Path of the Blade(Private Training)

[Mayumi Ito]

Today's lesson took place in a grassland field. Kei's father had led her here, carrying two swords with him. One of them is his regular sword, strapped in his sword belt while the other was carried across his back. Unlike the former, however, the weapon is contained inside a long synthetic leather bag preventing her from seeing inside. Once they reached their usual training location, her father turned around and handed her the sword bag, to which the girl excitedly open it up to look at her newfound sword. Her excited expression swiftly changed into one of a disappointment when the bag revealed a wooden sword in the shape of katana.

"Eh, a wooden sword? But I want to use a real one." Kei complained as she looked up from her sword towards her father. While it was certainly an improvement compare to the bamboo sword she wielded before, she was confident she would be able to use a live blade with her skill level.

"Fool! I've beaten stronger shinobi than you with that wooden blade!" her father scolded, causing the girl cowered slightly in fear. Keeping a stern look on her, he took a moment to compose himself before continuing, "I will let you use a real sword once you graduate from the academy. Now, get ready for suburi."

"Yes father." the girl replied meekly before taking her position beside him, not wanting to incur further wrath. Every time before she started her lesson with her father, they would practice multiple sets of cutting practice together to warm up. Each set, they would alter their striking angle to the imaginary opponent in their mind. After a thousand swing or so, Kei found her arms shaking and her breathing quite labored. In comparison her father barely broke a sweat, chuckling at the sight.

"I-I'm ready." the girl finally announced as she straightened up herself. In response her father smirk nodded, summoning a wooden blade from a scroll as he faced her.

"Well then, let's see how long you will last today."

With a loud kiai, the father and daughter rushed towards each other as they trade blows against each other.

 

[Mayumi Ito]

Kei blinked as she laid on the ground, the last thing she remembered was the ground rushing up to meet her followed by intense pain. Slowly she sat up on the floor, her eyes drawn to the approaching footsteps as father walked towards her, a stern look upon his face.

"Transparent! Your moves are like books, you may as well declare what you are about to do next!" her father bellowed as he glared down at her. Her father was unrelenting with his sword strikes as if he wanted to hammer the lessons into every bone within her body. With the face like an angry war god, the girl didn't dare to meet his gaze for more than 3 seconds. Even though he had retired from the battlefield, his skill with a sword was as sharp as ever. For a moment there was silence before it was broken again by his father's voice, though the tone this time was softer than before, though no less stern.

"Do you know why did you lose Kei?" her father asked and despite her daughter's battered form, he didn't lend a hand to assist her. As he did not urge her to get up himself nor was she was in any hurry, in particular, Kei remained seated as she pondered over the question.

"Difference in strength?" the girl hazard a guess, though she knew that her father had held back a bit. Instead, he shook his head and sat down in a lotus position next to her. Mimicking his position, she waited for the old man to continue his words.

"That was part of it but what you lacked was a strategy. A battle is not won through strength and speed alone...clever stratagem would take you far." her father began to explain.

"Before you head out to fight your enemy, assess the situation. Know your surroundings, your opponent's preparedness, their strength, their skill. Seek for a way to turn their strength against them. There will always be someone who is faster or stronger or more skillful than you. Sharpen your wit like you would sharpen your blade and no matter how disadvantageous you are, you would turn the tide of battle." he continued.

"How do I do that father?" the girl asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Always be prepared, always think ahead. Victory favors the bold but also loves preparation."

The girl nodded upon hearing those words. Green as she was, she would require tricks all the edge she could get as she walks down the path of Shinobi.

432 words.