kscans

Chapter 22 - The Bird That Soars High in the Sky

It was obvious from the outside, but as they passed through the pruned garden and looked up at the training hall, it became even clearer. The Masaki dojo was being reborn into one of the most prominent dojos in the West. The bluish-gray roof tiles shimmered in the sun, and the white plaster was fresh and beautiful. The wooden parts had a well-aged sheen, with no trace of their former neglect. Impressed, Nanafushi and Miyake stood at the entrance of the training hall, from which the voices of young men echoed.

"We request a match!" Miyake’s voice was low but carried clearly. The men engrossed in their training stopped in unison and turned to face him.

"I have heard rumors of this dojo while on a training journey. I wish to request a match with your master instructor." At that, a young man from the front stepped forward.

"If you’re looking for the master instructor, he is in the outer training grounds. Shall I show you the way?" Miyake exchanged a look with Nanafushi.

"Hmm. What could an outer training ground be?" Nanafushi was asked in a low voice, but he had no answer. He just gave a bitter smile.

"We’ll know when we get there."

And so, the two were led to a rectangular plaza that had been leveled and packed down so hard that not a single blade of grass grew. It was three times the size of a normal training hall, with pines, bamboos, and ornamental rocks dotted around its perimeter. It was, indeed, an outer training ground, the two men nodded to each other.

"The advanced group practices here," the young man explained, then called out to the few men who were training.

"Shintaro-sama!" Among the group, one man, who stood with his back to them and was noticeably taller than the rest, turned around. Needless to say, Nanafushi and Miyake were taken aback. Shintaro’s presence, with his ruggedly handsome features, was even greater than they had heard.

"What is it?"

"Sir. These men wish to request a match." Shintaro looked at Nanafushi and Miyake and walked toward them. As he did, he never took his eyes off Miyake. The man was in his mid-sixties, but his posture was excellent and his body muscular. He looked like he could handle himself, a fact that drew Shintaro’s attention. He was only slightly shorter than Shintaro himself. Seeing Shintaro’s unabashed wariness, Miyake and Nanafushi were impressed. To be able to recognize a strong opponent at a glance was a natural gift. Shintaro bowed before the two men.

"My name is Shintaro." Miyake and Nanafushi bowed in return.

"I am Miyake. This is Nanafushi." Yagami Senkichi, who had been listening from behind Shintaro, gasped. But a sharp look from Nanafushi immediately silenced his agitation.

"I would very much like to request a match, if you would?" Miyake proposed. After a beat, Shintaro replied.

"I don’t mind, but even if I lose, I cannot give you our sign."

"Hohoho. This isn’t a dojo-breaking challenge, so rest assured." Only Miyake and Nanafushi laughed at Shintaro’s words. The disciples looked at each other in surprised silence. They couldn’t believe Shintaro’s uncharacteristically timid remark. But soon, they grew excited at the prospect of what might be a good fight. Shintaro only cast off his armor of forms when facing an opponent whose strength was on par with Saneyuki’s. His instincts knew he couldn’t win against someone stronger by sticking to the forms. When asked before why he didn’t hold back, Shintaro had been vague, but there was a clear reason.

"I cannot hold back, is that acceptable?" Shintaro asked, just to be sure. Miyake laughed.

"I would have it no other way," he answered.

The disciples moved to the edge of the plaza, leaving only Miyake and Shintaro in the center. Both bowed, then raised their wooden swords. Miyake’s stance was standard, but flawless. Shintaro, on the other hand, held his wooden sword in his right hand, swept it out to his right side, and held it horizontally. He was completely open from head to toe. Miyake frowned. Nanafushi, who had decided to watch with the disciples from the sidelines, did the same. But as Nanafushi listened to the disciples whispering, he instantly understood what Shintaro’s stance meant. Shintaro changed his fighting style depending on his opponent. He also overheard a conversation he couldn’t ignore.

"Right from the start? He’s that strong even when he sticks to the forms. I thought he could win, am I wrong?"

"Shintaro-sama’s instructions are easy to understand, but his thoughts are not. Well, most challengers from outside come wanting to see that, so maybe he’s just giving them what they want."

"It’s not just the outsiders who want to see it, is it?"

"Hahaha. You’re not wrong." That was, of course, the rumored technique of jumping like a hawk. If it was something that got everyone around him so excited, then he must be able to jump six shaku, no, maybe seven or eight, Nanafushi mused inwardly. However, even for him, who served the country as a strategist with a so-called divine intellect and had recruited many talented individuals to Kyo, such a jump was simply preposterous. Impossible, he scoffed. It was the only logical conclusion. He looked around, but there was nothing that could be used as a springboard. Even the smallest ornamental rocks were five shaku tall. He would have to jump at least six shaku to clear the one-ken distance. How would he perform this technique? It would be a spectacle, to be sure, but… Just as Nanafushi was thinking this, Miyake finally lunged forward. It was a lunge that showed no signs of aging. Miyake, swift as an arrow, closed in on his opponent in an instant. Shintaro was startled and leaped backward. The distance between them widened in a flash, and Miyake clicked his tongue. At that moment, Nanafushi measured the distance of the leap with his eyes. Two ken. To produce that kind of distance in a forward-and-back movement was worthy of praise. His powerful legs were just as the rumors said. But it wouldn’t work on those above him, Nanafushi thought. There was a world of difference between moving horizontally across the ground and moving vertically. Shintaro’s new distance lasted only a moment, as Miyake, with his 자랑스러운 leg strength, closed the gap once again. Shintaro ducked low to dodge a strike and swept his sword at Miyake’s feet. The single swing created a gust of wind. Miyake dodged, but the hem of his hakama was torn, giving him a slight fright. He even suspected for a moment that a blade was hidden in the wooden sword, but he could see no glint of metal. It was a pure wooden sword. Realizing he would be defeated if he wasn’t careful, Miyake got serious and brought his wooden sword down toward Shintaro’s head. But in the next instant, Shintaro was gone. Miyake frantically scanned the area, but couldn’t find him. He glanced over at the disciples watching and saw them all with their chins up, looking at the sky. Among them, only Nanafushi wore an expression of utter astonishment. Miyake had a bad feeling and looked up.

It was far beyond six shaku, or even ten. It was an unbelievable jump that proved Sahei’s story was no lie. And right now, like a bird that had been flying high in the sky now gliding down, he was tracing a sharp trajectory. Miyake raised his wooden sword. He was prepared to take the attack. Shintaro, as if to answer, swung his arm, aiming for Miyake’s weapon. The impact was tremendous. The wooden sword broke and shattered, a great wind rose, and dust swirled. But both men stood their ground, not yielding an inch, still locked in a stalemate.

"Amazing. More than the rumors," Miyake said, staring at Shintaro. Shintaro gave a wry smile.

"Shall we settle this now?"

"Ah, no, no. This is enough. There’s no need to fulfill my companion’s wish."

"His companion’s wish?"

"He said he wanted to see me get beaten." Shintaro’s eyes widened, then he broke into a broad smile.

"Then, let’s call it a draw."

*

"He’s quite a fine young man. He has an honest look in his eyes." Miyake said after they left the Masaki dojo. After walking for a while, he turned to Nanafushi, who had been silent with a pale face, and asked, "What’s wrong? You don’t like him?" At that, Nanafushi clenched his fist tightly and dropped his gaze to the road at his feet.

"You know that my eyes can measure distances accurately, don’t you?"

"I do."

"He jumped five ken." Miyake’s eyes widened, and he stared at Nanafushi’s profile.

"What did you say?" Miyake had also seen him jump high like a bird. But because of the timing and angle at which he had looked up, he wasn’t sure exactly how high. So, Nanafushi’s words now made him break out in a cold sweat.

"Are you certain?"

"There is no mistake. No running start, no springboard. He just kicked off the ground and jumped." Nanafushi said, looking up at the sky. In his eyes, the image of Shintaro soaring high in the heavens seemed to be still vividly imprinted.