Arin's week of preparation was nothing short of grueling. Every moment was dedicated to improving his skills, building his strength, and learning as much as he could about the King Snake and its habits. The world seemed to move in slow motion as he trained day in and day out, pushing his limits further than ever before.
Each morning, Arin would wake before dawn. His body, though still lean and muscular from his year of intense martial arts training, ached with the kind of exhaustion that only true effort could produce. But he refused to stop. There was no time for rest, no time for weakness. He couldn't afford to fail—not with the promise of unlocking his potential, not with the weight of his family's future hanging in the balance.
He spent hours refining his martial techniques, practicing the forms he had learned from his local instructor. His movements had become fluid, precise, every strike an extension of his will. But martial arts weren't enough to prepare him for what lay ahead. He needed more—something beyond physical strength.
The old man's cryptic book had left him with more questions than answers, but it had also spurred something within him. The idea that magic wasn't just about casting spells or using artifacts—it was something deeper. Something connected to the very essence of his being. Arin wasn't sure if he fully understood the meaning of the book yet, but he was beginning to sense that magic wasn't a tool. It was a force. And understanding that force might give him the upper hand in his battle against the King Snake.
In addition to his martial training, Arin spent time observing the King Snake. He watched it for hours each day, learning its movements, studying its behavior. The creature was a master of patience, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It was a predator through and through, its three eyes gleaming with predatory intelligence. Arin couldn't afford to underestimate it. He had seen it from a distance before, but now, he was beginning to understand it on a deeper level. Its strength, its grace, its power. Every flick of its tail, every subtle shift of its body, was a lesson in itself.
Meanwhile, Arin also focused on his own body. His combat skills had improved tenfold since he had first started training, but now he needed to push beyond the limits of his previous abilities. He practiced his footwork until his steps were as light as air. His strikes grew sharper, more precise. But even that wasn't enough. He knew that when the time came, he would need more than just brute strength to defeat the King Snake. He would need strategy, he would need awareness. And above all, he would need to keep his mind sharp. The battle would be as much mental as it was physical.
But as the days passed, Arin began to feel the weight of the challenge ahead. The old man's words haunted him. "If you can kill the Triple-Eyed King Snake, bring me one of its eyes, and pass the Magic Academy exam, I will help you grow leaps and bounds." Those words kept echoing in his mind, reminding him of what was at stake. It wasn't just about surviving the King Snake—it was about proving himself. To the old man, to the world, and to himself.
As the week came to a close, Arin's body was bruised and battered, but his resolve had never been stronger. He was ready. There was no more time to prepare. It was time to face the King Snake, to take his place in the world of magic, and to prove that he was more than just a poor boy struggling to survive.