Chapter 41
Title: Recounts Of The Past & Silent Sword Style
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Third Person POV. -- 29th of December -- 2415
[ Lake Kawaguchi ]
Restlessness.
A very commonly occurring emotional state that can be found in a variety of situations.
Restlessness is the feeling of being unable to relax or stay still, both in your body and your mind.
It feels like something is missing, something is wrong, or something needs to happen, but you don't know what.
It's a mix of unease, impatience, and a constant urge to move or think about something else.
Restlessness can occur in a variety of different ways. For example; restlessness because of the inability to do something when you know a situation is bothering you.
Benihana Retsu can be described in many different ways, many different emotions and personalities.
She is a being who loves and craves battle to the point it's within her instincts, a constant urge within her soul that demands she be active.
She is a woman of desire and wants, who's greatest joy in life can be achieved through spilling blood while in battle.
She is a woman who is obsessed with battle, with shedding blood, with enjoying the thrill, the adrenaline that the constant movement of battle generates.
Yes, she is a battle junkie, someone who craves battle, someone to whom battle is everything. But that isn't the only thing her mind and soul can think of, it isn't the only aspect of her existence.
No, a being who constantly craves battle cannot be a sane, functioning existence within reality. She cannot be called human in that context.
No, Benihana Retsu also has other aspects to herself.
Maybe at first she truly was a being who only chased after battle, but overtime she began to change.
Overtime, the soul known as Retsu began to expand upon her single-minded desire.
Killing her opponent through overwhelming strength became boring to her, so she revised to holding back in order to enjoy her battles for far longer.
Slaying her enemies through a simple slash became monotonous overtime, so she resorted to learning other methods of battle, which resulted in her soul, her ego to find other ways to enjoy it's existence other than simple slaughter.
She learned the art of the sword in any possible way, rhythm and form that was known around herself, and in the process learned that she enjoys the journey to mastering those arts, as much as she loves and enjoys battling others with them.
Retsu learned that she doesn't like things that interfere with her skills in ways other than battle, so her ego demanded she become extra proactive the moment a 'hurtle' comes in between her existence and her desire for fighting.
That is why, Benihana Retsu in this new life of hers is the way that she is.
That's why she is a being who can easily get irritated by the concept of there being a hurtle in between her and her desire for battle.
Benihana Retsu will look for a way in order to fix this hurtle, this interference between her and her desires of existence.
She will find a way, and she will make things go back to the way they are, back to the way she is, back to the way she should be.
This is not stagnation, this is not an unmoving mentality that doesn't yield to change. No, this is a kind of mentality reserved for the strong, a kind of instinctive desire for one's greatest cravings in life and existence.
To Benihana Retsu, battle is everything yes, but just like her early times of existence, where through battle she expanded upon learning techniques and the art of holding back her strength, her roots of existence will stretch towards other means for existing as well.
In her first life, Unohana Retsu loved battle and slaughter, it giving her a sort of euphoric feeling and a kind of meaning to her existence.
In her second, her roots unsteadily expanded upon the concept of preservation. Preserving life rather than ending it in order to see if that too could give her that same spark, that same euphoric feeling that ending a soul would give.
Maybe her soul wasn't ready for that expansion yet, maybe the concept was far too in opposite to what she originally represented, or maybe another, completely different reason, who knows?
Or maybe none of those ideas. Maybe her second life was just a scouting operation, an expansion towards the new uncharted territory, of a concept that means protection and the preservation of life rather than its end.
Her second life expanded upon her soul and made room for new meanings to her existence to occupy her being, and now in her third life she is slowly filling up that part with the new experiences she is having with life, other than its end.
simply put, her soul got filled to the brim with the single meaning of ending life in her first life, so her second life made her soul bigger and stronger, so that it can store more memories to give her existence meaning. And now in her third life she is filling those new parts of her soul with memories and concepts that's different from her first.
It has already slowly started to effect her mentality. Already she is slightly different from her first life self.
If she were still 'Unohana Retsu', then she would have cut her vacation journey short the moment her being was inconvenienced, and already she would be in search of a way to 'fix' herself.
But now, because she has become 'Benihana Retsu', she will wait. She will wait and look for a solution later. why? Simple.
It is because Benihana Retsu doesn't like Inconveniencing her friends and family with her own problems.
To her, they have become a part of her being, a reason for her existence, so she would like to preserve them rather than destroy them, for destroying that bond, that wobbly bridge that her existence has finally built with the concept of 'preservation' is too precious of a connection, that even her 'life destroying' side cannot quite overcome.
Benihana Retsu will fight. She will fight and destroy other existences, for it brings her joy, a sort of euphoric meaning to her being.
But now she will also protect and preserve, preserving the lives that become meaningful to her and give her existence meaning.
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It is now the early morning of the 29th of December, just two more days until the vacation trip comes to a close.
Early morning lights are spilling through the white curtained windows of the ryokan rooms that the members of the Benihana family plus Himiko and Mina occupy, the morning sun shining its brilliance on this beautiful soil.
Inside Benihana Retsu plus her two friend's room, the aforementioned girl is nowhere in sight.
That's right, unlike what should normally be happening at this early hours, Benihana Retsu isn't within her futon bed, completely missing from even the entirety of the Ryokan building itself.
Rolling to her side while inside her own futon, her eyes closed in a deep, dreamy sleep while making mumbling sounds with occasional soft giggles, is one Toga Himiko.
During one of her episode of soft giggles, it seems that her dream becomes a little too proactive, resulting in one of her eyelids miniscully opening, letting her unfocused eyes and mind to slightly acknowledge the absence of her friend from beside her bed.
She closes that eyelid the moment it opens, going back to lala land for a few more seconds before her eyelid is opened once more.
Registering the same absent space that her best friend should be occupying at this hour yet isn't, Himiko will once more close her eyelid.
One, two and three full seconds pass before both her eyelids are opened again this time.
Now that she is more awake and aware of herself, her mind better registers the absent of her best friend, and her sharp ear that can hear upto much farther distances than a normal being strains to hear any sound from the adjacent room.
Not hearing anything, Himiko shifts in her futon and her gaze falls on the ceiling of the room, her ear moving to listen if any active sound is coming from maybe the bathroom, toiletry, or the open space outside.
She hears nothing, nothing at all, just the usual sounds of a slight moving breeze from outside, and a little drop of water from the bathroom's faucet that hits its white marbled sink.
'She isn't here? ' Himiko wonders, before relaxing back and trying to go back to sleep.
'Well, it doesn't matter. Re-re isn't someone who could quietly be put down anyway. I'm sure that even if she was in a pinch she wouldn't really be in a... Pinch.
Anyways, time to go back to sleep. Gotta catch all those Z's before they slip away hehe~'
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Meanwhile with the mentioned tall girl,
Standing behind the ryokan building, and in the middle of a forest clearing a few feet away from the building's wooden walls, Retsu has her eyes closed and standing still, as if she's concentrating on something with utmost focus.
'It is a very easy technique, not even requiring thinking and focus that much. The only thing lacking is my own physical incapability of performing it safely.
Which I'm sure I'll eventually be able to do once I've physically become stronger.
For now there is nothing I can do about it, so let's put that technique aside for now. ' thinking this, Retsu opens her eyes again, and lets herself gaze and comprehend the space in front of her.
'In any case, since it seems I'm slowly starting to reach my quirk's limits, I guess I'll just keep on pushing once I've reached it, –and seeing as this world's power works through biology, find a way to biologically trigger an awakening for my quirk.' Thinking this, Retsu summons forth her blood sword and takes hold of its familiar handle with her right palm, before she gets into a sword stance and starts by doing swings.
'Strength is build through rigorous training, especially so since this world's power works through the biological process of the human body.
By training one's physical attributes and using one's quirk continuously, one can build strength so overwhelming that it has the potential to even top the strongest of this world.
Of course, a sprinkle of biological advancement through using my quirk too will make me stronger, but this technically wouldn't be considered cheating seeing as I'm using my own quirk for the process, instead of built-up machinery like Dr. Garaki, –or whatever his real name is, did in this world.'
A swing of her blade, a horizontal slash followed by a repositioning of her footwork before an execution of another precise slash.
Benihana Retsu is currently operating these movements as if automatic, having been doing them since she could hold a sword in this life so it is a given that her body has adjusted to her much older sword techniques.
Another sword slash is performed by her, the form and execution being so flawlessly done, that the air isn't displaced at all during the process.
'Silent sword style. A form of sword technique I learned during the early stages of the Gotei 13's establishment.
Shihōin Chika-san was the original creator and practitioner of the art, and later through combat I was able to replicate it from him. ' Retsu thinks, her mind casually wondering to the past and the origin of the blade style she is performing right now.
'Fast, precise and soundless, yet the weakness being its lack of strength.
Shihōin-san mostly used it for his assassination type fighting style, which took advantage of the fact that he could get close and strike at the enemy's weakness, so the need for a strength attribute for the style would be null for him.
I on the other hand seldom preferred assassination type fighting styles, so I revised to change the style to suit my own tastes better. '
Retsu quietly sets the stage, her form crouching and her hands closing on a little rock on the ground.
She picks the rock up, and brings it before her face as she stands straight, before she tosses the rock up lightly, resulting in it shooting up with a little force and passing the height of the trees around her.
As the little rock reaches its altitude limit, Retsu closes her eyelids, her mind having already calculated the time it would take, and the trajectory and place the rock would fall during its decent.
Having crouched low slightly and brought her blood katana beside her left waist, holding to its blade with her left hand and the handle with her right palm as if in a quick draw style, Retsu stands ready.
As the rock is falling down, Retsu clears her mind and prepares her body for the strike she's about to perform.
'Silent sword style is a quick-draw type sword style that focuses mostly on precision and focus, demanding a precise draw of the blade and the execution of the slash in the most fastest speed one can manage.
If the angle of the strike is even miniscully bent in the wrong direction, the technique will displace air current and lose its soundless effect in the process, becoming just another precise sword slash that one can easily perform.
To be able to perform this complex and precise quick-draw technique, even a person's bodily characteristics should be taken under consideration.
Too bulky and the strike can never be soundless, too skinny and the drawing speed will not be quick enough, resulting in it just being another quick-draw style sword slash.'
Retsu had thought of all these thoughts in the span that it took for the rock to fall and reach her striking distance, which was roughly around 2 seconds.
Her eyelids closed, her breathing controlled, her sword hand ready and poised in order to perform the technique like it's second nature.
Retsu performs the slash in that miniscule few mili-seconds of time.
Silent Sword Style, Soundless Slash.
In that moment, Retsu's shoulders move, her sword holding blade in the perfect ratio, her speed perfect, her precision unmatched. She slashes a perfect horizontal slash, the blade seemingly passing right through the falling rock's middle point, before the slash passes through and the rock continues its descent to the earth, as if not disturbed by the slash whatsoever.
Tak!
Only when it hits the earth does the middle fracture of the rock become visible, the rock severing from its middle and falling side by side, it's slashed middle surface perfectly clean and smooth.
Standing up straight, Retsu let's her blood katana desolve away, before she gives out a little sigh and looks around.
'I couldn't perform the more destructive styles due to the close proximity of the inn and other settlements, but I guess I'll settle for the silent sword style for now. Now then,
Let's see what my visitor has to speak with me about. '
Retsu turns her head behind her, her eyes falling on a silhouette that's a few feet away, and behind tree twigs and a bush or two.
"Spectator-san, the show is over, did you need something from me? " She calls out, resulting in the sillouete flinching before they start to move closer and in the forest clearing.
A tall man, white haired and bearded, with his hair having a sort of snowy themed appearance to it.
Wearing a costume that mostly resemble mountain hiking type clothings for winter, with his sky blue irises looking towards Retsu.
As he moves closer, Whiteout, the local pro hero of this community, his silhouette starts to become visible, moving to greet the young girl in the woods.
"Ah, sorry if I startled you young girl. My name is whiteout, I'm the local pro hero of this town. I haven't seen you around here and, considering the district behind us, you should be a visiting tourist for Mt. Fuji right? " He introduces himself while also asking a question, and seeing as he is talking to a teenage girl, he decided to use a softer tone of voice.
"Yes, me and my family and friends are staying in the ryokan right behind you. " She replies, simply pointing behind Whiteout.
"I see. Well, please refrain from wandering around at these hours young miss. There are reports of a runaway law breaker around town so we wouldn't want anything to happen to you. "
"I'll be keeping that in mind, thank you for the notice. " Retsu replies, getting a nod from the tall elderly pro hero.
"Anyways, I was passing through and happened to see your sword practicing sessions, are you perhaps vying for a kendo tournament or something? " He curiously asks, leading to Retsu shaking her head in denial,
"No, it's just a hobby of mine, that's all. "
"Ah, very well then. You have a certain nack for it not going to lie, and this is coming from a man who doesn't know anything about the sport, hahaha. " He lightly laughs, his tone friendly and kind, which leads to Retsu smiling too, before her eyelids gain a slight sheen.
"Anyways, Grandpa, about the runaway convict that you just talked about, could you share some characteristics, so that if I happen to see them I'd be able to report it to the police? " Retsu asks, bringing a finger under her chin in mock curiosity.
"Hmmm, that would really be dangerous though... " Whiteout pretends as if he's thinking about it, humouring Retsu in a mock gesture by rubbing at his chin, before he shakes his head in denial.
"I'm sorry dear, that would be too dangerous for you, why don't you let us adults handle the matter eh? After all, we wouldn't want to scare the poor guy away with your overwhelming strength, hahaha! " Even if he said it in a joking manner, whiteout has no idea how much his words were true in that moment.
'...'
"Sighhhh... Alright... I guess I'll let you guys handle it. " Shrugging her shoulders as if it can't be helped, Retsu looks at the pro hero with an admiring look,
"Go get him, grandpa! " She slightly cheers him up, like any normal fan would cheer up their hero.
"You got it! " And the elderly pro hero gives the girl a slight smile, before he turns around to walk away, waving over his shoulder as he moves on.
"Don't stay out too much, it's cold and dangerous if you stay out a lot. Be back soon young miss. " He calls out
"I will! " Waving back to the retreating hero, Retsu then brings down her hand to her side, and her face loses all of its previous idol struck look, turning back to an emotionless, monotonous look in an instant.
'This is irritating me to no end. ' she thinks, before giving out a sigh.
'Anyways, I should go back now, no need to stay here any longer considering my attempt at distracting my mind isn't bearing any fruit.' Giving out a last sigh, Retsu turns to head back to the inn, the day officially starting for the oldest soul.
While walking back, there is just one thought that goes through her mind,
'Just two more days. Today and tomorrow, that's all. Just two more... '
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Author's Note/ not much done or mentioned in this chapter, just feeling kinda philosophical today so the first half of this chap was just me talking my brains out.
On another note, I'm taking down the P. S. Goal considering the lack of interest to my book and for my own mental strength.
The goal not even starting and there not being any comments or p.s. put on the story hit me more than I could handle, so I'm very unmotivated in putting any p.s. goals on this story. Not now, not ever.
Anyways! Let's stop the boring chatter and continue with the end of this chapter.
The end of the first volume is near! Maybe even in three or four more chapters and then we'll launch into the second volume of this story.
Anyways! Thank you for reading my story, have a great day/night and I'll see ya guys in the next one, bye!