The next day...
Aoki officially began learning "Aoki Style."
But Mizuno Kengo wasn't there.
"Aomura, I'll teach you the basics of Aoki Style. When you've mastered them, Master will guide you personally," Akiyama Keisuke said.
Now that Aoki was a member of the dojo, Keisuke had switched to using the more familiar term.
"I understand."
Beginner class, advanced class... Aoki understood easily.
Besides him, there were five other beginners. They seemed to know the situation. They didn't object.
Keisuke hesitated, pointed at Aoki's hat. "Aomura, won't that get in the way of practice?"
"I have a skin condition. I can't be in the sun," Aoki said calmly.
Keisuke blinked. He blushed. He bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Aomura!"
"It's okay," Aoki said, waving it off. "Don't worry about me. I'll remember the moves. I can practice in my room later."
Keisuke thought for a moment, nodded. He didn't say anything else.
Keisuke's skill was decent. His moves were precise, his transitions smooth. He clearly understood the core of Aoki Style.
Aoki watched, practiced in his mind. He tried to break down the moves, rearrange them.
After class, he went straight to his room. He wanted to practice while it was fresh in his mind.
Then, someone knocked.
Aoki opened the door. Keisuke stood there, looking hesitant. "What is it, Keisuke?"
"Aomura, are you busy this afternoon?" Keisuke asked.
Aoki shook his head. "I'm going to practice the moves we learned. Do you need help with something?"
Keisuke sighed in relief. A smile touched his kind face. "Perfect. I'll teach you after lunch."
Aoki said, "Keisuke, you don't have to."
Intelligence 13 gave him a sharp mind, a strong memory. He could recreate the moves from memory.
Keisuke was firm. "You came to our dojo to learn. We have to teach you. It's our duty!
Besides, you joined the dojo. You helped me a lot."
"Then, thank you, Keisuke."
Aoki didn't argue.
It was better to have a teacher.
This kind young man was earnest, reliable.
That afternoon...
Keisuke came.
One taught, one learned. Time flew. It was almost evening.
The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with brilliant colors.
Aoki practiced the basic moves of Aoki Style. His movements were quick, smooth, precise. He didn't move like a beginner.
When he finished, Keisuke walked over, excited.
"Aomura, I knew it! You're a genius! A true master of Aoki Style!"
"You flatter me, Keisuke," Aoki said, pleased.
Aoki Style suited him.
[TL: Yeah it has your name in it.]
He'd been thinking about how to build his fighting style.
Swordsmen had Breathing Styles. They were the core. But demons were different. Their powers were so varied. There was no single path. He had to find his own way.
Aoki hadn't had a clear idea.
Then, he touched Aoki Style. It felt right.
High compatibility, sharp mind, good Agility... It was a perfect fit.
He was learning fast.
Joining Aoki Dojo had been a lucky accident.
Keisuke didn't linger. He arranged a time for their next lesson, left. He hurried to his master's house.
He walked in, saw his master looking at a painting.
It was a portrait of his fiancée.
Mizuno Kengo closed the painting. "Keisuke, what is it?"
Keisuke's face fell. "Master, the new student, Aomura... He has great talent! I've never seen anything like it. Should we make him a disciple?"
Mizuno Kengo's face grew serious. He thought. "Observe him for a while."
He had to see his skill. He had to see his character.
A formal disciple was different from a student. He had to choose carefully.
Keisuke understood. He bowed his head. "I understand."
He was silent for a moment. "Master... Still no news of my fiancée?"
Mizuno Kengo shook his head slowly. His straight back slumped a little.
In the days that followed, Aoki focused on learning.
He was a demon. He didn't need sleep. He could eat to replenish his energy. He could train all the time, as long as his mind held out.
Hard work, great talent... He mastered the basic moves and ideas of Aoki Style quickly.
He even held back, so he wouldn't scare Keisuke.
...
"Another young woman missing?"
Aoki still set aside time to look for the demon. He needed to relax, too.
He hadn't found anything.
People kept disappearing.
"Yes."
Keisuke's kind face was tight with anger. He gritted his teeth. "I heard she was getting married in two days!"
"This demon is bold," Aoki murmured.
Gyutaro and Daki hid their eating in the Red-Light District. What was this demon? Why was it so reckless?
And why couldn't he find it?
"Aomura, we're going to the izakaya for a drink. Want to come?"
Aoki's thoughts broke.
"I can't. I have things to do."
"More practice? You're working hard, Aomura."
"I started late. I have to try harder. Be safe."
Aoki waved goodbye.
They spent every day together. He'd gotten to know the others.
They weren't close friends, but they got along.
He left the dojo, walked out of town.
He was going to practice outside.
He could practice inside, but he had to control his power.
That was good. It helped him learn control.
But he needed to know his full power, too.
He found a quiet spot. He used Space Warp, warped into a forest.
The trees blocked the sun. The forest was quiet, dark. It was like another world.
The ground was littered with rocks, broken trees. It looked rough.
Aoki took off the Sun-Blocking Hat, unsealed the Demon Brew Gourd, tightened his sleeves. He walked to a boulder, covered in fist marks.
---
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