The courtyard had grown completely quiet.
Snow continued falling gently, settling across the stone floor and wooden railings. The lantern hanging from the corridor flickered softly in the wind.
Maki stood in front of Sora with her fists still raised.
"…So help."
Her voice was soft.
Mai watched the scene with narrowed eyes from the corridor.
Sora looked at Maki for a few seconds.
Then he sighed.
"…You're very straightforward."
"That's the point."
"Fair."
He stepped a little closer.
The snow crunched softly beneath his boots.
"First thing."
He pointed at her stance.
"Lower your shoulders."
Maki frowned slightly but adjusted.
"A little more."
She did.
Sora walked around her slowly.
Observing.
Mai tilted her head.
"…You're really doing this."
Sora glanced toward her briefly.
"You asked for help."
Mai shrugged.
"I didn't say I believed you."
Sora stopped behind Maki.
Then lightly tapped her elbow.
"Too stiff. Reduce the strength to just keep them firm."
Maki immediately corrected the angle and strength.
"…Like this?"
"Better."
Sora stepped back in front of her again.
"Now attack."
Maki didn't hesitate.
She threw a punch toward his chest.
Sora moved his hand slightly.
His palm touched her wrist.
Not forcefully.
Just enough to redirect the punch.
Her arm slid past him harmlessly.
"…Again," he said.
Maki punched again.
Same result.
He redirected it.
Again.
Again.
Again.
After the fifth attempt, Maki stopped.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…You're not teaching."
"I am."
"How?"
Sora lifted his hand.
"You need to feel it."
She frowned.
"Feel what?"
"The moment your attack fails. The flow of your movement."
Maki blinked.
Then slowly threw another punch.
This time she paid attention.
The moment her fist reached him—
Sora's fingers touched her wrist.
The contact was light.
But the direction of her arm shifted instantly.
Like the force of her punch had been guided somewhere else.
Her fist slid past his shoulder.
Maki's eyes widened slightly.
"…You're not stopping the punch."
Sora nodded.
"Correct."
"You're redirecting it."
"Exactly."
Mai leaned forward from the corridor.
"…So he's using your own momentum."
Sora pointed at her.
"See? She gets it."
Mai smiled smugly.
Maki stared at her own fist.
Then at Sora.
"…Do it again."
Sora shrugged.
"Sure."
She attacked again.
This time faster.
Sora repeated the motion.
Tap.
Redirect.
Her strike missed.
Again.
Tap.
Redirect.
Miss.
After several attempts, Maki stopped again.
Her breathing had grown heavier.
"…That's not something I learned in clan training."
Sora shrugged.
"Clan training usually teaches power first."
He tapped her shoulder lightly.
"I prefer more effective techniques."
Mai raised an eyebrow.
"…You sound like an old man."
"I read a lot."
"That explains nothing."
Sora ignored the comment and looked back at Maki.
"Your problem isn't strength."
He gestured toward the training post behind her.
"You clearly have plenty of that."
Maki frowned slightly.
"Then what?"
Sora pointed toward her feet.
"Movement."
She looked down.
"You commit too much to every attack."
Maki crossed her arms slightly.
"That's how fights end quickly."
"I don't think so."
"I have experience. Don't argue."
Sora crouched slightly and drew a line in the snow with his boot.
"But if your opponent avoids the overpowered hit.."
He pointed to the empty space beside the line.
"…you're open to the opponent."
Maki stared at the mark in the snow.
Her expression turned thoughtful.
Mai quietly watched both of them.
For the first time since Sora appeared—
She wasn't treating the situation like a joke anymore.
"You truly are helping us."
Sora glanced at her.
"Obviously."
Mai looked away slightly.
"…We barely know you."
"That's fine."
Sora gestured toward the courtyard.
"You don't need to trust me right now."
He looked at Maki again.
"Just train. We will forge our bond through sweat and blood."
Maki was silent for a moment.
What was on her mind? Only she and god knows.
Then she stepped back into position.
"…Again."
Sora chuckled softly.
"You really don't waste time."
"That's the purpose. Wasting time will get myself killed."
Snow continued falling quietly as the strange training session resumed. Training of a determined Zenin.
Punch.
Redirect.
Step.
Adjust.
Rinse and Repeat.
Mai watched the two of them in silence.
And for the first time in a long time—
The Zenin courtyard didn't feel like a cage.
It felt like the beginning of something different.