Sakura is good in every way, except that she lacks confidence and is too unassertive. In that other world, under the shadow of Zouken, the subtle influence of Scáthach, and the stimulus of Shinji's injury, Sakura had grown increasingly strong-willed.
But in this world, she is too well-protected by her two sisters, and her inner strength isn't sufficient. Such a personality is ill-suited for the harsh world of magecraft. Her innate talent destined her to be associated with mysteries, and she couldn't escape it. To avoid being consumed by these mysteries, she must become strong—not just in body, but in spirit. Only then can she have a bright future.
This was Shinji's true purpose in saying these things.
Even if we can't be family in this world, even if you don't know me in this world, even if I'm just a passerby, I can't let go of you. In my heart, you will always be my sister.
No matter which world it is, I hope you can have a bright future.
The heartfelt affection and origin conveyed through his gaze reached Sakura's heart, unknowingly sweeping away her unease and igniting her deep-seated courage.
The girl met Shinji's gaze, stood tall, and said, "I-I don't want that! I want to protect my sisters too!"
"Ah, that's the spirit." Shinji reached out again.
This time, Sakura didn't flinch, allowing the young man who felt so familiar to pat her on the head.
"What should I do?" she asked.
Shinji smiled, "Just rush in and stop them."
"B-but I'm no match for my sisters, let alone the two of them together..." At this, Sakura's face fell.
"Well, you don't need strength to stop them. Just stand between them and shed a few tears, and I guarantee they won't dare to fight. But you can't use this method too often; otherwise, it won't be effective. In the end, it still comes down to strength. Sakura, be honest, how much weaker do you think you are compared to your sisters?"
Sakura thought for a moment and said, "This year, I competed in magecraft against Sister Luvia twelve times. I lost nine times and won three times. In martial arts, we sparred ten times, and I didn't win any."
"Regarding magecraft, I'm not surprised. She's your elder sister, and you started later, so it's normal for your skills to be slightly weaker. As for martial arts—stand still."
As he spoke, Shinji's hands moved like lightning, pressing on several joints on Sakura's body.
"Just as I thought—Sakura-chan, wrestling isn't suitable for you. No matter how long you practice, you'll never surpass Miss Luvia, let alone excel."
"Ah—" Sakura pouted—liar, you said I wouldn't be worse than my sisters.
Shinji's eyes softened even more. Even in a different world, she still pouted when she was upset.
"Don't pout; I didn't lie to you. Not being suited for wrestling and being inferior to your sister are two different things. Sakura, remember, everything in the world comes down to suitability. Take Miss Luvia, for example: her attribute is earth, which makes learning earth-based magecraft easier for her, whereas learning other attributes would be relatively difficult. That's one form of suitability."
"The same goes for wrestling. Wrestling requires a strong physique, suitable for those with a broad frame, strong muscles, and good endurance, like Miss Luvia. But you have a smaller frame, and your muscle strength and endurance are relatively weaker, so naturally, you won't match up to Miss Luvia—just look at how she can still fight back even after taking heavy hits from Rin Tohsaka. If it were you, you'd probably be down for the count. This is the unsuitability caused by physical differences."
Sakura, being perceptive and quick to understand, grasped the concept once Shinji pointed it out.
"What kind of martial art suits me then?" she asked.
"Compared to wrestling, Tai Chi is more suitable. But even if you practice martial arts, you still won't surpass Rin because your personality doesn't match. Do you think you can exude the same unstoppable spirit as Rin?"
"Impossible."
Sakura shook her head. She didn't like, nor could she manage, the kind of head-to-head clash that Luvia and Rin engaged in, where neither backed down.
"Maybe the Tai Chi that Brother mentioned would suit me better."
"Smart." Shinji gently tapped Sakura's forehead. "Tai Chi indeed suits you, but this martial art is easy to learn but hard to master. Finding a true master, rather than some self-proclaimed, fame-seeking recluse, to be your teacher is extremely difficult. So, it's not the most suitable martial art for you."
"Then what is the most suitable martial art for me?" Sakura asked.
"It's 'Women's Self-Defense.'"
"Huh? What?"
Upon hearing this name, Tokiomi, Sakura, and even Aoi, who didn't understand martial arts, were all stunned. It didn't sound like anything particularly powerful.
Shinji explained, "This martial art comes from an unparalleled female master. The master didn't leave behind a specific name for it, and I don't know what to call it exactly, so I used the generic name 'Women's Self-Defense'—because this martial art was originally designed for women's protection."
This reason was both strong and irrefutable.
"The name doesn't matter; you can change it later if you don't like it. Sakura, since you call me brother, we are fated. I will now teach you this 'Women's Self-Defense.'"
"Hurry and thank the master," Tokiomi finally realized that his youngest daughter had caught the eye of an expert.
"Thank you, Brother," Sakura said sweetly, smiling.
"No need to thank me. I just hope you will work hard and not waste your talent and this martial art."
As Shinji spoke, he inscribed a rune on Sakura's forehead.
The rune was called "ANSUZ," symbolizing unobstructed communication and gaining wisdom and benefits through it. Scáthach often used this rune to impart many mysteries that were hard to express verbally while teaching her disciples.
Whether martial arts or magecraft, they are not things that can be learned just by watching others' demonstrations. What works for someone else might not work for oneself. So, teachers often have students repeat monotonous actions and correct minute details repeatedly.
With the "ANSUZ" rune, this process can be infinitely shortened. Utilizing the miraculous power of "ANSUZ," there is another communication channel between the teacher and student beyond verbal instruction, allowing the teacher to share their experience with the student to help them avoid detours. If the teacher understands the student well enough and the student fully trusts the teacher, the teacher can even directly imprint the correct practice in the student's memory without repeated corrections.
At this moment, Shinji intended to use the same method to teach Sakura "Women's Self-Defense."
"Empty your mind, feel with your heart, and memorize with your body. My time is limited; how much you can learn depends on your insight. Now, go in."
P.S.: Sakura wrestling? I somehow want to see that. In this storyline, Sakura is trained to be a grappling wrestler, teaming up with Luvia to challenge Rin family.