The next day, Akira knocks on the door of Ken's house. The man stands straight and calm, with his usual serious expression. When Ken opens the door, still a little sleepy and with messy hair, Akira says:
—Today is your first day as a student of the Kai Dojo.
Ken opens his eyes in surprise. His heart starts to beat faster.
Then they both walk toward the dojo. To Ken, the idea of walking feels very boring, since he can fly and arrive much faster using his wings. As he walks, he looks up at the sky several times, wishing he could take off.
After walking more than twenty blocks, they finally arrive.
When they enter, Ken realizes that the dojo is completely empty. There are no people, no voices, no footsteps. The place is large, made of wood, and smells old, as if it had been closed for a long time.
Ken looks around and decides to ask Akira:
—Sensei… why haven't the others arrived yet?
Akira answers calmly:
—Because today I just opened the dojo.
Ken is surprised.
—Then… why did you tell me you had a dojo if it was a lie?
Akira looks at him seriously and replies:
—I didn't lie to you. I had the dojo ready, but I needed a student. And I found one.
Ken frowns.
—So it was all a trick?
Akira slowly shakes his head.
—It wasn't a trick, for one simple reason: I never lied to you. You chose, on your own, to join the dojo and learn aikido.
At that moment, Akira throws an aikido uniform to Ken. Ken catches it clumsily. He looks at it for a few seconds and, with a protesting face, puts it on.
The aikido uniform is white and has a logo on the right side that says Kai.
—Well, let's begin! —says Akira.
He stands in front of Ken.
—The first thing you need to know is what aikido is about. Aikido is not a martial art that focuses on attacking. In aikido, you use your opponent's strength against them.
Akira continues explaining:
—For example, imagine you try to punch me in the face. I use the force of your punch to deflect it and take away your balance. That's how I can defeat you.
Ken crosses his arms.
—That sounds very boring. I prefer attacking.
Akira smiles slightly.
—Attacking can be fun and impressive, but there are moments when attacking doesn't work. That's why, if you want to learn a martial art, aikido is the best choice.
The first training consists of deflecting tennis balls that are launched at high speed by a machine.
Ken gets into position: one leg forward, the other back, arms ready.
—Are you ready? —asks Akira.
—Yes! —Ken replies.
Akira turns on the machine, and balls start flying toward Ken. With great ease, Ken manages to deflect all of them using fast arm movements.
Confident, Ken smiles.
—Is that all, sensei?
Akira answers in a low voice:
—So you think you're already ready…
Akira activates the maximum speed. The balls now move almost at the speed of light. Ken can't deflect them all, and some hit his body, leaving him bruised and hurt.
But it doesn't matter.
Ken clenches his teeth and keeps fighting.
Meanwhile, somewhere else…
Inside a scientific laboratory, Stein stands beside a huge machine that now shows 6 days.
With a terrifying, evil laugh, Stein says:
—In six days, my ultimate creation will be revealed to the world. The strongest being in the universe will appear and destroy anyone who stands in my way.
He finishes with a horrifying laugh.
Back at the dojo, Ken continues training with Akira.
—Now it's time for the second phase of your training —says Akira—. You must stand on your hands and you cannot put your feet down for three hours.
—Three hours?! —Ken exclaims in shock.
—Yes, three hours, just as you heard. Start now.
The second phase of training begins.
Ken tries to keep his balance, but he falls backward, sideways, and forward. He can't hold the position for long.
Sweat runs down his face. His arms and legs tremble.
After three hours of attempts, the second phase ends.
Now comes the third and final phase.
Akira explains:
—You will wear a blindfold. I will try to hit you with a stick. What you must do is dodge all my attacks without seeing.
Ken, annoyed and frustrated, replies:
—That's impossible.
—No, it's not impossible, and I'll prove it. I'll wear the blindfold, and you try to hit me.
Akira puts on the blindfold.
Ken presses his foot against the ground and rushes forward at great speed. He raises his fist and shouts:
—TAKE THIS!
But Akira dodges quickly.
Ken attacks again with a kick, then another punch, then both arms at the same time. His movements are fast and powerful, but Akira moves as if he knows exactly where every strike will be.
Ken hears the sound of his own attacks cutting through the air.
He misses.
Again and again.
Akira moves with small, calm steps, wasting no energy.
Ken stops, breathing heavily.
He tries again.
He runs toward Akira and throws a punch straight at his chest.
Akira turns his body.
Misses again.
Ken falls to his knees, exhausted.
—Alright… I get it now. It's not impossible.
Now Ken puts on the blindfold.
The dark cloth completely covers his vision.
Everything becomes silent.
He only hears his breathing… and Akira's.
—Get ready —says Akira.
Suddenly, a hard blow hits Ken's shoulder.
—AH!
Another hit on his leg.
Another on his back.
Ken moves desperately, but he doesn't know where to go.
He feels fear.
He feels pain.
The stick hits his arm again.
Ken falls to the ground.
He clenches his fists.
—I can't see anything… —he thinks—. I don't know where it's coming from…
He stands up, trembling.
Akira does not stop.
Another strike brushes past his head.
Ken breathes fast.
His heart pounds.
Then he remembers Akira's words.
"Use your opponent's strength."
"Don't attack. Feel."
Ken stops moving.
He stands still.
He breathes deeply.
Slow.
Once.
Twice.
His body begins to relax.
He stops thinking.
He only listens.
A small sound.
Air moving.
A step.
Ken opens his eyes behind the blindfold.
"There…"
Akira raises the stick and swings it down toward Ken's head at great speed.
But Ken moves.
He tilts his body to the side.
The stick passes by.
Silence.
Akira smiles with happiness.
—For today, training is over.
Tired and exhausted, Ken arrives home. He lies down on his bed and quickly falls asleep.
On his face, there is a look of happiness.
Because, for the first time in his life, he can be free.