At the Kenshin Sect, those who came to cultivate weren't only commoners picked up along the way, like Hokuto. Many were also descendants of powerful clans and noble families.
And as fate would have it, Hokuto's luck had turned out to be particularly rotten. Within his small squad of just five people, there happened to be three "second-generation elites": a noble's son, a wealthy merchant's son, and a famed swordsman's son. Even worse, all three of them had decided they hated him.
What kind of cosmic punishment is this?!
After digging into their backgrounds, Hokuto almost cracked in half from frustration. But at the same time, he came to a realization—This world was clearly out to get him. Seriously, deliberately, unrelentingly out to get him!
Still, since the situation was already set in stone, he had no choice but to face it. Hokuto reminded himself that he was no longer the clueless fool he had once been. After a full year of grinding, he had managed to stockpile a good number of attribute points and skill points. Even against a mid-tier Yellow Rank mission, he believed he had enough strength to put up a real fight.
The swordsman's son was named Go Seisaku, whose father was the legendary hero of the eastern regions, "Leaf-Hand" Go Fumin. His mastery of hidden weapons was so refined and unpredictable that it left enemies defenseless.
Go Seisaku was the first of the three to approach Hokuto after returning to the Kenshin Sect. His method was straightforward and righteous—he simply showed up at Hokuto's door and delivered a written challenge. Whoever won their duel would earn the right to pursue the junior sister they both knew.
Although Hokuto had explained countless times that he had absolutely no interest in the junior sister, Go Seisaku was stubborn to the bone. If Hokuto didn't accept the challenge letter, then he'd simply fight him on the spot. The duel was set: three days later, at the grove beneath Sky-Piercing Peak.
What else could Hokuto do? Aside from cursing a storm of unspeakable words in his heart, he could only plaster a polite smile on his face and accept the challenge letter.
But instead of sitting idle for three days, Hokuto decided to take matters into his own hands. Why wait for the other two to challenge him—or worse, plot in the shadows—when he could strike first and turn the situation to his advantage?
And so, he went looking for the rich merchant's son.
The wealthy disciple's name was Hayashi Kyoka, son of Hayashi Norimasa, the wealthiest merchant in Eien County. Raised in silk and luxury, Kyoka had seen the splendor of the world since childhood. His decision to join the Kenshin Sect was little more than a whim, though partly to give his father some face—and partly so he'd have more leverage when asking for pocket money in the future.
When Hokuto found him, Kyoka had just finished a training session. To his credit, the merchant's son carried himself with a certain cultivated grace. Bowing politely, he said, "Greetings, Senior Brother Hokuto."His tone, however, carried a strange edge.
But Hokuto's reply caught him completely off guard."I wonder, Junior Brother Hayashi, would you be interested in discussing a business proposal with me?"
Beforehand, Hokuto had already learned that the Hayashi family's main trade was transportation. So, during their conversation, he casually unveiled a revolutionary idea—something called a newspaper.
Kyoka's eyes lit up instantly. He slapped the table with excitement, praising the idea as nothing short of genius. He declared that he would immediately discuss it with his father, and if his father agreed, Hokuto would receive a generous reward. Or, better yet, they could formalize it as a proper business partnership.
Hokuto's reasoning was simple. If Hayashi Norimasa was clever enough to become the wealthiest man in the county, then he'd be clever enough to see the value in working long-term with someone who could produce such innovative ideas. And if he wasn't that clever, then Hokuto would simply treat it as an investment toward completing this Yellow Rank mission.
Once the deal was sealed, Kyoka's attitude shifted completely. The strange edge in his voice disappeared, replaced by sincere admiration that poured out like an endless river. His repeated "Senior Brother Hokuto" carried only respect now.
Taking advantage of this good mood, Hokuto asked about the last of the trio—the noble's son, Watanabe Yoshiyasu.
Kyoka explained that he didn't actually know Yoshiyasu beforehand. The three had merely been assigned to the same trial mission by the sect elder in charge. What he did know, however, was that Yoshiyasu was the son of Watanabe Arata, the county magistrate of Kawano County. Kyoka had heard of the man: famous for solving cases with remarkable efficiency and widely beloved by the local people.
When Hokuto had first arrived in this unfamiliar land, one of the most important things he had done was study the officials who held real authority. A county magistrate was responsible for law and order, ranking just below the county governor—in modern terms, it was essentially equivalent to a chief of police. A man with genuine power.
After thanking Kyoka for the information, Hokuto was still thinking of how best to approach Yoshiyasu when, unexpectedly, the noble's son came to him instead.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Hokuto."
Watanabe Yoshiyasu cut a refined figure—an image of the perfect gentleman. His polite smile alone was enough to win people's goodwill at first glance.
"What brings you here, Junior Brother Watanabe?" Hokuto asked, bowing in return.
"Ah, well, this is a little embarrassing…" Yoshiyasu scratched his head. "I wanted to ask if it's really true that you don't have any interest in Sister Hayashi?"
"Of course it's true. Didn't you all witness it yourselves that day?"
"Then… may I ask, Senior Brother, why Sister Hayashi seems so fond of you? And… could you perhaps… teach me how to win her heart?"
Watching Yoshiyasu's cheeks turn crimson, Hokuto knew it must have taken immense courage for him to ask. But now he understood: to dissolve Yoshiyasu's hostility, the only way was to coach him in romance.
Worried that rejecting him would only cause more trouble, Hokuto agreed. Drawing upon his vast secondhand knowledge of relationships, he began to instruct him.
Back in middle school, Hokuto had spent countless hours wandering online forums, where he had absorbed endless lines of cheesy love quotes. He had practically memorized them.
Lines like:"If I have no sword, I cannot protect you. If I wield the sword, I cannot embrace you.""Of all weapons, none cut deeper than words of love unspoken.""If she spreads her wings, I would gladly burn my whole world for her."
Such lines had once stunned an entire generation online. In this ancient world—where even sending a letter was a massive ordeal—they were devastatingly effective.
Yoshiyasu's eyes shone like twin lanterns as he listened, as though Hokuto had revealed the secrets of heaven itself. He was only a step away from kneeling and calling Hokuto "Master."
"For now, that's enough," Hokuto told him. "If it doesn't work, I'll come up with something else."
Overjoyed, Yoshiyasu thanked him repeatedly, promising that if he managed to win Sister Hayashi's heart, he would give Hokuto a grand red envelope in gratitude. Then he left, practically skipping with excitement.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Having made his preparations, Hokuto went to the grove at the base of Sky-Piercing Peak, ready to test his year's worth of stat investment against Go Seisaku.
But a swordsman's son was still a swordsman's son. Though he might have seemed like a mere novice disciple of the Kenshin Sect, in truth he had long since mastered his father's hidden weapon techniques. The hail of flying needles he unleashed left Hokuto screaming like a pincushion.
Yet Hokuto proved far stronger than Go Seisaku expected. During their previous trial, Go had seen with his own eyes that Hokuto's Kenshin Arts were only at the second level—merely the second stage of Qi Refinement.
But in actual combat, Hokuto's strength and sheer resilience far exceeded anything expected from that stage. His opponent's rhythm collapsed under the pressure.
Add to that Hokuto's cunning tricks—poisons here, pills there—and the duel devolved into a chaotic brawl. In the end, it was a case of "wild fists beating down the master," and Hokuto left Go Seisaku lying flat on the ground, defeated.
(End of Chapter)