The old forest smelled of damp soil and salt from the sea breeze. Renzo sat cross-legged on a smooth boulder, eyes shut, feeling the faint trickle of aura wrapping around his body. His breathing was steady, but a bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
"Too loose," Jack's voice cut through the silence. The old man stood with his arms folded, gray hair tied back, his sharp eyes locked on Renzo. "You let it leak again. Ten is not about squeezing everything until you burst. It is about balance. Think of it like the tide. Always there, always flowing, but contained."
Renzo exhaled slowly. "I feel it slipping the longer I focus. Like trying to hold water in my hands."
Jack stepped closer and crouched beside him. His rough hand tapped Renzo's chest. "Your aura follows your intent. If your intent wavers, your aura wavers. What do you want right now?"
Renzo opened his eyes, meeting Jack's. "To hold it. To keep it steady."
"Wrong," Jack said flatly. "You want too little. Ten is not survival. Ten is presence. You are saying, 'I am here. I endure.' Repeat it."
Renzo clenched his fists and whispered, "I am here. I endure."
The air around him thickened as his aura tightened, no longer spilling like before. Jack's gaze softened for a brief second, then he rose to his feet.
"Better. You will keep practicing until that state becomes as natural as breathing. No excuses. No shortcuts." Jack's voice carried the finality of stone.
Renzo nodded. "Understood."
A twig snapped in the distance. Both turned slightly. Through the trees, Gon's messy hair peeked out as he leaned on a branch, grinning.
"Renzo!" Gon waved. "You're still training? Want to come fishing with me?"
Renzo let his aura flicker as his focus broke. He sighed and shook his head with a half-smile. "You always show up at the worst time."
Jack crossed his arms, not hiding his irritation. "That boy has no respect for discipline."
Renzo stood and dusted off his shorts. "He's just curious. Let me go with him for a bit. I'll come back later."
Jack's stern expression eased into resignation. "Go. But remember, strength only comes to those who stay the course. Every moment wasted is a step behind."
Renzo bowed slightly in thanks before jogging toward Gon.
Gon's eyes sparkled. "What was that glowing thing around you? It looked… alive."
Renzo froze for half a second, then forced a casual shrug. "Just breathing exercises. Nothing special."
"Oh," Gon tilted his head but did not press. Instead he grinned. "Come on. There's a foxbear cub near the river. I think it's the same one I played with before!"
The two boys ran through the trees, laughter cutting through the forest's stillness. Gon was barefoot, light on his feet, moving like the wind itself. Renzo followed, his trained steps silent and precise, though his heart was lighter than it had been in days.
When they reached the river, the cub splashed in the shallows, pawing at fish. Gon crouched instantly, smiling wide.
"See? He remembers me!" Gon whispered.
Renzo crossed his arms, watching carefully. The cub's ears twitched, but it did not retreat. Instead, it waddled closer to Gon, who offered his hand without fear.
Renzo shook his head in disbelief. "You're insane. If its mother shows up, we're dead."
Gon laughed softly as the cub sniffed him. "Sometimes, if you show kindness, they understand."
Renzo knelt nearby, observing. His aura sense flickered faintly, and for a moment, he thought he saw a subtle warmth around Gon, something beyond ordinary courage. But he dismissed it. Gon was just… Gon.
The cub nuzzled Gon's arm before scampering back into the woods. Gon turned, face glowing. "See? He likes me."
Renzo smirked. "Or maybe you're just too stubborn for animals to hate you."
They both burst into laughter.
The sun began to sink, streaking the sky orange. As they walked back, Gon swung a stick around like a sword.
"Renzo, why do you train so much? You spend hours with that old man every day."
Renzo glanced up at the canopy, thinking of Jack's words. "Because… I don't want to be weak. If I'm weak, I can't stand where I want to stand."
"Where's that?" Gon asked.
Renzo paused, then gave a faint smile. "I'll tell you when I get there."
Gon grinned. "Then I'll wait. And when you do, I'll be there too."
Renzo looked at his friend, the boy who carried no secrets, no weight, just pure determination. He envied it, but it also fueled him.
When they reached the village edge, Gon darted toward his house, calling over his shoulder. "Tomorrow, let's go deeper into the forest! I'll show you the tallest tree!"
Renzo waved back, then turned toward the training grounds. Jack would be waiting. His laughter faded into silence, replaced by the rustling trees and the steady thrum of aura in his veins.
He whispered to himself, "I am here. I endure."
And with that, he stepped back into the path of discipline.