The two traveled for three whole days, turning on many roads and traversing many mountains. During this entire time, they came across some village and towns.
At the light of the sun on it's dusk, Himiru and Ikari walked down the mountain road covered in trees. Far away ahead, a figure of a small village could be seen.
Ikari looked at the village ahead and sigh in relief in his heart. They've been traveling for three whole days now. Coupled with the fight he previously had at the town, his body are really feeling tired.
However, the feeling of relief can't be shown to his face as the old man would probably sense it.
During their journey to who knows where, Ikari realized that the old man walking in his front have a super sense. He noticed this ability of the old man this day.
Infact, he realizes that the cause of him without rest is on himself. This start two days ago.
At that time, the sun is already out and the place is dark. When they came across a town, he'd feel happiness course through him and couldn't help but smiled.
However, when they arrived inside the town, his hope to get a well rest vanish as the old man just briefly stop at the town to buy some things and continued their travel.
This happened every time they came across a village or a town. The pattern continued as the old man would make a low hymn with his mouth every time they came across a village or a town.
However, he was not sure if this was the reason why the old man would not let him take a rest. Other than that, he could only think of one other reason, which is the old man was testing the limit of his body.
With the current condition of his body, he could still make it through half a day.
Although the old man would occasionally stop by at some village and town for his food to eat, the foods are nearly enough to quell his hunger. Moreover, the time spent on the town or village would only last for three minutes or so and their journey would then continue.
With this in mind, Ikari steeled his heart and walked steadily. Keeping his pace behind the old man.
Himiru and Ikari walked down the mountain and continued toward the village. The village is close up ahead and can be reach by a dozen minutes in a steady pace.
Near the village, Himiru look at the village ahead and then at the sun, whose close to completely covering it's whole frame by the mountains.
"Let's take this village as our resting place for now. The sun are about to go down and you're body need a rest." Himiru said casually.
Hearing the old man's words, Ikari nodded his head and could feel the sense of relief surge through his entire body. Happy that he would finally get a well deserved rest he really wanted.
"Let's go and find an Inn." Arriving outside the village, the old man stopped and said so. After saying so, they walked inside and strolled around the village to find an Inn.
Looking around the village, they finally find an Inn and walked inside with it's many available seats and tables. The two then took a seat beside the window where they can see the road outside light up by lamps.
The old man then wave at the servant of the Inn to come over and ordered all the food available with a tea for him. The servant then go back after listing all the available foods in the menu and giving it at the counter to prepare.
Then, the servant brew some tea the old man request as it can be done fast. After a while the servant finished brewing the tea and bring it at the old man.
"Here's your tea sir." The servant said politely, putting the tea on the table and looked at the old man whose eyes was close.
Himiru opened his eyes and looked at the tea sitting on the table. He then nodded his head and looked at the servants.
"Make the food a little faster." He said as he took the tea from the table and took a sip.
Without wasting more time, the servant nodded its head. The servant then go back at the counter to bring the message the old man give.
Ikari watched the entire process while sitting across the old man. Without nothing to do, he often look outside, watching the pedestrians walking past the Inn while waiting for the foods the old man ordered to come up.
After waiting for a while, the foods are ready and were all carried by several servants of the Inn.
"Enjoy your meals!" After carefully putting all the foods on the table, the servants line up and said so with a smiley faces. Then politely leaving the two with a table full of different types of food.
Ikari looked at the foods on the table and couldn't help but salivate in his mouth by the aroma they'd emit. Making him even more hungry.
He looked at the old man across himself. Noticing that the old man had closed it's eyes, he didn't hesitate any longer and grab his chopstick.
He pick many kinds of food and bring it at his empty plate for him to eat. He continued the same process every time he finished his plate, enjoying the moment.
Savoring every food that enters in his mouth, Ikari would close his eyes and admire it's taste. Remembering the good old days with his friend and other servants like this, enjoying every foods they makes.
Halfway through all the foods, he caught a sight at the old man and realizes that the old man had not picked up his chopstick yet to eat some.
"Old man Himiru, are you not going to eat?" Ikari ask, sound worried.
"No. I'm good." The old man said, picking his tea from the table and took a sip with his eyes closed.
Ikari watch the old man action. After hearing that the old man don't want to eat his share, he pick some food with his chopstick and continued eating.
Although he find it strange that the old man would not picked some food to consume and only sipped his tea. However, he didn't thinks of this matter deeply and focus on the foods at the table.
When Ikari is almost finishing up all the foods, he stopped and look at the last plate of food he didn't move this entire time. He turned his gaze at the old man and clarified: "Are you sure you're not going to eat, old man Himiru?"
The old man, whose eyes are closed this entire time, took the tea cup in his hand for a sip. Putting it down on the table, he opened his eyes and looked at the last plate of food on the table.
Ikari noticed were the old man is looking at. Without hesitating, he immediately grab the plate of food for him. Not expecting that the old man would really react to his words.
Himiru watched Ikari's action and faintly smiled. He didn't mind it at all and said: "I can last way longer without food than you expect. Don't worry."
"Are you sure?" Ikari ask, skeptical of the old man's words. He really find it hard to believe that the old man at his age could last longer than him without food.
However, thinking for a while in this last three days of their journey, he suddenly realized that the old man had not eaten some food in his watch.
"Why is that?" Ikari's ask after he realizes what the old man meant in his words. Although the old man would buy some foods, those food are all for him to eat.
He then grab a food with his chopstick and bring it to his mouth, waiting for the old man respond.
Himiru took a sip of his tea and looked straight at Ikari's eyes. Maintaining his gaze for a while, he then slightly raised his head.
"At this old man level, what you are eating are unnecessary. What we need are pure energy." Himiru said.
"Pure energy?" Ikari ask, confuse by the old man words.
Himiru nodded his head in approval and said: "What you are currently breathing is also a type of energy. However, it's not pure. Contaminated by wind elements or any kinds of substance."
"Breathing air in your body would help you stayed alive." He said plainly. Stating the obvious fact that everyone know. Then, he looked at Ikari with seriousness.
"However, pure energy is beyond that. Taking in a pure energy inside your body not only feel yourself comfortable, it can even improve every part of your body."
"With this pure energy, you can bring your body's to its full potential. Thus making you strong."
"However, taking in pure energy and spreading it in one's body is a challenge than simply breathing it. One also need to train their body to the point of perfectly controlling it with ease. So that one can guide the pure energy inside."
"Moreover, Training one's body also train one's mind. The more cotrol you have in your body, the more your brain develops. With a strong body, one can access their brain's potential. Thus, gaining a mental power." Himiru said and took a sip of tea from the table.
Ikari nodded his head, absorbing all the information the old man give in his mind. He then pick up the last piece of food with a chopstick in his plate, bringing it to his mouth.
Gulping down the food, he then grab a cup of water sitting beside the table. Drinking all the water inside tha cup, he looked at the old man across him. Who had just put his cup of tea back to the table.
"What is mental power?" He ask seriously.
Himiru looked straight at Ikari's eyes. After a while, he said: "It's a power the brain developed as one's train thier bodily movements to perfection. This power is unique, it depends on how one's train their body and their ways of thought to gain their own unique mental power."
"This power have a lot ot of used. Guiding the pure energy inside one's own body is such an example." Himiru said, leaning his back at the chair.
Ikari keep his attention and nodded his head while listening to the old man. He thinks that what he was hearing right now is a secret that not many people know.
When he sees that the old man was done talking, he feel disappoint. However, thingking of all the words the old man shared to him, he'd feel the power of knowledge course through his whole being. As if he now know the secrets of the world that are usually unknown.
"To be able to say this much that are unknown to many, you must be so strong and have a high status, old man." Ikari said with a bit of excitement. Looking at the old man, a hint of worship appeared in his eyes.
"You can put it like that." Himiru nodded and a faint smile appear on his face. Enjoying the praise the youth give to him.
"You said 'we'. So there's must be more people like you around. Are they strong as you?" Ikari curiously ask.
/////
AN-- I'd suddenly change my writing style, as I find the previous chapters terrible.
Hopes you like it.