Chapter 4

Birds chirping, subtle sunlight hitting my face, rain drops falling on my cheek. I woke up in the middle of the forest, unaware of what was happening.

“Akari!? Kenji!?” I screamed.

But no answer. I started hyperventilating.

“Why do you panic? Stay calm, study your surroundings. Think”

I heard a voice. I didn’t know where it came from, but I couldn't concentrate given the situation. I heard a branch snap. I turned around in the direction of the sound but nothing there.

“Stay calm. Breathe. Be aware of your surroundings.”

I started looking around more carefully, studying every detail. After a moment, I noticed some smooshed leaves on the ground. The trail led me to step into a trap which hung me by a rope upside down. I quickly heard steps coming closer in my direction.

I swung myself around and I saw a girl, about a year or two older than me, looking at me with her arms crossed and a disappointed face.

“Is this what symbolizes a Kojin these days? How sad. I pity you; I truly do. You see, the ways of the Kojin can break a man, If you truly think you have what it takes, then you will have to endure.”

She cut the rope, and I fell on my back. She cut it with a single move of a finger, not even using a blade. She then threw a small dagger into the ground.

“Get up kid. Pick it up. Let’s see what you got.”

I pulled the dagger out of the ground, handed it with two hands and when I looked up she was already gone.

“Use your senses, feel the air touching your skin, catch its scent, hear its breeze. Concentrate.”

I began looking for her again. After a few moments I had a vague idea of where she was, so I threw the dagger in its general direction, and it hit a tree.

“I must say I am impressed...on how raw and incompetent you are.”

The girl appeared behind me and swept my feet, making me eat dirt once again.

“This is impossible, how is anyone as unexperienced as I am supposed to do this?” I said to her.

“Well, it didn’t seem that hard for Akari as she found me just fifty-two seconds after she woke up. Am I supposed to believe her older brother isn’t able to do this simple task?” She said.

“What? Akari? She did this? Fine. Let’s go again.”

I felt proud of Akari, but it wasn’t time for that. The girl disappeared one more time. The air felt colder than usual. The ground was soft, with no clear footprints, just the faintest bends in the ground beneath.

“You think too much, Hayato. On a mission you’d be dead by now. Feel the world, not through your senses as they can be deceived, but through your calm, through your spirit, through Seishin. Go for the kill.”

I hated that I understood what she meant without being able to pull it off, but I kept going. Beneath the chatter of the forest, I felt a shift in the air, faint but deliberate. I breathed slower, quieter, and took one step at a time. I felt her presence in front of me, behind a tree.

The silence stretched thin. I was sure I had found her right there, where a shadow stood, bending where it shouldn’t. I quickly swung the dagger from behind, going for the kill as instructed.

Before I could hit her, she stopped my thrust with his finger. She didn’t even touch it. It was as if he was controlling the air around it, stopping it before it hit him.

“Congratulations, it only took like an hour, but you completed the introduction to your training. I honestly expected more from you but no matter, I guess time will set things where they’re supposed to be. Your fellow classmates have already completed this introduction and are waiting for you by the riverbank. My name is Mitsuri Ayazawa; an Okuden from the Kojin Order , and I will be you instructor from now on.”

Master Ayazawa stood with a powerful aura surrounding her. Her face lacked expression but gave off determination. She wore black robes with silver and red accents all over them.

Master Ayazawa led me to the riverbank, where I saw Kenji and Akari sitting down by the water. They noticed I was there and ran up to me.

“Hayato! I’m so glad you’re okay. How did it go with Master Ayazawa?” asked Akari.

“Well, it went way differently compared to you, Miss fifty-two-seconds.” I said, frowning at her. Akari laughed, patting me on the head.

“There there, Hayato. You’ll get better!”

Master Ayazawa showed little to no expressions. It was hard to know what she had in her mind. She put us all in a line, crossed her arms and spoke.

“As I told Hayato, you’re all raw. Although you are lucky to have me as your instructor, you’re unlucky since I strive for perfection. Anything else below that is not acceptable. For the next few months, you’re going to be training with me.”

“Months!?” Kenji gasped “They’re trying to kill us!”

“The training to become proficient Kojin takes years. This is just the beginning.” She responded

“But Master Ayazawa, aren’t you supposed to be on missions and other important Kojin stuff?” Kenji asked.

Master Ayazawa looked at us, always so expressionless. “This is a direct instruction from Master Mizuhara. The Kojin Order has enough members to handle themselves. If we can’t risk being one man short, then we have no place in this world.”

She was blunt, direct like no other. I admit she scared me a bit. I always thought that it wouldn’t hurt her to smile just a little.

“You three will train as a team. Even though you might get sent to assignments alone, you might also go with other Kojin. Trusting your team is essential. If you don’t, you’re dead. Your job right now is to find me in the forest, simple. But I warn you, there will be no fifty-two second findings this time.”

As soon as she said that she disappeared in front of our eyes as leaves covered her and a breeze swept by.

“Every person we meet in this place just gets creepier. Can’t we just meet someone funny for a change?” said Kenji.

We headed into the forest. Its trees were no different from one another so we could get lost easily. The mist thickened and it became hard to see. The breathing of Akari and Kenji went silent. When I noticed I turned around, but they were gone.

“Akari!? Kenji!?” Nothing. No response. Just my own voice echoing in the nothingness of the forest.

The forest began to distort; paths became dead ends. In that moment I realized, it was Master Ayazawa’s doing. We had to think on our feet in complex situations even when separated.

I moved through the forest, trying to find my way between the tree maze. My frustration boiled. Every step I took felt heavier.

“You rush.” I heard a voice whispering. As I turned around there was no one around me. She was playing with me, no doubt about that.

I sat on the ground, closed my eyes and focused. Even though I had no experience, I tried channeling the Seishin within me.

Meanwhile, Akari was calm and collected on her own. She had good tracking senses from all the hunting she did with gramps.

“I must Find Hayato and Kenji. We’re doomed If we keep going by ourselves.” she thought to herself.

Akari cleared her mind and made her way carefully through the trees.

She brushed away at the leaves and moss and spotted faint imprints, shallow but wide. She went in the direction of the imprints, hoping to find something or someone. A twig snapped in the opposite direction, which made her freeze and doubt.

“No. That’s not them. Too deliberate. It must be Ayazawa playing with me.”

She continued moving slowly in the direction of the tracks, following a faint scent weaving between trees. After a little while, she saw me in the distance, sitting on the ground. Her steps were silent as always. She put her hand on my shoulder, and I jumped in shock, thinking it was some ghost.

“Dang it Akari! Not the time to pull off one of your pranks!” I shouted at her.

“Hehe sorry Hayato. I honestly didn’t mean to scare you there. You breathe like you’re fighting for air; anyone can track you down like that. You found any sign of Kenji?”

“Not yet, but we’re together now. We should have an easier time finding him.”

Kenji was walking through the woods, softly punching the trees he passed through in frustration. Master Ayazawa’s words echoed in his head. “You three will work as a team”.

“Yeah, well, it’s not much of a team if I’m on my own, is it?” he grumbled to himself.

He kept walking, constantly calling for us with no response. Suddenly a shadow shifted between the trees, like someone was there with him. He followed it from tree to tree, trying to grab it but to no avail. He followed the shadow’s path without doubting its safety and fell into a shallow pit, landing hard on his side.

“Great. Perfect!” He hissed, rubbing his arm.

He tried climbing out, but the sides were slick. It was without a doubt one of Ayazawa’s traps. Kenji’s face turned red, veins started to show around his neck and sure enough, his patience finally snapped.

“Is this your idea of a lesson!?” he shouted angrily at the skies.

During that moment Akari and I heard the screams resonating in the distance.

“Hey, did you hear that? That was Kenji!” I said to Akari.

“Yeah, that’s definitely him screaming, let’s go!”

“What am I supposed to be learning here!? That I should always carry a trampoline to jump out of shallow holes!? Your cryptic exercises are a spiritual journey to my insanity!”

“Geez someone’s a little flustered” Akari said to me.

Akari lead the way and a few minutes later we found him in the pit.

“Kenji! Are you alright?”

“What do you think, Hayato!? I’m in paradise here! Why don’t you hop in? Temperature’s great!”

“Come on don’t be like that. Hang on, we will get you out of there.”

I laid down on the floor trying to get as close to the pit without falling and Akari grabbed me by the legs for support.

We pulled as hard as we could and got Kenji out of that hole.

“I swear when I get my hands on her!” said Kenji.

“Calm down Kenji. She has been toying with us since we started this session. This is just the beginning. Stick together, watch each other’s backs. If we get separated one more time we’re done for. There are tracks here, too small to be Kenji’s. Akari, you take the lead, we will be right with you.”

We kept moving together. Her sharpened eyes darted everywhere, tracing leaves and mud. “She’s light on her feet, but not invisible. Look, faint depressions here, heading south. It seems like she’s using air currents to mask her steps, but it’s not perfect. She’s close, get ready.” Akari whispered.

Kenji and I got ready. Grabbed some pebbles and waited for whatever information Akari could gather.

Akari sat on the ground, closed her eyes, put her hands down, and focused. Whether she was conscious of it at first or not, she tapped into her Seishin within and enhanced her senses.

“What is this feeling? I can see things I couldn’t before. Don’t overthink, just find her!” Akari thought to herself.

Even with her eyes closed, she began to see temperatures within the forest. A few seconds later she sensed Master Ayazawa’s presence. She tilted her head to the left and shouted.

“There! Up the tall tree to the left!”

Kenji and I rushed the tree from the sides and found her up a tall branch. Kenji threw a rock at her. Kenji’s raw strength was something to behold. The rock flew so fast we couldn’t see it. We just heard a whistling sound cut through the air.

Ayazawa had little to no time to react and could only block with a dagger she had which broke on impact. Her eyes widened slightly. For the first time, she looked surprised.

Akari didn’t wait. She lunged forward, trying to grab Ayazawa’s arm. But Ayazawa moved like flowing silk—one step back, one sidestep, and Akari’s hand met empty air.

Kenji gritted his teeth, cracking his knuckles. “Then how about this?”

He slammed his hand into the ground ripped a chunk of soil that burst upward, and he kicked it straight toward her. She dodged it without any problem and took the three of us out in a swift move.

“Impressive strength,” she said, “but strength alone doesn’t win battles.”

Akari and Kenji regrouped beside me, both panting, both covered in dirt and scratches—but smiling despite it.

Ayazawa sheathed her dagger and straightened. “You lasted longer than I expected. You’re raw, unfocused... but the bond between you three? That’s something rare.”

She offered a hand to help me up. I took it, still catching my breath.

“I’ll be honest,” she said, looking at us with faint eyes. “When I heard I’d be training the new Shoden, I wasn’t expecting much. But maybe this generation will surprise me. Especially you, Akari. Your Seishin senses have awakened. Keep it up and you’ll be a great asset to your teammates.”

The next few days were tough. Master Ayazawa trained us daily in hand-to-hand combat. She sure roughed us up quite a bit. For someone not a lot older than me, she sure hid a lot of strength despite her petite stature.

We repeated the same drill as before in the forest. Trying to find her got progressively harder, even when there were three of us working together.

By the end of each day, she gathered us around the tree by the riverbank to meditate. She told us the tranquility would help us concentrate our Seishin and tap into our elemental affinity. As always, Akari beat Kenji and I to the chase.

Akari kept herself calm, her breathing was steady. Water from the riverbank began to flow her way, creating a whirlpool around her. Blobs of water started to form and levitate. Kenji and I looked at her in awe. She was advancing at a speed we couldn’t keep up with.

“It looks like you’ve found yourself, Akari. I congratulate you.” Said Master Ayazawa.

Akari opened her eyes and witnessed what she had accomplished. She was very proud of herself and enthusiastic about it. Akari bowed in gratefulness to Master Ayazawa, while Kenji and I looked a bit defeated. Master Ayazawa came up to us and gave us a few words of encouragement.

“Don’t focus on what others have achieved or what you have not. Focus on what you can achieve. If you do, it’s only a matter of time.”

Her daily training kept on going. She was really strict on being able to handle ourselves without any weapons, despite having various herself. In the end, I had to ask why.

“Master Ayazawa, why do you insist on hand-to-hand combat? We’ve all seen what Enkijin can do, and the weapons some Kojin like you carry. So, what is the reason?”

Instead of giving a response she disarmed herself, gave me a dagger and said.

“Come at me with all you got; that’s an order. If you hold back, I’ll kill you.”

Everyone stopped what they were doing. I was shocked by her orders, but I had to do it. Going against her orders was way worse than doing it wrong.

I rushed her and swung at her a lot. I switched the blade from hand to hand, tried sweeping her feet, but I couldn’t hit her. She didn’t even try to attack... until she did and without even looking, she had taken the knife from me and cut me in the cheek and kicked me in the stomach, causing me to fall to my knees.

“Hayato!” Akari and Kenji screamed in unison as they came to my aid.

“There are some things you must understand Hayato. It’s not the weapon that dictates a warrior’s strength, it’s their will. Weapons can break, but you must not let anyone break your will. Let the fire within you dictate the pace of battle, let it show you clarity in the moments where you feel threatened the most.”

Her ways of teaching were unorthodox, but she was right. We kept training physical attacks every day, getting better each time. Kenji was the most skilled in this aspect. There were multiple times where Akari and I tapped out while he kept on going with Master Ayazawa.

Before we realized it, three months in training had gone by. Our physical strength and team coordination got a lot better, but Kenji and I still had trouble with projecting our Seishin.

In a particular training day, Master Ayazawa was running late. It was weird, she was never late. Akari, Kenji and I waited by the river for her to arrive. When she finally arrived, the look on her face wasn’t a pretty sight to look at.

“Hayato, Kenji you are temporarily dismissed from this group and its training sessions.” Ayazawa said with a cold look on her face.

“What?” We all exclaimed.

“Akari has enough physical prowess and enough Seishin controls to begin Art training, whereas you two have not even gotten close. Until then, you two train here by yourselves, while I train her.”

“What’s the point in that? You’re the teacher!” said Kenji.

“Every Kojin can control Seishin, it’s a must. Without it, we’re just nutjobs with a death wish. To learn how to control it, you must be one with your spirit and senses. Every living being carries Seishin. It flows through you, through me, through the earth beneath our feet. Controlling Seishin is not about brute strength, it’s about harmony. When you accept what you are, your element will answer. I’ve given you the pieces, it’s up to you to put them together,”

Master Ayazawa’s words were hard to hear. But as she walked away with Akari, Kenji and I looked at one another and sighed.

Kenji broke the silence. “Guess we’re not cut out for this... huh?”

I shook my head. “No, that’s not it. We’re just not ready yet.”

He gave a dry chuckle. “You sound like her.”

“Yeah well, maybe she’s right. There’s something we’re missing.”

After that day, we didn’t see Akari for a while, since she was isolated in her Seishin training. Meanwhile, Kenji and I returned to the same spot at the riverbank every sunrise to train together. We sparred under extreme heat and pouring rain, our bodies moving on instinct. Just us and our stubbornness.

When we weren’t sparring, we meditated by the river as Master Ayazawa had taught us to. The sound of running water was constant, gentle, grounding. We’d sit there, legs crossed eyes closed, trying to feel something inside ourselves.

Days became weeks. Some days, we felt nothing. Other days, light tingles in ourselves. But every day we got frustrated and doubted ourselves more each time.

Slowly but surely, we started to understand. Seishin wasn’t something we could tame, it was something you had to listen to, to feel.

Kenji started to notice the vibrations beneath the earth and how the soil pulsed faintly. I started to notice the warmth in the air, getting heavier when I was angry. Still, we couldn’t awaken it. Not yet.

One afternoon while Kenji and I were sat meditating during sunset and we noticed Master Ayazawa sat on the boulder at the other side of the river, also meditating. She pulled out a shinobue flute and started playing it.

The tune drifted through the air, like a soft breeze. Melancholic yet serene. It was a soft and beautiful melody. It carried a message of harmony, inner peace... quieting our inner doubts.

The melody wrapped around us. My breathing slowed, the warmth of the sun seeped through my skin. Every inhale felt heavier, deeper. I relived memories of the past, of the dreams I had before, of that night in the village. I felt angry, but I had to use that anger for my own benefit.

I felt the ground on my fingertips, the scent of the tree beside disappeared, the hum of river went mute. I exhaled and opened my eyes and saw how I was in the middle of a ring of fire.

I remained calm. The feeling I had at that moment... I had to remember exactly how I felt and how I got to that point. Once I had that feeling recorded in my mind, I let go, and the fire put itself out.

Beside me, Kenji was doing the same. His concentration was so fierce the air pressure around him got heavier. Veins began to show on his forehead and neck, dust lifting around him while cracks began to show. I was blown away by his dedication, and honestly a little scared.

Ayazawa stopped playing her flute and quickly smacked Kenji in the head.

“That’s enough.” She said loudly. “Congratulations to you both. I’m impressed, Hayato. The fire element is one of the hardest to inherit since it has a very destructive nature. You too, Kenji. The earth element is not only a balanced one, for generations it has tended to appear to the strong-hearted.

Having trained with you these past three months, I have no doubt you have a big heart. You have a long way to go before you master the secrets of the Kojin. But for now, we will keep on training and striving for perfection. Return now to your room, there’s a surprise waiting for you.”

We thanked Master Ayazawa for the training. It meant a lot to us since we felt like we progressed quite a bit. We made our way back to the temple almost by nightfall. The way back was lit up with all kinds of lamps.

It was a pretty sight to behold after a long training session. As we were about to arrive to the room, Akari opened the door and jumped to hug us.

“Hayato! Kenji! I’m glad you’re back from your training! I prepared a special meal for your return! I missed you guys a lot.” Akari said.

“It’s been a while, Akari. Thanks for the warm welcome. After today, I think this is just what we needed, right Kenji?”

“Yeah, no kidding. These past few months have been the highlight of my life, both good and bad.

What about you, Akari? You’ve been training with her for almost a month now, how has that gone?”

“Master Ayazawa’s training was rough. She made me stand barefoot atop smooth river stones as the current rushed around me, forcing me to steady my breathing and flow with the water instead of against it.

During the process I got to get more in touch with Seishin and control water a lot better, so that was exciting!” Said Akari

I glanced at her with a proud look. She had some bruises, but she had a smile on her face. I knew it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, so I was relieved.

“What about you guys? I heard from Master Ayazawa that you guys were very close to discovering your affinities. So, what are they?”

“For me it was earth. Kind of an odd one if I do say so myself, but hey that’s okay.” Said Kenji.

“Well for mi it was fire. Call me crazy but I think I’ve always known that it would be fire. Being the opposite of water like Akari I mean.”

“I’m proud of both of you. Just as a heads up, training now gets a lot harder, so be ready for tomorrow and eat up!”

Kenji and I weren’t too excited by the idea, but we kept going with our goals in mind. After that day, everything changed. Having better Seishin control gave us an advantage in battle. It was like seeing everything in slow motion. We moved smoother, faster, being more precise every single day.

I felt like I was really starting to be on the same page as Master Ayazawa. We invested a lot of time training our Seishin projection. So that meant a lot of fire, a lot of water, and Kenji causing mini tremors around us.

Master Ayazawa had challenged us to hand-to-hand combat multiple times during her tenure. We accepted her challenges, although we didn’t like our chances. Not that we had much of a choice anyway.

“Remember, I’m just an Okuden. If you think this is tough, you’re in for a world of pain with the higher ranks.”

Every punch I threw she was able to block or deflect it. I threw some kicks at her but even though some hit, they didn’t do as much damage as I expected.

She stopped being defensive and landed a kick to my side which I blocked with my elbow, but even though I had blocked it, her strength was out of this world. The recoil put me on the floor. Ayazawa walked up to me and said.

“You’ve made good progress these past few days. I see the potential that Ryouma saw in you, in all of you. I think it’s time we step it up.”

Nine months had gone by since our arrival at the temple. We trained every day as much as our bodies could handle. I had no idea what they put in the food, but our bodies grew taller and developed a lot of muscle in that time. We were getting a lot better at controlling and projecting our Seishin, even though there were times I almost set the forest on fire, or Kenji causing mini tremors, we got progressively better a getting it under control.

On our day off, Master Ryouma went to visit us in our room to check on us.

“Hey there, I see the three of you are doing quite well.” Said Ryouma.

“If by well you mean all beat up by Master Ayazawa, then yeah, we’re doing great! We’re recovering today so, I get to relax and eat some onigiri without having to worry that Master Ayazawa is going to sweep my feet.” Said Kenji

Ryouma grinned, “Mitsuri has always had a fiery attitude, not even us Tenshin are so uptight. Now, Hayato I have something I would like to give you.”

“Uhm, okay.”

Master Ryouma pulled out something covered in cloth of deep blue silk and gave it to me.

“I want you to have this. I believe that not only will it be a reminder of what you are fighting for, but with every swing you will relieve the weight of the world off your shoulders.”

I unwrapped it and saw a black and blue katana sheath. I took it out and the faint glow of its edge reflected on the room.

“This blade, it’s familiar.” I said.

“It’s your grandfather’s old sword you wielded back in the village. After seeing you wield it back then I knew there wasn’t any other weapon more suited for you than that katana. It took the temple’s swordsmiths a few months to restore it. The blade was very worn and broken, but the core was still strong, it just needed some care.” Ryouma stated, with a proud tone to his voice.

Akari and I gasped at his words. “This was gramps’ old sword? It looks nothing like how it was before. It doesn’t feel like I’m not carrying anything. It’s so light. It almost feels like an extension of me.” I said while admiring it.

“That’s because it is. These weapons the Kojin chose to carry are not only a tool to help in combat, but they’re also meant to be help guide you Seishin.” Ryouma said, giving a faint smile.

I sheathed the blade, the sound crisp and clean. For the first time since the attack on the village, my grip steadied.

Not from anger or fear, but from resolve. As Ryouma said, it symbolized my purpose of becoming a Kojin. For gramps.

“Hey, what about us?” said Kenji with a sour look on his face.

Ryouma put his hand on Kenji’s shoulder, trying to make him feel better for the fact.

“You know, it’s not weapons that make the Kojin, it’s what’s in here.” Ryouma said while pointing at Kenji’s heart.

“I believe Ayazawa put Hayato here to a test because of this same dilemma, didn’t she? The will to stand between danger and the people you swore to protect, is stronger than any weapon. Ayazawa has told me all about you Kenji. She’s told me that you’re the most talented student she’s ever had when it comes to raw power and will. With some polish, there will be no one above you.”

Kenji’s shoulders eased slightly, took a slow breath grounding himself. He felt something stir inside him. He smiled and got his confidence back.

Ryouma rose, crossing his arms firmly.

“In all of you, the Kojin have found three warriors they can trust. Continue your training, look onwards and always trust your companions. As you scale up in the Kojin rankings you will learn a lot more about the world and about yourselves. You’re not just Kojin, you’re humanity’s shield. True victory is not how many lives you claim or arts you master, but every life you save, every quiet sunrise you ensure – that is your true victory. Remember this: carry the light forward. Even when the world turns cold, or when it feels like it’s too heavy of a burden, because someone, somewhere will find the way because you didn’t let it die.”

The three of us were firm, our eyes glimmered and our hearts resonated with his words. We knew how high the stakes were, and we vowed to continue pushing forward, carrying the light.