Chapter 7 #2
Ryuichi wasn’t afraid of power.
Not any longer.
This was his destiny. And as long as he lived, he would wield it for good.
He might share the blood of his father, but he would never become his father.
I am my mother’s son.
And he would make her proud.
Ryuichi returned to his corner and picked up his sword. “I’m ready when you are, Sensei.”
Once again the tengu moved so fast that Ryuichi couldn’t see it. He cried out in pain.
Katsu angled his wooden sword at Ryuichi’s neck. “I thought you were the son of the Shadow Dragon. How is it that you can’t stop an average tengu from hitting you?”
Average tengu? Seriously?
No other tengu that Ryuichi had ever met moved that fast. It was incredible.
“It would help if I could see you when you move, Sensei.”
“You don’t have to see. You only have to believe and trust yourself.”
That was what Koichi had told him. But that was easier said than done.
Normally, he’d have Masaru bound to him while fighting. Masaru saw things and had reactions that Ryuichi could only dream of possessing.
You can do it too.
Could he? His newfound confidence was actually annoying. Doubt was far more comfortable. He was good at that.
Probably his best skill.
“Ow!” he snapped as Katsu hit him again. “Do you mind?”
“Pay attention!”
Fine. He was paying attention.
“Close your eyes and try, lordling.”
Try . . . how easy he made it sound.
But Ryuichi obeyed. He closed his eyes and let his other senses take over. He became aware of the faint scent of moss carrying through the air. The buzzing sound of bizarre-looking insects that would frighten anyone in the human realm.
Then he felt it. A sudden movement in the energy around him. A release of pressure that let him know Katsu was near.
In his mind, Ryuichi could see the tengu lunge. He was still far faster than any opponent he’d ever fought. But Ryuichi was prepared for his lightning-fast attacks.
He parried Katsu’s blade to the side, then turned the blade around and struck Katsu on the shoulder. Instinctively, Ryuichi opened his eyes.
The tengu looked as shocked as he felt.
“I did it! I deflected your sword.”
Katsu scowled at him. “Why do you celebrate? A single point does not a defeated opponent make.”
Well, true.
“But it’s an improvement. Koichi taught me to celebrate even the smallest victories. He says it builds confidence.”
Katsu rolled his eyes. “Confidence comes from achievement. Which this was not. You managed to deflect my sword because I was going slower so you could learn.”
So much for building confidence.
Ryuichi had thought he’d accomplished something impressive.
Katsu saluted him with his sword. “Fear not, botchan. We’ll hold a proper funeral for you.”
Ryuichi groaned. “Great. What an honor.”
The old bird’s features softened. “You’re not hopeless. I’ll make a proper swordsman of you yet and teach you the sacred tengu style. You’ll be the only human to know it.”
“Truly?” Ryuichi felt some of his confidence come back.
Katsu nodded at Ryuichi.
“You’re sure?”
“I am.”
“Like, really? Honestly?”
Ryuichi couldn’t quite swear to it, but it looked as if the bird might actually be smiling at him.
“Honestly, my lord.”
Ryuichi let out a gleeful shout.
Katsu cleared his throat and returned to being stern. “Now focus. We must make use of every second we have. There’s no time to waste. Take your position.”
For the next two hours, they continued to spar with their swords. Back and forth, with Ryuichi on the receiving end of much humbling pain. Their workout was grueling and exhausting. Unlike when Koichi trained him, there were no breaks.
Worse?
Koichi showed up and joined in on the abuse. At first, he stood on the outskirts of the courtyard, watching with his arms crossed and a look of disapproval on his face. Then he seemed almost amused by Katsu’s unforgiving training style.
“Battle doesn’t stop because you’re tired!” the tengu shouted. “Do you think for one moment your enemies will give you time to rest? I’m not training you to plant a field. This is war, and it has no mercy.”
Ryuichi was definitely learning that.
Soon Ryuichi was sparring in front of a full audience. Keiko, Masaru, and his shadow all wandered over to watch him stumble, sweat, and bleed.
And then came their chatter, which was an unhelpful distraction.
“Did you have a good sleep?” Keiko asked Masaru, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her “precious boy” was being trounced by Katsu and Koichi.
“I did. And you?”
“Wonderful, all things considered.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Ryuichi saw Masaru raise his hands, producing a bowl of rice and chopsticks out of nothing but his desire. He held it toward Keiko. “Breakfast?”
“Thank you,” she said, and sat down on the ground to eat.
Ryuichi-kage looked on as Masaru made another bowl, peering over his shoulder with interest.
“And what do you want?” Masaru asked.
“Shadows get hungry too.”
Masaru sighed. “Fine.” He handed the bowl off before magically summoning a third.
Ryuichi lowered his sword as his stomach growled. “Can we take a break so I can eat too?” he asked both sensei.
Katsu reluctantly agreed. “By all means, eat.”
The sarcasm in his tone was as thick as Ryuichi’s skull.
“It’s fine. I can continue training.”
Koichi clapped him on the back. “Get some food. Five minutes won’t matter.”
Masaru held out another bowl and a set of chopsticks. “Here you go.”
Ryuichi set his sword down and went to join the others for breakfast.
Katsu sheathed his sword.
“You should have kept training.” Ryuichi-kage sighed heavily, then looked at Masaru. “He’ll never survive. What’s going to happen to me when he gets himself killed?”
Leave it to his shadow to show such concern.
Masaru ignored the shadow’s question. “I thought you trained him, Koichi?”
Koichi smirked at Masaru. “Thought you were supposed to be helping the brat fight.”
“I can’t always hitch a ride in his body. Sometimes he’ll have to fight without me.” Masaru jutted his chin at the tengu. “Besides, I don’t want to interfere with Sensei Katsu’s lessons.”
Koichi snorted. “Because you know you’d lose.”
“I refuse to acknowledge your lack of faith in my abilities.”
“Because you know you’d lose.”
“I know no such thing.” Masaru stretched out his legs as they continued to eat.
Once they were finished, Ryuichi returned to practice.
Over and over again, he thrust and parried, fell to the ground, and was tossed around by both Koichi and Katsu. By the time the training session ended, even Katsu was exhausted.
He saluted Ryuichi, who could barely raise his arms. “Very good. I admire your stamina, boy. Never have I met a student so . . .”
“Stubborn,” Koichi called.
Katsu glared at him. “Determined.”
He bowed to Ryuichi, who returned the gesture.
“Finally. You two were way too hard on him!” Keiko brought a gourd of water for Ryuichi.
Ryuichi sat down to drink. He watched as Katsu ruffled his feathers and then vanished, reminding him that the old bird held no real loyalty to him.
Unlike the friends who were with Ryuichi right now.
In spite of his aching body, Ryuichi pushed himself up. Koichi handed him a bowl of roasted chicken and rice. “Here. You’ve earned this.”
Indeed, and he was starving. Ryuichi took the chopsticks from Koichi and started shoving food into his mouth while the others talked among themselves.
As he ate, his mind suddenly filled with dark, foreboding thoughts. Doubt about his abilities and this feeling of futility, like all this training was for nothing. But he knew dwelling on this would lead to nothing but his own downfall.
He needed to be fearless.
Only those crazy enough to believe they could change the world actually found a way to do so.
And should death come for him, better it find him putting everything on the line to achieve his mission than hiding from his responsibilities.
Masaru stood up as a crow flew over their heads, heading toward the main fortress.
Scowling, Keiko watched it too. “Is that a messenger?”
Masaru nodded. “I’m sure it’s what Lord Hayasaka has been waiting for.”
Koichi let out a long, tired sigh. “I hate war.”
“We all hate it.” Ryuichi turned toward Ryuichi-kage.
“And it’s coming as fast as a heartbeat,” his shadow said.
Without warning, a brisk wind whipped through the courtyard and a spiral of black mist formed next to Ryuichi. When it lifted, Haruki appeared, her bone-white hair flowing behind her. The rest of the group rose to their feet, waiting for whatever dismal thing she was surely about to say.
“The World Eater is coming,” she said, her voice as sharp as broken glass. “Soon all of you will die.”