" Why don't you let me go next?". Derrick said.Harrison walked close to Derrick. " What do you think you're doing?". He whispered." Can you not see what they were doing to those boys? I'm a trainee too, let me take his place". Derrick replied as he went towards the mat.Max stood in front of him to block him. " Who the hell do you think you are?". He askedDid they think they could ignore the rules and send in an apprentice? " I'm a trainee too and I want to take his place". Derrick pointed at the scared boy huddling in the corner.Max turned to Harrison, " Is this true?". Harrison nodded and held Derrick's shoulder. " Do you know what you're getting into? These guys have reached the limits of their bodies. Do not be impulsive.We will surely give the boys medical attention. Stand aside and this will soon be done with".Derrick had an annoyed face, " And you're just going to watch as they harm your trainees?"." There are rules concerning a challenge......"." Spare me that cra
" Well then, what do we have here?".Derrick raised Marcel until he was face to face with him. His smile grew wide until it reached his ears.The boy really pissed him off. Two times he had hit him and both times he aimed for the face. Who aims for the face? He raised his hand.Pah!Marcel's right cheek inflated immediately. Derrick raised his hand again and slapped. Pah! Pah! Pah!.Derrick continued slapping until a red hand print formed on Marcel's face.He was enjoying himself. This guy's face was really smooth. Slapping it gave his palm a good sensation. Suddenly, he felt the weight on his hand disappear. Looking at his hand he saw that Marcel was gone. He looked up and saw Max dropping Marcel on the floor away from the mat. Max turned back to Derrick and smiled." Bullying children are we now?". His smile looked as genuine as one looking at a beloved family member. He took a step forward and suddenly Derrick lost sight of him. In that fraction of a second Derrick felt a
" Let's do it now".Harrison looked thoughtfully at Derrick." Are you sure?". He asked." Hundred percent". Derrick answered.Harrison nodded. He admired Derrick's determination."Since you're that certain I reckon we can begin your awakening now".He went to the wall behind the tree and tapped it three times. A part of the wall slid open revealing a small space inside. He stretched his hand inside and took something out. It was a bottle. It looked just like the bottle for the synthetic fluid except this one was not green, it was a clear blue color. He brought it to Derrick," Drink this. I normally don't do this but since you're a special case I don't see why not".Derrick took the bottle from him and drained it in one gulp.Whoosh! Derrick's eyes opened wide. This feeling! He could feel his mind opening. This was just like the synthetic fluid except that it only affected his mind and was amplified a hundred times." As of now you should feel your mind relaxed. Close your eyes
" And where would that be now?".Derrick knew that there was no way the Martial Arts Training Headquarters was in Burrin. He liked new places but anywhere away from would be too different for him to endure. For one he had never left Burrin once in his life. Though the country was not perfect, he was content living here." The Headquarters is in Starlight City". Harrison answered.Starlight City was the city with the most population in the most powerful country in the world, Azhar which also served as a continent of its own. This was the first among the five major world powers. It stood as the pioneer of mankind's development from the ancient times. " From your expression, I guess you're not too keen on going anywhere but I just have to tell you. That's always how it's been. Our Martial arts training center is just a side branch of the main thing in Starlight City. Our main job is to produce first-stage martial apprentices. We have no further knowledge on how to train you past this
" And where would that be now?".Derrick knew that there was no way the Martial Arts Training Headquarters was in Burrin. He liked new places but anywhere away from would be too different for him to endure. For one he had never left Burrin once in his life. Though the country was not perfect, he was content living here." The Headquarters is in Starlight City". Harrison answered.Starlight City was the city with the most population in the most powerful country in the world, Azhar which also served as a continent of its own. This was the first among the five major world powers. It stood as the pioneer of mankind's development from the ancient times. " From your expression, I guess you're not too keen on going anywhere but I just have to tell you. That's always how it's been. Our Martial arts training center is just a side branch of the main thing in Starlight City. Our main job is to produce first-stage martial apprentices. We have no further knowledge on how to train you past this
Derrick waved at Agnes as he left the front doors of the center after which he entered his car and drove into the road. Per normal there was a long line of slow-moving cars on the road. He smiled wryly, " Why is there always a hold-up?."It was around 6 pm, it was late and everyone was trying to get home from work. This period was called the 'Rush Hour', describing the period everyone rushed home from wherever they went during the day.Derrick relaxed in his seat and recapped everything that had happened today. It was a very interesting day. He had first found out he had reached his limits before he fought those children at the challenge. After which Harrison took him to break through to the martial apprentice stage, of which he had broken into the second stage almost immediately. It was surprising how many things happened in just one day. The car in front of Derrick moved forward a bit and Derrick stepped on the accelerator and also moved forward. This was going to repeat itself f
Derrick got up from the chair and took out a yoga mat from his room. He laid it floor in front of the television and sat crosslegged. He was a little nervous as he had drunk the synthetic fluid yesterday which aided him to enter a trance. Its effects had already faded from his body by now and he was going to be entering a trance unaided this time. He closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and searched for that state. Not surprisingly, the grey outlines of his surroundings soon showed in the vision of his mind's eye. The only difference this time was that he did not feel the overwhelming effects of the synthetic fluid that he felt last time. He was still able to enter it just as easily as the last time though. He looked around and smiled wryly. There was a stark difference in the spiritual energy amount here compared to the one at the martial arts training center. The amount of spiritual energy here was in sparse amounts. So small that there might have just been nothing here at all.
" Alright. This has been bothering me for some time now. In what possible way can I stay in the meditation state while I go about my normal daily activities?".Derrick crossed his fingers and looked at the president hopefully. He was on tight ropes and really needed help.The president's eyes narrowed and he suspiciously scanned Derrick. Why would a newbie martial apprentice need something like that? At his stage?It was impossible. " And why would you want that at this your present level?". He asked.Harrison too was confused. Why would Derrick want something like that and with such urgency? It was like wanting to ride a bicycle after just learning how to crawl. He stared at Derrick weirdly.Derrick exhaled. He had expected this. He knew no one would just give him the answers without wanting to know why he needed them. He had hoped to bamboozle Harrison into not asking for the reason, but the minute he had seen the president he had rushed into asking him and it seemed like the pre