Yumi woke to the scent of moss and morning dew, sunlight slipping through the layered canopy of the Forest of Time.

  The air was thick — ancient, almost with an odd humming noise. Unfamiliar birds trilled above while something distant growled below.

  Infinity stretched lazily in a hammock woven from living vines, one paw dangling off the edge. His tail flicked constantly, though he was not effected by the humidity.

  Kaizo was already awake.

  His hoodie was half-zipped, the fabric hanging loose as he stood balanced on a high branch, surveying the horizon like a sentry. The dawn light illuminated his dark black hair as he turned back towards the treehouse because he noticed Yumi had woken up.

  Kaizo (landing softly beside her): “Welcome to the Jungle of Time. Training starts today — and before you ask, yes… it’s exactly as terrifying as it sounds.”

  Yumi (sitting up, rubbing her eyes): “Then where do we start?”

  Kaizo (folding his legs on a circular bark mat): “We start with Meikai.”

  Yumi tilted her head.

  The term sounded familiar — one of those Zenshin principles Principal Ayame mentioned during the Apex Circuit— but she couldn’t quite understand what it was.

  Yumi (curious): “Not Kensei first? I thought that was about technique and precision.”

  Kaizo (shaking his head): “Whoa, you already know about that?”

  Yumi (sharply): “Your aunt explained most of the three methods of Zenshin while you were fighting in the tournament.”

  Kaizo (stroking his chin): “I thought that lady was washed. Then again, she was always pretty sharp. Well, anyway, Kensei sharpens your movements. Meikai sharpens your senses.”

  He paused, resting a hand against his chest.

  Kaizo: “For someone without years of combat conditioning, your biggest leap won’t come from muscle — it’ll come from your senses. Meikai is awareness beyond the surface.”

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  Yumi (raising an eyebrow): “Awareness? Like… better reaction time?”

  Kaizo (grinning slightly): “That’s part of it. But let’s go deeper.”

  He picked up a small pebble and tossed it lightly between his fingers.

  Kaizo (tone changes): “Think about what happens when one of your senses is taken away. If you can’t see, your hearing gets sharper. If you can’t hear anything, your eyes become more observant.”

  He flicked the pebble upward — Yumi’s gaze followed — then caught it again without looking.

  Kaizo: “That’s how Meikai was born. Warriors who fought Horizon users — especially the ones with Resonant Collapse — needed to react to what they couldn’t see in time. So they trained to heighten all their senses as high as possible. Eventually, their awareness became so precise, they could tell where certain attacks were coming from, notice similar movements of an individual, and other impressive feats.”

  Yumi (slowly): “So… they taught themselves to fight blind.”

  Kaizo (smirking): “Something like that. Meikai isn’t about sensing everything while being blind — it’s about the sensation you feel when you notice something about to go wrong or something changing around you.”

  He gestured for her to stand.

  Kaizo: “You’re going to learn the same way. One sense at a time.”

  Yumi (hesitant): “You mean—”

  Kaizo (already pulling a strip of cloth from his pocket): “—you’re going to lose one. Temporarily.”

  He tossed the cloth at her.

  Kaizo: “Sight’s the easiest to start with. When you can’t rely on your eyes, your other senses scramble to fill the gap. That struggle is where Meikai begins to awaken.”

  Yumi (tying the cloth around her eyes): “And what if I mess up?”

  Kaizo (stepping behind her, tone softening): “Then you mess up. That’s part of it. But the key is to listen to the world. Feel the shift in the air when I move. Observe the change in pressure when something approaches. Meikai is about catching those silent cues and turning them into a natural instinct.”

  Infinity (yawning from the hammock): “Try not to die.”

  Yumi (smirking under the blindfold): “No promises.”

  Kaizo (cracking his knuckles): “Good. Then let’s begin.”

  He stepped back, his breathing lowering until it was barely a whisper. The forest fell quiet. Every leaf, every droplet, seemed to hold its breath. Yumi almost thought for a moment she went deaf.

  Kaizo (calmly): “First test — try to find me before I touch you.”

  Yumi (sarcastically): “I’m scared.”

  And then he vanished into motion.