Samurai High School
Studies can only take you so far in life, what is required is experience, no true samurai would trust his life with a rookie by his side. My Sensei taught me a lot of things; the most useful is the mastery of two swords. Out of all the pupils Sensei taught; I was the only one to master it; I could defend myself from Sensei's attacks longer than any of the other students who mastered one sword.
When I was 15 years old I had gotten tired of being paired up with a novice who couldn't defend properly even if his life actually was on the line. So; I decided to leave, and to learn from actual experience rather than just what was spoken about and what we read in the scrolls. I told my Sensei that I wished to leave to gain experience; only to be hit over the head with his stick. The act caught me by surprise; but I was quick to go into a defensive stance.
"Kyuzo, why do you want to leave when you are still learning the way of Bushido?" Sensei asked me.
"Experience cannot be gain in books and scrolls," I replied simply, though my head was aching at the hit he gave me; I was determined not to let that confuse me.
"Leave now and you won't be able to deflect blasts from guns; nor would you be able to free yourself when you're tied up,"
"I'll learn…………." Sensei never allowed me to finish.
"From where? In due time there will be a war on our hands, if you were captured…………."
"I'll perform seppuku," I told him, knowing that even in the hands of the enemy I would perform such a task; my honour would be at stake if I did not.
That was the wrong answer; once more Sensei hit me over the head with his stick. Now my head was throbbing; but I stayed focus, even if I was dazed for a moment or two.
"Suicide! A coward's way out?" Sensei seemed shocked at my answer; not to mention angry.
"And what would you do?" I inquired; knowing I could incur the wrath of Sensei's stick; but I had to know.
"What's this?" Now Sensei seemed surprised at my question; as if I should know better; "Kyuzo, I thought you knew enough about me if you were going to leave from here," He scolded me.
Then I realised why I had to stay; one day this man in front of me may become my enemy; and I knew nothing of his weakness', but he knew all of mine.
I stayed on; learning everything I could from him, I perfected my skills by training with him; and in later life I would be known as a Master Swordsman. However, when the Great War came and went, samurai were no longer trying to perfect there skills; in fact most of them were trying to survive anyway they could. But in doing that; they were no longer a challenge to me.
It makes me wonder what my Sensei would say once he found out I was protecting peasants from the Nobuseri; in payment of rice. More than likely he'd be delighted; he always did like the fight to be uneven; which made the better even greater.
I suppose I owe Sensei on that day; if I had left, I wouldn't be who I am today, I probably wouldn't even be alive.
Maybe this battle will be interesting………………………..