Lock was stunned.
Wasn't Aoi Kanzaki supposed to be the referee? Why did she start first?
Caught off guard, Lock's eyes widened. Thanks to the body coordination he had trained the day before, his body reacted before his brain.
With his incredible flexibility, he twisted the cup of medicine flying through the air and redirected it perfectly.
"How amazing!" the little girls watching gasped in awe.
Even Aoi Kanzaki was surprised. She hadn't expected Lock to react so quickly to Kanao's sudden attack. His reflexes were nearly on par with Kanao's.
It was clear that Shinobu Kocho had an extraordinary eye for talent. Lock was definitely a prodigy.
Kanao launched her second attack. Lock moved just as fluidly, though a splash of medicine had already soaked his collar.
The duel had reached full intensity. Afterimages of their hands flashed so quickly that anyone watching struggled to follow.
Kanao was fast, but Lock adapted instantly. Even as she pressed several cups of medicine toward him, Lock's own movements mirrored hers, keeping pace perfectly.
Then, a black cloud-like pattern appeared on Lock's neck.
Suddenly, his speed surged. He quickly caught up to Kanao.
[Observed Kanao's attack, inspired, and imitated it—speed improved]
[Observed Kanao's cup-pressing motion, learned and imitated it—reaction ability improved]
[Studied Kanao's attack pattern, learned the quick hand skill—Shadowless Hand]
Their hands blurred, crisscrossing over the table. Lock pressed the medicine cup just as Kanao raised hers—the speed was blinding.
"This… is incredible!"
Aoi Kanzaki clenched her fists, trying to follow the movements, but even she couldn't count the score. The fight was far too fast, especially by the fifth cup.
Lock had adapted perfectly to Kanao's pattern. She would press the left cup, then the right; he countered each in turn. When both were pressed down, she would raise the center cup—but Lock was already ready.
Kanao struck again, but to Lock, her movements were sluggish now.
In a flash, he moved.
Snap! First cup pressed down.
Snap! Second cup pressed down.
And just as Kanao reached for the third cup, Lock jumped.
His other hand, clenched tightly, snapped out like a coiled beast ready to strike. Kanao was a step too slow; her hand hadn't reached the cup. Her chest was exposed.
It worked.
Lock's face lit up. He activated his Shadowless Hand. The cup shot into his palm at lightning speed.
In Kanao's eyes, Lock's hand seemed to split into three, each moving independently, placing the cups flawlessly. He didn't spill a drop; the action itself was decisive.
Lock had won.
But something unexpected happened—his speed had been so high that while Kanao could see the loss, her body couldn't keep up. The medicine still splashed, landing on Lock's face.
Kanao opened her mouth to apologize, but couldn't form the words. Lock stopped her immediately.
"I'm fine," he said, wiping his face.
"Oh…ah?" Aoi Kanzaki finally realized it was over.
Lock had actually defeated Kanao in reaction speed.
The young girls rushed forward.
"You're amazing!" they said.
"You can beat Kanao!"
Kanao herself blinked, her expression unreadable but her eyes full of questions.
Lock reached out and patted the heads of the girls.
"I'm not staying here permanently. I'm just here for training," he explained.
The girls' faces fell slightly. They had already grown fond of him, thinking he might stay longer.
Lock smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving yet."
He felt the skill he had just obtained—Shadowless Hand. A technique that had allowed him to overcome Kanao's speed in a single move.
If combined with the Sun Blade, the possibilities were terrifying.
Before he could dwell on it, Aoi Kanzaki's voice called out.
"Lock, you've passed the second level. Let's begin the third level."
She stood ready to explain, but Kanao suddenly left the room without a word, her expression unreadable.
Soon, a figure appeared outside, practicing swordsmanship.
Everyone was confused, but Lock understood immediately.
Aoi Kanzaki hesitated. "I'll call Kanao back," she said.
Lock waved his hand. "It's okay. I'll go see for myself."
He picked up a wooden sword and walked toward Kanao, ready to begin the next stage of training.