Eta City was quiet that morning.
Sunlight gently fell over the small wooden dojo.
The broken parts had been repaired.
Not perfectly—
But enough.
Inside—
Benji sat on the floor.
Bandages still wrapped around parts of his body.
He stretched slowly.
Carefully.
Each movement controlled.
Nearby—
His teacher sat calmly.
A cup of tea in his hands.
Peaceful.
For the first time in a while—
There was no tension.
Benji looked up.
Serious.
"Sensei… may I ask something?"
The man glanced at him.
Curious.
"Go ahead."
Benji's eyes sharpened.
"Why did you train me?"
A pause.
"You didn't even know me… yet you risked your life."
Silence filled the dojo.
The teacher looked down at his tea.
His expression softened.
He closed his eyes.
"Because… you reminded me of someone."
And just like that—
The past returned.
A bright city.
Laughter.
Warmth.
A younger version of him walked happily—
Beside his wife.
And his son.
The boy laughed freely.
Holding his father's hand tightly.
Moments later—
Inside a car.
The three of them together.
Smiling.
Alive.
Then—
Light.
Too bright.
A screech.
Impact.
Glass shattered.
Everything broke.
Silence.
A hospital corridor.
Cold.
Empty.
He fell to his knees.
His body trembling.
A doctor stood before him.
Quiet.
No words.
None were needed.
A funeral.
Black clothes.
Gray sky.
He stood alone.
Days passed.
Then weeks.
His home became silent.
Filled with emptiness.
Bottles scattered across the floor.
His eyes—
Lost.
He tried to escape.
Drugs.
Alcohol.
Anything.
Nothing worked.
At work—
A paper slid across the table.
Termination.
He didn't argue.
Didn't react.
Just walked.
That night—
Rain fell heavily.
He walked alone.
No direction.
No purpose.
Time passed.
One year later.
Eta City.
He arrived.
Tired.
Broken.
Then—
He saw it.
A ruined dojo.
Abandoned.
Forgotten.
For a moment—
He just stood there.
Then—
He chose.
He bought it.
And rebuilt it.
Alone.
Hammer.
Wood.
Sweat.
Day after day—
He repaired more than just the dojo.
He trained.
Hard.
Relentless.
He traveled.
Met teachers.
Learned.
Failed.
Learned again.
At night—
He sat alone.
In silence.
Until—
One day—
A boy walked in.
Clumsy.
Untrained.
Weak.
But his eyes—
Those eyes.
They were the same.
The same as his son.
The memory faded.
Back to the present—
The teacher opened his eyes.
"You had the same eyes as my son."
Benji sat silently.
Listening.
Understanding.
"That's why… I couldn't ignore you."
Time passed.
A week.
The dojo felt different now.
Brighter.
Alive.
Inside—
Benji packed his bag.
Quietly.
At the doorway—
His teacher stood.
Watching.
Benji turned—
"What about my final training?"
"We will do that after you become more stronger" replied by the mentor.
A little smile on Benji's Face and then he bowed deeply.
"Thank you… for everything."
The man stepped forward.
Placed his hand gently on Benji's head.
"Before you go… there's something you should know."
He stood straight.
For the first time—
Not as just a mentor.
But as himself.
"My name is… Satoshi Hana."
Benji's eyes widened slightly.
Then—
A small smile.
"Satoshi Hana… I won't forget it."
Satoshi smiled softly.
"Whenever you want…"
A pause.
"This dojo is your home."
Benji made a final farewell to Satoshi and the Old Man.
The road waited for him again.
Wide.
Endless.
He walked forward.
Without hesitation.
His fist clenched.
Steady.
Strong.
Behind him—
The wooden dojo stood quietly.
Under the open sky.
A place of pain.
A place of growth.
A place he would never forget.