The dark forest is situated on a hill on the other side of the village. It is a place where no one goes because of the wild boars; it is a very dangerous place. Holding my sword tight, I move toward the forest. Inside, there are only trees and it is incredibly dark, looking nothing like the afternoon. It is vast and silent.
I move through the bushes at a slow pace. I notice a sound and move toward a tree to investigate. Following the noise, I see a breach in the trees and witness a sudden movement: a large boar eating an animal. I cannot recognize the mammal because it is half-eaten and covered in blood. The boar's mouth, dripping with blood, makes it look even more terrifying.
I flinch for a second and try to flee, but I move too suddenly and my head strikes a tree branch. "Ooh, it hurts," I say, suddenly realizing the beast is right there. The big boar hears me, sees me, and rushes to attack without hesitation. I dodge the attack and run fast toward the deep side of the forest with the boar chasing me. I try to throw a wooden blade, but it hits him and bounces off like paper hitting a rock.
I suddenly see a small cave hole to my left, covered with tree roots. I move toward it, throw my bag into the hole first, and then grab the blade on my back. Holding it forward, I jump into the hole. Suddenly the boar disappears as I fall down into the darkness. I reach the dead end of the hole and stand up. It is dark in the cave, but I can see because some light is coming from somewhere.
Holding my bag on my back and my blade in my hand, I move toward the light. I hear a sound and move toward it, holding the jasmine gift blade tightly. I reach the source of the light: it comes from the end of a long tree inside the cave. I climb a big rock and see that the tree has another hole. I pass through and see the back of the forest on the left side of the mountain. I can hear the temple bell; this tree acts like a gate to the cave.
I put my bag on the floor, open my book, and start reading the descriptions to begin practicing. First, I do push-ups to strengthen my hands and feet, reaching 100. It is hard, but it is better than doing nothing and waiting for something that may never happen. With a serious face, I finish the push-ups until my body is covered in sweat. Then, I move out of the cave with my blade and cut a large wooden block from a tree. It takes 50 strikes and a long time, but the block is finally cut.
I take the block inside and craft the wood into a katana shape. It is not perfect, but it is suitable for a workout. I start my preparation by swinging the katana. I adjust my stance; I used to keep a wide gap between my legs, but with the katana, I make the gap small for better movement. I hold the katana lighter than a sword to move freely, and I swing it 1000 times.
As it gets darker, I realize it is already sunset. "Oh shit, I'm late. Mom will be angry." I pack my bag, take the blade for protection, tie the wooden katana to my bag, and move out of the forest. I reach home as fast as I can, but I am still late. Father shouts at me as usual, saying I am losing focus on my career, but my patience for his words has increased. I eat dinner, move to my room, and study the arts of sword techniques for an hour and a half before going to sleep.
In the morning, Reyand wakes up and goes to the dining hall for water. He hears a high-pitched sound outside and goes to the gate. He sees a boy covered in sweat running through the village. It is Rudra. "The kid is really working hard. That's my boy," he says to himself with a smile.
Rudra moves to the forest to train in the cave, doing 100 push-ups, lifting heavy rocks, and training with the wooden katana. This has been his daily routine for seven months. He now trains with the blade perfectly and uses a real katana. It was hard to wield at first, but it suits his stance. Though the long blade is difficult to manage, his muscles are growing strong. He uses meditation to maintain a strong mind. One year has passed since he started his training.