Compared to the gaping maw of that sea beast, the bamboo sword in front of him looked far too slender, far too childish.
Just as the bamboo tip was about to brush the fringe on his forehead, he simply shifted his body a fraction to the side, his feet sliding half a step.
Too straight.
That thought flashed through his mind as Lake Toya in his hand lifted from below, nudging upward at an extremely tricky angle.
There was a clear crisp snap.
Kuina felt an irresistible tremor run through her wrist. The force was not heavy, yet it cut precisely through the point where her power was focused.
Before she even understood what had happened, the bamboo sword had already flown from her hand, tracing an arc through the air before clattering into a corner of the dojo.
The wooden sword at Aren's waist, now rested steadily beside her slender neck.
There was not even a whisper of wind from the blade, only a faint scent of wood drifting into her nose.
The silence was absolute.
Dust hanging in the sunlight drifted down slowly. Everyone in the dojo remained frozen, mouths hanging open.
Those apprentices who had been waiting to see Aren humiliated were now staring so hard their eyes might have popped out.
Their pride, their unbeatable senior sister, the Kuina who kept every boy's head forced down... had just lost without managing a single move.
"Thank you for letting me win."
Aren slid the wooden blade back to his hip in one smooth, fluid motion.
Kuina stood rooted to the spot. Her short blue hair fell over her eyes, hiding her expression.
Her chest rose and fell violently. Her hands still held the posture of gripping a sword, but there was nothing there.
"I... lost?"
Her voice was very small, carrying a faint tremor.
Losing to Zoro, she could accept.
But this, this loss that felt like an adult teasing a child, shattered the pride she had built up all this time.
Her father's words, combined with the blow of reality, made it almost hard for her to breathe.
"Kuina!"
Zoro suddenly burst out from the crowd, his young face twisted with anxiety.
Kuina did not respond to anyone.
A drop of water hit the floor and burst into a tiny puff of dust.
The next second, she spun around. Her sandals were half loose, and then she did not bother with them at all, bolting barefoot out of the dojo doors.
Her back looked awkward and fragile as she fled.
"Bastard!" Zoro shot Aren a vicious glare, then bit down hard on his teeth, grabbed his bamboo sword, and raced after her.
Their footsteps faded quickly into the distance, leaving behind only a dojo full of bewildered apprentices and the heavy awkwardness in the air.
Aren rubbed his nose, not feeling the slightest thrill of victory.
Did that count as bullying kids?
Strictly speaking, his bones were still those of a child too. But with an adult's mind and a cheat-like system backing him, it did feel a bit unfair.
"Class is dismissed. That is enough practice for today."
Koushirou's voice broke the silence.
The gentle smile was still on his face. He did not seem surprised at all by his daughter's breakdown. His brows did not even twitch.
Once the apprentices had dispersed, only two people remained in the dojo.
Koushirou bent down to pick up Wado Ichimonji from the floor, then lifted the jar of sake with one hand and gestured toward Aren.
"Please come with me."
...
The tearoom behind the dojo was tranquil and sparse.
The sliding door was fully open, facing a weathered cherry tree in the courtyard.
Bare branches swayed in the wind, carrying their own quiet beauty.
Aren sat cross-legged on the tatami. A rough clay bowl sat before him, waiting.
Koushirou slapped the clay seal off the jar. Amber liquor poured out in a smooth stream, and the rich aroma filled the room in an instant.
The scent was mellow and deep, lingering like an old song. It truly was a rare vintage.
"This sword is yours now." Koushirou pushed Wado Ichimonji across the floor toward Aren. "As for Kuina... that is a hurdle she must cross. If she cannot even withstand this level of blow, then out on the sea, she will only lose her life."
Aren reached out and wrapped his fingers around the cool sheath.
A heavy sensation pressed into his palm.
A fine sword.
He set the blade by his side, lifted the bowl of liquor, raised it slightly toward Koushirou in thanks, then tilted his head back and drank.
The wine slid down his throat smoothly and turned into a warm stream that flowed into his stomach, then spread through his limbs.
At the moment that warmth rose, a crisp chime suddenly sounded in Aren's mind.
[Ding]
[Host has sampled the renowned brew: Shimotsuki Aged Wine, and completed sign-in at the central area of Isshin Dojo.]
[Traveler's Atlas updated: Shimotsuki Village (Completion 30 percent)]
[Random reward triggered: Basic Swordsmanship Comprehension (Great Accomplishment) → Swordmaster's Insight (Initial Stage)]
Aren's hand, still holding the bowl, paused for a moment.
The wine he had just swallowed seemed to transform into countless strands of information that flooded his mind.
The once rigid memories of swings, force application, and parries suddenly melted and reformed.
His understanding of swordsmanship shifted from rote memorization to true integration.
Before, when he swung a blade, he depended on his physical ability and chakra to force results.
Now, a subtle new awareness arose. The flow of wind, the fibers of muscle, even the shifting center of gravity in the clay bowl in his hand, all became crystal clear.
Without thinking, he loosened his tense shoulders. His breathing pattern changed in some small, quiet way, becoming longer, softer, more hidden.
The transformation was minute, almost impossible for an ordinary person to notice.
But the man sitting across from him was Koushirou.
The same man who was smiling as he poured more wine suddenly froze with the jar tilted mid-air.
The eyes that had been perpetually narrowed opened the slightest fraction, and a razor-sharp glint flashed behind the lenses.