Okita corrected Suzuki’s movements bit by bit, ‘tormenting’ him for nearly 10 minutes before finally nodding slightly.
It was not difficult to see that Okita must have been very used to being a Sword instructor.
Both his words and actions were full of momentum and quite professional.
And Suzuki and Others were also used to being guided by Okita; they did whatever Okita said, not daring to utter a single word of dissent.
“Hmm… not bad, your stance finally looks a bit decent.
Just maintain this posture for the duration of two incense sticks, so your body firmly remembers this movement.”
“Two incense sticks?” Suzuki’s eyes widened, “Okita-kun, this… isn’t that a bit too long?
Before, we only had to hold it for one incense stick, didn’t we?”
“Before was before.
Before, your skill level wasn’t as high as it is now, so naturally, I wouldn’t demand as much from you.
Don’t lower your sword, your sword is low again!”
“Yes, yes!”
Suzuki hurriedly raised the sword in his hand slightly.
“Hmm, very good, just keep it up.
Two incense sticks will pass quickly.” With that, Okita turned and walked towards another apprentice.
“Uehara!”
“Here!”
“Go get a bamboo sword now and let me see if your Suburi has improved.”
“Yes!”
Note: Suburi: A basic movement training in Japanese swordsmanship, simply put, it’s swinging a sword at the air in front of you.
Although the movement looks simple, there are many subtleties involved.
The apprentice named Uehara quickly retrieved a bamboo sword and then demonstrated Suburi in front of Okita.
“No, no, no!
The correct way to practice Suburi is to maintain the most serious consciousness, exert your maximum strength, and swing out your most powerful slash directly in front of you.
A thousand flimsy slashes cannot compare to one serious and full-force slash.
Again, this time, use all your strength!”
“Yes!”
Uehara swung his sword.
“No power!
Don’t look elsewhere!
Is this your Suburi stance?”
“Yes!”
Uehara swung his sword.
“Still not good, your right hand twisted your wrist just now.” Okita swung the bamboo sword in his hand and lightly tapped Uehara’s fleshy right arm, “Again!”
…
…
Scenes very similar to when he was guiding Suzuki just now happened to Uehara.
Okita sternly trained Uehara for nearly 10 minutes before finally nodding in satisfaction.
“Hmm, it finally looks somewhat decent.
Remember the movement and feeling of your sword swing just now.
Now, do 50 stationary Suburi.”
“50 times?” Uehara’s eyes seemed like they were about to pop out of their sockets, “O-Okita-kun, 50 Suburi… my arm will break, won’t it?”
“Don’t worry.”
Okita, who had been stern-faced just now, said with a smile:
“50 Suburi won’t break a person’s arm.”
After speaking, Okita immediately resumed his serious demeanor and strode towards another apprentice.
The apprentice being approached by Okita watched his face get closer and closer, and his body trembled slightly uncontrollably…
…
Okita guided Suzuki and Others one by one in this manner.
Without exception, everyone was sternly trained by Okita for over 10 minutes, and then asked by Okita to complete exercises that made their scalp tingle just by hearing the content.
After being guided so mercilessly by Okita, everyone now looked as if they had eaten bitter gourd.
Finally, after guiding the group led by Suzuki, Okita strode up to Aoto.
“Tachibana-kun, before Kondo-kyo left, he specifically told me that you only learned a little swordsmanship from your late father and hadn’t received formal swordsmanship training at a dojo.
And when I watched your match with Suzuki-kun just now, I also found that your foundation is indeed a bit shaky.”
“So, today I won’t teach you anything else.
I’ll start by teaching you some of the most basic training movements in swordsmanship.”
“First—is Suburi.”
“What is called Suburi is the training Uehara-kun is currently doing.”
Okita gestured towards Uehara, who was not far away, grimacing and struggling to complete Okita’s “50 stationary Suburi” training task.
“Suburi looks very simple, seemingly just swinging a sword at the air in front of you.
But there are many crucial points to pay attention to, otherwise, your swordsmanship will not only fail to improve but will also ruin your wrist.”
“You watch me demonstrate it first.”
With that, Okita stepped back two paces and then raised the bamboo sword in his hand.
Hearing Okita say he was going to demonstrate in person, Aoto quickly widened his eyes and watched intently.
The moment he assumed his stance, Okita took a deep breath, letting out a clear Kiai as he executed a clean slash at the air in front of him.
Whoosh—!
The sharp sound of air being cut made Aoto feel as if his eardrums were about to be sliced.
Clean and precise, without any superfluous movements, full of momentum and power.
Due to his limited swordsmanship skill, Aoto couldn’t discern how high Okita’s Suburi level was just now, but he could tell that it was many times higher than Uehara, who was practicing Suburi not far away.
The difference between the two was roughly like the difference between a child’s scribble and the Mona Lisa.
“The sword isn’t swung downwards, but forwards.
When you swing the sword, you must use your maximum strength, only then will it have a training effect…”
Okita explained the key points of Suburi to Aoto one by one.
At the end of his explanation, he held the sword in his right hand and placed his left hand on his hip.
“You probably won’t remember it just from me talking.
Tachibana-kun, try doing Suburi once now.
I’ll help you correct your movements bit by bit.”
“Yes!”
Aoto took a deep breath, then imitated Okita’s movements from earlier, spreading his feet and raising the bamboo sword.
Just as Aoto raised the bamboo sword, he suddenly saw Suzuki and Others not far away looking at him with expressions of schadenfreude.
After carefully observing the “watching a good show” expressions of Suzuki and Others out of the corner of his eye, a hint of helplessness appeared on Aoto’s face.
He was all too familiar with such a sight.
People, after experiencing misfortune, often look forward to seeing Others suffer the same fate.
For example, in a certain exam, when you perform terribly, you’ll look forward to seeing Others… especially your friends’ scores also being terrible, which gives you a strange, inexplicable sense of secret pleasure.
In his previous life, when he studied free combat and other unarmed fighting techniques outside of school, after being beaten by the coach, Aoto would also eagerly look forward to seeing his other companions get beaten as well.
—How realistic…
After silently complaining in his heart, Aoto withdrew his gaze and concentrated his mind.
—Towards the front… unleash the most powerful slash…
Within the talent list, “Sword Genius” glowed with golden light!
That “high-speed camera” was set up in Aoto’s mind once again.
This time, what was playing on the camera were the scenes of Okita demonstrating Suburi just now.
Aoto slowly raised his sword.
Then, imitating the scene playing in the “high-speed camera,” he powerfully swung the sword in his hand!
Whoosh!
The bamboo sword slashed down.
Okita, who had been meticulously observing Aoto’s movements, now had a look of surprise in his eyes, and his expression involuntarily froze slightly.
And Suzuki and Others, who had been secretly watching Aoto’s practice with the mindset of watching a good show, all widened their eyes, looking at Aoto with incredulity. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“…Tachibana-kun.” Okita asked in a probing tone, “Did you… truly only learn a little swordsmanship from your late father and never receive formal swordsmanship training?”
“No.” Aoto shook his head, “That was my first time formally practicing Suburi.
My late father never taught me how to correctly perform Suburi.”
“…Your left wrist was a bit twisted outwards just now, and your right wrist was a bit twisted inwards.” After scrutinizing Aoto up and down with astonished eyes, Okita leaned closer and slightly adjusted the positions of Aoto’s two wrists, “Only this way will you not injure your wrists during practice.”
“I’ll tell you a small secret to avoid twisting your wrists outwards or inwards easily when doing Suburi.”
“Imagine your two hands are wringing a towel.
From raising the sword to swinging it, both hands must maintain a motion as if wringing a towel.”
“I don’t know if you can understand this little secret I just mentioned; it’s very difficult to describe with concrete language.”
“Now, try Suburi again.
This time, remember not to twist your wrists outwards or inwards.”
“Okay.” Aoto nodded, then readjusted his stance.
—Wringing a towel, huh… Is it… like this…?
Whoosh!
Aoto once again slashed at the air in front of him.
Watching Aoto’s second slash, a much more intense look of surprise than before emerged on Okita’s cheeks.
“Hmm…” Okita scrutinized Aoto, deep in thought.
His mouth opened and closed several times, as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
Finally, he let out a silent gasp of admiration.
“Good… that strike just now was excellent.
The movement was very standard.
Maintain that movement.”
“Now, we move on to the next stage of practice—from now on, you will stand here and focus on practicing Suburi until your arms are exhausted.
I want to see what your current limit is.”
“Yes.”
After responding loudly, Aoto readjusted his stance.
And at this moment—Aoto suddenly saw Suzuki and Others, all looking at him with a strange gaze… mixed with envy and jealousy.
Because they were all focusing their attention on Aoto, their practice had slowed down.
Okita also noticed at this point that Suzuki and Others were not concentrating on their practice.
“What are you all looking at!” Okita said displeased, “Aren’t you going to focus on your practice?
Be careful, or I’ll double your training volume for today!”
As soon as Okita’s words fell, Suzuki and Others quickly redirected their attention and continued to focus on their respective practices.
However, a very few individuals continued to secretly watch Aoto with strange eyes.
Observing this scene, Aoto couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
He could understand why Suzuki and Others were looking at him like that.
The same teacher, one person was sternly trained for over ten minutes, while another was only lectured briefly before receiving the teacher’s praise—such a “child from another family” indeed makes one’s feelings extremely complex.
—Sorry about that.
Aoto thought to himself.
—Being exceptionally talented allows one to do as they please
Japanese History Classroom Begins!
If anyone tells you that they easily swung a hundred, or several hundred, times the first time they practiced Suburi, don’t doubt it: either they are bragging, or their Suburi practice is not standard at all, and they are just swinging a bamboo sword aimlessly.
For the most standard Suburi, both body and mind must be taut, and your entire being must be focused on the sword swing.
If you’re practicing while thinking about what to eat for dinner, that’s not Suburi…
*********
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