Long collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The trainees' faces were frozen in shock, while the student whose arm had been broken writhed in pain, unable to believe what had happened.
One of the instructors rushed toward him: "You idiot! I told you to test him, not to insult the one who saved the Sect Lady!"
The instructor in charge of the arena stood still, his face angry, but behind that anger was a hidden respect: "To release a technique this powerful with such a weak body? This boy... he's not ordinary."
News reached the Sect Master in less than an hour. He entered the arena, his eyes stern:
"Where is he?"
The instructor pointed to Long, lying in a far corner of the arena. The Sect Master approached and looked at him for a long time, then turned to the instructors:
"Take care of him. From today, the senior instructors will personally oversee his training."
He raised his voice so everyone could hear:
"This boy, Long, is hereby declared the future guardian of the Sect Lady. Whoever harms him shall be considered a traitor!"
Then he left, leaving behind a tense and silent arena.
---
Two days later, Long woke up, his body wrapped in bandages, his chest rising and falling with difficulty. He found Cha sitting next to him, her head lowered, whispering:
"If something had happened to you... I would never forgive myself."
He slowly opened his eyes and whispered teasingly:
"You look ugly when you cry."
She quickly raised her head, then gently hit him on the shoulder:
"And you're stupid too."
He smiled through the pain and said:
"The journey has begun... and I won't settle for anything less than the top."
---
In the days that followed, Long began his new training under experienced instructors. He took harsh blows, but his smile never faded. He progressed at a strange pace, and his warrior spirit amazed everyone.
But behind it all, Long was hiding something...
"I need three more techniques... Only then can I begin the real stage."
He looked up at the sky, his smile full of mystery:
"Wait for me, peak of the world... Long is coming."