The First Day of Training (Part Two)

After finishing his meal in the dining hall, Hu spotted Shimizu on duty along the way.

Hu ran up to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"Yo, Shimizu! On duty in the courtyard today?"

At first, Shimizu had intended to stay serious, but Hu kept patting his shoulder and showed no sign of leaving. Shimizu sighed.

"Yes. Is there something you need, Lord Ye Xing?"

"Don't be so formal. Hu is fine, and leave off the 'Lord' too. Call me that again and I'll get mad."

"Hu, I'm on duty. If you want to go hang out in the rest area again, I'll take you after my shift.

"And could you stop patting my back? I don't know what happened last night, but a big section of the main family's guest quarters collapsed. We were sent over there early this morning to carry away the rubble, and now I'm sore all over."

Hu's hand froze on Shimizu's shoulder, and he felt rather embarrassed.

When Shimizu saw Hu stop, he stretched, and his whole body cracked. "By the way, aren't you staying in the guest quarters now? What happened last night?"

"Well... I slept pretty deeply last night... I didn't notice anything... Haha..." Hu looked slightly away.

"I see. Never mind, then. Didn't you say your training with the Fon Clan started today? How was it?"

"I just finished my 'Sword' training this morning. That instructor named Cilian came straight at me with his blade. I thought he'd teach me some basic moves, but we went straight into combat. He struck so hard I nearly failed to block him several times."

"Cilian? The one-eyed, one-armed Cilian?"

"He did have only one hand, so I guess that's him. Is he famous?"

"He's more than famous. Cilian, an Onmitsukidō instructor of the Fon Clan, has served five generations of the clan's heads. He's fulfilled his duties for the Fon Clan for four hundred years and completed many missions thought impossible. Among those responsible for training Attendants, he's one of the most important people in this estate. If Lady Soi Fon hadn't ordered him to recuperate, he wouldn't have come to stay here."

"That instructor was so impressive? And what's this about recuperating?"

"That involves classified information. How would we know? These days, Mr. Cilian is mostly here to recuperate, and he rarely trains anyone anymore. He's actually your instructor? So this is what the Fon Clan's recommendation gets you. I'm really envious." Shimizu sighed. He was still working hard here to earn Reishi Food and temper his Spirit Body, while Hu was already receiving instruction from a renowned teacher. Such was the difference in talent... Looking at the Zanpakuto at Hu's waist, he felt an endless envy.

Seeing the look in Shimizu's eyes, Hu said, "Shimizu, we're souls now. We're no longer lives that pass away after a mere hundred years, so don't rush for quick results. Keep going at your own pace, and you'll have a bright future ahead of you."

Shimizu also realized his attitude was a little off. "Yeah, I know. Whether I become an Attendant or a Soul Reaper, I'll still be serving the Fon Clan. I won't put the cart before the horse."

"That's right. By the way, when do you get a day off? Let's look around Bamboo Creek Plain when we have time."

"I have three days off starting tomorrow... But don't you have training and an assessment? Will you have time?"

Hu's smile vanished. Seeing that, Shimizu smiled. "I have more time off in the middle of next month. If you pass the assessment, I'll show you around then. The fish in Bamboo Creek Plain's streams were brought in from the Seireitei by the Fon Clan, and they've established themselves now. I'll take you to a few good fishing spots."

"It's a deal, then! I have more training this afternoon, and it's almost time, so I'll get going!" Hu felt much better after hearing that and jogged away.

"That guy really doesn't have much on his mind. Everything shows on his face..." Shimizu chuckled and returned to his work.

3:00 p.m., Hu's personal Dōjō

A burly middle-aged man sat in the Dōjō, dressed in ragged training clothes and covered in bruises.

The man's name was Tessai. He was actually a Hakuda instructor at the Bamboo Creek Plain Onmitsukidō training camp. Ordinarily, he was conscientious and hardworking. Last night, he had received a "mission" from his leader, Soi Fon: to serve as the examiner for the "Fist" assessment for the Fon Clan's recommended admission slot, training and testing the target, Yexing Hu, to see whether he met the requirements.

Tessai had already prepared a complete Hakuda training program and vowed to carry out this mission perfectly.

At noon, however, his old superior Cilian, Sixth Seat of the Second Division, suddenly came to him and said that Yexing Hu had already mastered a fighting style unique to himself and had already cleared the "Fist" assessment.

Tessai refused to believe it. The assessment required Yexing Hu to last ten rounds against the examiner in Hakuda, or close-quarters combat. How could a target personally evaluated and set by the leader be so easily met? The leader had set ten days, which meant Hu had the potential to reach that level in ten days. There was no way he could have done it in a single night. Tessai trusted the leader's judgment.

So when Hu arrived at the Dōjō that afternoon, Tessai immediately invited him to spar and test his abilities. The young man in front of him came straight at him with Reishi flames clenched in his hands. The two fought a furious battle, right up until now...

"You passed the 'Fist' assessment." After the fight, Tessai sat where he was and thought for a long time. At last, he accepted that his leader's prediction had been wrong and acknowledged his old superior's judgment. "Your talent for Hakuda is exceptional. Compressing Reishi to strengthen your limbs for combat is the essence of Hakuda.

"And your Spirit Body can withstand a degree of compression far beyond the ordinary, allowing you to deliver powerful blows. Your special ability to keep compressing Reishi even while attacking has completely won me over."

Across from Tessai, however, Hu lay face down on the floor, his arms and legs bent at odd angles. Bump after bump had swollen up on his head, with one bump even sitting on top of another.

"Instructor Tessai... before you praise me... could you take me to get treated... I think I'm a little dead..."

"Hahaha, sorry, sorry. I'll take you for treatment right away."

Tessai picked up Hu, who was like a rag, and headed for the Fon Clan's Medical Station.