Kaguya's first thought was: her grandfather was exaggerating!
But then she reconsidered… after all, her grandfather had always been the serious type, never one to tell falsehoods to the younger generation. He called a spade a spade and never spoke carelessly about things he wasn't sure of.
However... a once-in-a-millennium swordsmanship genius? That was simply unbelievable. What did that even mean? It meant talent on par with the founder of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu!
Kaguya simply couldn't believe that a boy who looked to be around her age could possess such extraordinary talent.
Koken, seeing his granddaughter's utter disbelief, let out a soft chuckle, "It does seem incredible, but do you know when he first started learning swordsmanship?"
Kaguya was taken aback for a moment, then tentatively looked at her grandfather.
"Five years?"
Since her grandfather lived in the old family residence, and she usually had school and didn't visit often...
Moreover, the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu school didn't require constant instruction from a teacher. One only needed to grasp the core principles and then practice diligently on their own.
So, it was entirely possible that her grandfather had secretly taken a disciple at the old residence.
Five years… that was already a very short time. After all, she had started training at five years old and was now sixteen, having spent a full eleven years just to initially master Shinsoku.
Her grandfather was also a genius, but it had taken him ten years.
So Kaguya thought that even if this person was a genius, the time might be halved at best.
However, she saw her grandfather slowly shake his head, his calloused, broad hand raising a single index finger.
"One year?" Kaguya was stunned, looking at her grandfather in disbelief.
"No, one week."
At this point, Koken couldn't help but marvel at his luck in his later years… he had actually found a swordsmanship genius while shopping at a mall.
Swordsmanship, of course, was best practiced from a young age for the greatest effect. But when he had seen Yusei using another's moves to toy with them at the Karate dojo, he had already known.
This young man had an extremely high talent for martial arts, not just in swordsmanship, but in other combat skills as well.
"One week?" Kaguya's crimson eyes showed unparalleled shock, but it quickly faded.
She knew her grandfather had no reason to lie to her. At the same time, she understood why her grandfather would pass the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu to an outsider.
There was no other reason… it was simply because she, the heir, had talent that was too lacking…
Koken, seeing his granddaughter's expression, knew exactly what was going through her mind and gave a light cough.
"Do you think a person's achievements in swordsmanship depend solely on talent? No, talent is important, but effort is even more crucial."
"That boy may have great talent, but his effort is far inferior to yours. The swordsmanship tasks I assigned him, he fell far short of completing."
Hearing her grandfather's words, Kaguya's eyes lifted slightly, seeming somewhat moved.
"Kaguya, listen. If a person focuses too much on talent, they are destined to achieve nothing. If you believe you are far inferior to Kazami Yusei, then you truly will be."
"Go and pursue, go and seek. Right now, he is ahead of you, but I believe that one day, through your efforts, you will surely catch up to him!"
Koken knew his granddaughter all too well. Like him, she had an unyielding, proud spirit deep in her bones.
Now, he had given her a goal, something to prevent her from being crushed by the vast gap between them.
"Yes, I understand, Grandfather. I will definitely surpass him."
Suddenly, Kaguya felt her state of mind become much more comfortable. Compared to the previous frustration and oppression, she now felt incredibly light.
Along with that, she felt her body become lighter as well.
On a whim, Kaguya instantly activated Shinsoku. Her figure vanished from where she stood and reappeared at the other end of the dojo.
Koken's slightly narrowed eyes opened wide.
"This is... a breakthrough?"
Kaguya was also very surprised, a trace of joy then appearing in her eyes. She hadn't expected to break through just after hearing her grandfather's words.
Swordsmanship was ultimately about training the heart. When the mind is comfortable and relaxed, the body naturally becomes more agile. Moreover, Kaguya's strength was already on the verge of a breakthrough, needing only that final push… a transformation in her state of mind.