Volume 2 Chapter 3 The Great Villain Of The World, Meets The Master Of Guidance
"...Boy."
The tall woman was staring at me.
The girl was hiding behind a tree. Sometimes, she peeked out to look at me.
She seemed surprised by the sudden visitor.
"You are Kou Tenhou from Aika Country, right?"
"Yes."
"I'm someone who lives in this mountain. Everyone calls me Shuu-sensei. The girl hiding behind the tree is my daughter. Please don't think she's rude. She's not used to people living in the mountains."
"Thank you for your kindness, Shuu-sensei."
I clasped my hands together towards the woman──Shuu-sensei.
I also bowed to the girl behind the tree.
"I apologize for suddenly intruding and for startling your daughter."
"You're a polite boy. So... why did you come up the mountain path?"
"I came to visit Tekizan."
"That's right. You are near the summit of Tekizan."
"This is 'Tekizan Town,' right?"
"Do you see many people living in this place?"
"...No, I don't."
"Isn't that so?"
Yeah, I had noticed it for sure.
There were paths that a martial artist could use.
So, I thought there might be a town where people who train in the mountains gather.
"Excuse me, but... what is the name of this place?"
"This is a place where only my family lives. It has no name."
"What about the name of the town at the foot of the mountain?"
"Since it's next to Tekizan, it's called 'Tekizan Town.'"
"I apologize."
I bowed my head to the woman who called herself Shuu-sensei.
"I was looking for someone to teach me about 'ki' energy, but it seems I came to the wrong place."
"That's true. However, there is no doubt that an expert in 'ki' energy is here."
"Huh?"
"That's me. I'm not a martial artist, but a traveling doctor."
A traveling doctor is a physician who roams without a fixed place.
She also appears in the game 'History of Swordmaster.'
She randomly shows up to heal injured characters or adjust their 'ki' energy.
The traveling doctor, known as Shuu-sensei.
Could it be... that this person is the character Gen Shuuyoku from the game?
"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Gen Shuuyoku. This is my daughter, Touri."
I was right.
"It's fate that you came here. I'll help you with your concerns. Touri, please take this boy to our home."
"Y-yes, Mother."
The girl called Touri jumped out from behind a tree.
With a curious look on her face, she grabbed my hand.
Then she pulled me toward their house.
Gen Shuuyoku is a non-player character (NPC) in the game 'History of Swordmaster.'
She wanders around without a fixed place.
She appears randomly to heal characters or adjust their 'ki' energy.
When I want to mess with 'ki' energy, the theory is to either go to the town of Tekizan or wait for the appearance of Gen Shuuyoku.
Since they are NPCs, I don't know their skills or parameters.
They can move freely in this chaotic world, so they must be strong, no doubt about that.
"Please have this. I haven't been shopping, so I'm sorry for the leftover tea."
The girl called Touri said.
She sat across from me, her eyes sparkling as she stared at me intently.
It was a small hut on the mountain.
There were no tables or chairs.
The floor was dirt, with a mat laid on top.
Sitting there, Shuu-sensei and I faced each other.
"I have a question to start with. Why did you think there would be a 'ki' energy mentor in a place like this?"
"I heard that some martial artists train in the mountains."
By the way, that was the origin of the in-game 'Tekizan town'.
"I heard that a very strong martial artist lived in this mountain. They say that in their later years, they secluded themselves in the mountain and met their end there. I thought, if that's the case, there must be an amazing martial artist here, so I came."
"An amazing martial artist, huh. I see."
Shuu-sensei looked intrigued.
"Knowing that means you must be connected to Raikou, right?"
"...Huh?"
"Oh, I see. The sword you have is the 'White Kirin Sword', isn't it? You are the owner of the sword that Great Master Gyoun entrusted to his disciple Raikou. That's why you came here."
"That's true, I'm Master Raikou's disciple, but..."
"Yeah. So, you came to visit the place where Master Raikou's teacher passed away, huh?"
"...Oh."
I remembered.
Master Raikou had said, "My teacher gave up martial arts and went into the mountains to become a hermit. He died there."
So that mountain was Tekizan.
In ten years, a town will probably form here because it's the place where Master Raikou's teacher died.
By the time 'History of Swordmaster' starts, the chaotic times have already begun.
Master Raikou fights to protect people and becomes a famous martial artist.
Since it's the place where such a famous person's teacher died, people will probably start gathering at Tekizan. As a result, a town will form... I guess that's how it works.
But right now, the only ones living in Tekizan are Shuu-sensei and his daughter, Touri-san.
Shuu-sensei knows about Master Raikou's teacher──the Great Master.
In that case, I should be honest and talk to her.
"I didn't know this was the place where Master Raikou's master passed away."
I straightened my posture and replied.
"I just came here following rumors. I didn't know about the Great Master. Maybe... the 'White Kirin Sword' guided me here."
"I see. That can happen."
"Shuu-sensei, what kind of relationship did you have with the Great Master?"
"I was a disciple of 'ki' energy. After Master Gyoun gave up martial arts, he researched techniques to heal people. I became his disciple around that time."
"Then, what about 'Five Divine Swordsmanship' and 'Five Divine Steps'?"
"Those techniques were passed down from Master Gyoun to Raikou. I haven't learned them. What I studied were the Healing Method and the Guiding Method. Also, adjusting 'ki' energy or inner force."
Shuu-sensei shrugged.
"When I met him, Master Gyoun was tired of fighting. He didn't even want to see a sword. So, he said he would become a hermit and started training... but he realized that his knowledge could also be applied to healing, and he taught me that."
"Is that so?"
"When I met him, Touri was sick. Master Gyoun helped me a lot."
Saying that, Shuu-sensei beckoned her daughter.
The girl named Touri sat next to Shuu-sensei.
"Thanks to that, Touri was able to move again. As a way to repay him, I decided to save people using the techniques I learned from him."
"What happened to Master Gyoun after that?"
"He went missing in the mountains. They haven't found his body, but... he probably passed away."
"So, Shuu-sensei, you came here to mourn Master Gyoun?"
"No, usually I move around town for work. I come here when I remember Master Gyoun. It's like a hometown for my heart as a traveling doctor."
"...A hometown for the heart of a traveling doctor, huh?"
I recalled the content of the game again.
The character Gen Shuuyoku from 'History of Swordmaster' does not oppose Kou Tenhou.
Sometimes, she appears where the main characters are and uses healing techniques.
She shows anger in chaotic times, but she doesn't see Kou Tenhou as an enemy.
And this person is an expert on 'ki' energy.
So then──
"I have a request for you, Shuu-sensei. Could you please check my 'ki' energy?"
I sat in seiza and deeply bowed my head.
"According to Master Raikou, my 'ki' energy seems to be special. However, Master Raikou is currently on a journey. In the meantime, my master told me to look for a master for 'ki' energy."
"So that's why you came to Tekizan."
Shuu-sensei nodded as if he understood.
"If that's the case, I can see why you were in a hurry. Normally, you wouldn't ignore the town and climb the mountain."
"I'm quite embarrassed."
"I don't mind teaching you. However, there is a condition."
"Yes. I will listen."
"I want to confirm if you are really Raikou's disciple. So, Touri."
"Yes, Mother."
"Try to guide the 'beast' in front of our guest. Show proper etiquette."
"Understood."
With a swift motion, Touri stood up.
She placed her hands on her clothes and paused.
After confirming I was watching, she adjusted her collar and hem.
Then, she placed both hands on the floor.
"...Mmeow."
Touri stretched her body while digging her claws into the mat.
Slowly, she breathed softly.
"Meow. Meow. Meow."
Touri meowed and circled around me.
This is──
"Boy. Answer the name of the guidance Touri is using."
"'Beast Body Guidance' in the form of a cat. 'Cat Super Stretch (a cat's body can stretch endlessly).' But... this is──"
"Mmmeow. Meow."
"It's completely different from what I'm doing. Is this Touri's 'Beast Body Guidance'...?"
The girl in front of me──Touri──was completely acting like a cat.
Even though she looked human, she was like a cat itself.
I could see cat ears, whiskers, and a swaying tail.
Touri was fully wrapped in a cat-like atmosphere.
"You can't just watch. Show me your 'Beast Body Guidance' too."
"...Okay."
"Touri. Next."
"Mmeow, mmeow. Meow."
Touri's cat form changed.
It was 'Cat's Sphere.'
I started the same form of guidance, but it was still different.
Touri's 'Cat's Sphere' was just like a cat basking in the sun.
Mine... still had some human traits left.
Doing this side by side made the differences clear.
I kind of understood why my 'Beast Body Guidance' was incomplete.
Master Raikou was trying to mix my 'ki' with Shouou and Seirei to create 'Divine Energy.' Mixing 'ki' was the priority, so he didn't focus on the precision of the guidance.
But, Shuu-sensei is an expert in 'ki' energy.
She probably cares a lot about the quality of the 'ki' energy that is created through guidance.
So, that girl, Touri-san, must have perfect 'Beast Body Guidance.'
Touri-san is probably a master of guidance.
And her mother, Shuu-sensei, is definitely a professional in 'ki' energy.
"There's still more to learn about guidance. Right, Touri?"
"...Uki? Uki-ki? (Eeekk? Oook?)"
"'Uki' (Oook)!?"
A strange voice reached my ears as I focused on becoming a cat.
When I looked over, I saw Touri-san scratching her head.
But it was just for a moment.
Touri-san quickly turned back into a human.
"I'm sorry for showing you something embarrassing."
She said with a shy face and clasped her hands towards me.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)