NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58: Chapter 58
The gym hummed with the familiar sounds of sparring, grunts of effort, and the steady rhythm of punches hitting padded targets. Alex stood at the edge of the mat, eyeing his sparring partner for the day—a trainee from a higher class. The guy was good, seasoned in hand-to-hand combat, and someone Alex knew would push him. But today, Alex had something different in mind.
His training schedule had become increasingly demanding. Between the early morning jogs, flexibility training, and hand-to-hand combat lessons, he found himself with less time for his usual meditation sessions. The lack of time wasn't sitting well with him. Meditation had always been a grounding force in his life, especially his visualization of the cosmos, which had helped him reach level two in his mental strength. But now, the demands of his new routine were crowding out the very thing that had set him on this path in the first place.
So today, he decided to try something unorthodox—something he'd never done before. As he stepped onto the mat to face his sparring partner, he made up his mind to meditate while sparring. It wasn't about escaping the fight, but rather about integrating his meditation with the physical intensity of combat. He reasoned that if he could do both at once, he would sharpen both his mental and physical skills in harmony. After all, why should he treat the two as separate when they could work together?
The whistle blew, and the fight began.
At first, Alex kept his focus entirely on the spar. His partner was aggressive, throwing quick jabs and sharp kicks that required Alex to stay on his toes. But halfway through the match, Alex began to ease into the familiar mental space he used during meditation. His breathing slowed, and in his mind's eye, he saw the vast expanse of the cosmos. Stars blinked into view, swirling galaxies, the infinite stretch of the universe, and the steady hum of celestial energy flowing around him.
For a few fleeting moments, it felt almost natural to be both in the fight and within the cosmos. He could sense his partner's movements, the shifting weight in his legs before a strike, the slight twitch in his shoulders that gave away a punch. But just as quickly, his focus slipped.
His sparring partner caught him off guard with a sweeping kick to his legs, sending Alex crashing to the mat. He had been too absorbed in the meditation, too lost in the vastness of space. The fight had taken a back seat, and his body had paid the price.
"Come on, Alex, focus!" his partner barked, offering a hand to help him up.
Alex rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin spreading across his face as he accepted the hand and pulled himself up. The other trainees standing around had clearly seen what had happened, and a few exchanged glances, likely wondering what had distracted him so badly.
But Alex wasn't discouraged. In fact, the experiment had sparked something in him. The idea of combining meditation with combat wasn't a failure—it just needed refining. He could tell that when he managed to balance the two, there had been moments of clarity where he felt more in tune with his opponent's movements. The problem was that his attention had been too split. He needed to find a way to bring both aspects together more smoothly.
"I'm good," Alex said, waving off his sparring partner's concern. "Just trying something new."
His partner raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but willing to let it go. "Well, don't try it while I'm trying to knock your head off."
Alex chuckled, shaking off the hit as they reset for another round. As they resumed sparring, Alex didn't attempt to meditate again during this session. He wasn't ready yet, and he knew it. The cosmos could wait.
The idea, however, had firmly taken root. If he could eventually master the balance between the mental and physical, it would open up a whole new realm of possibilities for him. He'd find a way to merge his meditation into his training without getting distracted. It was just a matter of time.
For now, though, he'd have to settle for one thing at a time. There were no shortcuts in learning how to fight, just as there were no shortcuts in cultivating his mental strength. It was all a process, one that demanded patience.
But Alex was nothing if not determined.