Chapter-11 : LESSON ONE

Ichigo woke with a sudden jolt, breath uneven and eyes wide. Sweat clung to his forehead despite the crisp morning chill. He looked around, still seated on the ground near a small fire, the scent of boiling herbs rising softly.

Mr. Kael glanced at him calmly while stirring a small iron kettle.

"You're awake," he said. "Rough night?"

"I… I saw a dream," Ichigo muttered, rubbing his temples.

Kael handed him a steaming wooden cup. "That wasn't a dream. Everything happened. But we're safe now."

Ichigo took the tea, still shaken. Kael looked at him with a firm gaze.

"You have great power, Ichigo—but what you've used until now? That's not even one-tenth of your potential."

Ichigo looked up, surprised.

Kael continued, "You need balance. Power alone means nothing if your mind is unstable. Meditation is your next step—not only to calm your soul but to awaken your true strength. From now on, you will train as both warrior and sage."

Ichigo lowered his head. "I'm sorry… for exposing my identity last night."

Kael placed a warm hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"No harm done. Just remember—until your strength speaks for itself, your name must remain silent."

"Yes, sir," Ichigo said softly.

"Good boy," Kael nodded. "Now drink up. You've got work to do."

As they stepped outside, Ichigo was taken aback by the serene beauty surrounding them. The hut was nestled beside a small, crystal-clear river, its calm waters glistening under the morning sun.

"This place…" Ichigo whispered.

"It's not owned by the ninja or samurai," Kael said. "This land is ancient. Sacred. A place where both sides once trained together under a single treaty. This is not a battlefield—it's a proving ground."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Even my father trained here?"

Kael smiled faintly. "He did. So did I."

Then Kael turned serious. "Don't be surprised if you see other warriors here. But never trust anyone too easily. Peace exists here—but so does danger."

Ichigo nodded slowly, absorbing it all. Then Kael motioned toward the river.

"Your first task—take a cold bath in that river."

Ichigo blinked. "What? But… it's freezing!"

Kael gave him a sly smile.

"So is the path of a true warrior."

Ichigo stood at the river's edge, shivering just from the breeze brushing off the icy water.

He glanced back at Mr. Kael. "Are you serious? This is—this is freezing!"

Kael just smiled gently, his arms crossed. "A warrior doesn't ask if the water's cold. He dives in."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath, "Easy for him to say…"

Suddenly, without warning, Kael took a step forward—

Smack!

A firm hand landed on Ichigo's back, and in the blink of an eye—

SPLASH!

Ichigo fell headfirst into the freezing water, arms flailing, a shocked yelp muffled by the splash.

"Wha—?! MR. KAEL!!" he shouted, sputtering and gasping as he surfaced, drenched and shivering.

Kael stood calmly on the riverbank, grinning like a mischievous old fox.

"Congratulations. First lesson completed: stop overthinking."

Ichigo glared at him through dripping hair, but the cold was already doing its work. His skin tingled, his breath quickened, and every muscle in his body screamed to move—to adapt.

Kael's tone shifted to serious. "That cold? That's clarity. Feel it. Let your body adjust. This is the kind of discomfort that awakens real power."

Ichigo gritted his teeth and nodded slowly, the water swirling around him like a silent teacher.

Ichigo stumbled out of the icy river, his entire body shivering violently. Water streamed from his soaked clothes, and each breath he drew felt like a blade of frost cutting through his lungs. His skin was pale, and his lips quivered as he looked toward Mr. Kael, standing warm and dry with a faint, knowing smile on his face.

"C-can I g-get some heat, please…?" Ichigo asked, hugging himself tightly.

Mr. Kael didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stepped aside, revealing a large wooden cart beside the hut. "There's your heat," he said calmly.

Ichigo blinked through the cold. "Huh?"

Mr. Kael pointed toward the river. "Fill ten buckets with water, place them on this cart, and deliver it to the temple at the top of that hill."

Ichigo followed Kael's gaze up the steep, winding path that led to a small, ancient temple nestled at the top. "You want me to… haul water… up there? After pushing me into a frozen river?!"

Mr. Kael only smiled more. "What will you get? The heat of your own body… and the blessing of your old ones. Consider it both physical and spiritual training."

Grumbling, Ichigo dragged the cart closer to the river. His hands were still trembling, but the task at hand left him no room to complain. With aching fingers, he began to scoop water into the buckets—one, two, three… Each bucket felt like lifting a chunk of frozen iron. By the time he filled the tenth, his muscles were burning, but strangely, he was no longer cold.

He stacked the buckets carefully on the cart, tying them down with rope to avoid spills. Then, gritting his teeth, he grabbed the cart's handles and began to push. The wheels groaned under the weight, and the path uphill was muddy and narrow. Every step demanded strength. Every turn tested his balance. His soaked clothes clung to his skin, but his blood had begun to boil from the exertion.

Halfway up, Ichigo stopped to catch his breath, sweat now dripping from his forehead and mixing with the river water on his face. His hands throbbed. His back ached. But something else filled his chest—a strange warmth. Not just from movement, but from within. Pride. Grit. Endurance.

At last, he reached the top. The temple stood silent and strong, surrounded by old stone walls and fluttering prayer flags. An old monk, sensing his arrival, stepped outside with a serene smile. Ichigo bowed respectfully and began unloading the buckets. The monk gave him a simple nod of gratitude and lit a small incense stick, murmuring a blessing that carried through the wind.

As Ichigo turned to leave, the sunrise painted the sky with brilliant orange and gold. He looked back at the temple, feeling something shift inside him—something calm, yet powerful.

When he returned to the hut, Mr. Kael handed him a warm cloak and some tea. "You did well," he said.

Ichigo, though tired, gave a faint smile. The cold was gone. The warmth had returned—not just to his body, but to his spirit.

To be continued....

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