Zongcilang and Hijikata Yoshitoyo

Chapter 10: Terminal Gray

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"Teacher Kubo, I don't really get this part here."

In the sunlit training hall, it wasn't filled with the roar of strenuous exercise as one might imagine. Instead, nearly forty desks and chairs were arranged inside the dojo room, with twelve- or thirteen-year-old children holding books and asking about parts of the lesson they hadn't understood.

A middle-aged man of about forty, wearing glasses and radiating an approachable air, walked around constantly, explaining the unclear points to each child.

After finishing a round of explanations, the man called Teacher Kubo returned to the podium, clapped his hands, and smiled. "Alright, everyone, let's start lunch break. Zongcilang and Yoshitoyo should have lunch ready by now. Move the desks and chairs to the corners to prepare for this afternoon's swordsmanship training, then line up for the cafeteria."

Immediately, a clatter rang through the dojo room, and the children lined up with eager expressions, heading toward the cafeteria next door.

Teacher Kubo watched them with a smile and followed behind.

At the cafeteria entrance, two fourteen- or fifteen-year-old youths stood—one sitting, one standing—leaning against the pillars on either side of the door. These two were the direct disciples of the dojo master, Kubo Yamato. The standing one, slightly older with a stern face, was Hijikata Yoshitoyo. The younger one, with a lazy, half-asleep look, was Zongcilang.

Seeing the students approach, Hijikata Yoshitoyo stepped forward and kicked Zongcilang, who was dozing against the pillar. "Idiot, they're here! Get up now!"

"Meh meh meh, what's the rush? They're still a ways off."

Zongcilang muttered indifferently, not even opening his eyes.

"..."

Hijikata Yoshitoyo's mouth twitched. Ignoring this lazy bastard, he opened the cafeteria door and walked in.

The students filed in one by one. Only when the last student entered did Zongcilang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally open them and stretch lazily.

"Done sleeping?"

Teacher Kubo shook his head with a smile, a little speechless at this slothful disciple.

"Mm!"

Zongcilang grinned mischievously, nodded, and turned to walk into the cafeteria.

Just then, Teacher Kubo's body stiffened. He turned to look toward the dojo's main gate.

After ten-odd seconds, Zongcilang's step also halted. His lazy expression vanished, replaced by a grave look fixed on the dojo gate. His hand instinctively went to the sword at his waist.

Bam—

With a violent crash, the dojo's gate flew off its hinges. Following the flying door, a figure charged straight in, stopping at last before Teacher Kubo.

"Help... me... save him..."

A hoarse, childish voice rang through the Dao Academy. After speaking these words, Bai Ina set down the Loxi on his back and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"What's going on?"

At that moment, Hijikata Yoshitoyo, who had been serving food in the cafeteria, rushed out with his sword drawn. Seeing the scene, he froze in surprise.

Zongcilang took a long look at Bai Ina's pale face, then moved his hand away from his sword hilt, resuming his lazy demeanor. "Nothing much. Just a brat coming to beg for treatment."

While they spoke, Teacher Kubo had already stepped forward to support Bai Ina and Loxi, beginning to check on both of them.

"What a reckless little brat."

After examining Loxi's condition, Teacher Kubo muttered to himself, looking at Bai Ina. Then he turned to Hijikata Yoshitoyo. "Take this kid with the sword inside and give him some water and food. As for the other one, forget it—he's already eaten. I'll take him to the hall. Come get some herbs and boil them for him later."

"Yes, Master." Hijikata Yoshitoyo nodded.

Zongcilang opened his mouth as if to speak, but after a moment's hesitation, he said nothing. He gave Bai Ina one last stare, then turned and walked into the cafeteria.

"Cough... cough..."

Bai Ina slowly opened his eyes. What greeted him was an unfamiliar ceiling. His body instantly tensed, and his hand instinctively reached for the sword at his waist—but found nothing.

"Kid, looking for this?"

A slightly cold voice sounded beside Bai Ina's ear. The moment he heard it, Bai Ina sprang up from the tatami mat, his gaze sharp as a blade fixed on the fourteen- or fifteen-year-old youth who had just walked in from outside.

"Where is this? Who are you?"

Hijikata Yoshitoyo, who had just entered, caught the fluidity of Bai Ina's movement and a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. "This is our dojo's rest room. I'm Hijikata Yoshitoyo. But don't you think, as someone who came begging for treatment, your behavior right now is rather rude?"

Only then did Bai Ina recall what had happened before he passed out. After all, drifting at sea for four days without a drop of water, the three-odd-li journey had already pushed his body to its limits—especially while carrying someone on his back. He had made it here on sheer willpower, and the moment his strained nerves relaxed, he collapsed.

"Sorry." Bai Ina paused, letting his tense body relax, then asked urgently, "How is the person who came with me?"

"Heh, don't worry."

Hijikata Yoshitoyo smiled. "He woke up just now. After taking some medicine, he fell asleep. The fever's already gone. He should be able to move around by tomorrow morning."

Bai Ina let out a sigh of relief.

At that, Hijikata Yoshitoyo stepped forward, tossed the sword in his hand to Bai Ina, and asked, "Nice blade. Are you a swordsman too?"

Bai Ina nodded, took the sword, and hung it at his waist. In a slow voice, he said, "Take me to Loxi."

Hijikata Yoshitoyo frowned at this, somewhat displeased with Bai Ina's flat, indifferent tone. No matter how he looked at it, this man had been saved by the dojo—not a word of thanks, and instead he spoke in a commanding tone. Shaking his head, Hijikata Yoshitoyo didn't bother looking at Bai Ina again. He turned and walked out of the room: "Follow me!"

He simply couldn't be bothered to say more to Bai Ina.

Bai Ina understood his feelings but paid them no mind, following behind without a word. He didn't bother to explain that his tone was simply his nature; how strangers perceived him was never within his consideration.

Just as he reached the doorway, a flicker of something unusual passed through Bai Ina's eyes, but it vanished in an instant, and his stride didn't pause. Even so, after stepping out of the room, he turned his head to glance at the boy leaning against the doorframe with a sword in his arms. Then he withdrew his gaze and continued following Hijikata Yoshitoyo.

"Hey, you little brat!"

Hijikata Yoshitoyo and Bai Ina both halted abruptly. Hijikata turned around and glared at Zongcilang, who was leaning against the doorframe, and cursed angrily, "Damn it, what the hell do you want? You come here and don't even help—just stand there."

But Bai Ina didn't even turn his head. Once again, he radiated that icy, keep-your-distance coldness.

"Want to have a fight with me?"

Zongcilang didn't spare Hijikata a single glance, staring straight at Bai Ina's back as he spoke.

Hijikata Yoshitoyo was taken aback. He looked in surprise at the child before him, who appeared to be under ten years old. Everyone else in the dojo only knew that the two of them were disciples of Teacher Kubo, and they always assumed that the mature, steady one—him—was the stronger of the pair. But Hijikata himself knew that Zongcilang—on the surface... no, deep in his bones, that lazy bastard—was the true genius of the sword.

Even though Zongcilang rarely trained, Hijikata was far from his match.

Yet now, this sword genius Zongcilang was acting out of character, actively challenging the boy before him, who also looked under ten. How could that not shock him?

Bai Ina's brow furrowed slightly at the words. Still, he didn't turn around. Instead, he took another step forward.

"You... are no match for me."

After the cold words reached the ears of Hijikata Yoshitoyo and Zongcilang, Bai Ina looked at Hijikata in front of him, signaling him to continue leading the way.