Miyamoto Musashi

"Name?"

Yuya lay lazily in his palanquin,

surrounded by a crowd of maids,

and casually regarded the figure kneeling below.

"Your... Your Highness, Divine Child... I... my name is Miyamoto Musashi..."

The boy's eyes were still somewhat bloodshot as he looked at the noble figure in the palanquin,

his expression full of conflicting emotions.

He had always been proud of his talents. Before this,

he had never believed anyone so perfect could exist in this world.

After this,

he felt there could never be another person quite so flawless.

He buried a trace of profound admiration and fervor deep in his heart.

"What?"

Yuya perked up and abruptly sat upright.

"Miya... moto Musashi..."

The boy hesitated, but still gave his name.

"You call yourself Miyamoto Musashi? Can you bear the weight of that name's karma?"

Yuya sneered, making no attempt to hide his mockery.

"This... my parents gave me this name. I wouldn't dare discard it."

The boy straightened his back. Though humiliated and indignant,

his expression remained unchanged.

"I'm taking it away today."

"When you've managed to satisfy me, I'll give it back to you."

Yuya spoke without a second thought,

then raised an eyebrow and glanced sidelong at him.

"Do you accept that?"

The boy felt even more ashamed, remembering how he had been challenged with the same question earlier.

But this...

He clenched his fists, then relaxed them.

"I do."

Facing the person before him... he could not refuse.

"Your life story."

Yuya lay back lazily again, closing his eyes to doze.

"At three, I lost both my parents and was left all alone."

"I ate at other people's tables, scavenged their discarded clothes, secretly learned their skills, and bored holes in walls to read by borrowed light. I picked up a few rudimentary fighting techniques."

The boy's voice was low as he slowly recounted his experiences.

After a brief hesitation, he continued:

"Only after the Sky Feather Pavilion and the Starlight Pavilion were established did I learn what it meant to be warm in winter, cool in summer, and have enough to eat."

"I'm twelve now. I have a thatched hut that at least shelters me from the wind and rain."

As the boy spoke, Yuya's eyes gradually opened.

He certainly had the makings of a protagonist.

Looking at the boy again, he did indeed have bright, spirited eyes,

and a delicate face with a hint of resolve.

"From now on, you'll be my guard."

"Qingyi, take him to collect his identity token later, and arrange a place for him to stay."

"Yes, young master."

Qingyi answered respectfully.

The boy stood dazed, wondering whether he had misheard.

After learning the identity of the person before him,

following Yuya had become his sole ambition. But he knew

it was almost impossible... yet now...

"Your Highness, Crown Prince..."

Earlier, he had all but resigned himself to death,

waiting for his punishment without even the heart to resent it.

But now, with his fortunes suddenly reversed, the boy found himself choking up.

"Don't blubber like a woman. It doesn't suit your name."

Yuya frowned.

"Yes, I understand."

The boy drew a deep breath and reined in his emotions.

But he took those words to heart.

"Do you know about the vassal states' ranking tournament held every five years?"

Yuya asked.

"I do. This year's tournament will be held in the Land of Ancestors. The news has long since spread."

Huh? So I was the only one who didn't know?

Yuya was rather puzzled.

"You'll accompany me to this tournament."

"Someone as noble as Your Highness is going to participate as well?"

A timely flash of shock crossed the boy's eyes.

"With Your Highness participating, you'll surely leave everyone in the dust and claim the championship with ease. No one else will come close."

Huh? Keep talking if you're going to say things like that.

And yet that old chancellor thought I could only place in the top three of the academic competition?

"I once created a sword technique in my spare time. I'll demonstrate it only once. How much you grasp will depend on your own fortune."

Yuya had no intention of jealously guarding it. It was only B-rank, after all.

He had already used the Taiqing Aura-Observing Technique to investigate,

and quite a few outsiders had indeed flocked to the Land of Ancestors.

Among them were many with extraordinary destinies and considerable fortune.

The stage could not belong to him alone. The Land of Ancestors needed a few other presentable talents, too.

Yuya leaped down and beckoned.

A guard immediately presented a sword.

Yuya stood with the sword in hand, his robes fluttering,

but everyone was already overwhelmed with shock.

Had they heard him correctly?

Their crown prince actually knew swordsmanship?

The way of the warrior did exist in this world,

but for some unknown reason, it had long since declined. The legendary great swordmasters were rarer still.

Even the occasional swordmaster was almost always an honored guest of princes and high officials.

They were treated with the utmost care and reverence,

yet those swordmasters knew only basic sword moves and techniques.

No one had ever heard of anyone creating a sword technique of their own.

Creating a sword technique was something only the legendary great swordmasters could accomplish!

And now they were about to witness an entire sword technique firsthand?

Everyone's first reaction was disbelief.

Even the maids who blindly idolized Yuya could not help showing a flicker of doubt.

In the past three years, when had they ever seen Yuya wield a sword?

But as the people responsible for making Yuya look impressive, their professionalism as his personal maids

immediately made them cast that doubt aside.

Their eyes lit up with little stars, and they exclaimed softly, one after another:

"Wow, the young master knows swordsmanship, too! That's our young master for you!"

"I wonder if the young master plays with his sword at night, too. Hehe."

"The young master's sword is amazing! I love it!"

Yuya had yet to swing his sword, but they were already warming up the crowd.

Only the boy did not so much as blink.

His gaze remained fixed on Yuya, watching as Yuya slowly gathered his vitality, energy, and spirit.

From beginning to end, he had never doubted a single word Yuya said.

If Yuya said he could do it, then he certainly could.

Yuya ignored everyone's reactions.

His mind was already immersed in his understanding of the Gale Sword Technique.

The next moment,

Whoosh!

Yuya moved, and a dazzling streak of sword light flashed.

Light as a swallow, he danced through the courtyard with his sword.

His robes fluttered as the longsword surged in his hand, its sweeping movements bold and expansive.

His strikes were astonishingly swift. He unleashed forty-nine in succession, every one lethal,

as unstoppable as a raging storm.

The gusts stirred up by his sword alone left everyone feeling pressure in their chests, struggling to breathe.

By the time the sequence ended, Yuya was drenched in sweat.

This was his first time performing the sword technique in reality,

yet he was as proficient as though he had practiced it thousands of times.

Actually performing it had also brought him fresh insights.

Now Yuya stood with his sword in hand, his eyes tightly shut,

carefully reflecting on every subtle detail of the technique he had just performed.

The entire courtyard was too stunned to speak.

No one dared breathe loudly as they quietly watched the figure who resembled an immortal descended to earth.

[Your exceptional comprehension has granted you a minor epiphany while using the Gale Sword Technique.]

"Did you remember it?"

Yuya opened his eyes and asked.

"I did..."

The boy's answer was unexpected.

While everyone else had been caught in the oppressive force of the Gale Sword Technique,

he alone had watched in rapture, seemingly immersed in it completely,

savoring every moment.

Yuya: ???

Huh? You remembered it just like that? Where does that leave my dignity?

Could you really be that Miyamoto? Is your talent for swordsmanship that great? Where's your Niten Ichi-ryū?

"Practice diligently from now on. I'll be waiting for you to shine in the ranking tournament."

"This is the first sword technique I've created. Don't let it go to waste..."

Yuya's gaze flickered. He waved his hand and dismissed everyone.

"Miyamoto Musashi... that's still not enough..."

After everyone left, Yuya murmured to himself.

The boy truly was a promising swordsman, blessed with astonishing fortune.

His talent was extraordinary as well, but perhaps heaven envied the gifted, for he also showed signs of dying young.

If he wanted to be Miyamoto Musashi... this alone... was not enough.

Just then, his expression suddenly froze.

He sensed a familiar presence.

Stunned and incredulous, he slowly turned around.

"Kaguya... big sister..."

At some point, ripples had appeared in space,

and Princess Kaguya stepped out of them.

Her breathtakingly beautiful face was utterly expressionless.

"Your swordplay is quite good, Yuya. Shall we have a go?"

Yuya: ???

Hey, have you already awakened the Rinne Sharingan?

How do you already know Space-Time Ninjutsu?