Makoto and Ken are now sitting on the steps in front of the shrine, drinking tea and eating the bento they prepared for lunch. Asanuma appeared to return to a sleeping position with his two front legs as a pillow and closed his eyes. While eating, Makoto and Ken talked. Ken said
"Actually, what's the point of all this practice, grandpa?"
Makoto replied
“In the past, of course, to pass on the Yokai controller technique to the next generation, to fight and seal the existing Yokais. But now, it's more like just passing on the culture. So as not to be forgotten”
Ken replied
“I see… if this was a long time ago during the era of the war between humans and Yokais, having this technique is like the determination between life and death”
Makoto replied
"Yep, that's how it is. That war is long over"
Ken's expression turned curious
"These Yokais, is it true that their origin is unknown?"
Makoto's expression turned confused
"That's right, according to history, they just appeared out of nowhere in many places across Japan, and the era of Yokai began"
Ken looked at Asanuma, who appeared to have closed his eyes, but wasn't really sleeping, and can still hear ken and Makoto's conversation. Ken looked back at his grandfather
"Didn't anyone try to ask the Yokai in question directly?"
Makoto replied
“Of course, but the Yokais themselves don't know where they came from either, and they also cannot reproduce"
Hearing this, Ken's expression turned astonished and confused. Makoto continued speaking
“They only know, if they are like waking up in the human world. The sealed Yokais said that their state when they awakened from sleep was similar to the state they were in when they first appeared in the human world. It's just, they don't have any memories before that”
Ken replied
"Doesn't that feels weird?"
Makoto replied
"It's even very strange. One Yokai forget, maybe not weird, but all of them? There is no record in the history of the Yokai controller, Yokai knows the origin of their creation. Most people believe that Yokais might just forget their memories for some reason”
Ken's expression turned curious. Ken then looked at Asanuma, whose eyes appeared to be still closed
"Do you really not remember how you came into this world Asanuma?"
While still closing his eyes, Asanuma answered
“Everything I know is similar to what Makoto has described”
Hearing this, Ken appeared even more curious about this.
The time is now 2:30 pm, Ken is now back standing face to face with his grandfather in the front area of the shrine, each of them holding a bamboo katana sword. Asanuma still appeared to be in a sleeping position that wasn't much different than before, but with his eyes open, stole a glance at Makoto and Ken's sword practice. Makoto said
“For now, we will continue to practice like this, until you can hit me. At that time, we will move on to the next training”
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Ken looked nervous and swallowed hard. Makoto held his katana with just his right hand, then pointed it forward
“Come any time whenever you're ready”
Hearing this, Ken appeared a little annoyed at Makoto's casualness when fighting him. Ken started to pick up the stances, held his bamboo katana sword with both hands, and pointed it forward. Ken's expression turned serious, he was planning how to attack. Ken then ran toward his grandfather.
Ken slashed his bamboo katana from above, Makoto appeared to have predicted it and managed to fend it off with his bamboo katana. Makoto then immediately attacked Ken's defense gap and managed to hit Ken again until he groaned. Ken immediately continued his attack, this time, Makoto easily parrying it, and turning it around, Makoto moved quickly behind Ken, then pushed Ken so that he fell forward. Ken tried to stand up, he then said
“Tch, I got hit again”
Ken then stood back up, and down again, countless times.
After some time of practice, Ken finally collapsed and sat on the concrete surface in the field in front of the shrine, gasping for air. On the other hand, Makoto looked normal and held his sword in one hand. Ken thought to himself
“How can I hit Grandpa, make him use both hands to use the sword alone I can't…”
The sky appeared to be turning yellow, and the sun was setting. Makoto looked at his watch, it was now 5:00 pm
"Enough for today's practice, we continue tomorrow"
Makoto walked over to Ken who was lying on the concrete floor. Makoto then extended his hand to Ken, while saying
"I hope you don't give up, right?"
Ken replied
"Of course not, it was nothing"
Ken then took his grandfather's hand and stood up. Ken looked at Asanuma, Asanuma appeared to take a sitting position, while watching Makoto and Ken. Ken said
"How about you Asanuma?"
Asanuma replied
"You can just turn me into a glove puppet again"
Ken looked surprised
"What if you continue like this?"
Asanuma was surprised, he then replied
“Don't joke, at this rate, other people will see me. After all, if I continue in this form, my stamina will also be depleted, and I will forcefully return to my glove puppet form”
Makoto started to speak, which immediately caught Ken's attention
“Asanuma is right, this is not the right time to appear”
Ken looked at Asanuma, then replied
“I see, then how can I turn you back into a glove puppet?”
Asanuma replied
"You just need to order me"
Hearing this, Ken closed his eyes and concentrated. Before long, Asanuma began to feel a change in his surroundings. Ken said
“Go back to being the glove puppet, Asanuma”
Not long after, thick black smoke began to evaporate from all over Asanuma's body, then quickly covered Asanuma's body. This smoke then faded away, and the glove puppet Asanuma appeared lying on the concrete surface here, the black smoke that had spread earlier appeared to be sucked back into this glove puppet. Ken walked over to the glove puppet, and picked it up from the concrete floor, Ken then immediately put it on his left hand. It appears that Asanuma chibi-shaped glove puppet is in a state of opening his eyes. Ken and Makoto then leave from here. While walking, Ken looked at Makoto
"I was thinking since before, what about the mess we caused on this field Grandpa? Even many parts of the floor are destroyed…"
Makoto replied
"You don't have to think about it, tomorrow everything will be finished repaired"
Ken appeared a little surprised to hear this, he then gave a nod.
The next day, the time is now 8:00 am. It appeared that Makoto and Ken had been standing where they were yesterday, facing each other, while holding their bamboo katana sword as a weapon, on the concrete field in front of this shrine. It appeared that Makoto holding his bamboo katana sword in one hand. Ken took the stances ready to attack, and pointed his bamboo katana sword forward, gripping it with both hands. Ken thought to himself
"Okay, no need to be grandiose, I just need to try until grandpa uses both hands"
Ken lunged forward, and immediately slashed his bamboo katana sword at his grandfather from above swiftly. As before, Makoto was able to parry Ken's attack with ease. Makoto didn't appear to want to retaliate, Ken immediately continued his attack. Ken slashed repeatedly from all directions, barraging quickly, but Makoto was able to parry them all. Makoto then started to attack, Ken was hit again on his body, and Makoto then knocked him down.
The practice continued, Ken attacked again and fell many times. Until the next few days, Ken's attacks appeared to be getting faster, stronger, and more organized, but still couldn't get Makoto to hold his sword with both hands. Ken fell and then back up again to attack Makoto, countless times. Sometime later, Ken is increasingly able to attack, causing a gap in Makoto's defense. Ken slashed quickly from above, and twisted his body, then slashed from the side. Makoto look surprised, he then held his sword with both hands and parried Ken's attack. Makoto countered Ken's attack, then pushed him down. In the fall, Ken appeared to smile, he then got up from the fall and entered the stances
“Yoshaa, I finally got grandpa to hold the bamboo sword with both hands”
Makoto appeared to be doing it as a defensive reflex from himself and didn't really notice it for a moment. Makoto smiled
“Okay, but that means this is only a sign that the next battle will become even more difficult”
Ken smiled and looked excited
“Grandpa no need to hold back”
Makoto smiled
"In that case, okay"
This time, it was Makoto who was dashing forward, swiftly heading toward Ken. Seeing this, Ken looked surprised, he immediately put up a defensive stance, like a reflex.