6 Chapter 6 - Training

In the courtyard of the Shimotsuki dojo, a seven-year-old Terumi can be seen doing sword swings with a bamboo shinai tied with weights to it. The added weight easily is equal to double his own body weight.

"9900...9901..."

'The year is 1502, it's been two years since I started formally training at Shimotsuki dojo during the day, and with my mom in the evening. Kasumi-san has been pregnant for 9 months now, which means that Kuina is due to be born soon.'

'I should probably talk to Kasumi about her health. Even though I said I didn't want to change the plot too much, it's too late at this point, just me being here is going to change things. Besides, Kasumi is basically like my aunt at this point, I can't just let her and Kuina die if I can do something about it.'

Terumi continued his sword swinging practice with perfect form as he thought about the future.

"9999...10000!"

Finishing his daily vertical slash routine, he let the shinai and weights fall to the ground with a huge thump.

'I guess this is what they call 'anime logic' I can't believe how strong I am even at seven years old. Though I guess Zoro did literally end up being strong enough to hold up an entire building in Alabasta when he was like 19 years old, so I should be on the right track.'

After taking a short break, Terumi put the weights on his shinai again and started his forward stab routine. Every morning, he would do 10000 two-handed vertical slashes, 5000 forward stabs in each hand, and horizontal slices with added weight.

If he ever messed up his form, he would have to redo them from the beginning. This was the harsh training program put together for him by Kozaburo-sensei, in conjunction with Koushirou-sensei and his mom. He recalled his lecture from Koushirou-sensei as he continued his routine.

'Listen up, Terumi. There are only three moves I'm going to teach you in Goken style swordsmanship. Vertical Slash, Forward Stab, and Horizontal Slice. If you can master these three moves and be able to perform them under any condition, then you will have learned everything I need to teach you.'

Finishing up all the routines with some effort, Terumi made his way over to Koushirou.

"Sensei, I've finished."

"Mm. Good. Perfect form as always, excellent work. Now, come with me."

Terumi nodded as he followed Koushirou over to the training dummy area.

Stopping before one that has several marks on it, Koushirou turned to Terumi and started his lecture.

"As I've taught you before, the essence of Goken is strength. The best way to add the most power into your slashes is to utilize your entire body, that is why we practice proper form. The three forms I've taught you can be used in any situation, but mainly, vertical slash to maim your opponent, forward stab to keep an enemy at distance or to throw off his balance, and horizontal slice for defense. Failing to keep proper form in combat can greatly reduce your effectiveness, which can be a lethal mistake."

"Yes, understood, sensei!"

"Good, now, here I have marked a dummy at various points. I'm sure your mother has not slacked in teaching you footwork so that's not what we'll be focusing on. I want you to stand perfectly still and attack these points with only the moves I've taught you. Try to aim for as many hits as possible. If you ever lose balance, that's the end. The importance of this exercise is learning how to properly shift your weight at will to maximize your attacks. You may begin when ready."

Terumi stood in front of the dummy with legs loosely spread out and held his shinai with both hands. He breathed in and out and focused. He could now sustain Total Concentration Breathing in intervals of almost five seconds each. During that duration, all of his abilities are vastly increased including his cognition, which allows him to focus on difficult tasks such as this. Though recently he found that increasing the duration has gotten harder and harder.

'I wonder if I can find someone to make me some various size gourds to practice increasing my lung capacity.'

Hissss

Terumi took a deep breath and exhaled visible vapor out of his mouth, then he started slashing and stabbing at the dummy at dizzying speeds. Though his weight constantly shifted, he remained planted in the same spot.

After Total Concentration Breathing wore off, he slowed down significantly but did not break his form.

Koushirou nodded seeing this and backed off to attend to his other students. Over the past two years, everyone's come to learn about Terumi's special way of breathing, they never asked about it though, as it would be rude to ask a swordsman to divulge his secrets.

Terumi continued his practice for another five minutes, sporadically using Total Concentration Breathing, before finally making a mistake and losing his balance, causing him to inch slightly to the side.

'Damn, I guess this is my limit for now.'

After taking in some deep breathes to recover his energy, he went to report his results to Koushirou.

"Sensei, I made lost my balance after five minutes."

"Mm. Good, very good for your first time. Go ahead and take a break and then go see my father."

"Okay."

Terumi's daily routine is Goken training in the morning with Koushirou, sword comprehension lessons with Kozaburo in the afternoon, and Juken training in the evening with his mother. Occasionally he would spar with his mom during their training.

After washing up and cleaning himself in the shower room, Terumi went to the backyard area where Kozaburo would frequently fish at.

"Kozaburo-sensei, I'm here for today's lesson."

"Kid, you're here. Tell me, how long did you last on the balancing exercise?"

"Five minutes give or take."

"Not bad. Okay, come sit here and grab a pole."

"Okay."

Terumi enjoyed his lessons with Kozaburo, it was a nice break but very enlightening at the same time.

Casting the line out to sea, Terumi sat patiently as he waited for his sensei's wisdom. This was their usual routine.

"Listen up kid, today I'm going to tell you about something every master swordsman must learn before they can call themself a master."

Terumi perked up once he heard that.

"Really!? What is it?"

"Calm down, you'll scare the fish. Hmph, a brat is a brat still."

Kozaburo took a draw from his pipe as he began to narrate.

"In my home country, Wano, the samurai there all learned a very important ability that allowed them to cut steel like paper. The masters of this ability could even cut the seas and even mountains."

Terumi's eyes glowed as he listened, if he guessed correctly, he knew what was coming next.

"That ability is called 'Ryuo' and it is the ability to affect the physical world with one's inner flow."

'Finally! I get to learn Haki!'

"Ryuo allows you to channel your flow outside your body to increase your attacks. With proper mastery, you can block steel with flesh and empower yourself. Experts of this technique have the ability to imbue their inner flow into their blade, turning it black. Finally, the masters of Ryuo have been seen to be able to release their flow outward, sending flying slashes that cut seas and mountains."

"That sounds amazing! Can you teach me, Kozaburo-sensei?"

Kozaburo sighed as he shook his head.

"Unfortunately no, my boy. Only the samurai of Wano knew how to use this technique, all I know about it is the theory that your grandfather taught me."

"Oh..."

'I guess it was too good to be true.'

Sensing his disappointment, Kozaburo grunted.

"Hmph, now, don't be discouraged. You carry his blood in your veins, so you will surely learn how to use it. What I can tell you is that Ryuo is fueled by your inner flow, or in more practical terms, your willpower and lifeforce. The more you sharpen your skills, the more willpower you will be able to generate and utilize."

"I see..."

'I already knew that though, guess I'll have to wait to get to Marineford to learn Haki.'

Perhaps seeing he was not satisfied with that answer, Kozaburo continued.

"You've actually used it once before. Two years ago. Did you think a five-year-old kid could cut a training pole with a bamboo sword using his arm strength? At that moment, you stepped ever so briefly into the high realm of swordsmanship comprehension, and that allowed you to utilize Ryuo in your attack."

"...What? Really!?"

Kozaburo shook his head tiredly.

"Haa, don't let it get to your head, brat. It was a one-time deal in that do-or-die moment for you. You felt pressured by your mother and it awakened your sleeping willpower, but using Ryuo once luckily and learning how to use it are two completely different things. You must continue your training, both mind, and body, and one day you will be able to use it at your command."

"I understand, sensei!"

"As I said, stop getting excited! You'll scare the fish. Now, no leaving until you catch me my dinner."

Terumi smiled wryly as he spends the rest of the afternoon fishing with Kozaburo.

...

"Goodbye Kasumi-san, see you tomorrow! Please take care of your body, don't move around too much!"

"Ara, thank you Terumi-kun. Be careful on the way home, okay?"

"Kay."

Walking home, Terumi could barely handle his excitement from what he learned today.

'I've used Haki before! The catalyst must have been Total Concentration Breathing. I need to get some gourds made so that I can start increasing my lung capacity and learn Total Concentration Breathing: Constant.'

After he reached his house, he went in through the front door and ran to his room to change.

"Hey, no running in the house!"

"Sorry, mom!"

"Silly boy. Come eat after you're done changing and we'll start our training afterward, okay?"

"Got it!"

After a huge meal and some relaxing time later, Terumi and Hana made their way to their backyard.

"Now, let's recap what I've taught you so far. Juken swordsmanship puts an emphasis on speed. In the world of swordsmen, the stronger one is not always the one who wins. Strength means nothing if you can't hit your opponent. I've been teaching you proper footwork to maintain your balance during movement, and Iai-jutsu for swift strikes when your opponents are unprepared. Ideally, you want a balance of speed and strength."

"Yes, understood mom. Actually, I have a question."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Do you know what Ryuo is, mom? Kozaburo-sensei told me about it and said that grandfather could use it."

Hana stared blankly and then looked up as if she remembered something.

"Yes, I know what it is, but I can't really use it. Your grandfather told me that in order to master the usages of it, one needed to experience many life-or-death combat situations. I've never really fought anyone other than the odd pirate here or there, so I haven't awakened it."

"Hm, is that really the only way?"

"Well, he said it was the easiest way, Ryuo is powered by your inner flow. Summoning it for the first time takes a lot of willpower and for many people, it's a coincidence when it happens, oftentimes during combat situations. After that, it's about remembering that feeling and letting it flow through your body and wrap you around like clothing."

"I see..."

"Okay, enough talk, first let's practice your footwork."

Hana raised the bamboo shinai in her hand as she faced Terumi, him doing the same.

"If you don't want to get hit, then dodge!"

Hana rushed at Terumi sending basic slashes and stabs at him. Terumi only defended while the two moved around the field.

"Watch your step! Don't let me aim for an attack that would break your balance!"

The two continued for about 10 minutes before Terumi started to fatigue from using Total Concentration Breathing to save himself, that small moment of exhaustion left him wide open for an attack.

"Ha!"

"Ow!"

"Okay, that's enough for today. Work on your left side, and don't rely so much on your weird breathing technique, getting exhausted mid-battle is the worst thing that can happen."

Terumi rubbed his left rib that got mercilessly stabbed by his mother with the bamboo shinai.

"I got it."

"Okay, tomorrow I'll be busy. Practice moving and attacking the training dummy using what I've taught you."

"Where are you going tomorrow?"

Hana walked back inside as she answered.

"Kasumi's child is due to be born tomorrow, I'm going to go help her."

Terumi stared blankly as he started thinking about the events to come.

'Kuina's getting born tomorrow? I'm going to need to start keeping an eye out for Kasumi's health. Although it never was stated when she died in the anime, it wasn't at childbirth, so it must be sometime after. I assume it must have been health-related, maybe I should start gathering medical herbs? Either way, I'm going to spare no effort in making sure she survives. If I can save Kasumi, then Kuina will probably not have her accident as well, as Kasumi is always watching carefully over everyone in the dojo.'

'Don't worry little cousin, though we are not blood-related, I swear I will save the both of you!'

Terumi went back inside his house and back to his room, where he has gathered some medical books in preparations for this day. Thanks to the basic survival skills knowledge the guide has given him, he's sensitive to dangerous situations and objects, so he will use this to his advantage in his quest.