Chapter 62: Beach Time!!!
The morning sun had risen higher when one of the elders stepped onto the training ground. His presence was quiet, but the shift in atmosphere was immediate — like the change in air before a storm.
He wore flowing robes with red-and-gold embroidery, the symbol of the clan stitched just above his chest. His beard was neatly trimmed, and despite his age, his posture was as straight as a blade.
Clarissa straightened. "Elder Kazuo," she said with respect.
Miles turned and gave a short bow. "Elder Kazuo."
The old man’s sharp eyes studied him for a moment before he spoke, voice graveled by age but firm with command.
"Young man, it’s time I teach you the Phoenix Clan’s exclusive move."
Miles blinked once, surprised. "That’s... an honor. Thank you, Elder."
Elder Kazuo stepped closer, hands clasped behind his back. "Mastering this technique is not simply a matter of memorization. Our clan’s move requires an unnatural bend of the spine, a twist that must feel like second nature. We begin molding the body from childhood... holding stances for hours until bone forgets its limits."
He tilted his head thoughtfully.
"But I watched you fight yesterday. Your flexibility... your flow... you’ve shaped yourself like water through a thousand different forms. I believe your body can learn this."
Miles nodded with quiet resolve. "Then I’ll give it everything I have."