The sun was pleasant today. Although it was winter, the sunlight shining down felt warm and comforting.
Horitake stood in the open clearing, basking comfortably in the sun, and began to drill his junior disciple.
Standing opposite Horitake was the subject of this drill: a miserable-looking Zenitsu.
Horitake, holding Shimmer, paced back and forth like a pedantic scholar teaching a class. He chattered endlessly at Zenitsu, delivering a long-winded sermon filled with earnest guidance:
"As the saying goes, 'A year's plan starts with spring, and a day's plan starts with the morning.'
"The morning hours are the most important and prioritized time of the day.
"Training and studying during this time yields twice the result with half the effort.
"So, Zenitsu, we absolutely cannot let this time slip by. We must utilize it well. Come, follow me, and prepare to begin the full day's training."
Zenitsu's expression could no longer be described merely as ugly; he looked completely devoid of the will to live.
"Big Brother... spare me. It's not even early morning anymore; it's already late morning!"
Horitake pointed his sheathed sword, Shimmer, at Zenitsu and lectured:
"It is indeed late morning, but for you, isn't it the start of the day? After all, you just woke up."
"Big Brother... you know I just woke up! I was scared half to death last night. What's wrong with resting a little longer? Can't you let me sleep in just a tiny bit?"
"Cut the crap! Sleeping in is absolutely out of the question!
"Besides, I've already calculated it for you. From the time you went to sleep last night until now, you have definitely slept a full eight hours. That is more than enough sleep.
"For Demon Hunters like us, seven hours a day is usually sufficient.
"I only let you sleep an extra hour specifically because you were badly frightened last night.
"And yet, you brat, instead of being grateful, you're trying to haggle with me?
"Let me tell you, no way! Start training immediately! Do you hear me?"
Zenitsu was too weak to argue. His body slumped as he replied listlessly:
"Yes... I know...
"But Big Brother, Grandpa isn't up yet. It's not good if there's no breakfast when he wakes up.
"How about I wait for Grandpa to wake up, prepare breakfast for him, and then come back to train with you? How about that?"
Horitake saw right through the kid's attempt to slack off. He let out a cold chuckle.
"Not a chance.
"You don't need to worry about the old man's breakfast. When he wakes up later, I'll handle his meal. If anything, his breakfast might just be combined with our lunch.
"In short, drop it. Just focus on your training!"
Zenitsu pouted, muttering his dissatisfaction in a low voice:
"Why does Grandpa get to sleep in? Why do I have to get up and train? It's too unfair."
These words gave Horitake a new appreciation for the thickness of Zenitsu's skin.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Can a young man like you compare to an elderly man like him?
"So many things happened last night. It was dangerous. To protect you, the old man was mentally and physically exhausted. It is perfectly normal for him to oversleep from fatigue.
"You, on the other hand, did absolutely nothing last night. You served no purpose whatsoever.
"Letting you sleep a full eight hours was already generous. Now perk up!"
"Yes..."
Seeing the kid still looking lethargic, Horitake's anger flared. In an instant, he flashed to Zenitsu's side and tapped various parts of his body with the sheathed Shimmer.
"Stand like you mean it! Sit like you mean it!
"Chest out, head up, stomach in—stand properly!
"Zenitsu, it seems the old man has been too lenient with you while I was away. It's time to remind you of the hellish training I put you through back in the day."
At the mention of that, Zenitsu, who had been forced to stand straight, widened his eyes in terror.
Good heavens, is Big Brother really going to reenact that hellish training? I don't want to! I'll die! People will actually die!
Despite thinking this screamingly loud in his head, he didn't dare say a word of it out loud.
When it came to Jigoro's daily training, Zenitsu dared to run away, dared to make excuses, and dared to shout about how he was going to die. But faced with Horitake's training, Zenitsu wouldn't dare do any of that even if it killed him.
If Zenitsu dared to run, slack off, or even verbally give up just a little bit, Horitake would make him walk through hell.
At this moment, Horitake stood in front of Zenitsu again and said:
"Before we begin today's training, let me see your current strength. Only by understanding your current condition can I arrange a reasonable training plan to further squeeze out your potential."
Great. Hearing the words "squeeze out potential," Zenitsu knew today was going to be a disaster.
"Squeezing out potential" meant Horitake was going to train him to the absolute limit. There was a good chance Zenitsu would enter training vertically and leave horizontally.
Zenitsu couldn't help but recall the past "hell training" sessions with Horitake, where he would be so exhausted by dinner time that he couldn't even hold his chopsticks.
He felt a wave of despair. His future looked bleak.
"Stop making that depressed face. If you don't want a beating, get serious right now and show me your strength!"
Zenitsu asked miserably:
"How do I show it?"
"Hmm, it's been a long time, so the old man must have taught you Thunder Breathing by now.
"Attack me with Thunder Breathing using your full power. Don't worry, you know how strong I am. You couldn't hurt me even if you tried your hardest. Just come at me with everything you've got!"
"This... alright."
Zenitsu drew the sword he carried at his waist.
He knew that if he didn't get serious, he would be punished severely.
So, Zenitsu began to perform the breathing technique in earnest. He mobilized every muscle in his body, preparing to unleash his strongest strike.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
In an instant, golden electric arcs flickered around Zenitsu's body. He flashed forward with incredible speed, drawing his blade simultaneously. It was a rapid, flashing slash aimed directly at Horitake.
To be honest, Zenitsu's speed was not slow.
How could anyone using Thunder Breathing be slow?
But in Horitake's eyes, this speed was indeed quite sluggish.
Watching Zenitsu slash toward him in slow motion, Horitake even had the leisure to ponder:
The old man's Thunder Breathing produces blue lightning. My Heavenly Thunder Breathing produces purple lightning. Zenitsu's Thunder Breathing produces golden lightning.
I have to say, Zenitsu's golden lightning really looks impressive.
But what's the deal with the golden lightning? How does Zenitsu produce it? Is it related to his hair color? Or is it related to being struck by a golden bolt of lightning that year?
That doesn't make sense either. When I was struck by lightning, the heavenly thunder was blue! Yet my heavenly thunder started out purple.
Eh? Wait, actually, I remember in the original story, Zenitsu flashed both gold and blue lightning.
Whatever!
While his mind wandered through these random thoughts, Horitake calmly caught Zenitsu's incoming blade between two fingers.
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