The next day, Nero found himself seated at a long wooden table in the dining hall, sharing lunch with Mu and Zen.
The warm scent of freshly cooked rice, miso soup, and grilled fish filled the air, contrasting with the crisp breeze that wafted in from the open sliding doors.
The meal was peaceful. Until Zen, as usual, shattered the tranquility with his booming voice.
"So, did you think it through, kid?" Zen asked, grinning as he took a large bite of his rice.
Nero glanced at Mu, who was quietly sipping his tea with his usual composed expression, before turning back to Zen.
"You two really are like day and night," he muttered under his breath.
Mu, without missing a beat, responded in a dry monotone,
"That is why we could not stay in the same body."
Zen nearly choked on his food, laughing. "It's been a while since you last made a joke, Mu!"
"Don't expect it to be a regular occurrence," Mu replied flatly, sipping his tea as though nothing had happened.
Nero coughed lightly to regain their attention. "Just to confirm, what exactly are you going to be teaching me after school?"
Zen grinned, leaning forward. "How to beat people up in the most efficient way."
Mu sighed. "What he means is that we will support you in the way you desire.
However, keep in mind that we are not available all day.
Even if you choose not to attend classes, we can only allocate one to two hours per day for personal instruction."
Nero nodded. "I understand. Thank you, both of you." A soft smile tugged at his lips.
He then straightened. "In that case, I've made my decision. Of course, it may change depending on how the whole Void Principle situation develops."
Zen leaned forward eagerly, while Mu simply observed in silence.
"I've decided to study: Onmyōdō Fundamentals (Balance, study of yin-yang magic), Fūinjutsu (Sealing Magic), Elemental Convergence, Shikigami Arts (Creating and controlling paper constructs), Martial Spellcraft (Martial arts blended with magic)."
Mu gave an approving nod. "A solid choice."
In truth, Nero also wanted to study Sky Magic and Barrier Magic, but he knew he needed to prioritize his current predicament.
He could always reconsider if he made a breakthrough.
With a wave of his hand, Mu summoned a neat stack of books in front of Nero.
The pile landed with a heavy thud, nearly knocking over Zen's tea.
"If you wish for a solid foundation, I recommend starting with these.
They cover what is taught in the first, second, and third years of each subject."
Nero's eyes gleamed at the sight of the books.
He reached for the topmost one, scanning its title with excitement.
But then a thought struck him. He turned to Mu, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Could you also bring books up to the seventh-year level?"
Zen let out a low whistle. "Ambitious, aren't we?"
Mu tilted his head slightly, then, with another flick of his wrist, a second, even larger stack of books materialized beside the first.
The weight caused the table to creak slightly.
"These are for advanced study. However, you may find some concepts difficult to grasp without practical experience."
"That's fine," Nero said eagerly. "Even if I don't understand everything yet, I'd rather have access to the knowledge."
Mu gave a slight nod before picking up one of the books and sliding it toward Nero.
"If you are interested in Fūinjutsu, this text 'The Five Layers of Sealing' is considered a fundamental classic.
It details the principles behind multi-layered barriers and how they can be applied for offensive and defensive purposes."
Nero flipped it open, scanning a few paragraphs.
The sheer complexity of the symbols and their corresponding explanations made his head spin, but instead of being discouraged, he felt even more motivated.
Zen, clearly growing bored of the academic conversation, rummaged through the stack until he pulled out a thick, leather-bound book with an intricate golden emblem on its cover.
He burst into laughter.
"Well, well, well! Look what we have here!" he declared, holding it up.
Nero turned to look, and his eyes widened. The title read: The Art of Unpredictable Combat: A Complete Guide to Breaking Your Opponent's Spirit, authored by Muzen.
Mu merely raised an eyebrow. "Put it down, Zen."
Zen ignored him, flipping through the pages with growing amusement.
"Look at this! 'When faced with an opponent who expects a straight strike, throw your entire body at them instead.' Ha! Classic advice.
And here 'If your enemy believes you are calm, scream at the top of your lungs and watch their confusion work against them.'"
Nero blinked. "Wait. Is this a book that you wrote when…?"
Zen pointed a thumb at himself. "That's right! A book we wrote back when we were stuck together."
Nero hesitantly took the book, flipping through a few more pages.
He had expected something more refined, but the strategies were… well, creative, to say the least.
"This is… certainly unique."
Mu sighed. "I am sure my Zen side, when we were one, insisted on adding unnecessary techniques. My side must have focused on efficiency, but he…"
"Made it fun," Zen finished with a grin.
Despite himself, Nero chuckled. "Maybe I'll read this one when I need a break."
Zen clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit!"
Mu, as if deciding he had indulged the moment long enough, picked up another book and placed it before Nero.
"This one 'Shikigami: From Paper to Power' will be crucial if you wish to master the Shikigami Arts. The constructs rely heavily on spiritual attunement and the ability to refine intent into form. In a way it can be considered remotely similar to the Patronus spell"
Nero nodded, already imagining the applications. His excitement was building.
Zen leaned back, arms behind his head. "And if you ever want hands-on practice, just find me. Martial Spellcraft isn't something you can learn from a book alone."
Nero let out a light chuckle. "Understood." He then exhaled, looking at the mountain of books before him. "Alright. Time to study seriously."
Mu gave an approving nod, while Zen smirked. "Let's see how long it takes before your brain overloads."
Nero grinned. "Challenge accepted."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50 chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin): Chapter 155: Predators in the Ruins