The next day, early morning.
The thin mist had not yet fully dispersed, and dew still clung to the blades of grass in the courtyard.
It was the same early morning, the same training.
Only the location and the audience had changed.
The setting had simply moved from the backyard of the Teradaya Inn to this tranquil courtyard of the Shin'ō Academy.
The perpetually gentle and smiling Miss Terada was no longer nearby, replaced by the cool, solitary profile of an uninvited observer.
Suō Tsukasa stood on the blue stone pavement in the courtyard, holding Oboroyo (Hazy Moon) and focusing purely on repeating the most basic suburi (practice swing) motion.
Swing the sword, bring it back, swing again.
The movement was concise, fast, and precise. The rhythm of every breath, the angle of every swing, every action became a beat etched into his bones.
After countless hours of rigorous practice, his stability was astonishing.
Ten thousand suburi swings, performed with complete mental immersion, was the morning exercise he set for himself—the purest form of grinding the fundamentals and the will.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya's appearance was a small unexpected event.
A young man who consistently followed his grandmother's teaching, "A child who sleeps more grows taller," he should, according to his usual biological clock, still be immersed in dreams.
However, the new bedding was too soft, causing him to sleep restlessly and wake up much earlier than usual.
He slid open the door, only to find someone who had risen even earlier and was already training in the courtyard.
The steady and swift sound of the blade cutting through the air in the quiet morning immediately seized his attention.
Following the sound, he saw Suō Tsukasa's focused silhouette on the stone slabs.
The extreme consistency maintained throughout countless repetitions.
The beauty and power contained within compelled him to stop and watch.
When Suō Tsukasa completed his final swing, slowly lowered his stance, calmed his breathing, and wiped the sweat from his body.
He simultaneously noticed the gaze coming from one side and turned to look across the courtyard.
Their eyes met.
"Good morning, Suō-kun."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya did not look away. He proactively walked over, his cool voice breaking the last vestiges of silence in the garden.
His gaze swept over Suō Tsukasa and the wooden sword in his hand. His pupils slightly constricted, flashing a hint of nervousness that even he might not have noticed.
The scene in the morning light was too impactful.
The fluid movements and the mountain-like steady aura of the other person were all reminders that he, with no previous training experience, had fallen far behind others.
"Morning, Hitsugaya-kun."
"Want to try?"
Twisting the hilt in his hand, Suō Tsukasa steadily offered Oboroyo out.
Unlike himself, who had fully prepared before enrollment, Tōshirō Hitsugaya had registered for the academy empty-handed.
"Thank you."
This gesture was natural and casual, yet it slightly surprised Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He thanked him and took the sword with one hand.
"It's heavy."
Taking Oboroyo, the weight of the ebony wooden sword made his wrist clearly sink.
The boy's inner pride made him try to stand with the sword held in a single hand like Suō Tsukasa. The muscles in his arm instantly tensed, and his knuckles turned slightly white from the effort.
Suō Tsukasa watched the scene quietly, his gaze meticulously observing the boy's small physique and posture of exertion.
At this time, Tōshirō Hitsugaya's body was too small, only barely reaching the bottom of his chest.
There was no hint of mockery in his eyes, only careful observation.
His exceptional spiritual power talent was both a blessing and a curse for Tōshirō Hitsugaya; the rapidly increasing spiritual pressure coupled with the awakening of Hyōrinmaru made his body a leaky vessel.
"The position of your grip is wrong, it's too far back."
"You don't have to emulate me; everyone's body and sword have their own unique way of being used. When gripping the sword, you need to find the most harmonious point between yourself and the sword."
"When the sword and the person achieve balance, the sword in your hand becomes an extension of your body."
Suō Tsukasa stepped forward, his hand making a virtual point toward the foremost section of the hilt, his voice steady.
Given his height, gripping the middle-to-back section of the hilt was most coordinated. For Tōshirō Hitsugaya, whose height only reached his chest, he could only grip the very front.
This subtle adjustment was the most easily overlooked, yet most crucial, fundamental for a beginner.
"Mm."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya adjusted his grip as instructed, his gaze focused.
"Watch closely. You are not swinging with the strength of your arm."
"Feel the flow of power through your waist. Let the power flow automatically and drive the momentum of the sword."
Suō Tsukasa held his hands in empty grips, as if he held an invisible sword.
Whoosh—
With a movement of his waist, power rose from the ground, driving his shoulder, elbow, and wrist. A natural, unified force was conducted through his movement to the tip of the 'sword.'
Tōshirō Hitsugaya mimicked the motion and delivered his first swing. Although he was innately talented, his movement was still slightly stiff and clumsy.
His talent lay more in spiritual pressure. He was truly unfamiliar with pure physical techniques like this.
"Too stiff. Relax, and carefully feel the axis of your body."
Suō Tsukasa stepped closer, without any politeness, tapping his back and waist with his fingers.
"The force begins at the ground, transmits here, and is ultimately released from your hand. Again!"
Suō Tsukasa acted like a strict instructor, continuously correcting the silver-haired boy's swinging posture.
And Tōshirō Hitsugaya, the future Captain, repeated the most basic movement again and again, like the most ordinary student. Fine beads of sweat gradually formed on his forehead.
A moment later, the sun had climbed to the corner of the eaves.
"Alright, let's keep the first training short and sweet."
Suō Tsukasa gently placed his palm on Tōshirō Hitsugaya's arm as he retracted the sword.
The silver hair on the boy's forehead was damp with sweat, his arm muscles were slightly trembling, but his eyes were brighter than when they first met.
"Remember the sensation of exerting power at this moment. Cultivation is like weaving a brocade; don't rush the process."
"Phew—thank you."
Taking a deep breath, Tōshirō Hitsugaya handed Oboroyo back and thanked him solemnly.
"You're welcome."
"Come on, let's clean up and go to the cafeteria together."
Suō Tsukasa accepted the wooden sword, a slight curve on his lips.
The two then went back to their rooms for a quick cleanup. Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they had changed into the standard Shin'ō Academy uniforms.
After they met up, Suō Tsukasa glanced at the thin shoulders of the boy beside him and began to offer his opinion.
With his current physique, even with his outstanding spiritual power talent, he would struggle to endure the physical strain of high-intensity swordsmanship training.
"Your weight needs to increase by at least one-third of what it is now."
"Before that, I advise against formal training in swordsmanship and Hakuda (hand-to-hand combat)."
"I can sense you're eager, but the situation is as it is: your body cannot sustain intense physical expenditure."
"Your primary goal is to first learn balanced eating. This is the first step of cultivation."
It's said that a growing boy can eat his father out of house and home, but resources were scarce in the Rukongai. Forget balanced eating; it was hard enough to simply fill one's stomach.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya's body was severely depleted. He was significantly lacking in Jing (essence), one of the three foundational elements (Jing, Qi, Shen), and could only replenish it slowly over time.
Suō Tsukasa taught seriously, and the boy listened seriously.
"Mm."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya listened very attentively, his emerald eyes subtly flickering.
In the end, he simply folded that sense of being moved into his gaze and nodded heavily.
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi