“Let’s keep going…”

After a while, Lawkey managed to recover and urged his new mentor to continue.

He would be lying if he said he didn’t feel somewhat better now. He had told Munisai almost everything after he woke up from his short coma, but this entire time, he tried his best to hold on to everything, ignoring his emotions as much as possible.

He might have shed a tear here and there in solitude, but it was an entirely different feeling in his current environment. He couldn't figure out why exactly, but perhaps it was Munisai’s involvement, the incense he was burning, or this whole sword purifying process.

Perhaps it was the combination of all of these things.

The important thing was that deep down, he felt a slight relief, as if some of his burdens were cleansed.

Heh, I guess he was right after all… He thought, remembering what his teacher told him.

Munisai, feeling the change in his new student, gave him a few more seconds before picking up his blade again to resume the rest of the Sword Purifying Ceremony.

“I’m glad you feel a bit better, kid. I can tell.” Munisai began to say, “let’s finish the rest of this process. I still have a few things to teach you today.”

“Is this how it's always going to be?” Lawkey said with a slight frown, not completely finding the idea amusing.

“Maybe, but unlikely. This was simply the result of many years of pent up emotions.” Munisai took a break, knowing there was more going on than simply the events of last week, “I imagine that for all that time, you avoided-”

“All right, all right, I get it.” Lawkey cut him off, feeling uncomfortable with his past being pointed out to him again, “Please, let’s just get on with it.”

“...”

Munisai paused, then decided not to pursue the issue any further for the time being.

“On your tray, there is a clean tissue. Dip a bit of oil from the bottle on it, but make sure it’s just a few drops.” Munisai instructed while showing him exactly what to do with his own tools.

Lawkey watched carefully, then followed the same steps.

“Now, gently apply a thin layer of that oil on your blade, using the same strokes as before.” Munisai showed him, pausing to make sure he’s getting it, “Remember to be careful with the rust on the Tang, and to apply the oil on the spine of your blade as well.”

Then Munisai held his sword in front of him in length, closed one eye and inspected the blade very closely. He moved it slightly, trying to catch every inch of it.

“Go ahead and inspect your blade now,” He signaled to the boy, “we need to make sure the blade has a sufficient coating of oil. Too much of it might damage the sheath.”

Lawkey did the same as his teacher, trying to figure out what too much even is. Seeing as he could barely even tell there was a glint on his sword, he figured that meant it was just the right amount.

“Lastly, carefully put all the pieces back together, starting with the Habaki and Tsuba that you removed earlier.” Munisai waited for him to catch up, before moving on, “Then put the handle back on, and lightly strike the base of it with your palm to align it back where it should be.”

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“Like this?” Lawkey tried to do as he was told, repeatedly hitting his palm against his sword’s handle.

“Yes, do that until you hear it fitting into place.” Munisai demonstrated, as he took the same action, “Now put the peg back in so it holds the handle in place. Then return the blade slowly into your sheath.”

Lawkey followed all the steps, then placed the sword in front of him, imitating the Sword Saint.

Then both, without talking, slightly bowed to the sword.

As if on cue, the incense stick that had been burning this entire time just reached the end of its lifetime. The smell of aromatic spices and herbs still lingered in the air inside the small room.

“With that, the Sword Purifying Ceremony is over.” Munisai announced, still taking his seat, “Now, no matter where you find yourself in the future, you will be able to take care of your blade yourself.”

“...”

Lawkey sat still for a minute, taking it all in.

“Thank you…” He muttered.

In response, Munisai simply smiled, feeling a weight off of his own shoulders too.

He was glad he could at least help the boy get over some of his inner burdens, but he knew it was simply the tip of the mountain.

He had noticed Lawkey’s insistence on starting his training as fast as possible the entire week he was recovering. It didn’t quite feel as impatience, but more that the boy was in a rush to leave.

Since that change happened overnight, Munisai surmised that someone might’ve threatened him or made him feel unwelcome, but he quickly came to the conclusion that the boy was simply worried.

The two were similar after all, having lost too much, they eventually blamed themselves. They believed they were cursed, bringing misfortune to anything around them.

Munisai knew the boy would think the same, but he couldn’t let that go on. Despite the astonishing progress he had made in terms of emotional growth, Munisai wouldn’t let the boy venture out into the deadly continent of Tartarus before he was completely ready.

Kid, from the beginning, your attitude and growth were far further along than my own were back then, even at your age. Munisai thought, praising the boy in his mind.

You might look up to me, but it is I who’s impressed by you.

“Kid…” Munisai called out to him, “Don’t expect to master your training any time soon. It will take at least a few years before that happens, even for the geniuses I have taught.”

“What? Years?!” Lawkey blurted out, “I… I can’t stay here that long…”

“Yes, you can.”

“No… I-”

“Listen closely, no matter what anyone tells you, or what you tell yourself,” Munisai began his lecture, “Nothing is your fault, kid. Whatever happens during your time here, it won’t be on you. The clan had its own share of misfortune before you, and will have more after you’re gone.”

“...” Lawkey stayed silent, contemplating it all, then he asked, “Is that what happened to your leg?”

Munisai paused, not having expected the conversation to be turned around on him.

“Ah, sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked after all.” The boy apologized while scratching the back of his neck, unsure if he crossed a line.

“It’s fine, kid. Most people ask me way too fast.” Munisai smiled, “in comparison to that, you took your time.”

“Heh, I just never really thought about it that much until now.” Lawkey returned the smile with a chuckle of his own, “It’s not like it stopped you from being strong anyway.”

“Hahah, well now, if you think so, I should be flattered!” Munisai burst into laughter suddenly, taken aback by his student.

Everyone he knew looked down at him, or pitied him for losing his leg. Anyone who knew Munisai in his prime could easily notice the difference between his overwhelming strength back then, and his current futile attempts at swinging his sword.

Lawkey raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly weirded out by Munisai’s reaction.

Just then, the sword on the wall came into view. It made him curious.

“Whose sword is that?” He asked.

Munisai followed his line of sight, and narrowed his eyes at the sword hanging on the wall.

“That’s a fake sword. A replica of my late wife’s sword.” He explained, his tone low, “In our clan, we let the departed have their weapons with them, so we made this one as a reminder.”

“...”

Lawkey didn’t say anything, feeling a little guilty for always taking the attention as if his tragedies were the center of the universe.

So, she lost her mother too…

He realized, Jun’s first smile when he woke up flashing back into his mind.

“Don’t worry, kid.” Munisai brought him to reality, “It was a long time ago, but if you want me to tell you the story of this old man and his daughter, I’ll gladly do so.”

Lawkey took a second to think it over, not wanting to cross a line. However, he did want to understand them better, to know what they had experienced until now.

He didn’t quite know why, perhaps it was simple curiosity, but he felt he needed to know if he were to live with them for the next few years.

“If you don’t mind… then I’ll listen.”

Munisai smiled, then began to tell Lawkey about his wife, Tori, and her bright smile.

Lawkey could notice Munisai’s joy at remembering her, and made sure to ask him questions from time to time.

The two spent the next few hours talking, not noticing the flow of time.

While Munisai decided to omit a big part of his story, he was still glad to share it with the boy.

And with that, the longest part of their meeting had come to an end.

But unknown to them, somewhere else, another meeting around the same time was taking place.

A meeting that threatened the very livelihood of the entire clan.

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Special Illustration:

image [https://i.imgur.com/vWw6RMu.jpeg]

image [https://i.imgur.com/KQmIY8F.png]