Mario walked inside a personal training room, adjusted the scenery into a wooden style, then approached the weapon rack and took a training sword.
He stepped to the center, gripped the training sword, and adjusted his breathing.
The cold hum of the air conditioner filled the training room, seeping through the thin fabric of his gi and chilling his skin. At seventy-three, every movement, every swing, had become far harder, but he refused to simply lie down.
He raised the blade, feet planted firmly, and began the familiar rhythm of the Eight Directions Slash. Each swing cut through the air with the precision of decades, but the weight of age clung to him like an invisible chain.
Huff… Huff… Huff...
As the blade moved through the air again and again, memories surfaced—every piece of advice the instructor had given him when he was still a student.
***
Years Ago
"If you want to understand the essence of swordsmanship and step into the Intermediate rank, you must first understand how swordsmanship skills are created—and the intention behind their creation." The instructor's voice paused. "Think about the fundamentals. Every Basic and Intermediate skill is built upon them. Every swordsmanship skill follows a certain foundation—whether it's yours, the Eight Directions Slash, or others such as Nine Counter Strikes, Eight Counter Strikes, One Draw Kill, or Four Combination Slash."
"Whether Basic or Intermediate, they all follow either fundamentals or nature."
The instructor studied him for a moment before nodding. "I watched your match. I'm impressed that it took an Intermediate swordsman to eliminate you."
"I just got lucky." Mario answered with his usual humble expression.
"No need to be humble. Luck may take you far, but luck alone wouldn't take you that far—it just means that your talent was higher than expected." The instructor shook his head and continued in a low voice. "It's a shame you chose a basic swordsmanship skill."
"Anyway, I'm sure you've noticed something about your last opponent during your fight, right?"
"Yes, sir. I noticed his immediate transition to a thrust, which should have been impossible, and also how his sword seemed to coil against my own during the parry." Mario nodded.
The instructor thought for a moment before explaining. "Your opponent's swordsmanship should be based on the snake—a nature intermediate skill which excels in flexibility and unpredictability."
"Those are the essence of swordsmanship."
"...When you grasp and embody that essence, you would feel that every movement would have no restrictions."
***
Two Years Later
"If Essence is the heart of a swordsmanship skill, then principles are its blood."
"Think about your Eight Directions Slash. It is built on eight fundamental strikes, meant to channel the strength of the entire body while maintaining fluid movement." The instructor sighed. "But like all such techniques, its limitation lies in the stance."
"Yet when you moved beyond simple mastery—when you touched the Essence—you no longer needed the stance to hold it together, did you?"
Mario didn't answer and only nodded.
"However, Advanced is different." Saying that, the instructor unsheathed his own enhanced steel sword, then with a mental command, a translucent sharp energy covered its edge. "This is one of what differentiates an Advanced and Intermediate swordsman—Sword Qi."
"But that's not all. In the Advanced rank you would choose to follow a path between Dao and Self, then seek one of the seven principles of the sword." He dispersed the translucent energy and sheathed the sword. "After that, create a skill that represents both your path and chosen principle."
"But be careful in choosing which path to follow." The instructor turned back and walked toward the exit.
"Why?" Curious, Mario asked.
The instructor's steps halted and without turning back he answered, "I heard that when a swordsman reaches the rank of Grandmaster, those choices might become important."
"But I suppose it doesn't matter, as only the King of Sword Nation was the only one known to have reached that state." He waved his hand and walked out.
***
Sweat beaded along his temples. His joints ached with each pivot, each step. His arms trembled, betraying the frailty of age.
'Path...'
'I understand the essence and the principles of Sharpness… yet until now I still don't know which path to follow.' This question had haunted him since striving for Advanced rank. He wasn't trapped by the rank itself, but by the truth he had refused to face: what he truly wished to follow.
Following a path meant committing to that path, but every time he questioned himself about his path, a different question resurfaced in his mind: whether he truly desired to become a swordsman in the first place, or if he was simply following what he considered... convenient.
Kevin watched silently from a few paces away, arms folded. He knew his master could have reached Advanced rank long ago, but something still held him back.
Eventually, Kevin could no longer hold his curiosity. "Master, I can see you already have everything to advance. Why do you seem… stuck?"
Mario exhaled slowly, his breath a fog in the chilled air. He stopped mid-motion, letting the sword lower to the floor. "Do you remember what I told you… before I forced you to leave?"
"…Y-yeah… about being empty?" Kevin asked cautiously.
Mario did not answer immediately. He sank onto the floor, letting his tired body rest against the hard wood. "…Yes. In truth… I have no passion for the sword."
He shook his head and corrected himself. "No, to be precise, I have no passion for anything."
"Most people struggle in the flow of life in the name of desire, emotions, purpose, and dreams, but for me? Life was simply something to follow." Unconsciously, he turned his head upward only to see the ceiling. '...It doesn't matter where it takes me.'
Seeing him like that, Kevin felt his chest tighten. "Father…"
He approached and sat down beside Mario. Watching him lost in thought, he couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Hearing his sigh, Mario, without looking away from the ceiling, spoke. "There's no need for you to feel pity toward me."
"I didn't really regret living that way..."
"But if I'm being honest, there might be something I regret." He shook his head, putting on his usual mask. "But ahh, I guess it doesn't matter now, does it... After all, there's really nothing that I could do."
'...What happened already happened.'
After a long moment he turned and looked at the still young-looking Kevin and said, "You know what, Kevin? As your master and acting parent, the only advice I could leave you is: do not think too deeply about things in life. Just follow what you think would make you happy."
'If only I had realized that earlier...' He inwardly shook his head and dismissed the thought. He glanced at his withered hands and continued. "And finally... Thank you for accompanying me."
Hearing that, Kevin finally couldn't help but tear up. "Mast—no, Father..."
For him, those words of Mario felt like a goodbye, and he knew why...
Because despite reaching the Intermediate realm, Mario was aging like a mortal—something no doctor could understand or cure.
Mario simply smiled at Kevin before standing up and walking away.
Looking at his back, Kevin couldn't help but remember their last training session.
He stood up and chased after him, but the more he chased, the harder it felt to catch up…