Capítulo 20: Chapter 20: The Power of Soru
The first few days after the battle with the scaled predator were a blur of pain and exhaustion. Vulcan had barely escaped with his life, his body battered and bruised, his ribs aching with every breath. He had collapsed in the small ravine, unable to move, his muscles refusing to obey after the strain of pushing himself to the limit.
It had taken him a full week to recover.
Vulcan spent those days lying in the safety of the ravine, hidden from the dangers of the island. His body demanded rest, and though it frustrated him to be idle, he knew he couldn't continue training in his condition. His ribs, though bruised, had slowly started to heal, and the cuts and bruises on his arms and legs faded with time.
But the worst pain was the frustration.
Every day, as he lay there recovering, Vulcan's mind raced with thoughts of the fight. His attempt at Tekkai (Iron Body) had nearly cost him his life. The technique had failed when he needed it most, and the pain in his side was a constant reminder of that failure. He had underestimated the difficulty of mastering the Rokushiki techniques, and the price for that mistake had been steep.
But as the days passed and his strength returned, Vulcan's resolve only grew stronger. He had learned a valuable lesson from the fight—he couldn't afford to rush things. Mastering these techniques required patience, discipline, and control. And now, after a week of recovery, he was ready to start again.
Back to Training
On the eighth day, Vulcan stood at the edge of the familiar clearing where he had spent countless hours training. His body still ached, but the worst of the pain had passed. He stretched his arms and legs, testing his strength, feeling the soreness in his muscles.
It was time to get back to work.
Vulcan's first priority was Soru (Shave). Before the injury, he had been making progress—his speed was improving, his control over the technique growing more refined. But now, after a week of inactivity, he needed to regain his momentum.
He took a deep breath, lowering himself into a stance as he prepared to try again. His muscles tensed, the memory of the technique fresh in his mind.
With a sharp burst of energy, Vulcan kicked off the ground, his legs moving faster than they had before. The world around him blurred as his body shot forward, covering the length of the clearing in an instant.
Soru had worked.
Vulcan came to a stop on the other side of the clearing, a small grin forming on his lips. His legs felt stronger, more powerful, and the technique had come to him naturally. He had regained his speed, and now, he could feel the control he had over it.
"Finally," Vulcan muttered to himself, his heart racing with excitement. "I can do it."
But Soru wasn't the only thing on his mind. The fight with the predator had shown him the importance of Tekkai—without a strong defense, his speed wouldn't matter if he faced an opponent who could hit harder than he could dodge.
He couldn't waste time. The island was still full of dangers, and he knew that more predators were waiting in the shadows.
Testing His Limits
For hours, Vulcan continued to practice, alternating between Soru and Tekkai. His legs burned from the strain of repeated sprints across the clearing, but the satisfaction of finally mastering Soru pushed him forward.
When he wasn't using Soru, he focused on Tekkai—the defensive technique that had nearly failed him. Vulcan knew that Tekkai was different from Soru. It wasn't about raw strength or speed—it was about control, about hardening his muscles at the exact moment of impact.
He stood in the clearing, his fists clenched as he focused on his body. His mind raced with thoughts of the battle, of the moment the creature's claws had raked across his chest. He needed to be ready for the next time.
Vulcan took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he activated Tekkai. He felt his muscles tense, hardening as he concentrated on the technique.
For a moment, it worked—his body stiffened, becoming as solid as iron. But it didn't last. The control slipped away, and the hardness faded before he could fully master it.
"Not enough," Vulcan muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. He reset his stance and tried again, forcing his body to harden once more.
Each time, he made a little more progress. The technique was becoming easier to activate, but it still wasn't perfect. Tekkai required a level of control that Vulcan had yet to fully grasp, but he was determined to master it.
A New Battle
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Vulcan was ready to call it a day. His legs were shaking from exhaustion, and his arms were sore from hours of practice. But as he turned to leave the clearing, the sound of movement caught his attention.
Vulcan's body tensed, his senses on high alert. He knew that sound—something large was moving through the jungle.
From the shadows emerged another predator, larger than the one he had fought a week ago. Its massive frame was covered in thick, leathery skin, its long claws gleaming in the fading light. The beast's eyes locked onto Vulcan, and it let out a low, menacing growl.
Vulcan's heart raced, but this time, he was ready.
The creature lunged at him, its claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. But Vulcan's body moved faster. With a burst of energy, he activated Soru, his legs kicking off the ground in rapid succession as he dodged the attack.
His body blurred as he reappeared behind the beast, his fists raised and ready to strike.
The creature snarled, confused by the sudden disappearance of its prey, but Vulcan didn't hesitate. He aimed a powerful punch at the beast's side, his fist connecting with a loud thud. The force of the blow sent the creature staggering, its roar of pain echoing through the jungle.
But it wasn't over yet.
The beast recovered quickly, its eyes blazing with fury as it charged again. This time, Vulcan didn't move. He stood his ground, his body tense as he activated Tekkai.
The creature's claws slammed into Vulcan's chest with bone-crushing force, but Tekkai held. His muscles hardened like iron, absorbing the impact as the creature's attack skidded off his body. The sensation was jarring, but the technique had worked.
Vulcan grinned. He had done it—Tekkai had protected him.
Without wasting a moment, Vulcan countered with a powerful punch to the beast's jaw, using the momentum from his hardened body to deliver a devastating blow. The creature let out a final roar before collapsing to the ground, defeated.
Vulcan stood over the fallen predator, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His legs burned from the repeated use of Soru, and his arms ached from the effort of using Tekkai, but he had won.
He had mastered the speed of Soru and had begun to understand the power of Tekkai.
Reflection
As the jungle fell silent once more, Vulcan sat on a fallen log at the edge of the clearing, his mind racing with thoughts of the battle. His body was exhausted, but the satisfaction of victory filled him with a sense of accomplishment.
He had made progress—significant progress. But he knew there was still more to learn.
The island had pushed him to his limits, but Vulcan wasn't done yet. He needed to refine his control over Tekkai and continue to strengthen his Soru. There would be more predators, more challenges waiting for him, and he had to be ready.
With a deep breath, Vulcan stood up, his eyes filled with determination.
"I'll master them," he muttered to himself, his voice firm. "All of them."
As the last light of day faded, Vulcan turned and headed back to his camp, ready for whatever came next
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