The Shibata Castle

(16 years and 3 months after reincarnation)

[Takina's POV]

"Takina-chan... Are you interested in joining the blade dancers?"

"Eh?"

"You are beautiful to look at, and you stand out a lot here because of your westerner appearance. The men would really enjoy watching a beauty like yourself perform as a sword dancer!"

"Eh?! Thanks for the praises but I am not experienced in doing this or performing on stage... Besides, I already have a job as well...."

While I do know how to dance somewhat decently, I have never done it in front of a crowd before.

"Really...? The sword dance itself is actually really easy to perform, and we only perform at night here. It's a very simple job for how much it pays."

"It pays a lot?"

A small smirk appeared on her face.

"...About 3 silvers for every performance. We perform about 2 times every week, which means you'd be earning at least 24 silvers a month."

(AN : 2400 USD)

That's... Actually a lot.

"But... It'd be very difficult for me right? I stand out because I'm not a japanese-"

"That's why I want to recruit you as the lead dancer! You know, the one in the middle that holds the umbrella?"

"The lead dancer?! That sounds like a big shoe to fill..."

"Well I can't force you into this, but I'm very sure that with your pretty face you'll be a great dancer. How about this then, you can go home tonight and consider the offer, then come find me here again if you want to take the job."

"Yeah... I'll have to see if I can even find the time for this job. I'll contact you again if I want to join so see you."

"Okay, you have a great night Takina-chan!"

As I turned around to leave, I suddenly remembered that I forgot about something. "Wait, you haven't tell me your name yet!"

"Oh how rude of me, I was caught up with talking with you that I forgot to introduce myself! I am Kamahara Suzuki, you can just call me Suzuki."

"I see... Then please call me Takina as well. Goodbye."

____________

(7:58 p.m.)

I finally got a chance to leave the place. My last destination for tonight would be my newly assigned room, which Enna brought me to earlier.

"Too bad I didn't got to thank her for showing me around...."

Heading back into the inner castle, I entered my dark room and closed the sliding door. 'Goo....'

"Hmm... I can't see anything."

I took off my outer robe, and then headed to the wooden window to open it. 'Goo...!'

'Woo...' The chilly beach winds blew right through the window when I opened it. The blue moon light leaks into the room, dimly illuminating everything inside. But my eyes were drawn else where....

"Wow...."

Peeking out the window, I saw a beautiful well-lighted city underneath this hill, multiple lights from lamps powered by mana can be seen on the streets, and even though it is night time the entire city is bustling with people shopping and hanging out.

"How lively...." I said as I leamed myself onto the wooden window frame to admire the scenery.

At the distance beyond the city, a dark canvas of water can be seen. Small waves flushes at the direction of the city, and on the surface of the ocean is the dim reflection of the moon and stars on top.

Looking above, a large amount of shining stars can be seen right next to a beautiful full moon. A massive cloud of dust that is white and brown in color can be seen behind the moon, surrounding the entire night sky. It is the Milky Way.

"....Sigh...." Watching the night skies like this makes me feel extremely small in comparison to everything else. It's like all of my worries, achievements and everything else is but a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things....

I wonder if Mom is staring at the very same sky as I am doing right now...? If sister is still alive then maybe she'll be doing the same thing as well?

Well I have a big suspicion that Marielle might already be dead.... We have never heard anything about her ever since the Klada Disaster, and mom's search never succeeded in finding her.

Maybe I should just tell mom to give up on her search huh?... She still have her life to live with, she can't just waste it all away on a fool's errand.

"Amemiya-san...." While she might be a teenager even now, she is also a classmate of mine, an other worlder.

She is a big girl, she should be able to at least take care of herself if she's still alive. If she is able to, she'll surely find her way back to Klada by herself as well.

Man, what am I doing here reminiscing about the past like this.... It's making me a bit depressed.

Tomorrow, I will have to talk to Kenshin about my role and my job... If my schedule allows it, I might actually become a dancer at Suzuki's place.

While it sounds stressful to be the lead dancer, I do enjoy some attention from time to time. The money is also very attractive since I don't think Kenshin will be paying a lot to me....

Still, I don't know how things would turn out tomorrow so I guess for now I just shouldn't worry too much about it.

"Welp, time to go to bed..."

I got away from the window and then started to take off my kimono. With a bit of effort, I was able to do so without much issues.

Dressed in a thin layer of clothes that japanese wear as underwear, I laid down on the futon.

"..."

"...Zzz..."

_____________

(The next day...)

(6:52 a.m.)

I got up early in the morning and headed off to the old man's room.

'Knock knock!'

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Kenshin-sama."

"Oh, come on in."

'Goo...' I opened the door and headed in to see him just dressing up in a blue colored robe and was just about to head out.

"Where are we going?"

"To the top of the castle, for morning practice. We will have a morning session first before we go for breakfast, is that fine for you?"

"Yes my lord."

"From now on you will have to follow in whatever instructions I give you because I am your master.... keep up with your training, and you'll become a very skilled swordswoman yourself. Outside of that, I want you to accompany wherever I go in order to act as a bodyguard. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord...."

It's very off putting to serve someone like this, but it's not that bad so far because he doesn't demand a lot of things.

Walking behind him, I followed the old man up to the top side of the castle.... There are 8 floors to the castle but Enna never shown me the top 2 floors.

The 7th floor is a closed off floor where the open space in the middle is sealed off. This means that floor is much bigger in the middle, but because the castle gets narrower the taller it is, that floor has no other room other than the middle hall.

We walked up the stairs to the 7th floor where a large wooden sliding door is at.... On the top of the door is a sign that reads 'dojo'.

"A dojo...? There is a dojo on top all along?"

"Indeed. It is my personal dojo where I teach swordsmanship. Come, let us enter."

'Goo....' Opening the wooden sliding door, I saw a large hall and a few students inside dressed in the same blue colored training robes.

A stench of sweat filled me upon entering the hall, it is indeed like a gym. Most of the apprentices inside are men, but I saw a few women as well. However, I am the only caucasian here....

"Good morning, Kenshin-sama." (?x) Most of the apprentices inside greeted him the moment he entered.

"Good work, everyone. Continue your morning practise, I'll be going to the balcony for meditation."

"Yes.... But who's that?" Said one of the students as he pointed at me.

"Her...? Well, she's your kouhai so treat her kindly. Takina,"

"Yes?"

"I will be at the top floor's balcony to meditate, for now I want you to stay here and teach my students a technique that you know."

"What technique?"

"The Shadow Style. It's your strength, right?"

The entire dojo started to gossip around after they heard what Kenshin said.... I guess it's a rare style nowadays?

"Demonstrate it to them."

"But I'm not good at teaching you know?"

"It's fine, they'll learn through sparring with you soon enough."

"Oh..."

"I have high hopes for you, don't disappoint."

The old man left without saying anything else and went deeper into the dojo where a large stair is at. He climbed over the stair and disappeared.

Watch my opponents?... Does this mean I'll be having a sparring match here?

"Great...." I said as I put my real katana down at a corner of the room.

What a chaotic morning.... I'm left here to deal with these people by myself?

"So, you're a new comer huh? Would you care to demonstrate to me what Kenshin-sama said about your techniques?" One of the male apprentices approached me and talked in a jack-ass tone to me.

"Stop it Shigenori... You're being rude to the newbie." Another man said from the sides, but this person paid him no mind.

"....Sure, why not?" I put down my real sword and then turned around to meet his gaze.

"Oh... Daring are we?"

"I am Kenshin-sama's new bodyguard but he did instruct me to show you all a thing or two about the Shadow style.... Do you have a shinai (bamboo sword) that we can use for demonstrations?"

"Here." Someone else said from the side lines and handed me his shinai. But it seems that these people don't wear protective gear?

"Thank you. Now then, let us get started shall we?"

"Yes. We'll see if you have the real skills."

"Everyone, these two are about to have a duel. Please step to the sides to avoid getting in the way."

The room of about 10 or so people made way for us two....

"My name is Yamauchi Shigenori. I will be your opponent!"

"And I am Fujiwara Takina.... Let's go."

'Thud!' Hearing my words he immediately kicked off the ground and rushed forward with his shinai raised overhead, it's a One Line!

"Hmpt!"

I lowered my shinai and then swing upwards at him. Hike!

'Thak!!!' "Urgh...!" (2x)

A partial parry happened, knocking us both backwards. He stepped backwards and got into a stance where he points his katana at me over his shoulder....

Now I see, this is the natural follow up attack for being knocked backwards huh?

"Piercing Fang!" He immediately rushed forward and stabbed his katana at me.

I swung my shinai to deflect his thrust, then jumped backwards to create space.

"Hah...." Taking a deep breath, I put my bamboo sword next to my waist in a sheathed position....

"She got in stance..!"

The two of us eyed down each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Eventually...

"....Yah!" He kicked off the ground again and rushed forward at me with his shinai raised, a One Line.

Shadow Draw. 'Thak!!!'

With a quick draw, I swung at his shinai and got a partial parry.

He stepped backwards and then pointed his shinai at me again. "Piercing Fangs!" He tries to stab me once again but I instead stepped forward to create momentum and deflected his thrust. 'Thak!'

Using the recoil from the deflect I redirected my blade to swung at him from the other side... "Hyah!"

'Thak!' He raised his sword and barely blocked my attack in time before he put his blade overhead.... Something is coming.

"Hah.... Hmpt!" He took a deep breath and then swung down at me with a One Line. 'Thak!'

"Hmpt!" After being deflected, he redirects the knockback to the sides before swinging down on me with another One Line again. 'Thak!'

"Hmpt!" Once again I deflected his overhead cleave, and he once again did the same thing, swinging down at me once more with yet another One Line.

What the hell, is he just going to keep swinging like that...?! In that case...

"Hmpt!" He swung down at me once more as I raised my katana....

"Hah!" I stepped forwards and slams my bamboo sword into his before pushing the momentum of his body to the sides.

'Thud!' "Wha..?!" This left him in a terrible stance.

I'll aim there, One Line!

'Thud!' I raised my lead leg and stomped down with my whole body weight as my sword swung at his guard.

My attack had caused him to drop on his knees... And thanks to his example I can now do this as well.

"Hah!" I raised my shinai and then swung down again with another One Line. 'Thak!'

"Urgh...!"

"....It's Takina-dono's victory."

'Clapping...' (?x)

"Phew...."

If I haven't been able to countered his consecutive One Lines then I would've been overwhelmed by his attacks and get stance broken...

But it's all thanks to him that I learned how One Lines can be repeatedly almost indefinitely as long as you have the opening.

"That was a great duel." I said as I put out my hand to Shigenori, who's sitting on the floor.

"Haha, then you better teach us how to use the Shadow Style's techniques as well!"

'Grab!' He latched onto my hand and I pulled him up on his feet.

"But aren't you all reluctant to learn another school's techniques?"

"Don't be fooled, while we do practice under Kenshin-sama's school we also learn from other schools. Kenshin-sama himself used techniques from his own style as well as other styles."

"He did?"

"Yes, he once practiced under a mentor who taught him to use a style called the 'River Stream' Style. It's a school that focuses on overwhelming your opponents with consecutive attacks."

"I see... As for his self developed style?"

"It's called the 'One Hit' style, which focuses on ending fights in a single hit with extreme power and speed."

"Oh..."

____________

I started to practice with these people....

Watching their techniques, I finally realized something. Half of the students here uses the One Hit Style with the other half using the River Stream Style...

As for the techniques themselves, they are somewhat similar to how I fight with Blaze Edges... Longsword techniques can be used with a katana.

Piercing Fang is a thrusting technique that utilize footwork for power... Almost just like Stinger.

Upstream is an uppercut slash that can guard break easily as well as launching an opponent if your attack is powerful enough, just like Hike.

One Line is pretty much identical with Head Splitter, a overhead cleave using footwork and core muscles to enhance its power.

However, there is one extra technique that I've never heard of.

"I noticed your unusual breathing pattern just now... You were exhaling in every single strike, what was that?"

Shigenori replied to me.

"That was Flowing Water, a breathing technique to enhance striking power.... By utilizing your core muscle's innate ability to tense up with exhaling, you can put a lot more power behind your attacks even without any techniques."

"Oh... Essentially it can boosts your attack temporarily without much drawbacks at all?"

"There is a drawback though... Because you are exhaling in every strike, you cannot breathe in as much. This means that you'll actually run out of breath if you keep it up, and as a result you are more likely to get tired."

"I see... I want to learn how to use it."

"Let me show you, start by tensing up your core..."

"Like this...?" I flex my abs as he said so.

"Let's see...." He said as he poked my stomach.

Someone from the sidelines yelled at him. "Oi Shigenori, you just wanted to touch her didn't you?"

This guy....

"No, stop saying weird things like that Tamahara...! And your core isn't flexed enough, Takina!"

"Huh? Then how-"

"Like I said, it's a breathing technique. Try exhaling like you are coughing from your diaphragm when you tense up."

"Like this...? Hmpt!"

"That's right.... Hah!" He threw a punch at my stomach. 'Thud!'

"Hey what was that for?!"

"Calm down, it didn't hurt right?"

"Oh... Yeah."

He's right. When his punch landed I could barely feel any pain at all other than on the surface of my skin.

"This is both an offensive and a defensive technique. When you are about to be kicked, tensing your core muscles by using Flowing Water can help lessen the impact damage."

"I see...." Essentially this is like a mini Dragonic Burst that boosts my physical power and defense only. My stomach can turn hard as steel with this technique and my inherent Mana Shield to boost it.

Come to think of it, even though I lost control of magic I can still subconsciously use Mana Shield at all times.... What an odd magic this is, I guess it is indeed an inherent ability of everyone huh?

"Well then, since you've shown me all I needed to know I'm done for today. See you." Shigenori said as he heads out of the dojo....

"Alright...." I guess it's time for me to go find Kenshin as well.

I headed deeper into the dojo and climbed up the stairs... I reached to the top of the castle where there is a open room like a balcony with a roof over. 

'Hoo....' The cool winds from the sea blew into the balcony, it is very chilly up here.

The entire floor of the room is covered by tatami mats, and sitting in the center of it all is Kenshin, with his back facing the door.

"My Lord?"

"....Takina, how goes your training?"

"It went well."

"I see. Come, sit next to me."

"Alright...?" What's this old man up to?

I walked up to him and sat down on the floor in seiza position.

"Takina, have you meditated before?"

"No..."

"Then now is a good time to learn. Meditating can help clear your mind, and avoid pointless thoughts from intruding into your mind during your fights...."

"I see but... how do I do it?"

"Close your eyes, and listening to the howling wind's noises. Time your breathing to the rhythm of the wind, and focus on it...."

I closed my eyes and paid more attention into the rhythm of the wind.

'Hoo... Hoo..... Hoo...' After a small moment, I noticed a pattern of the wind blowing strongly for a while and then gently, and then strongly once again.

"Hoo... Hah..... Hoo..."

"That's right. Now, tell me what do you feel?"

"....I feel nothing. It's calm like still water."

"That's right. You may open your eyes now if you wish to."

"....Wow... That was something else entirely...."

I've been very stressed out these days and that meditation just now might've be the calmest I've been for a while.

"Hahaha, impressive isn't it? That calmness is the base of my entire swordsmanship.... I call it the 'Flow'."

"The Flow?"

"That calmness, that absence of any intrusive thoughts is the key to executing many moves perfectly. Your swordsmanship will be much sharper when you can achieve that mind set in the middle of a fight."

What the hell is this old man rambling about? "I see.... I don't get it."

"I don't think you will... For now anyway."

"Does that mean I will in the future?"

"Probably, I took you in for a reason. Most people here will never achieve the Flow like I did, and few in this entire continent can do so as well."

"I see... Thank you for your compliments."

"Well then, I suppose this'll be the end of my own meditation for today. Your role here is done as well, you are free today."

"Eh?! I'm done so quickly?!"

"Obviously. You don't like that?"

"No no, I was just surprised...."

"Hehe, it is peace time right now, I don't need a bodyguard besides me constantly. I will summon you when I require your service, as of now you are not required."

"I see... Thank you, Kenshin-sama."

"Well then, have a nice day." He said as he leaves the balcony.

"Wait!... Actually I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Is it fine if I take another job as well so long as it doesn't interfere with my work here?"

"Sure, why not? So what kind of job you got?"

"...I was invited to be a Blade Dancer last night."

"Huhahaha, it's your first night and you're already invited by the big shots at the dinner?! You really are an unusual girl!"

"It's out of my control as well...! But the job pays really well and I needed money now...."

"I see, become one then."

"Hmm?"

"You have the looks of a great performer, I think you'll do great. It's a privilege to be invited by the most famous performers of the city, a perk that comes with being a woman as well because that dance is never performed by a man... Treasure it, Takina."

"I see..."

"If you have nothing else to say, then I'll be going."

"Oh, take care...."

Today went by just like that...? It's easier than I thought. Perhaps I should go and find Suzuki-san and sign up then, but will they be there at this time of the day?

"Hmm...."

(Chapter end)