Day two started with more raw eggs. Hunter didn't even argue this time. Just drank them. Hated them. Moved on.
The morning run had evolved. Now half the camp joined in. Not because they were cultivators. Because watching Hunter suffer made them feel better about their own situation, and misery loved company.
They ran through the forest like the world's saddest parade. Hunter in front, maintaining qi circulation. Han beside him, barking instructions. The three disciples stumbling along. The refugees trailing behind at mortal speeds.
Someone had started singing. A running cadence from their village. Others joined in.
"LEFT! LEFT! LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT!"
"Senior runs through the forest!"
"LEFT! LEFT! LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT!"
"While we watch him suffer!"
It wasn't good. The rhythm was off. The lyrics were depressing. But everyone sang anyway because it beat thinking about squirrels.
They passed through a stream. Hunter jumped it easily. Foundation Realm strength meant a ten-foot stream was nothing.
Tao tried to jump it. Forgot to control his strength. Launched himself forty feet into the air and landed in a tree.
"I'M OKAY!" he called from the branches. "THIS WAS INTENTIONAL!"
"GET DOWN FROM THERE!"
"I'M TRYING! THE TREE WON'T LET GO!"
Xuan tried to help. Jumped after Tao. Also forgot to control his strength. Landed on a different tree. Now both were stuck.
"This is my life," Hunter muttered.
"This is teaching," Han corrected. "Get used to disappointment."
By the time they rescued Tao and Xuan from their respective trees, the sun was fully up. The refugees had somehow made it back to camp first, despite being mortal and slower.
"How did you beat us back?"
"We didn't jump into trees, Senior."
"Fair point."
After breakfast, the real training began.
Han had set up an obstacle course. If "obstacle course" was code for "sadistic death trap designed to teach through suffering."
"You're going to run this course," Han explained. "While maintaining perfect qi control. While I throw things at you. While your disciples try to attack you. While not destroying any of the obstacles."
"That's impossible."
"That's training. Start running."
Hunter ran. The course was brutal. Trees to weave between. Logs to jump. Ditches to cross. All while keeping his qi circulation smooth and controlled.
Then Han started throwing rocks.
Not pebbles. Rocks. Fist-sized chunks of stone hurled with ninth-level Body Refining accuracy.
Hunter dodged. Nearly broke a tree with his shoulder. Overcorrected. Fell into a ditch.
"AGAIN!" Han called.
Hunter climbed out. Ran again. More rocks.
Tao joined in, swinging a training sword at Hunter whenever he passed. Wild, uncontrolled swings that were more dangerous to Tao than Hunter.
"I'm helping!" Tao yelled, completely missing Hunter and hitting a tree instead. The tree exploded.
"THAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF HELPING!"
Xuan tried to trip Hunter with his leg. Forgot to pull back his strength. His leg swept through the air fast enough to create a wind gust that knocked over two refugees watching from the sidelines.
"SORRY!" Xuan called. "STILL LEARNING!"
Lex stood at the finish line holding a bucket of water. His job was to throw it on Hunter when he completed the course.
Hunter ran faster, dodged rocks, avoided his disciples' terrible attacks, and crossed the finish line.
Lex threw the water. Missed completely. Hit Qiu Hengdao instead, who'd been taking bets on completion time.
"MY LEDGER!" Qiu screamed. "IT'S SOAKED! THREE DAYS OF BETTING RECORDS! RUINED!"
"I'M SORRY!" Lex dropped the bucket and ran away.
[LUNA] THIS IS THE BEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧ [LUNA] BETTER THAN ANY TRAINING MONTAGE [LUNA] BECAUSE EVERYONE IS SO BAD AT EVERYTHING [LUNA] IT'S BEAUTIFUL CHAOS ♥
Hunter completed the course seventeen times. By the end, he could dodge rocks while being attacked while maintaining qi circulation without breaking anything.
The refugees had started a scoreboard. Tracking completion times. Destruction caused. Disciples hit by accident.
Current tally:
Trees destroyed: 8 Refugees knocked over: 5 Times Tao hit himself: 12 Times Xuan fell in the ditch: 6 Times Lex successfully threw water on target: 0
(Qiu had started a sub-pool on when Lex would finally succeed. Current projection: Heat death of the universe)
"We're getting better!" Tao said optimistically, covered in dirt and shame.
"At what?" Han asked.
"...existing?"
"Barely."
Lunch was quiet. Everyone too tired to talk. Hunter sat with the little girl, sharing his rice. She'd started sitting in his lap during meals. Didn't ask permission. Just climbed up and settled in like it was her throne.
"You're getting better," she whispered. Second time she'd spoken. Still quiet. Still careful.
"Thanks, kid."
"You're still going to win?"
"Yeah. I'm going to win."
She nodded, satisfied. Went back to eating.
[LUNA] SHE'S YOUR ADRIAN (◕‿◕✿) [LUNA] QUIET SUPPORT [LUNA] COMPLETE FAITH [LUNA] NO IDEA WHY SHE HAS FAITH IN YOU [LUNA] YOU'RE A DISASTER [LUNA] BUT SHE BELIEVES ANYWAY ♥
The afternoon brought new horrors. Han called it "advanced qi circulation training." Hunter called it "torture with extra steps."
"You're going to maintain healing circulation on yourself," Han explained. "While I hit you. Repeatedly. With this stick."
"That's just beating me up."
"That's training you to heal while fighting. Squirrels won't wait for you to sit down and meditate. You need to heal on the move."
"This is cruel."
[LUNA] THIS IS VERY MISTER MIYAGI (◕‿◕✿)
[LUNA] EXCEPT MORE VIOLENT
[LUNA] AND LESS WISE
[LUNA] MOSTLY JUST VIOLENT ACTUALLY
"This is necessary. Now circulate."
Hunter pulled qi from his dantian. Started the healing pattern Han had taught him. Gentle. Warm. Restorative.
Han hit him with the stick. Right in the ribs.
"OW! WHAT THE HELL!"
"Keep circulating! Don't let the pain break your concentration!"
Hunter tried to maintain the healing flow. Han hit him again. Different spot. Same stick. Same pain.
"I hate this! I hate you! I hate everything about this!"
"Good! Use that hate! Channel it into focus!"
Whack. Another hit. Hunter's circulation stuttered but held.
"Better! Again!"
This continued for an hour. By the end, Hunter could maintain perfect healing circulation while being beaten with a stick. His body learned to separate pain from panic, to keep qi flowing regardless of external damage.
The refugees had stopped watching. It was too sad. Even Qiu's betting pool dried up. Nobody wanted to bet on stick-related injuries.
Only the little girl stayed. Sitting on a rock. Watching with those too-knowing eyes. Every time Hunter got hit, she flinched slightly. But she didn't look away.
When the session ended, Hunter was covered in bruises that were already fading thanks to his enhanced healing. He collapsed next to the girl's rock.
"That looked painful," she whispered.
"It was very painful."
"But you kept going."
"Yeah."
"Because you're going to win."
Hunter looked at her. At the absolute certainty in her small face. The faith she had in him despite all evidence to the contrary.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Because I'm going to win."
She patted his head again. Like a dog. Three pats exactly. Never more. Never less. Hunter had started counting. It was always three.
This child operated on rules he didn't understand and was too afraid to ask about. Like he was a good boy who'd done his best.
It shouldn't have made him feel better. But it did.
Day three. More eggs. More running. More suffering.
But something changed. The camp changed.
The morning run had become routine. Half the camp joined without being asked. The cadence had improved:
"SENIOR TRAINS TO SAVE US ALL!" "LEFT! LEFT! LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT!" "WE RUN TO SHOW WE'RE READY!" "LEFT! LEFT! LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT!"
The obstacle course times improved. Hunter's qi control had gone from "destructive" to "controlled destruction" to "actually precise."
Tao managed to attack Hunter without hitting himself. Only took three days.
Xuan completed a full run without falling in the ditch. Cried tears of joy.
Lex successfully threw water on target. Once. But it counted. The camp threw a party. Qiu gave him a copper coin.
The refugees started training on their own. Basic exercises. Stretches. Preparing their bodies even though they couldn't cultivate.
"We can't fight spirit beasts," one refugee explained, "but we can move supplies. Carry injured. Do something useful. Better than waiting to die."
The camp was transforming. From victims to survivors. From helpless to determined.
Han noticed. "They're following your example. You keep getting up, keep training, keep trying. They see that. It matters."
"I'm just trying not to die."
"That's all any of us are doing. But you're doing it loud. In front of everyone. That's leadership, even if you don't mean it to be."
Day four brought the climbing exercise.
There was a cliff. A small one, maybe fifty feet tall. Han pointed at it.
"Climb that. Without using qi to enhance your strength. Mortal climbing only."
"Why would I climb like a mortal? I'm Foundation Realm."
"Because you need to understand the difference. To remember what it was like before cultivation. To never forget how fragile mortals are." Han's expression was serious. "You're protecting mortals. If you forget their limitations, you'll fail them. Now climb."
Hunter climbed. It was hard. Way harder than it should be. His Foundation Realm body kept trying to help. "Just jump!" it suggested. "We can jump fifty feet!"
"No," Hunter told his body. "We're learning humility."
His body was not impressed with humility and wanted to just jump up the cliff face. His mortal mind had to remember handholds, footholds, careful movements.
He fell. Twice. Han caught him both times with a spear shaft, preventing serious injury.
"Again!"
Hunter climbed again. Made it halfway. Fell again.
The little girl appeared at the base of the cliff. Looked up at him. Called out in her small voice:
"You can do it!"
Four words. Most she'd said since her mother died.
Hunter's chest tightened. "Thanks, kid!"
He climbed again. Slower. More careful. Thinking like a mortal. Moving like someone who could die from falling.
He reached the top. Stood there. Looked down at the camp below.
At the refugees training. At his disciples practicing. At Han directing everything with military precision. At the little girl watching him with absolute faith.
At this accidental family he'd collected.
"WE'RE READY!" Hunter shouted from the clifftop. Didn't know why. Just felt right.
The camp erupted in cheers.
"SENIOR!" "FOUNDATION REALM!" "PLEASE DON'T FALL!"
Hunter laughed. Actually laughed. Jumped off the cliff. Used qi this time. Landed softly at the bottom.
The little girl was waiting. Held up her arms. He picked her up without thinking.
"You did it," she said quietly.
"Yeah. We did it. All of us."
She hugged him. Small arms around his neck. Face pressed against his shoulder.
Hunter held her carefully. Like she was made of glass. Like she was the most precious thing in the world.
Because maybe she was.
[LUNA] OKAY THAT'S IT (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧
[LUNA] I'M CRYING
[LUNA] ACTUAL TEARS
[LUNA] YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER
[LUNA] SHE HAS A DAD
[LUNA] THIS IS TOO PURE
[LUNA] TOO WHOLESOME
[LUNA] STOP MAKING ME FEEL FEELINGS ♥
Hunter stood there on the clifftop, holding a child who believed in him for reasons he couldn't understand. Below, the camp cheered. His terrible disciples argued about proper technique. Han organized the chaos with military precision. Qiu ran another betting pool.
Four days down. Four days of transformation. Of going from "will definitely die" to "might possibly survive."
But four days wasn't enough. Not for what was coming.
The real test started tomorrow.
[LUNA] SLEEP WELL, HERO (◕‿◕✿)
[LUNA] TOMORROW GETS HARDER ♥
Yeah. Hunter looked at the forest. At the shadows where squirrels watched and waited.
Tomorrow gets harder.