Several days had passed since Akira's lesson about Pulse and Assertion.
Spring had fully settled over the Wind Clan village. The sky was a clear blue, and the breeze carried the scent of fresh grass across the training grounds behind the Kaze home.
Kaito stood in the center of the field, gripping a wooden sword with both hands.
Across from him stood Akira.
The man held a similar wooden blade loosely at his side, his posture relaxed—almost lazy.
But Kaito knew better.
Even standing still, Akira felt like a mountain.
"Remember what I told you," Akira said calmly. "Your Pulse isn't just for your body. It can reinforce anything connected to you."
Kaito tightened his grip on the wooden sword.
"Right."
"Reinforce the blade," Akira continued. "Durability first. Then sharpness. And lighten it as much as possible."
The wind stirred around them.
"If you fail," Akira added casually, "your sword will break."
Kaito gulped.
"Ready?"
Kaito nodded.
"Good."
Akira's eyes sharpened.
"Come."
The instant the word left his mouth, Kaito exploded forward.
His feet kicked up grass as he dashed across the training ground with surprising speed for a six-year-old. Pulse surged through his arms, flowing down into the wooden blade.
The sword vibrated faintly.
Akira moved.
Clack!
The wooden blades collided.
The impact rang across the field.
Kaito's arms trembled, but the sword didn't break.
Akira's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Good start."
Before Kaito could respond—
Whoosh!
Akira vanished.
Kaito's instincts screamed.
He spun.
Clack!
Another strike came from behind. Kaito barely raised his sword in time, the force sliding him across the grass.
His feet dug trenches into the ground.
He's fast…!
Akira attacked again.
Clack!
Clack!
Clack!
The strikes rained down like a storm.
Left.
Right.
Overhead.
Kaito's pulse surged as he blocked each blow, desperately feeding energy into the wooden blade to keep it from snapping.
The sword hummed faintly with wind.
Akira suddenly stepped inside Kaito's guard.
Too fast.
Kaito's eyes widened—
Whack!
Akira tapped the side of Kaito's ribs with the wooden blade.
"Dead."
Kaito stumbled back, panting.
"Again," Akira said calmly.
Kaito gritted his teeth and charged again.
This time he pushed more pulse into the blade.
The wooden sword grew lighter in his hands.
Focus… durability… sharpness… weight…
Akira struck again.
But this time—
Clack!
Kaito deflected the strike and countered with a horizontal slash.
The blade sliced through the air with surprising speed.
Akira leaned back just enough for the strike to miss by inches.
"Hm."
Akira stepped forward.
The next exchange was faster.
Their wooden blades blurred through the air.
Wind whipped around their feet as Kaito pushed himself harder, pulse surging through his arms.
For a brief moment—
He kept up.
Akira's strikes grew faster.
But Kaito didn't fall behind.
Clack!
Clack!
Clack!
The wooden sword in Kaito's hands held firm.
Then—
CRACK.
A thin fracture appeared along the blade.
Kaito saw it.
So did Akira.
"Hold it together," Akira said.
Kaito poured more pulse into the weapon.
The crack stopped spreading.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
Akira suddenly lunged.
Kaito swung to meet him—
Their swords collided.
And this time—
Akira smiled.
The force of the strike sent Kaito skidding across the grass.
But his sword didn't break.
Akira lowered his weapon.
"That's enough."
Kaito collapsed onto the grass, breathing heavily.
Akira walked over.
"You reinforced the sword well," he said. "Your pulse control is improving."
Kaito wiped sweat from his face.
"It almost broke."
"But it didn't," Akira replied calmly.
He crouched down and tapped the sword lightly with two fingers.
"The pulse you fed into it stabilized the structure. That's why it held."
Kaito sat up slowly, still catching his breath.
"But I still couldn't land a hit on you."
Akira smirked faintly.
"You weren't supposed to."
Kaito frowned.
"That's not encouraging."
Akira chuckled softly.
"You're six."
Kaito crossed his arms stubbornly.
"That's not the point."
Akira rested his wooden sword across his shoulders.
"The point of today's training wasn't to defeat me. It was to maintain reinforcement while under pressure."
Kaito glanced down at his sword again.
"You did that longer than before," Akira continued. "But you're still wasting too much pulse."
Kaito looked up.
"I am?"
Akira nodded.
"You're forcing it."
He tapped Kaito lightly on the chest.
"Pulse should flow. Not struggle."
Kaito tilted his head.
"Like breathing?"
"Exactly."
Akira stood and looked out across the training grounds.
"When you push too hard, the rhythm breaks."
He glanced back at Kaito.
"Remember what we discussed about principles."
"Body, Soul, Spirit, Connection, Consciousness, Essence, Ontology, Memory, and Will," Kaito recited automatically.
Akira nodded.
"When those principles synchronize naturally, your pulse becomes stable."
Kaito looked thoughtful.
"So… instead of forcing the sword to become stronger…"
Akira finished the thought.
"Let the pulse shape it."
Kaito slowly nodded.
"…I think I get it."
Akira gave a small approving hum.
"You're learning faster than most."
Kaito brightened slightly.
"But," Akira added casually, "your footwork still needs work."
Kaito groaned.
"Seriously?"
"You telegraph your attacks."
Akira demonstrated with a small step forward.
"Before every strike, your shoulders tighten."
Kaito blinked.
"…They do?"
"Yes."
Akira mimicked Kaito's earlier stance.
"Anyone experienced will see that coming a mile away."
Kaito scratched his head.
"I didn't even notice."
"That's why you train."
Akira turned toward the path leading out of the training grounds.
"That's enough for today."
Kaito looked surprised.
"Already?"
"You've pushed your pulse enough."
Akira began walking away.
"Rest is part of training too."
Kaito waved his wooden sword.
"Next time I'm definitely hitting you!"
Akira didn't even turn around.
"We'll see."
He lifted a hand lazily in farewell and continued down the path.
The wind rustled quietly as he disappeared beyond the trees.
Silence returned to the training grounds.
Kaito stared at the empty path for a moment.
Then—
He fell backward onto the grass.
"Ughhhh!"
He rolled onto his side.
"I didn't land a single hit!"
Kaito flopped over again dramatically, kicking his legs in the air.
"How is he so fast?!"
He grabbed a handful of grass and flung it upward.
"It's not fair!"
He rolled across the field once… twice…
Then stopped and groaned loudly.
"I reinforced the sword… I kept the pulse going… and I still got destroyed!"
He buried his face into the grass.
"Mmmmmgh!"
After a moment he lifted his head, glaring at the sky.
"Next time I'm definitely hitting him."
Then he flopped back down again.
Kaito stayed where he was, staring up at the sky.
The breeze cooled his skin.
A few moments later, soft footsteps approached.
"Lord Kaito."
He sat up.
Kaede stood beside him, holding a cloth.
Her long white hair was tied behind her back, and she wore the simple uniform of the household attendants.
She knelt gracefully beside him.
"You're covered in dirt again."
Kaito scratched the back of his head.
"It's called training."
Kaede sighed dramatically.
"Yes, yes. I'm sure rolling around in the grass is an advanced technique."
She began brushing dirt from his shoulders and arms.
Kaito laughed.
"You sound like Mom."
"That's because someone has to keep you presentable," she replied.
She dusted off his back, then straightened his collar.
"You push yourself too hard sometimes, Lord Kaito."
Kaito blinked.
"Do I?"
Kaede smiled faintly.
"You're only six."
He shrugged.
"Akira says I need to train."
"And Lord Akira is right," she said. "But even warriors must rest."
She stood and placed her hands on her hips.
"Besides."
Kaito looked up.
"You have visitors."
"Visitors?"
Kaede pointed toward the entrance path.
Two familiar figures were already running across the field.
"Kaito!"
"Hey!"
Kaito's face lit up.
"Mei! Kazu!"
The two kids skidded to a stop beside him.
Mei crossed her arms.
"You look terrible."
Kaito blinked.
"Wow. Thanks."
Kazu laughed.
"You're covered in grass."
"Training," Kaito said proudly.
Mei rolled her eyes.
"Sure it is."
Kaede chuckled softly.
"I'll bring snacks."
Then she turned and walked back toward the house.
The three kids sat down on the grass together a few minutes later, bowls of snacks between them.
Kazu grabbed a handful immediately.
"School is exhausting," he groaned.
Mei nodded.
"Master Hoshin gave us assignments today."
Kaito blinked.
"Three?"
"Yes," Mei said dramatically. "Three."
Kazu leaned back.
"And we had combat drills."
Mei smirked.
"You lost two matches."
"Only because you cheated!"
"I did not!"
Kaito laughed.
"You guys are ridiculous."
Kazu suddenly grinned.
"Speaking of ridiculous…"
He leaned forward.
"The Master Exam is next year."
Mei nodded proudly.
"We'll both take it."
Kaito blinked.
"Already?"
"You can take it at eight," Mei said.
"We'll be eight next year," Kazu added.
Kaito groaned.
"That's not fair."
Kazu laughed.
"You're too young."
"Yeah," Mei said teasingly. "Come back in two years."
Kaito crossed his arms.
"I'll pass it easily when I take it."
"Sure you will," Kazu said.
Mei smirked.
"Maybe we'll be Elite Masters by then."
Kaito threw a piece of snack at her.
She dodged.
"Hey!"
They all burst into laughter.
After a moment, Mei asked quietly,
"Hey… have you heard from Ren?"
Kaito shook his head.
"No."
The mood shifted slightly.
Kazu scratched his head.
"That's weird."
"He's probably training somewhere crazy," Mei said.
Kaito stared at the grass.
"…Yeah."
Mei nudged his shoulder.
"He'll come back."
Kazu nodded.
"He always does."
Kaito smiled faintly.
"I know."
After another round of snacks and teasing, the sun had begun to dip lower.
Mei stood.
"We should head back."
Kazu stretched.
"Yeah, before my mom yells at me."
They both turned to Kaito.
"See you later!"
"Train hard!"
Kaito waved.
"See you!"
They jogged down the path together, their laughter fading into the distance.
Kaito sat quietly in the grass for a moment.
The wind brushed gently through the field.