Una noche aterradora: La Cruz

Chapter 18

Ryota was lying on the ground, face up, completely exhausted. His breathing was ragged, and his muscles seemed to refuse to respond. The combat training had been especially intense that day, pushing him to the limits of his endurance. Kento, who was resting beside him, smiled broadly while holding a bottle of water.

—Today was definitely a good training session —Kento said enthusiastically, his energetic voice contrasting with his companion's state.

—It was, but I think it was the most exhausting one yet —Ryota replied, barely able to speak due to the effort. His limbs were so tense and fatigued that he couldn't move a finger.

Kento, amused by his friend's condition, decided to motivate him in his own way. He opened the bottle and began pouring water over Ryota's face.

—Come on, get up already! —Kento insisted while Ryota groaned, trying to avoid the water.

With effort and amidst complaints, Ryota managed to sit up. Meanwhile, Kento kept his jovial attitude.

—You'd better recover quickly because tomorrow will be just as tough or even harder —Kento affirmed with seriousness.

—Yes, sir —Ryota replied in a faint voice.

On the other hand, Rikku, who had arrived at her apartment after a long day, couldn't stop thinking about what happened with her boss, Mr. Muntaro. Despite being kind and considerate at work, everyone knew the pain he hid behind the loss of his wife. The tragedy had left a deep mark on him, although he always maintained a smile and exemplary behavior. However, that day at the café, his frustration had surfaced, and Rikku understood that bottling up those emotions could be harmful to him in the long run. Still, she couldn't help but feel upset about the comments he made about Ryota.

—What a heavy day! I'd better go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day —Rikku murmured as she headed to her room.

The next day, Ryota faced the dreaded pain juice test once again. Once more, he screamed in agony upon choosing the wrong juice. Although he occasionally got it right, he knew it was pure luck. While he suffered, Kento practiced combat moves and did exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, showing an energy that Ryota deeply envied.

—Wow, you're still failing! —Kento commented as he approached after hearing another of Ryota's cries of pain.

—I'm trying to concentrate and clear my mind, but I can't sense anything —Ryota admitted, his frustration growing.

—Remember, Ryota, all of this takes time —Kento said calmly.

—I know, but I feel like I'm missing something. Something I can't quite grasp —Ryota replied, clearly concerned.

—If you feel like something is missing, it means you're starting to understand. You're aware of your limitations, and that's progress. Reflect on what you need to improve. You overcame the rock test, and you'll overcome this one too. Trust your mind and let it guide you to your potential —Kento encouraged him firmly.

—Yes, sir —Ryota replied with renewed determination.

Returning to the training, Ryota closed his eyes, once again trying to concentrate deeply. His focus was on completely clearing his mind of distractions while regulating his breathing with precision: long, controlled inhalations followed by slow exhalations. With this relaxation technique, he sought to enhance his sensory perception. As he tried to find some clue, Ryota decided to take a different approach.

Instead of obsessing over directly guessing the correct juice, as he had in previous attempts, he decided to apply a different strategy. In the previous test, he had focused on perceiving and reacting in the darkness to dodge the falling rocks. This time, however, his focus would not be on the end goal but on allowing his mind to solely identify what was safe, letting his instincts determine the path and necessary decisions.