In celebration of Shun's success in opening all eight of his gates, Shun was given a very extravagant congratulatory feast hosted by the Juwan family at one of the village's most popular restaurants.
"To Junlong Shun for his success in completing his training!" cheered the duke.
"To Junlong Shun!" joined in everyone else. "Hoya!" ("Cheers!").
Shun could only humbly smile with a shy expression. Zen and Kira tried to get him to appear more confident, but their attempts only made him even more bashful. It was hard for him to put on a confident face before people whom he had only known for a few months now. He would've had no trouble if this was with his own villagers back at home…. But the smiles and laughter and genuine congratulations made him happy inside nonetheless.
The table consisted of Duke Juwan at the head of the table, his wife to his right, and Zen next to her. Tara sat at the other end of the table with Kira to his right and then Shun. Standing behind the duke was Goja-ri, the Juwan family's head servant. Sumin, Zen's personal servant, stood behind her master. Behind the duke's wife was her own personal servant whom Shun had never met before. According to what Zen told him, his mother's personal servant is Sumin's mother. Their story, as told by Zen, was that they were saved by the Juwan family five years ago from being kidnapped by slave traders after their village was burned down.
"Shun, you finally did it!" cheered Zen. "I knew ya could do it!"
"And who's fault was it in the first place?" poked Kira.
"Hey, I said I was sorry, didn't I?!" exclaimed an exasperated Zen.
"Kira, Zen, we're in a public place," sternly warned Tara. "And what did I tell you about speaking properly when out in public?" This statement was directed at Zen.
"I apologize," said Zen formally with a bow of his head.
"If you cannot speak properly when at a formal event such as this, how do you expect to succeed your father as Duke of Iaro Province?" asked Tara.
"Your master is correct," agreed the duke with a chuckle. "Talking casually is fine amongst friends, but there is a time and place for everything, son."
"Yes, father," said Zen.
"Hey, could you please stop making this about yourself? Today is supposed to be Shun-wan's day!" said Kira.
"Who is that? Is that that village kid from the south? What are they celebrating? Is it for that village kid? Isn't that the duke? How does that kid know the duke? Our duke isn't really associating with that outsider, is he?" came the whispers from around them. These hushed words quickly soured the atmosphere and everyone at the table became silent.
"Let's ignore these words," Tara told the table. He then raised a glass and everyone followed suit. A quick glance at Shun revealed that the boy was really shook by those words. Tara had believed that the discomfort and discrimination would've died down by now given how long Shun had lived here in the village and had done his best to fit in. Of course he didn't expect it to disappear entirely, but he was naive to expect tolerance to become the norm so soon.
"Why don't they just get rid of that kok'shi," came a man from the table behind them. The term is a very disparaging term in the Central Northern Dialect that is used for outsiders and unwanted peoples.
Tara put his cup down and, with a flick of his index and middle finger, sent the cup flying into the table behind him and struck the back of the man's hand. The man let out a yelp. Tara calmly got up and approached the table with a smile. "Oh, I apologize. It seems that my hand slipped," he said, picking back up his cup.
"Ah, Eru-senzo!" said the man in feigned surprise. "It's alright! I didn't know that a man of your status also dined here."
"I am just here at the invitation of the duke," said Tara.
"I-I see," said the man with a laugh.
"Everyone," said Tara, addressing the room, "I apologize for any disturbance I have caused."
Everyone else said nothing and uneasily returned back to their food. No words were spoken for fear of being struck like the man before. However, there was one man from a table in the corner of the room who refused to remain quiet. He stood up, ignoring the attempts of his friends who tried to bring him back down, and yelled out, "How dare you silence us like children? Are we not allowed to speak our mind?"
Tara turned to him and smiled. "Please do," he encouraged the man.
The man pointed a finger at Shun and continued with his rant. "Why is this outsider receiving such treatment? Does he even deserve it? He is not even a native of our village, much less our province, and he dares to make friends with the duke's family? This is an outrage! He is nothing more than an outsider! A kok'shi!"
The man's words caused a stir in the room and many people began to grow more confident and joined him in voicing their opinions. "Yeah!" came one man. "He doesn't belong here!" added a woman. "A kok'shi is a kok'shi!" said a boy. "This is our village!" came an elderly woman.
Zen couldn't take any more of this slander against his friend and stood up. "Quiet!" he commanded. "How dare you all slander my friend?! Who cares if he is from the outside? He is not any less of a human than me or you! Can you all say that you all are not outsiders, too? How about your parents? How about your ancestors? If none of you can say wholeheartedly that your family was not an outsider at one point in history, then you have no right to disparage Shun! And to you people who are jealous of his friendship with me, let me tell you that I was the one who approached him! I wanted to be his friend! Not once did he use our friendship for his own gain!"
"B-B-But, he is a village boy from the south!" protested one of the men.
"What does that have to down with anything?!" demanded Zen. "It doesn't matter which of the Four Regions he is from! If he was from the north or the west or the east, I would still become friends with him!" His words immediately shut everyone else up. "I don't care if you accept him or not. You are free to think however you like. However, if I hear you disparage him in front of me or within my earshot, I will make you my enemy." Those words made the entire room shiver in fear. Not one of the patrons wanted to make an enemy out of the future duke. That evening, no one dared to speak negatively about Shun while in the presence of the duke and his family.
The day finally arrived for Shun to begin his lessons in the combat portion of Chidao. However, he knew that these lessons won't be given to him in the same format as Zen or Kira. Instead, he would be learning through Van Chori's Dream Method.
Tara had set up for Shun a spot under a tree to sit. Shun took to the spot and sat down with his legs crossed. Today, as instructed to him by Tara, he would be learning the first two sets to Little Dragon Fist: Arrival of the Dragon and Fire Forging Steel. Kira would perform for him the first sequence while Zen would perform the second.
Shun watched with amazement at the slick and powerful moves that Kira performed for him. However, he knew better than to let his wonder get the best of him and carefully analyzed her movements. After the third time, Shun closed his eyes and entered a meditative state while keeping his senses, sans eyes, open. He took in the sounds of her movements on the ground: the whooshes that followed the flicking of her hand, the whizzing that accompanied her forceful kicks, the fluttering of her clothes as she danced through the air. He took in the feel of her movements through the air: the light gusts that came from her punches, the changes in pressure that marked much power she put into each move, the slight variations in vibrations from within the earth that told of her different positions on the ground. All the while, he replayed the sequence in his mind that he had committed to memory and followed along with Kira's movements. He could now feel his chaka gates coming to life and releasing Chi into his body as if they were encouraging him to execute those very moves. The sounds and feeling came together with the sequence in his mind and Shun could somehow feel it being etched into his very body. Perhaps the Chi flow that's happening inside his body right now was a reaction to this training. Perhaps it's aiding him in making the moves a part of his own body.
The three hours were done and Shun was left to internalize the moves for another hour. Once it was done, Shun stood up and Tara motioned for him to enter the courtyard. Shun bowed to his teacher and then entered the first stance. He effortlessly executed each and every step of the set as if he had practiced them for more than an entire month. However, his execution was very raw and far from polished, but they were all nonetheless the correct movements and stances and techniques. Tara was very impressed indeed with Shun's progression.
"It appears that this method is working very well for you," he said with a nod.
"It is," agreed Shun shyly. "Although, I would've liked to learn them the natural way. Just seeing the moves for the first time was amazing!"
"Do you think you're ready for the next set?" asked Tara. Shun nodded his head confidently. "Good. Let's continue."
Next, it was Zen's turn to demonstrate Fire Forging Steel. Just like before, Shun paid close attention to the movements and etched them into his memory. He then proceeded to focus his other senses to attune himself to Zen's movements. The sound and the feeling of each move became more and more familiar to him each time he replayed the moves in his mind in tandem with Zen's performance. His chaka gates activated and let out a flow of chi that once again helped him to really make the moves a part of his mind and body. Three hours had passed and now Shun was left to internalize the moves for an hour. Once again, when he was finished, Tara tested him in the courtyard. Shun's movements were all correct and flowed perfectly from one to the other. But with more practice, his movements could become more refined and elegant and he could finally reach the same level as his friends in terms of perfection and fluidity.
"Eru-senzo, I have a question," Shun asked his teacher after completing his test.
"What is it?"
"I don't know if it's me, but Kira's and Zen's movements were very different from each other. When I was watching them, but especially when I was focusing my other senses on them, it felt like they had different approaches to martial arts. Kira was more flowery and airy like a bird while Zen was more explosive and direct like a sword. Why is that?"
"Everyone approaches Chidao differently," explained Tara. "Even if one learns the same moves as their friend, there will still be a difference to their approach and execution. This difference can be very obvious or very subtle. One's approach is influenced by three factors: personality, elemental affinity, and understanding. This does not make the move different in terms of execution or purpose, but it can indeed affect its power and application. But because it is the same execution and purpose, the move is the same move. Power and application is dependent on the user."
"I see," understood Shun.
"Soon, you will discover your own approach to Chidao," said Tara.
For the entirety of the next two months, Shun was drilled in Little Dragon Fist using the Dream Method. Some days, he would spar against Zen or Kira in order to gain experience in real combat. Other days, he would get up early to do strength, speed, endurance, and body exercises. After dinner, he would meditate for an hour to build up his Chi cultivation skills. The first two weeks really tired him out and Shun almost felt like surrendering too many times. But since then, it became less burdensome and more of a normal routine that he performed without much thinking. His quick improvements in martial arts really caught the attention of Tara and the others.
"Man, I wish I had your prodigious skills!" commented Zen one day after training. "Maybe then, I could learn five Chidao styles at the same time and master them all in a month!"
"You're a natural at this, Shun-wan!" praised Kira.
"Thanks," said Shun with a coy smile.
"Prodigies like you only appear once in a lifetime," said Zen with his arms crossed over his chest.
"But aren't you a prodigy, too? I mean, I hear people talk about your natural talent for Chidao all the time!" said Shun.
"But if I'm a prodigy, then you're the prodigy of prodigies!" replied Zen. "But you're prodigious skills extend even beyond martial arts! You're academic abilities are at a whole other level!"
"But I'm on the same level as you and Kira," said Shun.
"Actually, there's one thing that you beat him at," said Kira with a mischievous smile.
"What?" asked Shun.
Zen immediately knew what Kira was talking about and quickly moved to prevent her from revealing his most embarrassing secret. But Kira was faster than him and already laid everything bare. "Zen is a massive loser when it comes to numbers," revealed Kira.
"T-T-That's—I—it's—um," stammered Zen.
"Zen!" commanded Kira.
"Yes ma'am!" yelped Zen at attention.
"What's seven multiplied by five?" asked Kira.
"F-F-Five…thirty…seven…teen…sixty-eight! Final answer!" replied Zen.
"It's thirty-five," said Kira. "How about something easier? Like, ten multiplied by five."
"Oh! Oh! I know this! It's sixty-four!" answered Zen confidently.
"It's fifty," said Kira. She laughed cheerfully, no doubt enjoying his failure, and clutched her stomach as if she had just heard the funniest joke in her life.
"I-It's alright, Zen! Not everyone is good at math!" reassured Shun.
"I don't need your pity!" whined Zen.
"Everyone has something that they're not good at," Shun told his friend. "Like, for example, I'm not really good at drawing."
"Really?" asked Zen.
"That's news to me," said Kira.
Shun took a piece of paper and picked up a brush. He dipped it into a bottle of ink and began to draw on the canvas. After ten minutes or so, he presented his final product to his friends. "What do you think?" he asked them.
Kira and Zen took one look at the picture and exchanged strange glances. "U-um, that's a nice…bird," said Kira with a smile.
"Yeah! It reminds me of eagle chicks!" agreed Zen.
"Bird? Eagle chicks?" asked Shun. "This is a fish," he told them.
"That's a fish?!" exclaimed Kira and Zen in unison. The both of them couldn't believe their eyes at their friend's crude drawing of an alleged fish. The long wings that stretched from both sides of its body, the protruding mouth that was obviously a beak, and the feathers that covered its body clearly screamed bird! Exactly what part of this drawing was a fish? Their friend's artistic ability was even worse than a babe's!
"Well, artistic ability aside, you're still a very talented prodigy," said Zen. "In fact, coupled with the fact that you're also from the South, you remind of the great hero Yujin Kazaki."
"Yujin Kazaki?" asked Shun. He felt like he had heard that name before but couldn't conjure up the memory.
"Yeah! He's the one they call, "Dragon God Yuka"!" said Zen.
"Also known by many other names, such as "King of Heroes", "Vanquisher of Evil", "Storming Warrior", "Southern Miracle", "Southern Wonder", and "Avatar of Nobuchiko"," added Kira. (Nobuchiko = god of war, strategy, martial arts, weapons, and honor).
Hearing one of those name finally brought back the memory of when Shun had heard of the hero before. "I remember now!" he told them. "My father used to talk about him all the time! He called him the South's greatest treasure."
"Really?! That's awesome!" exclaimed Zen.
"He's a native of Angkata Province, isn't he?" said Shun. Zen quickly nodded his head in excited agreement. "He came from a family of farmers and helped with the farm from a young age. But after saving his farm from bandits, he was discovered by a Chidao master and became his disciple."
"Yujin Kazaki was a true prodigy of Chidao and mastered all of his master's skills in three months! He then left his master and traveled the land, learning more martial arts and becoming a very formidable master! He used his power to help those in need and became the example that all heroes after him strive to be! His name spread all over the empire and his heroic deeds became legends!" continued Zen. "My favorite story of his was when he fought against a gang of sixty men led by the Hulin Triplets!"
"I really liked the story of when he helped the survivors of a village cross over the Uzokai Peaks to escape from bandits!" said Shun.
"Wow, I never thought I'd get to see Shun-wan act like Zen before," said Kira.
"Eh? What's that supposed to mean?" barked Zen.
"Well, I'm pretty partial to the story of how he fought both Wuchi Kong and Toki Chukai to a standstill in a friendly match in Purple Blossom City," said Kira, ignoring Zen completely. Both Kira and Shun laughed while Zen broke into a rant of how they were omitting him from their fun.
"Seafood! We're having seafood tonight! Crab, fish, shrimp, scallops! Delicious, delicious seafood! Pearls of the Sea!" sang Kira as she ran up ahead of Shun. She had on each of her arms a sack of fresh seafood. "Come on, Shun-wan!" she called to Shun.
Shun finally caught up to Kira. He carried on each of his arms a sack of vegetables. "You really love your seafood," he said with a light smile.
"Delicious, delicious seafood!" she sang in agreement.
The both of them had exited the main market square when the voices of bullying caught their ears. Kira turned in the direction of the voices and began to make her way towards them. Shun tried to stop her but ultimately followed after her. They came just in time to witness a kid no older than six years old getting picked on by a group of older kids the same age as them.
"Hey, brat, didn't you hear us to tell you to apologize? Do you know who you just tried to steal from?" came one of the older kids.
"This is none other than Zai Jikaro, son of Squire Village's merchant guild master, and future hero of Squire Village!" added another one of their group.
"W-Who cares about any of that?" spat back the young kid boldly. However, despite how brave of a face he attempted to put on, Kira and Shun noticed just how badly his knees were shaking when he spat those words out.
"You dare saying that again?" said the first older kid, pushing the young kid backwards. The young kid stumbled and fell on his bottom. "Why don't we teach this kid a lesson?" the older kid suggested to their leader.
Kira wasn't about to let this go on any further. She placed the sacks of seafood on the ground and boldly yelled out, "Zai Jikaro, you're nothing but the biggest bully in all of Squire Village!"
The older kids turned to Kira but wasn't phased at all by her sudden interference. "Who do you think you are?" came one of the older kids.
"Why don't we settle it right here and now instead of waiting for next month?" Kira told them.
Finally remembering who she was, Zai Jikaro smirked and said, "Well, well, well, if it isn't the little duckling from before."
"I'm no little duckling!" whined Kira. She immediately ran up to help the young kid get back on his feet. The young kid was resistant to her help and tried to brush her off but she was far more stronger than him. "How about I give you a lesson right now?" Kira challenged Zai Jikaro.
The young kid pushed away from Kira and defiantly said, "I don't your help! How can a girl like you help me?"
"Better her than him," said Zai Jikaro, gesturing to Shun with his chin. "He's a kok'shi, right? If you were to be helped by him, you can say goodbye to your honor." He and his group laughed like a pack of foxes, letting their voices penetrate through the alleyway.
Shun's expression turned sad and grim and his shoulders slumped. 'That's right,' he agreed to himself, 'I'm an outsider. No matter how much I feel like I am a part of this town now, there will always be people who won't accept me. They will always remind of my true status within this city.'
A loud crack suddenly silenced the entire alleyway. Shun looked up and saw that Kira had unleashed a very firm slap across Zai Jikaro's cheek. The bully's cheek was stained red like the blood of a vermillion dog. "Take that back right now!" screamed Kira. Shun hadn't noticed it until now, but Kira's face was stained with angry tears.
Zai Jikaro was taken aback by what had transpired and couldn't say anything in response to her cries. One of his followers spoke up for him. They pointed a finger at Kira and cursed, "Sinroi lao! We'll get you for this!" The term "sinroi lao" translates to "cursed face" and is the most heinous of insults. After having said their piece using only the most colorful of insults, the bullies then quickly made their escape.
Once they were gone, Shun rushed forward to make sure that Kira was okay. She reassured him that she was more than okay and the two of them then turned their attention to the young kid. "Are you alright?" Kira asked him. The kid didn't reply and avoided eye contact with her. "What's your name?" Kira attempted nicely.
"What's it to you?" spat back the kid.
"Well, you're one cheeky kid," said Kira with growing irritation in her voice.
"You should be respectful to your elders," Shun reminded the kid kindly.
"I don't need to hear that from a kok'shi!" shouted the kid.
"That's enough out of you!" yelled Kira, grabbing the kid by the collar of his dirty Zao. Fear quickly enveloped the kid's face and tears formed in the corner's of his eyes.
"Wait a minute," said Shun. Kira let go of the kid and let out a dissatisfied huff. "What's your name?" Shun asked the kid.
"G-Gimpei Vai," answered the kid.
"Gimpei-ji," said Shun, using the honorific for 'little brother' or 'junior', "why was Zai Jikaro and his gang after you?"
"They picked a fight with me first!" said Vai.
"They wouldn't pick a fight with small fry like you for no reason," said Kira smartly.
"How was I supposed to know that he was some bigshot when I pickpocketed him—," Vai caught himself and said nothing further.
"Pickpocket?" asked Shun.
Vai let out a sigh after being found out and told them his story. Apparently, he was the illegitimate child of a merchant and his slave. His mother, being a slave, was incapable of being free unless freed by her master. And since he was born to a slave, Vai was technically a slave, too. However, his mother had snuck him out of the estate when he was a baby and he had lived in an orphanage since then. He grew up without having much to eat and survived by stealing and pick-pocketing people. It was this lifestyle of his that got him into this mess in the first place.
Shun was not that familiar with the social structure of the cities. So when he heard that Vai's mother was a slave, he thought that she was maybe the same as Sumin and her mother. However, Kira was quick to correct him and explain to him the intricacies of the social structure of the cities. Sumin and her mother were domestic workers, which meant that they were a member of the Low Class, one of the five lawful social classes. However, Vai's mother was a slave, which meant that she was excluded from the five social classes. Instead, slaves are one of the Five Exceptions. And being a slave meant that one was forever bound to their master unless awarded freedom by that master. They did not earn money nor could they buy their own freedom.
"I apologize for my ignorance," Shun said to Vai.
"If anyone finds out about your history, you would undoubtedly be returned back to your mother," said Kira. "If you don't want that to happen, I suggest you change your ways and make a place for yourself among the Low Class before attempting to climb higher."
Vai didn't appreciate Kira's obvious words of pity at all. "I'll live my life however I want!" he told her defiantly. He then turned around and ran off.
Kira picked up the sacks of seafood that she had left on the floor and nonchalantly walked back in the direction of home. Shun quickly made his way next her way. "Let's go and have dinner!" Kira told him brightly. "Delicious seafood! Delicious, delicious seafood!"
When the time had come for the challenge between Tara's student and those of Chun' Giong Hiayin Se-nyan, Shun had mastered ninety percent of the Little Dragon Fist repertoire. Though he still somewhat lacked precise execution, he could nevertheless hold himself in sparring matches against Zen and Kira. In fact, the day before that of the competition, Shun and Zen sparred into the night.
"I'm envious of you," said Zen, throwing a punch for Shun's left chest.
"What do you mean?" asked Shun, dodging the attack and replying back with a knee to Zen's shin.
Zen jumped up and back-flipped in the air to dodge the strike. "You improved very quickly! You got the hang of it faster than me!" he told Shun. He landed back on his feet and quickly shifted to throw a spinning kick.
"It was only because you and Kira helped me," said Shun, blocking the kick with his right hand. "And Eru-senzo, too." He pushed the feet back and ducked down to escape Zen's quick transition to repeat the same move with his other leg. Shun then turned around and placed his back right against Zen's. Both of them were breathing hard and had sweat running down their faces like glistening streams.
"Hey, between me and Kira, who's better?" asked Zen in between breaths.
"That's not fair," replied Shun. "You're both strong in your own ways," he answered back honestly.
"You're no fair for that," said Zen with a smile. Both friends turned back around and grabbed each other's hand. "Let's win the challenge tomorrow," Zen told Shun.
"Of course!" agreed Shun with a nod of his head.
"We got this, anyu."
"Yes, anyu."
Finally, the day arrived. The competition was decided to be held at the Chun' Giong Hiayin Se-nyan school ground. The competition was not really a secretive matter and news of it quickly spread around the entirety of Squire Village. The people were quick to flock over to the event to witness what could only be the most intense of fights that could only be observed in this lifetime. For many years, people have often wondered who reigned supreme in the martial arts within Squire Village: the great teachers of Chun' Giong Hiayin Se-nyan and their pragmatic and straightforward style, or Eru Tara. Though it may not be Eru Tara fighting against the school's greatest teachers, seeing their respective students duel will be enough to inform the people exactly whose teachings, and therefore whose skills, are superior.
Shun was amazed throughout their entire trip to the northwestern part of the city. When they were nearing their final destination, Shun was surprised to discover that they had to climb up a tall mountain in order to reach it! Shun would've never believed that a school existed in such a location if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes! Stone steps that were carved into the mountainside led the way to the peak. In front of them, many people were already making their way up; some were villagers waiting to spectate the event while others were students. Seeing the Chun' Giong Hiayin Se-nyan lustrous silver robed uniforms were also exciting for him.
They made it up and were greeted by a group of senior students. The students led them down to an open area that was normally used for group exercises and sparring sessions—the area of the competition. Standing at a safe distance on either side of the space were the spectators, densely-packed and loud. Across from them, Shun saw Jikaro and two of his underlings dressed in the school's uniforms. Standing before them was a man whom Shun could only assume was their teacher.
Tara walked up to the center of the fighting space and the man joined him. They bowed to each other in greeting. Everyone quickly became silent and focused their eyes on the exchange between the two masters before them. "Greetings, I am Eru Tara," greeted Tara politely.
"Greetings, I am Bu Wafuki," replied the man with a smile. "Eru-senzo, I know of your status as a great hero. I do apologize for my students' behaviors. However, I cannot say that I was not the least bit intrigued when my student suggested this competition. It has been a wish of mine to test my own skills and prowess against a true master like yourself. Though I would not dare to say that I am well within your level."
"Bu-senzo, I am humbled by your words," replied Tara. "Please, let this match be conducted with propriety and honor."
"Of course," agreed Bu Wafuki. "Eru-senzo, might I please ask you to humor me a bit? We have a lot of eyes here ready to witness a magnificent fight between our students. But I would also like to show them our strengths as masters before we present to them our strengths as teachers."
Tara's face grew a little cold. "I am not sure that I can go through with this request," he replied back in a slightly more stern tone.
"Oh please, it will surely quench the audience's thirst for action," pleaded Bu Wafuki.
"Bu-senzo, I—," said Tara.
"You can do this, Eru-senzo!" shouted Zen.
"Beat him, father!" added Kira.
Tara closed his eyes and let out an aggravated sigh. "Why is it always those two?" he asked himself quietly.
Bu Wafuki suddenly shot out a punch aimed at Tara's abdomen. Tara quickly reacted with a sidestep that transitioned into a turn as he grabbed Bu Wafuki's hand and pulled him forward. He then threw an elbow backwards at his enemy. Bu Wafuki saw the elbow coming and had planned to defend against it with a grab, but Tara's speed was too quick for him. The impact forced Bu Wafuki backwards.
"Please, that should be enough," Tara beseeched him.
"That was just a fraction of our knowledge," replied Bu Wafuki with a smile. He then held out a hand and respectfully gestured for Tara to oblige. Tara sighed and accepted the teacher's invitation. Both men took to their places ten paces away from each other. "Eighty moves," said Bu Wafuki, "That should offer enough entertainment for our guests." Tara simply nodded his head in agreement to the terms.
Bu Wafuki quickly entered his starting stance: Prowling Tiger. 'So, he's going to begin with Two Kings Fist,' noticed Tara. Two Kings Fist is a very powerful and well-known martial set that is part of the greater Heavenly Dragon and Earthly Tiger style of Chidao. It prizes powerful strength (dragon) and speed (tiger) to overwhelm the opponent while using the main body as a perfectly-oiled machine to coordinate between these two concepts. Knowing that he would be fighting against only the best martial arts school in this part of the Central Empire, Tara was unfazed by the teacher's choice of combat style.
Tara thought for a second before assuming his own starting stance: Blooming Lotus. Not as well known as Two Kings Fist, but possessing quite a sizeable following in the Southwestern regions of the Central Empire, Tara's choice of combat was Blooming Wisdom Fist. This style of Chidao possesses only a few sets, making it one of the few styles that does, and relies heavily on simple movements and mobility. However, to make up for possessing only a few standardized sets, this style encourages improvisation. With these simple movements, it is possible to conceive infinite combinations and variations.
"You look quite natural in that stance," commented Bu Wafuki. "May I ask if you originated from the Southwest regions?"
"One does not need to be from the Southwest regions to be proficient in this style," replied Tara wisely. "Studying and practice are all it takes for one to master any art."
"Of course," agreed Bu Wafuki. "Excuse my rudeness." He quickly dashed forward like a tiger and poised his hands to strike Tara's in the chest. Tara gracefully dodged the strike with a simple twist of his body. Bu Wafuki, without turning around, jumped up and prepared to land a very devastating roundhouse kick to Tara's neck. Like a reed, Tara bent sideways to dodge the kick and pushed forward with his shoulder. Bu Wafuki was struck at the thigh and quickly flipped backwards.
For the next half-hour, both masters fought without exhaustion. The spectators eagerly counted the moves as they watched the fight with glistening eyes. Tara had avoided all but three hits from Bu Wafuki. On the other hand, Bu Wafuki was struck fifteen times. However, the strikes were not serious, so no severe injuries were dealt to either side by either side. The sparring session was quickly coming to an end as both master's reached their seventy-eighth move.
"Beat him! Beat the master of that outsider!" shouted Jikaro from the sidelines.
"Urgh! He really makes my skin crawl!" complained Kira with a grimace.
"But at least we're winning," offered Shun.
"Yeah! That style that Tara-senzo is using is really undermining that teacher's Two Kings Fist," added Zen.
"Gracefulness and intelligence beats power and strength any day," said Kira with a proud grin.
"Says the girl who's more brawnier than a blacksmith," scoffed Zen.
"What did you say?" asked Kira threateningly.
"Now, now, now, let's get ready for our own fight," Shun told them.
Finally, both masters reached their eightieth move. Bu Wafuki, panting quite aggressively, held up his hands in respect. "Thank you, master, for your time."
"I am humbled before your skills," thanked Tara humbly.
Bu Wafuki walked back to his students with the same smile on his face. When he passed by Jikaro, he whispered, "Don't embarrass me."
Tara was happily received by his students. Their cheers rang loud and clear over the school courtyard.
"You won!" cheered Zen.
"I did not win anything," refuted Tara. "That was simply a spar between two masters."
"Which you've won," repeated Zen.
"Like I said—," began Tara.
"Now that we showed them who's master is better, let's show them whose teachings are better!" rallied Zen.
"Yeah!" agreed Kira and Shun enthusiastically.
Another teacher from the school acted as the arbiter for the challenges between Shun's group and Jikaro's group. The first challenge was Forms Choreography, the second challenge was Cultivation, and the third challenge was a sparring session. Before the challenges begin, each school was asked to determine the order of their participants.
"I'll do the first challenge," Zen offered. "I've been practicing my forms every day. Kira, how about you take the second one? Out of all of us, you're pretty good at cultivation techniques. And Shun, you can take the last one."
"Me? The last one?" asked Shun.
"Your forms are still a little unpolished and raw. You remember all of the moves and know how to execute them, but your movements aren't refined yet. And you still haven't learn about the different types of cultivation yet, right? Which, I know, is my fault. Sorry. But you're really good at combat. Your ability to put the moves in action and apply them in real-life situations is genius! It shows that you really understand them at a very fundamental level!" explained Zen.
"Your ability to grasp the theory behind each and every move is indeed impressive," agreed Tara.
"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when Zen actually speaks like an intelligent person," said Kira in surprise. "But he's right," she relented. And so, it was decided that Zen would go first, followed by Kira, and concluding with Shun.
The first challenge, Forms Choreography, will test how well one can properly execute the movements of a predetermined set. Victory will go to the challenger who possesses the better memory, interpretation, and execution. Zen stepped forward to indicate his participation. From the school's side, a skinny boy with a long face and black hair stepped forward as his opponent. Since the competition was being hosted by the school, the skinny boy went first.
"For the first challenge, both contestants will perform the movements to Rising Dragon Over Sea," announced the arbiter.
'Alright! I have this in the bag!' thought Zen proudly to himself.
The skinny boy walked up and bowed first to his teacher, then to Tara, then to the arbiter, and finally to the audience. He got into position and demonstrated his understanding of the forty-second set of Little Dragon Fist. His acrobatic flips wowed the audience, his effortless strikes dazzled them, and the ease with which he transitioned from one sequence to the other captivated the eyes of his fellow students and his enemies alike. Once he finished the last sequence of the set, he bowed in the same order as before and walked back to join his fellow students.
'Not bad,' thought Zen. 'However, his interpretation of the set is a little off. His strikes didn't connect at all and he put too much power into the Rising Tail Whip. The focus is not on the move itself but on how you can utilize that move as a finisher. In short, the move is not important nor central to the set, but rather an auxiliary concept used to aid one in necessary combat. It would be best to not have to use that move at all; only in extreme situations. Say for example, if you were facing against a thief, using the striking sequences will be enough to incapacitate him. But if you were instead fighting against multiple thieves, then using the Rising Tail Whip will provide you with cover as well as a powerful weapon to avoid injury in your blind spots. But from how this guy interprets it, he thinks that the other moves were simply there to draw in the opponent so that he can finally finish them with the Rising Tail Whip in one shot. Not a bad interpretation, but oh so very wrong. I can't imagine him ever winning a battle by using it like that.'
Zen stepped forward and did exactly as his competitor did before beginning—he bowed first to his teacher, then to the opponent's teacher, then to the arbiter, and lastly to the audience. He got into position and demonstrated his understanding of the forty-second set of Little Dragon Fist. Unlike his opponent, Zen put less focus on the Rising Tail Whip and emphasized the effectiveness of the other attacks. He didn't use the move as a flourish, but as what it was intended to be used for: a powerful finisher to save one's life in battle. The difference in interpretation could also be felt by the audience and their reaction: while they were dazzled and awed by the former's execution of the set, for Zen's, the audience could only watch in silent curiosity and bewilderment. But that was exactly what Zen was going for. 'This set is meant to disorient your enemies, not amaze them. That's set twenty-one,' thought Zen with a laugh.
Once he finished, the arbiter stepped up to announce the winner. "The winner of the first round is Juwan Zen of Eru-senzo's school!"
"Why?!" shouted Jikaro in frustration.
"Juwan Zen's interpretation of the set is the closest to its actual meaning and purpose," stated the arbiter. "Although interpretation is up to the martial artist, when it begins to lose the meaning and purpose of the style or art, then it can never be truly called an actual interpretation of that style or art."
Zen happily rushed back to his friends, holding up a finger for them to see. "We got one!" he told them.
"Good going, Zen!" praised Shun.
"Yeah, I guess," added Kira with a smile.
"You did good, Zen," said Tara.
Next, it was Kira's turn. For the second challenge, both competitors would be competing at the exact same time. Two iron poles, brought by the senior students of the school, were placed in the center of the square. The poles were as tall as a tree and smooth all over; Shun wasn't even sure how one could even climb a pole like that. When the arbiter gives the signal, both competitors have to use their Chi to scale the pole to the top. Whoever reaches the top first is the winner.
Kira took to her position and saw that she would be going against one of Jikaro's most loyal followers: a big boy slightly older than her whose most noticeable feature was his long nose. She paid him no mind and focused solely on the task at hand.
The arbiter announced, "When I give the signal, both competitors will have ten seconds to channel their Chi before scaling their pole. Whoever reaches the top first is the winner. Begin!"
Kira brought her hands to her stomach with the palms facing upwards and stood with her feet together. No less than four seconds later, she jumped up onto the pole and used the pads of her fingers to grasp it while wrapping her legs around it. She glanced over and saw that her opponent was still cultivating his Chi. 'Looks like this will be cinch!' she thought happily to herself. She then started scaling the metal pole.
Finally, her opponent had also joined in the race but was trailing very far behind. Kira could see the top of the pole and increased her speed by channeling more Chi to her legs. Just as she was about to reach the finish line, a voice from below caught her ear.
Zai Jikaro was desperate to win this challenge. After being humiliated from the first one, he decided to resort to one tactic that would ensure their victory in this challenge. He really didn't want to lose to his enemies. With a voice loud enough for Kira to hear, he said, "Even if she wins this challenge, all I have to do is beat the kok'shi. Since he's going last, he must the weakest of them all. I mean, I would do the same thing if I were in their shoes. You can never trust an outsider to win your battles for you."
"What did you say? Shun can beat without even lifting a finger!" she angrily shot back at him. She had unknowingly ceased her ascent while responding to Jikaro's taunt. While doing so, she was unaware that her opponent had closed the gap. When she finally realized what she was doing, she was heartbroken to see that her opponent had already claimed victory. "No!" she whispered in despair.
The second challenge ended in the school's victory. Kira walked back to her friends with her shoulders limp and a sulking expression on her face. She couldn't believe that she let herself be played by the enemy. 'If only I wasn't so hotheaded!' she admonished herself.
"That was a dirty trick," said Zen in a low voice.
"But you did good!" Shun praised Kira.
"I still lost," she replied glumly.
"It's okay! In the third round, Shun will beat him up for good!" reassured Zen. "Do this for our honor," he said to his friend with a smile.
Shun understood and nodded in agreement.
Finally, it was time for the third challenge. The arbiter called forward the competitors. "The last match will be a sparring contest between our two competitors," announced the arbiter. "Both competitors are allowed to use whatever style they prefer. The first competitor to be struck three times loses."
Both Shun and Jikaro stepped forward and entered their starting stances. Jikaro, overflowing with confidence, decided to use the thirty-first set of Little Dragon Fist: Dragon King Palm. On the other hand, Shun went with the fifteenth set of Little Dragon Fist: Submerging Body. The challenge began and both boys rushed forward to battle. Jikaro quickly shot out a punch for Shun's left chest. Shun dodged it with a simple twist and brought his forearm cleanly below Jikaro and struck him right in the abdomen. The first hit.
'Wait a minute, did he just strike me? Impossible!' thought Jikaro furiously.
Jikaro quickly recovered and rapidly executed a series of connecting moves. First, a crossover punch to Shun's right; second, a low sweep with his right feet; third, a straight palm strike for his center. Shun was surprised at Jikaro's speed and was immediately caught off-balance by the time his opponent finished the sequence. Jikaro grabbed hold of this chance and finished with a lunging knuckle-punch to Shun's diaphragm. Shun stumbled backwards a bit before recovering himself. Jikaro's confidence returned after having secured one hit. They were now tied, but not for long.
Feeling the momentum of his one victory, Jikaro pushed forward with blind confidence. However, this would be his downfall. Shun's experience sparring with Kira and Zen allowed him to hone his combat skills. This was evident in how he managed to secure victory. He took advantage of Jikaro's emotionally-driven fighting and landed a backhanded strike to the back of his head (second hit) and a knee-strike to his thigh (third hit). The challenge was called and Shun won. Overall victory was granted to Tara and his students.
Jikaro couldn't believe it. He had lost to an outsider. Anger welled up in him like boiling lava. When Tara and Bu Wafuki were bowing to each other in farewell, Jikaro let out everything he was feeling inside. "This victory means nothing!" he shouted to Zen, Kira, and, especially, Shun. "It won't change the fact that you're a kok'shi! That's all you'll ever be! You will never be accepted by the people in this village! All you can do now is hide behind your master! But remember, a kok'shi will never be able to find a home here!"
Zen and Kira were quick to reply back but they were promptly stopped by Tara. Jikaro himself was stopped by Bu Wafuki, who had by now dragged him back inside the school. All feelings of excitement and happiness quickly left Shun's body and his heart felt heavy. The words stung him like a pack of poisoned needles. Even with the consolations of his friends, he had never felt more alone than right now.
As Tara and the kids were leaving the area, a young boy blocked their path. Kira quickly recognized him as Gimpei Vai. The boy had his head bowed before them.
"Gimpei-ji, what are you doing?" asked Shun.
"You know him?" asked Zen. Kira briefly told Zen and her father about their first encounter with the boy.
Unbeknownst to Kira and Shun, Vai had been watching the entire thing from the beginning. He was among the crowd spectating the entire competition. At first, he was doubtful that anyone could beat Chun' Giong Hiayin Se-nyan, but after watching Zen's, Kira's, and Shun's performance, his opinion of them changed. He was enraptured by the way they fought and it lighted a small flame within him. "I'm sorry!" he loudly declared. "Please, forgive my previous behavior!"
"Oh, that? We already forgot all about it," Kira told him. "So, you don't have to apologize anymore. Thank you for the gesture though."
"I decided," Vai told them with sheer determination, "I want to be strong like you all! Especially you!" He directed the last statement at Shun. "You managed to beat Zai Jikaro, the biggest bully in all of Squire Village! I want to grow up and become strong like you so that I can fight him, too!"
"That might not be a good idea," Shun quickly told him.
"Why not?" asked Vai.
"Because, Chidao should not be used to fight others without good reason. It should be used to help others," Shun told him. Tara nodded in agreement to his student's words.
Zen put a hand on Vai's shoulder and said to him with a smile, "If you want, after you become great in martial arts, you can come spar with us anytime to test your skills."
"Really?" asked Vai eagerly. Zen, Kira, and Shun nodded their heads to show their sincerity. "Alright!" After bowing goodbye, Vai quickly descended down the mountain.
Now, Shun could feel the happiness and excitement he was feeling before slowly return to him. He smiled to the sky above as he returned home with his friends.