Qin Ming's eyes widened as he looked down at the fallen Andy. Showing no intention of letting up, he raised his arm again and sent several Sonic Hand Blades flying toward the downed fighter.
Noticing this, Mai Shiranui gasped in horror, abandoning her fight with Mary to throw her Butterfly Fan at the incoming projectiles. With a sharp crack, her fan collided with the first Sonic Hand Blade, stopping it in its tracks. However, the second and third attacks swiftly followed, outpacing her ability to counter with only a single fan.
"Andy!" Mai shouted, frightened at the unexpected loss. She started forward, but the distance was too great for her to reach him in time. Just then, a shadow burst out from the dojo and landed squarely in front of Andy. With a swift flick of his sleeve, flames ignited, blocking the remaining attacks.
As he waved away the fading flames, the figure—an elderly man wearing a red ninja uniform—gave a quiet grunt, his eyes narrowing.
"Calm down, Mai. This kid's attacks may look flashy, but they're not strong enough to kill Andy."
Mai looked up, visibly relieved, as the elderly man crossed his hands behind his back, his gaze landing squarely on Qin Ming. This old man was none other than Hanzo Shiranui, the current master of the Shiranui dojo.
"Grandfather!" Mai ran over, clutching his arm, her anger flaring up as she pointed toward Qin Ming. "Grandfather, he—"
"Enough," Hanzo interrupted, his voice steady but firm. "Andy lost because he underestimated his opponent and tried to close the distance recklessly. There's no one to blame but himself."
"But..."
"No buts. In battle, there's no such thing as a constant victor. Losses only make us stronger."
Seeing Mai pursing her lips in frustration, Hanzo chuckled and shook his head before turning his attention to Qin Ming and Mary, who had come over to his side.
Scrutinizing Qin Ming, Hanzo raised an eyebrow. "Interesting ability you've got. Tell me, young man, which school do you follow?"
Taken aback, Qin Ming eyed the old man's stats and clasped his hands in respect. "I don't belong to any school, sir. I'm self-taught."
Hanzo nodded thoughtfully. "I had a feeling. You're using military-style boxing—a rigid form with no adaptability. I'm amazed you've elevated such an ordinary fighting style to this level. Did you serve in the military?"
"No," Qin Ming replied. "But I learned from someone who did."
"Then he must've been a solid teacher to bring you this far, or perhaps it's simply that you're quite talented."
Hanzo sighed with a tinge of regret as he continued, "What a shame, a true shame… You've got such potential, yet you're limited to military boxing. And that biting technique—surely a unique bloodline ability, no?"
After a slight pause, he narrowed his eyes, his interest piqued. "So, boy, how would you feel about becoming my disciple? You've got a solid foundation, and if your character's up to par, I'd be willing to take you under my wing as a personal disciple and bring you fully into the Shiranui clan."
"What?!" Mai and Mary both exclaimed, their shock mirroring Qin Ming's own, while Andy, still nursing his injuries, also reacted with wide-eyed disbelief.
Simultaneously, Qin Ming's mind was filled with the voice of the Nightmare Space system.
Ding!
Hidden Quest Triggered: Apprenticeship at the Shiranui School!
Quest Difficulty: D-Rank
Objective: Complete Hanzo Shiranui's test to officially join the Shiranui school! The better your performance, the higher your rank in the school!
Reward for Completion: Become a disciple of the Shiranui school and unlock the Shiranui Dojo Exchange Options.
Penalty for Failure: Expulsion from the Shiranui Dojo.
Description: Prove your talent and strength, future ninja master.
Still stunned by the system notification, Qin Ming hesitated for a moment, but before he could reply, Mai angrily voiced her objection.
"Grandfather! How can you take him as a disciple? He hurt Andy!"
Hanzo's expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing as he responded firmly, "This young man has no affiliations, fights ruthlessly, and possesses natural talent. There's no reason not to consider him as my disciple."
"But—"
"That's enough! You're not in charge of the Shiranui school yet, Mai. This is my decision to make."
Turning his attention back to Qin Ming, Hanzo asked again, "Well, young man? Are you interested in becoming my disciple? Of course, it's not so simple. You'll need to complete a task to prove yourself."
"What kind of task?" Qin Ming asked, raising an eyebrow, still processing the unexpected opportunity.
Hanzo's lips curled into a knowing smile as he gestured toward the dojo. "We'll discuss it inside. If you're truly interested in joining the Shiranui school, follow me."
With that, Hanzo turned and walked back into the dojo. Mai reluctantly followed, supporting the injured Andy, while Qin Ming, after a brief pause, shrugged and decided to go along.
Mary, carrying her dog, hurried to keep up with him.
As the group entered the main hall, the courtyard fell silent once again as the Shiranui disciples dispersed, whispering amongst themselves about the events that had just unfolded.
In one corner of the yard, six men and women huddled together, their expressions thoughtful as they spoke in hushed tones.
"Who is that big guy? Was he even in the original storyline?"
"He could be… another adventurer, don't you think?"
"No way! Didn't you see he's got Mary with him? No adventurer can be that strong—he just took down Andy!"
"If he's not an adventurer, then who is he? Terry?"
"Get real! Terry's Andy's brother. You think he'd be that ruthless?"
"Not Terry? Then who could he be?"
"Doesn't matter who he is. We just need to get close to him, maybe probe his strength a bit. If he's got a weakness, we take him out."
"Understood."