Kato was given a room for the night, which happened to be right next to Yamato's. Yamato had persistently asked Kato about his age, much to Kato's irritation. Despite his readiness to start training the next day, Kato wasn't prepared for the early wake-up call at 5:40 AM.
Ervin: (cartoonish face) RISE AND SHINE YOU SLEEPY HEAD!!!!!!!!
Kato: (groggily) What?
Ervin: (cartoonish face) TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR TRAINING!!!!!! GET EXCITED!!!!!!!!!
Kato: (grumbles) At least act like a Clan head
Ervin: (flips Kato's bed)
Kato: (fully awake) HEY!! What did you do that for???!!!
Ervin: (cartoonish face) TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR TRAINING!!!!!!!! NOW LET'S GO!!!!!!!
Kato: (grumbling) Alright, alright.
Ervin led Kato to the training grounds atop the mountain where the Hashido estate was located. Kayomi and another man, whom Kato didn't recognize, were already there. From their expressions, Ervin had likely used the same wake-up method on them.
Ervin: Oh great. Everyone is here
Kato: (notices Kayomi) Mr Kayomi.
Kayomi: Oh, hi Kato. I take it Ervin woke you up in a less-than-pleasant way?
Kato: (cartoonish face) HE DID THAT TO YOU TOO????
Kayomi: (cartoonish face) YES
Both had a gloomy look on their faces.
Kayomi: By the way, (pats the other man) Kato, this is Arou. He's a close friend of mine.
Kato: (bows) Nice to meet you, Mr. Arou.
Arou: Nice to meet you Kato.
Kato: So why are you here with us Mr Arou?
Ervin: Arou is here to train you in hand-to-hand combat. But first, let's talk about shadow energy. Do you know what it is?
Kato: (scratches his head) I don't really know much about it other than it's dangerous to lighters and humans
Ervin: Okay so this is a good time to educate you on it so pay attention.
Kato: (cartoonish face) Another info dump????
Ervin: Shadow Energy is the energy that flows in every shadow and it can be harnessed by every shadow and used to power shadow techniques and enhance physical attacks. It's the same thing with lighter energy but the only difference is that shadow energy changes the nature of techniques. The same way a technique would look when it's powered with lighter energy will always differ from the way the technique will look when it's powered with shadow energy. Are you following???
Kato: Yeah I'm getting the hang of it.
Ervin: Shadow energy enhances techniques and physical attacks. You'll start by learning to control it and improve your hand-to-hand combat skills.
Kato: (cartoonish face) Sounds exciting!!
Ervin: (cartoonish face) I know right!!!!
Kayomi and Arou: AT LEAST ACT LIKE A CLAN HEAD!!!!
Kato: So what does a shadow technique look like?
Ervin: Kayomi, could you show Kato your shadow technique?
Kayomi: [BLACK: SHADOW HARDENING]
Kayomi's skin on his arms suddenly hardened and changed texture.
Kato: WOAH!!!!!!!
Kayomi: This is SHADOW HARDENING. It hardens any part of my body like a shadow monster's skin, making me impenetrable to weapons and reducing physical damage.
Kato: You can do that???
Kayomi: (hardens his entire body)
Kato: AMAZING!!!!!!!!
Kayomi: The drawback is it consumes a lot of shadow energy. (deactivates technique)
Kato: Woah...that's amazing. (to Arou) Do you have a shadow technique, Mr. Arou?
Arou: Yes I do but I'd rather not show it here.
Kato: Okay. So if Mr. Arou is training me in combat, does that mean Mr. Kayomi will teach me shadow techniques?
Arou: (to Kayomi) He catches on real quick huh?
Ervin: (smiles)
Kayomi: That's right.
Kato: (popped up) Alright!!!!!! Can't wait to start using my own shadow technique!!!!!!!
Ervin: Actually, you might not be able to do that right now.
Kato: (cartoonish face) HUHHHHH??????!!!!! WHY NOT???!!!!
Ervin: Well you see Kayomi can't teach you how to use your own shadow technique if he doesn't know what it is or doesn't possess it himself. And there's no one from the Hamorabi Clan who can teach you the shadow technique that is passed down from the Clan so the only technique that you might awaken is the one that will come with the God Eye when it awakens in you, if it awakens in you. But for your own shadow technique, there's nothing we can do about that.
Kato: (gloomy face) For real????????
Ervin: You OK?????
Kato: Yeah. It's just that it's another part of my life that I don't know about.
Ervin: Nevertheless we can teach you other shadow techniques.
Kato: For real?????
Ervin: Yes. Lemme let you in on something. The average shadow or lighter can learn up to three techniques due to brain capacity. Heirs can have up to five. If you awaken the God Eye, you'll have more storage for techniques.
Kato: Seriously??????
Ervin: Yes seriously. That make you feel better?
Kato: Yes. Mr. Ervin, do you know what the God Eye ability is?
Ervin: Let's see....(cartoonish face) I forgotten
Kato: (cartoonish face) Huh???
Ervin: I've given you the basics for now. Arou will handle your combat training, and Kayomi will teach you general shadow techniques and you'll be doing both trainings simultaneously.
Arou: Let's get started, Kato.
Kato: Right!!!!
As Arou began training Kato, the sun rose, and the shadows started their daily routines. Ervin watched Kato's training with a smile, noting that his daughter had also arrived to observe.
He didn't question her presence but felt a sense of fulfillment seeing Kato integrate into their world.