Ririko's Practical Teaching, Tennen Rishin-ryū, Entry Level!

Chapter 24: Ririko's Practical Training, Tennen Rishin-ryū, Entry Level!

"Tennen Rishin-ryū?"

The Blacksmith repeated the name, staring silently at the small figure completely covered by a hood beside him.

Uesugi Tetsu nodded, though he inwardly wondered if there were specific requirements for practicing sword forms in Tokoyo.

"Fine."

After more than ten seconds of silence, the Blacksmith, having seemingly made up his mind, said, "Come back in a few hours to pick up your weapon."

After completing his task with the Blacksmith, Uesugi Tetsu naturally headed to the Kendo hall to meet Ririko.

It was afternoon class time, and as expected, Ririko was the only one practicing silently in the vast Kendo hall.

Privileged individuals could do as they pleased within the school.

Arriving at the entrance, Uesugi Tetsu looked down at her feet—the wooden floorboards in that area were already a deep brown, soaked through with the girl's sweat.

Silently swinging her sword, climbing alone. Uesugi Tetsu thought this might be Ririko's secret to standing out among her peers.

But the more he watched, the more Uesugi Tetsu felt something was off.

He rubbed his eyes—was Ririko glowing?

Was it an illusion?

Whoosh—

As the bamboo sword's final whistling sound cut through the air, Ririko let out a soft breath and walked towards him.

Her feet made a 'pat-pat' sound against the wooden floor, like a duck walking.

She took a swig of mineral water and greeted him, "You're here? Change and let's practice."

"Wait." Uesugi Tetsu grabbed her sleeve, leaned closer, and asked with confusion, "Ririko, you're really glowing. Didn't you notice?"

A flicker of pleasure rose within Ririko, but she feigned nonchalance as she replied, "It's a sign of just breaking through to 'Clear Sword Heart.' If you can achieve a state of mental tranquility, you can naturally see it."

Uesugi Tetsu asked, "What is Clear Sword Heart?"

Finally, you're asking.

Ririko replied calmly, "It's the second sword skill realm after achieving mental tranquility. It's not much of an accomplishment."

"Oh, I see."

Uesugi Tetsu didn't quite understand but chose to believe her.

And then, Uesugi Tetsu fell into deep thought.

"That's roughly how the Ki-ai Technique works. I'll demonstrate again..."

"No need."

Uesugi Tetsu blinked in surprise.

"I understand it all now." Ririko smirked at him, revealing a proud smile Uesugi Tetsu had never seen before. "Uesugi-kun, your breathing technique is quite exquisite!"

With that, she took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and swung her sword while shouting, "Hah!"

Uesugi Tetsu watched clearly.

Without a doubt, this was the entry-level Ki-ai Technique, far less skilled than his current proficiency.

But the problem was, he had only spent a few minutes explaining it the first time.

No way?

How is this person, who isn't cheating, looking more formidable than me, who is cheating?

Ririko being able to learn it in one go must be related to that 'Clear Sword Heart' thing—and you call that 'not much of an accomplishment'?

What kind of new-age Versailles is this?

"Hey!"

A brand-new mask was tossed into Uesugi Tetsu's arms. He caught it and saw Ririko resting her bamboo sword on her shoulder.

"Since I've already learned your breathing technique, Uesugi-kun, it's time to switch places."

Even though Ririko was shorter than him, Uesugi Tetsu had the illusion that the girl before him was looking down on him.

"Uesugi-kun, you're a genius." Ririko watched Uesugi Tetsu put on the protective gear, her lips unable to hide their upward curve. "As a genius, you can't progress step-by-step like ordinary people."

Uesugi Tetsu felt a sense of foreboding.

He said, "By the way, I want to learn how to discern positions by sound..."

"Stop right there." Ririko retracted her sword. "You'll learn all of these one by one during the upcoming practical training."

Practical training?

Uesugi Tetsu understood why Ririko had given him the protective gear.

But he had only been practicing sword fighting for one day!

"Uesugi-kun!"

Ririko shouted with a Ki-ai Technique, snapping Uesugi Tetsu back to attention.

She held her sword with both hands, her gaze passionate and earnest:

"—Don't you dare fall behind me!"

Gripping his bamboo sword, Uesugi Tetsu met her gaze.

Since Ririko had put it like this, he felt he had no more excuses to refuse.

[You have used Soul Soothing Incense Ash × 1]

In a world where everything was meticulously detailed, Uesugi Tetsu took a deep breath:

"Come on."

Then, his bamboo sword became a blur, smashing down like thunder and lightning.

It wasn't a metaphor.

Uesugi Tetsu only managed to block a single strike, a karatake, and felt half his body go numb.

It wasn't because Ririko's strength was absurdly high, but rather the force traveled through his limbs the moment their bamboo swords connected.

Empowered by the Soul Soothing Incense Ash, Uesugi Tetsu could clearly sense how Ririko was doing it.

But knowing the principle and putting it into practice were worlds apart.

Before Uesugi Tetsu could regroup, another strike came.

This time, a searing pain shot through his back.

Uesugi Tetsu stumbled, and Ririko's light chuckle came from behind him, "Hey, hey, you're already done for?"

When did that happen!?

Uesugi Tetsu instantly exerted himself, swinging his sword behind him, but he hit nothing.

The next moment, he felt a heavy blow to the top of his head.

Ririko's guidance followed, "Don't rely on your first reaction, use your brain. Didn't you say you wanted to practice listening to sound to determine position?"

After a moment to recover, focusing his attention on his hearing, Uesugi Tetsu finally heard the distinct pata pata sound.

—It was the sound of Ririko's feet hitting the floor.

Sometimes light, sometimes heavy… and then it stopped!

The instant the footsteps ceased, Uesugi Tetsu swung a kesagiri slash in that direction.

But he felt no resistance from hitting anything solid.

Crack!

Uesugi Tetsu was sent sprawling to the ground by the heavy impact.

The moment he made contact with the ground, he couldn't help but wonder how that Kukuri had pushed Ririko into such a desperate situation.

—Perhaps even without him, Ririko could have defeated the Kukuri alone?

"Don't think of your enemy as an idiot, try to see things from their perspective." Ririko looked down at him, gently placing her bare foot on his helmet. "Also, combat isn't about detecting and then acting; it's a cohesive whole."

"Take your foot off."

A muffled voice came from inside the helmet.

Hearing the change in his voice, Ririko complied readily, her eyes growing even more eager.

—Force transfer, listening to sound to determine position, perspective-taking, combat as a whole.

These vague concepts gradually became clearer to Uesugi Tetsu's senses, and with each sword strike Ririko unleashed, came not just pain.

But also enlightenment!

Despite being brutally beaten, Uesugi Tetsu paid no mind to the physical pain, growing more and more excited.

Uesugi Tetsu even felt like Ririko was holding an experience stick, and that hitting him would display "+1 EXP" above his head.

But something was still missing.

Using a second dose of Soul Soothing Incense Ash, Uesugi Tetsu, whose body was nearing its limit, wondered with confusion in his mind.

He could hear Ririko's footsteps, and he could slowly block her sword…

But there was one problem—Ririko's sword was always a fraction of a second faster than his.

Not much faster, just that precise, perfect fraction.

Uesugi Tetsu pondered Ririko's positional changes, thinking about where her sword would strike next.

As his body grew more fatigued, Uesugi Tetsu's thoughts inevitably slowed, becoming difficult to even form.

Wait.

Difficult to think? No thoughts, no desires?

Uesugi Tetsu's movements faltered for a moment, and he took another heavy blow, staggering backward.

Ririko's roar echoed, "Is that all there is to it?! Uesugi Tetsu, is this all you've got?!"

That noisy woman, so annoying!

Uesugi Tetsu felt he had grasped the key—since thinking was difficult, why not just give up on it entirely!

It wasn't about returning to the old way of fighting relying on instinct, but about changing the master of his thoughts!

Whether it was his body, his subconscious, or anything else, as long as it could replace his slightly-too-slow brain.

After taking another hit, Uesugi Tetsu consciously gave up thinking, letting his brain discard all information from the outside world.

But the more he found himself in this predicament, the more Uesugi Tetsu could truly feel Ririko and the sword in her hand. Closer and closer, as if within reach...

So Uesugi Tetsu reached out his hand, clenching it!

Under Ririko's astonished gaze, the sword Uesugi Tetsu swung seemed to transform into elusive flowing water, or perhaps into lightning that was impossible to grasp, dismantling her defenses in a flash.

He heavily knocked the bamboo sword from her hand!

Just like that, the tip of his sword, wrapped in a protective sheath, hovered steadily before Ririko's throat.

The fleeting, crisp sword light illuminated her pupils, leaving an indelible mark on Tokugawa Ririko's clear sword heart.

The next instant, Uesugi Tetsu's consciousness plunged into darkness, and his entire body collapsed heavily onto the floor.

Ririko just watched.

She was stunned for a good while before she realized what had happened.

The girl quickly knelt down, removed Uesugi Tetsu's mask, and after confirming there were no serious issues, let him rest his head on her lap.

In the faint spring sunlight, Tokugawa Ririko looked down, gazing at the tired face slowly dripping with sweat, and revealed a genuine, heartfelt smile.

"Uesugi-kun."

She gently closed her eyes and said earnestly, with immense joy:

"Never before have I felt so clearly—it's truly wonderful to be able to live in the same era as you."

[Your skill, Ki-ai Technique (partial) proficiency +75!]

[You had an epiphany during combat, Tennen Rishin-ryū proficiency +300!]

[Your skill, Swordsmanship · Tennen Rishin-ryū has been upgraded to Novice!]

I'll change the update time later, to two chapters released consecutively at 12:00 PM.