"You and your sister should really reconsider. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for you to raise your status and bring value to society." Uchiyama-shisho appealed. "Haaa...opening a stall...you should know that merchants are nothing but parasites, they bring no value to our society, only profiting off the labor of others."

"Actually, we're making food..." I said.

"It's still a shame." Uchiyama-shisho shook his head. "Are you sure your older sister couldn't come? If all of us sat down for a chat, perhaps I could persuade-"

"She's very busy, but she told me to tell Uchiyama-shisho our answer."

I was at the temple school to train but ran into Uchiyama-shisho. I actually never mentioned the job offer to Azu, I knew she'd accept on my behalf in an instant if I told her. This job offer was the equivalent of becoming a doctor or lawyer in this time period.

Although the offer was appealing, the pay and hours weren't to my satisfaction. City officials do make a decent amount but I would need a couple of years experience before I could even get the position. Even worst, it would be a full-time commitment to the job the moment I started as an assistant teacher here at the school. I would have no time for my training, which was currently my only hobby and my chance to become a superhuman martial artist.

'I can see why Renji is obsessed with sparring. There's almost nothing else to do. No TV, no video games, no internet.'

But I had to admit it was pretty fun sparring and hanging out with Renji and co, even if they were only just kids. It sort of felt like I was reliving my childhood over again.

I wouldn't have any time to enjoy my new life if I took the job. This was sort of my second chance at life and I wanted to enjoy it. I wanted try some new hobbies in the future, to pick up reading again, and to go out and watch plays with Renji and the boys.

Eventually, I also wanted to at least travel around and see the country, maybe take Azu with me, and hopefully see the world and my home country as well. I might even be able to meet my ancestors.

"Both you siblings are still young so perhaps I don't understand, but you should heed my advice and accept the offer." He urged once more. "Otherwise it will be too late to regret it in the future."

"I'm sorry, Uchiyama-shisho." I shook my head.

"No, I'm sorry." He sighed.

I left the classroom, carrying my training sword with me, I almost couldn't hold myself back as power-walked towards the empty courtyard. I had been eagerly waiting for some free time since yesterday.

"Hey, no running in the hallway." An elder monk reprimanded as I turned the corner.

'I wasn't even running.'

"Sorry."

"Whelps these days..." He muttered to himself as I left.

Entering the courtyard, I settled myself underneath the tree and tried to calm myself down as I worked towards entering a meditative state.

'Oops, I forgot.' I opened my eyes again and picked up a small rock from nearby. 'Okay, now I'm ready.'

*Inhale*

*Exhale*

Meditating while focusing on the small rock in my hand. I went through the same process I practiced many times yesterday, the same tingling feeling I got when I was "one with the sword". Holding onto the feeling, I opened my eyes and stood up. Aiming at another tree nearby, I threw the rock.

*Clack*

It hit close to where I was aiming but I wasn't sure, so I tested a couple of times without the "assisted aim" and a few more times with. After a good 30 throws, I felt that I had enough to confirm that becoming "one with the rock" definitely helped with my accuracy.

'If I put some practice into this I think my aim could get very good, and if I was using a bow and arrow instead? Or threw a knife? Wait. I've been trying to use everything as an extension of my body but what about my actual body. The body is an extension of the body? "Achieve harmony with the body?" What would happen? I have to try it.'

I sat down and began to focus. This time not on an external object but on just my right hand instead.

*Inhale*

*Exhale*

As I concentrated, that tingling feeling slowly came into being in my hand. I began to adjust the feeling, slowly holding onto it as it expanded. It felt like my hand was becoming fuller, stronger, like that feeling when you put a glove on. Holding onto the feeling, I went up to the tree and punched out.

*Thud*

The feeling dropped out after the punch so I did a regular punch, I couldn't tell the difference. But I felt that it was stronger.

'If only I had a punching machine.'

I decided to change things up instead. I picked up a rock and then I did the best jump I could before I marked it on the tree to get a baseline. I did another one and marked it to get more data, it was only a couple millimeters off.

Afterwards, I sat down to meditate again, I tried to focus on my right foot this time. When I had the feeling again, I tried to expand it.

*Inhale*

*Exhale*

Slowly the feeling spread up my leg. I lost track of time but it felt like long minutes or even hours as I held, balanced, and spread the feeling up my leg and onto the other leg. Finally when I had it encompassed both legs, I stood up and focused on holding it. Slowly I began a jumping motion.

*Swish*

I wasn't prepared for the airtime I got and landed with a lost of balance and fell to the ground losing my hold of the feeling. But it didn't matter to me, I got up and marked a new line that was a good 15 cms above the other two.

"Hahahahahaha!" I just laid there on the ground laughing.

'It worked!'

It was definitely higher than what I could do normally, roughly a 20% improvement.

I thought about the time Kenjiro moved as a blur. He must have been as fast as a speeding motorcycle.

'All the samurais know...there was also the thin monk ringing the bell now that I think about it. The sumo wrestlers too, I thought they were faking it. Some of them must have also been using aim assist during the archery contest.

It seems to be some sort of open secret among the martial community. Or maybe it's the spiritual community?' I thought.

Motivation surged into me and I sat up.

'This is only the beginning.'

~!~

When I arrived back home, Azu and Teru had already settled the paperwork for the stall. They rented the stall for 6 months because that was the minimum in order to get a discount, and we were only allowed to sell anything food related.

"You'll be allowed to peddle as well." Teru said while rustling my hair again. "Tsk tsk, what a troublemaker, running around without a license."

I could see Azu lowering her head in embarrassment in the background.

"Let's go, I'll treat you to some food." He said. "But don't tell those little rascals next door."

We had some sushi at a food stand. At 8 mon a piece, the sushi pieces were much bigger than I was used to—about triple the size. Tuna was also very cheap, and when I asked about it Teru called it cheap fish. After thinking about it for a bit I realized that it was because of the lack of ice.

'Maybe I can make some ice, I think they used some sort of salt to make ice.'

After the meal, we went off to make deals with shops and some stalls. Teru got us good prices by offering long-term deals and because he had a decent idea of the market prices. We bought a whole bunch of fruits like peaches, apples, tangerines, strawberries, and grapes. I was surprised at how cheap Teru got the peaches for—10 for 24 mon.

We also bought a large assortment of utensils and wares needed for running our stall. Although Azu was reluctant, we convinced her into buying a "new" used robe in order to look more presentable.

Overall, including my deal this morning and all the fees for the stall, we had spent three-quarters of a gold ryo, which was about 3000 mon or about 45 monme of silver. The rest was put away in case of emergencies.

Because of the festival yesterday, I had no classes at the dojo or temple today, so I spent the afternoon helping setup the stall. We couldn't get a spot at the river market but were instead placed on a side-street near the main road leading into the market. It was a little out of the way and much more quiet without the constant buzzing of the market.

After we finished with the stall, we went home.

"Thank you for today Mister Teru." Azu said as we reached our home.

"It's no problem, we're neighbours, we should help each other out when we can." He said. "Just help me keep an eye out for those troublemakers, they're a handful." He thumbed behind him at the orphanage. "Especially the boys." He grinned as he reached out and rustled my hair.

Azu smiled at that.

After we thanked Teru for helping out, we spent the rest of the day cutting up fruits and boiling them, before putting them through a bamboo strainer and adding more water and sugar if necessary.

Since I couldn't compete with the tea shops and the potatoes wouldn't arrive for a couple days, I decided to make different kinds of fruit drinks. We were essentially selling homemade juice.

It was a very long day and I was exhausted by the time I went to bed, but we were on our way to finally freeing ourselves of the debt and taking control of our lives.