Yarimato continued to practice the “wave strike” technique.
He also continued to exercise and often went to the river to train his sensitivity to the current and its energy.
It was already late October, and the cold weather would soon set in, but last winter had been so cold that this winter would be much more comfortable.
Yarimato returned to the dojo tired and sat down opposite Takahashi-sensei.
They sat down again to drink tea and talk about something.
Yarimato: Takahashi-sensei, I wanted to ask you, how often did various warriors climb the mountain to fight you?
Takahashi: Quite a few challenged me, and many died on this mountain, but many also came to learn the secret of my techniques and asked me to teach them one of them.
Yarimato: And what did you do?
Takahashi: Yes, I showed them, but that was the last thing they ever saw, and so no one knew about my techniques except you, my students.
Yarimato: Did anyone ever come down from that mountain alive?
Takahashi thought for a moment and replied, “Yes, there was one very strange warrior, whose strangeness was that he was blind.”
Yarimato was surprised by Takahashi’s words and, not believing him, asked: “He couldn’t see anything?”
Takahashi: “You may not believe me, but it’s true. This guy is the only one who, without eyes, climbed this mountain and came down from it practically unharmed.”
Yarimato: “Practically unharmed? What was his name and how long ago was that?”
Takahashi: I don’t remember how long ago it was, maybe 15 or 20 years ago, but I clearly remember that I used my most powerful technique called “Tsunami,” and that guy was able to survive it, and even though he had no eyes, he was able to repeat it and strike me with the same blow, which ended our duel.
But I never remembered his name or what he looked like.
I only remember one thing: his sword was made of the same steel as my sword.
Yarimato: That sounds very scary.
I wonder what happened to that blind warrior?
Takahashi and Yarimato drank their tea, and the maid brought them another teapot.
Yarimato: Takahashi-sensei, did your former students also fight the warriors who climbed the mountain?
Takahashi: Good question.
During his time living on this mountain, Suzu fought six warriors and once fought two at the same time.
He won every battle without a scratch, and that’s when he realized he was one of the strongest.
That’s probably why he decided to finish his training, because he wanted to poison himself and practice dueling with real warriors.
Yarimato: Suzu was quite strong, unlike me.
I barely managed to defeat that vagrant with a naginata, and then immediately fell unconscious, almost losing to him, just as I almost lost to that maniac, and as soon as I blinded him, I immediately ran away.
Why is fate so unfair?
I try my best and even then, I barely stay alive against a single opponent, while someone else cuts down dozens of them and is ready for twenty more.
Takahashi: You’re wrong, Yarimato.
We are all different, but even so, you are already doing more than Suzu, because if Suzu tried beyond his maximum, he could achieve much more, but you, Yarimato, despite your weakness and having no advantage, still remain on your feet until your opponent is on the ground.
That’s why you can achieve more than all my other students, because no one else has ever pushed themselves beyond their limits.
Yarimato was surprised to hear these words, and it motivated him greatly to continue learning.
Yarimato: Okay, I will continue to push myself beyond my limits, and then I will definitely be able to defeat any opponent. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Takahashi: So, what am I talking about?
But Kaminore, during all his training, fought only two opponents, and he almost died from the first opponent without defeating him, and if I hadn’t intervened, he would most likely have died.
But Kaminore defeated the second opponent, simply outsmarting him and even without using his sword, smashing his head with a large boulder.
Yarimato: What?
How did he do that?
Takahashi: To be honest, I don’t remember because I wasn’t there, but when I arrived, I saw a large rock crushing the swordsman’s head, and Kaminore was sitting nearby, covered in blood.
When I asked him about it, he simply replied that his opponent was too stupid and easy to outsmart.
Yarimato: Yes, Kaminore is a scary person.
Yarimato thought to himself.
Yarimato: Ah, what about the third student?
Takahashi: Yes, Chikara fought only three, and in each battle he easily won, but in the last year of his training, six samurai climbed the mountain, and that evening, for some unknown reason, Chikara lost control of his anger and nearly died, but he killed two at once, the other two were mortally wounded, and two more received minor injuries, but Chikara was badly hurt, and when he couldn’t get up from the ground, those who could walk left, and those who couldn’t die on that mountain.
Yarimato: I wonder, if Takahashi said that no one else left the mountain, does that mean that after Chikara’s defeat, Takahashi killed them all?
Yarimato pondered in his mind.
Takahashi: Okay, that’s it, I’m going to bed, and I advise you to do the same, because a good night’s sleep makes you stronger for war.
Yarimato and Takahashi finished their tea and, ending their conversation, went to prepare for the next day.