Infinite Realm

"Huuu." Sato breathed out right after he took off the VR helmet that covered his head.

"The Main Trials are something. Even till this moment, I'm still not sure how I'm doing." Recalling his current challenge in the Main Trials, Sato could only sigh in frustration. Unlike the previous one, which made the end goal obvious from the beginning, the current challenge forced Sato to rely on his luck and intuition to move blindly through the entire place.

'I will just spend 30 minutes or less before I return.' Sato thought.

Unlike what one would think, the Main Trials couldn't be paused. Once the player began them, he was expected to be logged in at all moments as the trials would be constantly running. However, being logged in for far too long was an issue that could lead to certain problems and cause a burden on one's body. Because of this, the player would usually be warned by the system just before they accepted the mission and at the same time, would prepare a large stock of energy drinks to help neutralize any unforeseen problem from being connected online for too long.

However, despite still making such preparations, Sato often took out some time from the game to take a break in reality. This was entirely possible thanks to the fact that the duration attached to each challenge was quite big. Shaving off 30 minutes in reality, which translated to an hour in-game, wouldn't harm his progress by that much.

Sato usually spent his 30 minutes either having a simple meal, taking his bath and brushing his teeth, or spending time with the family especially his grandmother. Even if he did have energy drinks, they were low-quality ones hence he still needed to eat once in a while. Normally, this time wouldn't be any different but it was destined to.

Just as Sato got downstairs to have a simple breakfast, he noticed that his grandfather and sister were both missing from the table.

"Where's grandfather and Hayami?" Sato asked as he noticed an extra plate by the side.

"They are at the dojo with a guest." Alice answered.

Just before Sato could ask about the identity of the guest, the duo had returned with a familiar face in their midst.

"You are…!" Sato widened his eyes in surprise. 

"It's been a while." Wu Shiyi smiled at him.

Sato was surprised yet perplexed as to Wu Shiyi's appearance. He never expected to meet this character again much less at his place. There wasn't much interaction between the two since the last time they met so Sato was wondering why Wu Shiyi suddenly had a change of heart to come see him.

"Alright, let's have breakfast first." Old Juro noticed that the way Sato looked at the other young man was strange but he didn't bother to ask.

Breakfast was short and succinct, mostly since Sato had to return to IR while Hayami had to prepare for school. It only took the family 20 minutes or so for the entire table to be cleared of dishes. 

During this time, Wu Shiyi felt awkward to meet his plate but after a bit of encouragement from Old Juro, he lost all manners and made himself feel at home. He wolfed down on his meal at his own pace and his own pace was far ahead of the others. He went so far as to ask for seconds, making Hayami twist her face in disgust at the guest's manners. 

After the meals were taken care of and the table was cleared, Wu Shiyi volunteered to help with cleanup. Even though at times, he seemed to have a rogue and uncaring personality like a few young masters, he was still instilled with proper etiquette by his master.

Seeing the enthusiastic young man volunteering to help, Alice took up the offer. Sato also joined in with Hayami, while sending his grandma away to rest.

After the dishes were cleaned up, which didn't take long since there were 3 people at it, Wu Shiyi finally approached Sato and relayed his reason for looking for him.

"You say that your master wants to meet me? Why?" Sato asked.

"Actually, he's more or less interested in your master and wants to see him. Seeing you is just his roundabout method of doing things." Wu Shiyi explained as he glanced at Old Juro. 

Wu Shiyi, after discovering that Old Juro was Sato's grandfather together with the short spar, reckoned that the old man was Sato's master. This was because not only did Old Juro have the necessary strength and expertise to train a master rank martial artist, but he was the closest to Sato. Logically, one wouldn't go off and hire a teacher for their children or grandchild or other close relatives if they could teach those skills to the child themselves.

"Why exactly? Is it to exchange experiences or what?" Sato pushed for a more detailed answer.

"I don't know. That old fogey barely tells me anything." Wu Shiyi spread his arms out to express his lack of information. In front of his master, he was a docile young man and an obedient student, but outside, none of that mattered. Because of that, he usually addressed his master as 'old fogey'.

"If your master isn't interested in meeting with mine, then there's no problem. But my master would still want to earnestly meet up with you."

Sato contemplated on his words, trying to figure out why such an elusive character had suddenly taken a liking to him. If it was because he was young and had potential, that didn't make any sense as Wu Shiyi was roughly the same age as he was and was equal in strength. Also, the old figure would have guessed that Sato had a master so the idea of poaching him was illogical. This was because poaching one's student was one of the most despised and detested acts in the martial arts community. Not only would it soil the perpetrator's name but it would also bring a bad reputation to the student. As a result, it was almost impossible for such a situation to occur. 

  In the end, he wasn't able to find a reason suitable enough but not finding one didn't mean he was scared of meeting the man.

"There's no problem but it would most likely have to be next week." Sato said. 

He still had the Main trials to complete alongside some other plans of his. Sato didn't plan on pushing those plans backward so he decided that he would meet up with Wu Shiyi's master after he was done with his problems.

"Alright then." Having come to an agreement, Wu Shiyi was satisfied since he had successfully fulfilled the mission.

Before leaving, he collected Sato's contact details and also gave him his, this way Sato could contact him once he was free.

"Alright then. Later." Wu Shiyi left the building.

"So, what was that all about?" Old Juro walked in from within the house.

"His teacher wants to meet up with me and also you." Sato repeated everything that Wu Shiyi said to his grandfather.

"It's either to exchange lessons or something else. However, it seems that the old man's interest is mostly in you. It might even be to invite you to a martial arts contest or maybe give you a job at a dojo or something. Either way, there's no harm in going. If you're scared, then I could accompany you whenever you need." 

For some certain reasons, Old Juro never showed himself to members of the martial arts community, specifically the older generation so while the invitation seemed harmless, Old Juro didn't plan ongoing. However, for his grandchildren, who were the last of his blood, the old man wouldn't mind shedding his much less showing his face.

"Don't worry about it, grandpa. I'll handle it." Sato replied without any expression. He knew why his grandfather avoided martial artists, especially prominent ones of the older generation, so there was no way he would let his grandfather get involved.

Old Juro glanced at Sato in the eye for a while before he finally acquiesced.

"Okay."

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