Tristan was pushed back into the grove of bamboo trees and couldn't find his way out. Instead of attacking, his father stopped and smiled as he continued to brandish his katana.
"Hey, that katana is usually just for decoration, right? I've never seen you use it." Tristan kept his voice casual so his opponent couldn't detect his trepidation. If the opponent doesn't see that Tristan is actually scared, then the opponent's attack will probably not be optimal. And besides, Tristan's eyes were focused on the sword his fake father was holding in anticipation of an attack that could come at any moment.
"I used to use this katana to finish off enemies." Tristan's father put the blunt part of the sword against his shoulder. "After I got a high position, I never used it again. I delegate the task to my men."
"And now you're going to use it again on your son." Tristan continued to speak to buy time because he might see an opening to attack.
