"One final thing, go to the forest just east of here later tonight."
While talking the original Sen took back control to continue talking with his family and then he left.
'It's kind of sad thinking about it. This will be his last conversation with them.'
I slowly walked back to my room and plopped down on my bed.
'It's only the first day. I should be allowed to rest for a bit before actually doing something.'
I looked up at my ceiling stretching my hand out.
'Now that I think about it, I should be able to use mana now.'
Little bits of mana came out of my hand floating off into whatever direction.
'It feels so instinctual. It's like I'm just controlling another muscle.'
I was relatively fascinated by this as I kept doing it.
How else would you react to having another controllable muscle?
*****
And just like that I had wasted hours of my life. Most of the time it was trying to figure out the password on my phone.
Though I did eventually get it. It was simply six zeroes in a row.
'Seriously what a stupid password.'
I got up and I eventually decided it was time to listen to Sen.
'This really is such a bother. Though I should listen to the last request of a dead man. I was always a pushover.'
I could only inwardly sigh as I made my way to the forest he was talking about.
'Now, which way is east?'
Eventually, I did make it to the forest or what I think was the forest.
'In the plot, this forest should be part of the border guarding against The Fifth Corruption. A completely corrupted area a prime spot for demons and monsters of all kinds.'
I walked through the forest before a woman appeared before me.
Much like everybody else in this world she was undeniably beautiful. She had long purple hair styled with a traditional kimono. Of course, on her waist sat a katana.
I looked at her for a moment before...
I turned around and walked in the opposite direction.
'None of my business.'
"Where are you going?"
"Huh?"
She appeared before me once again her hand on the tip of the hilt.
"Yesterday you asked me to teach you my sword art. Are you planning to back out now?"
She drew her katana pointing it towards me.
"It also seems that fierceness in your eyes has dwindled."
I simply looked back at her piercing gaze not knowing what to say.
I let out a sigh and said,
"Though I am not that same man. I am here to fulfill his request."
"Well then I shall fulfill mine's too. Before we continue, I'll have to ask you a question."
I looked at her anticipatingly.
"Why do you fight? No good warrior is without desire."
"I don't really know. I guess I was just told to."
"No, that's not a reason that's an excuse. Why do you fight?"
"Huh? I think that a good enough reason."
"Say a mercenary brutally murdered a man and says he did it because he was told to. Is that the real reason he did it?"
"Yeah."
"No, it was his desire for money."
She said so plainly as if it was a matter of fact.
"I see."
I could only inwardly sigh to this utterly bothersome conversation.
"I fight because I want to. I fight simply for my own selfish wish to change myself. I guess I fight for me. I fight for my past, present, and future."
"Acceptable."
The tip of her hilt started enveloping in a white glow.
"I Master Hanako, You Disciple Sen. May my sword forever lay in your memory."
'These words. They're the exact words Koen heard when the sword spirit of Lucavion taught him his art.'
Hanako unsheathed her blade and held it in reverse grip towards the ground.
Her hand was holding onto the end of the hilt.
'In the novel Koen had to put his hand directly under Lucavion's'
I reached out my hand and gripped the part of the hilt under Hanako's hand.
I looked back up at her to see a soft smile on her former cold face.
"Treat me well, Master."
I closed my eyes and awaited what lay ahead of me.
****
A grand field of blossoms, no end in sight. In the middle stood two familiar faces. The sword spirit that called herself Hanako and Sen.
"We're here inside my blade."
Sword Spirits are created by Sword Masters continuously using their unique Sword Intent on their blade.
I looked around at this never-ending field of blossoms and then I looked back at my new-found master.
And then I plopped down on the floor.
"What are you doing?"
"Resting."
'I'm tired, I want to go to bed.'
"Get up."
'Change, change, change.'
I repeated to myself like a mantra.
'I don't want to do this.'
I inwardly sighed and got back up.
"What's next, Master?"
"We begin immediately. Here take this."
She coldly said as she threw me a wooden katana.
"My art is called [The Fragrant Cherry Blossom Art], The core structure of it is using mana to create thousands of little cherry blossom swords."
'Really? Doesn't that seem overly girly, you know?'
She raised her sword gripping it with both hands a couple inches above her head.
Thousands of cherry blossoms followed her blade as it swung forward.
"Step-by-step you'll copy that exact movement."
"Yes, mam."
She said as she lowered her sword.
I nodded and adapted a similar position to hers.
"Use the technique to condense mana in the air into the cherry blossoms"
"Is there a faster way to do this? This seems like an awful amount of work."
"No"
I could only inwardly sigh at her response as I followed her command.
'Why do I even have to learn this stupid art? I have no obligation to do any of this.'
Much as she said thousands of little petals hovered over the tip of my blade and just as fast as they appeared, they dispersed.
"You're condensing it but not controlling it. Try again."
Once again, I raised my blade and condensed the mana into petals.
They stayed for just a bit longer
before they dispersed.
'Thought I had it that time.'
"You seriously have no aptitude for this, huh."
"Can't I just quit while I'm ahead?"
"You're not even ahead."
I raised my sword above my head and once again attempted the art.
I let out a long-exasperated sigh.
'This is gonna take a while.'
***
And it did take a while. It had been 5 hours since that last conversation and Hanako had just been staring at me this entire time.
I've gotten to the point where I can do 2 slashes before the blossoms disperse.
"You're very slowly getting the hang of it. Well, then, that's it."
"Huh? Aren't you going to teach me more?"
"No? Us sword spirits only teach you the very basics."
"Useless."
I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
'I swear in the novel Koen stayed in Lucavion's blade for at least a week.'
She waved me off and just like that I was back in the forest.
"Piece of shit."
Night had long since fallen and I slowly made my way back to the house.
There was a massive wall that I climbed over at the start because I thought it'd be bothersome to ask the guards to open the gate.
I once again sighed as I looked toward the wall.
'Eh what's the worst that happens.'
This time I was too mentally drained to even care so I made my way towards the gate.
The guards looked at me for a moment before recognizing me.
"Come in Young Master."
'Seriously? They aren't even going to question why I'm out here?"
Yet in their eyes, I could see a sense of pity, I wonder why?
I soon found out that why.
As I walked towards the main house, I saw a familiar figure.
My new mother was standing outside the door looking at me with an expression that sent shivers down my spine.
"Where were you?"
She was smiling as she said that, but I doubt she was happy.
Even though she asked me a question I just stared at her blankly.
'What do I even say?'
"Sen? Are you going to answer my question."
"Late night training."
I said blankly.
"We have a training ground."
"I like training in the outdoors, it feels nicer."
"You could have trained in one of our many yards."
"I didn't want to ruin them."
She asked me more questions, but every time I came up with an excuse.
And she eventually let me off the hook.
'Is that what it feels like to rebel? I don't know why so many teenagers do it. It just makes me feel anxious at the end.'