( Long ago, Dragon's Paradise Dungeon )
Max and Sebastian had just completed a very hard training session under their master Kremeth training the basics of swordsmanship.
Since Kremeth was not satisfied with their technique, he punished them by making the two write all the turtle hermit way rules a thousand times after training, which made Max and Sebastian groan and complain as the two felt utterly tired from the day's training.
" I hate it…. These stupid rules, why do I have to run when facing a stronger opponent? Who teaches their students like this?" Max complained as Sebastian shook his head and defended their master in all earnesty.
" You have to commend master's foresight, he's lived to a ripe old age of a thousand years following these principles, I'm sure he wants the same for us" Sebastian said as Max mumbled and groaned some more.
" You're such a teacher's pet Sebastian, I can't believe we are friends" Max said as Sebastian stuck his tongue out towards him, teasing Max even more.
" I bet master Kremeth has never even participated in a battle. I'm sure he just runs away every chance he gets" Max said as Sebastian's eyes immediately sparkled at this thought as he said " What a legend"
Naturally, Max did not mean these words either, however, he was only venting his frustration at being assigned more work at the end of a hard day.
Unfortunately for him, his master Kremeth had excellent hearing and at this point in his stay alongside him, Max had not really understood just how good his ears were as Kremeth walked out to where the boys were seated after hearing their friendly banter.
" Oh crap, master's here" Sebastian said as he pretended to be fully immersed in writing the turtle hermit rules while Max pretended to do the same.
" Well, well, do you boys really think I've never had to fight a difficult battle?" Kremeth said as a soft smile spread all over his face.
Kremeth reminisced about the time when he had his legendary battle with Odin and let out a deep sigh.
" It's true, I am the creator of the turtle hermit way of life and I follow it to the best of my abilities, but there are some fights that one just can't avoid.
Fights to protect a loved one.
Fights to avenge a loved one
And
Fights to make history.
These are some fights in life where you don't have the option to run away as what's on stake is something that you value more than your own life…." Kremeth said as his words resonated deeply with the values that Max held dear.
" So master, what is the turtle hermit's way of life to approach such fights?" Sebastian asked curiously as Kremeth smiled and told his two students the golden rule of the turtle hermit way.
" Listen carefully children, for one day you will be in a situation when you would be facing a stronger opponent with no chance of retreating and that day, all 14 core principles of our style of life will fail.
That day, you only have to remember the golden rule of the turtle hermit which is :-
A coward may run,
A coward may appear to lose,
However, A coward is never defeated,
For the coward is me and I am immortal" Kremeth said as his words felt like profound poetry that Max and Sebastian could not understand.
" What does it mean? I don't understand master" Sebastian said as Kremeth chuckled and patted him on the head.
" All you need to know is that when you find yourself in such a situation, let go of your reservations and fight like a madman.
You will understand what this poem means that day-" Kremeth said as he left the two to complete their homework, never uttering the golden rule of cowards ever again.
*************
( Present Day )
Surrounded by Lances on all sides and gripped with doubts and insecurity, the words that his master Kremeth spoke once a long time ago suddenly resounded within Max's mind.
[ Blazing Inferno ]
Max used the tier8 move blazing Inferno, placing his own body within extremely heated flames, however, with his body being immune from fire damage, the flames did nothing to him, however, neutralized all the incoming lances by incinerating them to ashes.
As a tier2 warrior, Max could not realize the profoundness of the poem his master once said, however, today, suddenly he felt enlightened.
His master Kremeth had always said that being a coward was a way of life more than a way to fight, however, Max never understood the distinction.
Their master Kremeth had created the 14 iron rules of the way of coward just to be a method to temper one's subconscious, so that when the day came when they could not longer run away and needed to fight like hell, their subconscious would already be tempered in a way where they would be able to distinguish between unnecessary risk and a necessary risk without having to deliberate that decision.
The turtle hermit way of life was designed as a means to temper one's subconscious to the highest level whose ultimate benefit was unlocked when one stopped thinking and fought a superior opponent with all that they had.
While an average warrior had to contemplate whether or not the risk that they were taking was worth it, and had a greater chance to make a wrong choice.
A coward who had spent his entire life balancing risks already knew what risk to take and what not to.
*Sizzle*
*Sizzle*
As the last embers of his blazing Inferno died down, Max emerged from it a focused fighter who had decided to risk it all to win.
[ Call of the sanguis ]
[ Blood monarch's Aura ]
[ Perfect Domain ]
Using three moves in rapid succession, Max tried to take complete control of his surroundings by using three of his most potent background control moves.
With this, he was ready to face any challenge that the perfect warrior threw his way and also ready to risk it all to win.
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/// A/N - I have waited 800 chapters to write the golden rule of the turtle hermit way. You guys have no idea how happy I am to finally put it to paper ///