Chapter 528

Kojima Yoshinobu's expression became extremely solemn, he stepped forward, stared at Natsume Chikage with burning eyes, and exhorted in a deep and solemn voice:

"Next, what you are about to step into is the true threshold of kendo—suburi!"

The dim yellow light in the hall seemed to focus on his serious face.

"Suburi is the only way for all swordsmen, it is a practice engraved in flesh and blood, and it is also a skill that needs to be tempered repeatedly throughout one's life and cannot be neglected!"

His words echoed in the empty hall, carrying heavy weight.

"Whether it is the most junior apprentice or the master who has reached perfection, it is the same!"

"Suburi is by no means a simple waving. It pursues the precision of the trajectory, the control of the rhythm, and the deep unity of breathing."

"Simply put, it requires 'Qi, Sword, Body' to be unified, and the spirit and energy to be condensed into one sword!"

He reached out and simulated a slashing action in the air.

"What you have to swing is a bamboo sword, but your consciousness cannot just stay on 'swinging a stick'."

"In this process, you must try to feel the weight and length of the bamboo sword, and understand it as an extension of your arm."

His eyes were sharp, as if he wanted to carve these concepts into Natsume Chikage's mind.

"Only when you can precisely control the distance, angle, and strength of every swing, can you defeat the enemy in the blink of an eye by relying on tempered swordsmanship and footwork in actual combat."

Natsume Chikage met his gaze and nodded seriously:

"Understood."

Kojima Yoshinobu looked at Natsume Chikage's calm but seemingly understanding expression, knowing the paleness of language in front of physical skills.

He waved his hand decisively and said in a low voice:

"Words are ultimately vain—only by actually holding the sword and swinging it will your body tell you the answer."

"Kotaro!"

"Here!" Arai Kotaro immediately straightened his back.

"You go forward, personally teach and correct every detail of A-kun's suburi. Kenichi," he turned to another disciple, "you perform standard action demonstrations synchronously on the side, and you must be meticulous!"

Arai Kotaro, with a firm face, nodded heavily, his voice resonant:

"Obey!"

He then looked at Horie Kenichi and Natsume Chikage, arranging seriously:

"Kenichi, listen to my password, perform three standard large-action suburi in the upper stage, and let A-kun see every decomposition clearly."

"A-kun, please focus all your attention on Kenichi's actions, and my subsequent explanation."

Horie Kenichi had no good feelings for Natsume Chikage in his heart, but he also clearly realized that this person was an extremely important "customer" of the dojo.

The Yutang family paid extremely generously for this, and the behemoth forces represented behind it made even the master and senior brother have to treat it with caution.

Therefore, even if he was unwilling, he didn't dare to have the slightest negligence.

He didn't even dare to cut corners in teaching—the master and senior brother were staring closely on the side, if he did things perfunctorily, a stern scolding was absolutely unavoidable.

What's more, the Jinwei Tong lady he fell in love with at first sight was sitting quietly on the side, and her gaze might be cast here.

He didn't want to lose face in front of her at all.

Horie Kenichi, who was usually loose and casual, could only collect his mind at this moment, nodded seriously and responded:

"Understood."

He took a deep breath, separated his feet steadily, held the sword with a "middle stage" structure, and his eyes suddenly became focused.

"Start!" Arai Kotaro shouted.

Horie Kenichi moved upon hearing the sound, exhaling and shouting: "Ya—!"

He held the bamboo sword steadily with both arms, raised it high above his head, the tip of the sword tilted slightly backward, and his body formed a perfect stretch.

Immediately, the waist and abdomen core exerted force, driving the shoulders and arms, and the bamboo sword slashed down rapidly along the center line of the body with the momentum of wanting to cut off the air!

"Ha—!"

The moment the bamboo sword swung to the lowest point, his whole body's strength instantly tightened and condensed, as if he had really cut something, forming a short and deterrent static posture—this is "Zanshin."

The whole action was vigorous and smooth, full of momentum, showing a solid foundation.

While Horie Kenichi was demonstrating, Arai Kotaro's explanation also sounded synchronously in Natsume Chikage's ears, his speaking speed steady and clear:

"Look carefully, if suburi is decomposed in slow motion, it is the three inseparable stages of 'raising the sword-swinging down-Zanshin'."

He gestured with the trajectory.

"The core formula is 'Qi (energy storage)-Sword (swinging)-Body (follow-up) as one!'"

"Every time you swing the bamboo sword," he emphasized, "you must cooperate with a powerful exhalation from the depths of the dantian. This can not only mobilize the strength of the whole body, but also allow you to better concentrate your spirit and feel the rhythm of unity with the bamboo sword under the guidance of the sound."

Horie Kenichi followed the requirements and completed three standard suburi meticulously, each accompanied by a clear shout, echoing in the hall.

The demonstration ended, he adjusted his breathing slightly, and stood solemnly with the sword.

"Did you see clearly, A-kun?" Arai Kotaro looked at Natsume Chikage, "Now, imitate Kenichi's actions, and try it once first. Pay attention to the coordination of breathing and actions, and I will correct you at any time."

Natsume Chikage nodded, without extra words.

He recalled the trajectory he saw just now and Arai Kotaro's explanation, and set up a middle-stage structure.

His eyes calmed down, and his breathing became long.