"Yang Empire, Yin Empire, Yamato Nation, and even... Gangnam Kingdom?"
I looked at Risa in the company canteen while reading her Novel in this rest time of our, asked: "These countries sounds... familiar?"
"Hm~Hm!" Risa smiled, "Whatever you thought is right, Senior!"
She looked so proud of it...
"Haha, China, Japan, Korea... It's just like you're making a small Earth with new world system."
"Of course! T-That's a must to making an more wided and complete world build for story to going! After all, a-as they says, foundation makes building!"
"... Ah, a dream?" I messaging my forehead.
Birds crips and insects buzz ringing at my sleepish ears, calling me to fully awake.
Fresh breeze blow the tree leafs where I am lying down beneath it's shadow.
Slowly, my mind began to focused from the previously sleepy mind.
Looking around, I remember that I am fall asleep while doing my daily sword practice.
I still vividly remember how I am getting here, the garden of Mansion, while in state of half-conscious because of the tireness.
"Hm?"
Without even I realizing it, suddenly, a shadow covering the light of the sun.
Ah, no, that's not a shadow.
"You're awake, Arcide. Get up, let's continue."
It is my master.
He grinned, looking down at me amusingly.
'Continue what?' I don't have to ask to understand what is he talking about.
I couldn't refuse even if I want, so I should use the logical move instead than directly showing my refusal.
"Wait, master..."
"?"
"I want to pee and... Drink some water before continuing the training."
Master stroking his bearded chin, pondering my words as if it was something so hard to be granted.
I gulped, waiting nervously while he pondering.
After some minutes of never-ending like wait, he eventually... Putting an smile.
"Well, I think that's okay. You're just got awake, after all."
I can't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you so much, master..."
Kawaou Ken.
Master Ken is my new swords master and seemingly is Father's friend.
Always carrying Katana and wearing an old Hakama, he is a samurai—no, maybe an Ronin is more accurate for him.
He never telling me, but I can guess that he is from Yamato Nation just from seeing him at the first glance.
Becoming a disciple of an Ronin... It is something that the original Arcide wouldn't even consider.
At this time in the novel, he still struggling with his emotion and distancing his relationship with Rilana and his family unnecessarily.
Maybe that's sounds so stupid choice, and yes, that's correctly indeed stupid.
But he is still young.
That sole reason itself is already enough to explain his action.
After all, the youngs don't know yet how to setting their mind.
And mostly, when they found an boundary, particularly if the boundary is looked so formidable to extent that seems to ruin their life, they would drowning within their despair, don't know and didn't dare enough to try something they did not sure whether it's will succeed or not.
Well, of course, that is just if their parent or someone other not supporting them and understanding them.
Why I know something like this, you say? That is, of course, because I experienced it myself in my younger times, well, in my previous life.
Return to the topic.
At first, I am a bit enthusiast with the prospect to training sword as a Ronin's disciple.
After all, who is don't know about Musashi?
... That's what I thought 3 days ago.
My expectations is... Exceeded!
"I see you running before. Are you already starting building your stamina?"
I remembering how my training start.
"Yes, master. From a book I read, stamina is the most crucial... thing..."
I answered every his questions carefully and happily, until... He suddenly gone and appearing back in second with an 2 meter long tree log in a size of my waist.
"From now on, tie it in your back while running around the Mansion."
"W-what?"
I never think he would be this harsh, after all, I still... Like, 8 years old!
Well, even if I am running as if my life would transcend to heaven at the every step, I somehow managed to do a lap around the Mansion.
"Ha... Ha... I... succeed, master..."
I am somewhat proud about my will and gut at that time, even hoping some compliment from him, but...
"What are you doing, laying down there? Run, nine laps more."
"..."
I am starting to think that he is not an Ronin but an Oni with his single sentence.
But his training is just getting started.
He is not even bringed down yet the real deals.
In the second day, he awaking me before the sun even show up—or rather, he awaking me while the moon still up the sky!
I think if I have a watch, the time is around 01:00 am at that time...
And we start running around the Lilac Plain, which if measured, is about 20 times vast of the Mansion... With the damned tree log tied at my fucking back!
I realized that he is not a Ronin.
He is...
Hellish Demonic Sadistic Oni Master!
My naiveness for dreamy training under the guidance of a Ronin is vanished, replaced by the most pure and the most primal determinated instinct to survive.
We just running all day, but I felt as if my very soul is being drained with every step.
Even Rilana is terrified by his training and stopping to try to running with me anymore.
I can feel how she looked at me with scared eyes, when she watching me running around with a log in my back, bloodshoted and red faced, of tired and over-circulated oxygen and blood.
My sister... I hope she's not hating me for this... Sigh...
I drinking water from an water bag a soldier brought for me while thinking all of that.
I take a glance at Master, who is standing beside me, closing his eyes and let the breeze blow his steady figure.
"Master..." I calling.
"What?" He answered, still stood there with closed eyes.
"I know this running is for building my stamina, but... Isn't it, you know, a bit too harsh? Ah, don't misunderstood it, I am not dislike it. I am just curious..."
His training, while indeed hellish and spartated, is very effective.
It's already proved at my very status.
[Strength: 6]
[Endurance: 9]
Even without leveling up, my stats is increasing in an equal pace.
Master opened his eyes and take a glance at me.
I can see a faint smile in his face.
"Physique is the basic and foundation of all, Arcide," He said.
"Hah... Okay," I nodded, try to understanding his words.
"The technique, whether it Fist techniques, Spear techniques, Stick techniques, or Sword techniques, even Magic Techniques, these techniques is centraled and borned from the physique."
Master let out a small chuckles.
"You want to start to learn about Sword technique quickly, aren't you?" He asked.
I, of course, can't deny it cuz that's true.
Master smiled as if can see my mind as clear as a plain paper.
"Aren't you realized it, my disciple?"
He looked right at my eyes.
His next words left me astonishing.
"You are already starting learning Sword technique."