Adam knelt in front of the yellow masked tengu monk. "Finally, I've got someone who'll be willing to learn my difficult skills and not die." He bowed. "Your student is willing to learn."
"That's good to hear. First we shall talk about the skills I'll impart to you." He nodded in thought staring at the objects that the masked monk put in front of him. "These here are different types of metsubushi, and hidden weapons. Each of these weapons can kill someone if they're taken by surprise Masanari." He nodded and looked at the pair of long chopsticks, pointing and looking up at the masked monk. "How do they kill someone?"
"Like this." He felt a drop of blood at his neck as the masked monk threw one of the chopsticks at him grazing his neck. He looked at the small drops of blood on his finger tips. "That's how. Usually, a set of chopsticks, like these ones the tip is actually metallic, and will be coated in a form of poison, so if the user ate from them, they'd die, or a casual scratch like I just gave you." He looked worried at the monk. "Hahaha. No It wasn't poisoned. If that was the case, I'd lose one of the few students who'd be able to use these skills I posses too early, but if you fail in your lessons next time you'll be poisoned."
He bowed. "Thank you." He looked at the others. "What about the others?"
"All of these can kill, blind or poison. This pipe here, you blow through it when you're near your opponent and it blinds them. I'll show you how to make the materials needed for the blinding powder in the future." He watched as the masked monk handled a metallic carved rod with a ring shape in the middle of it. "This here is my favorite. It can be hidden on the body, where no one would see it as a weapon. If you have long hair than it can be used to tie it up, however when it goes on your hand like this. Than anyone sitting with you is dead." He rolled backwards as he saw the masked monk slash at him with the object in his hands. "Hahahaha. Quick reflexes. If you didn't move you would of been injured unable to do some training for a while. Its called a suntetsu, and very useful."
He wiped the sweat from his brow and quietly recited the kujiin mantra. He nodded when he felt his heart calming down. "Good use of the mantra Masanari. You learn well. Today, you're going to be practicing using these objects in front of you. Once they're mastered, than we'll move on to more, shall we say difficult tasks." He nodded at the masked monk. "How do I learn?"
"Follow me. We need to go to a place I already prepared." He stood up following the masked monk through the grounds of the shrine, until he saw a garden, with a small hut inside it. "This is where you'll be learning how to use these items. This is usually used for doing the tea ceremony, but for us, you'll be learning killing arts there. Go inside."
He bowed, and went inside the small hut, and looked at the space around him. "There's very little room in here, isn't there? Unable to draw a sword, let alone make any movement without jumping on top of each other." He nodded, and stared at the straw figure kneeling behind the table. "That figure there is your practice target. Use the objects, except for the pipe to cut it's head off. I can tell you now, the straw is old, so it'll take a lot of effort to cut it off. If I return, and see that you cut the head off with your sword, I'll be taking your finger." He felt his heart thud loudly in his ears.
"Farewell student, I'll be outside here in the garden, looking for herbs, and sharpen my blade here." He knelt, bowing at the back of the masked monk. "He's just as dangerous as Sojobo said. No matter. I'll get the straw head."
He knelt on the opposite side of the table, and stared at the objects on the table. "I might as well start with these chopsticks." He picked them up and felt their weight in his hand. "They're no different from normal chopsticks. If I didn't look at the tip of the chopsticks, I wouldn't know that these could kill." He aimed at the straw figure and threw a chopstick at it. He heard a ding, and the chopstick fell to the ground, with another chopstick with it. "I saw your movements Masanari. You can't reveal your movements, or the opponent will be prepared. It has to be a surprise attack. Again." He looked at the hole in the wall of the hut, frowning. "It seems he's also keeping an eye on me. I need to take this seriously."
"Good Masanari. If you don't, that finger of yours will be mine for one of my concoctions that I plan to turn into a delightful poison." He looked around the room. "I don't see him here, but he's able to see me. I need to focus on removing the straw head." He picked up the chopsticks on the ground, and place them back on the table. He looked at the suntetsu in thought. "This could work." He picked up the suntetsu and admired the carving across it, feeling the ring around his fingers. "Its like a sword, but more of an extension of my hand. I'm going to try."
He placed it back down on the table, closing his eyes taking long breaths. He placed his hand over the ring as he opened his eyes. He looked at his knees, frowning. "I won't get the full power of it with my body in this position." He looked at the table, closing his eyes. "How did he do it?" He imaged the masked monk use the suntetsu, and smiled. "That's how I can do it." He opened his eyes, pushing his feet into the mat underneath him. He went to pick up a tea cup with his left hand, while also moving his body clearing the way for his attack. He took a long breath, and used his legs to push him forward, using that power to slash with the suntestsu. He looked at the straw figure in front of him, and it's missing head.
"Good job student. You were able to use the same technique that I used, when I showed you how to do it. The others are right, you learn very quickly. You also noticed the technique's weakness, and found a way to counter it in a quick dash, using your feet to give you the power instead of your knees. Excellent job."
He bowed at the wall. "Thank you teacher. I wouldn't of learnt this skill, unless I was put in this position to learn it." He bowed again. "Come out. We can talk out here." He crawled out of the small hut, and stood in front of the masked monk. "Your style is fast, as if you're the human form of lightning. We need to focus on that speed of yours, especially when you draw your blade, or other weapons." He smiled. "Thank you. I'll learn all I can from you."
"What can you tell me about this garden? Do you recognize any of the plants here?" He looked around, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. My knowledge about plants is quite limited."
"That's fine. I like to call this the death garden. Every plant, flower in here, is dangerous, and can kill you with a sting, or when I take a few things, mixing them together." He looked at the garden in surprise. "That's amazing. These flowers, and trees look beautiful, however there is one thing I don't understand."
"What's that Masanari?"
"Isn't using poison or a strike like that an dishonorable death?"
"Good question, and don't worry, many ask that, and treat poisons as something that is considered cheating, but I assure you it isn't at all." He frowned. "How isn't it?"
"It depends on your Bushido. From what others tell me yours is focused on your loyalty. What would you do if your lord was about to be attacked, yet the person was sitting across from you in a dinner setting?"
He stood in thought looking at the garden. "I'll add this to the question as well. Would you strike first, or would you attack, once they attack? What if the entire session your lord was in were full of enemies waiting?" He shook his head. "I'd take my lord out of the area as fast as I could.
"If you did that, than what about the others that would be killed because of that? The lord's family or children would be killed, and your lord without position." He nodded. "I see your point. If I knew beforehand that they'd try and hurt my lord, I'd be prepared."
"I'm not telling you to put poison in their food, I'm saying that if you add it to your weapons, one scratch and they're dead, or become paralyzed. Another situation, a troublesome diplomat visits your lord, and tries to poison him?" He frowned. "I'd have him killed before he could do that."
"If you did that, than you'd cause a war, since diplomats are protected envoys." He nodded. "I understand. In that case, I could use a slow killing poison, that made it looked they died, by other means."
"Or you could make it look like another killed them, and avoid the war at all." He smiled. "I understand, make the enemy an enemy to another, and forget all about you."
"Smart Masanari. I know red teaches you about the mind of people, but I also teach the darker side to that, not just poison, mending an injury, but the ability to convince others to attack another. As long as your lord is safe, and no one goes to bring him or his family harm, that is Bushido."
He nodded. "That makes sense. There are those who fight in the light, everyone can see them, and yet there are those who fight in the dark, and use unconventional means to protect whats most important to them. For example this death garden."
"Masanari, you indeed learn fast, I'm going to have fun teaching you, over these years." He bowed. "Its thanks to your guidance. By us being in this garden, will it also poison us?"
"Exactly. Just being in this garden will cause those who don't have the antidote to faint, and become paralyzed. Its all thanks to these beautiful yellow flowers here." He looked at the yellow flowers around him in surprise. "What are they called?"
"They're called Heartbreak grass. Their pollen causes those near to them to become paralyzed, unable to breathe, and if not treated, die." He took a step back from the flowers. "Don't worry, you'd only be affected if you are close and smelling them directly, or accidentally drink them in a flower tea, or eat them when mixed with food."
He nodded. "This is very interesting. How did you learn about all of these plants?"
"Many years of study, and looking at the human body. Once you understand how the body works, you can kill everyone around you, with a single pellet." He looked at the small ball in the masked monk's hand. "This here has the heartbreak grass pollen in it, and when thrown at the ground, causes the area to become poisoned."
"Since you've been able to understand today's lesson, I'll give you this pellet as a gift. Also this scroll." He bowed, accepting the pellet in his hands and a large scroll. "This scroll contains the plants in this garden, and how they poison people. I want you to study it, and learn all of them. I'll test you in three days. I don't want to continue our lessons until then." He nodded. "I understand. I'll master this knowledge, and use this to protect my lord, from those who wish to attack using despicable means."
"Good. Once you've learned these, I'll show you the medicine garden, and show you the antidotes to how they work. If there's a poison in this world, there's always an antidote. They can't live without each other. Remember that." He nodded, bowing at the masked monk again.
"Go back to your room, and be careful with the pellet I gave you. I don't want to be hearing of someone becoming paralyzed because of your foolishness."
He nodded. "I'll be careful."
"You really are your father's son. Be gone. I tire of you." He turned and walked out of the garden holding the pellet in one hand, and the large scroll in the other. "I have much to learn."