Darren's Perspective.
The chains were gone.
But my shock and bewilderment wasn't.
This is insane, I had long tossed my isekai protagonist fantasies in the goddamn trash!
I shook my head.
Impressive display of body-based metalworking aside, the Sword God Emperor's face seemed even more menacing now as his golden eyes began burning with an intensity that made me want to take a step back.
The air grew heavy with something.
But that was just my imagination, right?
I'm sure.
I hope so.
Oh god! The mountain of muscle and power on two legs is approaching me!
Menacingly!
"I think I do like you after all," he said as his voice turned a gravelly bellowing sound that echoed through the chamber. "I don't like repeating myself, but this whole thing makes me sure you're so stunned that you can't process the situation, So i repeat. My name is Kirin Edo, former samurai, former Ronin of no renown simply because a bastard ate the damn renown. Pleased to meet you." He extended his arm, his hand open in a gesture that I initially took for a handshake.
But then I realized, with the way he was positioned, it was supposed to be a warrior's shake. One at the arm, not the hand.
"I guess being trained by someone who used to be a historical samurai would be pretty amazing," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the tremor of fear that ran through me. "But you need to answer my damn question! Will you train me or not?! I'll only shake if you say yes!"
The Sword God Emperor frowned as his brow furrowed.
It wasn't a face that looked like he was considering my words but had something else-.
His deadpan was turning kind of scary.
But maybe that's the shock and terrible terrifying terrifaction that was talking.
I'm still freaking out and internally having a panic attack and most of this situation is refusing to register.
"Alright," he agreed but his voice turned into a low and menacing rumble that promised pain.
He had a smirk and eyes narrowed in a way that reminded me of certain kids back at the orphanage.
I wrapped my hand around his forearm and we shook arms.
Then he scowled harshly and his grip was surprisingly strong.
Then, without warning, he slammed his hand closed, crushing my bones with a sickening crunch.
A scream of agony ripped from my throat as a wave of white-hot pain shot up my arm.
"No sass and no back-sass! No asking questions you know the answer to! Pay attention brat!" he roared as his voice echoed through the chamber.
He released his grip with a smirk.
I stared down at my arm in disbelief as the brown and purple discoloration turned backwards.
It rewound as if in an extremely fast-forwarded video had reversed polarity on reality using the function of 'I'm sorry, did you want time to go forward? Fuck you!'
It was now perfectly fine and didn't have a scratch or a bruise.
Fucking insane bastard.
I still feel pain and that was the opposite of any kind of fun..
The Sword God Emperor's frown deepened, his golden eyes narrowing as if trying to pierce through the veil of my soul and see the truth hidden within. "Wait," he said, his voice laced with a hint of suspicion. "Historical? Well, I suppose it has been eleven hundred years. I imagine samurai have been replaced by some superior form of swordsman by now."
He paused, a wistful look crossing his face. "I haven't spoken to a fellow countryman- even one who was reincarnated here- in... well, it's been a while. Tell me, what are the latest advancements in swordsmanship? While you talk, I'll get you started on some basic techniques that will far surpass anything you currently know."
He gave me a scrutinizing look. "I mean, you're probably originally from a noble family, right? Even if we samurai are your protectors, they should have at least taught you the basics of iaido."
I stared at him.
My initial enthusiasm was beginning to be replaced by a growing sense of dread.
A dreadful realization dawned on me.
I was going to have to tell him something that might just send him into a murderous rage.
"Uh... will you be mad if I tell you that swords became illegal in the late 1800s?" I blurted out in a panic, not even thinking to hide it.
A heavy silence descended upon the chamber.
The Sword God Emperor's eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw slackening as if he had just been trying to vomit while stunned by a taser. He looked like he'd swallowed a particularly sour lemon and was struggling not to choke on it by using the expedient method of vomiting.
His eye began to twitch in a rapid pace about fifteen seconds after he froze and the reality decided that time was optional.
Phantom images of Kirin bouncing around the room, being shoved into the chains by a shadowy figure, and even impossible fractals of reality shoved themselves into existence and moved in extremely confusing ways.
With a shuddering slam of some kind of energy the strangeness stopped.
I reached up to my nose as I felt something trickling down.
Then, his face contorted into a mask of thunderous rage. "I will be fucking furious!" he roared as his voice echoed through the chamber like a thunderclap. "History lesson, now! Start with what happened after Emperor Murakami's reign in the year 949! And don't leave out a single detail!"
My heart sank.
This wasn't going to be easy.
Did I have to explain over a thousand years of history?
Almost 1100 years and he wants it all?!
History, including a large portion of history that went before the Meiji Restoration, the abolishment of the samurai class, and the rise of modern Japan – to a guy who hadn't seen the sun in centuries?
It was going to be a long night.
Actually, what time was it?
He still hadn't explicitly agreed to train me.
Or did he?
Wait, he did!
Fucking get it together, Darren!
Shock and absolute terror are no reason to stop thinking.
My stomach churned with a mixture of fear and frustration.
A history test.
In another world.
From a guy who could probably crush my skull with his bare hands.
Who also didn't actually know the damn content!
Former-sixteen-year-old-former-eighteen-year-old-reincarnated-former-Japanese-former delinquents shouldn't have to remember history class in a different world, dammit!