Shiku feels the impact of Nobori's punch as he is sent reeling back. Instinctively, he digs his hands into the dirt, trying to recover his balance. Frustration simmers beneath the surface as he reflects on the past week, realizing he hadn't even managed to land a hit.
"It's been a week and I still haven't come close to hitting him," Shiku thinks bitterly.
With a disgruntled expression etched on his face, he knew he needed to shake off the defeat. Gathering his determination, Shiku prepares to leap back into the fray, ready to mount an attack on Nobori once more.
Gritting his teeth, Shiku forces himself up, shaking the dirt from his hands. His arms ached, his ribs stung, and his breath came in ragged gasps. But none of that mattered.
Across the training field, Nobori stands unfazed, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"Tch…" Shiku spits to the side. "I'm getting sick of this."
Nobori smirks. "Then stop whining and do something about it."
That was all the push Shiku needed. With fire erupting around his fists, he lunges forward again.
Shiku finds himself in a challenging battle against Nobori, struggling to land a hit while being hit repeatedly. Each time he felt the sting of Nobori's attacks, it became increasingly difficult to suppress his urge to fight back wildly.
However, as the fight progressed, something began to shift. Gradually, Shiku's reaction speed improves. Shiku starts to notice subtle shifts in Nobori's stance, tiny movements in his shoulders and feet just before he attacked. His body moved before his mind could process it, dodging a few strikes that would have floored him a few minutes earlier.
"Wait… I actually saw some of those punches coming?"
Meanwhile, Houki was facing his own struggle. His task was brutal: teleporting repeatedly while under attack. Each failed portal left him completely exposed, and Nobori didn't let a single mistake go unpunished.
"Again," Nobori commands, watching as Houki staggers from another failed attempt.
Houki clenches his jaw, forcing himself to teleport once more. The strain was unbearable—each jump left his head spinning, his body drained. But he keeps pushing. He had no choice.
This demanding practice not only tests Houki's limits but also sharpens his precision and reflexes, forcing him to adapt quickly in the heat of the moment.
Kasumi, too, is beginning to evolve. At first, she could barely react fast enough to avoid Nobori's attacks, but over time, she starts picking up on the subtle tells in his movements. Instead of reacting after he struck, she begins moving before the attack even came.
Her footwork sharpened. Her reflexes quickened. And for the first time, without thinking, she activates healing mid-battle—a soft green glow surrounding her fingertips before she even realizes what she had done.
After hours of relentless training, they were bruised, exhausted, and barely standing.
Shiku wipes sweat from his brow, still catching his breath. "I'm… starting to think… you actually enjoy beating us up."
Nobori smirks. "You're not wrong."
Houki, despite his exhaustion, exhales through his nose. He couldn't deny it—they were improving.
Kasumi pants, her hands still glowing faintly with mana. For the first time, her breathing was uneven, but there was something new in her eyes. Confidence.
Nobori crosses his arms, nodding in approval.
"Good."
He turns his gaze toward the horizon, where the sun had begun its descent, painting the sky in streaks of orange and violet. "We'll continue tomorrow."
Shiku groans, flopping onto his back "You're not serious."
Nobori grins. "Oh, I'm very serious."
And with that, he walks off, leaving his three exhausted students to prepare for another day of hell.
The three of them fall to the ground, their breaths coming in heavy gasps as they struggle to recover. Suddenly, laughter erupts among them, a spontaneous response to the whirlwind of memories from the past week.
At first, it was just a chuckle, but soon it became uncontrollable. Maybe it was the sheer exhaustion, or maybe it was the realization of how insane the past week had been. Either way, they laughed, their voices ringing through the field, cutting through the aches and pains.
For a brief moment, the weight of their training melted away, replaced by something lighter. Something warm.
They have struggled. They have suffered.
But they had done it together.
With gentle determination, Kasumi rested her hands on both boys' shoulders. As she concentrated, a vibrant green light began to emanate from her palms, enveloping them in a warm, soothing glow. She focused intently, channeling her energy to heal his wounds, her spirit intertwining with theirs in a profound moment of connection.
No words were needed.
The three of them simply sit there, basking in the fading sunlight, knowing that tomorrow, the struggle would begin all over again.
And for some reason…
That didn't seem so bad.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, they sat in silence, savoring the moment.
Eventually, as the last traces of daylight faded away, they rose to their feet, legs aching but spirits high, and made their way back to the inn. A cool evening breeze brushes against their skin, carrying with it the distant hum of the city settling down for the night.
The moment they step inside, a rich, mouthwatering aroma fills the air. The scent of seared meat and freshly baked bread drifts from the back of the establishment, making their stomachs growl in anticipation.
Shiku's eyes widen. "Oh man… that smells amazing."
Houki crosses his arms, pretending to be indifferent, but the slight twitch of his nose betrays his interest.
Kasumi chuckles. "I guess we worked up an appetite.
They settled down at a table, exhaustion momentarily forgotten as the scent of food teased them. Moments later, Nobori appears from the back, clad in an apron, a warm smile on his face. He carries three steaming plates, each stacked with food, and set them down in front of his weary students.
"Eat up, guys," he says, ruffling Shiku's hair before stepping back. "You'll need the energy."
Shiku wastes no time, digging in immediately.
As the warmth of the meal spread through them, a single thought lingered in their minds—
Tomorrow was going to be brutal.
But for now…
They ate.
❧
**A Week Later.**
The past seven days had been nothing short of grueling.
Each morning, before the sun had fully risen, Shiku, Houki, and Kasumi found themselves back on the training field, their bodies aching from the previous day's punishment. Nobori was relentless, pushing them past their limits without a shred of mercy.
Shiku has lost count of how many times he'd been knocked to the ground, how often his muscles had screamed in protest, or how many bruises he'd accumulated. Yet, he couldn't deny it—he was improving.
He no longer threw reckless punches without thinking. His attacks had gained structure, his footwork more fluid, his reflexes sharper. Nobori was still untouchable, but every time Shiku clashed with him, he lasted just a little longer.
Houki's teleportation has become more refined, his transitions between portals smoother. At first, he could barely teleport consecutively without becoming dizzy or losing balance, but now he could teleport multiple times mid-battle, appearing and disappearing in rapid succession.
Kasumi's growth was just as noticeable. She had shifted from a reactive fighter to a proactive one. Where she once dodged by instinct, now she anticipated her opponent's moves before they even came. Her healing, too, had evolved—she could now mend wounds mid-combat, allowing her to keep fighting without hesitation.
And now, as the week drew to an end, Nobori stands before them once again, arms crossed, his piercing gaze scanning the three exhausted but determined warriors in training.
"You've all made progress," he admits, nodding approvingly. "You're no longer just taking hits. You're learning. Adapting. And most importantly, surviving."
Shiku wipes the sweat from his brow, barely managing a smirk. "So… does that mean you're gonna go easy on us now?"
Nobori raises an eyebrow. Then, in a blur of movement, he disappeared from sight.
A sudden force slams into Shiku's stomach, sending him flying backward before he even has time to react. Sending him crashing into the dirt, coughing violently as the air was knocked from his lungs.
Kasumi and Houki barely have time to register what happened before Nobori appears between them. In an instant, he twists and lands a sharp kick against Houki's side, sending him skidding across the ground. Kasumi steps back, trying to create to space, but before she could even think about dodging—
She is already falling.
Nobori sweeps her legs out from under her, sending her crashing onto her back.
The three of them groan in pain, struggling to recover as Nobori calmly stands over them.
"You're improving," he repeats, his smirk widening. "But you're not there yet."
Shiku grits his teeth, forcing himself up. "Tch… You could've just said that instead of nearly breaking my ribs."
Nobori shrugs. "Experience is the best teacher."
Houki winces as he sits up. "This 'teacher' is insane…"
Kasumi groans, rubbing the back of her head. "Dad, at this rate, we're not going to survive much longer."
Nobori lets out a short chuckle. "Then you'd better hurry up and get stronger."
"I'm sorry my little pumpernickel. I promise I'll make this up to you" Nobori thinks.
With that, he turns, hands resting behind his back as he walks away.
"That's enough training for today," he says. "Tomorrow, we move on to the real test."
Shiku, Houki, and Kasumi exchange glances.
The real test?
As Nobori disappears into the distance, a chill runs down their spines.
Something told them that whatever came next… would be far worse than anything they'd faced so far.
❧