The air was thick with morning mist as Oliver stood in the middle of the training ground, rolling his shoulders. His body had adapted over the months, becoming stronger, faster, and more precise. Every muscle in his body ached from constant training, but he relished the feeling.
Across from him, Might Guy grinned, striking one of his infamous poses.
"YOSH! TODAY, WE SHALL PUSH YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH TO A NEW LEVEL!"
Beside him, Tetsuo leaned against a tree, arms crossed. His sharp eyes studied Oliver critically.
"You've improved," the weapons master admitted. "But you still have weaknesses. If you don't fix them, you'll die the moment you face a real shinobi."
Oliver smirked. "That's what you're both here for, right?"
Tetsuo huffed but said nothing.
Might Guy, on the other hand, exploded with enthusiasm.
"THAT'S THE SPIRIT! THEN LET US BEGIN—A THREE-PHASE TRAINING REGIMEN TO TEST YOUR STRENGTH, SPEED, AND TECHNIQUE!"
Oliver barely had time to react before Guy was gone.
The Trial of Speed
A blur of green shot toward him.
Oliver barely twisted out of the way in time. He felt the whoosh of air as Guy's kick passed within inches of his face.
"Damn, he's faster than before!"
But Oliver had prepared for this.
He activated his Phantom Step technique, shifting his weight at the last second, letting Guy's attacks just barely miss. The key to Phantom Step wasn't just dodging—it was making the opponent think they had landed a hit, only for the attack to slide past harmlessly.
But Guy wasn't fooled.
"EXCELLENT EVASION! BUT CAN YOU KEEP UP?"
Suddenly, Guy vanished.
Oliver's instincts screamed at him. He turned, barely catching the flicker of movement in his peripheral vision.
He didn't think—he moved.
He pivoted on his heel, twisting his body just enough to avoid a devastating punch to the ribs. But even then, the force of the near-miss sent a shockwave through his body.
"I can't dodge forever. I need to counterattack."
Using the momentum from his dodge, Oliver shifted his weight and swung a tonfa at Guy's exposed side.
But Guy caught it with his bare hand.
A grin split his face. "GOOD! BUT—"
With a simple flick of his wrist, Guy tossed Oliver across the training ground.
Oliver twisted midair, landing in a crouch. He groaned, rubbing his sore arm.
Guy nodded approvingly. "You lasted longer this time! But evasion alone won't win you battles. You must be able to strike back!"
Oliver exhaled, steadying his breath.
"Then let's go again."
The Trial of Technique
After an hour of high-speed combat, Guy finally called a break—though Oliver suspected it was more for his sake than his student's.
That's when Tetsuo stepped in.
"Enough playing around. Now we focus on technique."
He tossed Oliver a new weapon—a metal-reinforced bowstaff.
"You've got speed. You've got reflexes. But you still hesitate when you're unarmed. This staff will fix that."
Oliver tested the weapon's weight. It was balanced, heavier than his tonfa but surprisingly easy to maneuver.
Tetsuo smirked. "Let's begin."
The training that followed was grueling. Tetsuo forced Oliver through complex drills—spinning the staff, parrying invisible strikes, counterattacking with precision.
It was an entirely different style from his usual archery-based combat. The bowstaff required him to stay in close range, blocking and striking in rapid succession.
And Tetsuo didn't take it easy.
Every mistake was punished with a sharp whack to his knuckles or ribs. Every misstep resulted in being knocked flat on his back.
But Oliver learned. Fast.
Soon, the movements became natural. His mind started combining the staff techniques with his Phantom Step style—dodging and counterattacking in one fluid motion.
By the end of the session, Oliver was drenched in sweat, his muscles screaming in protest.
Tetsuo watched him carefully.
"Not bad," he muttered. "You might actually survive out there."
Oliver grinned through his exhaustion. "High praise coming from you."
Tetsuo just snorted.
The Trial of Endurance
The sun had started to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and red. Most would call it a day.
But not Might Guy.
"WE SHALL FINISH WITH ENDURANCE TRAINING!"
Oliver groaned. "You have to be joking."
Guy just grinned. "THE FINAL CHALLENGE—A LAP AROUND THE VILLAGE!"
Oliver sighed. "Fine. How many laps?"
Guy's grin widened.
"FIFTY!"
Oliver stared at him. "You're insane."
"INSANELY YOUTHFUL!"
And so, he ran.
Each step burned, each breath was heavy, but Oliver refused to stop. Guy ran beside him, laughing with boundless energy, while Tetsuo simply watched from a distance, shaking his head.
This was his life now.
Brutal. Exhausting. Unrelenting.
But he wouldn't trade it for anything.
Because he was becoming stronger.
And soon—no one would be able to stand in his way.