At night
Kouzaburou glared angrily at Ryu, his eyes blazing with fury as he shouted at him.
"How the hell do you get lost when you're supposed to be following me, you stupid brat?! I told you to stay right behind me—was that so hard to understand?!"
A tic appeared above Ryu's brow as his eyebrows twitched sharply. His expression darkened, irritation flashing in his eyes as he glared at Kouzaburou before shouting back at him.
"You senile old fool! Your directions are a mess—don't blame me for getting lost!"
Kouzaburou scoffed in destain upon hearing this.
"You got lost five times, you damn brat! I had to track you down every single time. Because of you, my whole day's been wasted… so shut your mouth and stick close if you don't want to get left behind!"
Without hesitation, Kouzaburou grabbed Ryu's hand and pulled him along as he continued walking.
"Oi, old geezer—let go of me!"
Kouzaburou glared at Ryu, his face twisting with anger as he shouted at him.
"Like hell I will—you'll just get lost again. Shut it and walk."
After ten minutes of nonstop bickering, the duo finally arrived at the dojo. A young man in his twenties sat cross-legged at the entrance, watching Ryu and Kouzaburou argue with an amused smile.
He rose to his feet and started walking toward Ryu and Kouzaburou.
The young man had a lean, muscular build, with black hair tied back in a ponytail and fair skin. He wore round glasses and a green kimono, giving him a calm yet striking presence.
After closing the distance, the young man stopped directly in front of Ryu and Kouzaburou, standing calmly between them. He gave them a small, amused smile.
"Father, it's good to have you back. You seem to be in a good mood."
Kouzaburou smiled at the young man and nodded, his eyes softening with quiet approval.
"You are as observant as ever, Koshiro. Let me introduce you to this brat—he is the grandson of that old fool, Musashi."
Koshiro raised his eyebrows in surprise, then gave Ryu a polite nod.
Ryu stepped forward and stood a few feet away from Koshiro. He narrowed his eyes, studying the calm swordsman for a brief moment—then suddenly, his serious expression shattered into a wide, excited grin.
"You are strong… my instincts tell me you are way stronger than all the pirates I've defeated till now. How about a duel, Koshiro-san?"
The air around fell quiet for a moment then Koshiro raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"A duel?"
Kouzaburou looked at Ryu with eyes full of amusement, yet he stayed silent, clearly listening with interest.
Ryu nodded his head.
"My grandfather always told me that if I want to evolve my swordsmanship and grow stronger, I need to fight strong opponents. And just by looking at you… I can tell you're incredibly strong. So what do you say? Let's duel."
Koshiro chuckled softly, the sound calm yet edged with quiet precision. His gaze lingered on Ryu for a moment longer, measuring him—not just as a visitor, but as something closer to a question he had not yet answered.
The faintest smile touched the corner of his lips.
"Fine follow me."
Koshiro turned around and he started walking away without hesitation Ryu followed him and Kouzaburou trailed behind them.
_________
In a vast spacious area behind the dojo
Ryu and Koshiro stood across from each other, the air between them heavy with silent pressure.
Koshiro's expression remained calm—almost gentle—but his eyes were sharp, measuring every shift in Ryu's stance like a blade finding its mark.
Ryu, on the other hand, couldn't hide it.
A wide grin stretched across his face, wild and unrestrained, his eyes burning with excitement as if he had been waiting his entire life for this exact moment.
Koshiro kept his gaze fixed on Ryu, silently studying him.
"You can attack whenever you're ready, Ryu-san."
Ryu nodded and, without hesitation, loosened his kimono and let it fall open.
Heavy weights were strapped tightly around his waist, wrists, and even his ankles. Simple iron, but clearly forged to push his body beyond normal limits. The straps dug slightly into his skin, proof he had been wearing them for a long time.
"BAAM!, BAAM!, BAAM!"
The weights hit the ground with a heavy thud, dust rose slightly next to Ryu.
Ryu rolled his shoulders once, loosening the tension built up under the strain. His posture straightened slowly, like something finally unshackled. Then he tilted his head, eyes locking onto Koshiro with a sharp, almost predatory focus.
The training katana slid out in a clean, effortless arc—no hesitation, no wasted motion. Steel whispered against the scabbard, then settled into a steady hum as he leveled it forward. His smile was bright, almost carefree… but his stance told a different story.
"Alright, here I come Koshiro-san."
Koshiro nodded and at that moment Ryu charged at Koshiro and swung his training katana swiftly.
"CLANK!"
Koshiro's eyes narrowed for a brief moment, the faint surprise in them quickly settling into calm appraisal.
'Not bad… his sword is quite heavy for someone as young as him, and yet he handles it with surprising speed. He is talented.'
Ryu then started moving around Koshiro nimbly using his exquisite footwork and swinging his sword at him at the same time.
Ryu's feet barely touched the ground as he shifted his weight from side to side, circling Koshiro with sharp, unpredictable angles. Each step was deliberate—feints layered within feints—like he was testing the rhythm of the air itself.
In an instant, he closed the distance.
His training katana cut forward in a fast diagonal slash, then immediately transitioned into a follow-up strike from the opposite side, forcing pressure from multiple directions at once.
Koshiro didn't move from his spot.
Only his eyes followed Ryu.
At the very last moment, Koshiro tilted his blade just slightly—clink—catching the first strike with minimal motion, then rotated his wrist to redirect the second. The impact barely echoed, as if Ryu's attacks were being swallowed rather than blocked.
Ryu clicked his tongue, grinning wider.
"So you really won't budge, huh?"
He pushed off the ground again, vanishing into another burst of footwork—faster this time, sharper, more aggressive. The air around him tightened with intent as he prepared another sequence, refusing to let Koshiro settle even for a second.
"CLANK!, CLANK!, CLANK!, CLANK!, CLANK!"
Kouzaburou's eyes widened as he watched Ryu's footwork it was very familiar to him, light yet unpredictable, almost like he wasn't touching the ground at all. Each swing of the katana followed the rhythm of his movement, blending speed and weight in a way that made it ingenious.
"No doubt… that is Musashi's personal sword style," he said quietly. "But he isn't at Musashi's level yet."
But in the next moment, Kouzaburou's eyes widened in shock.
Ryu's movements were no longer the same.
Each swing of the katana came faster than the last, he. was learning and improving mid-battle. The air around him sharpened with every strike, cutting the air. His footwork—once merely impressive—was now fluid, almost unpredictable, like he was no longer stepping on the ground but gliding across it.
Kouzaburou couldn't believe what he was witnessing.
Ryu darted forward again, and this time his blade came in a blur. The angle had changed. Then changed again. Not repeating—always evolving.
"CLANK!, CLANK!, CLANK!, CLANK!"
Koshiro smiled but his eyes looked at Ryu in disbelief.
'He's improving in the middle of battle? His swordsmanship talent is monstrous… I've never seen anyone with this much talent.'
Ryu retreated quickly, sliding back across the ground as his sandals scraped lightly against it. His eyes narrowed, confusion flickering across his face as he steadied his stance again.
"How can you predict my sword strikes? You blocked some of my sword strikes without even looking."
Koshiro chuckled when he heard the question and replied.
"A sword strike begins long before the blade moves. Your shoulders tighten before you swing. Your grip shifts when you commit. Your foot… tells me where you'll be a heartbeat later."
"You think I blocked without looking. But I saw everything I needed before you even decided to strike."
"Remember this kid, every movement has its own intent I reading your intent before you even swing your blade."
"You lack experience, kid," Koshiro said evenly. "You need to see the real world. There are many great swordsmen out on the sea… and you will be shocked at what they can do."
Ryu nodded his head his eyes full of anticipation towards the swordsmen he is going to meet in the future.
He sheathed his training katana with a calm, deliberate motion, then settled into a familiar stance—his posture steady, his grip firm, and his eyes sharp with focus, ready to explode in motion at any moment.
Koshiro looked intently at Ryu, his eyes filled with both admiration and a hint of envy at the boy's monstrous swordsmanship talent.
'This kid's talent is unbelievable… he's improving at a ridiculous rate. The more he fights, the stronger he becomes—he was born to be a great swordsman.'
"Ryu Sword Style: Wave Cutter."
Ryu burst forward, his feet gliding across the ground with explosive speed. In a single, fluid motion, he unsheathed his training katana and brought it down in a swift arc aimed straight for Koshiro's head, the strike sharp and decisive, carrying both precision and raw intent.
Koshiro bent backward, narrowly dodging Ryu's strike, but Ryu didn't slow down—his black eyes were wide, filled with intense concentration.
"Ryu Sword Style: Rising Spring Sword."
Koshiro's eyes widened in brief surprise, but his composure didn't falter. In a swift, practiced motion, he raised his sword before his chest—steel meeting steel with a sharp clang as he cleanly blocked the incoming strike.
"CLANK!"
Koshiro smiled faintly as he stepped back, creating distance between them. His sharp eyes studied Ryu carefully, analyzing every movement and subtle shift. Across from him, Ryu stood grinning widely, his expression brimming with excitement and confidence, as if he was enjoying every second of the clash.
'He's really good… and the way he predicts my sword strikes is getting annoying. I need my attacks to be faster, swifter—and flow into one another—so it becomes harder for him to read me.'
Ryu bent his knees, steadying his stance as he drew in a deep, controlled breath.
"Ryu Sword Style Great Arrow Sword."
"CLANK!"
Koshiro's blade met Ryu's strike with a sharp clang, but this time the impact was heavier than before.
Instead of holding his ground, Koshiro was forced to slide back—one step… then another.
His sandals scraped the ground as he stabilized his stance.
Kouzaburou's eyes widened in disbelief.
"…He actually pushed Koshiro back?"
Ryu didn't slow down at all.
With both hands still locked firmly around the hilt of his training katana, he shifted his weight in a smooth pivot and drove the blade upward in a rising arc. The motion wasn't just strength—it was timing, precision, and momentum chained into one seamless strike.
The air seemed to split as the upward swing cut through the space between him and Koshiro, his eyes still sharp and unwavering, as if he was already reading the next move before this one even landed.
"Ryu Sword Style: Raising Spring Sword."
Koshiro shifted his weight at the last instant, sliding just out of the arc of Ryu's blade. The strike cut through empty air—but Ryu didn't lose control.
Instead, he twisted his hips mid-motion, letting the failed swing flow into a downward cut fueled by the same momentum.
"Ryu Sword Style: Great Dawn."
But at this moment, for the first time, Koushirou swung his sword upward.
The blade cut through the air in a clean, rising arc—so precise it almost looked effortless. Ryu's eyes widened slightly.
"CLANK!, CRACK!"
The moment Ryu's strike met Koshiro's blade, a sharp crack echoed through the air.
Ryu's training katana couldn't withstand the pressure—it shattered instantly, fragments scattering across the ground like falling glass.
Koshiro's sword stopped just inches from Ryu's neck, the blade perfectly still in the air as if time itself had frozen. The calm pressure of the moment pressed down on Ryu like a mountain.
Koshiro's expression softened into a gentle smile as he looked straight at Ryu.
"You lost kid."
Ryu nodded his head absent-mindedly, but his gaze remained fixed on the scattered fragments of his training katana.
The shattered pieces lay on the ground like broken reflections of the duel that had just ended.
For a moment, the world around him faded.
No wind. No forest. No Koshiro watching quietly from a distance.
Only the echo of the clash remained in his mind.
"…So this is what it means," Ryu muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening slightly.
Not frustration.
Not anger.
Understanding.
He slowly stepped forward and crouched down, picking up one of the jagged fragments. The edge still carried the memory of the impact—clean, overwhelming, absolute.
Behind him, Koshiro finally spoke in a calm voice.
"You noticed it, didn't you?"
Ryu didn't look back. His eyes stayed on the broken blade.
"…Yeah," he replied softly. "I couldn't keep it together."
A brief silence followed.
Then Koshiro added, almost gently, "Your sword didn't break because it was weak."
Ryu finally raised his head slightly.
"It broke… because you've reached the point where it can no longer keep up with you."
Ryu sighed, his eyes filled with sadness as he looked at the shattered fragments of his training katana.
Kouzaburou's gaze remained calm as he looked at the broken blade fragments on the ground.
"Brat," he said quietly, "that katana you wielded would have broken sooner or later. Its quality is ordinary. It is perfect for training… but it is not suitable to use as your main weapon."
He stepped forward, voice steady but firm.
"A sword is not just an extension of your arm. If the blade cannot endure your intent, then it will betray you at the worst possible moment."
"I understand old man but this katana had been with me for ten years ever since I was five years old."
Kouzaburou and Koshiro widened their eyes at the same time, the weight of Ryu's words hanging in the air like a silent challenge.
Then, unexpectedly, Kouzaburou's expression softened.
A faint, knowing smile formed on his face.
He stepped forward and gently tapped Ryu's shoulder with his calloused hand.
"Kid… this katana must have been very happy with you. Normally, it wouldn't survive this long in anyone else's hands. Now… it's time you gave it a respectable burial."
Ryu nodded silently and followed Koshiro and Kouzaburou to the quiet place where old swords were laid to rest.
After they paid their respect Kouzaburou rose quietly for a moment, the wind brushing past the graves they had just made. His eyes settled on Ryu with a calm but heavy seriousness.
"Kid, you can spend your time training with Koshiro until I finish forging your new sword. I will be leaving now… I'll find you when your new sword is ready."
Ryu nodded and smiled gratefully to Kouzaburou.
"I understand, thank you, old man."
With that Kouzaburou turned around and left.
Koshiro smiled at Ryu and said to him.
"You can stay at my house Ryu-kun until my father finish forging your new sword."
Ryu chuckled and shook his head.
"Thanks for your kindness, Koshiro-san… but I think I'll remain on the ship for now. Still, I hope we can spar together often while I'm staying in this village."
Koshiro smiled and nodded.
"It will be my pleasure."
Then they both rose in their feet and bid each other farewell.
________