“One!”

“ONE!”

Every day for years I’ve been coming to this dojo to learn the way of the sword. Right now, it’s group training for the elite students.

But I’m no elite. I’m not even a student.

“Hey, he’s back! Get him!”

I dropped down from the tree I was perched on top of, running off into the dense forest. I dart in and out of the trees, not even having to think about where I’m stepping.

I’ve been chased down this path countless times from the edge of the dojo, but these so-called Sword Masters they have as guards can never catch me.

The story’s the same as always, as I can’t even hear their pursuing footsteps anymore.

I slowed down my walk to a casual pace, making sure to not step on anything sharp with my bare feet.

Eventually, I reached my home for the past few years. A secluded wooden house in the middle of the forest. There’s no path leading here, and only clueless animals dare to approach. An oppressive atmosphere emanates from the very walls of the building, but I’ve long since gotten used to it.

“Old man, I’m back!”

I yelled out my greetings, waiting for the familiar standoffish response from my housemate, but nothing came.

“Someone must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…”

I muttered under my breath as I picked up a branch that was leaning up against the house. The bark on it has been worn down, leaving the lightly colored wood exposed. This is my sword.

I thought back to the movements of the dojo students, trying my best to recreate them.

“ONE!”

I repeated the movements over and over, the practice deeply ingrained into my very being at this point.

After swinging my sword for about 30 minutes, my body started becoming hot. I removed the weathered rag that I called a shirt, throwing it onto the ground beside me.

Like that, I swung my sword almost like I was in a trance, over and over.

“ONE!”

BOOM

Until I was snapped out of it by the sound of something. I refocused my eyes to see a disheveled man with long, unkempt, curly brown hair put up in a ponytail; his face covered in a similarly-colored patchy beard. The old man.

“It’s time for my tea.”

He said one thing, letting go of my sword and walking back into the house. I quickly put my shirt back on and leaned the branch back up against the house and followed him inside.

As I began making the tea, certain memories came to mind.

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**

“Find the demon!”

“Get him!”

Tears filled my eyes as I ran through the streets of the city I once called home. Several sword-wielding men chased me, aiming for my life. Somehow, with my small build, I evaded.

As I reached the edge of the forest, I hesitated.

‘Never go into the forest! Savage beasts and outlaws alike will turn you into a meal.’

But I’d rather become food for an animal than be killed by the monsters chasing me. I ran through the trees, jumping over roots and ducking underneath low-hanging branches.

The sounds of the footsteps behind me slowly became silent, and I was left with the sounds of bugs chirping and my own heavy breathing. I was now truly alone.

As night fell upon my sorry existence, I wandered through the forest, searching for somewhere to sleep.

*Growl*

… And something to eat.

Then, as if the gods above were blessing me, I saw a light up ahead. That can only mean one thing.

I ran as fast as my exhausted body could take me, hoping the light wouldn’t escape my view and leave me behind.

That’s when I saw it. The old man, with his trademark unkempt hair and less-full beard, swinging a sword in front of his home in the forest.

His movements were precise and even though I knew nothing of the way of the sword, I could tell his form was deadly.

He moved the shining steel blade in ways I didn’t even know was possible, at speeds that didn’t look human.

I stumbled out from the foliage, initially met by hostility.

“Please teach me the sword!”

I got down on my hands and knees and begged him to teach me what he was practicing. But unfortunately, that was the last time I would see his Sword Art.

**

Ever since that day, he has let me stay at his house. I make him tea every day, but I see no hope in learning from him. That’s why I go to the nearby dojo and watch them practice.

TWEEEEEE

I poured the tea into the old man’s teacup, making sure to fan the steam away. I took it, sliding open the animal hide door and walking inside.

The room was small, but still took up more than half of the house. The old man was sitting with his back towards me, on the floor with his legs crossed, fumbling with something.

“Old man, here’s your tea.”

“Did you fan the steam?”

“Yep. Just how you taught me.”

‘More like beat into me.’

“How old are you now, kid?”

Was this a test or some kind of trick question? I’ve told him numerous times that I don’t know how old I am.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, let’s hope you’re old enough, then. You look about the right age.”

He turned around, showing me what he was messing with. It was a thin and long sword, its black cloth-wrapped grip showing out of the sewn leather scabbard.

I couldn’t see from where I was, but it looked like it had a circular guard that went all around the blade, instead of a cross guard that was on every other sword I had seen before.

“Take this blade; both as a sign of your apprenticeship, and as a burden you must forever carry. If you can wield this weapon, you will be indomitable.”

He was showing more emotion than I had ever seen on his face, and was visibly shaking.

“If not, you will die.”

Gulp

What kind of offer is that?!

“Show me you are ready.”

I felt a chill go down my back as I put the teacup down on a small table next to the old man. He stretched out his arms, inviting me to grab the blade.

I took it, pulling it out of the guard and holding it up. It was completely black, with a single bladed edge that ended in a sharp point. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Then, I felt something flow from the blade into my arm, and throughout my body. Strength filled my body, and any exhaustion I had from practicing the sword was now gone.

“You will now inherit this name and this blade. Shin, I wish you good luck, and I hope this curse ends with you.”