Kate

A week after returning to the clan, Shui's life was mostly back to normal. Though he revealed his ability, the entire clan didn't suddenly become more friendly to him. He occassionally felt a silent gaze focused on him, but with his control over aura and his fur coat, it was easy to shake off this gaze the slip when he went to the waterfall. Though he was asked to join the training with those of his age group, he knew that would only make for an awkward time so he refused. He would have had no worries if it wasn't for the change in Kate's behaviour.

"I'm going to my room."

As usual recently, after dinner Kate went back to her room. She still went to training and continued cultivating, but it was obvious to anyone that she lacked her usual drive. The elders thought it would be a temporary matter so he left her alone for the time being, but Shui didn't want to do the same. He didn't want to endure the awkwardness as he waited for his big sis to return to her normal self.

Once Kate had entered her room, Shui asked Lilia and Bartos a question.

"Is she always like this lately?"

"Yes," Bartos answered,"Ever since we came back from the competition she's been depressed. I guess the experience left a bad mark on her."

As Bartos said so, both he and Lilia had gloomy faces. They remembered the pain of almost losing their daughter and didn't know what to do when she became depressed.

"I think we can only hope time will make it better."

Lilia's hope was reasonable, but Shui didn't want to be patient this time. He didn't know why, but he didn't want to wait for who knows how long for her to go back to normal. After the conversation, he went to Kate's room and knocked the door.

"Can I come in?"

There was no response, so after a few minutes he let himself in. Within the room, only lit by the light of the moon, Kate sat on her bed while resting her head on her knees. Seeing her in such a state hurt his heart as he sat next to her on the bed.

"Hey, um, is there something you're worried about lately?"

She stayed silent for a few more moments before responding to Shui while in the same position.

"No. I'm fine."

"But big sis,"

"Stop."

Kate's sudden response was sprinkled with emerging emotion. Though her words weren't welcoming, they inspired Shui to keep going.

"Big sis,"

"Please! Don't, call me that. I don't think I can take that role anymore..."

"..."

Though his mouth flapped open and shut, Shui couldn't come up with a proper response. From her answer, he could tell with certainity what was bothering her, and so he knew that words wouldn't help. Any words from him would just sound like sweet lies to make her feel better.

Without any choice, Shui eventually left her room and saw her parents swiftly turn to him with expectant gazes, to which he shook his head. Once they saw that, they couldn't hide the disappointment they felt, but they didn't blame Shui. They just hoped Kate would get better soon.

Up until the time Shui was ready to sleep, he still worried about how to cheer up Kate. Even if time would do the job as well, he didn't want to simply sit back and wait. To him that would mean admitting defeat, to feel hopelessness once more.

"...I guess that's the best way."

He had come up with an idea that looked rather unreliable but he felt that it might work.

The next day, his morning session was the same as usual. After working in his forge, he started the new entry into his training regimen. Since the incident in Crystal City, he realised how important it was to improve his personal strength.

Though he had managed to kill three eighth level in the Mortal Realm cultivators, Shui knew that things would have gone differently if they had been on guard against him. Though he was confident that he would be able to get away, he wasn't sure he would be able to do that while bringing Kate and not getting caught by the hidden Soul Realm cultivator.

And so, he began image training. This type of training was only useful for someone with a strong imagination and something to base their imagination off of, but due to his strong soul and the recent fights he had witnessed, Shui had no problem imagining varying scenarios. Even against opponents like Rune who he could easily beat, by increasing his imaginary opponent's strength or lowering his, it would still be possible to have a proper fight.

On this day, instead of fighting a specific opponent, Shui imagined various attacks that could be used against him and how he would respond to them. Just because he had gained a fighting instinct from martial intent didn't mean he couldn't be caught off-guard by a sudden situation.

He continued this for around an hour before moving. When he looked at the sky that had started being coloured by a tinge of orange, he knew it was time. Shui walked towards the area where the children normally trained. Though Kate still seemed to be going along with the session, it was obvious she was only doing it because she was told to. The other children seemed to have grasped the difference in her atmosphere, but none of them tried to talk to her.

After the training was over and Kate was walking back to her house, Shui went up and grabbed her hand.

"Are you going back home?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Follow me."

Without giving even a hint, Shui brought Kate to an open area near his house before letting go of her and turning his face to her.

"So, what did you bring me here for?" Kate asked apprehensively.

"Well, you said a while back that you didn't have any proper opponents, so I thought that since I was free I would spar with you."

"Uh, no, it's fine."

When Kate remembered the time she said that to Shui, she became embarrassed. She believed that he had probably been laughing at her for saying something like that. Even then he must have been stronger than her, so of course he would laugh at her for being so boastful. After finding out how weak she was compared to him, she couldn't have the same confidence as before. That her was simply an example that ignorance was bliss.

"Oh well, I won't force. I understand if you're scared."

"...What was that?"

Though she had just been ridiculing herself, with a few words from Shui those worries were fading.

"I get that you don't want to lose to me. Especially since you know you can't beat me. But don't worry, there's nothing wrong with running from battles you know you're gonna lose."

"Oi,"

"It's too bad though. The only time I've fought was in Crystal City so I've been sorely lacking in experience and I thought you would be a good sandbag, what a shame."

"You little-! Take that back!"

As Kate got more irritated, Shui's smile became more apparent.

'I really love how simple she is.'

Since he was sure his taunts were being effective, Shui went for one more push.

"Why? It's true isn't it? It's not like you can even fight me."

"You!!"

"Really, maybe you should ask Aunt Lilia to start teaching you how to be a good wife. That suits a little girl like you better."

"Shui!"

In nearly an instant, she fired a punch towards Shui's face. If he hadn't expected it, it might have reached closer, but Shui responded in time to catch the punch with his palm.

"Now then, let's have some fun."

Without a reply, Kate continued with a flurry of fists that were all blocked or dodged by Shui who stood in place. To stop Kate's offensive spree, Shui opposed one of her fists with one of his own. The impact from their fists caused wind that rustled the leaves and grass around them. With their fists still stretched out, Shui feinted a kick with his left leg but then used his right.

Though she was tricked by the feint, Kate still barely managed to dodge his kick and responded with a spinning back kick to his head. Instead of dodging or completely blocking that kick, Shui grabbed her leg by the ankle and swung her away by using the force of her rotation. Though she was lifted off the ground for a moment, she quickly adjusted herself in midair and did a solid landing.

"You're rather predictable aren't you?"

"Grr."

Once the fight started, Kate no longer cared about the worries she had. The only thing on her mind was how get a good hit on Shui's face.

'Okay maybe not the face.'

"That's not your best, right?"

In response to Shui's provacation, Kate unleashed all of her nature energy and actively circulated it. Furthermore, her circulation was different from Shui's. She didn't need to think about it, the energy flowed on its own as long as she willed it to do so.

'Ugh, she really does some crazy stuff sometimes.'

With Kate using her full power, no mortal bones would be able to stop her blows for even a moment. And so they could finally have a proper fight.

Shui concentrated his energy at his palms and stood with them faced towards Kate. Like a brave man trying to stop a boar's charge, he waited.

Before the air even noticed her movement, Kate was above Shui and struck down with an axe kick. It was supposed to be faster than Shui could react but he still somehow turned sideways and watched as the kick went past where his head would have been. Before she finished her kick, Shui grabbed her leg and swung her around twice before throwing her away to a tree.

"It doesn't matter how fast you are if I can read you like a book."

Kate planted her feet on the tree instead of her back, so she only took a brief break before attacking Shui again. As she moved at speeds that came out as blurs to a normal human's eyes, Shui countered her everytime. By the time the sky was darkening, Shui only had a bit of sweat on his forehead while Kate was exhausted and lying on the ground. Looking at the familiar expression on her face, Shui stretched out his hand towards her.

"Time to go home big sis."

"...Don't call me that."

Although she seemed to have regained her confidence, her reply caused Shui's face to freeze. However, that changed when she took his hand and he helped her to get onto her feet.

"When I beat, when I beat you, you can call me big sis again."

With a new fire burning in her eyes, Kate looked at him, not just as a lil' bro to protect. Now that he had ignited her competitive spirit, she would surely try even harder.

"Okay, but I won't wait for you."