"All trainees, please report to the field at this time. I repeat...all trainees, please report to the field at this time." A woman's voice commanded over an intercom.
As the trainees tunneled out of the dorms, all dressed in distinct black uniforms, they filed neatly into symmetrical rows along the center field. Standing in front of the assembly was an old man, his long grey hair slicked back and the wooden cane in his right hand holding up his weight.
All members stood tall in the old man's presence.
"Welcome...to your annual training." The old man spoke up, his voice raspy yet filled with wisdom. "Over the coming month, you will be pushed to your limits...physically...mentally...emotionally. All to become the strongest person you can be. Though, you're not alone...If you look around, those next to you share the same goal. Support each other. Learn from each other. And grow with each other. Here at this training ground, failure is not an option."
The members remained quiet, listening deeply to what the old man had to say.
"Here at Naishotetsu, we follow a strict set of rules." The old man continued with his speech, observing the member's readiness. "Number one..."
"The mission always takes priority, no matter the circumstances!" The members responded in unison, their shared voices filled with passion and determination.
"Number two..."
"One must not use ryokukami for any personal gain or selfish desire! Only fighting as a member of Naishotetsu!"
"Number three..."
"Remain out of sight from the public at all times! Never to be seen by a citizen!"
The old man nodded his head in confirmation of the member's responses.
"Now...as we do every year. We will start with a simple practice."
The old man made his way to the far right of the front row, now standing in front of the first member.
"I want you all to state your name and age...simple?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good, then let's begin."
One by one, the members introduced themselves. The old man's cane tapped against the ground as he made his way through the rows, occasionally pausing to offer a nod of approval or even a word of encouragement.
There were many members the old man had high expectations for, but one member stood out far from the rest. Stopping in front of a boy with his hands tucked in his pockets, the old man awaited his response.
"Kurashi Ito...Age 17."
The reaction was immediate, all members turning their gaze over to him. The old man slightly narrowed his eyes, studying Kurashi with a mix of curiosity and recognition.
"The Ito...I haven't heard that name in a long time." The old man had stated in nostalgia, placing a firm hand on Kurashi's shoulder. "You have a lot to live up to kid. Don't let your father's legacy go to waste."
Kurashi gave into no reaction.
Even though the old man moved on from Kurashi, all eyes still lingered on him. The mention of the Ito clan's revival had clearly caused many whispering conversations.
After the introductions, the trainees were given a tour of the grounds. The six main buildings surrounded the field: the instructor's quarters, the boys' dorm, the girls' dorm, the dojo, the gym, and the cafeteria. As the day came to an end, the trainees returned to their dorms, but everyone knew the real training would begin the next morning.
8:17 a.m. November 12, 2022
Back at the base, Hikari walked through the main temple's hallway, the sun's rays breaching the windows. As he reached the council room, he opened the door slowly and entered. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of candles lining the walls.
Seated around a large table in the center of the room were seven elders, their faces etched with the weight of decades. Their conversations paused when Hikari entered, his sharp eyes scanning each of them.
"You called for me?" Hikari questioned from the doorway, his voice steady but carrying an edge of suspicion.
The elder at the head of the table, a man with a long gray beard and tired eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses, leaned forward.
"Hikari, we have some concerns about the kid."
"Kurashi? What about him?"
An older woman with her silver hair tied in a tight bun clicked her tongue.
"It is clear to us that you are not making enough of him."
"I understand your concerns, but Kurashi is making great progress for the time he's been here. I mean...the kid learned to use his ryokukami in less than 2 months. Not to add that his first mission was a complete success." Hikari stated in a defensive tone.
Another chipped in aggressively, his head clean of hair and his eyes agitated.
"It's not enough...You're treating him like some normal trainee. He's an Ito!"
The bun-haired elder interjected, getting the conversation back on topic.
"Hikari, let's not dance around it...You've grown soft. You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. You should be pushing him harder—much harder."
One of the other elders, an old man with a stubby brown beard, added to the conversation.
"That's true...your sentimental attachment is making you unreliable. Your role, Hikari, is not to pamper him. It's to make him strong—no matter the cost. We need the kid to be both stable and powerful, and if you can't make that happen then we will."
Hikari's fist tightened at the elder's harsh words.
"The hell? You think he's some kind of weapon? He's just a kid trying to figure out his place in all this."
"Once again, Sentiment won't get us results. If you can't seem to get it done, we won't stutter to take this matter into our own hands. Do you understand?" The bun-haired elder responded.
Hikari nodded his head with a sense of resentment for the elders.
"I understand Elder Ohara. If you would excuse me, I have some work to get back to." Hikari stated as if he had lost a battle, bowing his head with disappointment and walking out of the door.
In the hallway, Hikari murmured to himself in aggravation
"Stable? Powerful? Talking like he's some kind of weapon."
Hikari couldn't help but let out an aggravated sigh.
"Screw those narrow-minded elders. Doing only what would benefit themselves."
Back at the training grounds, the members assembled on the field dressed in their black uniform, ready for the trials ahead of them. The old man, his face weathered with wrinkles of experience, stood in front of the members once again.
"Listen well...today marks the beginning of your journey. You will undergo a schedule that will push you past your limits. Endurance will be forged with a six-mile run. Strength will be built through weight training. Technique will be sharpened with hand-to-hand combat. And precision will be honed as you master your ryokukami. You'll rotate through these exercises in groups of four. And after the training is over, you are free for the rest of the day. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Then you are dismissed."
The trainees split into groups and headed to their designated areas.
Inside the dojo, Kurashi kneeled in a seized position on the tatami floor, his dark eyes fixed on the instructor standing in front. The instructor was a young woman with sharp green eyes and dark brown hair tied into a loose braid.
"Now, we will start with the art of ryokukami..." The instructor stated as she paced before the group, her voice gentle yet commanding. "First, I want to clarify that ryokukami is not just a technique, but rather a way of life. Inside all of you resides a power...waiting to be brought to the surface, and this training will help you do so...Now, I want you all to remember that this is not a competition. Each of you will awaken at your own pace, so be patient with yourselves and your peers...With all that said, close your eyes, and let us begin."
Time went by in the dojo, and was now time to move to hand-to-hand combat.
At the center field, Kurashi's group gathered to listen to the instructor. The instructor was a tall man with short black hair and a scar along his forehead.
"Listen up! We'll focus on the basics for now. I will pair you randomly, so you will have to adapt on the spot. Keep in mind that fights aren't won just through strength alone. Make sure to stay light on your feet and be ready to counter at all times. Watch for all movement—the shift of their weight, the tension in their stance. Understanding your opponent is just as important as overpowering them...Now, matches will either end by knockdown or time. Time to pair up and begin!"
"Yes, Sir!"
After an intense session of sparring, it was time to move on to the next exercise.
At the edge of the forest, Kurashi and his group stood before the instructor, a mature woman with short black hair and brown eyes.
"The trail you will be running is through the forest. It's a long run, so be sure to pace yourself and maintain your stamina. It will be over once you make your way back here, so whenever you are ready. You can head out!"
Inside the damp forest, Kurashi made noticeable space between himself and the others in his group, his pace steady and his breathing controlled. Though the others lagged behind, one trainee was matching Kurashi's pace.
A boy his age with snow-white hair and piercing blue eyes.
Neither spoke a word, only focused on reaching the end of the run.
After finishing the run, the instructor came up to them, impressed by their performance.
"Wow, 23 minutes! Good job you two! Take some time to rest up before you move on."
The two of them took this time to catch their breath before the others caught up.
After the draining run, Kurashi's group then moved on to weightlifting.
Inside the gym, state-of-the-art equipment lined the room—dumbbells, barbells, squat racks, benches—the metal gleaming under bright lights.
The instructor, a muscular man with a beard and short brown hair, stood at the entrance.
"Here...you will build true strength. When you are here, make sure not to rush through the exercise and maintain good form. Proper technique will prevent injuries and help you lift more effectively...Lastly, I advise working with a partner. Keep each other accountable and push yourselves together. That's it, you can begin."
As the trainees began, the instructor handed out a simple workout plan, detailing exercises that targeted desired muscle groups.
With others pairing up and pushing each other, Kurashi remained alone, following his own workout plan given to him by Hikari. After the workout was done, they all gathered before the instructor.
"Good job all of you...Strength comes from being resilient, so the more that you push yourself, the more results you will see. I am proud of what I saw today, so keep it up."
It was then that the training for the day was done.