Chapter 006- Joining a Dojo!

"It's been a long time since I saw you, Asuna." Rifat said to Asuna sitting in the open roof car enjoying the gentle breeze blowing into them.

"Yes, it has been a long time. I am glad that you came to pick me up today. Because you weren't there, mom never let me go outside for these past six months. Don't go missing again like this, okay?" Asuna said in a coquettish voice.

"Are you saying this because you missed the outings that we used to arrange or were you missing me? If it's the first one, then I will be really sad, you know!" Rifat replied in a teasing manner.

"Sigh! Brother Rifat, I know you are teasing me, so I am not going to fall for that. If you are really so eager to hear then, let me tell you, I really did miss you a few times during these first few months." Even though Asuna tried to sound nonchalant while delivering her reply, her slight blush on her cheek totally betrayed her.

Rifat just laughed after hearing her replies as they moved on to other topics while enjoying the car ride.

'Well, it seems all my hard works have been paying off. Even though she is far off from totally falling in heads over heel for me, she has at least started to have some liking towards me.'

.....

'It seems all my employees has been doing there jobs quite well.' After hanging out with Asuna for a few hours, Rifat went to visit all of the companies that he owns specially the newly acquired company, Argus.

After finishing his visit, he was quite satisfied with their progress as he went back home and called his butler to know if any major things happened during his absence.

"No, young master. Nothing major happened during your absence. But there are some minor things that I would like to report. According to your instruction, I have already sent the person named Nobuyuki Sugo to the prison. If nothing unexpected happens, he should spent rest of his life behind the bars."

"I also contacted some of the people that you mentioned to me before and given them a job in one of your companies according to their expertise. Do you want to check on them?" George asked.

"No, it's not necessary." Rifat replied as he sent off his butler.

'Everything has been going very well it seems. The adult characters that were of importance in the canon are already working under my company. I would just have to stage a meeting with them sometime to get acquainted.'

'My training with Uncle Andrew also paid off. Now, I wouldn't have to worry about being scammed by anyone anymore or fear about accidentally revealing any of my secret because of my loudmouth.' Rifat thought.

'Uncle Andrew also introduced me to a personal trainer who used to be in the Army special forces. So, my quest of learning some hand to hand combat and gun training should also go as planned. The only thing I should worry now is strengthening my bonds with the original characters from the SAO anime. They will come in handy while completing the missions given to me by the system.' Rifat further thought.

'Now let's see whom should I first approach...…let's start with the girls first. As for the boys, I don't need to create much bond with them. As long as I get acquainted with them for a few weeks, it should be easy to befriend them especially considering now that many of them are working for me.'

'Even if we can't be friends, as long as they know my social status in this life, it would become easier for me to let them work under me in the game as well by using some real life incentives like money.' Rifat thought to himself as he locked on to his next two targets for now.

One of them is Suguha Kirigaya. She is the cousin of Kazuto Kirigaya/Kirito who is the main character of the Sword Art Online anime.

The other one is Shino Asada/Sinon who appeared in the second season of SAO.

Even though, these two weren't involved in the sao game in canon, Rifat plans to get them involved. There are two reasons for that.

First, they are in his waifu list and it would be easier for him make them completely fall for him if he spends a long time with them in the game where they could only rely on him.

Second, Rifat will leave this world after he completes his two missions. So, he can't wait and let the canon play as it is if he wants to make them his harem member.

'Let's first meet Suguha. From the information that I have gathered, she should be going to a dojo. As long as I enter that dojo as a student, it would be much easier to get acquainted with her.' Rifat decided in his mind.

.....

---Half an hour Later---

"Hello, I want to learn kendo. Can you tell me the procedures of joining this dojo?" Rifat asked someone after he came to the dojo where Suguha was learning from.

"Sure. Please wait for a moment. I will ask master. He should take a short viva. After you pass that and fill some of the forms, you will be able to learn kendo from him." The person replied as he went to call the master of this dojo.

While waiting, Rifat took a look around but didn't find the figure of Suguha among the students that are practicing here.

'There is still half an hour left before she usually comes here to practice.' Rifat thought as he took a look at his watch.

"Young man, are you the one who is looking to join this dojo?" An older man with white beard came to Rifat and asked.

"Yes, it's me. I have always wanted to learn Kendo. Since I heard that this is the best dojo in the city, I came to learn from you." Rifat replied.

"Is that so? I can see that you are in good shape and it will not be a problem if you want to learn kendo. But before I let you join, I have a question that I always ask all the newcomers before taking them in." The middle aged man said.

Rifat nodded and replied, "What is your question?"

"It's nothing hard. I just want to know your outlook of death. Because the sword is weapon to kill people. Even though in modern times we don't have battles of life and death, it doesn't negate the fact that you are learning something which was used in the past to kill. So, tell me what do you think of death and how will you face it if it comes to you one day or you had to take other's life?" The middle aged man looked at Rifat and asked with a serious face while directly looking straight at Rifat's eyes.

Unlike many other kendo grandmasters in japan, he is not a pacifist nor does he teaches others kendo just because they want to learn it as a hobby or some kind of sport. Of Course, he will never encourage others to use his teaching to harm others but he always emphasizes to his students that if someday they have to use kendo in self defence, they should never show mercy to the opponent and go all out from the very beginning even if that kills the other person.

After all, the person who attacked you first is never going to show mercy, so there is no point in harming yourself by going easy on that person and giving them more time to do something which might make you regret.

[A/N: Is the pace of the story okay? Or should I sped up/slow down the pace? Let me know]