Year: 1623
Location: The Isolated Village, Northern Territories
In the dimly lit room, surrounded by the scent of old books, John's eyes were drawn to one in particular—Sasaki Kojiro. The old woman, Alina, had picked it for him, insisting it was the perfect place to begin.
John, now sixteen, had spent most of his life within these walls, learning from the woman who had taken him in as a child. For ten years, she had tried to help him overcome the challenges of his mind, but results were scarce. Now, he was determined to prove himself.
He began reading, his fingers tracing the delicate ink on the pages. Hours passed, yet nothing changed. He felt no connection, no understanding beyond the words themselves. Frustration grew within him as he moved to close the book, but then—a single paragraph caught his eye:
Sasaki Kojiro was the first samurai to use his imagination as a weapon and as a strong advantage, visualizing and simulating countless strategies simply by opening his mind and granting it freedom.
John felt as if he had been struck.
"I never gave my mind its freedom," he muttered under his breath.
"YES, YOU NEVER DID!" Alina's voice rang from the hallway, startling him. She had been listening.
Determined, John reopened the book, willing himself to see more than just ink and paper.
As he turned the first page, something changed. His surroundings faded, his senses stirred, and images began to form in his mind. He wasn't just reading anymore; he was there.
The year was 1583. Feudal Japan unfolded before him like a grand tapestry. He saw a young Kojiro, much like himself—an unremarkable boy with an extraordinary fate. Kojiro's path was one of relentless discipline, honing his swordsmanship against formidable adversaries. With every battle, every challenge, Kojiro adapted, his mind envisioning countless possibilities before his blade even moved.
John could feel it all: the tension of combat, the weight of a sword he had never held, the rush of battle against superior foes. The idea of imagination as a weapon resonated within him.
The pivotal duel between Sasaki Kojiro and Miyamoto Musashi loomed before him. On the island of Ganryujima, the legendary clash unfolded, not just as a physical contest but a battle of minds. Kojiro's foresight, his ability to anticipate and counter Musashi's unpredictable style, was nothing short of genius. It was a revelation.
As the book's final words settled in his mind, John sat still, his breath unsteady. He had done it. He had truly seen beyond the pages.
Overwhelmed with excitement, he turned to Alina. "THANK YOU!" he shouted as he rummaged through the stacks of books, eager to find more stories of legends.
Then, a thought struck him—the book that had fallen from the window the day before. He had forgotten about it in his frustration.
John searched everywhere. He overturned boxes, checked every inch of his room, but the book was gone.
"MOM! HAVE YOU SEEN THE BOOK I THREW FROM THE WINDOW?" he called as he rushed downstairs.
Alina, calmly stirring a pot over the fire, shook her head. "Are you sure you didn't lose it somewhere?"
John's heart pounded. The woman… the one who got hit by it!
He didn't know her name, where she lived—nothing. But he had to find her.
Without thinking, he bolted toward the door.
"You… are… free… to give up on your dream."
Alina's words stopped him cold. The challenge. The rules. His dream of leaving the village. He had nearly forgotten.
His body froze, caught between curiosity and discipline. Slowly, he turned to face Alina. His eyes, dark with exhaustion, held an unspoken battle. He hadn't slept the night before—he had been practicing, pushing his mind beyond its limits.
Then, his body gave in. John collapsed where he stood, slipping into deep, dreamless sleep.
The Next Morning:
Alina had left at dawn, searching for the woman who had taken the book. When John awoke, he found something unexpected—drops of blood leading to his bedside, and next to them, the missing book.
He picked it up without hesitation, his mind too focused to wonder where the blood had come from.
Its title read: Kong Qiu.