Having completed all the procedures and paid the tuition using Tomie's wallet, Amamiya Rin changed into an indigo gi and returned to the dojo.
Sato Shihan was already sitting in seiza at the front of the dojo, a wooden sword placed before him. He gestured for Amamiya Rin to sit opposite him.
"Modern Kendo originated from ancient schools, but it has evolved into a sport focused on athletics and aesthetics. However, the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu is a Killing Sword, and also a Life-giving Sword. Every move within it originates from the battlefield, designed solely to subdue, injure, or kill the enemy. Its ultimate secret, however, lies in Mutodori—the 'No-Sword Grasp'—which lies in control and non-killing; that is, being able to kill but choosing not to."
Sato Shihan paused slightly, looking at Amamiya Rin with a sharp gaze.
"Your sword is ruthless and direct, possessing shadows of the ancient schools. But your force generation, footwork, and mental method are still within the framework of modern Kendo... effectively, a bit of an unorthodox path."
Sato didn't quite know how to phrase it.
In his view, the swordsmanship of the girl before him was standard modern Kendo, yet it was too ferocious. The connection between moves had deviated from regular modern Kendo, leaning closer to ancient swordsmanship.
"We will start from the Eight Stances. The so-called Eight Stances are the eight postures and mental methods of our Yagyu Shinkage-ryu. They are the foundation of foundations, emphasizing tactics adapted to local conditions, and the harmony and variation of Heart, Qi, and Body. Heart is the spirit, Qi is the breath, and Body is the technique."
Sato Shihan picked up a bamboo sword and stood up; Amamiya Rin rose with him.
"The Stance moves according to the position of the enemy and oneself, and is born from the breath. Seigan no Kamae—the Blue Eye Stance—where the sword tip points remotely at the opponent's eyes. It is suppression, and also probing. Your breathing must be deep; store power when inhaling, and when exhaling, your Qi must press forward through the tip of the sword..."
Amamiya Rin adjusted accordingly.
The Yagyu Shinkage-ryu also possessed a secret breathing technique. Its effects were distinct from the breathing method of the Six Wondrous Gates, focusing on the variation of breath and aura, as well as coordination with body posture.
However, although the effects differed, having the foundation of the Six Wondrous Gates allowed Amamiya Rin to quickly learn the knack of the first stance.
Next came Chudan, Gedan, Waki-gamae, Kasumi-gamae... Sato Shihan explained the center of gravity distribution, gaze focal point, breathing coordination, and corresponding tactical intent for each stance with absolute clarity.
Amamiya Rin learned extremely fast. The foundation of twenty years of Kendo in the Dream World, combined with the body control capabilities brought by Dhyana, allowed Amamiya Rin to truly achieve a state where once the brain understood, the body understood as well.
The neural circuits in the motor cortex of the brain had already been activated in the dream; as long as his intent focused, the signals would transmit to the corresponding positions.
Sato Shihan watched from the side, the surprise in his eyes growing thicker.
He occasionally spoke up to correct some subtle details, and Amamiya Rin was always able to adjust into place immediately.
In less than half an hour, Amamiya Rin had mastered about seventy to eighty percent of the form and essence of the Eight Stances. Next, he only needed more practice to gain proficiency and master them thoroughly.
"Unbelievable..." a young disciple observing not far away muttered, his fellow students beside him also tongue-tied, questioning if they were hallucinating.
"When I first learned these Eight Stances, it took me nearly a month just to look presentable..."
After Amamiya Rin performed the eight basic stances completely once through, Sato Shihan remained silent for a moment. His eyes were complex as he spoke slowly.
"...Very good. You remember very quickly."
He had taught the sword for so many years and had never seen such inconceivable learning ability. It wasn't just a resemblance in form; she had captured the spirit of each stance in an extremely short time.
"It seems my previous judgment was conservative. Your level of modern Kendo suggests at least twenty years of attainment. If not for your physical constitution being too poor, you could already go test for a Kendo 7th Dan certificate... Geniuses are always so unreasonable."
Having said this, Sato Shihan sighed deeply, a look of sorrow surfacing on his face.
"Sato Shihan, please teach me the techniques of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu directly."
Amamiya Rin had no extra time to care about Sato Shihan's mood. His lifespan was limited; every minute and every second had to be used in meaningful places.
"Do not aim too high. You have only learned the Eight Stances, not mastered them. As the saying goes, if the foundation is not firm, the earth moves and the mountains shake. Ancient swordsmanship is not child's play; every detail is critically important."
Sato Shihan frowned, speaking unhappily.
Faced with this attitude from Sato Shihan, Amamiya Rin chose the simplest solution.
"Please, Shihan, I want to see the true swordsmanship of the Ancient Schools."
Kawakami Tomie's eyelashes trembled lightly. Her expression, which had appeared somewhat indifferent due to deep Dhyana, became vivid. Her calm and composed tone turned soft and sweet; the coquettish tone instantly threw Sato Shihan's breathing into disarray.
The gazes of the other disciples in the dojo were also drawn over. Seeing Kawakami Tomie's delicate and soft posture, they couldn't help but hold their breath, a trace of infatuation flashing through their eyes.
Although this new student had been beautiful all along, changing from that indifferent, stiff expression to this new attitude caused her charm to explode tenfold! Her coquettish voice was like Cupid's arrow, piercing straight into their hearts.
Sato Shihan coughed lightly and glared ferociously at the students. The students hurriedly looked away, pretending to continue practicing.
Then, Sato Shihan walked silently to the center of the dojo and picked up his bamboo sword again.
"Since you insist... then we shall start with the Sangaku-en no Tachi—the Sword of Three Learning Circles. These are the three basic forms for countering overhead strikes. They contain the principle of the Three Sen of my school and serve as the foundation for all subsequent techniques."
Sato Shihan's voice returned to its usual steadiness, but his speaking speed was slightly faster than usual, his gaze drifting uncertainly.
"Inoue, come here."
Sato Shihan swept a glance over the disciples. A sturdily built male disciple immediately jogged forward and bowed respectfully.
"You play the attacker. Use an overhead cleave."
Sato Shihan instructed Inoue, then turned to instruct Amamiya Rin.
"Watch closely. This is the first form of the Sangaku-en no Tachi: Ittou Ryoudan—One Cut, Two Halves."
Inoue gripped the bamboo sword with both hands, slowly raising it above his head to assume the Dai-jodan stance. Sato Shihan adopted the Seigan no Kamae, the tip of his sword pointing slightly toward Inoue's face.
"Complete your entry and attack while outside the opponent's striking range. Hah!"
Sato Shihan gave a low shout.
Almost at the moment the muscles in Inoue's shoulders tensed, signaling the impending downward strike, Sato's left foot had already stepped out. His body moved like an arrow leaving the string, the tip of the bamboo sword tracing a straight arc through the air to stop precisely in front of Inoue's Adam's apple.
And Inoue's sword had not yet had time to fall.
"This is Sen-sen no Sen," Sato Shihan said in a deep voice as he sheathed his sword.
"At the moment the opponent is about to move but has not yet moved, strike directly at the vital point with greater determination and speed. The key is the judgment of distance and timing, avoiding a clash of force against force."
Amamiya Rin watched with rapt attention. Under the observation of Dhyana, the depth of Sato Shihan's step, the moment his waist and abdomen generated power, and that unhesitating thrusting trajectory were carved into his brain like a brand.
The sunlight outside the dojo window gradually slanted, the color shifting from bright white to warm gold. The plaque hanging on the wall reading "Ken Zen Ichinyo" cast a long shadow in the setting sun.
The other disciples had finished their practice and began tidying up the equipment, but their eyes still glanced occasionally toward the focused girl in the center of the dojo.
Kawakami Tomie—or rather, the will of Amamiya Rin dominating Kawakami Tomie—had no thought of ending even now, after three hours of cultivation.
On one hand, time was urgent, and he needed to increase his strength; on the other hand, having finally obtained a healthy body, how could he bear to rest?
In any case, with the Six Wondrous Gates breathing technique to reduce physical energy consumption and enhance endurance, he planned to study until after 10 PM.
____
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