''R-Really?'' Azura asked with her eyes slowly widening.
Ichiro grabbed her frail-looking arms and tried to feel the invisible muscles hidden, ''Reason, why your arm broke, was your body unable to contain all that stress that comes with Iron Style, but that's why I will create Iron Style of Fundamentals.''
''I-I want to learn!'' Azura replied with half-shout, but then she tried to act cool, ''I would like to learn,'' She said with a sweet smile.
Ichiro smiled and nodded, ''I will start creating the Iron Style of Fundamentals, and I hope it won't take too long to create it... I should be able to create basic versions fairly easily.''
Azura nodded with excitement and said, ''I will increase the strength of my physique until then!''
Ichiro nodded and took another notebook from the cabinet, and started writing a training routine for Azura.
Once he was done writing, he ripped the page from it and gave the paper to Azura, ''Do this for next few months; it should help.''
Azura took it and held it closely at her chest, ''I won't disappoint you, master!'' She looked at Ichiro's face and smugly smiled.
Ichiro crossed his arms and smirked, ''Well well well, disciple.''
''Yes, master!'' She did a quick salute and puffed her chest forwards.
''First motto of Iron Style! Losing is cringe!'' He puffed his chest and paced back and forth while Azura innocently nodded, ''Yes, master!''
''Second motto of Iron Style! Don't do drugs; it's too expensive, and then you won't have enough money to pay for lessons!''
''O-Oh, alright.'' Azura still smiled, even though that motto was slightly weird.
Ichiro nodded with approval, ''You are my best student so far; I am proud of you.'' He sat down on the bed in a cross-legged pose.
''B-But, I-I am your only student.'' Azura giggled and scratched her head.
''First of many...'' Ichiro murmured after the playtime was over, he patted the spot next to him, and Azura came obediently and sat down next to him.
''I have a story to tell you.'' He suddenly said, which caused Azura to become curious.
''Yes?'' She looked at him closely and listened closely.
''Long time ago, there was a young boy who didn't fit with anyone, especially with his old-fashioned parents, who acted like they wanted what is good for him, but the young boy found out that his parents didn't want best of him, they didn't want him to embarrass them.'' Ichiro looked at her, and his face looked nostalgic.
Azura nodded and continued listening.
''That young boy had a certain kind of obsession.'' Ichiro wryly smiled and muttered, ''It could be called as an obsession...''
He took a deep breath, before continuing, ''That young man was very obsessed with Martial Arts since the age of 8. One day, he saw his classmates play fighting, and he wanted to play with them.'' He chuckled and continued, ''At first, his classmates didn't accept him, because the young boy was the black sheep of the class and nobody wanted to spend time with him because he was... Different.''
Azura already felt bad for the young boy and hearing Ichiro's tone when he was talking about the story, she knew that the story was close to his heart, that's why she used every fiber in her body to listen to every word, because if it is an important story for Ichiro, then it is for her as well!
''The young boy stopped bothering them, but he couldn't forget about the scene of the biggest kid in his class beating up another kid, who was much skinnier. He thought that it was only a game, but when he looked at it closely... The skinny kid didn't like the game and wanted to stop, but other kids didn't stop, and the teachers didn't care.''
''Skinny kid was getting bullied?'' Azura asked with her soft hand touching her chest.
Ichiro nodded, ''The kids who were beating him up didn't know that they were bullying him because they were still innocent and didn't know better, so they acted like it was another game.''
He looked at his own hand, which was completely unharmed, which is miraculous after the experience he has suffered, ''Then one day, the skinny kid never returned to the school, there were rumors of him moving away and the other kids didn't have anyone to play with anymore, or more precisely, they didn't have sandbag anymore.''
Azura grabbed his hand and anxiously asked, ''What happened next?''
''One day, they saw the young boy playing in a sandbox, so they decided to include him with their game, and his role was to be the sandbag.'' Ichiro rubbed the soft hand, which was touching his, and continued, ''There were around 8 or 9 kids who wanted to play, and all of them targeted the young boy; at first, they managed to hit him a few times, but then young boy realized that... Why won't he hit back? It would be a much better game if he would fight back.''
Azura grabbed the hand tighter and waited with a racing heartbeat.
''And so he did...'' Ichiro smiled, ''And so he did... Everyone found out that day why was the young boy different from others... Because he was... Strong.''
''Strong...'' Azura murmured.
''The young boy fought back and won... He won... Won... Won... Won... Won... Once the kids started crying, the teachers came and slapped the young boy's cheeks, saying stuff like violence is bad, blah blah blah...'' Ichiro shook his head, ''Once the young boy got hit in the cheeks... Can you guess what he did?''
''A-Apologized?'' Azura guessed.
Ichiro chuckled and shook his head, ''No... He fought back!''
''What?!'' Azura covered her mouth in shock, and soon a smile was painted on her attractive face, ''Haha, he attacked the teacher?''
''Yes... And he won!'' Ichiro grinned, ''The teacher was 40 years old lady, she was a complete bitch and annoying as well, and the young boy wiped the floor with her, but she didn't get injured, few bruises, nothing too bad, but she wanted the young boy to get jailed.''
Azura widened her eyes and asked, ''What happened?''
Ichiro shrugged, ''Nothing, everyone thought that the old lady was crazy; how could someone so short and weak-looking kid able to beat up 10 kids and adult.''
He looked at Azura's beautiful face, which had a small smile.
''That was the start of his long journey.'' Ichiro smiled.
''When did his journey end?'' Azura asked with a hopeful gaze. She hoped that the young boy managed to reach his happiness.
Ichiro grabbed her hand and tenderly smiled, ''His journey.... Hasn't ended yet.''
