Academy

the Samurai Academy. It was here that the future defenders of the Land of Iron gathered to learn the ways of the samurai. I stood outside the imposing gates of the academy, flanked by my mother, Yumiko, and my uncle, Shigeo.

My gaze shifted to the grand entrance, where children of various ages and backgrounds were milling about, their anticipation palpable. I turned to my mother, a sense of reluctance tugging at my heart. "Do I really have to go, Mom?" I asked, hoping for a different answer this time.

She smiled gently, her eyes filled with understanding. "Seiji, it's a part of the process. To become a true samurai, you must go through the academy."

Uncle Shigeo nodded in agreement. "Your mother is right, Seiji. The academy will teach you things that you can't learn at home. It's an important step on your path to becoming a samurai." As I turned back to face the imposing gates, I saw my mother wipe away a tear, a bittersweet smile on her face. Her pride and love were evident in that moment, and it warmed my heart.

  With a deep breath, I steeled myself for what lay ahead. I knew that I didn't want to leave home, where I had been training with my uncle for the past three months in chakra control. The thought of being away from my family and the familiar surroundings weighed on me. But as I stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the academy, I knew that this was a journey I had to undertake. It was the path to becoming the samurai I aspired to be, and I couldn't let fear or reluctance hold me back. 

  As I stepped into the academy, I was greeted by a stern-looking instructor who introduced himself as Sensei Kato. He led me through a maze of hallways, each lined with doors leading to various classrooms and training areas. The sound of clashing swords and shouts of determination filled the air, and I could feel my excitement building.

  Finally, we arrived at a large room filled with other students who were my age. As I entered, all eyes turned to me, and I felt a sense of nervousness wash over me. As I entered the spacious room filled with fellow students, I couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the collective gaze upon me. It was then that I noticed an empty seat near the entrance, a lone spot in the room. My heart settled as I made my way toward it, a familiar sense of comfort in choosing a corner.

  Before I could take my seat, my eyes caught sight of a boy with striking red hair. He appeared to be around the same age as me. With a friendly smile, I approached him.

  "Hey," I said, offering my hand to shake. "My name's Seiji." The young boy with the red hair looked at me and gave a curt nod. "Toshiro," he responded in a solemn tone. I withdrew my hand, feeling a bit awkward.

  As the room gradually filled with students, our attention was drawn to the front as Sensei Kato began to introduce himself. He was a stern-looking man, with sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through your very soul. His voice was deep and commanding, and I found myself listening intently to his every word.

  "As you all know, you are here to learn the ways of the samurai. You will be trained in the art of combat, strategy, and discipline. You will learn to master the sword and become one with its power," Sensei Kato said, his voice ringing out with authority. The room was silent as Sensei Kato continued his introduction, and I could feel the excitement in the air.

  As Sensei Kato finished his introduction, he motioned to a row of weapon racks against the wall. "Now, each of you, come and choose your weapon of choice." I joined the stream of students making their way to the racks. I reached for a wooden katana, feeling its familiar weight in my hand. Looking around, I noticed that the majority of students also chose katanas. The sword was, after all, the iconic weapon of the samurai.

  My gaze was drawn to Toshiro, hefting a wooden double-headed axe. I couldn't help but notice some of the other students had chosen different weapons such as whips, spears, and single-headed axes.

  As we all gathered back into the center of the room, Sensei Kato looked us over with a critical eye. "Your weapon is an extension of yourself. It is a tool, but also a symbol of your honor and commitment as a samurai," he said sternly, his eyes flickering across each of our faces."Handle it with care, as these items are embedded with chakra conductive metal. Damaging them will result in a hefty fee to replace."

  With that, he motioned for us to follow him to the training grounds. The training grounds were a sprawling area, with various obstacles and dummies set up for us to practice on. I could see the excitement on the faces of my fellow students, each eager to begin their training.

"Now before we start I want each one of you to take your weapon and destroy one of the training dummies," Sensei Kato said, his voice booming across the training grounds. "Show me what you're made of, and don't hold back!"

Some of the students complained about the use of a training dummy made out of metal when they had wooden swords. I smirked at that before I took a step forward however a red blur shot past me, and It was so fast barely I caught a glimpse of who it was. It was Toshiro, his eyes blazing with determination as he swung his massive wooden double-headed axe aiming it a the side of a metal dummy. 

Toshiro's attack was a display of raw, unbridled power. As he swung his massive double-headed axe, the wooden weapon cut through the air with a swiftness that belied its size. The wind itself seemed to part in front of the axe's arc, unable to resist the sheer force behind it.

Upon impact, the wooden axehead met the metal training dummy with a resounding clash that echoed through the training grounds. The sheer force of the blow reverberated through Toshiro's arms and shoulders, but he held his ground with unwavering determination.

The training dummy, constructed of sturdy metal, didn't stand a chance against the raw power. Metal met wood in a collision of power, and the outcome was clear. The force of Toshiro's strike caused the dummy to shatter into pieces, sending shards flying in all directions.

a few students gaped in awe. Sensei Kato nodded at the display of power and control. "Well done, Toshiro. Your strike was powerful and precise, a true display of strength and skill," he praised, his voice ringing through the air.

Toshiro lowered his wooden axe, an aloof face on his face. "Thank you, Sensei," he said, his voice calm and composed.

I can't deny that his move had my heart racing with anticipation. A smile crept onto my face without me noticing it. I guess it's my turn then; no holding back. With a burst of speed, I rushed toward another training dummy, my wooden katana held firmly in my grasp.

The movement was swift and graceful, like the flowing of water. My strike appeared gentle, almost delicate as if I were performing a dance. But beneath that elegance lay a terrifying power, coiled and ready to be unleashed.

In one fluid motion, my wooden katana sliced through the air and met the metal training dummy with a thunderous impact. There was no need for a second strike. The sheer force behind that single blow was enough to shatter the dummy into pieces. 

As I lowered my wooden katana, I turned around to face Toshiro. His gaze was narrowed and it was clear he shared my thoughts and the desire to fight one another. walking back towards the rest of the class, a thought occurred to me maybe joining the academy wasn't such a bad idea after all.

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That's all for today, folks. The next update will be on Tuesday. As of now, I have written 15,000 words, which should improve my ranking. However, I'm not too concerned about my ranking since this is just a trial. As a new writer, I don't have high expectations for my story to place highly. Nevertheless, I will continue to write to the best of my ability and work on improving my writing skills throughout the fanfic.

also, it's only on Sundays that I release 3 chapters. On weekdays expect 2 at best. Leave a review as well does are super helpful!

see ya!!