Combat

February 2004

In the room surrounded by gigantic glass mirrors from all sides. Kairi watched the future as various scenes played out.

"I see. But only 2 years... Wish there was even more time but it's not life if things go the way we want them to. I have to be prepared. Yoshi needs to be armed with all knowledge she can"

Kairi dispersed her cursed technique and sighed.

"Future is too chaotic"

Yoshi dressed up in a tracksuit fitting her size looked at herself in the mirror.

"It's look cute, isn't it?"

"Yes, young lady" The maids grooming her answered with joy. When it comes to gromming her hair, the maids clipped it in a lock. Yoshi's hair has grown to her shoulders as she wanted long hair. Generally, the maids would groom it but today, they just clipped it into a lock.

"Young lady, Lady Kairi ordered us to do this. We apologize " The maid taking care of her hair said before Yoshi could ask.

"Oh, if grandma said it. She must had a reason"

Yoshi is fond of the maids who always groom her and bathe her. She missed them when she was in the Itadori household and couldn't do most of the things by herself only barely managing to present herself.

Even if her time with the Itadori household is great, She misses the luxurious and extravagant lifestyle.

In the backyard, as usual, Kairi stood but this time, with a wooden katana which surprised Yoshi.

"Grandma, don't you hate katana?"

Yoshi blurted out of curiosity. Kairi detested the swords, it's common knowledge. Her father would always hide his katana whenever he's in Kairi's presence.

"Absolutely, but for now. You will be trained in combat and this is necessary. And This is a wooden one. "

Kairi sheathed the sword.

"Officially, your non-innate cursed techniques training is over. There is a technique called 'Black flash' but it's a luck-based technique. So, no one can really 'train' it. It will happen when you release cursed energy just after you hit in an instant."

"Luck based? Then grandma, maybe I can do it?"

Kairi raised an eyebrow curious about what she just said "Oh? And how exactly can you do it?"

"My fukurokuju card is the beginning part of my cursed technique. Its condition is that I always have high luck but I never really 'unlocked' it. As soon as I was able to recognize my innate cursed technique, it's available to me even though there is a condition for it"

"You are always extraordinarily lucky?" Kairi is surprised by this information.

'It's not entirely impossible. If she is blessed with Good luck, I think she can avoid that fate. Luck is after all a powerful aspect of life'

Kairi wryly laughed saying "I kinda understand how others felt now"

Yoshi turned her head to the side in confusion.

"My friends, even my husband used to envy my supposed ability to foresee the future. The funny thing is, I never thought it was a big deal. It's not divine or anything. I'd gladly trade it for a more practical skill. Now I get why they felt that way."

"Now then, from today, we will have a different class. It's not sorcery anymore"

"What about our clan's techniques though? You said you would teach them but you never did"

"There will come a time for it. However, for now, you will be trained in combat"

Kairi created a glass katana with a sharp edge and gave it to Yoshi.

"Guns, knives, swords, Spears, rocks, even your body is a weapon in a fight. There are three essential factors one must have to even fight properly, winning or losing is a different matter. One, Calm mental state, Two, Good technique, Three, Awareness of surroundings"

Yoshi listened carefully while Kairi created a glass mannequin beside her.

"Combat is different from sorcery. Combat is a form of discipline. Your two years of meditation help with keeping cool, but combat requires more, a gradual mastery of mental control, and constant focus on surroundings. It's not an instant learning process; it takes time and consistent practice. Only then, you can learn these two important factors. As for learning techniques, it can be done through discipline and a bit of training "

Kairi instructed Yoshi to stand in front of the glass mannequin and attack it with her glass katana.

"Try to destroy it. The katana in your hands is heavy. So, use cursed energy reinforcement to hold it and attack it with full power"

Yoshi felt it was difficult to hold the katana with her small body but the moment she reinforced her body. It became light as a feather. Then, she swung the katana multiple times trying to destroy the mannequin, with her reinforced strength she destroyed it eventually after a few slashes, leaving only the legs.

"It's quite durable for a glass" Yoshi commented while panting. At first, it was easy but it did take a toll on her physically.

"What you used is your strength to destroy it"

Kairi created another glass mannequin and stood in front of it with a wooden katana.

With a clean vertical swing of her wooden katana, she shattered the mannequin into many pieces. She didn't reinforce her body or sword with cursed energy either.

"This is technique. As you can see, Technique is about efficiently unlocking a weapon's full potential. A person with a knife is dangerous, but mastering its use makes them even more so. Similarly, with guns, having one is a threat, but precision in shooting elevates the danger."

Kairi created a polearm with her technique.

"Katana in Japan is revered as an art, with some insisting it's the ultimate weapon. However, in reality, it's just one among many. No weapon is universally the best; each has its strengths and weaknesses. Take polearms, for instance, effective for maintaining distance and attacking."

Creating another glass mannequin a few metres away from her, She swung the polearm cleaving the mannequin in half. Yoshi watched in awe as her grandma showed how various weapons can be used depending on the situation.

"You will be learning how to use weapons, including your body as a weapon in combat in the coming years. It's not easy like sorcery, it takes a lot of effort and discipline, you need to train your body with exercises and battle with me. However, Yoshi, I won't be going easy on you. You will get hurt in the process."

It's not a question but truth Kairi stated. Yoshi's daily routine changed, Yoshi thought she never had free time before as her grandma strictly made her study, and practice sorcery all the time. From morning to evening, everything was fixed, like waking up in the morning, meditating, studying, school, sorcery, study, sleep.

However, seeing the new routine she had to follow, only then did she realize how much of a free time she used to have before. Now, her routine is even more strict, consisting of meditation, exercise, study, learning martial arts techniques, and finally combat.

Yoshi didn't complain as she was already used to being disciplined.

It was tough at first but after one month, Yoshi got used to her new routine.

At this time, Kairi Inquired the clan members about the orders she issued a while back.

"Yes lady Kairi, preparations are completed"

Kairi, being happy that her plans were progressing quite smoothly gave new orders.

"Send some of these weapons to Sendai, discreetly. Give this letter to Wasuke Itadori and tell him to reply as soon as possible"

Looking at the vast estate from her window, Kairi felt a range of emotions in her heart. The green grass fields spanning across, with a lake and sun setting in the background.

"Will I be able to enjoy this scenery at my time of death?"