Ichiro put on the gloves and stared questioningly at his father.
“Come here and hit this bag with your fist,” Kenshin commanded.
Ichiro walked up to the bag and struck it with his fist, barely making it sway.
“Not good enough,” Kenshin said, and struck the bag himself, making it swing noticeably to the side.
Then he walked over to his son and showed him the boxing stance.
“There, stand like this, and throw the punch not just with your arm, but with your whole body.
For starters, learn to put the strength of your core into the blow.
Go on, try it,” Kenshin coached his son, standing behind him and guiding his movements.
Ichiro tried a few times, and started to get the hang of it, so Kenshin ordered him to practice that punch for half an hour, while he went to check on Aya.
As soon as Kenshin entered the bedroom, Aya asked, “Where’s Ichiro?”
“Training.
Besides, he’s now forbidden from entering our bedroom without an invitation,” Kenshin replied in a calm tone.
“What?
But why?
He’s our son…
Besides, he could just knock, in case we’re not dressed…” Aya said in an offended tone.
Like any mother, she loved her son immensely and felt great pity for him.
“That’s not up for discussion.
I’m taking charge of raising the grown children, and what they need above all is discipline,” Kenshin stated firmly, unwilling to change his mind.
He walked over to his pregnant wife, sat on the edge of the bed, and stroked her large belly.
“How’s our second little one doing, not asking to come out yet?” Kenshin asked with a smile, leaning toward the girl and kissing her sweet cherry lips.
“Mmm, not yet, but I have a feeling he’ll want out tomorrow,” Aya purred.
Having given birth once, she could sense the changes in her body and predict with fair accuracy when the birth would happen.
After a while, Kenshin “heard” Ichiro’s voice in his mind, and after kissing his wife, left the bedroom and headed to the gym.
“Done?” Kenshin asked, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, said, “Hit the bag.”
Ichiro struck the bag, and it swayed about the same as it had from Kenshin’s punch, though his technique was still shaky.
Kenshin was a little surprised but didn’t show it.
He pulled out a helmet and a somewhat different pair of boxing gloves and tossed them to Ichiro.
“Put them on and get on the mat.” Ichiro obeyed, and a few minutes later, father and son stood facing each other in gloves and helmets.
“Before we finish training, you need to cement all your knowledge with practical experience, so every evening you and I will have a sparring session.
We don’t hit at full strength.
Hits below the belt are forbidden, got it?”
“Yes, Father.”
“Good, let’s begin!”
The next few minutes were a one-sided game.
Kenshin, drawing on his experience and long training, chased his son all over the mat, landing unexpected blows and dodging Ichiro’s rather predictable and straightforward punches.
Kenshin noted with surprise that Ichiro’s strength, speed, and endurance were slightly higher than Kenshin’s own, and the young father could only win through his vast experience.
Toward the end of their sparring session, Kenshin was a bit more tired than Ichiro and finally took one punch to the face.
Staggering back, he stopped the sparring and said, breathing heavily:
“Not bad.
Very not bad.
Your physical stats are at the level of professional athletes.
Once you polish your skills, I won’t be your match anymore.”
“Don’t say that, Father.
I could never beat you,” Ichiro protested.
“You already have.
In endurance, you’ve completely surpassed me, and right now I’m nothing more than a punching bag, while you can still fight.”
“But my endurance wouldn’t have helped me withstand even ten of your blows if you’d been aiming to win!”
Kenshin smiled but said nothing.
He liked this young man.
Ichiro had grown into a respectful and obedient son, and Kenshin felt like stroking a little beard he didn’t have, then clasping his hands behind his back and strolling off across the clouds like a true wise master.
Instead, he laughed and said:
“Come on, help me carry the fish and rabbits.
We’ll take a swim and wash off the fatigue.”
Ichiro smiled and nodded, following his father.
* * *
From the next morning, Ichiro began following a six-hour training plan that included a warm-up, running, push-ups, squats, weightlifting, and bag work.
Kenshin had told his son to spread the training across the whole day, but Ichiro, surprisingly, tired more slowly and recovered faster.
Kenshin noticed a slight correlation between his “Gifted Offspring” ability at level two, which boosted children’s talent by 10%, and Ichiro’s roughly ten percent superiority in speed, strength, and endurance.
Kenshin decided not to jump to conclusions and to observe his next children instead.
By evening, Kenshin sat on the edge of the bed, holding his wife’s hand, expecting the contractions that heralded the birth of their second child any minute.
He didn’t have to wait long — at seven in the evening, Aya gave birth to their second child, whom they named Keiji.
“God, darling, look what beautiful children you give me!” Kenshin said with a laugh, carefully handing over the baby.
“You’re right!
He’s so cute!
My little Keiji…” Aya murmured, pressing him to her chest.
The baby just blinked in surprise and didn’t cry at all, looking at his mother with interest.
Aya couldn’t resist and kissed his little forehead, and Keiji suddenly burst into tears.
“Shh, Keiji, don’t cry, listen to your mother,” Kenshin whispered, gently stroking his second son.
“Ichiro, come here!” Kenshin commanded mentally.
Ichiro crept into the bedroom carefully, feeling uncomfortable, but froze immediately when he saw the little bald bundle in his mother’s arms.
“Meet your younger brother, Ichiro — Keiji,” Kenshin announced, taking the baby in his arms.
“Here, hold him.”
Ichiro was scared and refused to take such a fragile creature in his arms, afraid of hurting his younger brother, but after a few seconds, he carefully took the bundle.
Keiji silently stared with his blue eyes into the same blue eyes of his older brother, let out an indistinct croak, and then his lips spread into something like a smile.
“Keiji…” Ichiro murmured, and smiled broadly, delighted to meet such a small and defenseless brother.
“Don’t get too excited.
He’ll grow up soon and surpass you if you don’t train harder!” Kenshin said with a laugh, taking the bundle with the baby and handing him to Aya.
“I’ll be glad if little Keiji becomes very strong, because then he’ll be able to protect you and Mom!” Ichiro declared.
“Ha-ha-ha, that’s the right attitude, but don’t you dare shift responsibility onto others!
Train hard and be an example for all your future brothers!” Kenshin declared, clapping his eldest son on the shoulder.
“Yes, Father!” Ichiro declared resolutely.
“Now come on, let’s give Mom some rest,” Kenshin said, and father and son walked out the door, letting the newly delivered girl get some sleep.
It all helps promote the story.