影と風 | Kage to Kaze | Shinazugawa Sanemi

14 - Master

"You done running your mouth, chucklehead?" Sanemi had his foot firmly planted on my chest. I should have waved the white flag a long time ago, after being beaten dozens of times, but to be honest, seeing him all fired up just made me more excited.

"I'll keep running my mouth, Mr. Windy Pants," I shot back, jumping to my feet the moment he lifted his foot.

"What the hell did you just call me, shit-for-brains?" he growled, swiping his bamboo sword under my feet. His irritation was obvious, but the smug grin on his face said he was enjoying every second of this beatdown. I had to bite down a smile, seeing him this happy. 

Quickly, I grabbed a nearby training sword and hurled it at the source of light, plunging the entire dojo into darkness. I slithered out of Sanemi's line of sight, watching as he tried to adjust to the sudden change. The night had already darkened the room, and my eyes adapted faster than his. I could see everything he couldn't yet make out. His gaze swept the dojo, but realizing his eyes weren't as quick as mine, he closed them and relied on his other senses. I had to make my move now.

I launched my scythe toward him. As expected, he caught it, but I darted beneath his legs, coming up behind him. With a swift kick to his back, I sent him off balance. He twisted in midair, but before he could recover, I climbed on top of him, yanked the scythe from his grip, and aimed it toward him.

"Not bad," Sanemi grunted, though his voice had that familiar edge of irritation. "Maybe you're finally improving. I was starting to think you were useless." His praise, while gruff, was a small victory.

I chuckled lowly. "Aww, Sanemi, see? Complimenting me isn't so hard. Now, stay down like a good boy." My smile was triumphant. After months of training, I'd finally managed to get the upper hand on the Wind Hashira.

His face flushed red. In one swift motion, he grabbed my arm and slammed a hard kick into my stomach, knocking the air out of my lungs and me onto my back. He still had a tight grip on my arm, pinning me beneath him.

"You talk a lot of shit for someone who took months to get their injured master down," he growled, his voice low and menacing as he knelt closer, clearly not thrilled with being bested, even momentarily.

I smirked up at him, unwilling to let him have the last word. "Did I bruise your ego, master?" I whispered the last word, just loud enough for him to hear. His eyes widened, caught off guard by the boldness of my words.

Before he could respond, our crows swooped down to the window. "Caw caw! Both of you are expected at the Ubuyashiki mansion—caw caw!"

Sanemi and I exchanged surprised looks and quickly rushed to get into our uniforms. Since this was my first time meeting Oyakata-sama, I grabbed the recently bought pastel blue haori adorned with a delicate floral pattern. As we made our way to the mansion, I noticed Sanemi purposefully slowed his pace so I could keep up with him, despite being a Hashira.

As we approached the Ubuyashiki mansion, the serene beauty of the place immediately caught my attention. It was surrounded by tall, ancient trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. The air was filled with the soft scent of blooming flowers from the meticulously maintained garden that stretched around the estate. The mansion itself was a grand yet humble structure, made from dark wood with sliding doors that gave it an almost ethereal presence amidst the greenery.

Two Kakushi stood at the entrance, bowing deeply as we approached. Their uniforms were spotless black, their faces hidden behind traditional masks, as they greeted us in hushed tones.

"Shinazugawa-san and Kiyomi-san please come in," one of them said softly, sliding the door open to let us inside. The atmosphere inside the mansion was hushed, almost sacred, with the scent of incense faintly hanging in the air. The Kakushi led us down a polished wooden hallway toward a spacious room where Oyakata-sama awaited.