Record Of Ragnarok: Amisha

16

The secret to his strength is... in all of his life, Sasaki Kojiro never won a single match. Closing wars of the Sengoku period. Ichijodani Castle Town, Echizen. The sound of wooden swords ring out from the place of training.

A man holds his wooden sword above his before striking over and over again at another man blocking with his wooden sword. The man who's swinging his sword strikes down which breaks the other one. The man that was blocking falls to the ground.

"You lazy bastards! You've been slacking off lately!!" The man who's yelling is the nephew of Toda Seigen, Toda Kagekatsu. "Listen up! A moment of weakness on the battlefield can be fatal..."

A boy walks into the dojo yawning. Within the dojo of the renowned Toda Seigen, the boy was...considered little more than dead weight.

"Sa...Sa...Ki..." Kagekatsu says his name slowly out of frustration.

"Ah Kagekatsu, good morning," Kojiro greets as he yawns.

Kagekatsu angrily stomps towards the young Kojiro. "Late again, huh? You're pretty brave, you little shit. Oh"

Kojiro blushes as he goofily smiles. "I am unworthy of your praise!"

"I'M NOT PRAISING YOU!! I'll whip you into shape!!" Kagekatsu throws Kojiro a wooden sword, catching the sword soon after.

"Wait..." Kojiro says off guard.

Too late, Kagekatsu frustratedly holds the wooden sword above his head. Kojiro begins getting serious as he blocks Kagekatsu's attack.

"Oh!?"

"He blocked the opening strike!"

Kojiro and Kagekatsu dealt blows at one another, this continues until Kagekatsu slashes his sword upwards making Kojiro's sword fly out of his hands. Kagekatsu was about to strike Kojiro for the final blow, but Kojiro held his hands out.

"I give up!"

Kagekatsu freezes, his sword pointed right at Kojiro's face. "You... give up...?"

"Yes. It is your victory," Kojiro confirms.

As soon as Kojiro said those words, Kagekatsu grabbed onto Kojiro's shoulders. "You...you call yourself a warrior!? If you lose your blade, then use your fists, then use your teeth!! Struggle until the very end!!"

The younger brother of Toda Seigen, also the assistant instructor, Toda Kagemasa, walked in after hearing the commotion. "That's enough Kagekatsu. He won't get it."

"But, father! He..." Kagekatsu starts, but his father interrupts him.

"Brother, Kojiro possesses no talent for the blade. There's no point in him staying here," Kagemasa says to his brother who sits calmly behind him.

"Hmm..." The founder of the Toda Style, the master of the Kodachi, Toda Seigen, examines Kojiro. Kojiro nervously scratches his head. "Kojiro, why...admit defeat so quickly?"

"Why, even if I were to fight Kagekatsu-dono one hundred times, I would not prevail," Kojiro explains. "Hence, if I were to injure myself fighting now...then I would damage future prospects"

Seigen and Kojiro stare at each for a good couple of seconds.

Kagemasa crosses his arms. "Hah, prospects!? Seems we've got a budding merchant over here.

"I'm unworthy of such praise~" Kojiro says with a goofy grin.

"We're not praising you!!" Kagemasa and Kagekatsu yell at the same time.

"...I see. Is what my brother proclaims true...? Kojiro?" Seigen asks.

Kojiro scratches the back of his neck. "Well...I'm ashamed to admit it."