Sailing at Sea: The Breath of the Day at the Start

Page 20

How could anyone not be suspicious of a boy who looked even younger than Kuina carrying Raikiri, one of the twenty-one Great Swords that had been lost for hundreds of years?

Kuina gripped the hilt with both hands, looking at his posture as he held the sword, and asked, "Is this your first time using a bamboo sword?"

"Yes, I've held a knife a few times, but this is my first time using a bamboo sword."

Ron said.

Guina didn't say anything more after hearing this. She stared at Ron, her eyes gradually sharpening.

"bring it on!"

Ron didn't hold back either, and with a stomp of his foot, he rushed towards Guina at an extremely fast speed.

"So fast!"

Kuina and Koushirou were both startled.

Ron rushed in front of Guina, his bamboo sword arcing as it slashed down towards her head.

Snapped!

Although Kuina managed to raise her bamboo sword in time to block the attack, her palm went numb, and she involuntarily took two steps back.

"Such immense force!"

Kuina was shocked.

Koushirou's eyes widened as well.

He saw far more than Guina did.

"The footwork, stance, and sword grip and swing are all devoid of any skill, relying solely on pure speed and power... How could it reach such a level?!"

What kind of training did this child undergo to achieve such a physique?!

Before Kuina could even regain her footing, another attack came.

Snapped!

The bamboo sword in Kuina's hand was knocked away.

"With just two strikes, I... lost?"

She slumped to the ground, utterly dejected.

Ron called her several times, but she didn't respond.

She was completely unaware that Ron and Koushirou had entered the inner room together.

I do not know how long it has been.

A hand landed on her shoulder, and at the same time, Koushirou's gentle voice rang in her ear.

"Kuina."

A light gradually appeared in Guina's eyes.

“Father…Father…”

In an instant, tears gushed from her eyes.

"Why? Why can't I get stronger even though I practice swordsmanship so hard?"

"Kuina, you are strong enough now. Some adults can't even compare to you in swordsmanship."

Kuina buried her face in her knees and cried:

"But I still lost. I couldn't even withstand two of his sword strikes. This is not the strength I wanted! What... what's the point of all my hard work and training?!"

Koushirou placed his hand on the top of her head and said seriously:

"Kuina, you are already very strong, I can assure you of that! All your training so far has been worthwhile and useful, it has not been in vain!"

"But I still lost."

“Because of your opponent, Ron… he’s an exception.” Koushirou’s tone carried a strange undertone: “His strength is not on the same level as yours right now.”

Kuina, her eyes red from crying, looked up at him.

"Not on the same level?"

Koushirou nodded to her with a serious expression and said, "Not bad."

"After fighting him, I could clearly feel his strength. If you are a 10, then he is a 50! Under his attacks, even I have to take it a little more seriously."

Guina's eyes widened in disbelief.

She was well aware of her father's power.

And that dark-haired boy named Ron... actually managed to make my father take things seriously?!

"So losing to him is by no means a shameful thing. On the contrary, you were already very impressive to be able to block his first sword strike."

Koshiro patted Kuina on the shoulder and said.

"Father……"

“I have decided to keep him in the Dao Coffin, and I will personally teach him swordsmanship. He will become even stronger in the future.”

Koushirou stood up.

“Take him as a goal to overcome, Kuina.”

In that case, you'll definitely become stronger.

After hearing Koushirou's words, Kuina wiped her eyes, her gaze gradually hardening.

"Father, I understand. I must defeat him to become the strongest swordsman in the world!"

"Where is he now? I'm going to challenge him again!"

Kuina's eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

She had never felt this way before.

"Guina, it's very late today. I've let Ron sleep in the warehouse. You can challenge him again tomorrow."

Koushirou smiled bitterly.

…………

The next morning, just as dawn broke.

Kuina then took two bamboo swords and opened the warehouse door with a snap.

"Ron, I challenge you!"

The warehouse was empty, with blankets neatly folded inside.

"What about people?"

Kuina searched the gym for a while and finally heard a sound. She found Ron doing three-finger push-ups in the woods behind the gym.

"Three hundred and forty-three, three hundred and forty-four, three hundred and forty-five..."

In the snow, a shirtless, black-haired boy was drenched in sweat, his body emitting large amounts of white steam, and the snow around him melted into water from the heat he radiated.

"Hey."

Guina called out to him.

Ron heard the sound, turned his head to look, then looked away and continued his workout.

"Don't make a sudden sound, it startles people."

You didn't seem scared at all...

Kuina couldn't help but think.

After watching Ron exercise for a while, she couldn't help but ask:

"How long have you been here?"

"You just arrived last night, don't you remember?"

"No! I'm asking how long you've been training here?"

"Oh, you're asking that."

Ron, who had stopped doing push-ups, sat on the ground. After thinking for a moment upon hearing this, he looked at her and said:

"It's been about two hours."

13. Getting Stronger Together: Days at the Dojo (3/5)

There was a snap.

The bamboo sword in Kuina's hand fell to the ground.

She stared blankly at the black-haired boy sitting in the snow, shirtless, with slightly bulging muscles and very defined lines.

At this moment, Kuina seemed to understand why he looked younger than her but was so strong.

Ron looked at Guina with a face full of confusion.

"Is there something you need from me?"