Chapter 16

He was put through hell.

One of the condition Master Bomb had for Rimuru, until he knew his truth strength, he wouldn't be introduced to the other masters until them. So, for the first while, Rimuru did nothing but train. He would do so at the temple and then at home discreetly. Since then, he has found his strength on his own, in a matter of days, Master Bomb had sparred with him and found his power was quite high and it would only continue to grow stronger. "You have done well, now I'll call my friends and see who is willing to teach you."

He would go back day after day, meeting Masters for a mere few hours, however watching and learning their technique. Many of them were basic forms of martial arts, easy to explain and practice at home. As well, he found his mind retaining everything at once. He could master the movements in mere hours much to the surprise of Master Bomb and his friends. However, soon, the Masters no longer showed interest. Those who he tried to call wouldn't answer him. Some flat out refused the moment they hear he is the son of Garou.

Old wounds still open apparently.

When the Masters no longer came, Rimuru focused on his strength. He endured hell once more. By orders of Master Bomb he was told to lift heavy rocks, carry them uphill and place them at the top. When he finished he was told to do it all over again and return the rocks to where he had them. He grumbled at the notion of doing it all. However when he was doing nothing but this for three days, he couldn't believe how much his strength developed. In the first day, he was luck to do two or three large rocks in a single afternoon. Day after, he was able to carry one on his shoulder with relative ease but still felt resistance. The third day, it was easy, and he carried two at a time on each shoulder! "How could this develop so fast?" he asked aloud.

He kept checking his arms and legs to be certain there were no veins what so ever being seen. When he realized this was his own strength, Rimuru couldn't help but be proud of himself!

Even Master Bomb mentioned about his growing strength was something worth praising. "Now that you finished with the stones, let's see how strong you have become…" He took a stance, Rimuru nodded as he took his. He used what martial arts he has learned thus far, but none of it was effective against Master Bomb. However, his strikes and movements were faster than before. He could have caught Master Bomb off guard if he put more effort into it, yet for the time being, Rimuru would be content with what he has.

"Excellent… Hmm, I think you are ready…"

"Ready?" he asked.

Master Bomb nodded. "It's time you learn Whirlwind iron cutting fist!"

Since the declaration, he sat front and center along side the other students, learning from the master.

However, despite the kindness he has been given from Master Bomb and his acquaintances in martial arts. Rimuru has learned from all but Bomb himself until recently. When he started to learn Whirlwind iron cutting first, it has been most challenging of all. Since he learned the basics of the form, he excelled beyond the other students and was switched to having one on one session. Despite his private lessons, the method was sound, however the master was a pure perfectionist. The moves done must be worthy of him, himself if Rimuru were to move on.

"Master, I thank you for these lessons, but I find your eyes are continuously pointing out my flaws in form and execution… why is that?" he asked.

He had heard rumors before that Master Bomb was an 80+ year old man. But if that was indeed the case, how come he doesn't look like a senior citizen! He nearly didn't believe his own eyes until he heard Master Bomb speak. As youthful as he appeared, Master Bomb spoke like a sage. "It is because your form is flawed that the execution of your move is not as powerful." He explained. "Besides, young one. Whirlwind iron cutting fist is an advance form, you must respect that in order to achieve it's true power and potential!"

"Yes Master Bomb!" he said with great respect.

Even so, such perfect couldn't be obtained, he is on week two in this dojo and has yet to master the move to the teacher's satisfaction. He trained away from the other students just to be certain. Outside there were logs where Rimuru would perform the move. Time and time again he assumed he got it down perfectly, until he began to look at the logs he was cutting up. The goal is to cut the wood in perfect circled disks, yet his were on an angle, the cut not early as smooth as it should be. "What am I doing wrong?" he muttered.

His wrist movement should be perfect, he made certain of that. His stance solid and yet, it wasn't anywhere near master Bomb's execution.

Rimuru sat in frustration of it all. Everything he has learned up to this point was easy, yet this, this was defeating him in more ways than one! He fell back to the ground, yet struck the earth out of anger. "What is wrong with me!" he demanded of himself.

"You are being too critical."

He suddenly sat up and saw Master Bomb standing before him. He looked over the logs and nodded. "The fact is this, you see now how imperfect the strike is, take into consideration your angle. If you are off angle like this, could this attack not have struck another person near by? This is why I ensure you perfect the move, it has to be done right or you risk harming another."

The news stunned him, that was the reason why he has been ensuring and insisting on perfection! "I didn't know… Master I am sorry for my arrogance!" Rimuru said as he bowed before him. "Please, point out my flaws again, help me rid myself of these so I may do this justice!"

He heard a laugh come from the master. "Even in the face of adversity, the frustration of defeat, you are still humble to learn. Never lose that!" Master Bomb insisted. "On your feet,"

#

He spent hours on it.

Rimuru found his wrist was the problem, it kept turning inward at the wrong time, therefore throwing the strike off track. It was strange he never noticed it before but he kept trying to correct it. That and his feet were pointing the wrong way. 'Damn feet, sometimes they are far more trouble then they are worth!' he thought to himself.

It took four hours until finally.

"Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist!" he shouted.

Perfection.

The log sliced cleanly into perfect circles.

Master Bomb nodded his approval. "So, you appear to have the genius combatant skill…" he said offhandedly.

"But it took me a week to perfect it!"

"It took you an hour to do it, normally such a move takes my students years to build up towards a strike that strong and powerful." Master Bomb explained. He then looked to him curiously. "Who is your father again?" he asked.

Rimuru smirked and proudly said. "Garou,"

Master Bomb paused for a moment as he peered over the youth, Rimuru felt those eyes pierce him, believing what he just said was a lie. "But… if you are asking who my blood father is… it's Amai Mask…" he said with great reluctance.

His eyes widened. "There's has been no word of Amai Mask fathering children!"

"That's because he didn't!" snapped Rimuru. "We were nothing more than throw aways since we weren't born how he wanted us to be…" Somehow, Rimuru found himself telling Master Bomb everything, how he wasn't even born human, but a serpent. Amai wanted them dead since they were monsters and not human, Garou stepped in, his family saved them from being slaughtered. Their mother was a clone of Melee Brawler to top it all off, but in the end, he explains that Garou is his father without any doubt or wavering in his voice.

Master Bomb was silent to the whole thing. Rimuru felt the weight of the world was just lifted off his shoulders. "I want to become as good as my father at martial arts, it makes him so happy when he knows he has a son who can do just want he can do as well. I have a long way to go, but I am learning… I haven't even told him yet that I am doing this."

"Very well then…" he said with a sigh. "Next lesson, this is perfect by my own brother Bang. It's called Fists of flowing water, crushing rock. Watch closely young one…"

Rimuru's eyes widened as he watched the master's hands moved about like flowing water, this wasn't an attack move, but more of a self defense with attack capabilities. "Whoa…" he whispered. It was a soft flowing move, yet the power behind it can be felt from where he stood. "You can teach me this?"

"I can teach you the basics, the rest you must ask my brother about. He perfect it. But if you cannot get a hold of him, your next bet is your father, Garou. He was his top student."

"Dad didn't tell me that…"

"I am certain your father hasn't told you a lot of things about himself yet. For now, practice this and then, move on. You have perfected my teachings, it is time to broaden your mind with new lessons."

"YES SENSI!" Rimuru said with great determination. He spent the rest of the way home practicing and attempting fists of flowing water. He had to get the method down to perfection, yet at the same time be elegant about it. "Perhaps I should consult with Master Bang if he is obliging to speak with me…" he thought.

Rimuru didn't really hide his face in public, despite appearing like Amai, he found that with his short, spiked hair. The sides of his head have been buzzed cut. He appeared remarkably different. He bore a delinquent look that many people avoided when possible.

He kept up with such an appearance wearing tattered black jeans, and even some metal band t-shirts he got from Jason a while back. The baggy look hid his physic. Sunglasses covered his eyes as he walked carelessly down the street. Yet this appearance still drew out some attention. Those who considered him to be a 'tough guy' took it as a challenge.

Rimuru was someone worthy to fight.

"Hey, look at what we got here! Someone who thinks he's king shit!" he paused as they began to emurge from the shadows like cockroaches. Four in total as they began to surround him. "Mr. big tough man, looking to prove himself huh? This is OUR turf you know that punk!" demanded the largest of the four.

"I'm just walking home." Warned Rimuru. "You want to fight look elsewhere, I ain't in the mood to beat you all down."

The largest man blocked him off. "What if we want to see what you're made of hm?" he demanded. "Yeah little pretty boy here will make a good punching bag!"

"Chose your next words carefully, you may not be able to speak for a while if I break your jaw," Rimuru warned. He took off his sunglasses and tucked them into his shirt, he kept his eyes closed, yet the moment he opened them. He gave off a glare, it made the four stammer back and away from him. "Now… are you still looking to fight?"

Three shook their head no, yet the leader wasn't going to back down. He tried to jump him. All Rimuru did was moved even faster, turn his back to him and yet lifted his elbow up high enough.

SNAP

The bone broke on the man's jaw. The guy dropped to the ground, clenched his mouth. His muffled scream followed as he rolled about on the ground in pain. "I tried to warn you. Hospital is two blocks, east… feel better soon…" with that, he walked over the man and continued on.