Chapter 1 : 1st Stance

Born into a middle-class family, Takeo Yasushi was just like any other person, but he had a passion like nobody else his age.

Ever since he was little, Takeo Yasushi was enchanted by the sword. At the young age of 5 he persuaded his parents to let him learn kendo. He trained everyday and wasn't half-hearted, he pushed himself to his limit because he really loved the sword.

Participating in competitive bouts was his opportunity to battle other opponents...but they hardly posed any threat because they weren't as serious as he was...

The older he got, the better he became. Now at the age of 7, people around his age group posed no threat to him, and were done in quicker each time.

Today he was sparring someone once again. He grabbed all his gear and made his way to the kendo hall.

Inside, many other people were having their own bouts. But Takeo didn't mind them, and quickly got on his gear and gript his bamboo sword before he made his way to his opponent.

Standing right in-front of someone around his age, a small smile grew on his face, 'Let's see if I can beat him faster than the last', he thought.

Looking at the referee, he waited for the signal to begin.

"HAJIME!", the referee shouted, before Takeo charged in.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Closing the distance between him and his opponent in just a few steps. Takeo observed the 'boy'. Noticing he was nothing but an amateur in a short few seconds based on his stance and the way he held the sword, Takeo decided to end this bout immediately because it wouldn't be fun.

VOOSH! BAM!!

Takeo swung his sword in a horizontal fashion, striking the boy's head with great force.

"Ahh!", the boy groaned.

But Takeo wasn't done, immediately preparing a vertical slash from the boy's left, striking him in the liver with great impact.

BAMM!

Even the though it was a bamboo blade and the boy was wearing protective gear, Takeo put great power behind the strike, not simply striking him, but striking through him. Ultimately leading the boy to fall to the ground in pain.

"waaa!!! waaaa!!!", the boy, no more the age of 8, cried as loud as he could, leading his father to worry.

"SON!!", A middle-aged man rushed into the arena, before he held his son in his arms. "It hurts!! waaa!!", the child stated, before he continued sobbing.

Thinking his son was seriously injured, the boy's father searched for any wounds, but couldn't find anything. "Get it together son! It was just a wooden sword", the boy's father retorted. "But!, Bu-", the boy spoke before he was interrupted, "No but's, face your defeats like a man!", the man stated with his arms crossed.

".....Okay".

Looking over at Takeo, the boy's face showed signs of apprehension...but he thanked Takeo for the 'one-sided' bout, "T-Thank you for the bout", before he showed a stiff bow pointing towards Takeo.

In response, Takeo also bowed, "Thank you for the experience!", he proclaimed with a loud voice, to which made the little boy's defeat hurt more, 'He was quicker than the last, I'm getting better', Takeo thought, before a smile crept on his face.

Unable to read the atmosphere Takeo continued, "I hope we fight again in the future so we can gain more experience", his proclamation was sudden, but also felt like a huge boulder that had broken the little boy's will to continue the art of swordsmanship.

In response to Takeo's proclamation, the little boy's father was happy, "Good! I hope you can educate my son even more in the futur-", but before he could finish..."Father I want to quit Kendo!", the little boy stated.

-----

After stating such a thing to his father, Takeo quickly left the arena hall and headed on home. Finally arriving, he entered his room before he quickly had a shower, got changed, and ate some food. 'What a day!', he thought, before he looked at the bamboo sword in his hand. Gripping on it hard with a bright smile, before he fell fast asleep.

------

10 Years have past, now 17, Takeo's reached his 'limit', he can't seem to find stronger opponents which means he can't get stronger. However, he still trains every day, still persevering.

Due to him advancing more and more, he made a-lot of enemies, most of which are jealous.

Anyways, since he can't seem to excel, he spends most of his time either training, eating or sleeping.

It was currently Summer, which meant school was off. Bored of his mind, Takeo decided to go outside. He put on a black jacket and white trousers. Right before he was about to leave his house, he went into his parents room. The smell of incense covered the whole room, looking at the shrine laid out on the back-wall, Takeo walked up to it, before he sat down and gave a short prayer.

Losing his family recently due to a 'car accident' made Takeo lose a piece of himself. After praying, he left the room with a smile, and went to the front door, before he stepped outside.

CHIRP! CHIRP!

The birds chirped as they flew in the sky. The sun shone on Takeo's face which made raise his hand to cover the sunlight.

'It's so bright', he thought, 'I might as-well take a stroll in the park'.

Taking his phone out of his pocket, he decided to listen to some music whilst he walked. Putting his hood over his head, he walked with earphones in his ears, without a care in the world.

------

Staring at a young man leaving a house, 2 men in a car, looked at each-other before nodding. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Taking out a phone, one of them dialled a number.

"He came out of the house.".

------

After walking for a long-time, Takeo decided to take a nap on a park-bench. Still listening to music, hands in his pockets, he closed his eyes.

Whilst he was sleeping, in the distance a rugged, pale boy who looked like he hadn't eaten for countless days was talking to 2 men dressed in black suits. The 2 men offered the boy a briefcase and also handed a small object into the boy's hands.

For some reason, the boy's eyes grew when he saw the contents of the briefcase, but he struggled when he looked at the 'object' the men were giving him.

But he still took both of the things he was offered without hesitation.

-----

After sleeping for 30 minutes, Takeo felt a shadow over him. He quickly opened his eyes and saw a rugged young boy with his hands out.

'Seems like he wants some money, huh?', Takeo thought and handed him some Yen.

"Here you go kiddo", Takeo stated before he patted the kid's head warmly.

For some reason, all that made the boy's expression worsen and become conflicted. He even began shacking. 'Something's going on', Takeo thought. 'Huh', gazing at the boy's pocket, it looked like the shape of a gun, and from the distance he could feel people watching.

'So that's it...'.

"Hey kid, It's alright. You have a family to take care of right? Do it...", Takeo stated which made not only the boy surprised, but also himself. 'Since when was I so selfless?', "hehehe~", he chuckled in amusement of his decision, 'Well there is no competition for me here.', he pondered over before patting the boys head again.

Takeo's statement and actions made the boy begin to cry wildly, "waaa!!! waaaa!!! wa-", but before he could continue, Takeo put his hand over the kids mouth....he smiled at the boy's crying face, before taking the gun out himself.

Positioning it around the kid's torso so it would look like he shot the bullet from their angle, he looked at the boy one last time, "Live a long life kid~", before....

BANGGG!!!!!

-------

'So I'm dead huh?', 'Wait....how can I still think the-', before he could finish his thought, a blinding light hindered Takeo's vision.

'So bright~', he thought, before he was sucked towards the light....

'Wait, What's goin- onn, ahhhhhh', he yelled whilst he was being sucked towards the light...

"Ma'am It's a boy!", Takeo heard, before he opened his eyes.

He-, He was so small, "EH!????!!"