Chapter 187: First Week
The fourth day. Then the fifth. The routine became increasingly intense.
Clavor constantly alternated the exercises, never repeating exactly the same sequence. There was always something different, something new to challenge Lukas, something that forced him out of his comfort zone.
Weighted runs. Lifting logs of different sizes. Stones of different weights. Jumps at different heights. Balance on unstable surfaces. Push-ups at different angles. Sit-ups in different positions. Squats with different loads.
Everything seemed carefully planned, each exercise chosen to develop a specific part of his body, each sequence designed to maximize his growth.
Lukas fell many times, his body still learning to move with precision. He sweated, the sweat running down his face and dripping onto the ground. He breathed heavily, his lungs burning from the effort. His clothes ended up completely soaked, clinging to his skin.
But he never complained. He never asked to stop. Every time Clavor challenged him, he accepted the challenge, determined to surpass his own limits.
...
Sometimes, Tilbo silently appeared in the clearing, his enormous black form emerging from the vegetation like a ghost. The giant ant observed the entire training session, keeping a certain distance, his compound eyes fixed on his partner.
His antennae moved slowly as he followed every exercise, as if studying his movements. Whenever Lukas lifted a particularly heavy log or completed an especially difficult sequence, he let out a faint vibrating sound, a kind of low hum that Lukas had already learned to recognize as approval.
As if he were cheering him on.
Lukas always smiled whenever he saw him, even exhausted, even covered in sweat. It gave him even more motivation, reminding him that he was not alone on his journey.
...
Aurora also quickly noticed the changes. With a mother’s attentive gaze, she noticed every small transformation in her son.
Every night, she found him completely exhausted during dinner. His eyes were tired, his eyelids heavy, his body slumped over the table. Sometimes, he almost fell asleep while eating, the fork stopping halfway to his mouth as his eyes slowly closed.
She sighed softly, worried.
"You’re pushing yourself too hard..."
Clavor merely replied calmly, his voice steady and confident.
"He’s handling it very well. Better than I expected."
Aurora watched Lukas, her eyes scanning her son’s face. She saw the determined light in his eyes, despite all the exhaustion. She saw the way he sat more upright, how his shoulders opened up, how his movements became more confident.
Then, she simply smiled, trusting completely in her husband and her son’s abilities.
...
Judite, on the other hand, thought it was all incredible. To her, her brother’s training was something fascinating, almost magical.
After dinner, she approached Lukas almost every day, her curious eyes fixed on his body. She grabbed his arm, her tiny fingers pressing against his skin to feel the muscles beneath. She squeezed his biceps, his back, and his legs, as if examining an unfamiliar creature.
"Lukas..." Her eyes widened in amazement.
"Your arm is getting hard."
The boy laughed, amused by his sister’s reaction.
"You’re imagining it."
"I’m not!" she insisted, squeezing his arm again.
"Before, it was soft, just like mine. Now it’s hard, just like Dad’s."
Lukas merely smiled without answering. Deep down, he felt it too. He could feel his body changing, transforming, becoming stronger with each passing day.
...
The sixth day was the hardest yet. Clavor combined nearly all the exercises into a single monstrous training session.
First, weighted running. Then, lifting logs. Next, climbing trees. After that, balancing on unstable surfaces. Finally...
A small sparring session.
Clavor used only one hand, his movements slow and controlled. Even so, Lukas couldn’t touch him even once.
Every time he attacked with all the strength he possessed, his father dodged effortlessly, his movements as fluid and precise as water.
"Don’t use only your arms." Clavor corrected as he evaded another attack.
"Rotate your hips. Power comes from the center of the body."
Lukas tried again, adjusting his stance. He missed, his hand passing within inches of the target. He learned, absorbing the correction. Then he tried once more, more focused than before.
"Balance your weight better." Clavor continued, his tone patient.
"An unbalanced warrior is a defeated warrior."
By the time they finally finished, the sun had already begun to descend, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Lukas practically dragged his feet, his movements slow and heavy, every step an effort.
That night, when he entered the bathtub, the sensation from the lotion seemed even more intense. As if it were penetrating deep into every exhausted muscle, reaching places it had never touched before. The burning was almost unbearable, but he endured it.
Fifteen minutes later, he stepped out completely relaxed, his body finally surrendering to relief. Never had a bath feel so wonderful.
...
The seventh day arrived quickly, the sun rising just as it had on the previous days, but something was different.
That morning, before going downstairs for breakfast, Lukas stopped in front of the small mirror in his room. The polished surface reflected his familiar face, his violet eyes, and his white hair.
He spent a few seconds studying his own reflection, his eyes examining every detail.
He was still only a five-year-old child. That hadn’t changed. His face was still youthful, his stature still small, and his overall appearance still that of an ordinary child.
But something was different.
His shoulders seemed slightly broader, as if his muscles were beginning to develop. His arms had faint lines of definition that hadn’t existed before, subtle contours hinting at forming muscles. His legs were also firmer, more solid, with less of the baby fat they had once carried.
They weren’t large muscles. Nor were they striking. Any adult would look at him and see nothing more than a healthy child.
But they were there. Visible. Real.
Lukas smiled to himself, his reflection smiling back at him.
"It worked..."
He hurried downstairs with even greater excitement, his steps light and full of energy.
...
In the clearing, Clavor did not increase the weight of the exercises. He did not add new movements. He introduced no new challenges.
That day, he demanded only one thing.
Perfection.
Every repetition had to be flawless. Every movement had to be executed with surgical precision. There was no room for mistakes, inaccuracies, or sloppy movements.
Lukas performed everything slowly, paying attention to every detail. The position of his feet. The placement of his hands. The alignment of his spine. The rhythm of his breathing. The tension in his muscles.
By the time they finally finished, the sun was already high in the sky, its intense light burning through the leaves. Lukas was breathing heavily, his body completely covered in sweat, his clothes soaked and clinging to his skin.
Even so, he was smiling.
Clavor took a small metal mirror from his backpack, its polished surface gleaming beneath the sunlight.
"Look."
Lukas took the mirror, his fingers wrapping around the cold handle, and looked once more at his own reflection.
Now, after the training, his muscles were even more noticeable. His skin was slightly reddened from the effort, his blood vessels dilated beneath the surface. Small muscular contours stood out on his arms and legs.
Small. Subtle. But clearly different from a week ago.
"Incredible..." he murmured, his eyes traveling over his own body.
"In just one week..."
Clavor placed a hand on his shoulder, his touch firm and warm.
"Your body responds far above average. The lotion helps, yes, but it only enhances what already exists. The credit belongs to you."
Lukas felt his chest grow warm, a deep emotion spreading through him. Hearing those words from his father meant far more than any praise from anyone else.
The two slowly began the journey back to the mansion, walking through the forest in comfortable silence. The sound of birds, the rustling of leaves, the scent of damp earth.
After several minutes of silence, Clavor spoke again, his voice calm and measured.
"Tomorrow we’ll rest."
Lukas immediately looked at him, surprised.
"Rest?"
"Yes." Clavor nodded as he continued walking.
"The body also grows during rest. Training tears the muscle fibers apart, while rest rebuilds them stronger than before."
He paused, his eyes turning toward his son with a mysterious gleam.
"After that... we’ll begin the next phase."
Lukas felt his heart race, anticipation growing in his chest like a flame.
"The next phase?"
Clavor simply nodded, an enigmatic smile curving his lips.
"And it will be much more demanding."
Lukas smiled, a smile filled with anticipation and determination. Only a single week had passed, and his body was already changing little by little. His training had only just begun, and he could hardly wait to discover just how far he would be able to go.