After delivering his main work, it was time for training. After getting a general idea of her training regimen, they moved on to practical combat. If he went all out, Ayaka probably wouldn't even last a single exchange.
"I'll match your strength and speed. After all, we're here to practice swordsmanship, right?"
She nodded in agreement and got into a two-handed stance. Muramasa, however, had no intention of taking off his mantle, simply holding his bamboo sword with one hand.
"Hah!" Ayaka shouted, then lunged forward, her blade a horizontal afterimage. As expected, he raised his bamboo sword, and the force of the impact was deflected.
Her first strike having failed, Ayaka twisted her wrist, flipping the direction of her blade, and quickly followed up with a second slash.
Clack, clack clack—
Their bamboo swords crossed in the air multiple times, exchanging dozens of blows in a few seconds.
"Yah—" Ayaka spun, using the momentum of her sword to rotate her body, further increasing the weapon's reach. The blade, accelerating through the air, built up power that was all channeled into a single strike.
"Alright, that's enough." As she turned back, she saw his sword tip was already at her face. "Too much of an opening. Don't use that in a fight between equals." A spinning attack was beautiful and powerful, but it also meant exposing oneself. Closing or increasing the distance was too easy.
"Understood." Ayaka nodded and returned to her initial stance. The training continued until the afternoon. After each bout, Muramasa would slow down and correct her mistakes. Even at her level of mastery, there were still many things to fix in his eyes.
"The opening when you raise your sword is still too large."
"Don't just listen and forget. Keep it in mind at all times."
If she was even a moment too slow, his bamboo sword would land on her. He no longer stopped short as he had at the beginning; every attack now made solid contact.
"Yes…" Ayaka fell back in pain, clutching her chest where she had been hit, then got up again. No complaints, no cries of pain, no pleas for mercy. She just got back into her stance, her eyes fixed on her opponent.
"Oh… a good look in your eyes. Keep improving with that spirit." After a moment's thought, Muramasa gave her an encouraging smile.
Seeing his expression relax, Ayaka also breathed a sigh of relief. His expression during training had given her the feeling that he might snap at any moment.
"It's getting late." Muramasa looked at the gradually yellowing sunlight in the courtyard and at the rice balls a servant had brought a long time ago. Come to think of it, it was cloudy a few days ago, but now the clouds have all gone out to sea.
"Anyway, let's eat first." Vision holders had much more stamina than ordinary people, so their training sessions were also longer.
Sheathing their swords and bowing, the two went to the side of the dojo to enjoy their late lunch.
"By the way, you train like this all day? Don't you have other things to do?" Muramasa asked naturally.
"Not at all. On the days I can learn from you, I specifically clear my schedule." Considering he only came once a week, this frequency was not surprising.
After asking, Muramasa fell silent and quietly ate his rice ball. Ayaka didn't start a conversation either. Not speaking while eating was a basic form of etiquette.
In the quiet moment, Muramasa began to think about his future. Summoned again and again, even his body and spirit were 'fakes'. The purpose of the client who had summoned, or rather, resurrected him was unknown. She had even made a cryptic gesture…
A gesture?
Muramasa swallowed the rice ball and, seeing that Ayaka was also finished, asked, "Young lady, what comes to mind when you think of the sky?"
It was a rather random question, but she thought about it seriously. "The Ogosho… sama, I suppose?" As the young lady of the Yashiro Commission, the first thing that came to mind was what her brother had taught her. "Because everyone says that the sound of thunder is the voice of the Ogosho-sama."
Thunder, huh… That wasn't what he was looking for.
"Anything else?"
"Anything else?"
"Yes... like, a place higher than thunder and lightning?" Muramasa himself wasn't sure, so he could only give a vague description.
"Hmm, a higher place..." Ayaka thought for a long time. "That would be the starry sky, wouldn't it? An astrologist visited Inazuma before, and I've heard some things from others. 'A Constellation is the reflection of a Vision holder's destiny in the starry sky. The past, present, and future, everything is revealed within it.'"
Destiny, huh… Muramasa raised an eyebrow and grumbled internally, She doesn't want me to cut that thing down, does she? Based on his previous commissions, a blade that could sever fate was meant to sever fate. But that child didn't seem to be from around here. There must be another reason.
"It seems you are quite interested in the starry sky, sir." Noticing his change in attitude, Ayaka asked.
"It might be related to my work, so I wanted to learn a little about it."
"I see. In that case, if you wish, the Yashiro Commission can make an introduction for you."
"An introduction? The person you just mentioned, is she still in Inazuma?" Muramasa asked instinctively.
"Not exactly." Ayaka shook her head. "Her name is 'Astrologist Mona Megistus'."
"That's long. This old man can't remember that many names." Though it wasn't that he really couldn't remember, the thought of having to say such a long name every time made his mouth feel tired.
"Hehe…" Hearing him complain, Ayaka couldn't help but laugh. "It's alright. You may call her Mona with her permission. But recently… it might be too late."
Recently… Could it be that the reason all these factions were so eager to recruit him was also because of this 'recently'?
"Is something about to happen?"
Since he had asked, Ayaka had no intention of hiding it. "The Shogun is planning to issue the 'Vision Hunt Decree', to confiscate all Visions in the country. Along with it, the 'Sakoku Decree' will also be issued. The Kanjou Commission is probably already restricting entry and exit."
A Vision is that magical energy organ, right? They're even confiscating those… And a Vision Hunt Decree… a Sakoku Decree… Why does that sound so familiar? A version of the Sword Hunt Decree?
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