Hanagetsuya gracefully guides Shogo out of the dark, mysterious cave, unveiling a breathtaking sight - a secluded beach, adorned with an abundance of rocks that outnumber the patches of sand. The mighty ocean crashes against the jagged rocks, creating a symphony of untamed power.
Shogo's gaze shifts towards where the cave entrance should be, only to find a perplexing absence. The towering cliff face stands tall, devoid of any opening. Initially bewildered, the young child chooses to silently follow the old woman, not wanting to upset her delicate demeanor.
They traverse along the rugged shoreline, adjacent to the concealed cave entrance, and embark on a treacherous ascent up a steep staircase, ingeniously carved into the cliff's side.
Upon reaching the summit, they are greeted by an imposing wooden gate, adorned with the kanji for Hozuki and the symbol emblazoned on Shogo's attire. This colossal gate, towering over five times the height of an average human, is encompassed by an expansive fence that stretches beyond the limits of sight.
With a gentle push, Hanagetsuya swings open the massive door, gesturing for the boy to proceed inside while she holds it ajar. As Shogo steps through the gate, his eyes widen in awe at the sheer opulence of the Hozuki compound.
From the apex of the staircase, a meticulously crafted cobbled path unfolds, adorned with glistening, jewel-like tiles. On either side of the path, three rows of impeccably maintained two-story homes stand proudly, each surpassing the size of the temple where Shogo spent his childhood, alongside fifty other children and nine adults.
Stretching across the grassy expanse for at least half a kilometer, the path connects the staircase they just ascended with another grand staircase, leading to yet another towering hill. Unlike its predecessor, this new staircase zigzags its way up the hill, with each change in direction becoming more frequent the nearer it gets to the hill's peak.
Perched atop the rugged staircase stands the majestic Hozuki Main Clan Home, enveloped by a modest forest. However, it seems that not a single yen was spared in its construction. It is as if they merged five homes into one colossal structure, stretching endlessly. The absence of paint is compensated by the peculiar grayish-blue hue of the wood, lending an air of mystery and enhancing its grandeur.
From the summit of the jagged staircase, a stone path unravels towards the front of the colossal residence. Flanking the path are resplendent gardens, bursting with vibrant and radiant flowers, creating a tropical oasis unlike anything Shogo has ever witnessed. This stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere of his watery hellhole upbringing only intensifies the allure of the surroundings.
The front sliding door, crafted from the same material as the rest of the house, boasts intricate gold accents resembling ocean waves. Though undoubtedly impressive, it exudes an air of pretentiousness, in Shogo's humble opinion. Numerous windows remain concealed and sealed, giving the impression that the massive house is devoid of life, devoid of any light or sound.
They venture towards the left of the Main house, traversing the multitude of trees encircling the hilltop, leading to the backyard. Though unpaved, a faint stone path imprinted in the grass guides their steps towards the rear.
As they round the corner, an eerily still and peculiarly shaped lake comes into view. The sheer expanse of the lake could easily accommodate five main houses, both in width and depth, threatening to engulf the entire compound. The water, crystal clear yet ominously reflecting the pitch-black shadows of its hidden depths, holds an inexplicable allure. With each step closer, the air grows heavy with moisture, making it increasingly arduous to breathe.
It is here, in this enigmatic setting, that the peculiar exercises of the past few days have taken place.
First, Hanagetsuya will command Shogo to step ankle-deep into the tranquil lake, and she will gracefully remove her sandals before mirroring his actions.
With an air of mystery, Hanagetsuya closes her eyes and swiftly performs a series of ninja hand signs, so rapid that they become a mere blur to my astonished gaze. As she ceases her movements, a peculiar sensation tingles through the water, causing a slight tingle to dance upon the skin of my feet. Shogo, filled with curiosity, repeatedly attempts to inquire about her actions, only to be met with her unwavering silence.
With her enigmatic task complete, Hanagetsuya opens her eyes and guides Shogo through a series of unpredictable physical exercises. Throughout the entire process, she remains submerged in the lake, her piercing gaze fixed upon his very soul. The stillness of her presence is deeply unsettling, for it is rare to witness a living being so utterly motionless.
Shogo is instructed to swim, run, throw, jump, lift, squat, lunge, and dive, all while predominantly remaining within the confines of the lake. This rigorous routine persists for approximately two hours each morning, until the elderly woman abruptly commands him to cease and exit the water. As he emerges, the Hozuki Matriarch releases her hand sign and gracefully departs the lake herself.
Remarkably, Shogo's skin never wrinkles from the prolonged immersion, and Hanagetsuya's robes remain inexplicably dry, despite her presence in the water. It is an eerie phenomenon that defies explanation.
Once on solid ground, the training shifts its focus to reaction time, balance, and flexibility trials for an additional two hours. Many of the balance exercises require a great deal of patience, a quality that Shogo openly admits he lacks. As a result, he frequently faces punishment in the form of a tiny and painful water blast on a random part of his body. Despite his impatience, Shogo persists through the punishing water jutsu strikes, determined to enhance his balance.
The reaction time stuff is significantly easier, the old lady teams up with a clone she makes out of water to dart stones at Shogo's head, torso and knees. Outright dodging them is hard so he will try and catch them with his hands only to get a stone to the temple for the attempt.
With each strike, Shogo's ability to anticipate the unexpected, sharpening his reflexes and strengthening his determination. The rigorous training not only tests his physical capabilities but also challenges his mental resilience, urging him to conquer his impatience.
The flexibility part might be the second worst part for Shogo. The old crone uses her "huge bear mitts" to twist his limbs into a fucking knot. Shogo's left foot has touched his right ear lobe for goddess's sake!
And then to finish up an already terribly exhaustive routine. The day ends with a SIX HOUR academic period of geography, biology, history and math! Shogo thought he had escaped all of that by ditching the temple.
But he is also kind of grateful since Hanagetsuya said if Shogo didn't learn how to read and write from the temple then it would have been TEN HOURS of forced education.
So much history about Water Country politics and clan relations. Various journals about local fauna and flora. Memorization of nautical patterns and geography. Learning the basics of celestial navigation and how to read a map. Shogo is brought back to the cave every night feeling like his fucking brain is going to explode!
Dreading the start of another trying day Shogo doesn't wait for Hanagetsuya to tell him to get in the lake, and just continues from behind her then slowly steps into the shallow part up to his ankles before turning around to face her.
Hanagetsuya stands in front of Shogo with her hands neatly folded atop her abdomen, face not portraying any emotion whatsoever.
"I didn't expect to see such enthusiasm from you today. You can exit the lake; your assigned activity will not start as it usually does,"
She puts her left hand into the right sleeve and grabs a hold of something. A long black sheathed katana is dragged out by Hanagetsuya from her sleeve which she then tosses to young Shogo's feet.
Immediately the boy snatches up the blade with the ornate hilt and examines it with large eyes. Even though the blade is slightly curved, the katana including the hilt is more than half his height at least. Shogo expected the blade to have more weight to it given its large size, but he had no difficulty in holding it up.
This had to be the first time anyone had ever given Shogo a weapon in his life. He had always stolen or fashioned any weapon he had ever wielded. The ease at which the old woman in front of had armed him with such an impressive worried him for what comes next.
Shogo's right hand tightens on the hilt and his left slides the sheath off to unveil the unblemished blade beneath. The edge of the blade catches the weak sunlight and shines brightly back into his eyes causing Shogo to wince a little, but Shogo can't bring himself to take his eyes away from its elegant curve.
Next Hanagetsuya slides a single red apple out of her left sleeve with her right hand and interrupts the child's trance by explaining his goal of the day,
"Your task for the day will be to hunt down a designated target and neutralize it using the katana, your target will be this apple."
Hanagetsuya lowers the apple to be eye level with Shogo before she continues,
"This is an exercise in subtlety and cunning. Should I feel your approach isn't up to my standard then you will be punished. You will be given a whole day to complete your task. Failure will be met with severe consequences, ones that we have been over just a week before. Your trial starts now, I will be holding the apple on the other side of the lake."
Hanagetsuya melts into water soaking the ground in front of a startled Shogo, he crouches into a panicked stance with the katana raised as he looks around trying to spot her.
His heart skips a beat, as Shogo lays eyes on Hanagetsuya who had at some point taken up a position behind him. Just like she said, the old woman stands on the opposite side of the lake, eyes closed with her feet in the water holding the red apple in her right hand like a statue.
The unnerving start to the exercise didn't fill Shogo with a lot of confidence, how was he supposed to catch a person who snuck away from him while they had his undivided attention! But the boy had no choice but to participate in this lopsided game.