Chapter 171: Hachiman Sword and His New Technique
Time flew by, and before he knew it, the weekend had arrived.
Hachiman groggily woke up from his bed, stretching his arms as he prepared to face a new day.
It was Saturday today.
Hachiman went to the bathroom as usual, washing his face and brushing his teeth.
Returning to his room, he looked at his new katana. The katana had a moderately curved Shobu Zukuri-style design with a lilac and gold color scheme. The tsuba was trefoil-shaped, with each lobe being holed in the middle and thickly ridged. The tsuka was lacquered solid lilac, matching the saya. Both were embellished with simple, golden, five-petaled flower motifs on each side. The kashira and kojiri matched in appearance, with large trefoil cutouts to match the tsuba. The kojiri had an additional accent, a wide, knobbed ring above it. The sword possessed an irregular flame-shaped hamon and black no-hi.
Hachiman named his katana "Enma," a name known from the manga or anime series "One Piece" as the former sword wielded by Oden and currently by Zoro. This name was fitting for him as he was known as the Shura Swordmaster.
He sheathed his sword and admired its beauty before feeling the urge to try it out. He went outside of his house, making sure not to forget to prepare breakfast for his sister Komachi, who was still asleep.
Hachiman ventured to their backyard, but before swinging his katana, he knew he needed to meditate.
Sitting on the rocks, Hachiman focused on clearing his mind, aligning his energy, and finding inner peace. Establishing a calm mental state was essential before he delved into the physical aspects of his training.
After his meditation, Hachiman transitioned into practicing the katas. These were choreographed sequences of movements specific to his self-created "Enma Shin-ryu" technique. He had named it this way because it was focused on incredible speed and strength to defeat any number of opponents, and he could infuse a sword aura into it.
His practice of katas included precise stances, strikes, blocks, and footwork. He performed each kata repeatedly, paying strict attention to the subtleties of form and movement.
Hachiman had also learned the art of iaido from Kotonoha. This discipline focused on the swift and precise drawing of the sword to respond to sudden threats. It required a combination of concentration and explosiveness as Hachiman practiced unsheathing and striking in a single, fluid motion.
Additionally, Hachiman understood the importance of maintaining his weapons. He meticulously cleaned and cared for his swords, ensuring they remained in pristine condition.
After his practice in his new sword technique, he began his run, and he didn't meet Yui, as she had mentioned that her grandparents would be visiting.
....
....
After his jogging, Hachiman returned to his house and found Komachi eating and watching anime.
"I'm back."
"Ohh, Onii-chan, you're back, and good morning."
"Yeah, good morning too, Komachi."
"I will go outside today, Komachi, and I'll be back later. Be careful when you cook," Hachiman reminded her.
"I know, Onii-chan. I'm not a kid anymore," Komachi pouted.
Hachiman smiled at her and went to the bathroom to shower.
After his shower, he dressed in a plain black t-shirt and pants. He looked at himself in the mirror, put on his silver necklace, and styled his hair. Hachiman applied wax to his hand and swept it through his hair, making it spiky and swept back with a single strand hanging down his face.
In this hairstyle, he looked quite similar to Aizen.
After his preparations, he took his bamboo sword and Keikogi along with his manuscript. He had a Keikogi now, so he didn't have to borrow Saeko's father's anymore.
He walked downstairs and told Komachi, "I'm going now, Komachi. Bye."
"Bye, Onii-chan, and take care. You look handsome today," Komachi said, her eyes glowing with admiration.
Hachiman chuckled, knowing that Komachi was still amazed by his appearance in this particular hairstyle, just as his parents had been the first time they saw him like this.
Their parents were busy with their business outside the country, and Hachiman didn't concern himself with what they were doing.
As he made his way to Saeko Dojo to meet Kotonoha, Saeko, and Maki, he noticed that there were girls looking at him and whispering to each other. Hachiman smiled at them.
Seeing him looking and smiling at them, the girls couldn't help but smile and blush. Some even hid behind their friends.
Hachiman couldn't help but reflect on the situation, thinking, "So this is how those handsome guys feel. It's pretty good. There are so many advantages to being handsome, but there are disadvantages too. Still, many people aspire to be handsome, and who can blame them?"
Hachiman hadn't experienced this in his previous life as he was just an ordinary-looking person. Even the original Hachiman was more handsome than him.
The only thing that made him proud of the original Hachiman was that the original Hachiman couldn't even get a girl interested in him during middle school. But the original Hachiman had a unique charm. In contrast, he, in his previous life, had many lovers, although those relationships were based on convenience and not genuine love. That's why he was taken aback when he found himself manipulating Yui when they first met. He realized that not only did Hachiman need to change, but he needed to change as well.
As Hachiman walked, he spotted a tough-looking guy with a motorcycle, which got him thinking that he should consider buying a motorcycle so he wouldn't have to walk everywhere.
But before getting a motorcycle, he needed a driving license. He was grateful that in Japan, the legal minimum age for driving a motorcycle was 16 years, and 18 years for a car. In his previous life, his country had a minimum age of 18 for both, and the process was more cumbersome.
Hachiman didn't have to worry about the cost of a motorcycle since he had plenty of money.
Finally, Hachiman reached Saeko Dojo and rang the bell.
"Ding Dong~ Ding Dong~"
The door opened, revealing a beautiful girl with purple hair, and she greeted Hachiman.
"Good morning, Hachiman. The rest are waiting for you," Saeko said and blushed slightly as she took in his handsome appearance.
"Good morning, Saeko," Hachiman replied, then gently grabbed her waist and kissed her soft lips.