waste—not to mention highly inefficient. Hence why Ash was in front of a dojo, on his way to learn martial arts.
Plus, the money he earned from his work was accumulating since he didn't have a home. All he had was a backpack that had extra clothes, the daily essentials, and such. So he had money accumulating, hence why he could afford to learn a lesson from a dojo. Taking a deep breath, Ash stepped into the dojo, where a bunch of students were wielding wooden swords, swinging as their teacher supervised them.
The moment he entered the dojo, all students turned their heads toward him, but the teacher snapped at them, "Continue your practice," she said, which the students followed before the teacher turned toward Ash. The moment Ash saw her, he smiled. The teacher had a poised and athletic build, reflecting her martial arts expertise. She stood at an average height, with a lean and toned physique that showcased her agility and strength. Her posture was confident, often exuding a calm readiness for action.
Her facial features were sharp and expressive. She had almond-shaped eyes that conveyed both determination and empathy. Her eyebrows were well-defined, complementing her high cheekbones and straight nose. Her lips were full. Her hair was dark and typically worn long, either flowing freely or tied back to keep it out of her face during combat. She wore a green camo wife-beater, black pants, and sneakers. She approached him as she introduced herself, "I am Colleen Wing, what is your name?" she asked. The moment she stood in front of him, she and Ash were the same exact height.
He would have been shorter than her if he didn't do a crazy workout for an entire month. "My name is Ash, and I need to learn martial arts," he said, stating his business. The woman looked at him head to toe before saying, "I only teach self-defence," she warned, as Ash replied, "And I only need self-defence. I have no intention of picking fights wherever I go," he said honestly. Which was true, all Ash wanted was to peacefully progress through the stages, but given the world he was in, that would be impossible sooner or later someone or something would pick a fight with him and he preferred if knew how to throw a jab. Colleen smiled as she said, "Good, what do you know?" she asked.
Ash placed down his backpack, "Nothing," he said so confidently, taking Colleen back, who sighed as she said, "Then we will start from the beginning." She and Ash got to work. Colleen assessed his body and strength, which she liked—how well-built and balanced his body was. He didn't have too much strength and little agility or too much agility and little strength, and his perception was great. All balanced. This was thanks to his dormant mana passively and permanently enhancing all of his attributes. She then started to teach him basic boxing—how to use your body to your advantage.
"Every punch comes from the legs, from the ground," she said as she guided him. She showed him how to square his stance, keep his guard up, shift weight with each punch. "You need to learn how to throw a jab, a cross, a hook, and an uppercut. But more than that, you need to learn timing, footwork, and defense," she said while adjusting his elbow. She gently grabbed his wrists, correcting their angle, placing her hand behind his back to straighten it, then tapped his chin, "Tuck it, always." She moved with patience and precision, guiding him with steady, confident touches as he began his first real steps into martial arts.
They continued their lesson, the dull thuds of wooden swords in the background gradually fading as Colleen and Ash focused on the rhythm of their movements. The sun had shifted higher, casting angled beams of light through the high dojo windows, warming the wooden floor beneath their feet. "Balance," she said, stepping forward to demonstrate how to shift weight properly from back foot to front, her hips snapping with each punch. Ash mirrored her form as best as he could, his eyes focused, copying her movements like a reflection in a mirror. The room felt still between each sharp breath they took.
Colleen moved closer and placed her hands on his shoulders, adjusting his posture. "Keep them loose, don't tense," she instructed, guiding his elbow upward, correcting his hook. She planted her feet beside his and tapped the inside of his knee with hers, "Bend this more, find your center." Ash nodded without a word, repeating the motion, each repetition smoother than the last. His body obeyed instinctively, driven by purpose, muscle memory forming quickly under her guidance. Her tone remained calm and instructive, never rushed.
He threw a jab, a cross, then a hook, foot sliding, hips twisting, shoulders rolling—all according to her instruction. She stepped back, observing, only stepping in to correct subtle shifts in his stance or adjust the angle of his punch. "Again," she said, and he obeyed, breathing through his nose, exhaling with each strike. They repeated the sequence over and over, rhythm building. Every strike echoed faintly through the room, blending with the soft murmurs of training students in the background.
Neither of them noticed the wooden swords slowing or stopping, the students beginning to watch the two at the center of the room. Colleen's eyes remained locked on Ash's movements, occasionally nodding, occasionally stepping in to guide his limbs. Ash was immersed in the flow, sweat forming across his brow, body heating up as he drove each motion with more precision. "Keep your guard up between punches," she said, raising his arm again, brushing against his wrist gently. "Like this," she added, snapping a quick jab as a demonstration.
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A/N i want ash to use be able to throw hands with everyone, people, superpowered or not, monsters or even god, so yes, i want to be a perfect warrior.