Chapter 54: Day of Harvest

Chapter 54 - 54: Day of Harvest [First time obtaining a disciple with a D-grade talent. Additional reward granted: Trait – "Patient Guidance"] As Katori Nanatsuki expected, he once again received the "Patient Guidance" trait as a reward. Opening his Status Interface, he noticed that the original "Patient Guidance" trait had undergone a new change. [Patient Guidance (Can be further upgraded): You are skilled at guiding others and are more persuasive. When instructing students, their talent (limited to comprehension, understanding, and learning ability) will be temporarily boosted by two minor levels. Disciples engaged in training tasks will continue to benefit from this effect.] The "Patient Guidance" trait had been upgraded again—it could now boost a student's talent by two levels! Nanatsuki opened the disciples' interface. All disciples currently undergoing training tasks had received the two-level talent boost. Among them, Chijō Kana, Muguruma Kensei, Hirako Shinji, Kotetsu Isane, and Flash Goddess Yoruichi had all reached SS- grade talent! Kobane Jin'emon, whose original talent was B+, had now risen to A grade. As for the newly accepted disciple Hoshino Rie, though she wasn't assigned a training task yet, she was currently receiving tutoring from Nanatsuki, and thus also received the boost—her D+ talent temporarily raised to C grade. "Rie, go home and preview this Human Anatomy Atlas and the Kaido Essentials. In a couple of days, I'll go over them with you." Nanatsuki pulled two books from the drawer. [Current training task added: Instruct Hoshino Rie in Basic Kaido Training (In Progress)] "Yes, sensei!" ... In the backyard of the Katori-ryu Dojo. Flash Goddess Yoruichi held her breath and focused intently on her teacher's movements. Nanatsuki stood across from her. Without warning, he flicked his hand, tossing four wooden blocks into the sky at lightning speed. Yoruichi's eyes sharpened. In the blink of an eye, she vanished from her spot. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— She performed Shunpo four times in rapid succession, her silhouette flashing in front of each airborne block. Finally, Yoruichi landed on the ground in a half-crouch. Only then did the four blocks begin to lose momentum and fall to the ground. One of them had been sliced clean in two. Yoruichi quickly stepped forward to inspect the severed block. "Ah—cut the wrong one again! Can't you make the marking more obvious?!" she grumbled in frustration. The blocks were all different, and she had to identify the correct target in an instant and cut only that one. "This is part of your training to increase sword swing speed during Shunpo," Nanatsuki said with a smile. "You must locate your target before the blocks start to fall and strike with extreme speed. The subtler the interference, the better the training." Yoruichi was currently practicing the "Quadrant Shun Strike". In truth, Nanatsuki was surprised at how quickly she was progressing. The move was notoriously difficult, yet she had managed to reach the threshold in just a week. While her solid foundation played a part, the boost from the "Patient Guidance" trait also made a significant difference. The overall training efficiency of his disciples had risen sharply lately. Nanatsuki said calmly: "Your Shunpo speed is already sufficient. Don't rush it. See your target clearly before you strike." "'Quadrant Shun Strike' may require rapid multi-phase attacks, but during actual combat, using it recklessly could get you killed." "If your opponent catches your weakness, you'll have only a brief moment to adjust. Be ready to switch techniques if needed." "Unless you're in a life-or-death situation where gambling it all is your only chance—always leave yourself room for change." "Sword techniques aren't meant to lock you into rigid patterns." Yoruichi nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. I feel good about my control now—please let me try again!" Nanatsuki fetched another piece of wood and made a clear mark. "This time, target the one with the heart-shaped marking." "No problem!" Yoruichi gripped her sword with both hands, eyes locked on his movements. Nanatsuki tossed the blocks again. Yoruichi vanished. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— Once more, her image flashed before each airborne block. She landed lightly. The wooden blocks rained down. Yoruichi rushed forward and checked the split wood. "I did it!" she cheered excitedly. "Very well done. You learn quickly," Nanatsuki said with a smile. "Hehe, it's all thanks to your great teaching!" Yoruichi grinned. "Next, we'll move on to the next phase. You'll have to cut four wooden stakes simultaneously. But with your Shunpo level, this shouldn't be difficult. I believe you'll master 'Quadrant Shun Strike' soon." "No problem!" Just then, good news came from Chijō Kana's side as well. "Sensei, I can keep the bells from ringing now!" Chijō Kana bounced over cheerfully. Her sleeves and waist sash swayed, but the bells tied to them remained perfectly silent. Nanatsuki glanced at the interface: her training task had been completed. [Instruct Chijō Kana in Advanced Reiatsu Control Training (Completed)] SS- talent was terrifying! Back in his day, it had taken him over a year to complete advanced Reiatsu control training—tormented by those same bells. Though his talent didn't show on the interface, based on his previous assessments, he figured his comprehension and learning ability were roughly on par with disciples of S-grade talent. But with the help of "Patient Guidance," Chijō Kana had achieved this feat in just three months! "Kana, your progress is impressive. Next, I'll teach you the 'Flowlight' sword technique," Nanatsuki said with a smile. [Current training task added: Instruct Chijō Kana in Sword Technique Training (In Progress)] He had demonstrated "Flowlight" once while bear hunting in the mountain forest, and she had shown great interest in it. Nanatsuki continued: "'Flowlight' is a type of Shunpo Iaido. At the moment of the slash, you must extend your Reiatsu along the blade, effectively increasing the weapon's reach to hit enemies beyond its physical range." "This requires excellent control over Reiatsu, which is why I had you first complete Reiatsu training." "Grip the hilt. I'll guide you through the feeling of Reiatsu compression on the blade." He motioned for her to grasp the sword and placed his hand over hers. Nanatsuki's Reiatsu flowed through her hand and gathered on the blade. "Focus on the sensation—how the blade and scabbard respond. When you're still unfamiliar, you can channel your Reiatsu into the scabbard to seal the pressure on the blade." "But once you get used to it, you'll need to reverse that—use Reiatsu on the blade's surface to hold in the internal pressure. That's how your 'Flowlight' will become sharp." Chijō Kana's ears flushed slightly, but she quickly steadied her focus, holding her breath to carefully feel the pulse of his Reiatsu. "Next comes the release—draw the blade and let the Reiatsu explode outward. Speed is crucial; otherwise, the extended Reiatsu will scatter and lose its sharpness." Nanatsuki guided her hands and drew the blade quickly. A brilliant arc of light sliced through the courtyard. A maple leaf on the red maple tree split in half along a perfectly smooth line. At that moment, Kobane Jin'emon and Kotetsu Isane also arrived and said: "Sensei, we've completed the Flagfish Wooden Sword Suburi Training!"