The day began with amber light pouring across the riverbank. The air was thick and heavy with the jungle’s early humidity — cicadas humming, leaves dripping from dawn’s rainfall. Kaizo and

  Yumi sat side by side on smooth stones near the water’s edge, each holding vine-carved flasks that Infinity had proudly made the day before.

  Kaizo (watching the current lazily drift by): “You know… I’ve never really figured out how time works here.”

  Yumi (turning her head): “What do you mean?”

  Kaizo swirled his drink, eyes narrowing slightly. “Back when I trained here before… It felt like 84 days, at least. But when I left? Only a week had passed outside.”

  Yumi (frowning, grabbing a stick): “Wait — 84 divided by 7… that’s twelve. So… time moves twelve times faster here?”

  Kaizo (grins faintly): “Huh, you got it.”

  Yumi (eyes widening): “So if we stay here for the whole summer— that’s three years of training?”

  Kaizo (snorts): “Pretty much.”

  Yumi (horrified): “You’re insane.”

  Kaizo (chuckling): "Hey, you wanted this.”

  (The laughter fades into the soft sound of water. The air feels calm, but a shift in Kaizo’s tone draws Yumi’s focus back to him.)

  Kaizo: “Alright, Grace. This week we’re focusing on Kakushin.”

  Yumi (curious): “Kakushin?”

  Kaizo (nodding): “The art of confident defense — taking a hit and nullifying the damage before it connects. Zenshin users developed it to deal with Horizon users who had unpredictable power outputs. If you flinch, hesitate, or doubt your stance — it fails instantly.”

  Yumi (tilts her head): “So it’s not about speed?”

  Kaizo: “Not this time. It’s about faith in your control. You predict where the attack will come from, and in turn, the damage you receive will be less than the initial attack was. You’ll be letting your instincts cover as your defense.”

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  Yumi (uneasy laugh): “Letting myself get hit sounds like a terrible idea.”

  Kaizo (grinning): “It is. But it’s the only way to learn it.”

  He stands, brushing the dirt from his palms. The late morning light glows through the canopy as he takes his stance across from her.

  Kaizo: “Lesson one — Don’t flinch.”

  He steps forward, sending a light open-palm strike toward her shoulder. Yumi raises her arms too quickly, flinching. The impact pushes her off balance — it wasn’t extremely painful, but it was enough to make her stumble.

  Kaizo (calmly): “You hesitated. The moment you doubted yourself, your body accepted the attack too willingly.”

  Yumi (rubbing her arm): “Easy for you to say!”

  Kaizo (half-smirking): “That’s why we’re training.”

  He motions for her to reset. This time, the strike comes again — slower, and more deliberate. Yumi braces, exhales, and lets Kaizo’s hand land without panic. Her body absorbs it, and feet stay grounded. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as bad as she thought.

  Kaizo (nodding approvingly): “Better. Feel how your body distributed the force? That’s what I mean by confidence — it’s not blind trust, it’s more like calculated composure. Because your body already anticipated and accepted itself getting hit, it hurts less and it is disposed of across your whole body, as opposed to just one area."

  Over the next few hours, Kaizo gradually increases the intensity. Strikes come faster, from different angles — chest, side, forearm, leg. Yumi breathes, grounds herself, and starts adapting, predicting impact through sensation and visual feedback. She winces occasionally but doesn’t retreat.

  By sunset, both are sweating heavily. Kaizo tosses her a canteen as she collapses backward onto the grass.

  Yumi (panting): “You call this… defense? It feels more like… bullying. (slight pause) But then again, I can see a connection; if I use my Meikai to sense your movements and then confirm where you're going to strike, I think it works better.”

  Kaizo (grins): “Look at you getting the hang of it..”

  The orange light reflects across the river, and for a brief moment, Kaizo’s expression softens — proud, maybe even impressed.

  Kaizo: “Not bad, Grace. For your first day, you already understand the heart of Kakushin.”

  Yumi (smiles tiredly): “And what’s that?”

  Kaizo: “Belief in your own strength.”

  They sit quietly, listening to the jungle’s nocturnal symphony beginning to rise. Infinity curls up beside them, glowing faintly in the dimming light.

  Kaizo: “Tomorrow, we will test it under pressure. I’m going to come at you with controlled attacks. You’ll learn to redirect instead of block.”

  Yumi (groaning): “Do I get a say in this?”

  Kaizo (leans back, eyes closing): “Nope. You signed up for the long haul, remember?”

  He grins lazily, and Yumi rolls her eyes — but the small smile on her lips betrays her exhaustion. The Jungle of Time hums quietly as the stars flicker to life above them — the end of another long day, and the first of many lessons in confidence.