Another of Ogata’s experiments had succeeded.
He had come to the dojo today primarily to perform two tests concerning the system.
The first was to determine whether practicing alone, without defeating or killing an opponent, could grant Experience.
The second was to discover whether repeatedly defeating the same opponent would continue to grant Experience.
Both experiments were now complete, and both had succeeded.
Ogata had already defeated Makino once yesterday.
When he defeated him again today, the system still awarded Experience.
That meant the same opponent could be beaten repeatedly for additional gains.
The two successful results left Ogata in an excellent mood.
He rolled his right shoulder and smiled at Makino.
“All right, Makino. Let’s get some proper exercise today.”
* * *
Ogata fought Makino three times that evening and won all three matches.
From those victories, he gained sixty Personal Experience and sixty Sakakibara Ittō-ryū Experience.
Current Personal Level: LV 8 (110/700).
Sakakibara Ittō-ryū Level: Rank 4 (90/700).
Ogata wanted a fourth match, but after three consecutive bouts, Makino no longer possessed the strength or energy to continue.
When Makino said as much, Ogata had no choice but to abandon the idea.
Their teacher, Sakakibara Hanbei, had not come to the dojo to oversee training that day.
This was perfectly normal.
Hanbei did not personally instruct them every day.
Today, for example, he never appeared at all.
From beginning to end, Ogata and the other disciples trained on their own.
Makino could no longer spar, and Ogata was tired as well.
He had already practiced alone for a long time before beginning the three consecutive matches.
Since his body was no longer in ideal condition and he had accomplished the day’s experiments, Ogata ended his training.
He collected his swords, slipped on his waraji, and started home.
* * *
Compared with the previous day, Ogata left the dojo much later.
The sky outside was completely black.
Without a lantern, the road would have been impossible to follow.
The Sakakibara Dojo kept a large supply of lanterns for its disciples.
Anyone could borrow one, provided it was returned afterward.
Ogata carried a lantern in his right hand while resting his left casually upon the swords at his waist.
His stomach growled loudly enough to embarrass him.
“I’m starving…”
He took his hand from his daishō and pressed it lightly against his abdomen.
Before crossing into this world, Xu Yi had lived a life in which he could freely eat meat, eggs, rice, and vegetables.
Having grown accustomed to such food, he naturally found his present existence—thin porridge at every meal—almost unbearable.
Exactly one day had passed since his arrival in this era.
That single day was enough to make him sick of the hardship.
I desperately want something good to eat…
The thought had scarcely appeared before Ogata found it amusing.
Eating something delicious was not difficult at all.
The difficult part was finding the money to pay for it.
His paltry stipend of fifty koku made him afraid to eat anything beyond porridge.
In the end, every problem with his present life came down to one thing: he had no money.
With money, everything else could be solved.
“Money…” Ogata muttered.
“Where can I get more money?”
He could take his time deciding the ultimate direction of his life.
But finding a way to become slightly wealthier and improve his living conditions was a real and immediate problem.
After thinking hard for a while, Ogata concluded that there was only one solution: he needed some form of work on the side.
He might labor for merchants, start a small business, or find some other occupation for his free hours.
While Ogata was worrying about money, a strange sound reached him from farther along the road.
He frowned, quickened his pace, and hurried toward it.
Four middle-aged men dressed like farmers stood ahead.
The stench of alcohol rolled from their bodies so strongly that Ogata could smell it from a considerable distance.
They had surrounded an attractive woman and were directing vulgar remarks at her.
The woman held her shoulders and hands tightly against her chest, staring in terror at the four men as they laughed lewdly and continued their obscene taunts.
Every so often, one of the drunkards reached toward her.
Each movement made her entire body tremble.
One glance was enough for Ogata to understand what was happening.
The four men had clearly drunk until they lost all judgment and were molesting a respectable woman in the street.
This was an isolated area with few passersby.
It cannot be helped…
Ogata rested a hand on the swords at his waist and walked toward the four drunkards.
“You there! Leave this place at once!”
His command immediately drew the attention of all four men—and the woman as well.
The instant she saw someone approaching, hope and excitement blazed in her eyes.
“Samurai-sama, please save me!” she cried.
Instead of obeying Ogata’s order, one of the drunkards slurred, “What business is it of yours? Get lost!”
Ogata shifted the lantern in his right hand slightly to the left, casting its light across the two swords at his hip.
“Do you see these?” he asked calmly.
“Leave now. Otherwise, I may have to teach you a painful lesson.”
He expected the sight of a samurai’s swords to frighten the men into retreating.
Instead, they answered with even greater arrogance.
“So what if you’re a samurai? I’m not even afraid of the shogun! Why would I fear you?”
“That’s right!”
“Get out of here, or we’ll teach you a lesson!”
Ogata listened silently to their wild boasting, then sighed helplessly.
Alcohol really does lend courage to cowards…
Had they been sober, the four burly men would surely have fled the moment they saw the daishō at his waist.
In the Edo period, ordinary farmers did not dare oppose members of the ruling samurai class, who possessed the privilege of bearing surnames and wearing swords.
The problem was that these four were far from sober.
Instead of running as they should have, they continued making reckless threats.
Since words would no longer persuade them to leave, Ogata silently transferred the lantern to his left hand.
With his freed right hand, he slowly drew the uchigatana from his left hip.
Its blade reflected a dazzling gleam in the lantern light.
Ogata assumed chūdan-no-kamae and aimed the point at the four drunkards, who still had not recovered their senses even after seeing naked steel.
I never imagined that on my second day in the Edo period, I would already be using a real sword…
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