On a forest, tree's with vibrant green leaves are abundant.
It's already past noon, the light emanate from the sun could burn one's skin if exposed for long. However, thanks to the leaves of the many trees, there are only light spots on the ground.
Amidst the many trees on the center of the forest, a figure could be seen running fast.
This figure is Ikari, whose heading toward northwest as the old man told. The presence of the trees greatly hindered his running spree as he maneuvered his body around to avoid them.
After a while, he caught sight of a river amidst the many trees inside the forest. He then ran toward the river.
Arriving beside the river, he stopped and looked ahead where it flowed. Ahead, small path could be seen beside the river. He then move toward the small path and ran on it alongside the river.
A while later, two hours pass. Ikari's gaze past through the many trees and saw a valley up ahead. He continued his pace, going out of this forest.
Getting out of the forest, he looked down at the small path that now filled with stones. He stopped in his tracks and grab the small gourd of water from his waist and gulped hard. After doing so, he put back the gourd of water to his waist and continued his journey.
Bask with the sunlight, he set his sight ahead of the valley that seemed to be endless. The valley is long, taking most of the distance toward his destination.
Ikari keep on running with his ragged breathing and couldn't go on any faster at his current pace. His feet is in pain by the stones.
As time past, a strange feeling of awkwardness course through his body. Every step he took would make his body uncomfortable. The more it is so, the more he realizes what it is.
After three hours of running in the valley, he couldn't handle it any longer and need to take a break. Coupled with the pain coming from his feet and the need of water, his body is exhaust.
Stopping his feet, he take a few deep breath to stabilize his breathing and grab the small gourd of water on his waist. He then gulped down all what is left inside. After doing so, he go toward the river to refill his empty small gourd with water.
Standing at the edge of the river, he squatted down and refill his gourd. Filling up the small gourd, he put it at the side and washed his face.
Washing up his face, Ikari looked at the reflection of his exhaust look on the water. Looking at his face on the water, Ikari think of the discomfort he feel while running.
After a while, he raised his head and looked at the sky. Grabbing the gourd and standing up , he tied the gourd on his waist. He then go back at the small path beside the river.
Standing at the stoney path beside the river, Ikari stand there for a quick rest. Then without wasting anymore time, he continued his journey of running toward the dark cloud.
However, this time he did not immediately sprint his body at full speed. Instead he ran on a steady manner, as if his not in a hurry. Doing this, he can easily control his breathing while running and also observed his body movements in the process.
Observing his movements on this pace, he quickly spot a habbit of his that are seemed unnecessary to do while running. He then eliminated this habbit of his, making his body and mind forget of this habbit and continued his pace without it.
After a while of getting used after eliminating an unnecessary habbit, Ikari feel that his movements while running is getting smooth and can run a bit faster.
Ikari then increase the pace of his speed until he feels the awkwardness in his body surface again. He observed his body for a while and spot an subtle movements that would make him uncomfortable. He then eliminated it from his body and the feeling of awkwardness then disappear.
With this, he slowly increased the pace of his speed while still observing his body for unnecessary movements. When he spots some and eliminate it from his body, the speed of his then increase.
He repeatedly do the same process over and over again until he couldn't feel the awkwardness on his body surface. He then maintained the speed of his after feeling that he couldn't increase it while barely controling his breathing.
Ikari's eyes lit up in excitement and a faint smile appeared on his face. He now realizes that there is something to gain on this task the old man give to him.
He estimated that his current speed is two times faster than his last full speed. With this improvement of his, he continued his journey toward the dark clouds far away.
During this entire time, Ikari would sometimes stopped in his tracks and would take a quick breathing. He would then grab his small gourd to quell his thirst of water.
As time past, night descent and the moon make its appearance above the sky.
Ikari can already see the end of the valley up a head. Signifying that he already passed halfway through his destination.
Ikari pass through the many big stones that serve as the boundary of this valley. He then halt and narrowed his eyes after passing through the big stones.
With the bright light of the moon, what he sees up ahead is that the river that are usually side by side by the small path was split up by many big boulders to the side.
The small path that usually filled with stones disappear. What replaced it is a field of rock and small boulders. Moreover, the rocks and boulders have many sharp side that gleam at the light of the moon.
Ikari briefly hesitate at the sight of this. However, he grit his teeth and move forward. He remembered the gain he got previously and think of this matter as a challenge in order for him to gain something again.
Ikari ran and jump toward one the small boulders of the path thar are nearest to him. When he was about to land of the small boulder, however, a faint sense of danger that tense the muscle on his leg came.
When his feet land on the boulder, a sudden pain course through him. Instinctively, he slightly crouched his body on the spot to offset the force of his land. Then without thingking for moment, he quickly jump to another small boulder and the same thing happened again.
This happened two more times until he decided to land on the ground where many sharp rocks situated. Then he immediately regret his decision as he groan in pain.
"Ahhkk..! Shit!" Ikari said with gritted teeth, blaming himself as he stayed in place until the pain subsided.
Calming himself down, Ikari turned his head back and look at the boulders he'd jump into. After a while, his gaze froze as realization came down upon him and quickly formulate the insight in his mind.
He then turned his head back on his front and set his sight to the small boulders up a head. He remembered there positions and want to try out this new idea that come to mind.
Then without waiting for moment, he jump into the boulder that are the nearest to him. Midair he relaxed his whole body and let himself free falling toward the boulder. When his feet were about to land on the small boulder, he tense the muscle of his feet and legs.
When the tip of his feet touch the boulder, he then bend his legs slowly and made his upper body move in a crouch position to offset the force of the land to his whole body.
After doing so, he give back the force of the land toward the boulder and then jumped toward the next boulder. He then relaxed his whole body midair, going in a free fall again.
'Success.' Midair, Ikari brimmed with joy in his heart. Although there still a pain he feel this time, however, it's not as tense as before. Moreover, as long as he get used to this move, the pain would go down until it would not hinder him anymore.
Landing on the next boulder, Ikari do the same and then jump to another one. He do this again and again until he can do it smoothly with his body and the pain he could feel from the sharp boulders is minuscule.
Jumping on one boulder to another, Ikari saw that this was about to end. Ahead, the field of rocks and boulders fade out and a small stoney path reappeared. He landed at the last builder and jump high from it to reach the stoney path.
He then land at the small stoney path smoothly without feeling any pain from it using his new found control of his body. Standing up, he looked at the side and see the river without the cover of the big boulders.
He then set his sight ahead and move his body to full speed in no time. This time, the speed of his is faster than the last by half and can last longer without taking a break with the weight distribution on his body
Ikari ran through the night as the moon lights his path. As time passes, the path that are usually full of stone was now becoming dirt. He looked at what ahead of him, which is a big forest.
The trees of this forest is widely apart from each other. Thanks to this, the light of the moon can past through and light up the ground.
Getting inside the forest, Ikari could see that the small path he run unto was now covered by many leaves, making it difficult for him to track as the fallen leaves are widely spread on the forest.
However, looking at the side, he could still see and hear the flowing river. He then followed the river as to not get lost on this forest.
After a while, Ikari spot a gleam of light on the ground with his fast moving body. Passing through it, he suddenly heard a faint sound of a string snapping.
He didn't know what it was as he continued his pace. Then a low howling sound came on his ears ahead. He focused his eyes to know what was ahead and slowed his body.
At the light of the moon, he could see a log swinging from behind the tree towards him in a moderate speed. Thanks to his good hearing, he sense it beforehand. Seeing this, he turned his body to the side and dodge the swinging log.
Dodging the log, Ikari then speed up his pace. When suddenly, his body tilted and face the ground.
"Bamm!" A sound echoed throughout the silent forest.
"Aarggh..." Ikari groan and clutched his abdomen at the pain he felt from slamming onto the ground. While clutching his abdomen in pain, he turned his head and look the place where he'd tripped from.
There he sees a small root of the tree that are barely noticeable amidst the fallen leaves. Seeing this root, he couldn't blame nothing but he himself for his carelessness.
Ikari grit his teeth and get himself up from the ground. Getting up from the ground, he then move forward and focused his sense around him as to not repeat the same thing again.
After a while, he again noticed a gleamed light on the ground. Learning from his mistakes, Ikari jumped over it and avoid any more trouble.
Jumping over that gleamed light, Ikari didn't face any logs that are coming toward him afterward and continued his pace. However, after taking a dozens of steps, his foot suddenly cave in toward the ground as his body again tilted and rolled onto the ground. His body rolled a few times at his fast speed and slammed into the tree.
"Bang!"
"Damm it!" Ikari groaned as he stand up, supporting his body with a hand on the tree. After doing so, he looked back where he sees a hole on the ground.
"A trap..." Ikari then turned his head back and looked ahead. He then take a deep breath and bravely move forward, facing this forest filled with traps.