The dusty room was sparse: one small cot, a rickety table, and two wooden chairs. The single window overlooked a chaotic street where low-level pirates haggled over stolen goods. Leo slammed the door shut, locking the bolt twice. The loud sounds of the street were immediately muffled.
"Finally," Leo sighed, sinking onto the cot. "Peace. And privacy. Sekiro, thank you for the discount."
Sekiro stood beside the door, his posture still ramrod straight, his eyes scanning the room as if expecting an immediate ambush. "It was the most efficient outcome.
Leo sat on the edge of the cot, staring across the room at Sekiro.
Leo's mind was a frantic whirlwind of plot knowledge, comparing Sekiro to his old game screen.
Leo's Inner Monologue: Based on my memory of the game, Sekiro's fighting skill is a tree with many branches: Shinobi Arts, Ashina Arts, Prosthetic Arts, Temple Arts, Mushin Arts, Ninjutsu Techniques...
And each art is divided into many further techniques! In Shinobi Arts, he uses Whirlwind Slash and more; in Ashina Arts, he uses Ichimonji; and in Prosthetic Arts, he uses the Grappling Hook and other tools. I was just spamming them back then! I don't even know how much he knows right now or what he can truly do.
Leo sighed, rubbing his temples. I wish I had been more focused and less spammy in my past life! Should I just tell him to show me every single skill? Naah, that will be an insult to his character. I'll just watch. He'll be with me every time. I'll see with my own eyes the mastery I was never able to achieve in the game.
"Let's do something first," Leo said, sitting up straighter. He grabbed a strip of dark cloth. "Sekiro, let's wrap your prosthetic arm. We don't want anyone to see that. It's too unique. It will attract suspicion and questions we don't want to answer."
Sekiro, without hesitation, presented the arm. "Okay. Concealment is necessary."
Leo carefully and quickly wrapped the metallic arm. "Sigh... finally. Now it looks fine." He took a deep breath and summoned the System.
DING!
NEW SUMMON REQUIREMENTS
REQUIREMENT STATUS
Authority Points 0/2500
Unique Item: Acquire a Big Glass Bottle with a Compass.
Leo frowned. "A glass bottle? What does this system need a Big Glass Bottle with a Compass for?" He shook his head. "Let's think about that later."
He scrolled to the final, gleaming notification.
REWARD: SPECIAL LEGENDARY ITEM SUMMON UNLOCK
Item Initialization Time Required: 1 month and 10 days.
Leo whistled. One month and ten days. A Special Legendary Item! "I'm waiting for what reward this system will give me,
The Meal and the Master
Later, they sat by the window, sharing a humble meal of bread and stew.
"Sekiro," Leo began, pushing a bowl toward him. "Watching you stand, watching you move... you look incredibly ready for anything. You don't fear anything, do you?"
Sekiro looked at him, his gaze level and unwavering. "Fear is not what makes you falter. Hesitation is what makes you lose."
Leo smiled. "Thank you, Sekiro. That's true motivation right there.
"Sekiro," Leo said, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "I know the System says I'm your master, but we're going to build a crew as equals. You will call me Leo, not Master. Do you accept the terms of this partnership?"
Sekiro paused, his eyes reflecting the dim light from the window. "I accept. My duty is to protect you, regardless of title."
"Good," Leo confirmed. "Sigh. Finally. Now that that's settled, I can breathe."
He stood up, energized. "I don't know how many eyes saw the flash of that summoning. Let's go for a walk outside, Sekiro."
"Understood," Sekiro replied, immediately pulling up his hood and smoothly sheathing the Tenseiryū.
The First Test
They reached a secluded dock near the sea, having covered themselves fully in simple, dark robes. A group of five low-level, drunk pirates were loading boxes. Leo knew this was the perfect setup.
"Hey! You two!" one of the pirates shouted, spotting their robes and the sheathed sword. "Get lost! This is a private loading space! Or better yet—look at that fancy sword! Give it to us!"
The five pirates, armed with rusty swords and axes, rushed forward, fueled by cheap whiskey and greed.
"Perfect timing," Leo muttered, stepping back. "Sekiro. Can you show me how you fight? I should see how strong Sekiro is in this world."
Sekiro didn't hesitate. He simply adopted a low stance, his expression unchanged.
The first pirate swung a massive axe in a slow, clumsy arc.
CLANG! (The sound of steel deflecting steel)
Sekiro's katana snapped up, deflecting the axe with a hard, metallic CLANG that sent the pirate stumbling backward.
The second pirate lunged with a rusty rapier.
SHING! (The sound of a lightning-fast draw and sheath)
Sekiro's eyes narrowed. He shifted his weight, and the rapier, instead of hitting his body, was deflected by a lightning-fast draw and immediate sheath of the Tenseiryū—a fluid, invisible motion of perfect defense.
The third pirate tried a sweeping cut.
FWOOSH! (Sound of the sword cutting air)
Sekiro moved inside the swing, a blur of motion, delivering two lightning-fast slashes with the blade before sheathing it again. The pirate froze. A second later, two neat, dark slashes appeared across his chest, and he collapsed.
THWUMP! (Sound of a body hitting the ground)
The remaining two pirates were paralyzed by the sheer mastery of the defense and counter-attack.
Leo was speechless. Sekiro hadn't taken a step back. He hadn't fought; he had simply won.
Sekiro slowly approached the final two, his sword still sheathed. His silence was more terrifying than any battle cry. The two pirates immediately dropped their weapons and fled, screaming in terror.
Sekiro stood straight, his posture perfect.
"Wow," Leo breathed, stepping forward, his eyes wide with awe. "Your every movement was like it had come from the heavens themselves! We are going to be unstoppable!"
Author's note: Hey everyone! You might know Sekiro's skill set is incredibly complex (Shinobi Arts, Ashina Arts, Prosthetic Tools, etc). For viewers who haven't played the source game, I know this can be confusing! I will try to explain them slowly(of course, not every skill) and practically as the story progresses, showing his abilities through action rather than complex menu descriptions, as well as new abilities he will learn in this world. I promise, Sekiro's fight scenes are going to be worth the wait!
> You can read 25+ advanced chapters ahead on Patreon if you're interested :
I haven't uploaded some advanced chapters yet. If someone joins my Patreon, I'll upload them right away—they're already ready.
patreon.com/kazama677