The next morning.
It was not yet fully light, but orderly footsteps already rang out across the training ground.
A group of red panda disciples dressed in plain monk robes were practicing picking up beans with wooden chopsticks of varying lengths.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, without the slightest unnecessary motion.
The chopsticks moved through their hands as nimbly as if they had grown there.
The five arrived at the training ground on time.
Gon rubbed his bleary eyes, still not fully awake.
Saitama walked at the back, yawning as he went. He clearly had not gotten enough sleep.
The red panda instructor stood in the center of the field with his hands behind his back, his expression solemn.
When he saw that everyone had arrived, he raised a hand and waved.
Two red panda disciples immediately carried over a large wooden rack.
Resting on the rack were five enormous wooden chopsticks, each ten meters long.
They were thicker than an adult's arm and looked extremely heavy.
"Today's first basic trial."
The instructor pointed at the ten-meter chopsticks, his voice clear.
"Use these chopsticks to pick up and eat all the beans in the bowls before you."
"If you can't finish them, there will be no breakfast."
Everyone: "..."
They all froze.
Ten-meter-long chopsticks?
Picking up beans?
Leorio's eyes widened as he pointed at the chopsticks, which were several times taller than a person, his face full of disbelief.
"W-wait a second!"
"Ten-meter-long chopsticks? How are we supposed to use these?"
"It'd be hard enough just holding them up!"
"Brute force is completely useless here."
The instructor's tone was calm, yet carried unquestionable authority.
"The core of Xiewei Control is eliminating every unnecessary movement."
"The longer the chopsticks, the greater the demand for control."
"If your hand trembles even slightly,