"You have done well and I see that you are beginning to take some of the words to heart."
Right now, Mokichi and Kamijou Touma are both sitting Indian style in a tatami mat as they are quietly drinking their hot tea. It has been two months since the spiky haired boy had started his training in the Way of the Samurai and so far, the results seemed promising enough. Mokichi had a gentle smile as his mind was working overtime since he had already started a plan on what to do in the next two years before Kamijou steps into the high school level. I'll make him work three times so he can progress into a fine wielder of Masamune's two holy swords in no time. Ever since they have started Kamijou's training, the latter is always required to wake up a least before five in the morning to start his daily warm-ups, which even included walking just using his hands. At first, it was very much awkward to the boy, who kept falling in style but sooner, he quickly got accustomed to it and was now performing the exercise with relative ease.
He then added to the boy after taking a sip of his tea, "Your road to become a samurai will be a long and difficult one. As a student of war and life, you will have to face many trials but each of those challenges will make you better as you go along. These precepts cannot be learnt simply by intellect alone. You can only live or apply it in practical terms. I have simply given you an explanation of what the precepts meant for a starter like you and each will manifest itself in one way or another during the long course of your life. You need to be alert when these moments arppear and that you have to rise to the occasion. Do not rush and do not force the timing of these lessons."
"Hai, sensei…" Was the reply of Kamijou as he nodded once.
"Good." The old man then turned serious, "Now, I am going to teach you the principles of Go Rin No Sho and I will also be teaching you Nitojutsu based on the Niten Ichi-ryū style of Kenjutsu."
"Hai, sensei…"
"Go Rin No Sho or The Book of Five Rings is written by our ancestor on the ways of war, tactics and way of life," Mokichi began their session, "It consists of five principles that correspond to the elements of nature. Those elements are wind, water, earth, fire and void."
"Uhm…excuse me sensei but…" Kamijou looked a bit confused at what Mokichi said, "Not that I don't want to sound disrespectful but back in our class, I just remembered that in one of our Power Curriculum Program sessions, it has been taught to us that the Personal Reality…"
"I think I know what you will say but I will address that in the right time," Mokichi raised his hand, signaling his student to stop asking, "Now, as I was saying, the five principles corresponds to the elements of wind, water, earth, fire and void. Now, you know that we, Samurais, have an unsung but interesting relationship with the Shinobi. Why did I mention those guys? Because among the shinobis and the kunoichis, the control of the nature elements of fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water is one of the most important supernatural abilities attributed to them and adding to that, they use Onmyōdō to manipulate the natural elements."
"If I may ask, what do you mean as "supernatural abilities"? I thought only majority of them is found among Espers?" Kamijou inquired.
"Entirely false." Mokichi replied sternly, "In fact, that right hand of yours is one example of a non-esper ability and I believe that the elemental beasts in your hand is from a purest source of vital energy but we'll get to that on our next step of training. Going back to shinobi powers, it is said that shinobis uses a variety of techniques including the bunshin (splitting bodies), the fire techniques, and the kuchiyose-no-jutsu (animal summoning techniques). From the best of my knowledge, the samurais, especially those who were highly trained, can actually perform similar techniques. If you ask if I can perform those techniques, all I can say is that it's a trademark secret, for now. But in terms of natural elements, the Samurai had a slightly altered version of the five elements.
"And that is?"
"I mentioned that the elements are wind, water, earth, fire and void," Mokichi explains, "The lightning element which is found in the way of the shinobi is actually a sub-element in the true elemental wheel which we follow. These elements can be used as parallels of the human nature. Some people are free-spirited just like the wind and they cannot be restricted or controlled. Instead, they can only be guided. Others are as tranquil and calm as the water for they are gentle and changes to conform to the boundaries which contain it, seeking the most efficient and productive path. Others are stubborn and unmoving as the earth for they are not easily swayed and are very stubborn and resistant to change. While some people are volatile and passionate as fire, there desires are great and it burns within them. A precious few people are as empty as Void. They are still and empty, yet they exude a fullness of life that is hard to explain. In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness."
Kamijou was completely engrossed with his sensei's words. I don't know though if Komoe-sensei can relate to him.
"However, life is a large wheel and thus, the wind calms down, the water is muddied, the earth crumbles, the fire is quelled, but void remains the same." The old man preached as he strokes his gray beard, "The same can be said for war and life. Nations rise and at the same time, nations fall. The weak become strong and in return, the strong become weak. In order to truly understand and to truly master the way of war and life, you must understand the elements of life and how to wisely wield their principles in battle. You have to know when to be unpredictable as the wind, flexible as water, tenacious as the earth, fervent as fire and as empty as void. But know that these states will fade for nothing lasts forever in war and in life."
Kamijou listened intently as his master spoke.
"The first discipline is the discipline of Earth and we shall be studying this discipline until you have understood the concepts fully. The Earth is impregnable and strong. Bury these teachings in every cell of your body and make these teachings within you as unmoving as the earth. So listen well young one…"
Mokichi pulled out what looks like a cup of leaves and presented it before Kamijou.
"Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things. Know every object as if it were a straight road mapped out on the ground. These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of Strategy, there will not be one thing you cannot see so you must study hard."
"Well…than should we just learn the most important things, Mokichi-sensei?" Kamijou replied, feeling that he had unveiled the answer, "All that matters is the result anyway. The small stuff doesn't really count in the long run."
"Unfortunately for you, young one, the smallest of the stuff actually counts," Mokichi chided him, "Think about this young one. The cedar tree is one of the mightiest plants here in Japan but even then, it still grows from a small seed. Even you know that."
"Eh…but what does that have to do with knowledge and strategy?"
"Oftentimes, the smallest details separate the victor and the dead in battle. The mighty cedar would not be what it is without the tiny seed." Mokichi emphasized, "The same can be said of a battle. The losing party probably did not take into consideration the location of the battle and weather. They may have overestimated themselves or underestimated their enemies and paid the price in defeat. Always remember that the greatest complexity at its root is utterly simple."
"Hai, sensei…" Kamijou replied, not entirely convinced by his mentor's words.
"Hmmm. I have said what I needed to say. Now, let's take a short walk for a now so follow me." Mokichi then stood up and grabbed his bamboo flute before he began walking out of the store, with Kamijou silently followed. As the two made their way through the sparsely populated streets, the people couldn't help but be awed by the young boy following silently behind the old man with his bamboo flute. Unfortunately, some sneered and made rude comments. One guy who looked like he was a member of Skill-Out, particularly rude comment which elicited a reaction from the boy, which resulted in him getting smacked on his head by the old man.
"Aww! What was that for, sensei?!" His ire rose even further as some the people near them started to laugh at him.
"You became distracted by your thoughts of anger, Kamijou-kun." Mokichi calmly explained to him, "Keep focused, young one. Those who easily give in to their emotions are the easiest to control and the first to die. Don't become a slave to your anger, young one. Learn to control yourself. That gangster is just a reflection of your own anger."
"I didn't do anything!" Kamijou retorted, "He started it…"
"No, you didn't. You did…"
"That's total bullshit! I…" But before Kamijou can complete his sentence, the old man proceeded to punch his head and quickly, the spiky haired boy calmed down. By now, most of the onlookers were a bit curious at the scene they are watching. The Skill-Out, who three the rude comment at Kamijou, then tried to sneak up and sucker punch the old man but the moment he tried to release his fist, Mokichi caught the incoming fist and before the stunned gangster saw it coming, the old samurai proceeded to flip and temporarily locking down the younger hoodlum in a headlock.
"What a coward. You don't know who you are dealing with," Mokichi whispered calmly, "I'm letting you go but try your stupid attack again and I would be forced to break your knees…"
"As if you could do that old man…" The Skill-Out hissed.
Mokichi said nothing as he then let's go of the young delinquent. At first, the old samurai and his student thought that it was simply over as the two continued to walk on the streets. Then, wishing to get back at Mokichi for embarrassing him, the Skill Out delinquent then tried to again punch the old man behind his back but like a radar sensing danger, Mokichi spun around quickly and caught the incoming fists before locking him, this time in a Boston Crab-style lock. Suddenly, Kamijou heard a loud pop out of nowhere.
"Uhm…what was that?"
"It's nothing. It's just the sound of this man's ligaments tearing up," Mokichi replied, much to the shock of both his student and the bystanders, who decided to leave immediately as they don't want to do anything the Skill-Out, who was clutching his destroyed knees as he was crying out in pain.
"Sensei, why do you have to destroy his knees, though? Just knocking him down would have been fine…" Kamijou looked back at the incapacitated Skill-Out member and felt bad for leaving him there laying on the streets.
"What I say, I do," Mokichi replied, "If you're promising something, then back it up for that's the way of the warrior. By the way, let's have a little talk before we head out to a mini-forest outside of Academy City. Before that hoodlum even tried but failed to take me down, do you even know where he is? Who was he?"
"Well…no…"
"Exactly." Mokichi's voice turned serious, "By reacting the way you did, you fueled the fire of hatred and made a man you don't even know into an enemy. You anger would have then turned to rage and at that point, violence is just around the corner. Do you see now? He is just a mirror reflecting your own anger at you."
"But sensei, I didn't do anything," Kamijou reacted with sheer curiosity, "How did I make that man react the way he did?"
The pair was nearing one of Academy City's checkpoints before going out.
"Above all else, man is a part on Mother Nature despite how far away we are moving away from her. All creatures in nature have an innate ability to sense danger and malicious intent similar emotions. These are all subtle vibrations or energies that only the most sensitive are consciously aware of. However, the presence of these energies are unconsciously felt and acted upon," Mokichi explained, "Your intent was lash out and defend yourself—in other words, to fight back. He sensed it and reacted accordingly. Do you know what he reacted to?"
"No…"
By this time, they made their way out of the busy streets and the old man was fishing out his exit pass to present to the Anti-Skill guards stationed in the checkpoint.
"Your fear, young one, is what he reacted to."
"My fear?" Kamijou's eyes widened at the statement of his master.
"Yes, he sensed your fear. Always remember this young one. In a battle, if you can read your opponents' intent, then they have already won half the fight."
"Why is that?"
"Simple. In knowing your opponent's intent and plans, you can easily predict their actions and react accordingly."
"How do learn to read another person's intent?"
"The key to reading another person's intent is simple observation." Mokichi raises his pointing finger to emphasize his point, "Remember what we spoke about in the beginning? Know the smallest things and the largest?"
The pointy-haired middle school student had the decency to be embarrassed, "…Yeah sensei…"
"The small things add up little by little and eventually turn into a bigger effect."
"I think I get it now." Kamijou spoke up, "It's like the pieces of a puzzle. The whole is the sum of the parts."
"Very good! That's exactly what I'm talking about, my student!" Mokichi sounded proud, "However, just to make sure that you're beginning to understand, I have an assignment for you…"
"Eh? Assignment?" Kamijou looked distraught, "As if missing my assignments at school due to my misfortune is bad enough…"
"Well then, I would give you two assignments as a consequence of your complaining," Mokichi smiled, much to the horror of the spiky haired boy, "You're first assignment is that you are to study everything about all the oriental nations. To make it easier for you, there are variations of what is exactly an oriental state but the important nations that you need to study are Japan, China, India, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Vietnam, and Thailand. You will study their history, economy, political and military structures. Everything to be known about these nations you will learn. Your second assignment is that you read the folklore "The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya." You must make tell me what you have reflected upon reading that story."
"The hell! That's a lot of work, old man!"
"Well, you should begin as soon as possible."
The pair continued to walk until they reached the clearing of the small but thick forest that was located a kilometer away from Academy City's vicinities.
"The better you are able to observe, the more you will be able to see. Nature has a secret to tell and do you think you can discover it?"
"A secret, huh?" Kamijou groaned, "You certainly don't make things easy…"
"Nothing worthwhile in this life is ever easily obtained, my young student…"
The two then stood in front of an old but gigantic cedar tree whose leaves have been housed by a number of birds and squirrels.
"Now, I want you to observe the forest around us using all of your senses." As if on cue, the wind suddenly blew a gentle breeze, passing them by, "Observe everything, Kamijou-kun! Feel the wind on your skin, but do not flinch. Take in the aromas around you but never reject them. Look around with your sights but never blink. Hear the sounds around but do not let your concentration falter. Let nothing escape your senses. Observe with your whole body. When you can do that, then you will never be caught off-guard. We are all subject to the laws of nature and we are a part of nature. No one is exempted from that, even those presumptuous Espers of your generation. Nature contains great wisdom and is always guiding us but alas, in our haste and quest for power, wealth, and other material things, we miss all the messages that She is sending to us. The movement and sounds of the animals in the forest can alert you of the impending presence of the enemy. Wild animals such as foxes and tigers have a finely honed sense of danger for that was their only lifeline against the dangers of their everyday existence. Every day can be their last so they do not waste time like we do on frivolous things. Some call it a sixth sense or instinct but it doesn't matter. What matters is that an animal is always aware of its surroundings and automatically knows when danger is lurking nearby. Learn from them and let them guide you for they will not let you down. This is the first step to your Earth training and as your skill in observation increases, the things you can see will begin to deepen and you would someday appreciate that."
"I see, sensei, but can they really help me in sharpening my senses?"
"Oh yes young one," Mokichi nodded, "There are wonders in this world that our senses cannot perceive. So the power of observation is a key factor in the way of the warrior. You must know your environment like it's the house you go home every day after school. Your life and the lives of the men you may have under your command depend on it. Take in every aspect of the battle field for in times of war, you may not be able to choose the battlefield. However, gaining the sufficient knowledge of the field can effectively help you maneuver yourself or your men and eventually prevail through the manipulation of what's available with you. Always remember that in a battle of fierce and equal strength and quality, one mistake is all it takes to lose your life and those of your men."
For the next two hours, Kamijou Touma stood at the center of the forest and struggled to observe with his whole body. At first, it was a bit difficult for the spiky haired boy for his mind, like his peers of their generation, was a muddled form of random thoughts and images. However, after a while, his mind began to calm down and he began to notice things that were not there before. He noticed the squirrel climbing into a tree while carrying a large nut. He also saw the little plover chirping while perched in a small branch and he also felt the smell of the forest and the feel of the direction of the wind blowing in his hair.
As he was concentrating, Mokichi asked, with his arms crossed. "What direction is the wind blowing?"
"It is blowing from the east…" Kamijou replied.
"What do you smell in the wind and how does the wind feel?"
"I smell the forest, the rotting wood of the oak tree, and the fresh smell of the river." The boy replied, "I also smell smoke in the air coming from Academy City's School District 10 and the body of a rotting animal. The wind feels slightly warm."
"What do you see?"
"There are squirrels crawling and climbing about, birds perched in the trees and monitor lizards running around on the forest floor. There is also a snake coiled up in branch of that large tree over there."
"What do you hear?"
Once again, the boy described what he heard, "I hear the birds chirping, animals rustling in the leaves and the flowing of the river and the nearby waterfall."
Once they were finished, Mokichilooked pleased with their first step in Kamijou's training, "You have an excellent general sensing ability. This means I could make things more difficult for you." He then thought. His heightened senses must be the result of his alleged misfortune, which forced him to look out for potential troubles. In some ways, his right hand is indirectly helping him sharpen his senses. All I need to do is refine those skills. The old man had a dangerous glint in his eyes that made Kamijou gulp.
"H-Hai…sensei but why are you going to make the exercise more difficult?"
"The answer to that question is simple young one." Mokichi had that facial expression that promised boatloads of pain, "In battle, there will come a time when one or all of your senses may be impaired and you need to get accustomed to fighting without the aid of one or more than one of your senses. Battle, just like life, is often unforgiving and you need to be prepared for any possibility. For instance, you might get blind so you'll have to use your ears and touch. Personally, I think this is often the greatest weakness of most, if not all, ESP users, especially the ones who are ranked Level three or higher. They are so heavily focused on their ESP abilities that they neglect the other aspects of their training. When they meet an opponent that could nullify or disable their AIM and eventually, their ability, then they are lost. Not a lot of people know this but the greatest fear of a higher-ranked Esper is the sudden uselessness of their powers."
"Hai Sensei. I understand now."
"Good, now since your basic sensing skills are developed I am going to make things a little more difficult for you in these coming days but for now. Let's go home." Mokichi replied as he motioned at Kamijou to follow him out of the forest. On their way out of the woods, a stray cat suddenly appeared out of nowhere and as the cat tried to scratch the face of the boy, Kamijou immediately was able to catch it airborne instead of letting the animal get into his face (which usually happens in the past).
"Good reflexes, my student." Mokichi praised him as Kamijou then let go of the cat, "By the way, when your school year ends, I will bring you in the isolated prefectures out of Tokyo and you will continue your training there. In fact, I already planned to take you out for a year and homeschool you."
"Hah?! What?!" Kamijou was surprised to hear the sudden decision of his sensei.
"Listen. I plan to homeschool you in one of the remaining samurai villages still active," Mokichi explained, "Normally, that would mean that you would be held back by a year but then, I will ask your Tsukuyomi-san if you can just get a special permit and modules needed for your second year so that I can formally take you under my wing for one whole year. That way, you can still enter your third year middle school education without having to repeat and as far as I know, homeschooling is allowed by the law."
"Okay, I get it but do you think Komoe-sensei will agree to that? She—"
"I'm pretty sure she would agree," Mokichi sounded confident, "By the way, the place where we will go is the place where our ancestor Miyamoto Musashi-sama was born. I happen to have an acquaintance there who hails from a great samurai clan."
"Are they powerful?" Kamijou asked.
"Hohoho. You seemed to not have an idea," Mokichi laughed heartily, "Well, there are ten surviving samurai clans today like the Oda clan, the Sarutobi clan, the Akamatsu clan, and the Date clan from where the great Msamune-sama came from. But among the ten noble Samurai clans still present up to now, the Sarutobi clan is the most feared one and at the same time, they're the strongest of all at their peak in the old times. Their natural prowess in warfare and the fact that they don't just specialize on kenjutsu alone makes them natural warriors. In fact, their famous epithet is "Sarutobi of the Thousand Craft." Currently, they are located in the forested villages of Mimasaka, Okayama Prefecture."
"That sounds nice and all but…" Kamijou blinked, "If you're bringing me there, then does that mean that I have to train with one of the Sarutobis."
"Specifically, you will train with a younger friend of mine in the name of Sarutobi Ashina with his son but your training sessions won't be limited with them alone," Mokichi explained, "The Sōhei (warrior monk) Taro-sama would be helping me in overseeing your training."
"I see, sensei. I will be looking forward to it."
"Achooo!"
"Tou-san, that's quite rare of you to sneeze at the dining table."
In a certain village far from Academy City, a middle-aged man and his son were busy playing shogi when the former suddenly sneezed.
"Don't worry about that, Sasuke…" the bearded man waved it off, "Someone must be talking about our clan's greatness."
"Is that so? By the way, checkmate, tou-san."
"Dammit…"