It has begun

The table was mostly filled with women who were in their late twenties or early thirties with only two men and the rest were little girls who were below or around the age of ten. After a few moments everyone finished their breakfast and went their sepperate ways.

After breakfast Henry followed his uncle to do some training. During training he was distracted and his head wasn't in the session.

"Somethings bothering you, tell me what's wrong" Uncle Hue stopped and asked the boy.

"I still don't understand what I'm doing here" Henry asked his uncle during their break.

"You will be living and training here, you said that you wanted to be strong right?, trust me this is the best path for you" Uncle Hue answered.

"Unless you have a better plan then I'm all ears" Uncle Hue sounded harsh but Henry understood. After sometime thinking Henry shook his head.

"Let me guess you were planning on leaving and than start clearing dungeons and fighting monsters. After a while you'd get strong enough to help your sister" Uncle Hue asked, he didn't need to hear Henry's response, cause he already knew that was exactly what he thought.

"Henry you have a habit of being presumptuous and think the future will unfold in a way you think it will, the sooner you can stop thinking like this is the sooner you'll get stronger and I don't mean physically but mentally as well. Thinking like this will get you killed sooner than your supposed too." Uncle Hue said sternly

"You can't blame the boy, this is the naivety of youth. Even we were like this in our younger days, believing that we were the strongest there is" Uncle kento opened the door and said, he chuckled at the end as he thought back to his past. For the first time, Henry saw kento smile a little bit.

"I've made the preparations for you to go to a prestigious academy" Kento also answered as he entered the dojo. "Now anything else you wanna know? If you have doubts it's good to voice them out now".

After giving it some thoughts Henry sigh. He didn't know what to do following his departure from the only place he called "home" but he knew one thing and that was his uncle had his best intentions and if he said this was the way than he trusted him.

"No I don't have any questions" Henry's mind eased up a bit. He had been worried a bit.

"Now let's start the test" Kento said as he tightened his black belt around his martial arts clothes.

"Huh?" Henry looked confused.

"I want to see if your as capable as your uncle says" Kento said as he took his stance. "You turned fifteen yesterday right?. I'll let you choose a weapon from our treasury"

"I hope you dont forget your words and please go easy" Not like Henry had a choice, he got up and prepared himself.

Henry moved up close and punched at Kento's head, the later moved to the side. Henry followed with a horizontal kick to the gut but kento moved a step back and the kick merely past by his stomach. Henry did a 360 sweep aimed at the legs but there was no contact, Henry did another 360 at the stomach and kicked towards the head but there was nothing.

*Sigh*

Henry closed the distance and started punching at kento and the latter dodged the onslaughter of attacks.

Compared to when he was fight Uncle Hue, Henry actually felt the difference in skills and experience, despite the huge gap between them he felt like he had a chance. Uncle Hue would make him feel like he needed just a bit more speed or strength to catch up but no matter how much he pushed he wouldn't be able to close the distance. That was "his Family's" way of dodging.

A few minutes went on like this until kento decided to attack as well. Henry dodged the attack and went for a sweep to which kento retreated back. Henry took a defensive position and waited for kento. The latter moved faster then Henry could follow with his eyes so Henry chose to jumped back.

Kento appeared besides Henry and threw a fist, the latter opened his palm and with some strain caught the fist and held on to it. Turning himself around Henry kicked at the old man. Kento dropped himself to dodge but his opponent turned around and kicked down at him. Kento had nowhere to dodge so he pulled his arm that Henry was holding. Although he lowered his strength a bit to match Henry's, he still had a stronger body and didn't feel that much resistance.

Kento had tossed Henry some destance away, with his feet still planted on the ground and his body laying horizontal, he picked himself up.

"Impressive" Kento commented as he moved again, Henry prepared himself but this time as soon as the old man attacked he would change his position and attack from a different angel. Henry was barely dodging so he went on to deflect the attacked with his arms and legs. His limbs were getting sore from the attacks with each passing second but he ignored the pain and kept at it.

"This much I can handle but I need to attack" Henry didn't want to go on a battle of endurance but kento left no room for an attack.

Realizing that the was never gonna be an opening, Henry jumped back and his opponent followed him, Henry kept jumping around as he dodged. This was enough to lessen the attacks as he went back to just dodging. As Henry was dodging he waited and an opportunity presented to itself. He pushed himself and went for an attack but his opponent seemed to be waiting for him and attacked, Henry dodged and moved back.

Time went on as they continued sparring, Henry was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat but his eyes were focused and filled with determination. In contrast kento's appearance didn't change and was still the same. Their movement still as firce as before. Henry would attack when he saw an opportunity but was meet with an attack to which he'd dodge.

"I think this is enough, I'm impressed " Seeing the boy's movement getting sluggish kento stopped and said. Considering the boys strength kento was more than impressed by his performance.

*Huf* *Huf*

"Does that mean I win" Sitting down Henry asked with a smile. They had been going at it for hours and he was bearing his limit.

"You failed to land an attack" Uncle kento retorted with a snort.

"I thought you were impressed already, I mean considering that you also didn't land a decisive attack. I could have still continued for a few hours but if your tied than I understand" Henry proclaimed.

"That doesn't mean you won, you were getting tied and your movement were getting slow, so the outcome would have obvious after a few moves" Kento said, he didn't want the boy to resent him by bullying him but he knew his judgment wasn't wrong right?

Henry replied with a smile that only got wider with each passing second. Seeing the boys smile kento looked at his friend on the side.

"I don't think it would have taken a few moves, this kid is a cockroach and can be a fox at sometimes." Uncle Hue handed them bottles of water.

"Hmm I guess I lost" Uncle Kento was surprised, he took the bottle of water and look at the boy. Kento knew when to be stubborn and when not too. "Fine you win, I'll keep my promise"

"Master, they just arrived from school" Just than a shadow clad in a black ninja outfit appeared by kento's side and bowed as he announced.

"Good send those three to my office and call the elders as I'm going to be announcing some huge news for the family. Henry go and take a quick shower, this concerns you" kento said and looked at Henry.

"Why" Henry unconsciously asked without thinking

"You'll be meeting your fiancé of course" Uncle kento also answered without thinking.

"Wait what" It took a while for it to register but Henry asked in panic.

"You would have found out sooner so it doesn't matter anyways. That's the plan you'll be joining the Lotus family" Uncle Kento said with a smile. "Unless there's a problem" Uncle kento's expression changed to something scary.

Hearing his words Henry got nervous and his stomach started to turn.

"No sir, in fact I'd be honored" Henry responded