In the morning, Kori and Ken left the village on foot. Both used the aura to run faster with Ken using the Trinity Dash and Kori using the Severance Dash martial art. Both have been running for four hours continuously.
"Are you tired, young disciple? Do you want to take a break?"
"I'm okay master Ken. I can run for another hour or so."
"Don't push yourself too hard. Let's take a break."
"As you say master."
"Let's go upwards in that direction."
Both stopped in an area surrounded by trees. The energy in the area was dense and pure.
"Let me see if I can find an edible fruit."
"Then I'll wait here, master."
The energy up here is pure. While master Ken is looking for fruits, I'll absorb some of this energy to recover my stamina.
- Minutes Later -
"Here young disciple. I found a great fruit tree. Eat as much as you like."
"Thank you master."
This fruit is called Jinki. It looks like an apple but its colour is shiny blue. It is sweet and filled with pure natural energy that can recover strength in an instant.
"Your aura control is really efficient young disciple. Only two senior disciples can do the same in our temple."
"I'll take that as a complement, master Ken. But I have a long way to go."
"I like your attitude, young disciple. A real martial artist always strives to become better than his current potential.
But what I said is completely true. You already show similar potential to Kavi and Ryuk. That means you have to work even harder to become stronger than them.
But you should also understand your limits or you might end up breaking your body."
"I'll do my best, master."
He is right. Compared to senior brothers, I'm ahead when it comes to age, but unlike them I don't have time to be cautious. Even with the martial arts knowledge from my previous life, I have only achieved mediocre success.
"So how do you know this person, young disciple."
"As I said before, he was my caretaker master Ken. He is the one who taught me martial arts."
That is true. In my previous life, master Savai was the one who took care of me after the temple was destroyed. He taught me everything I know about martial arts from my previous life.
"He was? To be honest, I'm a bit skeptical about this person. But if he is the one who taught you, he must be a great person."
"I understand your skepticism, master Ken. But master Savai is a great person who wouldn't hesitate to help others in need."
"Savai. That's a fitting name for a martial warrior. You speak so highly of him. But I don't think we should put such a person in a position to ask him for money. But I trust master Tomoya's judgement."
"Don't worry master Ken. He is quite rich."
"That's not what I was saying. Anyways we'll find out when we meet him."
I understand what master Ken is trying to say. While people in the Mt. Kamadu respect our temple and donate out of the goodness of their hearts, any outsider might think otherwise. He doesn't want the temple to be considered as beggars or swindlers, but more than that the outsider might ask something in return that temple can not provide which will not help our current solution.
"Alright, I've packed some fruits for the future. I think we had enough rest. Let us continue our journey, young disciple."
"Yes master!"
Both continued their journey. They would take a brief break and eat some fruits. As the Sun was going down, they found a place to sleep. They started a small fire to heat up the food they brought with them. They left the fire going to stay warm in the night. The next day they did the same. On the third day, they reached Kaminari village.
- At the Village -
"We're here, young disciple. Now how do we find this person?"
Alright. We've finally made it to the village. Even though I know master Savai will be in this village, I don't know the exact time or place where we can find him.
"Let's start by asking at inns, master Ken. I don't know if he has arrived yet but that way we can be sure."
They went to all the inns in the village one by one but none of them were housing master Savai. So they went around the village looking at all the places but didn't find him anywhere. Both came to the conclusion that he hasn't arrived yet. As the sun was setting they went back to the inn to find shelter for the night.
- Next Morning -
In the morning, someone knocked at the door.
"Good morning, master Ken, I came to let you know that the person you were asking about yesterday has arrived in the village this morning."
"That is great news. Is he here in the inn?"
"Yes, I have told him of your presence, he is waiting for you in the dining hall downstairs."
"Young disciple! Wake up we have found the person we're looking for. Let's go meet him."
Kori pretended to wake up from sleep and they went downstairs to meet master Savai.
"Greetings! Master Savai. I'm Kiyoshi Ken from the Trinity Temple to the west of Mt. Kamdu."
"Master Ken! I have been waiting for you and young Kori. I heard from the innkeeper that you were looking for me. Please take a seat."
"Thank you, master Savai. We've come looking for you to ask for your help. Young disciple Kori was the one who told us to meet with you. If you could allow me some of your time I can explain everything."
"Of course, master Ken."
"Thank you. Our temple has been a sacred place of Mt. Kamadu for decades. Ever since its inception, the temple has been a place where orphans can take shelter. In addition to that, the temple also helps them to become strong and intellectual people who can live their adult life independently as they wish.
The temple itself doesn't make any money thus we rely solely on donations from villagers merchants and our adult disciples. But for recent years we've been facing issues to secure enough food and clothing for all our disciples.
The merchants used to be the most helpful to us as they would bring resources to the temple from their business ventures from big cities outside Mt. Kamdu. But, in recent years fewer and fewer merchants come to Mt. Kamadu and some have even left to live in the cities entirely. Most merchants only visit after six months.
We've been surviving on the resources from five months ago. If things keep getting worse we won't be able to provide for our disciples in the future. We've come to you as young disciple Kori told us you're someone who can help us."
"That is a difficult predicament for the temple to be in. Master Ken, you did the right thing to come to me."
"Does that mean you can help us, master Savai?"
"Yes, I can. I know several merchants in the Izahan city who could visit the temple on my request."
"Is that so?
I, Kiyoshi Ken, humbly thank master Savai on the behalf of everyone from the Trinity temple."
"Hahaha! You are too rigid and formal, master Ken. I guess that is to be expected from monks. Regardless, don't worry about the temple from now on. Leave everything to me, I have more money than I know what to do with it anyways.
Now if you could excuse me, I want to catch up with young Kori here."
"Of course, master Savai. Once again thank you for everything. I'll leave you to it."
"Hugh. He is too timid, are all the monks like him?"
"Yes! Master Savai."
"Well that's no fun. Anyways, how was my performance?"
"You did great master, thank you for fulfilling my request."
"So you told him to meet me. That is interesting. How did you even know who I am and how did you know I would be here at this time?"
"It would all make sense when the time comes, master Savai. Forgive me, but you'll have to wait for that day to find everything out."
"That's no fun. I want to know right now. Agh, whatever, just don't forget about the promise you made last night."
"I won't disappoint, master Savai."
- Last Night -
I sneaked out to do aura training. I'll have to be ready to meet master Savai.
"Alright. Let's do the training."
Kori spent hours on his aura training. As he was about to finish the training he sensed a faint presence of someone behind him.
This could be dangerous. I didn't sense their presence at all. Could it be… That demon? No way that can't be true. I'll have to strike fast.
Kori used his Severance dash and Seven Trinity punch to attack this person.
He disappeared.
"A straight punch huh. That is predictable and stupid."
This voice, no way. Master Savai…