Chapter 252: The Way Of The Sword
[AN: Bonus Chapter 5/7]
At this point and time, Kana had no idea how much time has pa.s.sed on her world. The water screen she used to contact Dean Williams to give him updates was broken by Sister Tu, who shot an arrow into her hut to wake her up one morning. Unfortunately, it blew up her entire hut, along with all the items she had out at the time. To her, four years have already pa.s.sed, and her training with Sister Tu had finally come to an end. She thought she would get a small break in between, but before she could ask, she was already swept away by Sister Mu.
In front of her at this time was Sister Mu, who was going to instruct her on swords. She paced back and forth without saying a word as she tapped the sword in her hand on her shoulder. After almost thirty minutes of doing this, she finally stopped and looked at Kana and asked: "What is a sword to you?"
Kana thought for a moment before answering. "I would say a sword is a weapon that is used to attack and defend. It can be used for many things. It can kill your opponent with ease, subdue them, or even protect you when needed. You could say they are your partner." This was what Kana truly thought about swords. The sword she left back on her planet, even though she could summon it at any time, but she still restrained herself in doing so. It was not that she did not want to use the sword. It was just that she knew how good that sword was. She was going without it in order to train herself so that she would not need to rely on a weapon.
"You are partially right. Before I explain what I mean by saying this, I want you to take out the sword you have been using thus far. By your explanation, I can tell you are already a sword user even if you are only a fledgling at it." Sister Mu said with a smile.
Kana did as she was told and took out the black sword she got a while ago. But when she looked at Sister Mu, She was confused as to why Sister Mu was furrowing her brow. "I said take out the sword you have been using. Why did you take out this stick? This stick is nothing more than something to wave around and nothing else. I can sense it has no connection to you and that you do not cherish it."
"Ah… Yeah… You could say that since I got this in the dungeon. One second." Taking a deep breath, Kana waved her hand, willing the sword that her Handsome Husband had made for her. In her hand, the sleek blade in all its glory appeared. The look she had when she held this sword was much different from the previous sword. You could tell Kana loved the sword very much.
"Now this is what I wanted to see. You were right about how a sword can be used for both offense and defense. But it is not a weapon. It is an extension of your body. A part of you. The more you love your sword, the more you will be able to freely use it. This sword of your and the gaze you give it when you look at it shows just how much you care about it. Unlike that other sword that was full of chips." Sister Mu"s gaze was warm as she looked at Kana. She had not expected the girl to care so much about her sword.
"This sword was something my Husband made for me to protect me. I did not bring it with me during this trip in order to test myself and train. I did not want to end up reliant on a weapon of this quality." Kana explained.
"Such foolishness! Your sword and you are one. This means that even if the sword is a weapon from the highest plane of existence, it does not matter! If a swordsman or swordswoman is bad but has a good sword they may be able to come out alive if they are at equal knowledge of the weapon they are using. But if a swordsman or swordswoman are good but still have a broken sword, they will still beat a swordsman or swordswoman with a good sword. It has nothing to do with the weapon itself but the user and the connection between the swordsman or swordswoman and their sword. I can hear a hum coming from your sword. This means it is happy to be held by you. This is the sword speaking to you. It is saying it missed you and wished for you to hold it. " Sister Mu paused for a moment before continuing. "Your first task in your training with me is not to learn how to swing your sword but to learn how to hear the voice of your sword. Once you can hear its voice, you will be able to use your sword more gracefully.
"To do this, you will not put down your sword. Whether you are bathing, sleeping, or anything else, you must always hold your sword. Every day you will meditate with your sword in your lap. You will try to sense the will of your sword and hear its voice. Your sword is already talking to you. It only needs you to listen. How long this takes you is based on your own abilities. This is not something that can be taught. You need to feel the will and hear the voice of the sword on your own.
"Although this sounds like a difficult task, I a.s.sure you when the time comes, you know that it was well worth your time in order to achieve what is called one with your sword. For now, I will take you to a place. This place… Well, you will see when we get there now come along." Sister Mu did not let Kana say a word edgewise as she picked her up and flew off towards the rear of the mountain.
But when Kana arrived at the location a few minutes later, she couldn"t help but gasp at how breathtaking the scenery was. A tall forest with a large waterfall cutting through it. Many different plants lined its banks giving off a surreal natural beauty that can not be seen easily. "The large rock over at the side is the best place to meditate. The waterfall here will help you keep your mind clear as you try to connect with your sword. You will live here and will not be able to leave this place. But I must warn you monsters do roam around here, and this happens to be one of the popular water sources. But I will say that the water is safe and warm. Which will be a perfect place to bathe."
"I will definitely accomplish the task you have given me."