The First Activation time was indeed very effective. Shira felt like a machine that had been wound up perfectly, with power surging continuously from the depths of his breath, supporting him in this unprecedented battle of wits with Teacher Kenmei.
Sweat had already soaked through his training clothes, clinging to his body, and was partially dried by the heat emanating from his body and the wind from the sword, leaving salt stains. His arms were sore, numb, and swollen from countless high-intensity parries and thrusts, and the space between his thumb and forefinger was throbbing with pain, but his spirits were unusually high.
He was immersed in this peculiar sensation—every bit of resistance and smoothness as the sword sliced through the air, the disturbance and feedback of the airflow caused by his body's movements, and even the subtle air fluctuations caused by the concise sword moves of his teacher, Kenmei, opposite him.
He tried, clumsily, to adapt to or guide these invisible flows, to make his sword moves a fraction faster and a fraction more cunning.
He might only get close to it once or twice out of ten, but those one or two times, with that subtle, smooth feeling as if the blade had suddenly "slid" into the optimal trajectory, were enough to make him forget his fatigue and concentrate fully.
Master Kenmei's sword, wielded with only one arm, was as solid as a rock. No matter how fierce and torrential Shira's attacks were, he could always neutralize them in the most economical and precise way.
His sharp eyes captured every movement of Shira as she attempted to "control her qi," seeing through her awkwardness and overexertion.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The swords clashed, and sparks flickered in the slanting afternoon sunlight.
Finally, when Shira poured all her strength into trying to combine the momentum of her forward charge with the tailwind she sensed, and unleashed what she believed to be a perfect strike with excellent angle and speed, a glint of light flashed in Master Kenmei's eyes.
He neither parried nor completely dodged; instead, with a flick of his wrist, the sword sliced into the air at an unexpected angle that Shira had neither anticipated nor sensed any prior "flow" of energy.
Like a fish swimming upstream, it precisely "pointed" at the weakest point on the spine of the Shira Sword, the point where the force flow was most easily pried open.
"Bite--!"
A crisp, almost piercing, tremor rang out. Shira felt a spinning, incredibly tricky force emanating from the sword, and her entire right arm instantly went numb and weak, her fingers unable to grip it any longer.
With a clang, the longsword flew out of his hand, spun a few times in the air, and landed diagonally in the gravel a few steps away, its hilt still trembling slightly.
Buhou, my imperial sword!
Shira staggered a step before regaining her balance, her right arm hanging limply at her sides, her fingertips still trembling slightly.
He stared blankly at his empty hand, then at the sword stuck upside down, momentarily unable to react.
That's all.
Teacher Kenmei's voice came, calm and undisturbed. He slowly sheathed his sword, returning it to its sheath at his waist, his movements meticulous.
Then, he looked up at Shira, and a faint, almost imperceptible look of satisfaction seemed to flash across his calm, still eyes.
"Your 'qi' is too agitated," Kenmei commented, his voice still brief. "It's incompatible with the sword, and clashes with the wind. If you want to borrow the wind, you must first be steady. With a steady mind, a steady body, and a steady sword, the wind will naturally come to you. Forcing it will only lead to chaos."
Shira gasped for breath, carefully considering the words. With a steady mind, a steady body, and a steady sword, the wind would naturally follow.
This refers to his control over the airflow. It cannot be forced, but rather one must naturally sense and integrate with it when one's own state is harmonious and stable.
Indeed, in that last sword strike, he was too eager to "borrow the wind," which caused his mind and strength to falter, allowing his teacher to seize the opportunity and defeat him in one blow.
"Yes, teacher. I understand." Shira took a few deep breaths, slowly walked over, and drew her sword.
The soreness and numbness in his arm were subsiding, but the "empty feeling" of his strength being broken was still there. He habitually used his left thumb to press a spot on the inside of his right wrist—an acupoint on the hand meridian that had been given special attention by Granny Chiyo a few days ago. Pressing it could relieve the soreness, numbness, and weakness in his arm.
He rubbed it a few times and felt a little better, then moved on to pressing a few more acupoints on his arms and shoulders.
Some areas were pressed too hard by Chiyo, and now when I press them, I still feel a slight soreness.
"Your hand, what happened?"
Kenmei's voice suddenly rang out nearby. He had already walked over, his gaze falling on Shira's hands as she pressed acupoints.
Shira paused, thought for a moment, and said frankly, "I'm reading an old book about meridians and acupoints. I'm trying to figure out how to press them, and it seems to relieve some fatigue." He didn't mention Granny Chiyo, only the book.
Granny Chiyo was a high-ranking figure in Sunagakure, which is best left unsaid, but it's not exactly a lie; that book truly is the source.
"Acupoints?" Kenmei's brow twitched almost imperceptibly, his gaze lingering for a moment on the spot where Shira had pressed. "Identify the acupoints?"
"Yeah, I just started learning. I'm memorizing the positions and want to know what it feels like to hit the target and what the effect is." Shira nodded, wondering if the teacher would think he was neglecting his studies.
Kenmei remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly deep in thought. Then, he raised his only remaining right hand and, with his index finger, very quickly and lightly tapped a spot on his left shoulder, before pointing to the tip of the sword in Shira's hand.
"Acupoint is the pivot; a sword is the edge."
He paused, looked into Shira's eyes, and slowly said:
"When the blade strikes, the pivot can be severed. It can also seal the position."
"Using a sword to strike is faster and more dangerous than using a finger. Make sure you aim carefully and keep your hand steady. Otherwise," he pointed to the sword that had just been knocked away from Shira's hand, "It's a minor issue if the sword slips from your grasp, but a wrong strike can be fatal."
Having said that, he turned around and walked steadily away from the gravel slope in the direction he had come from.
Shira was left standing there alone, the words echoing repeatedly in her mind. "When the blade strikes, the pivot can be severed. And it can also be sealed off?"
Using a sword to strike pressure points! Faster than using fingers, but also more dangerous!
But if he could succeed in instantly disrupting a key function of the opponent during battle, it would be a tactical extension tailor-made for him!
Although Teacher Kenmei has a strong AI-like personality, he gave me some good advice!
Shira felt as if another window had been opened in his mind. He solemnly bowed in the direction where Teacher Kenmei had left, then sheathed his sword, dragged his tired but fulfilled body, left the training slope, and headed towards the village.
The setting sun cast his shadow long. As he approached the fork in the road near the residential area, he heard a girl's clear voice and faint laughter.
Looking up, I saw three girls in casual clothes walking towards me from another road, seemingly having just finished school classes or activities.
The one in the middle, with shoulder-length brown hair, bright eyes, and a quiet demeanor with a subtle, almost imperceptible, determination, is Ji.
The one on the left, with long, straight black hair cascading down her shoulders and a simple hair accessory on her forehead, is smiling broadly; she's wearing Yukata.
The one on the right, upon seeing Shira, visibly paused, her cheeks flushing slightly, her eyes darting around yet unable to look in their direction—that was Ameno.
"Ah, it's Shira!" Matsuri saw him first, greeted him with a smile, and nudged Ameno next to her with her elbow.
The Yukata looked over and nodded with a smile.
Ameno's face turned even redder, and she murmured softly, "Zi... Shira, are you done with your training?"
"Yeah, it just finished."
Shira walked closer and smiled at the three girls. His smile was natural, carrying the fatigue of training, yet also refreshing.
A few strands of sweat-dampened hair clung to her forehead, making her eyes appear even brighter.
"Are you guys out of school?"
"Yes." Ameno nodded, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes. " Shuriken practice lesson."
" Shira looks like she's training really hard." Matsuri blinked, glancing at Shira's clothes, soaked with sweat and covered in sand, then at Ameno beside her, whose face had been slightly flushed and who hadn't dared to look Shira in the eye since she appeared.
A mischievous smile curved her lips as she exchanged a knowing look with Yukata. A smile also flickered in Yukata's eyes.
Ameno, feeling a little embarrassed by her companion's laughter, quickly changed the subject. "Um, Shira, have you heard? It seems like things aren't very peaceful outside the village, near the border."
Shira's expression turned serious. "Not peaceful? What exactly do you mean?"
"I heard it vaguely from some upperclassmen and Jonin teachers who came to the school to give safety lectures,"
Ameno tried hard to recall, her little face serious, "They said it seems like people from Iwagakure have been loitering near the border, more often than usual."
"Everyone must be extra careful when leaving the village for gathering missions or training, and it's best to have a teacher or Chunin or higher leading the group."
Are the people from Iwagakure lingering here? A thought struck Shira. Is it just routine probing and friction, or is it related to the tense atmosphere she'd vaguely sensed in the village a few days ago?
Uh, Sunagakure poor, so why are people still coming to cause trouble? Come to think of it, aren't those who usually cause trouble from Kumogakure?
Shira nodded calmly, "Yes, I understand. Thank you for telling me, Ameno. You should also be careful at school, especially when you go out of the village for practical classes."
"I will!" Seeing that Shira was listening to her attentively, Ameno's eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously.
"You guys should keep up the good work too." Shira smiled at Ameno, then turned to Matsuri and Yukata, offering the same gentle, encouraging smile. "The foundational stage at the Ninja Academy is crucial. A solid foundation will make things much smoother later on."
His smile was genuine, without any condescending preaching, only the peaceful reminder of someone who had been there.
Coupled with his slightly tired yet upright posture, handsome profile, and the calm demeanor that naturally settled after life-or-death missions and arduous training, both Matsuri and Yukata were slightly taken aback.
The mischievous smile on Ji's face faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. He nodded and said, "Yes, thank you, Senior Shira."
Yukata nodded again, her gaze lingering on Shira's face for a moment before shifting away, her ears seeming to feel a barely perceptible warmth.
Ameno took in her companion's reaction, feeling a subtle, inexplicable joy and a little pride, as if she were the one being praised, and her face turned even redder.
"Then we won't disturb Shira's rest any longer, we'll be going now!" Matsuri said with a grin, pulling along Ameno, who was still a little reluctant to leave, and followed in her Yukata.
"Goodbye." Shira waved to them.
The three girls walked a short distance, and they could still hear Matsuri's low giggles and Ameno's embarrassed and annoyed soft reproaches. Shira shook her head, smiled, and turned to walk towards home.
However, he silently memorized the news that "the people of Iwagakure are lingering on the border."
He had a premonition that he would soon be leaving the village again.
The gentle glow of the setting sun enveloped Sunagakure.
The body was exhausted, as if the burdens of life were weighing it down and making it hard to breathe.
However, the new insights acted like a beacon, illuminating the path ahead.
The girl's innocent greeting, like warm sunshine, dispelled the gloom in Shira's heart.
That faint, unsettling premonition, like a seed of unease, quietly took root and sprouted in my heart. It appeared and disappeared in the afterglow of the evening, impossible to ignore.
That evening, the complex undertones intertwined to create a picture full of human warmth.
Exhaustion and realization intertwined, greetings and unease reflected each other, as if it were a common scene in life.
But no matter what, the journey must continue, and the swordsmanship must continue.
Shira clenched her fist, feeling the power slowly returning to normal within her body, and her steps became steady.