Act 4: Duel

At the sun's highest arch in the sky on May 26th, 1578 both Ryouji Ryo and Hasegawa Shoji stand amongst the field of clovers only ten meters apart from each other. The cloudy sky contains patches of the spring blue sky where the light shines through. After a moment of both men staring at each other in silence, Ryo asks Shoji "Do you see the sun, Hasegawa?"

Shoji looks up to the sky to see a cloud barely covering the sun "Yeah, what about it?"

Ryo responds "When the sun is no longer shining through the cloud and you can see it in its entirety let's begin."

Shoji puts his hand on his katana's tsuba (guard) and says "Alright then!"

In an attempt to waste time and irritate Shoji, Ryo asks Shoji "Where would you like to be buried?"

Shoji laughs and responds "Bury me where my sword lands, and what about you where do you want to be buried?"

Ryo responds calmly and casually "I like that, bury me where my sword lands as well."

For such a warm day the cold wind scrapes both the clovers below them and the men whose blood will be spilled on those same clovers. The sun slowly unveils itself from above the gray clouds and shines its brilliant golden light onto the earth below it. Both Ryo and Shoji unsheath their blades, Shoji throws his sheath onto the ground while Ryo keeps it on his body as they charge into each other, their battle has begun.

The clash of their blades cannot reach far enough to cut their opponent's flesh, both their blades and their souls exist in a state of total equilibrium. Four clashes between the men ring throughout the field pushing them further away and creating distance for the first time in their battle.

Inside the depths of Ryouji Ryo's mind births a subtle fear conquered by the enjoyment of a challenge of life and death as it begins to slowly sprout its roots into his body while Hasegawa Shoji's entertainment and joy spreads throughout his face carving and distorting into a devilish smile that screams and echoes and love of battle.

Ryouji Ryo's thoughts run rampant for the first time since the initial clash "He's strong, but I'm stronger!"

Both men slowly approach each other as they formulate the ideas for their next strike. Shoji yells toward Ryo "We're the same, we both love the thrill of battle!" Shoji charges in and goes in for a strike at Ryos chest where it is countered. Both Shoji and Ryo go in for several strikes throwing out their ideas of attack and defense.

The consecutive strikes of both men created small shallow cuts on the arms and torso of their opponent. Shoji clashes with Ryo creating a weak spot for a kick causing Ryo to be knocked back. Ryouji unconsciously smiles but immediately realizes what he's doing and asks himself "Why am I smiling? Am I enjoying this duel? Of course not this is all for the future of the Mujushin Ittō-Ryū school!"

Shoji releases a primordial and beast-like scream as he charges into Ryo where the stream of strikes continues. Both of these men are fighting at 100% with no one side gaining the upper hand.

Ryo leans back away and dodges a strike to the neck and creating room between both men for the second time in this battle. Ryo delves back into his mind "Why am I lying to myself? This is fun!" Ryo charges into Shoji for the first time and begins to attack in a wild frenzy.

Ryouji continues to dive deeper into his mind as both men slowly chip away at each other "This was never for the school, this was only for me, why did I lie to myself? Why did I use the school as a front to hide my desires? Was I embarrassed? Confused? Or shameful? Either way, it doesn't matter anymore!

In between the bloody frenzy of strikes between both adversaries, Ryo experiences his own "truth" that he has hidden from himself from the second he first picked up the sword as he admires the opponent in front of him and the sword in his hand "I will no longer lie to myself, Thank you for this moment, Thank you for this truth, Thank you, Hasegawa Shoji!"

Ryouji Ryo has been reborn amongst the clashing steel and the iron taste of his own blood on the flowers of luck below them. Ryo pushes Shoji away creating distance between them for the third time in this duel. Ryo assumes a Seigan no Kamae stance as Shoji enters a Suwari no Tori no Kamae stance.

The sun slowly becomes devoured by the clouds above both men, heaven no longer shines on this duel. The cold brutal win embraces the shallow cuts obtained by both men chilling their blood and drying it onto their ripped clothes and warm skin.

Many martial artists and fighters throughout all of history have stated and achieved a state of mind called "the zone" a state where extreme focus is achieved alongside the peak potential of the combatant. This is achieved by reaching two main requirements first immense difficulty and challenge that pushes you to the height of your abilities and second complete and total enjoyment and immersion in the activity at hand And in this moment for the first time in his life Ryouji Ryo has achieved the requirements and has fully entered "the zone."

Ryo for the first time charges into Shoji alone and gains the upper hand in the battle. Ryo shallowly slices Shoji's right arm causing him to slightly loosen the grip of his blade. The clashes between both men continue with Shoji slowly losing the battle. Shoji begins to step back as Ryo forces Shoji's katana away from his left hand giving the perfect opportunity to strike.

Shoji grips his katana with his right arm and attempts to stop Ryos incoming strike. At the realization he won't be able to stop it in time he leans back but is given a clean cut on his forehead. Shoji's body instinctually jumps back to create distance between Ryo.

The blood slowly flows down Shoji's face as he remembers what Mr. Sugiyama told him, "You're going to die tomorrow."

Shoji looks at his blade and smiles As the drops of blood flow into Shoji's eyes blending into his iris blurring up his vision of his sword. Shoji harbors no hatred for the man in front of him but instead is filled with excitement and wonder as a single thought rings inside his mind "Thank you for this moment, Thank you for this rebirth, Thank you Ryouji Ryo!"

Hasegawa Shoji's rebirth has signaled and became the host of the funeral for his "ego" This is the birthplace of the "true" Hasegawa Shoji.

Both men reassume their stances as Hasegawa Shoji's body burns in the flames of power he has achieved the same requirements that Ryouji Ryo just fulfilled moments before, Hasegawa Shoji has fully entered "the zone."

In this moment both of these men have reached the pinnacle of their potential created by the contest of power against the man right in front of them. Their battle has reached its climax.

Shoji unleashes a blood-curling laugh that shakes Ryo to his very core causing and creating a new stream of thoughts inside his head "He almost died and he's laughing? You truly are my greatest opponent, Hasegawa Shoji!"

Ryo admires the man in front of him as a paragon of strength and says "It's a shame, Hasegawa, in another life we could've been friends." Shoji smiles and responds "We could've but I would say this battle has already made us friends, don't you think so?

Ryo smiles alongside the man in front of him and answers "I guess we are, now let's end this Hasegawa-Kun!" Shoji gets ready to charge at Ryo as he responds "Please, call me Shoji, Ryo-Chan!"

Both men charge at each other with the intent to conclude the battle at this very moment. The shining blood created a spectacle, no, a masterpiece on the clover-covered canvas they effortlessly and unconsciously parade over, this field of clovers has changed and evolved into a valley of death.

Both Shoji and Ryo continuously perform consecutive strikes creating anywhere from small cuts to large gashes across their opponent's body as this battle of life and death has slowly turned into a waltz of life.

Shoji clashes with Ryo knocking his blade up while still being held by his left hand creating the room to strike a fatal blow. Ryo rapidly lowers his blade to block Shoji's incoming strike to the neck when the sword's destination is transformed into a large deep slash across Ryos torso.

Ryo kneels to the ground with his sword in hand as Shoji steps past Ryo. Ryo begins to spit out blood as he looks down at his blade as he thinks "I don't feel my sword, but I can see it, it's right in front of my eyes but I don't feel it."

Ryo looks up at the sky and sees the sun get unveiled by the clouds once again as its brilliant light shines on the crimson blood below. Shoji gives a melancholic gaze towards Ryo as he walks over to his near-lifeless body and says "Thank you, Ryo-Chan."

Ryo looks at Shoji and responds "No, Thank you, Shoji."

Shoji asks Ryo "Do you have any last words?"

Ryo thinks for a moment as he sheathes his blood-stained sword when he answers "We've talked plenty already within the clashes of our swords, I've said enough for today."

Shoji wipes away a tear on his face as he lifts his blade in the air and strikes down on Ryos nape. Ryouji Ryos lifeless body collapses onto the ground with a true and honest smile on his face.

The End