CHAPTER 5.
Inside the Kuroyami Palace.
A woman named Akiko sat behind a low table, she had long, dark hair cascaded down her back, and a brown eyes. She wore a flowing kimono with patterns of cherry blossoms, the fabric was a deep shade of indigo. She sat on a pink cushion - it resembled a flat pillow.
They were three jade cups on the table, each contained a fragrant herbal tea.
Two men sat across from her, holding a scroll, their expressions were tense as they awaited her words.
"So the child really exists? I had always thought it was a mere facade, even after a Ki pillar fell and released a new wave of souls just three years ago. He is truly the lord of Doom," Akiko said, taking a sip of her drink and gazing thoughtfully out the window.
"Madam Akiko, shouldn't we get rid of him before he grows stronger? He might unleash Chaos again," the first man argued, rifling through his scroll to point out a specific text that supported his stance.
The other man nodded in agreement.
"I concur, Madam. Just yesterday at noon, a wave of Ki was detected coming from the Seren clan palace. Our only conclusion is that the child removed the blindfold for a while; he may attract even more powerful souls if he isn't executed."
"We should place a bounty on his head with a reward of ten million yen," the first man suggested, but Akiko halted him with a raised hand, and a smile as she set her cup back onto the table.
"I won't kill a child that age; I'm not as ruthless as you believe. I will decide when to deal with him. Ensure the clan head and the grand exorcist don't hear about this. You may take your leave."
The two men exchanged skeptical glances before standing up and exiting the room.
"I wonder if Kenji will be able to surpass Gojin," she muttered, taking another sip of her drink and leaning back against the cushion.
___________
"Is she serious? How could we let danger roam free?" the two men discussed in the general hall, both nursing another set of drinks.
"Let's just wait and see what happens next. She may not act, but we will once we're certain no suspicions are raised against us," the older-looking man replied, folding his arms.
________________
Seren Clan's Palace.
Ryu and Gojin were in the training hall, a spacious room with tatami mats covering the floor and wooden beams overhead. Sunlight streamed through the shoji screens.
In one corner stood two mechanical dolls for training.
"I heard you want to begin training," Ryu said, activating one of the dolls. Gojin stared at it, his mouth agape in shock; it towered over him by about four inches.
"Did you read the martial arts books I gave you?"
"Yes, just finished the third volume yesterday," Gojin replied, slowly backing away from the doll, its blue eyes were fixed on him.
Ryu had been supplying Gojin with numerous books to enhance his academic skills. He often taught him, while Yuki tutored him in other areas. They were both exceptionally knowledgeable for their age.
Taking a wooden sword from the weapon stand, Ryu handed it to Gojin, reminding him to keep his blindfold on at all times. Unknown to Gojin, Ryu and Yuki were also searching for a way to help him control his powers so he wouldn't always need to wear the blindfold. Ironically, each year, Taro's birthday present to Gojin was yet another blindfold.
They had been doing this for over a year, but their access to information was limited until Gojin could defend himself.
Ryu left Gojin in the training hall to attend to his own tasks. "I will be back in two hours. Make sure you've defeated it. I did it twice today!"
The doll was set to level one. Gojin tightened his grip on the wooden sword, trying to recall the moves he had learned from the books and the Junior Exorcists. He always watched them train while taking notes.
"Why do I have short legs and arms?" Gojin questioned himself, preparing to charge at the doll while shouting, "Ahhhhhhh!"
Gojin lunged forward, swinging the wooden sword with all his might. The doll responded, effortlessly parrying his strikes. Each time Gojin attacked, the doll countered, knocking him back to the mat. Despite the repeated defeats, Gojin picked himself up with determination to win.
He swung again, his small body was moving with surprising agility, but the doll's programmed reflexes were too hard for him.
He stumbled and fell, but without hesitation, he sprang back to his feet. Sweat dripped from his brow as he continued to fight, his wooden sword clashed against the doll. Each defeat only fueled his resolve; he would not give up.
****
Meanwhile, Satoshi and Taro were passing by when they heard the commotion from inside the training hall. Satoshi opened the sliding door slightly, peering in. He saw Gojin engaged in a fierce battle against the doll, which repeatedly bested him.
Stunned, he remarked, "He is stronger than his age; I can't believe he's actually just three years old. Some initiates wouldn't even be able to hold a wooden sword like that."
Taro smiled, replying, "I'm also quite surprised. Most kids would have been scared at the sight of a soul, but Gojin is different."
Satoshi closed the door slowly and continued walking away with Taro.
"You're to keep an eye on him, and Ryu and Yuki..." he paused with a smile spreading across his face, "They will surely protect their younger sibling."
****
"I have brains, why can't I think?" Gojin thought, retreating a few steps before turning to face the doll again. He wanted to study its movements closely. As he observed, Gojin realized that the doll had been repeating the same moves each time, never altering its strategy.
He began to formulate a plan. "If I can anticipate its moves, I might be able to counterattack effectively," he mused. Gojin recalled the techniques he had read about in the martial arts books—feints, dodges, and counters.
He decided to bait the doll. Gojin took a step back, raising his wooden sword in a defensive stance. "If I can make it think I'm vulnerable, it might attack with its predictable strike," he reasoned. He would then sidestep and strike while it was off-balance.
Gojin took a deep breath,"I need to be quick. Quick," he reminded himself. He watched the doll intently, ready to react.
Suddenly, the doll lunged forward, executing its familiar attack pattern. Gojin feigned a stumble, drawing the doll in. As it swung, he sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow, and swung his wooden sword with all his might. A single touch on the doll's chest would deactivate it, the wooden sword clashed onto its chest.
"Whirrr" It instantly deactivated the doll.
[Ding! Host has defeated a level 1 training doll]
[EXP 5 +! EXP: 20]
"I get rewards for defeating a doll!" he exclaimed, sitting on the mat to catch his breath.
"I have a question, system. What does the bell technique do?" he asked.
Suddenly, the already shut-down doll began to reactivate, and this time, it powered up to level 2.
"Fuck!" Gojin shouted.