The boys were sound asleep in Jinhu's room after a night of laughing and joking.
BOOM.
Jinhu's door flew off its hinges. All three boys shot up and stared at Mu Jang.
"60... 59... 58."
Blue looked at Jinhu. "Im starting to wonder if that door has ever hit you in the head. It would explain alot."
"You want to stay in my room tonight. Or like... forever. Yours isn't safe."
Ilho and Blue laughed rolling on the floor. Jinhu threw pillows at both of them. "Seriously, if he's counting, we'd better get a move on."
"That's some serious ptsd." Blue said.
"What the hell is ptsd? I just don't want a rod up my ass, we should move." Ilho said.
The three ran outside to the courtyard. The sun had barely kissed the sky, Silent Edge was still asleep. As the boys got to the courtyard, Wu Jin stood with the rod across his shoulders. Mu Jang, Sa Gwan, Cheng and Yeol flanked both sides.
Wu Jin stepped forward. "Sorry to wake you, there are a couple things that need to be said and done." Wu Jin paced back and forth in front of the boys tapping his rod on his hand. "First, this tournament as you know is held every year. It is Murim’s finest warriors from the rising generation. They are disciples, young leaders of great families. Spoon fed warriors of great clans and sects. Prodigies. Most have trained since birth.
The three boys looked at each other.
Wu Jin continued. "We never participated because Silent Edge is a band of misfits, trash thrown away from the same families, clans and sects you're about to fight. We operated under the wing of the alliance, doing their dirty work. Thanks to to Wu Cheng, we have an opportunity to step out from that. To be a proper sect, but that requires you..." Wu jin pointed his rod at the boys. "... To win."
Wu Cheng stepped forward. "You three have a real shot to win. To bring a sweeping change to Murim itself. We are going to help you, give you a little shove. Each of you are on the cusp of first rate. With this..." Cheng held his hand out. Yeol stepped forward and placed a box in his hand. "...you will reach first rate. And if you can handle it, achieve a body transformation."
Yeol stepped forward. "First rate is only the beginning. Beyond that lies mastery. 5 stars for each rank is how Murim identifies strength. Master, Grandmaster, Sovereign, Ascendant, Myth and Transcendant. I am a three star Ascendant. Wu Cheng is two star. You're masters are all Sovereigns. Wu Jin at three stars. These two at two."
Wu Jin stepped forward. "We are telling you this, so you don't get a big head. You will be facing first rates. That's it. But Murim is much bigger than this tournament. You must always strive for strength and continue to keep working hard."
Wu Cheng stepped forward box in hand. He opened it and gave each boy a red elixir. Yeol began to speak. "These are Crimson Iron Elixirs. Taken from the Tang vault. They will give you enough qi to reach first rate. If you're disciplined enough, and resilient enough. You may also undergo a body transformation. Only one in ten who take these achieve a body transformation. Don't be discouraged if you don't. Just focus on the qi, absorb as much as you can."
Silence fell between everyone. The boys stared at the elixirs. Jinhu raised his hand. "Ummm... do we take them now?" Blue and Ilho's palms met their faces. Mu Jang laughed, Sa Gwan muttered. "Brute."
Wu Jin stepped toward Jinhu and tapped his head with the rod. "No, but i pray it transforms this." He stepped back. "We will begin at noon. For now eat, rest, pray, whatever it is you do. But do not be late. Noon at the pavilion."
At noon the boys approached the central pavilion. All one hundred and twenty-five members of Silent Edge stood lined up. As the boys walked, the members nodded. Not just acknowledgement, not anticipation for the possible body transformations. Rather, they all knew these three would give them the opportunity to stop being the Alliance’s dogs. A chance for them to turn their family into a real Sect.
The boys walked into the pavilion. Wu Jin looked at Silent Edge. "No one comes in until this is finished."
"YES SIR." One hundred and twenty-five voices rang out in unison. The giant doors slammed closed.
Inside sat three mats with a jug of water behind them. The boys each took their place on a mat. Wu Jin stood in front of them. "From here, Your masters will guide you, force your meridians open, help you tear through the limits of your flesh. You'll suffer pain worse than death. But beyond the pain… lies strength. The strength to carry Silent Edge into a new era."
Wu Cheng spoke. "If you can go through a body transformation this could take upwards of forty eight hours. Endure it."
The boys nodded and ate their elixirs. Sa Gwan knelt behind Ilho, palms on his back. "Follow my path. Let the shadows guide you."
Wu Jang exhaled behind Jinhu. "All your meridians, boy. Become the mountain."
Wu Jin behind Blue said nothing at first, merely closed his eyes. Yet while the others struggled, his disciple…
He's doing this seamlessly, Wu Jin thought. Like it's nothing…
Blue grinned faintly. This isn't as bad as-
JOLT.
Blue's back arched. He clenched his jaw.
"FOCUS!" Wu Jin barked. "This is only the beginning."
12 hours passed. Yeol looked at Cheng shocked. "All three of them?" He poured the water jug into Sa Gwans mouth.
"Seems as Buddha himself is guiding Silent Edge." Mu Jang took a gulp of water from Cheng's jug.
12 hours later, Ilho's body stilled. His breath steadied and his muscles relaxed. Cheng and Yeol knelt in front of Ilho as he opened his eyes. They had changed. The whites of his eyes turned to a soft gray. His pupils were darker. His muscles were no longer bulged out. They were tighter, lighter but carried more weight. Ilho blinked. The qi flowed naturally into them and the world slowed in front of him. He noticed a spider in the rafters. He disappeared. Cheng and Yeol looked up. Ilho sat perched in the rafters, spider in hand. He jumped down and knelt in front of Sa Gwan. "Thank you."
Sa Gwan muttered between breaths. "28 years of qi, and those eyes. Well done." He patted Ilho on the head.
Ten hours passed as Cheng and Yeol watched Ilho dance around the rafters. Ilho stopped. "He's ready."
The four of them watched as Jinhu's body relaxed, his skin turned a bronze color. Jinhu opened his eyes, stretched and stood. He took a step and cracked the floor beneath him. His feet had widened. His bones became more dense. His back and shoulders also widened. His muscles, everywhere, were more defined. It was as if he'd truly become a mountain. Mu Jang stood. "Now THAT'S what I call a foundation." He slapped Jinhu on the back harder than normal. Jinhu didn't budge. He turned. "So, does that mean my door stays alive from now on?" Everyone laughed. Cheng put his fingers on Jinhu's arm. "Twenty-four years. First-rate. Congratulations." Jinhu looked at Ilho. "You're tiny."
"Hmph, and you're still an idiot. A strong idiot, but an idiot nonetheless."
Eight hours later the elders and Ilho and Jinhu stood watching Blue. They had watched his body tense up, screams from pain. At one point the screams stopped, his breathing slowed. Wu Jin backed off and stood, nearly fainting before Ilho caught him. Blue's body fell backwards. His chest rising slowly. Yeol rushed to his side. "No way."
His hair now had a faint gold color near the roots. His hair shined bright blue. Golden light pulsed from his body. Blue opened his eyes. When he did he saw the system panel.
[System Notification]
[Body Transformation Achieved]
[Heavenly Golden Body: Minor Realm]
[At the end of pain... is progress]
Blue stood, he had grown a few inches. He now met Yeol's eye level. His body had become leaner but more dense. Muscles were defined. His hair now reached halfway down his back, a hint of golden light shimmered off his skin. In a flash it disappeared, absorbed into his body. Yeol put his hand on Blue's shoulder. Blue turned. "Is this enough strength?"
Yeol smiled. "No, but this rebirth is just the start for you."