DOJO [chapter 5]

The sun had just risen over the bustling downtown streets, signaling the end of Rala's morning meditation. He quickly cooked himself breakfast and headed to school, but a nagging feeling of discomfort lingered within him since his meditation session.

The day at school was ordinary, but the discomfort continued to worsen as the day progressed. As soon as Rala returned home, he retreated to his bed and assumed the lotus position.

He noticed that the dust particles he typically absorbed during meditation were not being absorbed, prompting him to enter the white room. Once inside, a colorful mist engulfed his vision, and the space inside the room shrank, causing it to deform slightly.

Rala willed his energy into a nearby statue, and his body transformed into his cat form, covered in a translucent blue energy that mimicked a cat's genome.

He remained in this form for five minutes before reversing the transformation. Rala realized that the white room's capacity was at 97%, and he couldn't absorb any more energy without experiencing unbearable pain.

To solve this problem, Rala reasoned that he needed to strengthen his body by gaining more muscle. He spent the following day searching for a dojo and found one called Dojo Warriors Inc.

He registered for classes and was set to begin learning Muay Thai the following day.

As Rala prepared for bed that night, he couldn't help but wonder about the possibility of manipulating the energy's state. He thought that increasing the energy concentration could turn it into a liquid state, giving him a higher quality and quantity of energy.

The next day, Rala saw Spiderman on the news but wasn't interested since he had more pressing matters to consider. After school, he rushed to his dojo class in his cat form, eager to learn and improve.

Rala stepped into the dojo for his first jujitsu and taekwondo class, feeling excited but also nervous. The room was filled with students of all ages, from kids in colorful belts to adults in black. Rala found a spot at the back of the room and watched as the instructor demonstrated various techniques and movements.

The class began with a warm-up session that included stretches, calisthenics, and cardio exercises. Rala was already sweating by the end of it, but he knew he needed to push himself if he wanted to improve. After the warm-up, the instructor divided the class into groups based on skill level and began teaching different techniques.

Rala's group focused on jujitsu techniques, starting with basic throws and takedowns. The instructor demonstrated each move and then had the students pair up to practice. Rala was paired with a fellow beginner, and they took turns practicing the techniques on each other. It was challenging at first, as they struggled to find the right balance and timing, but with each repetition, Rala felt himself improving.

As the class progressed, they moved on to more advanced techniques, such as joint locks and submissions. Rala found these moves more difficult to master, as they required a lot of coordination and finesse. But he was determined to learn, and he practiced the moves over and over again, sometimes with a partner and sometimes on his own.

After an hour of jujitsu, the class switched to taekwondo techniques. This martial art focused more on kicks and strikes, and Rala found it to be a nice change of pace. They started with basic kicks, such as front kicks and roundhouse kicks, and then moved on to more advanced combinations.

Rala found taekwondo to be more physically demanding than jujitsu, as the kicks required a lot of leg strength and flexibility. He struggled at first, often losing his balance or not getting the proper technique down. But the instructor and his fellow students were supportive, offering tips and encouragement to help him improve.

As the class came to an end, Rala was exhausted but also exhilarated. He had learned so much in just one session, and he felt his body getting stronger and more agile with each move. He knew he had a long way to go before he could call himself a skilled martial artist, but he was excited to continue learning and improving.

As he left the dojo, he felt a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that he had taken the first step on a challenging but rewarding journey.