5:30 AM – A Secluded Training Ground
Renji followed Sunil Rajput to an open field behind the EOS training facility. The air was crisp, and the morning mist hovered over the grass.
Sunil stopped and stretched his arms above his head.
"Alright, first lesson." He pointed to the ground. "Sit."
Renji raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
"Sit, kid."
"I told you, I'm not a kid."
"Right, right. 'Future World Number One.'" Sunil smirked. "Then sit, World Number One."
Renji scowled but sat down.
"Good. Now cross your legs."
Renji did as told.
"Close your eyes."
Renji hesitated but complied.
Then—nothing.
For a full minute, there was only silence.
Renji cracked an eye open. Sunil was lying on the grass, hands behind his head.
"Oi."
"Hmm?" Sunil didn't move. "Something wrong, future rival?"
Renji twitched.
"Aren't you supposed to be teaching me?"
Sunil yawned. "I am. I'm teaching you patience."
Renji's eyebrow twitched.
"What does this have to do with Celestial Dominion?"
Sunil sat up and stretched again.
"Alright, listen up."
He looked at Renji with a rare seriousness.
"Celestial Dominion isn't about being faster or tricking your opponent. It's about absolute control—over your body, over your breathing, over the field itself."
Renji narrowed his eyes.
"And?"
"And that starts with your mind."
Sunil leaned closer.
**"A shaky mind leads to shaky movements. A weak spirit leads to hesitation. And in football—even a second of hesitation is the difference between a goal and a failure."
Renji absorbed his words.
Sunil smirked.
"But… judging by how impatient you are, maybe you're not built for this technique."
Renji gritted his teeth. "I can do it."
"Really? Then prove it." Sunil pointed at the ground again. "Ten minutes. Absolute stillness. Breathe in—breathe out. If you even flinch, we start over."
Renji took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
The first few minutes were fine.
The morning air was refreshing.
Renji focused on his breathing, steady and controlled.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Simple.
Then—the itch started.
A random twitch in his fingers.
A slight discomfort in his legs.
His body wanted to move.
He clenched his jaw.
Damn it.
From the side, Sunil chuckled.
"Struggling already, World Number One?"
Renji gritted his teeth harder.
Sunil's grin widened. "How will you dominate the field if you can't even dominate your own body?"
Renji's pride flared.
He forced himself still.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Seconds felt like minutes.
Minutes felt like hours.
Then—
"Time's up."
Renji's eyes snapped open.
Sunil grinned. "Not bad."
Renji exhaled sharply. "What's next?"
Sunil stretched again. "Yoga."
Renji blinked.
"…What."
__
For the next thirty minutes, Renji found himself in positions he never thought were humanly possible.
Sunil demonstrated each pose effortlessly.
Renji?
He struggled.
"Alright, try this one." Sunil shifted into a standing bow pose, balancing on one leg while holding his foot behind him.
Renji copied.
His leg wobbled.
Sunil watched with an amused grin.
"You look like a newborn deer."
Renji gritted his teeth. "Shut up."
Sunil smirked. "No, no, this is great. Maybe you should be a ballerina instead of a footballer."
Renji nearly lost balance.
"Focus, focus~" Sunil teased.
Renji inhaled deeply and stabilized himself.
"Hah. Finally."
Sunil grinned. "Good. Next pose."
__
After an hour of brutal stretching and meditation, Renji collapsed onto the grass, drenched in sweat.
Sunil sat beside him, looking up at the sky.
"Not bad, future king."
Renji panted. "So… how does this help?"
Sunil smirked.
"Because the next step is using your body in ways you never thought possible."
He pointed at Renji's chest.
"Once you control your body—you control the game."
Renji clenched his fists.
He was starting to understand.
Sunil stood up and stretched again. "Same time tomorrow?"
Renji pushed himself up. "Yeah."
Sunil chuckled.
"Good. Maybe next time, you won't look like a dying fish."
Renji glared. "Tch."
Sunil smirked. "You've got a long way to go, Number One."
Renji's eyes burned with determination.
"Then let's get started."
To Be Continued…