4 Chapter 4 - The Way of the Sword

Hearing Terumi's enthusiastic answer, Kozaburo grinned and laughed.

"Gahahaha, I knew your bloodline wouldn't end here Kenzaki! Good, good. My daughter-in-law here tells me you have been training, I will help you with your regimen, and Koushirou will help you perfect your form. You start tomorrow."

"Wait, I still need to get my mom's approval."

Terumi nervously fidgeted thinking about the time he tried to sneak out to go training alone when he first turned five.

"Hm? What, that's easy. Tell her Kozaburo is going to personally train her son, see if she dares come and complain to me! Gahahaha."

"Father! I know I suggested this but we still have to respect Hana's wishes! I'll go with Terumi and talk with her."

"Hmph, fine. Do what you want."

Kozaburo waved his hand as if he couldn't be bothered anymore. Terumi then looked at the old man speaking about something that's been on his mind.

"Shimotsuki-san-"

"That's Kozaburo-sensei to you now, brat."

Terumi seemed stunned but he smiled and nodded.

"Kozaburo-sensei, exactly what is the Shimotsuki-style of swordsmanship?"

Kozaburo looked at Terumi as if he asked the most childish dumb question in the world. Well, he is still a child (physically).

"Huh? There's no such thing as Shimotsuki-style. There is only swordsmanship. You swing your sword and you cut your target. If you don't cut your target, you die. If you do, you win. There's nothing else to it. Doesn't matter if you use one sword, two swords, or more."

Terumi blinked in confusion, he seemed to have some understanding of what Kozaburo is saying but he still pressed on.

"But I've seen many different people use different sword styles and moves, this can't be all there is to it?"

Kozaburo wrinkled his brow as an anime stress mark appeared on his forehead.

"Idiot! Obviously, everyone is different, no two people are going to swing the sword the exact same way nor will their approach to combat be the same. Everyone has their own way of swinging the sword but it all boils down to one simple truth. Either you cut, or you don't."

Terumi widened his eyes in amazement. Now he realizes why Koushirou never taught Zoro anything other than correct his posture. The 'Shimotsuki' style isn't a sword style but it is the purest form of swordsmanship and serves as the basic foundation for a swordsman to develop themself. For Terumi, this is perfect, as in the future he will learn many different breath techniques and their accompanying sword styles. Having a strong foundation of swordsmanship will improve everything he wants to do.

"I understand! Sensei!"

Kozaburo grinned and laughed heartily.

"Gahahaha! Good, now finish your meal and go bring me your mother. I'll be sure to convince her if my daughter can't."

"Yes, sensei!"

Koushirou's wife smiled and chuckled.

"Okay, Terumi, hurry up and eat before everything gets cold."

Terumi devoured his meal at a record pace. As a growing boy, especially with the constitution of someone in the world of One Piece, he needs lots of nutrients.

After finishing up his meal, he followed Shimotsuki-san back to his home. They live a good distance away, with Terumi's home being closer to the pier.

Entering through the front door, Hana spotted them right away.

"Terumi, and Kasumi! What are you doing here? Wait, what are you wearing? Don't tell me you signed up to the dojo without telling me!"

Hana was about to blow the lid off the house but Kasumi stepped in to stop her.

'Kasumi, so that's her name. I don't know why I managed to avoid hearing it till now.'

**A/N: Yeah so, I got tired of referring to Koushirou's wife in third-person, it doesn't really matter if I make up a name for her, since we'll probably never learn it in the show anyway. If we do learn it though, I'll come back and change this.

"Calm down Hana, I'm here to explain. I spotted Terumi returning home from his jogging and noticed he needed a change of clothes since his were dirty after training. So I invited him over for a meal and let him take a shower there. We don't really have any spare children's clothing except for the gi so that's why."

"Oh, okay."

Hana immediately shifted her mood back to cheerful and showed a soft smile.

"But, I do want to talk to you today about enrolling Terumi as a student in the dojo..."

"What."

And again, Hana's mood shifts back to what it was. Terumi swore he could see burning energy rising behind her, but it's probably just a trick of the mind.

"Now, now. Let's not get hasty, Hana. Listen to me first. Terumi clearly has talent in the sword. You know this to be true. Combined with his training ethic, it would be a waste not to let him train!"

"Hmph, Kasumi, just because we're friends don't think I'll let you kidnap my boy. You just want him all to yourself, don't you!"

Kasumi was helpless against this son-con of a mother. Nothing was getting through.

"Agh, listen! Father thinks he has what it takes too! He wants to accept him as a personal student!"

Hana momentarily calms down and displayed a confused expression.

"Uncle Kozaburo? That old geezer's still alive? Okay, let me go help him into his casket."

Hana flashed an evil smile as she reaches for Yuugata hanging on the wall, but as she grabs it. She stops herself and moves away.

"Hmph, forget it. Yuugata is too good for him, my fists will do."

"Wait! Mom, calm down. They didn't force me, I want to learn how to use a sword too. I heard about you from Kozaburo-sensei...how come you don't practice your sword anymore, mom?"

Hana paused for a second and gave a melancholic sigh.

"I gave up the sword to be with your father. Your grandfather didn't want me to marry anyone he didn't approve of, but I didn't care about what he thought. As much as he loved me, he was just...too overbearing you know?"

'You're not allowed to say that!'

Terumi said loudly in his head. He wouldn't dare verbalize it though.

"So, I told him that if he wouldn't let me be with who I wanted to be with, I said I would quit the sword! And so, I did. Even after his passing, I just didn't see the point in picking it back up again..."

'I can tell there's more going on there, but if she doesn't want to say, then I won't press.'

'Time to try my last resort.'

"I see. Well, I think it's cool that you were a swordswoman, mom. I want to be like you one day, pretty please?"

Terumi gave her the best puppy dog eyes he could possibly muster.

"Ngh, fineee. I can't say no to you sweetie."

'Success.'

Hana sighs and then grabs her travel bag.

"Okay, I agree, but I'm still going to go speak with Uncle Kozaburo. Let's go, Kasumi, dear."

""Okay!""

Soon, the trio made their way back to the Shimotsuki household and dojo.

Sitting around the table were Hana, Terumi, Koushirou, Kasumi, and Kozaburo.

"Tea, anyone?"

Koushirou offered.

Hana simply grimaced while seated and arms crossed. Kasumi sat next to her and smiled. Kozaburo was giving them both the stink eye. Terumi was seated next to Hana as well on her other side.

The silence was soon broken by Hana herself.

"I'm here to talk to you about Terumi's enrollment. If we're going to do this, I have to see for myself if he really has the talent. If he doesn't meet all of our approvals here, I won't allow it."

'...What? Wait why?'

"Hmph. Gahahahaha, this is one bet you're going to lose, Kenzaki. Come, let's come to the field."

Koushirou looked at Hana, and then at Terumi. He narrowed his eyes as if trying to see through him, before relaxing to his previous smiling expression.

The group made their way to the field.

"Set up two poles."

Hana urged. Koushirou nodded and moved two practice poles next to each other. He then provided Hana with a bamboo shinai.

"Watch carefully Terumi, this is what it means, to walk The Way of the Sword."

Hana stood a fair distance away from the dummy training pole with her sword in a sword drawing/iai stance, holding the sword with one hand while the other hovered above the bamboo sword. Terumi watched carefully, not willing to turn his eyes away for a second or even blink.

'Mom's swordsmanship...I want to see it!'

Hana took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a second. Then suddenly, the atmosphere around her changed, as if replaced by a completely different person.

She opened her eyes and dashed forward.

"Ittoryu (One sword style), Hana Giri!"

Her body disappeared right before reaching the dummy pole and then swiftly reappeared behind it.

The dummy then split and fell into five different equal pieces.

'That...was done, by a bamboo shinai!?'

Terumi couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Koushirou also shone with a surprised look, he never thought he could see such beautiful swordsmanship from a swordswoman.

Kozaburo didn't say anything but only nodded, so did Kasumi.

Hana returned to her son and faced him, with a serious look on her face before handing him the shinai.

Terumi took it in his hand and it almost dropped to the ground.

"H-heavy."

"This is the 'weight' of a sword."

She then walked back to join everyone else.

"Show me what you got."

The bamboo shinai weighed heavy on his hand. This was his first time ever touching a sword, practice weapon or not. Part of him was scared, the immense weight of the seemingly light bamboo stick weighed heavier as he felt the expectations of the people behind him, but also, part of him was excited. If he can pass this test, he can truly start the journey of his dreams.

'I've practiced it thousands of times in my head, but can I do it? I've never tried before. I can't even hold Total Concentration Breathing for a second...no. I must do it. I MUST do this, not to prove to my mom, but to myself!'

Terumi held the bamboo shinai with both his hands, feeling out the best point the get the most solid grip and balance on the weapon. He stood the same distance away from the dummy training pole as his mother previously did, relaxed his body, and started breathing in and out.

Meanwhile, the group was having a discussion about what Terumi was planning to do.

"Hana, isn't this too mean? What if you break his spirit?"

Kasumi inquired.

"If this can break his spirit, then he is not fit to walk The Way of the Sword."

Kozaburo grunted in agreement.

"Indeed. This is a trial this brat must overcome. He must see his limits and see the broad horizon of the sword. Only then, can he truly call himself a swordsman."

'I've done it a thousand thousand times in my head. I can do this. I CAN DO THIS! ONE SECOND IS ALL I NEED!'

Terumi dashed forward.

'Total Concentration Breathing, Breath of Water, Forth Form.'

He leaped into the air.

'Striking Tide!'

Ignoring the pain busting out of his lungs, the screaming of his delicate muscles, he twisted his body to deliver several consecutive slashes to paint a 'Z' pattern on the dummy.

...

As soon as he landed, he fell flat on his face and passed out from exhaustion.

'Did I...do it?'

He wondered as his consciousness faded away.

...

Creek...

Thump.

The dummy split into four pieces and fell to the ground.

""""...WHAT?""""