At this moment, Zenitsu's head was shaking like a frantic rattle as he desperately waved his hands in refusal.
"No way! No, no, no! I'm not participating in the Final Selection! It's way too dangerous! People die there! The mortality rate is sky-high! Someone like me would definitely end up as monster food in that place! I'm not going!"
Jigoro Kuwajima had already explained the details of the Final Selection to Zenitsu previously. Back then, Zenitsu's reaction had been exactly the same—a relentless barrage of refusals.
Before Horitake or Jigoro could even lose their tempers, Yae, who was standing right beside Zenitsu, couldn't take it anymore.
The fierce Yae snapped, barking at Zenitsu in a rage, "Where is your spine?! To think you're scared to this extent! It's just the Final Selection!"
She continued her scolding, "And didn't you hear Master? With our current level of strength, passing the Final Selection isn't supposed to be some insurmountable task!"
After finishing her lecture, Yae turned her gaze toward her Master and her Senior Brother, her eyes burning with resolve.
"Master, Senior Brother, I also want to participate in this year's Final Selection!"
Jigoro nodded with a satisfied expression. He felt that among his three disciples, this one was the most reliable and gave him the greatest sense of accomplishment.
Horitake also nodded in approval. "I initially thought that since you've only been training for a year, your strength might not be quite there yet, so I hadn't planned on having you go this time. But looking at it now, even with only a year's training, your skills are sufficient. As long as you remain cautious and don't get careless, you will definitely pass. Very well. For this Final Selection, both of you will go together."
Yae nodded, her face full of anticipation.
Zenitsu, on the other hand, wore a face of absolute misery, trying to make one last stand. "Big Brother... can I really not sit this one out?"
"NO!"
The three of them shouted in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized and leaving no room for argument.
Horitake was huffing, suppressing the urge to give Zenitsu a good thrashing as he continued his lecture. "You really are a disappointment. It's just the Final Selection; what is there to be so terrified of? The demons in there are the most common, low-level types. Even the occasional 'strong' one isn't actually that powerful!
"Back when I went through the Final Selection, it was like a walk in the park. Even when a major threat cropped up toward the end, I was the one who took care of it! Zenitsu, even if you can't compare to how I was back then, at least show some backbone! Have some self-respect! If you don't, where is the old man supposed to put his face? Where am I supposed to put mine?
"If you go out in the future and tell people you're my Junior Brother acting like this, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face! Zenitsu, oh Zenitsu... do you really plan on being this cowardly for the rest of your life?"
Horitake's lecture came down like a torrential storm, hammering Zenitsu until he couldn't even lift his head.
Finally, Zenitsu peeked up weakly, casting a cautious glance at his enraged Senior Brother. He muttered in a small, fragile voice, "I... I don't want to be like this forever, either."
"Then pull yourself together! Force yourself into it! Go to the Final Selection! A person never truly knows how powerful they are until they've been backed into a corner!"
With Horitake putting it that way, what choice did Zenitsu have? He could only be "driven like a duck onto a perch," nodding his head in reluctant agreement to participate.
Even though the consent was given half-heartedly, Zenitsu had at least given his word.
Seeing this, Horitake was finally somewhat satisfied. However, he didn't forget to give a final warning to both Zenitsu and Yae.
"This year's Final Selection should be the same as any other year; there shouldn't be any major issues. Given your current strength, passing should be a simple matter as long as you stay alert. Of course, don't expect me to open any 'back doors' for you, and don't expect me to secretly look after you during the trial. That's not going to happen.
"In other words, everything ultimately depends on you. You either pass or you don't... and if you don't... hmph!"
Horitake didn't specify the consequences of failure; he simply let out a cold snort, leaving the rest to their imaginations.
In truth, these words were primarily aimed at knocking some sense into Zenitsu. Horitake was worried the boy might try to use some "clever" tricks or hope for Horitake to bail him out, so he made sure to nip that hope in the bud right from the start!
As for Yae, there was no need to worry at all.
In fact, far from being intimidated by Horitake's warning, Yae looked eager to test herself, her eyes bright with anticipation.
Horitake found himself thinking even more highly of this Junior Sister of his.
In stark contrast to Yae's enthusiasm, Zenitsu was currently a picture of gloom, his face twisted in misery as he likely lamented his tragic fate in his head.
Let him lament all he wants, Horitake thought. At this stage, he needs a push!
Horitake turned to look at Jigoro. The old man nodded back, signaling that Horitake had done well and that this was exactly how things should be handled.
The rest was simple. There weren't many days left until the Final Selection, so Yae and Zenitsu didn't have much time. It was just enough for a short burst of intensive training to solidify their current skills.
Just as Horitake was about to move on to other matters, Yae raised her hand, unable to wait any longer to make a proposal.
"Senior Brother!"
"What is it?"
"Senior Brother, I want to spar with you! I want to see just how strong you really are! I want to know exactly how big the gap is between us!"
These words caused Jigoro's eyes to widen in surprise.
Horitake also looked at Yae with newfound interest.
Beside them, Zenitsu shot his Senior Sister a look of pure pity, remaining silent.
Looking at the eager Yae, Horitake suddenly realized something. This Junior Sister of his had a personality that was the polar opposite of Zenitsu's.
To put it simply, Yae seemed to be a bit too confident.
This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn't strictly good either. It simply meant... he needed to give her a profound lesson. He needed to show her the reality of the world!
With that thought, Horitake glanced at Jigoro.
The old man nodded, giving Horitake a meaningful look of affirmation.
The silent exchange between master and disciple went something like this:
Old man, Yae's confidence seems a bit excessive. It's good for now, but it'll be a problem if it keeps growing. I'm going to knock her down a peg so she can see the facts.
Go ahead, brat. Let Yae see what a true powerhouse looks like. But don't go overboard; don't crush her spirit entirely.
Having finished their silent conversation, both men turned to look at Yae simultaneously.
At that moment, Yae felt something was off. Her previous eagerness began to morph into a slight sense of dread.
She clearly felt the shift in their gazes. The way her Master and Senior Brother were looking at her now was filled with... pity?
A bead of cold sweat broke out on Yae's forehead. In hindsight, she realized that in the heat of the moment, she might have proposed something incredibly dangerous.
Now cooled down, Yae looked at Horitake with a trace of nervousness.
Horitake gave a hearty laugh, stepping back a few paces to create some space on the open ground.
"Fine. Since my Junior Sister wants to give it a try, let's have ourselves a spar."
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"