章 2: Expectations

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"Ow!" Ginko winced in pain as his body was effortlessly catapulted across the room, "That hurts like hell old man!" He complained whilst clutching his abdomen, resisting the urge to puke out his breakfast.

"Don't whine, Gale Kata isn't something you can pick up with a half-assed approach," the technique in question was a close quarters combat style that utilized [Galebreathe] hand-crafted by Yamada himself, which he was now somewhat unsuccessfully attempting to pass onto Ginko.

In order to prevent him from becoming a sitting duck should anyone manage to close the distance on him, it was imperative that he could reliably defend himself up close. Moreover, learning Gale Kata was sure to increase the control he had over his cursed technique, preventing him from being needlessly wasteful with his attacks in the future.

"All you're doing is beating me senseless! How am I supposed to learn anything like this!?" He continued, earning a well-deserved eye roll from his grandfather.

"Remember, when you hold your guard up you need to use the pushing force generated by your cursed technique to enhance your defense. Just throwing around gusts of winds all willy-nilly like you're doing now won't get you anywhere," obviously Yamada wasn't going all out against Ginko, but most would consider the force he was using against him now overboard nonetheless, "Try again."

Ginko swallowed the urge to click his tongue as he raised his arms together in a cross guard, readying himself for Yamada's oncoming attack.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The sound of gunshots tarnished the air as three compressed bullets of wind clashed against his arms, "Shit!" Ginko clenched his teeth together as his brain slowly succumbed to the agony of having his body rag-dolled across the room. Bit by bit he could feel the numbness invade his arms as he staggered in his place like a broken doll.

"Watch your language young man." Yet in spite of everything, Yamada's eyes simply looked on with cold indifference, "Do you still not get it? Gale Kata and [Galebreathe] aren't separate things Ginko," he lectured whilst nonchalantly approaching his grandson. "Gale Kata is merely an application of [Galebreathe], you're supposed to wear it like a coat both figuratively and literally. You're still far too stiff when you use your technique which is forcing your body to clamp up each time you try to attack or defend, when it should be doing the opposite."

Though Ginko offered no response, Yamada could tell that he was heeding his words carefully regardless. Even though his motivation may have been sparked merely out of spite, something was always better than nothing.

With enough time he'd get Ginko to come around, that much was lightwork for him.

But what came after that, well, he would more likely than not be unable to witness with his own eyes.

How cruel time was, to the both of them.

"Ginko."

"What?" He said as he wiped off the small trickle of blood dripping from his mouth.

"You have the potential to amass great strength in the future to come, strength greater than even mine."

"Where'd that come from?" He rose his brow in a questioning manner.

"It's just a fact, but one that can only come true if you wish it to be so. I'm glad you've started taking these lessons seriously, but without any actual drive to achieve greatness I'm afraid you won't get very far. My son unfortunately succumbed to that fate, I do not wish the same for you."

"What does my father have to do with any of this?"

Yamada's head slouched as he heaved a deep sigh.

"I mean no malice Ginko, you know that. Your father always insisted on living the simple life, only interested in obtaining enough strength to live comfortably as a Sorcerer, and then settling in with your mother, which from the perspective of most isn't a bad thing."

"I'm sensing a but?" Ginko said with apprehension.

"But, for us clansmen, such insistence on mediocrity is unacceptable. It is not only our duty to reach as high as we possibly can, but our responsibility in order to secure a future for our kin. Your father is not a failure by any means, but I'm afraid a mindset like that won't suffice for the future of this family."

Most wouldn't tolerate having their father talked about in a seemingly negative light, especially to their face, but for Ginko it was different.

First of all, it was coming from his grandfather, and secondly his relationship with his father had become somewhat estranged.

Ginko's father did not hate him by any stretch of the imagination and nor did Ginko, but he spent very little time at the compound, causing his relationship with his son to become estranged over the years.

In truth, his father felt more like an acquaintance to him rather than a caregiver. That role had always been reserved for his grandfather.

Even though Yamada was sure most of the intent behind his words would be lost on Ginko, he felt it necessary to convey them nonetheless.

"Uh, I kinda get what you're saying, but at the same I kinda don't," Ginko said as he tilted his head.

"That's fine for now, one day it'll all make sense to you but for now just keep your eyes on the present," Yamada reached towards one of the nearby cabinets, pulling out a wooden dummy and planting it in front of him. "Your form is still sorely lacking, so we'll focus on that before returning to your cursed technique."

Forcing himself to endure his aching body, Ginko hauled himself to his feet and approached, steeling himself to get through his grandfather's harsh instruction one way or another.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Time seemed to move unbearably slow.

Each day, each hour, each minute of training Yamada put Ginko under felt like it lasted an eternity.

Wake up, eat, get beat into a pulp, sleep, and repeat.

Again again, all he had was the repetitive pain and weak comfort progress brought him.

You accomplished this? Good, now do it a hundred more times. You made some progress? Well I could do a hundred times better without breaking so much as a sweat.

It didn't matter how much stronger he got, it was never enough. He needed to be more precise, more fluid, more lethal.

Even though Ginko could be considered a relatively fast learner, he was no genius by any stretch of the imagination.

"Again," Yamada ordered.

Ginko grit his teeth, planting his left foot forwards and twisting his hip to generate as much momentum as his small frame possibly could.

BAM!

Accelerated by his cursed technique, his knuckles cracked against the wooden frame in front of him. Further staining the skin of his hands in a repulsive crimson color.

He turned his head towards Yamada, yet the latter's face remained unmoved as ever.

"Good work," Ginko's eyes lit up, feeling as if he had just received the first inklings of genuine praise. "With that much power maybe you'll be able to take on some of the local stray cats wandering about," or so he thought.

"You lack firmness when you punch, you should be the one moving your wind as you please rather than allowing it to carry you around without direction," Yamada corked his fist, thrusting it towards a fresh piece of wood before stopping inches before it met with the bark. "Look," Yet somehow, a perfectly shaped hole appeared in its center, as if someone had used a razor-edged cookie mold.

"How..?" Ginko's mouth was pretty much wide open.

"Practice my dear boy, not everyone who works hard in this world is rewarded, but all those who succeed have worked hard," Yamada paused momentarily, allowing Ginko to let his words sink in.

"Anyhow, that's enough babbling from me. We'll call it a day for now, we're going to be quite busy tomorrow so I suggest you get as much rest as you possibly can."

"What for?" Yamada breathed a faint chuckle in light of his grandson's forgetfulness.

"You kept your promise, so it's only right that I keep mine."

At long last, he would finally get to see the bane of every Sorcerer's existence with his own eyes.