Chapter 21 - Spar With Koushirou

"I hope you won't mind telling me what a fishman is doing here in the East Blue and that too, in disguise," Koushirou's voice was calm yet firm, his gaze resting on Ronan.

The boys looked at each other subtly, with a knowing look. Raiden had already anticipated that the man would easily figure out Ronan's identity.

The only reason Raiden wanted to keep the fact that Ronan was a fishman a secret, was because he wanted to get some time to build a decent amount of strength first. It would be pretty stupid if he let any pirate group capture his friend again.

"Koushirou-san," Raiden began respectfully, meeting Koushirou's eyes directly. "Ronan here lost his memory due to an accident and drifted to Black Rock Village. He has been with me ever since, and we've been traveling together."

"We didn't want anyone to find out that he's a fishman. It would've caused us unnecessary troubles." Raiden explained calmly. He and Ronan had already cooked up a believable backstory for Ronan on their way to Shimotsuki Village. And there is no better backstory than selective amnesia.

Koushirou listened attentively, his expression thoughtful as he processed the explanation. He knew Raiden wasn't telling the whole truth, but he also sensed the sincerity behind their words, so he didn't press further. After a moment of silence, he nodded slowly.

"I see," Koushirou said, his voice gentle. "It's not uncommon for travelers to have their reasons for secrecy. I'm glad that you decided to share it with me. I'm happy that you trust me enough to be honest with me."

Raiden bowed slightly, grateful that Koushirou didn't press further. "Thank you for understanding."

Koushirou's gaze shifted to Ronan, who met his eyes with a mix of relief and gratitude. "You're welcome here, Ronan," Koushirou said, smiling warmly. "Your decision to disguise yourself was pretty smart too, considering the circumstances."

Ronan just nodded respectfully, not really saying anything.

Koushirou maintained his smile and got up, "Come with me. Let's see what level you both are at the moment, we'll decide how to go ahead from there."

He motioned for them to follow him. The two boys nodded and ran after the man. They followed him across the grounds of Isshin Dojo, the air crisp with the scent of bamboo and the faint rustling of leaves.

"We don't turn away anyone seeking to learn here," Koushirou remarked, his tone even but carrying a hint of pride in the dojo's principles. "But we expect discipline, dedication, and honesty."

They arrived at a spacious training area, the ground packed firm beneath their feet. Koushirou faced them, with a smile. "Let's begin with an assessment."

Koushirou motioned for Ronan to step forward first, his mind already assessing the potential he saw in the young fishman.

Ronan approached the man and removed his cloak and shirt. He didn't want his clothes to get ripped when he let out his fins.

With a smile, Koushirou drew his sword, the steel catching the sunlight as he prepared to spar with his new student. He generally never used an actual sword in a spar with his students, but he knew that these boys were different.

He observed Ronan's stance and the way he held himself. It was clear to Koushirou that Ronan, and most probably Raiden too, were not like his other students—they possessed strength and actual combat experience that surpassed others by a massive margin.

Ronan wasted no time. He lunged forward with breakneck speed. His fins darted towards Koushirou with blinding speed, aiming for calculated strikes that sought to break through the dojo master's defenses.

Koushirou met each attack with a graceful parry, his sword moving effortlessly to intercept Ronan's blows. The clash of steel echoed across the training ground, punctuated by the occasional grunt of exertion from Ronan and the measured breaths of Koushirou.

Despite his initial confidence, Ronan soon realized that Koushirou was not an opponent he could overwhelm with his raw stats. Each of his strikes was met with an equal and opposite force, Koushirou's swordplay a blend of technique and experience that easily countered Ronan's raw power.

"Tch." Ronan clicked his tongue in frustration as his attacks failed to breach Koushirou's defenses. He adjusted his tactics and focused on Koushirou's lower body, instead of trying to take him down in frontal assault.

'Ho? That's smart. He realised he can't beat me in a straight fight pretty quickly.' Koushirou mentally smiled as he subtly guided Ronan, redirecting his strikes with minimal effort while observing his footwork and posture.

After several minutes of intense combat, Koushirou stepped back, a faint smile playing on his lips. He sheathed his sword with a nod of approval. "Not bad. You lack a proper stance and technique and you tend to lower your center of gravity way too much. But your instincts are on points. Well done."

"Now then, Raiden. It's your turn." Koushirou motioned for Raiden to step forward, his eyes shifting from Ronan to the boy with twin swords strapped to his back. Raiden nodded, stepping into the training area as Ronan moved to the side, still catching his breath.

Raiden unsheathed his swords, their blades glinting in the sunlight. He took a deep breath, centering himself as he faced Koushirou. The dojo master's calm, assessing gaze didn't waver.

"Well, show me what you've got, Raiden," Koushirou said with a smile.

Raiden launched himself forward, his twin swords moving with precision and speed. He aimed for Koushirou's shoulders, attempting to throw him off balance with a quick feint before following up with a diagonal slash.

'Hmm. Much faster than the other one. It's amazing that he can maintain the same level of strength.' Koushirou thought as he deflected the strike.

Raiden's strikes were met with the same graceful efficiency that had frustrated Ronan, but Raiden was undeterred, afterall he knew how skilled the man in front of him was.  He pressed on, his attacks becoming more intricate as he tried to break through Koushirou's defenses.

'He's reading me too easily,' Raiden thought, his mind racing as he adjusted his strategy. 'I need to change my approach.'

Raiden feinted another slash, but this time he pivoted on his heel and aimed for Koushirou's legs, hoping to catch him off guard. Koushirou merely stepped aside, deflecting the blow with a swift flick of his wrist.

Raiden's frustration mounted as he realized his usual strategies weren't working. He paused for a brief moment, his mind racing to come up with a new plan.

He shifted his stance, focusing on his footwork and the flow of his movements. Instead of relying solely on his swords, he incorporated quick, agile movements, weaving in and out of Koushirou's range. His strikes became more unpredictable, a blend of calculated attacks and spontaneous maneuvers.

Koushirou's eyes narrowed slightly as he noted the change in Raiden's approach. 'Interesting. He's adapting so fast.'

For the first time in the spar, Koushirou pressed the attack, wanting to see Raiden's limits. Their blades clashed in a flurry of steel, the sound ringing through the training ground. Raiden gritted his teeth, matching Koushirou's intensity with every strike.

'He's testing me,' Raiden realized, his arms straining under the weight of each blow. 'I can't let up now.'

Koushirou's attack felt very heavy, even though he wasn't trying too hard. It was pretty amazing how he could do it with only his skills and without much effort.

He parried a particularly forceful strike from Koushirou and countered with a swift, upward slash that nearly grazed the dojo master's cheek, at least from Raiden's point of view.

'Almost got him!' Raiden's breaths came in ragged, controlled bursts as he squared off against Koushirou. His mind raced, adrenaline pumping through his veins, heightening his senses. The clang of steel filled the air, a symphony of battle that Raiden found himself increasingly drawn into.

With each clash, Raiden's movements became more fluid and more...instinctual. He 'almost' anticipated Koushirou's counters before they came, almost.

Time seemed to slow down around him, the world narrowing to the dojo master and the dance of their blades. Raiden's focus sharpened, his awareness expanding to encompass every subtle shift in Koushirou's stance, every nuance of his opponent's strategy.

'I can see it! From the left...' Raiden mentally yelled and blocked the strike.

'Right. I can see it...but it's too fast.' Raiden stepped back, his eyes wide open, completely focused on Koushirou's sword.

'Is he predicting my attacks? Don't tell me...'  Koushirou, observing Raiden's transformation, grinned and adjusted his own approach. After a long time, he was excited at the prospect of teaching someone as unbelievable as the kid infront of him.

He pushed Raiden harder, testing the limits of the young swordsman's abilities. Their swords clashed in a relentless exchange, sparks flying with each impact.

Raiden's movements grew more and more accurate and faster.

He adapted on the fly, exploiting openings in Koushirou's defense with calculated strikes, although he didn't manage to land a blow on him. His mind was clear, devoid of distractions or doubts, wholly immersed in the rhythm of combat.

A flicker of surprise flashed across Koushirou's face as Raiden's attacks gained momentum. Nonetheless, he was still much more skilled than Raiden. And while the boy had to push himself hard, he couldn't match the effortless swordsmanship of Koushirou.

The dojo grounds echoed with the clash of steel and the sound of Raiden's wheezing. Raiden's muscles were burning with exertion.

'Oh my. I pushed him too hard. Koushirou, you need to control yourself.' Koushirou shook his head and with a flick of his wrist, he knocked the sword off of Raiden's hand.

Koushirou smiled, a glint of approval in his eyes he stepped back, lowering his sword. "Enough," he said, his voice calm but firm. "You've proven your skill. Well done."

The boy fell down on his knees and began panting. 'Fuck! What in the world happened? How am I so tired?' Raiden wheezed out, trying to catch his breath.

"Here you go." Koushirou handed him his sword with a smile.

"T-thank you." Raiden took his swords, breathing heavily and sheathed them. His mind was still slightly numb with the intensity of the spar. He looked up at Koushirou, who seemed hardly winded, and felt a mix of admiration and annoyance...mostly fueled by his pettiness. Can't help it.

Koushirou, on the other hand, stared at Raiden with a mix of wonder and respect. "Unbelievable. You went all out for over an hour," he remarked, his voice carrying a tone of genuine admiration.

Raiden's eyes widened in surprise. "An hour?" He repeated, incredulously. "I didn't even realize..."

Ronan, who had been watching the entire time, couldn't contain his amazement. "Dude, you're a fucking monster," he quipped, shaking his head in disbelief.

Raiden frowned, still trying to process the duration and intensity of the spar. "I guess I just got... lost in it?" he said, his mind replaying the moments. He didn't even realise he went on for that long. That was probably the reason he was so spent.

Koushirou nodded approvingly. "That's a good thing. Being able to enter that state of flow during combat is a rare skill. It means you're completely immersed in the fight, reacting on instinct and training rather than overthinking."

Raiden nodded absentmindedly. He was still processing that weird feeling he had.

"You both have the potential to become great swordsmen," Koushirou smiled at Raiden and continued, addressing both Raiden and Ronan. "But remember, strength alone isn't enough. You need discipline, dedication, and a clear mind. We'll work on honing those skills here."

"There is no point in training you with other kids. Be here at five in the morning. And Ronan...remember to tell all this Raiden. Now, go and get some rest." He patted the fishman on his back left.

The duo watched Koushirou leave, his figure disappearing into the dojo. Raiden lay on the ground, still catching his breath. He glanced at Ronan and, with an embarrassed tone, muttered, "Hey, can you help me up?"

Ronan grinned, stepping forward and offering a hand. "Can't do anything without me, can you?" he teased, effortlessly pulling Raiden to his feet.

Raiden scowled, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Keep talking, fish boy. Remember who saved your butt when you ran away from your masters."

Ronan laughed, clapping Raiden on the back. "Sure, sure. But right now, you look like you need saving from standing up straight."

"Shut up," Raiden retorted, swaying slightly before finding his balance. "I just went toe-to-toe with Koushirou for an hour. I deserve some slack."

Ronan rolled his eyes, a playful smirk on his lips. "I wouldn't call it toe to toe but yeah, you did fight for an hour. And you didn't even realize it. What kind of crazy stamina boost did that fruit give you? And were you able to follow his attacks?"

Raiden shrugged, still feeling the lingering effects of the spar. "I don't know. I just got... lost in it. Everything felt so natural, like I was reacting without thinking."

Ronan's playful demeanor faded slightly, replaced with a more serious expression. "Yeah, I saw that. You were moving like you could predict his attacks. What happened out there?"

Raiden paused, thinking back to the spar. "Honestly, I have no idea. It felt like... everything around me slowed down, and I could see his moves before they happened. But it was still too fast to fully keep up with."

Ronan nodded, processing Raiden's words. "That's some next-level stuff, man. If you can tap into that more often, you'll be unstoppable."

Raiden gave a small, tired smile. "Yeah, maybe. But for now, I need to rest. That took everything out of me."

Ronan chuckled, patting Raiden on the shoulder. "Come on, let's get you some rest. I'll make sure you don't collapse on the way."

'I need to check the status page. Something has definitely changed.' Raiden thought, mentally frowning.

The two boys left the training ground, bantering along the way, yet neither of them saw a small figure peeking from the sidelines.

The little girl, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of awe and desperation, had been watching the entire spar from the sidelines

Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides, her knuckles white with the force of her grip. She has seen a lot of students in the dojo, yet no one even came remotely close to the prowess these two possessed.

Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over as she struggled to contain her emotions. Her fears came true today. She knew that although she was strong here, a girl can't compete with boys once they grew up.

The girl whispered in a quiet voice, between sobs. "How am I going to compete with them?"

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