"What!"
"Hm? Is there something wrong with what I said?"
'Yes, there is something very wrong with what you just said.'
Geonu truly did not seem to understand just how absurd his request was, as if telling someone to break a massive boulder with their bare fist were completely normal. No matter how I thought about it, it was impossible.
Even with the progress I had made in my training, this was beyond me. Just when I thought I would be forced to push that damn boulder, which was already difficult enough, I was instead given a task far worse, something I would rather avoid even more than pushing it.
'If I knew that this was going to happen I should have just suggested pushing the boulder as that would make more sense as it was a part of my training.'
I did have to admit that I was fairly strong. After all, I had managed to kill a tainted beast whose skin had been impenetrable as much as I still couldn't believe that in my first encounter with a tainted beast I was able to kill it and survive to tell the tale.
But that had only been due to luck. If I had not noticed a way around its defense, I would have died a gruesome death. Those beasts were capable of fighting on par with true martial artists, a level I was nowhere near. That only made my feat of killing it even more a result of luck than actual ability.
"You want me to break that massive boulder with my fist?!"
"Yes."
"And you're serious?!"
"Yes."
"....."
A long silence followed. I was utterly in disbelief at what Geonu had just asked me to do. He spoke as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world, when it could not be further from the truth.
This was even worse than what I had previously feared. At least pushing the boulder had seemed somewhat plausible if I were stronger than I currently was but this was in a whole other level of impossibility.
'H-He is really serious about this, doesn't he hear just how absurd he sounds?!'
I continued staring at Geonu's ever unreadable and calm face, my own expression clearly showing shock and disbelief as I tried to understand why he would assign such an impossible task.
Testing my body to see if I could produce the strength necessary for martial arts made sense, but this test was unbelievable. I knew Geonu was aware that accomplishing something like this should be impossible for me.
'He must be teasing me, or maybe he thinks this will make me give up on martial arts.'
"Didn't you just say you would struggle to even lift it? What makes you think I could break it?"
"Ah, right."
I knew how much Geonu hated the thought of me being in danger. I had always been at risk of poisoning and assassination on a daily basis, so walking the path of a martial artist, a path filled with danger and often cut short, was something he would naturally oppose.
I could understand why he might still want to refuse teaching me martial arts in order to keep me safe, that's just how he is and how I knew him till now and I could always trust him to protect me with his life.
'I know Geonu isn't someone who could be convinced in just words I have to show him actual evidence that could convince him'
But he had already agreed, so he could not go back on his word. Even if he still refused, I would find another way to learn martial arts no matter what., as I could still find or commission a martial master to teach me martial arts as one of my rights as a heir to the throne.
I had no choice if I wanted to overcome the adversities that would come in the future, especially That Day, which was drawing closer with each passing moment, making me even more desperate and determined.
"Is that what this is about? From your perspective, I suppose it seems practically impossible, like I am asking you to do something beyond reason."
'At least you know that, but is it not impossible? You talk as if it is not.'
"But do not worry, Young Master. Allow me to dispel your doubts by demonstrating how this test would work"
Geonu began pushing up his sleeves, revealing a muscular and hardened arm, filled all across with scars that seems to have been from a long time ago, something you would never expect from someone his age.
It reminded me that he was a martial artist, and had been one long before I was even born. He had completed the highest difficulty of training, so of course his body was far more refined than mine.
'After all Geonu is a martial artist assigned to protect me a illegitimate heir which is someone who will always be in danger, while I may not have met or trust my father very well I can still trust that he would send me a strong bodyguard as my right as a heir'
Standing before the massive boulder, he drew back his fist like a bowstring pulled tight before release. He made a quick squat, then leaped into the air toward the boulder approaching in a frightening speed.
Using the momentum of his leap, he twisted his hips and unleashed a straight punch with all his strength, striking the boulder with a collision so powerful that a huge cloud of dust burst outward, completely obscuring what happened next.
BOOM!
"Geonu! Cough! Cough!"
Dust and debris flew in every direction, covering the entire area. Some of it hit me and entered my lungs, sending me into a coughing fit that lasted until the dust cloud finally began to settle, revealing the result of the collision between Geonu's fist and the boulder. What I saw was so shocking that I could not believe my eyes.
The top and middle portion of the massive boulder had been obliterated, leaving only the bottom part lying there. Geonu's fist was still extended from the punch, covered in dust and debris, yet he looked completely unbothered. He simply stood there calmly, and I could not believe he had truly done it, breaking a massive boulder with a single punch.
"Cough! Cough!"
'That is amazing.'
I was utterly amazed by Geonu's demonstration. It showed exactly why martial artists were considered superhuman. A feat like that was beyond what any ordinary human could achieve.
It reminded me why I wanted to become a martial artist in the first place, it's to become someone extraordinary, capable of such strength that the entire cult would have no choice but to accept me despite my background of being a illegitimate heir.
'It's amazing that despite how old Geonu is he can still perform such feats I guess martial artist really are superhumans surpassing even the limits set by age.'
But this demonstration had the opposite effect of what Geonu likely intended. Instead of reassuring me that I could do it as well, it made me realize just how impossible it was for the current me to achieve the same feat. Still, I could not voice these doubts. I could not afford to lose this opportunity.
As the dust fully settled and the ground remained covered in debris and fragments of the shattered boulder, I recovered from my coughing fit and immediately walked over to Geonu.
"Cough. So, Young Master, I may have gone a little overboard, but as you can see, it is not impossible."
'Easy for you to say when you are far stronger than me in every way.'
"Yes, Geonu, I see that. But one question. How are you going to test me when the massive boulder I am supposed to break is already in pieces?"
"...Right. I may have gone too far. But do not worry, there should be plenty of boulders like that around here. Your test will not be canceled, only delayed until I find another."
'Damn it. I was kind of hoping for a different kind of test, one that was actually seems possible for me.'
"Oh. I see."
"Then let us go look for one now so we can begin the test as soon as possible."
"Geonu, wait. About that... could we consider doing the test another time?"
"Another time?"
As Geonu was about to leave, I stopped him, which clearly confused him. He must have expected me to be eager to find another boulder and begin the test. But after what I had just witnessed, my prior enthusiasm had vanished.
The demonstration had cemented the fact that I was nowhere near his level of strength and could not accomplish the same feat making me doubt if I could even pass the test as I am now with my current state.
'There's no way I can match that level of strength as I am now I need more time.'
Seeing him shatter the boulder with one punch did bring some relief, since it proved it was technically possible. But that small hope quickly faded when I remembered that he was a veteran martial master with decades of experience as one.
While I was definitely strong with me still only in the middle of training to become a true martial artist Geonu was already at that level for years and has been grown stronger that I can imagine, training for years. That realization was enough to crush my confidence.
'No matter how I look at this, it is impossible. But I cannot give up this opportunity.'
I thought deeply about how I could possibly pass this test. There was no way I would give up the chance to learn martial arts. I needed to buy time. It hurt to let this opportunity slip even briefly.
But in my current state, passing the test was impossible. Asking to postpone it was painful, but it was the correct choice since If I fail I'll not only disappoint myself but also Geonu for believing I was ready.
'If it me from back then I could already imagine what would have happened.'
In my previous life, I would have blindly trusted my capabilities and attempted the test, even if it meant failure. But I was no longer a reckless child. My past experiences had taught me that decisions could cost lives, including my own.
As someone who is secretly a mature adult in his younger self body, even if I was pretending to be a child, I could not act so foolishly and embarass myself due to being overconfident with nothing backing it up.
"Yes, Geonu. Another time. I just feel that with as I am now, I cannot pass the test yet. I need more time to prepare."
'The Young Master must be doubting himself. This is the opposite of what I intended. I got too excited and went overboard.'
"But, Young Master, I know my demonstration was overwhelming, but please trust me when I say you are prepared. Are you going to let this opportunity go?"
"No. I am not giving up on the test. I just need a little more time to improve my chances."
"...Fine. I will not stop you. But when can I expect you to take the test?"
"In two or three days at most. I trust your words, but I am not confident enough to trust my own strength blindly. I need to see it for myself first."
"...Alright. But please remember, you are stronger than you think. Even stronger than me."
"...I will keep that in mind."
With that settled, Geonu left to find another massive boulder and handle other matters, such as his secret business and hunting prey for dinner, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Hearing someone say they believed in me, perhaps for the first time, felt heavy, but it also ignited something small yet important within me. Hope. The hope that someone like me could be someone worth believing in.
****
'I only have two or three days. I must use my time wisely and make them count.'
After thinking for a while, I realized that simply training harder would not close the gap between my strength and Geonu's. Even with my unique constitution and fast growth, such rapid improvement was unrealistic. I needed to use my time wisely.
That meant I would not increase my daily training volume. Not because it was useless, but because I trusted Geonu's judgment that my strength was sufficient. Instead, I needed another approach.
'What should I do to increase my chances? Cultivate? That is pointless since I barely know how to use it beyond a few tricks. This is harder than I thought.'
I wandered through the clearing, where boulders and logs still lay scattered, now covered in debris from the shattered boulder. I was deep in thought and not watching where I was going when I bumped into an upright log.
Thud.
'A log? Why is it standing upright... wait. That is... no way. I have an idea.'
It was strange to see a log standing like that when the others were lying flat or stacked together. Then I remembered. I had placed that log there long ago when my body training had just begun.
It was meant to be a test dummy to measure my punching strength. But back then, one punch had nearly broken my hand instead of the log. It was not a pleasant memory, yet it closely resembled the test I now faced.
'If I use this log to experience what it is like to break something hard with my fist, I might find a way to release the strength needed to break the boulder.'
Geonu's demonstration had looked simple, but there was a difference between possessing strength and being able to release it all at once. Breaking something required not just power, but the ability to exert it fully in a single strike.
This would also help me get used to the pain of hitting a hard surface. Even if I doubted I could shatter the boulder in one blow, this practice was necessary. Without hesitation, I took position, imitated Geonu's movements, and threw a straight punch at the upright log with all my strength, bracing for the pain.
Boom!
"...?!"
I had closed my eyes at the moment of impact, unable to watch my fist collide with the log. But when I opened them, I saw something astonishing. The upper half of the log had been instantly obliterated, just like Geonu had done to the boulder.
There was mild pain in my fist, but nothing unbearable. It shocked me that I had broken the log so easily when I had expected several attempts. Perhaps Geonu had been right. I truly had grown stronger, even if I had not noticed it myself.
'That was easier than I thought. I can't deny it any longer, I really am getting stronger.'
This result proved my idea was valid. With more practice, I could learn to release my full strength and get used to the impact pain. It might not take long before I could unleash my body's full power.
I decided then and there to spend the next two or three days practicing my punches, learning to release my strength completely, enduring the pain, and perfectly replicating Geonu's demonstration so I could pass the test and finally walk the path of a true martial artist.
'With this plan, there is no doubt in my mind that after two to three days I'll be prepared and I will pass Geonu's test.'
****