God of Rebirth: Chronicles of Mmñjed

Chapter 7: Invitation to the Second Level

Chapter 7: Invitation to the Second Level

The sweat glistened on Aiden’s brow as he punched the bag for what felt like the thousandth time. He had been training relentlessly in the dojo for six hours straight, pushing his body to the limit. His muscles ached, the burn searing through his arms and legs, but he wasn’t ready to stop. Night had already fallen, and the dojo had long since emptied. The only sound was the rhythmic thud of his fists against the bag and his steady breathing, as if the dojo itself was alive, echoing his determination.

The silence was broken by the creaking of a heavy gate swinging open. Aiden, mid-punch, froze and turned his head towards the sound. The wooden door slid open, and an old man stepped into the dimly lit room. His posture was straight, his presence commanding despite his age. His steps were slow, deliberate, each one making the wooden floor beneath his feet creak in response. There was something undeniably powerful about the way he moved, like the dojo itself acknowledged him.

Aiden lowered his fists, still catching his breath. “You’re still training?” the old man said, his voice carrying the weight of years but still strong.

Aiden wiped his face with the back of his hand, trying to discern the man's purpose. “Yeah,” he replied. “And you must be one of the senior instructors, right?”

The old man’s lips twitched into a slight smile. “Very senior,” he said calmly.

There was a pause, the air between them thick with unspoken meaning. The old man’s eyes were sharp, taking in every detail of Aiden—the exhaustion, the determination, the questioning look in his eyes.

“Do you want to advance?” the old man asked suddenly, his voice piercing the quiet. “I mean, truly advance. To the second level.”

Aiden hesitated, his heart racing, though whether from the exertion or the man’s words, he couldn’t tell. “The second level?” he repeated, unsure if he’d heard correctly. “But I thought it was prohibited for... people like me, for normal students to even know about it.”

“Well,” the old man shrugged, “exceptions are made. It’s rare—maybe once every twenty years or so—but it happens. In the 150-year history of this dojo, you wouldn’t be the first.”

Aiden’s mind raced. He had heard whispers of the second level but had always assumed it was a myth or something reserved for the elite few. The old man’s eyes were unwavering, watching as Aiden processed this new reality. It was an opportunity, one that could change everything.

Just as Aiden was about to respond, a sudden knock echoed through the hall, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching hurriedly. The door swung open, and a young attendant, his face flushed with urgency, stepped inside.

“Master,” the attendant said breathlessly, addressing the old man, “the police are here.”

The atmosphere shifted instantly. Aiden felt his stomach tighten. He exchanged a look with the old man, whose expression remained unreadable.

“We should see what they want,” the old man said calmly, gesturing for Aiden to follow.

As they stepped out into the cool night air, the garden surrounding the dojo glowed faintly under the moonlight. Seated on a set of chairs were four police officers, their uniforms crisp and their faces stern. Aiden’s heart pounded as he recognized one of them—the officer who had interrogated him on his first day at the dojo. The officer’s eyes lit up with recognition as he stood and pointed directly at Aiden.

“That’s him, sir,” the officer said to his superior, his tone accusatory. “He’s the one.”

The senior officer raised a hand, signaling for the junior to calm down. “Sit,” he ordered, his voice steady but authoritative. He then turned his attention to the old man, his demeanor shifting to one of respect.