Chapter 21

Kuina came back to her senses, recalled her purpose, immediately bent down to pick up the two bamboo swords, and said to Luo En with a determined look:

"I've come to challenge you."

Luo En scratched his head.

"Didn't we already fight yesterday?"

"That was because I was too careless. Today—today is when I'll bring out my real strength."

"Oh, alright then."

…………

A moment later.

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

She stared at her trembling hand, clenched Yaguan tightly, and glared at Luo En as she said:

"Tomorrow—tomorrow I'll come again!"

"I'll keep you company anytime."

Luo En said with a smile, shouldering the bamboo sword at her.

Kuina shot him a fierce look, then turned to leave.

But she had only taken a few steps.

Luo En's voice rang out beside her ear:

"Your speed is decent, but your strength is lacking. If you keep going like this, you won't be able to defeat me."

Kuina immediately stopped in her tracks, her fists clenching slightly, her lower lip bitten tight.

The lack of strength was her sore spot. She had countless times hated herself for being born a woman, precisely because a woman's strength was naturally weaker than a man's.

And this difference only grew more obvious the further one went!

That was why her father Koshiro had spoken plainly, saying that as a woman, she absolutely could never become the world's strongest swordsman…

"I know that too! I know that lack of strength is my weakness!"

Kuina shouted at Luo En with her head lowered, her back to him.

"But what can I do?! No matter how I train, the growth of my strength can never compare to you boys!"

"If I could, I'd want to be a boy too!"

Her voice was filled with unwillingness.

Luo En was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then quickly reacted.

"You seem to have misunderstood me. I'm not trying to mock you. What I mean is—would you like me to teach you a method to increase your strength?"

Kuina's whole body trembled.

"A method… to increase strength?"

She turned to look at Luo En.

"Can it really… let me increase my strength?"

Luo En nodded.

"Probably."

The sun had risen high.

In the mountain forest behind the dojo.

Luo En handed Kuina a grilled fish.

"Eat this."

"Eat it and I can grow stronger?"

Kuina's eyes were full of doubt.

"Consider it a prerequisite."

Kuina immediately ate the entire grilled fish clean; the taste was surprisingly good, far beyond her expectations.

"Full?"

Luo En asked, looking at her.

Kuina nodded.

Luo En said "good," then began to instruct her.

"Now close your eyes and do everything exactly as I tell you."

Kuina obeyed him and closed her eyes.

"From now on, you must change your breathing rhythm according to what I say."

Luo En's voice rang out beside her ear.

"Hoo—exhale all the air from your lungs in one breath…"

What Luo En was now teaching Kuina was an extremely simplified version of the Sun Breathing Technique.

He had discovered by chance that practicing the breathing technique on a full stomach could absorb the energy of food extremely quickly. Although it couldn't directly increase one's qi and blood value, it was remarkably effective in helping to increase strength.

"How is it?"

Kuina heard Luo En's words and slowly opened her eyes. Her previous feeling of fullness had vanished, replaced by a sensation of hunger.

She clenched her fist.

It seemed… her strength had indeed increased a little.

A flash of pleasant surprise crossed her eyes.

But to make sure it wasn't an illusion, she still sprang up abruptly, ran off in one direction, and tossed back a line.

"I'm going to test it!"

"Hey."

Luo En watched the retreating figure, shaking his head with a helpless smile.

A while later.

Kuina walked back, dejected.

"It must have been my imagination. I still can't lift that stone bell with one hand…"

Luo En swung his bamboo sword as he spoke:

"Building up strength doesn't happen that fast. Try again in ten days."

The next few days.

It seemed Kuina had been spurred on by Luo En.

When Luo En arrived at the clearing at four o'clock, Kuina was already there waiting with her bamboo sword.

The two sparred first.

Then each trained on their own, not disturbing the other.

When the sun rose, they went to the dojo for breakfast, then studied swordsmanship together under Koshiro.

Swordsmanship included footwork, body movement, gripping the sword, drawing the sword, striking, and so on.

Afternoon.

Was when Luo En and Koshiro, with real blades in hand, engaged in actual combat.

Kuina sat at the side watching, and the more she watched the greater the pressure she felt. Often she would not watch long before going out to practice on her own.

……

The dojo in winter looked rather desolate.

The children who had come to learn swordsmanship all stayed home because of the cold, unwilling to come to the dojo.

Occasionally only some familiar faces from the village would drop by the dojo for a sit. On ordinary days there were only Koshiro and Kuina; this year, Luo En was added to the two.

They'd have to wait until spring for the place to liven up.

14. Momentum, Intent, Cutting Steel — The Road to Sword Master (4/5)

Soon, half a month had passed.

Inside the dojo.

Kuina, in a white training uniform with short blue hair, stared at the stone bell marked 60kg before her and took a deep breath.

She then reached out, gripped it, and exerted her strength.

This time, she finally lifted it with one hand.

"Yes!"