I was Thrown into an Unfamiliar Manga

The leaves above my head fluttered down.
A dozen or so leaves swayed in the wind, twisting and turning in unpredictable patterns.
It was impossible to tell where they would fall.

I steadied my breathing, sharpening my focus.

My hands moved.
Like whipping strikes, the blades of sharpened yang energy coating my hands sliced through the air in relentless, rapid motions.
The key to using Kamaitachi properly was to release unnecessary tension in the shoulders.

As befitting the secret assassination art of the ninja clan, it demanded the fastest and most precise movements possible.
In the blink of an eye, I had cut through every falling leaf. Just to be sure, I visually checked if any were left untouched.
Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen…
“Twenty.”

Perfect.
For the first time, I had successfully sliced through every leaf falling above my head.
An indescribable sense of achievement made my body tremble.

I had poured all three days I was given into perfecting this single success.

Until now, I had relied only on brute strength—Gang, as martial artists often said in wuxia novels. Mastering this new concept of Flow had cost me far more time than expected.

Clap, clap, clap, clap!
“Congratulations, Kim Yu-seong.”
Fuma-senpai, who had been watching me train from start to finish, approached, applauding.

I stopped wiping my sweat with a towel, bowed deeply, and said,
“Thank you. Without your guidance, I couldn’t have learned this technique so quickly.”
“I didn’t do much. It’s all thanks to your effort and talent.”

Exchanging such polite compliments, we practically gilded each other’s faces with praise.
I rolled my shoulders and muttered,
“Then I guess it’s time to start preparing to head back.”

“You’re still not back to your original body. Will you be all right?”
“Summer vacation still has a few days left. I’ll figure something out during that time.”
If necessary, I knew someone nearby I could ask for help.
I just didn’t know what price they might demand in return.

“If that’s your decision, I won’t stop you. But if you really don’t make any progress, tell me. I’ll teach you our clan’s secret Yin-Gathering Nourishment Art.”
“Chae-eum Bo… what?”
“Never mind. If you don’t know, forget I said anything.”

Fuma-senpai flushed slightly, quickly sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground with the broom in her hand.
What was that? Why is she embarrassed?
I didn’t understand her behavior, but I decided not to point it out.

This wasn’t the first time Fuma-senpai had acted strangely.
“More importantly, is it really okay to take Saya to Tokyo?”
“Ah, right, that matter.”

Fuma-senpai nodded as if remembering belatedly.
“Last night, the elders held a meeting. They said that, given Saya’s excessive yin energy, she might lose control unless she stays near someone with your Polar Yang Body. They strongly recommended you take her.”
…Feels like they’re dumping a bomb they can’t handle onto me.

Well, now that I knew Saya was tied to the original story, I couldn’t just leave her behind.
“Then I guess that really does wrap up all our business in this village.”

“Are you sad to leave?”
Fuma-senpai shook her head.
“I’ll have to come back once I’m an adult anyway. Keeping some distance for now feels just right.”

“Senpai, aren’t you going to college?”
Fuma-senpai gave a wry smile.
“I don’t think college is essential in life. I could go if I wanted to, but I don’t particularly feel like it right now.”
“…I see.”

I was honestly envious. She had her own convictions instead of just doing what everyone else did.
Meanwhile, I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to do with my life.
When I said as much, Fuma-senpai looked at me steadily and spoke.

“You’ll make the right choice, Kim Yu-seong.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I guarantee it.”

Hearing that from her somehow gave me courage I didn’t have before.
We talked for quite a while about the future as we swept the leaves in the clearing, only returning to the village estate around lunchtime.
***

“Thank you for all your hospitality.”
I knelt, bowing deeply, and Fuma-senpai’s grandfather stroked his beard with a stern expression.
“It is only natural to treat an honored guest of the village with the utmost courtesy. You need not feel burdened.”

…Easier said than done.
“Here is the book.”
I handed over the secret manual I had kept at my side.

Fuma-senpai’s grandfather stroked the cover once before asking,
“So, did you make progress in mastering Hayate?”
“Yes. I just learned Kamaitachi today.”

As I spoke, I formed blades of qi in both hands. Fuma-senpai’s grandfather nodded, clearly impressed.
“Indeed. It seems defeating the God of Destruction wasn’t merely luck. Continue to train diligently and advance in Hayate.”
“Yes.”

I replied with utmost seriousness, bowing my head.
“Then you may leave now.”
A polite dismissal.

Fuma-senpai and I quietly rose from our seats.
Before leaving the room, she glanced back at her grandfather and said softly,
“I’ll be back, Grandfather.”

“……”
It was probably her way of showing consideration for her taciturn grandfather.

Glancing between the two of them, I quietly left the room first.
***
Fuma-senpai came out about five minutes later.

Waiting outside, I asked her,
“What did your grandfather say?”
She glanced at me briefly and replied calmly,

“Not much. Just told me to take care of myself in Tokyo and visit home sometimes.”
“I see.”
“…You must’ve waited a while because of me. Let’s go.”

Brushing it off, Fuma-senpai started walking ahead.
I watched her, thinking she looked unexpectedly cute, then quickly ran to catch up.
“Wait for me, Senpai!”

***
It took us almost ten hours to return to Tokyo.
Much longer than the trip here—mostly because I wasn’t empty-handed this time and because the medicine’s side effects had shrunk my body.

Fuma-senpai’s hometown, Kazama, was hidden deep in the mountains with no proper roads, so descending ate up quite a bit of time.
If Saya hadn’t been able to use her poltergeist abilities, we would’ve suffered even more.
“It’s late. Are you sure you’ll be fine alone?”

“It’s just around the corner from here.”
I reassured Fuma-senpai, who insisted on seeing me off, and lifted the crate of vegetables into my arms.
“See you at school, Senpai.”

“…All right. Get home °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° safe, Kim Yu-seong.”
We said our farewells at the subway station and went our separate ways.
About fifteen minutes later, still carrying the vegetable crate, I finally reached home.

“Phew, made it.”
It had been four days since I’d last been here.
Thinking about explaining my shrunken body to my parents gave me a headache, but I decided to just face it and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Saya, who had followed me to Tokyo, looked around the neighborhood curiously.
[It hasn’t changed at all.]
“You used to live here, Saya?”

[Yeah. About two or three years.]
When we first met, she said she’d forgotten most of her memories from when she was alive. But she remembered more than I expected.
Clack!

I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
It was past 11 p.m., and the house was quiet—my parents were probably already asleep.
I gently set the vegetable crate by the entrance and turned on the light in my room.

Even after being gone for four days, my mom had apparently cleaned the room thoroughly—there wasn’t a speck of dust on my exercise equipment.
Feeling oddly reassured, I put down my bag and took off my shirt.
“Eek!”

“Ah.”
I’d forgotten.
Saya, looking embarrassed, grumbled that I should’ve warned her before undressing and slipped out of the room.

I quickly changed into some of my old middle school clothes and called her back.
She phased through the door and reentered.
[So, what now?]

“Sleep.”
I pointed to the clock.
She fell silent.

“You must be tired too after traveling almost ten hours. Sleep while you can, so you don’t complain tomorrow.”
I spread out a futon from the closet, and Saya sighed in resignation.
[Fine. Tomorrow, then.]

At least she was quick to understand.
Yawning heavily, I collapsed onto the bedding, exhausted.