I walked and flew across the country, stopping by towns and cities, hoping someone could give me insight as to where the tower might be, eventually i found out where it was. I learned when stopping by a small village that seemed to worship something or maybe someone above what we know. I went there and asked them if they might have heard anything or knew anything about Korin tower; they were almost shocked that i asked that, as it turns out, these people actually worship Korin as some sort of god and that his tower is only a few miles south of the village, i thanked them and went on my way. When i got to the tower i saw that it was enormous, towering way above the clouds and all i could think of when i looked up there was.
"How the hell did i miss this when flying?!" Well, it didn't matter, i began my climb up, i could have flown up, but climbing the thing is tradition and it's also stated that there are 4 challenges you must do to complete Korin's training, all 4 of them will make you stronger. First you climb the tower, next you train with Korin himself, thirdly you must drink from the water of the gods, finally your final task is to climb down. I made steady pace upwards, knowing that if i fell, i had 2 options, try and catch myself on the way down or float to the bottom and start over again, i really hope neither because that would mean it would take longer. After about 10 hours, i was exhausted and was about halfway up when i slipped and fell, i tried to grab the tower, but my hands were too far away, then i realized something; i used my tail and managed to get a hold on a bar which left me dangling upside down from my tail. I righted myself and continued upward, being smart this time and attaching my tail to any hold i could find on the way up, i realized the fall brought me down a good 500 feet or so, but i was determined to keep going. Night fell, but i didn't sleep, i needed to make it to the top, i was about three quarters of the way there already; finally, the sun rose and i made it to the top. As i climbed into the lobby as i'm gonna call it, i saw that there was a stairway that led upwards, but i wasn't going to go up just yet, i laid down, my arms legs and tail were tired and sore from about 15 hours of climbing this thing. After about an hour of rest i climbed the staircase which led to another room and found a white cat with a staff sitting there. I was confused and thought that maybe the master was off in the bathroom or something, that is until the cat started to talk.
"Hello there, I am Korin, i see you've made the climb up my tower." I must say i was slightly shocked at this.
"Wait, you're Korin?"
"Yes, why, what were you expecting?"
"Well i was- Nothing, nevermind." I realized i shouldn't just blurt out random things that may also be offensive to the very person that is going to train me. I put my fist into my hand in a respectful salute and bowed. "It's an honor to meet you master Korin, I have come to train with you."
"As i figured, but i have one question for you. Why did you go through all that effort and trouble to climb the tower, when you could have easily flown up?"
"It's because i want to get stronger the real way i'm supposed to, i don't want to cheat and decrease my chances of getting stronger just because i wanted an easier trip." He smiled at this and nodded in acceptance.
"That's the answer i wanted to hear, you qualify for being trained by me." I was happy about this, but then i remembered that i still haven't fully recovered from the climb and on top of that i was massively hungry, i haven't eaten since yesterday and my backpack ran out of food within the first day of my trip from home.
"Thank you master, but before we start, can i get something to eat if you have it?" He chuckled a little.
"Very well, wait here, i'll give you something." He walked a little and brought out a pot from behind a pillar that seemed to be nearly overflowing with green colored beans. "Here, have a senzu, one of these is capable of healing almost any wound, restoring the energy of anyone and keep a normal person full for ten days." he tossed me one of the beans, i caught it and was a little skeptical; how could one of these things fill a person up for ten days?
"Well, i might need more than one while we're training, i packed my bags with three weeks worth of food, i finished it within the first day."
"If that's the case the one of these would probably fill you for a good three hours, so we'll go from that."
"Alright, thank you master Korin." I popped the bean in my mouth and chewed it, it was kind of crunchy and it tasted like a lima bean, but once i swallowed it, i felt the effects. Almost instantly, i felt new strength coursing through me and i felt a lot less hungry too. "Wow, you weren't kidding, these things work."
"Yep, now, let us begin our training, first, you must drink from the water of the gods." He held a pitcher right in front of me.
"Wait, seriously? You're just giving me the water first? Huh, this seems almost too easy." I reached forward, but by the time my hand closed, Korin was on the other side of the room.
"That's because it was too easy, i won't just give you the water, you need to catch me first." I realized that this was the true training i needed to get. I got to work immediately, i began running at Korin with all my speed, but i still couldn't catch him, any time i got close, he just jumped over me, leaped to the side or just went faster. After about four hours of this, i was tired and hungry, i asked if we could take a break and he agreed. We sat down a bit and he set down the pitcher of water right next to me while he went to get some senzu beans; i could have just taken the water right then and there, it was an easy grab and my power would increase dramatically, but i knew that wasn't the right way to go, if i wanted the power, i would need to earn it. Korin came back and he was smiling at me with a very approving smile.
"Good job Cherik, you've proven yourself yet again, this was a test to see your true intentions, the water was just sitting there, right for the taking and yet you resisted, i'm proud of you and for that i will train you to your full potential. Here, you've earned an extra." He tossed me two senzu beans, i thanked him and ate them both, again, my energy flowed and my hunger went away.
"Alright, i'm ready again, so shall we start once more?"
"Sure." He grabbed the pitcher again and we began the chase, i was getting better though, i was getting faster and almost caught him a few times. For about a week this carried on, at around the fourth day he decided it was time to go all out. That day, i was very close to catching him, but he used a technique that made it seem like there were 8 copies of him all around me, and i couldn't tell which was which. After the 6th day, i learned the afterimage technique which is what Korin used and i would have caught him that day, but i tripped at the end. Finally, i managed to catch him and he congratulated me, saying that my speed as well as strength have increased this past week.
"If you want to check it for yourself, go and climb the tower again, i guarantee you that you can make it within the hour." I agreed and jumped to the bottom, where i began to make my way up. Korin was right, i was flying up that thing like nobody's business, i got up there within 40 minutes and didn't even feel tired at all.
"Good, you've earned this now." He presented me the water and i reached for it, but just as my hands were about to close, he snatched it again.
"Hey, what's the big idea? i caught you, i climbed the tower twice, why am i not allowed the water yet?"
"Because this isn't the real water, this is just what i got from the kitchen sink, it's regular tap water. Come with me, i'll show you the real water." He went to the pillar that had the senzu beans by it, but he opened a secret door that was nearly unseeable unless you looked close enough. The door opened to a ladder that went straight down. I decided to jump down with Korin and at the bottom it opened into a giant cave; at one end there seemed to be like a table with a teapot and a cup on it. We walked towards it and he explained it to me.
"This is the real water of the gods, one cup of this will increase your abilities twice over, but be warned, if you're not strong enough, the water may kill you instead."
"So wait, how many people have drank from this water?"
"Fifteen have drank from the water, but out of all of them, there was only one who survived. His name is Stryker, i used to train him, but it turns out he was just using me to gain power, he drank from the water and survived, but then he went off to fulfill his conquest, he plans to debut at the world tournament to enslave the planet and make it his own."
"Then i'll stop him, no matter the cost, i'll drink the water." I stepped forward and poured out the water in the cup, it had a purple-ish color to it, but i knew that if i survived, this would make me stronger. I brought the cup to my lips and drank it all down. The pain was excruciating, if i had to put it into words, it felt like i had molten lava coursing out from my chest, into my veins and throughout my entire body, and the lava was being radiated from a white hot sword that had stabbed right through me as well as having every bone in my body shatter, but then get stitched back together with white hot barbed wire. I clutched at my chest and punched the stone ground, leaving a 3 inch deep crater the size of my fist; the pain lasted for about a minute, then subsided rather fast. I got up, sweating and weakened, but alive; I turned and looked at Korin who nodded approvingly at me, he then tossed me a senzu since he knew i was gonna need it. I ate the bean almost as fast as he gave it to me, but after i felt that i had healed, i realized that i was definitely much stronger than i was before.
"Good, you survived, i'm glad you did too. i would hate for all your training to be done for nothing. By the way, Stryker had a similar reaction, except he didn't leave an imprint of his fist in the ground."
"Sorry about that, but i can feel it, over this past week, i've grown much stronger than before, and even now with the water. Thank you for all your help master Korin."
"No problem, by the way, what's with the tail? I've never asked and i'm kind of curious."
"Oh, well, i've had this since forever, it's part of my biology, i know i'm not a human, but i want to know what exactly i am since i actually landed here when i was a baby. Also, i tend to turn into a giant monkey whenever there's a full moon. I'm trying to control it, but it's very difficult."
"I see, well, there is a week and a half until the tournament, maybe you can receive a little more training by someone else; you may be strong, but Stryker is still at another level above you."
"Really? Who is this other master though?"
"His name is Kami, he lives on the lookout that's actually above the tower, don't worry, you can fly up there if you want, you don't need to climb all the way. If anyone can give you enough strength to defeat Stryker, it would be him. And who knows, you might find out more about who you really are." I nodded and bowed to Korin in respect.
"Alright, i'll go see him, thank you master for all your training and guidance, i'll save this planet, no matter what." We both flew up back to the tower dwelling where i packed my things and was about to leave for the lookout, when i thought of something.
"Hold on, before i go, i need to check my power level. The last time i did this, i was at a level of 15." I placed the level reader on the ground, pushed the button and powered up. when it got done beeping, i picked it up and put it to my eye, what i saw nearly made me faint of shock. Power Level 200. I couldn't believe it, my strength increased more than 10 times its original amount. But if Stryker was stronger, i knew i needed to train more; I said goodbye to Korin and began to fly up to the lookout, determined to get stronger.
Author's note: Sorry this took so long guys, i haven't had much computer time recently. Anyway, if you guys want to know what Stryker is, he's a human, but with the ability to manipulate ki as well as some other tricks up his sleeve which you'll see soon enough. But hey, i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuned for the next. Peace.
