Year 1595…
"Haaa!" Releasing a clear shout as the raw wind brushed past his face, he leaped into the air, performing a backward kick as he swung the wooden sword with a swift twist to the left.
Breathless as he was, the young kid with imposing height unbefitting of his age drew back the wooden sword as he took a Chudan stance, a term despite their unfamiliarity, Flynn had come to understand clearly in the recent years as he had watched from the boy's eyes.
Having begun from a slight prick on his thumb nine years ago, he now felt about thirty percent fatigue compared to what the boy felt.
Yes, it had been nine years since then.
Meaning the 1 year old boy was now 10, and a lot of things had happened since then.
Although Flynn had also added ten years, experiencing everything so far, in a sense it didn't feel like he aged at all, in his mind he was still 18 and Takezō was just 10, or in fact not just 10.
A lot of things that happened had shattered Flynn's world view.
The adventures the young child had been through was like that of a protgonist.
Now it wasn't right to call him a child, but a young adult in the body of a child.
His father had given him to his uncle at the age of 5 to train.
Carried up to a desolate mountain were he spent the next few years after that living in hell.
He was then impacted with Buddhist teachings. Taught on how to keep his mind affirmed and refined in paths such as the Act of Emptiness when he was then starved for a fews days in order to know his body.
Locked in a dark room for 3 days to grasp and honed his sense to perceive.
All kinds of trials unbefitting for a boy that was supposed to be playing and running around in joy. But somehow, Takezō preserved, seeming to have inherited a part of his father's trait, he adjusted and accepted this life without complaint. Just like now, refusing to stop his practice as he persistently moved his body despite the fatigue.
Watching this, Flynn felt gratified that their shared senses was only about 30%, though he still quaked anytime he remembered that it would continuously increase, and one day he would collapse unable to differentiate who he was.
"Onii-San!"
Bursting out into a clear tender shout from afar, Flynn or rather Takezō who had taken a sword stance instinctually felt his muscles relax at the childish vibrant voice behind him.
Turning back, he caught sight of the four years old girl who jubilantly tried to run towards him but was held back by the maid beside her, escorted by two other center bald men holding a sword around their waist.
Dressed in a butterfly embroidered garment made from silk, and known as Kimono. His sister looked pure and radiant as usual with her familiar trademark childish grin, a failed imitation of his.
"Oh, Kanako" revealing a smile that he had only ever kept to himself after being born to the Shinmen household, he struck the wooden sword to the ground and squatted down on both knees.
"Anata wa koko de yatte imasu" holding her outstretched hands to limit her from coming closer to his sweet dripped body, he asked the little girl what she was doing here in a big brother tone.
Though based on their familiarity it was no surprise that she would ignore their father's instruction in wanting no one disturb his training, he still asked to ease his mind.
"OniiSan" calling him, the girl quickly hid her face, or attempted to, because he was holding both of her hands.
Breaking out into a small laughter, they engaged in a small chatter.
Whilst watching all these with his own thoughts in mind, Flynn revised the relationship between Takezō and the Shinmen household as a whole.
While he acted free and jovial with his little sister, as she was the only one yet to be initiated into the cold mirage they lived in, he was a cold and aloof first son to every other person except his mother and sister. His father being the one that taught him, was also included among those he needed to guard against.
Everyone else schemed in their own heart, behind the loyalty they put up. In a society governed by discipline and rules as a part of culture, how one felt didn't really matter unless they had the strength to back it. To survive one had to be adept at using words, thinking carefully before they talked.
As Young as he was, being able to read his thoughts also, Flynn couldn't help but feel a sense of Inferiority by the insidious scheme in the boy's heart.
As his grandfather was a favored vessel of the Feudal Lord, his father a master of jitsu and connections to many titled people, there were alot of greedy gazes already targeting him, of which he already noticed.
Just then…
"Sōdesune, renshū suru hitsuyō ga arimasu." patting the little girl's shoulder, he unstuck the wooden sword and placed it on his shoulder, insulating that he had to continue practicing.
"Ganbare OniiSan" puffing her cheeks with a grieving face, the young girl showed her clenched fist with a smile, speaking the forgotten language that he could strangely understand.
"Hai" similarly clenching his fist, Flynn watched as Takezō's grip on the sword tightened.
Such was the importance of his training.
In order to forge a successful path in the way of the sword, to be become a renowned Samurai, he had been tasked by his father to live beyond his expectations
In a year time, when he clocked 13, he would challenge a real samurai to a duel of life and death.