Katori Nanatsuki returned to the dojo to find his disciples immersed in their training.
Kotetsu Isane had also come to train at the Katori-ryu Dojo.
The other day, Nanatsuki had gone to the Kotetsu household mostly because Director Kotetsu had invited him over for dinner. That night, he got to try the director's cooking.
Ever since then, there was no need to visit Kotetsu Isane's house to teach her. Since Nanatsuki's own home had a dojo, she could simply come and train there.
"Isane, your slashing form just now wasn't quite right. You need to use your wrists too. If you're just swinging your arms, your sword strikes are going to feel soft and floppy," Chijō Kana kindly corrected Isane's form.
"Yes!" Kotetsu Isane nodded seriously.
"Hey, don't be so uptight! I think you're way too tense," Kana laughed, patting her on the shoulder.
"Isane, how are you settling into the dojo? No one's bullying you, are they?" Nanatsuki asked with a warm smile.
"Katori-sensei." Isane quickly stowed her wooden sword and gave a deep bow. "It's great here! Everyone's been really kind to me!"
"That's good. Just treat this place like your second home," Nanatsuki said. He could tell Isane hadn't fully integrated with the group yet. Remembering how Director Kotetsu had mentioned he was often away from home, Nanatsuki figured Isane probably cooked for herself most days. He added, "Why don't you stay for dinner tonight? Try a bit of my cooking."
"Oh no, that's too much trouble, Katori-sensei..." Isane hesitated, looking embarrassed.
"You have to try Sensei's cooking! If the Gotei 13 ranked people by culinary skill, he'd be the Head Captain for sure!" Kana said, shamelessly assigning her teacher a prestigious title.
"Stay and eat, Isane! If you head home too late, little Kiyone will be going to bed hungry~" Batsu'unsai called out from the courtyard, where he was playing with a golden-haired girl just a few years old—Kotetsu Isane's younger sister, Kotetsu Kiyone¹.
Since Director Kotetsu was constantly busy and rarely home, Isane often had to take care of her little sister. When she came to train, she'd bring her along.
Thinking of her sister going hungry, Isane bowed again. "Then I'll be in your care, Katori-sensei!"
"You don't have to be so polite! Honestly, is Ayane always this strict with you?" Batsu'unsai muttered with a shake of his head.
Covered in sweat, Hirako Shinji set down his flagfish-style wooden sword and exclaimed excitedly, "Sensei! I managed to keep going for a full hour today!"
Just then, a line of text flashed before Nanatsuki's eyes.
[Disciple Hirako Shinji's daily training complete. Reward calculation in progress.]
[Reward obtained: 20 Swordsmanship EXP]
[Your disciple Hirako Shinji has grasped basic Reiatsu control. Bonus reward granted.]
[Reward obtained: 1000 Swordsmanship EXP]
[Disciple Chijō Kana's daily training complete. Reward obtained: 60 Swordsmanship EXP]
[Disciple Muguruma Kensei's daily training complete. Reward obtained: 40 Swordsmanship EXP]
The disciple training feedback was coming in.
Nanatsuki had discovered that as long as his disciples were working on the training plans he'd assigned, he would receive rewards each day—even without supervising them in person.
He opened his Status Interface and saw that his Swordsmanship level had increased from 54 to 55.
Hirako Shinji's training task had also updated. Compared to Muguruma Kensei, Shinji was progressing through the basics faster—he'd already completed the foundational Swordsmanship regimen.
[Guided Hirako Shinji through Swordsmanship Fundamentals – COMPLETED]
Nanatsuki focused on the newly marked "completed" task.
[Disciple Hirako Shinji completed Swordsmanship Fundamentals. Reward calculation in progress.]
[Reward obtained: 1000 General Ability EXP]
[Reward obtained: Bakudō #4: Hainawa (Beginner Level)]
Nanatsuki had now acquired another beginner-level Bakudō—Hainawa, a spell that formed a golden rope from spiritual energy to bind enemies.
"Nice. Now that you've got the basics down, Shinji, you'll start sword technique training like Kensei. Begin by cutting through straw mats with your wooden sword," Nanatsuki instructed.
[New Training Task: Guide Hirako Shinji through one Sword Technique practice (In Progress)]
The new training mission for Shinji had been added.
"Finally, sword techniques..." Shinji let out a long breath. In order to catch up with Kana and Kensei and not fall behind, he'd been pushing himself to practice every night.
"I bought some fish today! As a reward for Shinji completing the fundamentals—and to welcome Isane—I'm making you guys a big fish hot pot feast!" Nanatsuki clapped his hands together.
"Yay!" Kana hopped toward the kitchen. "I'll help!"
"I-I'll help too—!" Isane followed right after her.
"Ugh, why does he get special treatment..." Kensei scowled at Shinji.
"I think I'm just tagging along. Sensei's probably doing this to welcome Isane," Shinji shrugged.
In the kitchen, Nanatsuki demonstrated a high-level application of Kaido.
The fish on the cutting board had been out of water too long and were sluggish.
Nanatsuki used Kaido to heal the fish, and miraculously, they sprang back to life—flopping and flailing on the board with renewed energy.
"Whoa—Sensei's Kaido is that amazing?" Kana blinked in awe. It was her first time seeing him use Kaido.
"Captain Unohana even invited me to be the Vice-Captain of Squad Four today," Nanatsuki said offhandedly.
"Vice-Captain?! Did you say no?" Kana's eyes widened. Her family hadn't produced anyone of that rank in centuries.
"I prefer teaching at the Spiritual Arts Academy," Nanatsuki replied casually.
Kotetsu Isane's eyes sparkled as she stared at the revived fish.
"Katori-sensei..." she hesitated, then asked, "Could you teach me Kaido?"
"You want to learn Kaido? Of course," Nanatsuki smiled. "But… if you want to learn Kaido, you'll have to become my disciple."
"I'd be honored to become your disciple, Katori-sensei." Isane didn't hesitate long. She liked the dojo's atmosphere and felt welcomed here. Besides, she was more interested in Kaido than in swordsmanship.
[Kotetsu Isane has requested to become a personal disciple. Accept?]
A prompt appeared in front of Nanatsuki's eyes. Without hesitation, he confirmed.
[Kotetsu Isane successfully accepted as a personal disciple]
[Kotetsu Isane's Affinity Level increased. Current Affinity: Friendly]
[New Training Task: Guide Kotetsu Isane through Swordsmanship Fundamentals (In Progress)]
"Yes, Sensei," Isane said, bowing deeply.
Seeing the new task appear, Nanatsuki's mind stirred. He continued, "Isane, I'll start teaching you Kaido basics tomorrow—but you still need to keep up your swordsmanship training."
[New Training Task: Guide Kotetsu Isane through Kaido Fundamentals (In Progress)]
As expected, the mission to train her in Kaido had appeared too.