Morning sunlight filtered through the windows of the Kensei dojo.
Dust drifted lazily through the air.
The dojo was silent.
Only the soft creaking of old wooden beams could be heard.
Ryuu stood in the center of the training hall.
In his hands rested the same wooden practice sword.
His eyes, however, were fixed on the worn notebook lying on the floor beside him.
The first page contained only a single sentence.
«"A swordsman who seeks strength before mastering the basics will never become a true master."»
Turning the page, Ryuu found another passage.
«The sword has no shortcuts.»
«Talent fades.»
«Power decays.»
«Only discipline remains.»
Beneath the words was a simple training routine.
No powerful techniques.
No secret clan arts.
No chakra exercises.
Only the fundamentals.
One thousand downward swings.
One thousand horizontal swings.
One thousand thrusts.
One thousand steps.
One thousand breaths.
Ryuu blinked.
"...Five thousand repetitions?"
Even with the body of an adult, it would have been exhausting.
With the body of a three-year-old...
It sounded impossible.
For a moment, he wondered if the notebook was joking.
Then he noticed a line written in much smaller handwriting.
«Do not chase the numbers.»
«Master one swing.»
Ryuu smiled faintly.
"So that's what you meant..."
Closing the notebook, he picked up the wooden sword.
"If I can't do one thousand..."
"I'll do one."
He took a deep breath.
Raised the sword above his head.
And swung.
Swish.
The movement was awkward.
His footing shifted too much.
His wrists were stiff.
He lowered the sword.
Adjusted his stance.
Raised it again.
Swish.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Hours passed.
The number of swings was small.
But each one was slightly better than the last.
...
That evening...
His mother returned home carrying a basket of groceries.
As she walked past the dojo, she paused.
Inside...
A tiny figure continued swinging a wooden sword.
Again.
Again.
Again.
His breathing had become uneven.
Sweat soaked his clothes.
His small arms trembled with every movement.
Yet he refused to stop.
She quietly watched from the doorway.
A mixture of surprise and sadness filled her eyes.
"So..."
"You found it."
She didn't enter.
She didn't interrupt.
Instead, she silently turned away.
Some paths...
Had to be walked alone.
...
Days became weeks.
The routine never changed.
Every morning after breakfast...
Ryuu entered the dojo.
He read a few pages of the notebook.
Then he trained.
Swing.
Correct.
Swing again.
If his posture was wrong...
He started over.
If his balance faltered...
He started over.
There were no shortcuts.
Only repetition.
Slowly...
The notebook revealed more than exercises.
It taught principles.
«"A sword is guided by the feet."»
«"The eyes deceive. The body remembers."»
«"Do not strike with anger."»
«"Do not defend with fear."»
«"Victory begins before the sword leaves its sheath."»
Ryuu copied every sentence into his memory.
Unlike techniques...
Principles never became obsolete.
...
One rainy afternoon...
As thunder echoed outside, Ryuu practiced alone.
His clothes were damp from the humidity.
His hands were covered in blisters.
One finally burst.
A sharp sting spread across his palm.
Blood stained the wooden handle.
He frowned.
His first instinct was to stop.
Then...
A memory surfaced.
His previous life.
Every time something became difficult...
He had found an excuse to quit.
"I'll do it tomorrow."
"I'm too tired."
"I don't have enough time."
Countless excuses.
Countless unfinished dreams.
Ryuu looked down at the blister.
Then tightened his grip.
"...Not this time."
He resumed his training.
Swing.
Swing.
Swing.
Outside the dojo...
His mother stood silently beneath the eaves, watching through the open doorway.
She saw the blood.
She saw his trembling arms.
Most of all...
She saw the determination in his eyes.
Tears quietly gathered in her own.
"You truly are your father's son..."
She whispered.
For the first time in years...
Hope stirred within her heart.
Not because Ryuu was talented.
Not because he was special.
But because...
He never stopped getting back up.
...
Late that night...
The rain finally ceased.
Ryuu carefully returned the wooden sword to its rack.
As he reached for the notebook, a folded piece of paper slipped from between its pages.
He frowned.
"I don't remember seeing this before."
Opening it carefully...
He found a hand-drawn map of the Kensei estate.
Most of it was familiar.
The dojo.
The gardens.
The living quarters.
But one location was different.
Beneath the dojo...
A passage had been marked in red ink.
Beside it were three words.
«"For the worthy."»
Ryuu's eyes narrowed.
"There... is something beneath the dojo?"
He looked toward the old wooden floor.
The silent building suddenly felt much larger than before.
Somewhere below his feet...
A secret that had remained hidden for decades awaited its rightful heir.
End of Chapter 4