Chapter 16
Deep into the evening.
The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, and darkness wrapped itself around the camp like a heavy blanket. The faint orange glow of the last embers from the cooking fire flickered in the distance, casting long, jagged shadows across the rows of tents.
The members of the 5th Squad had mostly returned to their shelters, their bodies slumped from exhaustion after the day's intense battle. The air smelled faintly of sweat, smoke, and damp earth.
Only a few stayed awake. Most were on night duty, their silhouettes pacing along the camp's edges, weapons ready as they patrolled. From somewhere, the low hum of surveillance equipment buzzed faintly, monitoring enemy movements both within and outside Sapphire City.
Yet not all who remained awake were on guard duty. In a nearby clearing, where moonlight filtered through the sparse canopy and the cool night breeze whispered through the grass, two figures moved in constant motion.
"Hmn? What's with that dispirited look on your face?" Adam asked between sharp breaths, his tone casual even as their limbs clashed in a flurry of swift, precise strikes. The sound of fists meeting forearms and feet scraping against the dirt punctuated the otherwise quiet night.
Hua didn't respond. Her eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, every movement locked on him, her pupils narrowing slightly each time she deflected his blows. The faint scent of metal from her own blood mixed with the cool air as she clenched her jaw.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line — frustration coiling tightly in her chest, pressing against her ribs like a growing weight. She wanted to say something, but her pride and her natural shyness pressed the words back down, burying them deep.
Then, just as she thought she had cornered him, reading the rhythm of his movements — his speed spiked. To her eyes, his form blurred and dissolved into a fleeting afterimage, and she struck nothing but air.
Adam, socially tone-deaf as ever, didn't notice the subtle shift in her mood. He only assumed she was annoyed at his "trick." The thought never crossed his mind that his movements had already begun to etch a shadow in her heart.
In truth, this sparring wasn't for Hakuda training. It was for Hoho — specifically, Shunpo.
The grass shifted beneath his feet as he moved, the faint crunch of dry stalks audible between the bursts of speed. Every Shinigami knew Shunpo wasn't just an art — it was survival. A foundation of movement that could be woven into swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, or spellcraft. More importantly, it was the lifeline that allowed a fighter to retreat from a battle they couldn't win.
As the saying went, the first rule of battle is to stay alive. Only by surviving could one learn from mistakes and claim victory another day.
That was why Adam chose Hua as his nightly sparring partner. She wasn't so weak that she posed no threat, nor so strong that a mistake would leave him crippled. Her level was the perfect balance — enough to injure him if he slipped up, but not enough to break him.
"Haah… Let's stop here." Adam let out a slow breath, stepping back to lower his stance. The faint steam rising from their bodies was visible in the cool night air.
But the moment he stopped, Hua's expression darkened further. Her teeth bit into her lower lip hard enough to break skin, a sharp sting running along her nerves as a droplet of blood slipped down.
Adam's eyes widened. He took half a step forward, intending to say something — but she cut him off with a glare so sharp it was almost physical, freezing him in place.
Is there something wrong with her head? he wondered, brows knitting.
"Are you just purposely toying with me?" she asked at last, her voice taut like a drawn bowstring.
"What ar—"
"Just now. Your speed is clearly faster and your footwork is better, yet you purposely slow down to match me. But the moment I would strike, you increase your speed, only to slow down again." She raised her index finger, pointing at him accusingly. "Isn't that clearly just toying with me?"
Her chest rose and fell quickly now, each breath hot in her lungs. Her cheeks flushed crimson, the tension in her shoulders coiled like a spring. Her eyes glistened, on the verge of tears — not of weakness, but of anger and frustration.
"Wait. Calm down. This must be a misunderstanding…" Adam said, though even to his own ears the words sounded weak. He played the scene back in his head, this time imagining it from her perspective — and winced.
"Wait! This really is a misunderstanding!"
"Explain!" Hua demanded, her voice firmer than usual, her shy demeanor replaced by a rare streak of boldness.
"Cough… It's like this…"
Adam began explaining, his hands moving unconsciously as if illustrating each point. He told her about the 'Three-Stage Process' of Shunpo: Joritsu — the preparatory stance, Byakkyaku — the initiation of movement by drawing out the leg, and finally Shunpo — the actual burst of high-speed relocation.
Joritsu, he explained, was simply deciding direction — the easiest part. Byakkyaku was harder, requiring him to judge the exact Reiatsu needed to cover the distance without overshooting or falling short. The final step, Shunpo, demanded channeling energy into the soles with absolute precision, then executing instantly.
Doing it here, in calm conditions, was easy. But in a real battle? The chaos, the unpredictability — that was where mastery counted.
Under Hua's unwavering gaze, Adam explained everything… or at least, the parts he was willing to share.
Her tension gradually eased, though the faint edge in her eyes said she wasn't ready to fully forgive him yet. Still, curiosity began to replace the heat of her anger.
"Can you show me how it is supposed to work?" she asked, her tone lighter but still guarded.
Adam gave a small shrug. "Sure. Try to attack me as fast as possible."
"Fine." Hua rolled her shoulders, still holding onto a sliver of grievance. She stepped forward in a burst of motion, her fist cutting through the air toward his heart.
Inside, Adam winced. This girl is vicious when she's angry. Where's that sweet, shy Hua gone?
When her fist was just inches away, he vanished.
Her vision dimmed — no, not dimmed, but was suddenly filled with the blur of movement and the rush of air against her skin. Then, the world froze.
A fist hovered less than a hair's breadth from her face, close enough for her to feel the faint warmth radiating from his knuckles.
"Well, it's just like this. Are you satisfied now?" Adam asked, his tone casual, though his eyes held a glint of seriousness.
Hua's throat bobbed as she swallowed. She knew his strength. She'd seen him break a Honkai Beast's carapace with a bare fist. If he hadn't stopped…
"Sa… Satisfied." she said, her voice low.
But in truth, she wasn't. The gap between them was now an open abyss. Even stretching out her arm, she could no longer see the possibility of reaching him.
Her head dipped, shoulders trembling faintly — then she bent forward in a sharp, perfect ninety-degree bow.
"Can you please teach me this technique! I am willing to be your disciple."
The clearing fell into absolute silence. No rustle of leaves, no hum of insects.
"Pfft!"
Hua stiffened. That wasn't Adam's voice.
"Hahaha! You two little brats are really funny."
A familiar, teasing tone came from behind a tree.
"Honestly, I'd expect some kind of teenage romance. Sneaking off in the darkness of night to rendezvous somewhere silent and alone."
"Then, are you disappointed?" Adam asked dryly. "Captain Himeko? Or should I call you Captain Peeping Tom?"
"You!"
Himeko stepped into view, moonlight catching in her hair, her greatsword slung casually over her shoulder. She glared at Adam, then sighed with exaggerated weariness.
"Really? Brats these days have no respect for their elders."
"Brats? Who are you calling brats? Our age difference is just a few years at most." Adam smirked. "Besides, did I just hear you admit you're old? Tsk. Tsk. Ts—"
A blur — Shunpo — and he was gone. The earth where he'd stood cracked with a dull thud as Himeko's blade slammed down, leaving a small crater.
"I dare you to come and test my blade like a man!"
"Don't mind if I do, old h—"
In the next instant, the quiet clearing rang with the sharp clash of steel, sparks flaring in the moonlight.
On the sidelines, Hua could only watch, caught between awe and exasperation.
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