"Yes," I replied with a small nod. "You could say that."
I didn't elaborate any further. Somehow, even a long explanation wouldn't be enough to properly describe the role Mei Mei had played in my life up to this point. Some things were better left implied than reduced to simple words.
"So… is this girl very strong?" Rika asked. Her voice sounded calm, but there was a clear note of curiosity woven into it.
I fell silent for a moment. My steps slowed slightly as I carefully weighed the most honest answer I could give.
"Well… as for how strong she actually is, I can't say for certain," I finally admitted. "But when it comes to experience, Mei Mei is far ahead of me."
I drew a slow breath before continuing. "Mei Mei comes from a Jujutsu Sorcerer Family. That alone already explains a lot."
My gaze remained fixed straight ahead, following the path that was gradually becoming enclosed by tall trees. "On top of that, she has far more combat experience and a much deeper understanding of hand-to-hand fighting. So yes… it's safe to say she's strong."
Before long, the atmosphere around us began to change. The trees grew denser, their branches weaving together overhead. Sunlight filtered through the leaves in fractured beams, casting shifting shadows that swayed gently across the ground with the wind.
We eventually arrived at a small forest. As we stepped further in, a wide stretch of grass hidden at the heart of the woods opened up before us like a secret clearing.
And there, someone was already waiting.
Mei Mei stood with a relaxed posture, yet there was a sharpness about her that was impossible to ignore. It felt as if her mere presence pressed subtly against the air, tightening the space around her.
"Yo!" I called out without hesitation, my voice echoing lightly between the trees.
Mei Mei turned toward us.
"Hm?" Her brow furrowed slightly. Her gaze then shifted to Shizuka and Rika, studying them with a cool, calculating look. "Why did you bring them here?"
"They can use Cursed Energy," I answered as I stepped a little forward. "In other words, they have the qualifications to become Jujutsu Sorcerers as well. That's why I brought them here—to learn hand-to-hand combat from you."
I glanced back briefly and gestured for Shizuka and Rika to come closer. Shizuka obeyed quickly, her face showing enthusiasm she could barely conceal. Rika walked more calmly, but her posture remained polite and alert, her composure steady.
Mei Mei did not respond right away. Her gaze sharpened further as it swept over them from head to toe, as if evaluating every small detail—their posture, their stance, even the way they carried their weight while standing.
"Hm…" Mei Mei murmured softly, her voice nearly swallowed by the faint rustling of leaves stirred by the wind.
"This girl is Shizuka," I continued, pointing toward her. "And the one over there is Rika. So… can they join your hand-to-hand combat training?"
I looked at Mei Mei seriously. A few seconds passed, stretching longer than they should have. My heartbeat quickened slightly, each thud in my chest heavy with anticipation, waiting for an answer that would determine more than just today's training.
"…Very well," Mei Mei finally said with a small nod.
I let out a quiet breath of relief. The tension that had been lingering in my chest slowly dissolved, like mist fading under morning light.
Beside me, Shizuka's face lit up instantly. Her eyes sparkled brightly, as if she had just received an incredible gift. Perhaps, for her, the chance to be trained by someone from a Jujutsu Sorcerer Family was something deeply honorable.
Rika still appeared calm as ever. But I knew that beneath that composed expression, there was excitement and determination just as strong—she simply chose to keep it carefully hidden.
"But," Mei Mei spoke again. Her voice was flat, yet there was undeniable firmness within it. "My training is extremely harsh. Are you sure about this?"
Her words hung in the air—heavy, deliberate—serving as both a warning and a challenge for all of us.
"Of course!" Shizuka answered without a hint of hesitation, her voice bright and brimming with confidence. "Don't worry!"
Her expression radiated certainty, and there was even a spark of excitement flickering in her eyes, as if the challenge ahead only made her blood run hotter. She stood up straight, shoulders squared, clenching her small fist with a contagious enthusiasm that seemed ready to ignite anyone standing near her.
"Hm. I'm confident too," Rika added with a slow nod. Her tone remained as calm and steady as ever, yet her posture clearly conveyed firm resolve. There was no loud declaration from her, no dramatic gesture—just quiet determination settled deep within her gaze. "Let's do this."
I could only smile as I looked at the two of them. The faint curve of my lips formed unconsciously, a mixture of pride and a slight trace of worry blending together in my chest. Inside me, the desire to train in hand-to-hand combat began to burn as well.
I imagined grueling practice sessions filled with hard-earned lessons, new techniques I could master, and valuable experience that would push me one step closer to a higher level.
Or… at least, that was what I thought at first.
...
...
...
Damn. My body hurt. A lot.
It felt as if not a single part of me was intact. Every muscle screamed in protest whenever I tried to move even slightly. My joints were stiff and heavy, as though rust had settled deep inside them. My breathing came in uneven bursts, dragging in and out of my lungs without rhythm, while my chest rose and fell with visible strain.
Even though I had trained my body relentlessly over the past two weeks—pushing myself to the limit again and again. Even though I had reinforced my body with Cursed Energy, forcing it to adapt and become far stronger than that of an ordinary child.
In the end, the result remained the same.
I was completely beaten down by Mei Mei.
And what hurt the most was not the pain coursing through my body, but the fact that Mei Mei had done it without using any Cursed Technique, without strange abilities, without a single special trick. It was pure hand-to-hand combat. Precisely because of that, the gap between us felt so stark and merciless.
Mei Mei's experience far surpassed mine.
Every one of her movements appeared simple, yet ruthlessly efficient. There was no wasted motion. Each punch was delivered at the perfect angle, carrying just enough force to destabilize me. Every kick targeted the precise point that would disrupt my balance. Her reflexes operated on an entirely different level.
More than once, before my mind could even process what was happening, her attacks had already landed. No matter how hard I tried to read her movements, no matter how intensely I focused my vision and instincts, my body remained several steps too slow to respond.
When I finally lay sprawled on the grass, staring up at the sky through gaps in the leaves above, my breath ragged and uneven, one thing became painfully clear.
Physical strength and Cursed Energy alone were not enough.
Without experience—without instincts honed through real combat—I was still far from being worthy.
And yet, I was not entirely without resistance.
Although most of the time I had been pushed back, forced to endure blow after blow from Mei Mei, there were brief moments when I managed to read her movements. Fleeting instances, almost gone in a blink, but enough to grant me an opening.
A few times, I managed to counter with clean punches. On several occasions, I even succeeded in landing a solid kick against her body.
Each small success felt like a spark in the middle of exhaustion, giving me a faint surge of confidence even as pain flooded every corner of my body, nearly pushing me to surrender.
Sweat began to bead on Mei Mei's forehead. Her usually immaculate hair now clung slightly to her skin, damp with moisture. Her breathing, too, had grown just a little heavier compared to the beginning of the fight.
She was still far superior to me—there was no denying that. But the simple fact that Mei Mei was sweating, that she was showing even the slightest signs of fatigue, was undeniable proof that I had truly grown.
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