The sun hung low over the quiet hills as a young Arashi stood in the training grounds outside Mizuno, his wooden sword clutched tightly in his hands. He was barely fourteen but already showed a fierce dedication to mastering the blade. His father, a well-respected samurai, watched him from the sidelines, his arms crossed, eyes stern.
“Focus, Arashi,” his father commanded. “Your swordsmanship is not just for you. It is for the people of Mizuno.”
Arashi nodded, sweat dripping from his brow. He moved through the forms, his strikes swift but precise. Each motion had been drilled into him since he was a small boy, but the weight of his father’s words added new pressure. Arashi knew that his training was not just about becoming a warrior; it was about becoming a protector.
Later that evening, as Arashi sat by the river that ran through their family’s land, his best friend Kyogyu approached, sitting down beside him with a grin.
“You’re always training,” Kyogyu said, nudging him. “When do you ever relax?”
Arashi chuckled. “There’s no time to relax, Kyogyu. My father expects me to be ready for anything.”
Kyogyu sighed and leaned back on the grass. “Your father’s tough. But, you know, sometimes I think you’re tougher on yourself.”
Arashi’s smile faded slightly as he gazed at the water. “I have to be. Mizuno isn’t just any town. One day, we’ll be the ones protecting it. We can’t afford to fail.”
Kyogyu sat up, his tone growing serious. “You’ve always had that burden on you, Arashi. Ever since we were kids, you’ve been thinking about the future. But what about now? Don’t you ever want something for yourself?”
Arashi’s expression softened, but he didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared at the river’s steady flow, the setting sun casting a warm glow over the water.
“Maybe,” he admitted finally. “But I can’t ignore what’s coming. My father’s made sure of that. And besides, the sword… it’s in my blood. It’s who I am.”
Kyogyu nodded, respecting his friend’s determination. “Then I’ll be right there with you, no matter what comes. We’ll protect Mizuno together.”
Arashi smiled, feeling reassured by his friend’s loyalty. “Thank you, Kyogyu. I wouldn’t want to face the future alone.”
---
A few years later, Arashi had become one of the youngest swordsmen to earn the title of Master in Mizuno. His skills with the blade had grown legendary among the townspeople, and his sense of duty had only deepened.
One day, as he sparred with his father in the dojo, their swords clashing in a rhythmic dance of steel, his father spoke between strikes.
“Arashi, soon you’ll be more than just a swordsman. You’ll be a leader.”
Arashi blocked a strike and pivoted, eyes sharp. “A leader?”
His father nodded. “You have the skill, but more than that, you have the heart. Mizuno will need someone strong and wise in the years to come. War is always on the horizon, even when peace seems certain.”
Arashi paused, lowering his sword. “But what if I’m not ready?”
His father placed a hand on his shoulder. “You will be. Leadership isn’t about always having the right answers. It’s about making the right choices when the time comes. And when it does, you’ll know what to do.”
Arashi nodded slowly, absorbing his father’s words. He knew the weight of responsibility that came with the sword, and he accepted it, even though a part of him still longed for the simplicity of his younger years.
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Rakusei No Ken Chapter 2:Civil War Recap
AventureThe story of a boy named Esony who wants to become a great swordsman, His parents are with him in his dream in the town of Mizuno. But in an unexpected event, a meteorite fell containing evil elements, ghouls and villains. So the town formed an army...
