"Alright, then let's begin. Click."
"Learning how to grip a sword is naturally the first thing. If you cannot even hold onto a sword, there is no point talking about the swordsmanship that comes after." Miyamoto Musashi's usual coldness returned at once. His meticulous manner left Mirai afraid to let his attention wander in the slightest.
"There are three basic ways to grip a sword: the full grip, the spiral grip, and the flexible grip. Next, I'll show you one. Watch carefully," Musashi warned.
"First, the full grip. Look—that one." Mirai saw Musashi hold the sword in his right hand, all five fingers clenched like a fist. He tightly gripped the front of the hilt, and the sword was almost in a straight line with his forearm.
"Did you see it clearly? Click." Seeing Mirai nod in confirmation, Musashi instructed, "You've seen it. Try it yourself."
Following Musashi's example, Mirai tightly gripped the sword in his hand.
"That won't do." Musashi carefully explained, "The arm has no joint in this position, and the four fingers press tightly against the hilt, fixing the sword to the hand so it cannot be adjusted flexibly."
"This can also be partially printed. The correct method is to use the middle finger, ring finger, and thumb to control the hilt, keeping a certain distance between the palm and the hilt for flexible use."
"Do you understand? Try again."
Under Musashi's personal guidance, Mirai learned quickly and soon mastered the three gripping methods accurately.
"Good, you've basically grasped them, but these are only the most basic requirements. In battle, these gripping methods must be changed freely and adapted at any time. So, do you understand that you must practice continuously in order to master them thoroughly and make them useful?" Miyamoto Musashi said patiently.
Mirai nodded