Temple Training

[Captain M]

LEARNED

[----]

00 of 05——

SPOILER: Click to show

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.
Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.
E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.
D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.
C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.
B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).
A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).
S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu

Tsugahara would see that Nishito had fallen asleep as he approached him. A faint smile formed on the standing male's lips as he turned to leave the boy be for now. Another Shogakusha moved towards Tsuga and offered to train with him. Both men moved several meters away and held bokken within their grasp. Opposing Tsugahara had been a blonde-haired male, about three years younger than he. 

"Hello, Tsuga-san," he said, bowing. The bow would be returned as Tsugahara moved his blade sharply to his back. "..Before we begin, could you go over the Yobousen with me? Haha, I'm fairly new at Gyakusatsu." 

For a second, the man of Ochi thought on this inquiry. "I cannot put into words the true depth of Guarding Against Attacks - yet I can show you." His movement towards the boy had been drawn out to emphasize his swinging motion. Of course the boy would raise his wooden blade to block Tsugahara's as it came knocking against it. Shocked by the advance of his current teacher, the boy stammered. "H-how was that?"

"Effective for the demonstration," Tsuga replied. "Of course, to be able to excel in Yobousen, you must be able to anticipate an attack from your opponent.." his eyes moved quickly before his blade dislodged itself from the student's own and sought to strike him in the leg. Quicker than expected, the boy deflected the blow. "Here, you attack me."

The two reset their stances before the Beginner lunged at Tsugahara. His blade had been vertically raised above his head. Quick to show his finesse in swordsmanship, Tsugahara nimbly moved his feet to shift around his opponent, while using his own blade to counter the falling guillotine of the student.

"Wow!" the boy exclaimed as his weapon dropped from his grasp. Tsugahara's blade had knocked the falling blade from the Shogakusha's hands; he went to retrieve the weapon as the two reset their stance once more.

[Captain M]

Like your style!

LEARNED

[----]

00 of 10——

SPOILER: Click to show

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.
Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.
E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.
D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.
C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.
B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).
A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).
S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu

More strokes from the wooden blade came and went as the katana-chiseled pieces of wood rebounded off one another. In time, their practicing of Yobousen grew well on into a quasi-serious fight. Onlookers now had gathered around the prodigy known as Tsugahara and the boy whom he trained. Neither side showed signs of weakening, and Tsuga was the first to break the silence between combatants.

".. It seems that you pick up quickly on the art of Guarding Against Attacks." he smiled. Tsugahara hadn't even been taking his pupil seriously. He was allowing the boy a chance to increase his skill at the cost of lowering his own; no matter, though, as that is what prodigies did to help other students. The student whom he faced was named Daisho, and the blonde haired boy seemed hellbent on rending the white-haired male's bokken from his grasp. More attacks came from the opposing side and Tsugahara quickly adjusted himself to every movement:

A vicious swing came from the left of Daisho, who seemed to be just as ambidextrous as Tsugahara. This horizontal slash would be effectively parried by a well-timed block by the man of Ochi, who seemingly possessed an innate sense to pick up on his opponent's attack pattern. Judging from the way the boy moved, Tsugahara had guessed that he wasn't as skilled as he was when it came to Kibatsu Genron;

The duo would circle one another before Daisho lashed out again, having recovered from his previous failed attempt. Like a woodcutter furiously chopping away with an axe, the boy swung down vertically to smash his bokken against the albicant crown of the Ochi survivor. With a fluid motion, Tsugahara was able to push the downward blade of Daisho to the right and then quickly riposte with a spinning sword slash. The crowd that gathered around "oooh'ed" and "ahhh'ed" during this bout. Else where, the Old Badger sat in the shade, enjoying the fair display of swordsmenship from one of his most prized pupils;

For a third time, Daisho sought out Tsuga. He would scramble to his feet and dash madly towards the man with his blade jutting out in front of him in the likeness of an impaling spear. Seeing this as an easy attack to dodge, Tsugahara effectively pivoted to his left, swinging his blade in a beautiful and controlled arc so that when Daisho moved past him it would hit him in the back side. Like a wounded dog, the boy whimpered and scuttled away from the obviously superior Tsugahara. The crowd roared, having found the victor after the three round session. Daisho approached Tsuga and bowed before him.

"Tsugahara-san, thank you for training with me. Your movements are as calm as the snow fall yet as violent and quick as the lightning.. the way you've used the Yobousen today has really made me wish to improve in my swordsmanship skills. I have a long way to go before I can achieve the level of efficiency as you." Once more he bowed before the white-haired man. Tsugahara blushed a bit and returned the bow, smiling heavily as he returned to stand before Daisho. 

[Captain M]

LEARNED

(train more on try4)

[----]

After the skirmish, the training swordsmen of the Gyakusatsu all dispersed back into their small training groups. Tsugahara had turned to replace his bokken on the shelf and went to retrieve his weaponry and personal katana Makkura. Before he would turn to leave the Aokusa dojo, he wrote a letter to the Sunanin Nishito, then turned to bow and give his best wishes to his sensei, the Bake' Yoroi O-ishi Kuranosuke.

He knew not where his travels would take him, but he felt that the wind would lead him in the right direction.

To Nishito

SPOILER: Click to show

I have left the dojo, Ni-kun. I wish you well on your journey as a shinobi.. perhaps we will meet again someday.

——exit

[Nickerly]

The streets of Aokusa were packed with people as he made his way through the city, more people than he had seen in some time; travelling as part of a semi-nomadic family meant one went without seeing so many people for some time. Still, he didn't let them slow his progress as he wound his way towards his destination; the temple were one of the masters of the gyakusatsu sword style resided. He had wanted to become a students of the style ever since he had had his sword forged, and the temple in Aokusa and its master, O-ishi Kuranosuke, had seemed like a promising choice.

When he reached the temple, he paused and took a moment to take it in. It was fairly simplistic in style; a small staircase flanked by rocks led up a small slope to the actual temple itself, which was wooden and minimalist in nature, although it did spread out over most of a block. Walking up the stairs, he grabbed the bronze door knocker and sounded it once, before stepping back.

After several seconds the doors to the temple opened and he was ushered in by someone who he assumed was a student of the temple.

"Do you wish to speak to master Kuranosuke?" The student asked.

"Yes" Hikaru said with a single nod. "I would like to ask him if he would accept me as a student."

The student nodded and told him to wait in the atrium, saying that he would be called for.

[acids]

"Old Badger-sensei usually excepts anyone nowadays..." the student commented as he led the boy further into the antechamber of the dojo. He asked the traveler for his name, and in return told him that he was Tachibana Jirou. Jirou had been a student for years, and had been around to witness the fluid Tsugahara once he had roamed these training halls...

He wondered if this foreigner would be just as good.

Once they made there way into the inner realm, more students would stop what they were doing and notice the new comer. Some snickered, others yelled welcomes; the energy here was high but refined; they would return to their select means of Gyakusatsu training. Jirou led Hikaru to the bokken stand. He picked one up himself and suggested he do the same.

"O-shi-sama likes when his students train with newcomers; show me a Gyakusatsu stance..." he said, as he shifted his legs apart. His weight had been distributed equally into both of his strong legs; his hands, gripped around the hilt of the wooden sword, felt comfortable as his left hand graced the sword's guard. Jirou looked to his new training partner and smiled. He wondered if Hikaru already knew the Middle Level posture----but what if he knew one even more advanced? With the blade tip of the bokken pointed towards his partner's chest, Jirou spoke: "Well, show me what ya got---you can mirror me, too, if you want."

SPOILER: Click to show

exhibit the following:

Chuuhan no Shisei (Middle Level Posture)
Rank: "E"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: A stance with a sword held at the midsection.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Chuuhan no Shisei is the most basic of the six stances of Gyakusatsu and offers the optimal balance between offense and defense. The user brings his/her sword to the midsection held in a forty-five degree angle upwards with the dominate hand held at the top of the handle below the guard. The stance is used to transition easily between offense and defense as well as counters. The feet match the positioning of the hands with the dominate side in the forefront.
Limit: Gyakusatsu

or

a Gyakusatsu stance that you can state that you've seen or performed or know.

[Nickerly]

Post 1: 0/5

SPOILER: Click to show

Chuuhan no Shisei (Middle Level Posture)

Rank: "E"

Skill: Taijutsu

Effect: A stance with a sword held at the midsection.

Special: ---

Drawback: ---

Description: Chuuhan no Shisei is the most basic of the six stances of Gyakusatsu and offers the optimal balance between offense and defence. The user brings his/her sword to the midsection held in a forty-five degree angle upwards with the dominate hand held at the top of the handle below the guard. The stance is used to transition easily between offense and defense as well as counters. The feet match the positioning of the hands with the dominate side in the forefront.

Limit: Gyakusatsu

or



a Gyakusatsu stance that you can state that you've seen or performed or know.

Although the student, Tachibana Jirou he had said his name was, waited for him to pick a bokken and copy his stance, Hikaru took his time undoing his cloak and folding it up before putting it on the floor. His hat followed suit, and carefully undoing the straps of his sheath, he laid his blade and sheath on top of the pile. Finally, he stood back up and ran his eyes over the wooden training swords, looking for one was similar in style to his own blade. Finding what he was looking for, he pulled the bokken free from the stand and took a few moments to get used to its weight.



It was slightly heavier than his own blade, and its point of balance was slightly different to his own's, but nonetheless it would do for this purpose and he grasped it in his left hand as he ran a critical eye over the student's posture. Though he knew next to nought of the actual stances and strikes of the Gyakusatsu style - he knew of its history and how it had come to be - the stance and its principles were not hard to understand, and he felt confident that he would be able to copy it, even if he would have to switch everything around to compensate for the fact that he was left handed.



The first thing to do was to get the position of his feet correct, left foot at the front while his right shifted to be underneath him, both straight on, facing the student in front of him; his weight split naturally between the feet so that he was neither leaning forwards or backwards. Then came his upper body; shoulders pulled back to give him a straight back and his arms pushed out, elbows locked, holding the blade at his midsection. With his left hand directly at the top of the bokken's grip, just under its guard, his right hand fell to the bottom with a loose enough grip that he could pivot the blade as needed.



He repeated the position several times, letting the other student to look over his posture, while also getting used to the stance and everything that he needed to do to get position of feel of his body. He made several adjustments to his posture when he realised his posture wasn't just righ; his blade wasn't entirely straight, when it should have been, and his feet weren't wide enough apart.



Happy with the changes, he took up the posture once more.

[Nekomata Minh]

Good, job. I liked this.
+5TP/learned

[acids]

Nodding as the boy moved himself into the Chuuhan, Jirou noticed how an aura of confidence exuded from Hikaru.

"Very well, Hikaru-kun." the Koushou-ranked trainer stated; he flicked his wrist and his bokken shifted above his head. Jirou's right hand slid slowly towards the top of the hilt to the guard now as both hands gripped the length of the hilt. His face would turn from soft into a stern scowl quite suddenly. "You catch on quickly, Shogakusha," Jirou commented, moving towards the beginner in the stance of Kousou; he smiled as the boy continued to hold his stance of the Chuuhan and went on to explain another Gyakusatsu fundamental.

"To attack, one must learn how to defend; it seems backwards, yes... but with the Gyakusatsu, knowing how to defend against this sword-style's attacks allows one to counter them properly, and with critical awareness." He again nodded, to signal to Hikaru that he was about to issue a string of attacks:

---

Jirou yelled as he lowered his held sword vertically toward Hikaru's head. Had the boy wished to understand the principles of the Yobousen, then he must learn readily in the line of this taijutsu exercise.

With the Koushou-ranked man expecting this intelligent Shokugasha student to block his first technique, Jirou followed up with an arcing upward from the left, two-handed swing to knock the bokken of Hikaru skyward, thus leaving his torso exposed, if so the student had not the strength to withstand Jirou's principles for striking. Of course, given the advantage, Jirou knew that that would not be possible---he sought to help the boy understand how to properly guard even an attack from the Gyakusatsu style; he would poke Hikaru in the chest with the tip of his wooden sword, following the first successful block, but failed secondary block.

SPOILER: Click to show

train the following -- (pretty much here, find a way to guard against the first attack, but you are auto-hit by the second attack for a further training philosophy)

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.
Special: ---
Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.
Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.
E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.
D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.
C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.
B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).
A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).
S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu

[Nickerly]

Post 1: 0/5

SPOILER: Click to show

Yobousen (Guarding Against Attacks)
Rank: "E", "D", "C", "B", "A", "S"

Skill: Taijutsu

Effect: Training that strengthens defense against attacks.

Special: ---


Drawback: These combat principles can only be applied to weapon attacks.

Description: Yobousen is the lesson in which a swordsman learns how to use his/her sword in order to block attacks from another sword, polearm, or other bladed weapons. With each progression in skill levels, the user becomes able to block or deflect stronger attacks with better efficiency.

• E-Rank: The swordsman only has elementary knowledge in how to properly defend him/herself.

• D-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting E-rank weapon attacks.

• C-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting D-Rank weapon attacks.

• B-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting C-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 3 seconds (half turn).

• A-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting B-Rank weapon attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 6 seconds (full turn).

• S-Rank: The swordsman is capable of blocking or deflecting A-rank weapons attacks, as well as push the opponent off balance for 12 seconds (two turns).
Limit: Gyakusatsu

Defence for a swordsman was just as important as offence, and as such the principal of Yobousen was a crucial element of the Gyakusatsu style, Hikaru knew as such. Parries, blocks and other defensive could save his life by blocking an opponent’s sword. It seemed that the other student wished to see if he could defend himself against an overhead strike.

He knew from study and basic sword principles that he should not block the strike with the edge of his bokken; if it was a real blade, then his edge could be chipped by the force of such a blow. Instead, he would have to use either the back of his bokken or its sides to block the strike. With that in mind, he brought his right foot back and bent both of his knees, lowering himself so that he had more stability to absorb the blow with, while also giving him force to push up with.

His blade came up above his head, side on to the incoming bokken. His left hand firmly griped the hilt of the training blade, while his right came up to hold the side of the blade facing him with an open palm. The technique would allow him to catch the incoming strike on the side of his blade - which would have some of the strongest steel forged into it if it was live steel -absorb the impact, then push the other blade off.

As he knew would happen, the strike slammed into the side of his bokken, the force of the blow buckling his knees. Pushing up, Hikaru watched as, quicker than he could react to, the older student withdrew his blade and brought it around and underneath his own. Shifting his position as quickly as he could, Hikaru tried to bring his bokken back down to catch the blade on his own, but the follow up strike knocked his blade up, and he felt the older student's blade poke him in the chest.

Growling, Hikaru stepped back, waiting for the older to speak

[Nekomata Minh]

+5/learned

[acids]

The senior smiled as Hikaru realigned himself into a stance. With a flick of his wrist, Jirou lowered his bokken and closed his eyes. "You do catch on fairly quickly," he then turned to call out towards another student.

"Girisha! Come train with our new Shogakusha.. I have to see what our master is up to." the advanced student would bow towards Hikaru and turn to leave; he tossed his wooden sword into the hands of the much larger student, Girisha. This teenager had ripping muscles and his chest bulged underneath his training gi; he had black unkempt hair that grew down his back and he didn't look friendly as Jirou did, either.

Girisha spat on the ground as he approached Hikaru. "Hey.." he mumbled, testing the swing of the bokken as he sized the other student up. "Have you ever killed anyone? This is the style of the Sword That Takes Life..." he would then shift the weight in his body as his stance changed; once in the Hitoshirenu no Shisei, he would go on to ask Hikaru to mimic his movements, so that they could further train another principle of this sword art.

SPOILER: Click to show

train the following --

Hitoshirenu no Shisei (Rear Hidden Posture)
Rank: "E"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: A stance with a sword held behind the body.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Hitoshirenu no Shisei is the most deceptive of the six stances of Gyakusatsu and offers the highest peak of surprise attacks. The user brings his/her sword down to the waist pointing away to the rear of the body in order to hide the full length of the blade and only show the pommel to the opponent. The hands are held with the dominate hand at the hilt. The user's feet are opposite of the hands with the dominate foot in the rear of the stance.
Limit: Gyakusatsu

[Nickerly]

SPOILER: Click to show

Hitoshirenu no Shisei (Rear Hidden Posture)
Rank: "E"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: A stance with a sword held behind the body.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Hitoshirenu no Shisei is the most deceptive of the six stances of Gyakusatsu and offers the highest peak of surprise attacks. The user brings his/her sword down to the waist pointing away to the rear of the body in order to hide the full length of the blade and only show the pommel to the opponent. The hands are held with the dominate hand at the hilt. The user's feet are opposite of the hands with the dominate foot in the rear of the stance.
Limit: Gyakusatsu

Post 1: 0/5

The stance that the much larger student had taken was unusual to say the least, though as he ran a critical eye over the posture, Hikaru realised that it was quite deceptive; probably what it was meant to do. An opponent who was lulled into a false sense of confidence would underestimate the capability of the posture without realising what it could do.

Following the other student's instructions, Hikaru began to mimic the posture. Bokken came down to his waist, blade pointing away from the older student, while his hit was directed at the man’s gut. A quick correction on Hikaru's part levelled out the blade so that it wouldn't point down at the ground but was linear. Unlike before, his dominant hand held the hilt of his blade and his feet switched so that his dominant foot was at the rear of the stance. He sunk slightly as he bent his knees and lowered his centre of gravity for stability. 

The posture was weird and felt unnatural, and Hikaru had to fight not to instinctively switch his position to something that felt more natural. If he was right, then the entire point of the Hitoshirenu no Shisei was that it tricked an opponent into attacking, leaving them open to counter-attack. He made several quick adjustemnts to better match the older student's posture; bokken was tucked closer to his body and his feet were turned so that they matched the way the large student's were facing.

Switching to his starting position, he took a moment to steady himself before sinking back into the Hitoshirenu no Shisei, taking care to have his blade at the correct angle and that he had everything else correct. Holding the position for several seconds, he stood back up and took his starting position before once more sinking into the posture. He continued to drill in sinking into the posture for some time, moving between a neutral standing position and the posture, making sure that every aspect of his posture was as he had been shown.

Once he was happy, he nodded at the older student, showing that he was ready

[Nekomata Minh]

+5/learned

[Nickerly]

With his acceptance as a student under the tutelage of O-ishi Kuranosuke, Hikaru prepared to begin his lessons in the art of the Gyakusatsu style.

SPOILER: Click to show

Hikui no Shisei (Lower Level Posture)
Rank: "E"

Skill: Taijutsu

Effect: A stance with a sword held below the waist.

Special: ---

Drawback: ---

Description: Hikui no Shisei is the most defensive of the six stances of Gyakusatsu and offers the highest peak of defense, deflecting, and creating striking opprotunities. The user brings his/her sword to point at the opponent's lower body, typically around the knee or thigh area. The hands are held with the dominate hand near the top of the handle and the feet match with the dominate foot in the forefront.

Limit: Gyakusatsu

Post 1: 0/5

The next posture of Gyakusatsu he would be learning was that called Hikui no Shisei according to his master and was a purely defensive posture. One’s blade was to brought to a level where it the tip pointed towards the opponent’s lower body, around knee or thigh level. A simple movement would bring the blade up, blocking any attack an opponent might launch.


The hand and foot work for the Hikui no Shisei were the same as that of the first posture – dominant hand at the top of the hilt, and dominant foot forward – so Hikaru assumed the posture would be fairly simple to transition to. However, under the eagle-eyed watch of his master, he could not slack off and slid from the first posture into the second. Using his master’s body as a reference point, he lowered his blade so that it pointed towards his thighs
.

“No” His master barked as he came to a stop. Walking up to Hikaru, his master began to make adjustments to his position, using the sheath of his own blade to reinforce the point. “Arms pointing down at a forty-five-degree angle, hands straighter, elbows tucked in at the sides of the body. Your feet must be shoulder width apart; nothing more, nothing less. Only in such a position will you be able to react to your opponent’s strike and have enough stability to prevent yourself from being forced back.”


Hikaru accepted the corrections and at his master’s command, practised them over and over, committing the new posture to memory alongside the first. Sometimes he would sheath his blade then draw it, immediately sinking into the Hikui no Shisei, other times he would transition from the first posture into the Hikui no Shisei to represent the need to change position during a fight.


For twenty minutes, he practised the movement until his master was happy, committing it to memory. Finally, his master told him to stop; it was time to move on


(OOC - its been decided that i'll just start posting by myself from here on out)

[Nekomata Minh]

Alright

+5/learned

[Nickerly]

SPOILER: Click to show

Kousou no Shisei (Upper Level Posture)
Rank: "E"
Skill: Taijutsu
Effect: A stance with a sword held above the head.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Kousou no Shisei is the most aggressive of the six stances of Gyakusatsu and offers the highest peak of offense. The user brings his/her sword above the head held in a double axe-handle position with the dominate hand held near the apex. This stance is used to optimize the user's initial strength and bodyweight for heavier swordstrokes and counters. The feet match the positioning of the hands with the dominate side in the forefront.
Limit: Gyakusatsu

Post 1: 0/5


“The third posture is that known as Kousou no Shisei” His master said as they resumed his training. “It is meant to be an aggressive stance, from which you use your bodyweight to add to the strength of your strike. The blade, is held either at a seventy-degree angle or at forty-five degrees. Watch, then copy both positions.”

Hikaru watched keenly as his master took up the first position, blade pointed nearly upright, but tilted back slightly, feet slightly more together than the previous postures, while his hands were further apart with his dominant hand right at the top of his hilt, while his other hand gripped the very base of the hilt. He did his best to memorise the image of the posture his master took as the man tilted his sword further back and pushed his feet ever so slightly apart.

When it was his turn, he took up the position. He feet, shoulder width apart, were close together; left slight in front of him while his right was underneath him, heels slightly off the ground as his weight settled onto the balls of his feet, ready to spring into action. His elbows were locked just in front of him on either side of his head and his back was perfectly straight as he brought his blade to rest as close to seventy degrees as he possibly could.

“Hold that position” His master instructed as he approached.

Several minor corrections were made – his blade was pushed slightly more upright, and his elbows jutted out slight, so that he didn’t compromise his visibility – before his master stepped back and had him slide into the second position. His blade titled back and his feet moved slightly.

Surprisingly his master made no move towards him, but instead looked ran a critical eye over him.

“Which is more natural?” He asked.

“The first” Hikaru answered.

His master nodded. “Then that is what you will practice” He said.

Once more, he began the repetitive drills of his master. Over and over he transitioned from the first posture to the Kousou no Shisei, or took up the posture immediately after drawing his blade. Unlike the previous postures, the current posture was more taxing on his muscles and he did his best to get the posture perfect, though he repeated the drills dozens of times before he was deemed to have demonstrated that he had learnt it to a sufficient level and allowed to rest.

[Nekomata Minh]

+5/learned