Chapter 2: Training
He jumped out of his bed and got dressed. Afterwards he snuck outside the house and into his family's backyard to start his workout routine. He decided that he would start training young as a child's body was more malleable, especially in terms of flexibility. He started to warm up his body with some jumping jacks and rotational movements for the back, shoulder, and joints.
During the warmup, he realized that his balance was off while standing on one leg. He didn't think much of it and just finished his warmup with dynamic stretching.
At last, he positioned himself in his stance. Standing with his back straight, chin tucked and his palms up in front of his face pointing ahead. Legs slightly apart with his right foot ahead of his left foot. Most of the weight on his left back foot and only on his toes with his front right foot.
He began to shadowbox to get his body really started and used to the motions. A simple combination of a jab, straight, a hook, a lead head kick and ending it with a fall on his back.
"Ugh. Fuck!" He exclaimed on the ground. His eyes widened and he immediately covered his mouth with his hands. He looked around cautiously and after seeing no one around he sighed out in relief. After he got used to his past life's memories, he started cursing on occasion.
His mother gave him and his father a good beating for having a dirty mouth. Anyway, he looked down at his hands and sighed again.
He hated those moments when he tried to do something, he was good at before, only to fail miserably now.
"New body equals no muscle memory. A beginner once again." He muttered to himself. Since reincarnating he stumbled upon those moments all the time.
He was especially frustrated with writing. He couldn't write for long as his hand would cramp after a short period of time. It was like he was trying to learn writing with his other hand.
You probably asking why it would be this difficult, well to make it clear, have you ever watched a video in which someone described how to do a cool card trick or a backflip and then tried to emulate them? Just because someone knows the how, doesn't mean one can actually pull it off.
His body started from zero despite his memories. Of course, he conveniently forgot that he was learning those skills a lot faster than he did originally.
"And here I thought I would be at least on the same technical level. Seems like I have to grind that muscle memory."
He did just that. Super slow punches and kicks. He used a window as a mirror to see if he was doing okay. Coupled with his memories of training and actual combat worth several years, his control increased rapidly.
After half an hour a voice interrupted him.
"Awwww~. Look at you go, my little adorable fighter. Come inside Leo breakfast is done~" At some point his mom, Ally, came out as she heard him exercising.
"I am not adorable! I am a manly man!" He said while definitely not pouting. He ran inside to sit at the table and start eating. A short break before he started working out again, he thought naively. He was just practicing his form, so he could train for a lot longer than one could against a heavy bag.
When he ran inside, he saw an empty table. He was a bit confused until he heard his mom's voice. "Be a dear and set the table for me." Turned to her with betrayal written on his face to which she just raised an eyebrow, daring him to say something.
The fact that she took off one of her slippers as if she would pick it up the moment, he defied her, was a great motivator to shut his mouth.
His face went pale, he silently ran to the cupboard and set the table one item at a time.
A short while later his father, John, came in through the front door with buns from the nearby bakery. "Pfffft. Buddy why are you hanging off the shelf?" John suppressed his laugh at the bizarre sight of his son hanging from a shelf.
His terrified face and the fact that his feet were only 30cm away from the ground didn't help make the situation look more gracious.
"I am setting the table!!" He screamed while panicking. He accidentally pushed away the stool and was now only a hand release away from his death.
He could practically hear his father's grin from behind him. His father just left him hanging while he took the steaming coffee cup from his mom.
"Since when are you making him set the table?" He asked her while sitting down to cut the buns.
"Hmph. If he is old enough to shadowbox, then he is mature enough to set the table."
John just raised an eyebrow at that and followed up with a question. "Shadowbox? Did he watch a karate movie again?"
"I don't think so. He was rather proficient, too." Ally whispered to her husband with a glint of accusation in her voice. John could only put on a wryly smile.
"I didn't teach him anything, I swear! How proficient are we talking anyway?" John asked feeling a bit puzzled at his son's semantics, especially while seeing their son trying to pull the stool towards him with a half crying face. Their son was always a bit different, especially the last few years with him have been rather strange to say the least.
"Hmm, it just looked like he imitated someone. He was checking his form in the mirror too." Ally thought out loud with a hand on her cheek.
"What form, mommy?" Leo's little sister asked as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. Before Ally could reply, Leo's sister got distracted as she looked at her brother and saw him moments from his second death.
"Leo, I want to play too!" She then proceeded to try climb on his back, which just pulled him further into the abyss and weaken his grip further.
"Rosy, stop it. I can't hold on any longer!" Just before he died again, his mom, pitying their mortal souls, picked them up and brought them to their seats.
"Geez, you two have too much energy for an early morning." Ally exaggeratedly sighed but didn't seem annoyed considering the smile on her face.
"Rosy can you put away your teddy so we can eat?" John asked Rosy as he cut open the buns he bought.
"No! Emy wants to eat too!" Rosy said and pouted adorably. John sent a pleading look at Ally.
"I think Emy is still sleepy. How about we let her sleep for now? I will give her something later. Okay, Rosy?" As if to prove her words the teddy bear fell to the side.
Rosy looked at her teddy, picked it up gently and then ran upstairs again. Before coming back down again.
"I put her into her bed. She was sleepy." Rosy smiled brightly before climbing her chair. She then lifted the milk carton in both hands and struggled to pour some into her glass. Before she spilled anything on the table Leo reached over and filled it up for her.
"Thank you, Leo!" She said while taking her glass in both hands and sipping from it.
"No problem, sis." Leo said while pinching her cheek. He did receive a glare for it, but due to the moustache of milk it only made her cuter.
"So, Leonidas I heard you were training?" His dad asked as he gave a bun to him. He was the only one that didn't abbreviate his name. Leonidas was the name his father was adamant to give his son. He was obsessed with Greek culture after all. He would have named him Zeus or Hades if the gods weren't viewed as negatively.
His obsession has his upsides of course. He was forging some spartan replicas in the smithery from time to time. He was more of a manager to the smithery but could still make an item or two for Leo as a present.
"Yes! I want to become the greatest martial artist!" Leo declared while punching the air.
"Oh? Want to show me how you train after breakfast? Maybe we can spar a bit. See if you can keep up with your old man. Hahaha-"
*Thud*
Ally glared at John as a dull sound came from under the table as if someone's leg was kicked.
"Sure! But don't cry when you get beaten by me." Leo smugly told him.
'As if I would lose to someone who has never trained before! Well, I am still wonky on my technique myself, but I think I can handle my dad. He won't go all out against me. I can use it to get some critical hits in. Let's see if he can stand when I kick his shins and crush his bal-' His vicious thoughts were interrupted by his dad.
"Are you confident you can beat me?" Dad smirked as he looked at his absolutely levelheaded son who has no intentions of fighting dirty.
*Cough*
"Hmph. If mom can make you cry out every night you two fight, I sure can as well!"
'His eyebrow twitched! Probably because he is dreading the moment, I defeat him.' Leo childishly thought.
After breakfast they went outside. Rosy and her teddy were setting up a tea party on their terrace, while Leo went through the motions of punches and kicks again.
After a short while his dad came outside with two pairs of gloves. He handed Leo one pair and took a few steps back.
"You ready?" He said while making him a bit smaller, so Leo could reach him.
"Yes! Good luck, have fun!" As soon as Leo said that he rushed towards his dad and started off with a few jabs towards the solar plexus as his face was a bit too far away. A Liver shot here, and a kidney shot there. He merely used punches and hooks to make him think he didn't know how to use his legs.
Leo quickly realized that his dad was too fast and skilled. He was way too slippery. He blocked and dodged everything with ease and had a stupid effortless smile on his face. It was like he was trying to shoot a movie.
Of course, as a child he didn't have the strength or endurance to compete with an adult, even if his opponent was untrained. Leo's only advantage should have been his speed and skill. However, his dad was apparently trained as well making the difference between the two too great.
Additionally, with his past life's knowledge, he conveniently forgot that he didn't actually train for several years. Leo only started training martial arts today. No matter how good the knowledge he had, it didn't mean much if his body didn't internalize it.
His dad suddenly threw out a telegraphed hook, giving Leo time to barely dodge under it. His dad wanted to throw another punch, but Leo had other plans.
He kicked his dad's shin with the tip of his boot and followed up with a straight right into his balls.
As expected, John groaned and kneeled while holding his crotch. He mumbled something underneath his breath.
Both haven't noticed her but Rosy was already jumping on the back of the kneeling father.
"Papa said a swear word! You must say 'You little poo'!" After a while he stood up again with Rosy hanging from his neck, but Leo was already long gone. As if he would wait for any retribution, ha!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone