Finally, Tsukishiro Yanagi led Sol Mercer into the training ground of Hollow Special Operations Section 6.
It was not the wooden flooring typical of an ordinary dojo, but rather a much harder black stone surface.
Perhaps it was because everyone in Section 6 was far from ordinary, so there was no need for wooden floors to soften falls.
At that moment, Hoshimi Miyabi was seated cross-legged on the floor. From the bronze incense burner before her drifted faint smoke, helping her focus and still her mind.
Her features were refined and serene, carrying an aura of calm poise.
At her side, upon an antique sandalwood rack, rested her treasured katana.
In a corner of the training ground, a young man with a headband leaned lazily against the wall, as though he had been asleep for some time.
"Harumasa, wake up. We have a guest."
Soukaku ran over to Asaba Harumasa and slapped him on the arm.
Honestly—this was Brother Sol's first time visiting Section 6, and this guy couldn't even rein himself in a little.
"Hey! Soukaku, what was that for?"
Harumasa winced, looking at her helplessly.
He hadn't actually been asleep, just resting with his eyes closed.
And the moment he saw Sol come in with Tsukishiro Yanagi, he had already been fully awake.
"The Chief's guest is here, and you're still sleeping! Not to mention, it's work hours."
Soukaku puffed up angrily.
Honestly, what an embarrassment in front of someone so respectable.
"Alright, alright, that's on me." Asaba Harumasa stretched lazily and walked toward Sol.
"Sorry, Sol, you had to see that."
Tsukishiro Yanagi gave an apologetic smile.
"It's nothing. Honestly, I think the atmosphere here is quite nice."
The members of Section 6 each had their own quirks, but gathered together, they were rather amusing.
"Good to meet you, Sol-san. I'm Asaba Harumasa." Harumasa flashed a dazzling grin. "Please look after me."
Though he liked slacking off, he never neglected intel. Naturally, he already knew that a mysterious powerhouse had arrived in New Eridu.
Toward someone like Sol, he held both respect and wariness.
Sol smiled and nodded. "Hello, I'm Sol Mercer."
At that moment, Hoshimi Miyabi opened her eyes from meditation.
Her brows knit slightly as she looked at Sol.
Tall and upright, a straight blade at his waist, clad in the black uniform suited for sparring.
But clearly, he had not performed the incense-and-bathing ritual he had spoken of last week.
Hoshimi Miyabi rose gracefully to her feet, her gaze calm as it met his.
Sol's reply was low and steady.
"You should not have come."
Hoshimi Miyabi shook her head faintly.
What she meant was that Sol should have prepared himself as she had, before arriving.
Only a clash of spirits at their peak was the kind of sparring she desired.
"But I have already came."
Sol tried to answer in the cadence of an old wuxia hero.
Truly, a scion of a martial lineage—her manner of speech demanded he match it with the diction of a martial arts novel.
Seeing that Sol could keep pace with her words, Hoshimi Miyabi's frown eased. "Then let us begin."
What Sol meant was clearly that he was eager to spar.
She had wanted to invite him to tea first, to sit and chat awhile.
But if he was this impatient, then surely his craving for a test of blades was genuine.
That earnest pursuit of martial truth—she approved of it.
With that, Hoshimi Miyabi rose and took her katana from its rack.
Sol, too, stepped forward and rested his hand quietly on his sword hilt. Sudden though it was, if a fight must come, then so be it.
"Huh? Chief, you're starting already? Isn't this a little rushed?"
Soukaku sounded startled and a bit distressed.
They had just met—he hadn't even been offered water yet.
This felt a little impolite.
"They were planning to spar anyway. With that kind of eagerness, it's understandable."
Harumasa laced his hands behind his head, speaking lazily. "But I've got to say—it's surprising how smoothly this Sol-san converses with the Chief."
He had seen plenty of people left awkward and tongue-tied by her. He himself had needed ages to get used to her way of speaking. For Sol to match her so easily was remarkable.
Could it be… the tacit understanding between the strong?
"Miyabi, Sol—hold on a moment."
Tsukishiro Yanagi stepped between them with a weary smile.
The sudden urge to fight right upon meeting was truly too abrupt.
"Yanagi, is something the matter?"
Hoshimi Miyabi asked with a hint of puzzlement.
Sol also turned to her.
"To start fighting the moment you meet seems a bit hasty," Tsukishiro Yanagi said with a smile. "How about a game of tennis first? To build some rapport, stretch out the muscles, and then spar?"
In truth, she was thinking of Sol.
If they began immediately, he might not know just how formidable Hoshimi Miyabi was, and risk being injured.
She doubted Sol could actually win against Miyabi. Sure, he seemed stronger and more skilled than most, but her Chief was simply beyond human.
Better to let them get a feel for one another first, then spar.
And besides, Sol had made the effort to come all the way to Section 6.
If he were knocked out straight away, it would be far too awkward. Section 6 wanted to befriend him, after all.
A friendly game first, to build rapport—then a spar, even if Sol lost, wouldn't sour the mood.
"Yanagi, I'd like to agree," Hoshimi Miyabi said regretfully, shaking her head. "But just now, Sol Mercer said he could not wait to cross blades with me—not even for tea."
Sol was fairly sure he had never said that.
He, too, had wanted to sit and chat, deepen bonds a bit, then fight.
And afterward, if he won, it would be easier to connect with Miyabi.
"Miyabi, so what you mean is, as long as Sol agrees, a tennis warm-up is fine?" Tsukishiro Yanagi asked with a smile.
She knew her Chief well. With her quirks in ordinary conversation, she had likely misunderstood.
"Yes. If Sol agrees, a tennis match as warm-up will do." Hoshimi Miyabi's face remained serene.
She had already tuned her spirit to its peak. A sport to loosen the body first would not be amiss.
"Sol, what do you think?"
Tsukishiro Yanagi looked to him.
"I'm fine with it, of course. But… tennis? How exactly?" Sol asked.
"Oh, it's a sport we enjoy. Before training bouts, a few rallies are excellent for warming up."
"But the version we play is 'no-bounce tennis,' and it's doubles—so the intensity is higher."
Tsukishiro Yanagi smiled, gesturing with two fingers slightly apart.
Higher intensity suited their slightly superhuman needs.
And doubles would naturally help bridge rapport with Sol.
A game would draw him closer to Section 6.
And if he lost later to Miyabi, his spirits wouldn't sink too low.
"In that case, no problem." Sol thought for a moment. "But I'd like to play against Miyabi-san."
Tsukishiro Yanagi chuckled. "Of course. With fighters of your level, being on the same side would make it too dull to watch."
"Such strong competitiveness? As expected of the opponent I chose." Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes glinted with resolve. "That suits me well."
"So then, how do we divide teams?"
Sol looked at Tsukishiro Yanagi.
"Soukaku with Miyabi, and Harumasa—"
Tsukishiro Yanagi began, but Asaba Harumasa cut her off hastily.
"Deputy Chief, Harumasa volunteers as referee!"
He cast pleading eyes at her.
Strenuous sports weren't for someone who'd rather slack and nap.
And besides, he knew what she intended—surely she wanted him to use the game to bond with Sol.
But charming men was not his skillset at all.
Seeing this, Tsukishiro Yanagi sighed in resignation, then turned to Sol with a smile. "In that case, I'll team with you."
"Sol, you'd better win for me!"
She winked playfully at him.
Honestly, she had intended to sit back and cheer, coaxing Sol with words.
But this was fine too—she could still play the supporting role, still help build ties.
Without her, Section 6 would never function.
"Don't worry, we'll win for sure."
Sol found her increasingly pleasant to the eye.
Beautiful, graceful, and with such an easy way of speaking.
Even knowing she had a bit of slyness, it wasn't the least off-putting.
After all, what women saw as a schemer, men might just call a good sister.
"Is that a challenge?"
Hoshimi Miyabi's gaze sharpened at Sol's confident words.
Whether tennis—or their duel of blades to come—she would give her all!