Chapter 6: Taking a Disciple

Chapter 6 - 6: Taking a Disciple "Of course I do!" Chijō Kana asked eagerly. "So what do I have to do to get a taste of Katori-sensei's cooking?" "I'll be accepting disciples at the Katori-ryu Dojo. If you're willing to become my student, then you might just have the chance to eat my food regularly~," said Nanatsuki. "I'm willing to take you as my master, Katori-sensei!" Chijō Kana nodded vigorously. Nanatsuki's voice in Kana's ears was like a succubus's whisper—seductive and impossible to resist. She agreed without hesitation. [Chijō Kana has agreed to become your disciple. Would you like to accept her as a direct student?] A line of text suddenly appeared before Nanatsuki. With just a thought, he confirmed, officially taking Chijō Kana as his disciple. [Successfully accepted Chijō Kana as a direct disciple] [Feature Unlocked – Discipleship Feedback] [Chijō Kana's reputation level has increased. Current level: Familiar] [Discipleship feedback greatly enhanced] [First S-grade talent disciple acquired. Bonus reward granted: Trait – "Patient Guidance"] After treating Chijō Kana to a meal, her reputation level had already reached "Friendly." Now, with the master-disciple bond formed, it rose even higher. Nanatsuki turned his attention to the newly unlocked feature and immediately saw more information. The "Discipleship Feedback" system meant he could gain feedback from teaching his disciples. As their reputation level increased, the feedback's effectiveness would also improve. He then looked at the effect of the newly acquired trait, "Patient Guidance": [Patient Guidance: You excel at guiding others and are more persuasive] "Alright, since I've accepted you as my disciple, I'll have to be stricter with you. I need to check your fundamentals in swordsmanship first, so I can tailor your training accordingly. Follow me," Nanatsuki said seriously. He stood and motioned for Kana to follow him to the dojo. Batsu'unsai, curious about Nanatsuki's sudden decision to take on a disciple, followed along as well. Inside the dojo, a plaque inscribed with "Katori-ryu" hung prominently on the wall. On the side stood two wooden sword racks. The two each took a wooden sword and walked to opposite sides of the room, assuming standard stances. "Come, you attack first." Nanatsuki made a slight motion with his wooden sword, signaling for Kana to strike. "Then I'll go first!" Kana shouted, dashing forward. From her movements and footwork, it was clear she had a bit of sword training—but only just a bit. Her wooden sword slashed toward Nanatsuki's waist, but he merely shifted slightly to the side and dodged with ease. "An opening." He seized the moment and gently tapped the back of her hand. "Ouch!" Kana winced and let go, her sword falling to the floor. "Wait a sec! Sensei, that was too fast! I didn't even get to go all out—let me try again!" She hadn't even seen how his sword landed that hit on her hand. "If you swing without restraint, you'll leave yourself wide open," Nanatsuki said with a smile. "Keep attacking—I'll slow down this time." Kana picked up her wooden sword, walked back to her spot, and got into position again. Her full curves rose and fell with her breaths. She took a few deep breaths to focus herself. "Here I come!" This time, she didn't rush in. Instead, she advanced cautiously with steady footwork. Her attention was locked onto Nanatsuki's sword, wary of any sudden moves. But Nanatsuki didn't strike this time—every motion he made was just to block her attacks. Kana made a few textbook-style attacks, all of which Nanatsuki deflected effortlessly. Frustrated, Kana launched a flurry of slashes, trying to break through. Clack clack clack— Yet Nanatsuki seemed to anticipate her every move, blocking in advance as though her blade was seeking out his. "Rushing your offense will only open you up to more weaknesses." Nanatsuki raised his sword, blocked her downward strike toward his neck, then twisted and launched a swift counter-slash like lightning. "Ack!" Kana yelped from the sharp pain in her head, then dropped into a squat with both hands over her head. "I give up, I give up! Don't knock me on the head—I'll get dumber!" Nanatsuki chuckled at her lively reaction. "Alright, I've got a good grasp on your sword basics." Chijō Kana had definitely practiced with a sword for some time—she had a foundation. More importantly, Nanatsuki noticed her grip strength was impressive. Even without using any Spiritual Pressure, he couldn't overpower her with raw strength alone. "Sensei, how come it felt like you knew where I was going to attack? My swings kept landing right on your sword," Kana asked as she stood up, confused. "You've got some basics, but your technique is too rigid. Anyone with experience can predict your next move," Nanatsuki explained with a smile. "I practiced for a while with a private tutor when I was little," Kana said as she rubbed her forehead. Not finding any bump, she sighed in relief. "Also," Nanatsuki continued, "you were staring too hard at my sword. That's not the way to do it." He added, "By the time you see the sword's trajectory, it's usually too late to react. You need to observe how I initiate my strikes—that's how you predict where I'll attack." "So you could predict where I was aiming...," Kana murmured thoughtfully. "But even when I watch you, I can't really tell..." "That just takes experience. You can't get stuck in your own patterns—you need to spar with others regularly. But fundamentals still matter," Nanatsuki said. "I got it! I'll work hard!" Kana raised her little fists, brimming with energy. As it was getting late, Nanatsuki told her to head home and come back to the dojo for training when she had free time tomorrow. [You've completed a training session with your disciple. Rewards have been calculated] [Reward: 20 Swordsmanship Experience Points] [First time training an S-grade talent disciple—Bonus Reward Granted] [Reward: 10,000 General Ability EXP] [Reward: Sword Skill Enhancement Scroll (Mastery)] The first-time bonus was quite generous, and Nanatsuki was genuinely delighted. 10,000 points of general-purpose ability EXP—what a windfall. This bonus was a one-time deal. Even if he took on more S-grade disciples in the future, he wouldn't get this kind of reward again. Nanatsuki immediately spent all the EXP he'd earned to upgrade his Spiritual Pressure. It felt like he had gone through weeks of intense cultivation. His Spiritual Pressure had grown significantly. From 10, it jumped to 31. If converted to Soul Society's grading scale, that would be equivalent to Grade-14 Spiritual Power—a huge improvement over before. He then looked at the new item he received. [Sword Skill Enhancement Scroll (Mastery): Instantly raises any sword technique below 'Mastery' level to 'Mastery'] What a great item! After some thought, Nanatsuki used the scroll on Shunpo Iaido. The technique required Shunpo proficiency, and his level in that area was just average. It was a hard one to train.