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Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: No Room for Weakness

The next day, Jiro woke up early—5 a.m. sharp. As usual, he wanted to run his daily six kilometers to warm up before starting the day. But there was one problem: he didn't know how to get out of Hayato's house.

That's when it hit him—it wasn't just a house. It was a mansion.

He began making his way down the long staircase until he reached the first floor, where a faint light glowed from a nearby room.

Hayato: "Dumb kid? Where are you going?"

Jiro: "Oh, Hayato! Good morning. I was heading out for a jog and warm-up to start the day right. What about you? Just woke up too?"

Hayato: "Don't worry about me. But I'd advise against that jog—if you do, you won't survive my training."

Jiro stepped closer and noticed a gungi board laid out in front of Hayato. He was playing alone.

Jiro: "Isn't it kind of sad to play by yourself?"

Hayato: "If you can't enjoy time alone, you'll never enjoy time with others. If you can't handle your own company, you're not ready for anyone else's. That's just one way to look at it, so don't take it personally."

He gestured to the board.

Hayato: "Do you play gungi?"

Jiro: "No, sorry. The only game I really know is chess."

Hayato: "Wanna play?"

Jiro sat down across from him and opened with his best chess move. At first, he felt confident. But Hayato barely glanced at the board. He casually announced his next moves without even looking, while Jiro focused harder and harder… yet couldn't land a single win.

Hayato: "Not bad. But don't expect to beat me with such a simple strategy."

Jiro: "Wanna bet on that?"

They kept playing, completely losing track of time. Jiro lost every round—badly. His brain felt like it was overheating from the psychological torture. That's when Daphne appeared, yawning as she came down the stairs.

Daphne: "Morning... Are you two seriously playing chess this early?"

Jiro: "Good morning, Miss Daphne... I think I'm going to need a few hours of sleep to recover from this trauma."

Hayato: "That all you've got, small fry?"

Jiro: "How are you this good, Hayato? What's your secret? You weren't even trying!"

Daphne chuckled at his pitiful defeat, but Hayato's answer instantly changed the mood. He turned toward Jiro, expression cold.

Hayato: "There's no secret. The only difference is that while you sacrifice pawns on a board, I've sacrificed people my entire life."

He walked slowly toward Daphne.

Hayato: "I'm going to rest. Make sure no one comes in."

Daphne: "Understood."

And just like that, he vanished upstairs—leaving behind a silence heavier than before. His words echoed in Jiro's mind like a blade that grazed but didn't cut.

Daphne didn't even flinch.

Jiro turned toward Daphne with a serious look.

Jiro: "Miss Daphne, may I ask you a question?"

Daphne: "Go ahead, Jiro."

Jiro: "Did he mean what he said… about sacrificing people?"

Daphne didn't flinch. She nodded slowly, her expression firm.

Daphne: "He meant every word. I've lived with Hayato for four years now, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that he never speaks lightly. He's done what had to be done, even when it was ugly. But let me make one thing clear — he would never sacrifice someone he considers a true comrade."

She took a step closer, folding her arms.

Daphne: "Still… if that single statement was enough to shake you, then maybe you're not ready to be part of his team."

Jiro: "Never! I'm not frightened in the slightest. I'm staying on this team, no matter what."

A subtle smile crept onto Daphne's lips, the harshness in her tone softening.

Daphne: "That's the answer I wanted to hear."

Jiro: "Wait… was this a test?"

Daphne: "Of course. I needed to know if you'd bolt the moment things got real."

Jiro let out a sigh, half annoyed, half relieved.

Jiro: "Don't scare me like that… I thought I was about to get kicked out."

Daphne chuckled softly.

Daphne: "He doesn't need protecting, but I still make sure the people around him won't become a liability. If someone's going to live under the same roof as Hayato Seishii, I need to be sure they're worth it."

Her voice wasn't accusing — it was calm, steady, and almost… protective.

Jiro: "I get the feeling you really care about him."

Daphne: "Naturally. He saved me. He changed my life. I owe him everything. That doesn't mean I worship him, but if there's someone in this world I'd entrust my back to, it's him."

Jiro: "So, is it true what you said earlier? That you've lived here for four years?"

Daphne: "That's right. I joined him when I was sixteen. We've handled dozens of missions together since then."

Jiro: "Were there ever others on the team?"

Daphne nodded.

Daphne: "A few. Not many stayed for long, but there are two names you should know."

She walked toward a small cabinet and pulled out a file, tapping it with a finger.

Daphne: "The first is Ariana Dustrik — currently classified as a Z-rank hunter. She's only fifteen, but already the second-strongest hunter in the country. Hayato trained her himself and sent her out to expand her knowledge."

Jiro: "She's that strong?!"

Daphne: "She's a prodigy. Ruthless in battle, but brilliant. The second is Hikari Keiko — also once classified Z. He was known as 'The Lucky Hunter.' His quartic zone was… unique. I won't go into detail now, but Hayato believed in his potential."

She paused briefly, eyes narrowing.

Daphne: "Unfortunately, Keiko was exiled from the country for… personal reasons. Let's just say his poker addiction and drinking habits caught up with him."

Jiro: "Wow... and now I'm next?"

Daphne: "Seems so. I'll be honest — I wasn't sure what Hayato saw in you at first. He never took an interest in the examinations before. But something made him step in this time. That means you've got his attention… for better or worse."

Daphne gave Jiro a long, meaningful look.

Daphne: "Don't waste that chance."

Jiro's eyes widened in disbelief. The second-strongest hunter in the country was only fifteen years old—his age. That revelation didn't discourage him; it lit a fire in his chest.

Jiro: "Wait, wait…Fifteen? We're the same age! That means if I train hard enough, I could become just as strong as her!"

Daphne crossed her arms and leaned back against the stair railing, unimpressed.

Daphne: "Calm down, hyper man. You're comparing yourself to a girl who could level a city without breaking a sweat. Ariana's not just strong—she's a prodigy. And don't forget, quartz energy is something determined at birth. It's not genetic, and right now, yours is... nonexistent."

Her words struck harder than she likely intended. She wasn't trying to be cruel—just brutally honest. In that moment, Jiro began to understand what the hunter world truly demanded. It didn't care about optimism—it cared about ability.

But despite the sting of reality, one fact remained clear: Hayato was the only person who could help him reach his goal. However unpredictable he might be, he was the key.

About an hour later, the rest of the group arrived: Akihiko, Samuel, and Hilary. Including Hayato, Daphne, and Jiro, there were now six of them in total.

As soon as the front door opened, Daphne vanished upstairs without a word. Meanwhile, Samuel and Akihiko made their way quickly toward Jiro. Apparently, after learning about Jiro's father's death, they had both requested that Hayato begin training the moment Jiro recovered from his coma.

But what truly caught Jiro off guard was Akihiko. Usually calm and distant—even cold—he broke character the moment he saw his friend. Without hesitation, he pulled Jiro into a hug.

Akihiko: "Jiro! I'm sorry I wasn't there when everything happened!"

Jiro blinked. He hadn't expected Akihiko to be this affected—especially by something no one could have prevented. Still, the gesture meant more than words could say.

Jiro: "Don't worry about it. Hayato's looking after me now. So... where is he, anyway?"

While they caught up, Hilary was already busy exploring. Her eyes lit up as she scanned the lavish room, clearly impressed.

Hilary: "Okay, seriously? What is this place? A mansion? A castle? There's a full bar, poker tables, billiards… What is this guy's life?"

Just then, Daphne descended the staircase, now dressed in a relaxed but practical outfit: oversized white shirt, black leggings, white sneakers, her hair tied back into a sleek ponytail. Walking beside her was Hayato, still in the same training gear—black compression shirt, baggy pants, and white martial arts shoes.

Daphne: "Those were all requested by Hayato's previous students. Now please, head into the room on your right and take a seat. We're starting the meeting."

Hilary raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the tone, and gave a teasing smile.

Hilary: "I see the castle has a beautiful princess running the place."

Daphne didn't dignify the comment with a reply, but a faint smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she turned and led the group toward the meeting room.

Hilary shot Daphne a playful wink as she walked past. To Jiro's surprise, Daphne responded with a warm, subtle smile—brief, but sincere.

The group entered the room together. It was smaller than the rest of the mansion but just as refined. A large U-shaped sofa took up most of the space, surrounding a broad central table. To one side, there was a tall stack of papers—files, forms, or something more confidential, it wasn't clear.

Hilary and Samuel sat together at the back of the sofa. Jiro and Akihiko took the left side, while Daphne settled in on the right. Hayato, meanwhile, walked casually to the bar in the corner, poured himself a glass of whiskey, lit a cigar, and turned to face them.

Hayato: "First of all, welcome to my team. I chose every one of you for a reason. Now I'll speak with each of you about a few things. And just to be clear—no one impressed me during the hunter examination. I'm saying this up front, in case anyone thought they did something special in the arena."

He let the words settle before continuing.

Hayato: "Let's start with the silver-haired girl."

Hilary: "Hey! Are you talking about me?!"

Hayato: "Yes. Tell me—who taught you about quartz energy and the quartic zone? Not that it matters. Your technique is bad, and your quartic zone is incomplete. But those aren't even your worst mistakes."

Hilary blinked, caught off guard.

Hilary: "What do you mean by mistakes?"

Hayato: "Answer this—why did you try to go melee against me at the start of our match?"

Hilary: "Well… isn't that normal in a fight?"

Hayato exhaled through his nose, unimpressed.

Hayato: "You didn't know anything about your opponent, and yet you opened by closing the distance. You knew my strength, and still you rushed in. Then you tried to block with a barrier—against someone who didn't even bother shielding himself from your quartz attacks. You completely ignored my speed and gave me an opening to land a hit. So answer this—what would've happened if I had used even a fraction of quartz energy in my kicks?"

Hilary looked down, shame flashing in her eyes.

Hilary: "I would have…"

Hayato: "Exactly."

He turned his attention to Samuel, whose posture stiffened under the weight of Hayato's gaze.

Hayato: "Now you, Samuel. You told me your opponent had no interest in fighting. So why did you engage her?"

Samuel: "I… I just wanted to make sure she didn't follow…"

Hayato's stare grew colder. The pressure in the room became suffocating.

Hayato: "I didn't know you were suicidal enough to ignore my warnings and go up against a Class Z hunter on your own."

He shifted his gaze momentarily to Daphne, who looked away, her expression less innocent than usual—clearly aware of the mistakes she'd made during her own battle against Naoki.

Tension broke when Hilary jumped to her feet, fists clenched.

Hilary: "What? So we're not allowed to make mistakes now?!"

Hayato took the cigar from his mouth and sipped his whiskey before responding, his voice calm and unshaken.

Hayato: "If your mistakes had no consequences, I wouldn't care. But I'm responsible for your lives. My job is to make sure you're prepared, because next time, those same choices could get you killed. If you don't like my methods, you're free to walk out that door."

The room fell silent. Hilary's anger wavered as the weight of his words sank in. Her shoulders dropped, and her tone softened.

Hilary: "Right… I'm sorry. I didn't think about it that way."

Hayato: "Now that we understand each other… let's begin."

He stood straight, eyes scanning the room.

Hayato: "We'll start with the basics—learning more about quartz energy and its applications. After that, Hilary, you'll train with Daphne and Samuel. Jiro, Akihiko—you're with me. We're going to unlock your energy."

Jiro's heart skipped. The moment was finally here.

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