Shizuka Hiratsuka was the kind of teacher who made you feel like she was personally invested in whether you understood the material.
She walked through True Qi healing in the sa careful detail she'd used for condensation: the principle was simple — continuous gentle application over an injured area, encouraging circulation and clearing bruising from the inside. Could work on yourself. Could work on soone else. Couldn't replace a doctor for anything serious.
"If you hurt your internal organs or your nervous system, you see a dical professional. This isn't a miracle technique. It's first aid."
She said it twice and made them repeat it back. Then she confird Ren had absorbed the lesson by watching him demonstrate on his own arms.
The bruises faded visibly. Sensation returned in segnts.
"Expected." She nodded, then addressed the room: "Good. Ten-minute break. Next period is sparring."
Students scattered. So sat on the floor trying to condense True Qi. So just needed a mont to stare at the ceiling.
Ren was already finding a corner to consolidate his own progress when Yukino Yukinoshita appeared in front of him.
"Ren-kun." Her tone was direct. "Spar with next period."
Ren looked at her with mild surprise. "You're sure?"
She was currently Tier 2. He'd just confird Tier 3. The gap between tiers wasn't symbolic — in a direct exchange, one tier ant the difference between effort and effortlessness.
"I'm sure." She t his eyes steadily. "I already have a working grasp on True Qi condensation. Combined with my talent, I can make it work. That's why I want to fight you."
She wasn't posturing. He could tell.
Her talent, she'd said — sothing about her body. She had a specific ability that made her unusually suited for martial arts. If she was confident enough in that ability to challenge soone a tier above her, she had a reason for it.
And if she shows it off fighting … well. I'm curious.
"Fine. We'll go after the break."
Yukino nodded crisply and walked off to change into training clothes.
From behind Ren, gumi Kato's voice floated over. "I suppose I'll end up not being able to find a partner again today."
He turned. She was already looking at the room with resigned amusent.
"Sensei won't forget about you," Ren said. "Your current strength is nothing to her. She'll notice."
gumi considered this. "Maybe. Good luck with your fight." She went to change.
Ren watched them go, then glanced down at his school uniform. He was the only person in the room who hadn't brought training clothes.
I should rember that tomorrow.
The break ended. Students ca back in various combinations of proper training gear and hastily tied-back hair. Yukino returned in a fitted combat suit, ponytail high, moving like soone who'd had this outfit on before.
Shizuka did a headcount, registered the odd numbers, and said: "Pair up on your own. If you're left without a partner, co find ."
The class shuffled and sorted. Ren was already standing with Yukino. He noticed gumi drifting slightly behind them as the pairing-up happened — nobody quite registering her, everyone's eyes sliding over her like water over glass.
Unsurprisingly, the unpartnered student who ca to Shizuka was gumi Kato.
Shizuka looked at her for a mont, then at Ren, then spoke to the class: "Alright — whoever doesn't have a partner, co see . You three over there—" her eyes landed on Ren's cluster — "how are you splitting up?"
Confused murmurs rippled through the room. Three? There are clearly only two.
The sharper students focused — really focused — and the confusion on their faces changed to sothing between shock and bafflent.
There really was soone else there.
User Comments
0 comments from readers