Junpei Ogiya obtained his own sword.
After leaving the blacksmith shop, Mitsuko also began to teach Ogiya Junpei swordsmanship.
Having acquired some of the memories of the genius samurai Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Mitsuko has honed her swordsmanship for many years, achieving a level of proficiency that is not quite mastered.
He was more than capable of teaching Ogiya Junpei.
"A real battle doesn't involve any fancy fighting techniques; the sole objective is to kill the opponent!"
As Junpei Ogiya listened, he was taking notes in a small notebook.
Mitsuko tilted his head and asked in confusion, "Um... Junpei, what are you writing down?"
"Of course, it's what you taught me, Mitsuko!"
"But... I haven't even started talking about the content yet."
"Has it not started yet? I thought it had already started. Mitsuko, you explained it so well! From the very beginning, you made me want to learn it!"
Mitsuko was speechless at Ogiya Junpei's reaction... He thought I spoke very well after I only said one sentence?
"Then I'll continue."
Junpei Ogiya nodded with great interest and continued to listen attentively.
"As a swordsman, in battle, you need to seize the center line and control the rhythm, and strike a fatal blow the moment the opponent makes a mistake. When practicing swordsmanship, finding the tip of the blade becomes the most important thing. Just like when eating, the key is to pick up food with chopsticks. If you only rely on the strength of your arm to swing the blade, you will definitely not feel it. If you rely on your waist and hips, it will be difficult to find the tip of the blade."
Mitsuko gradually became immersed in the experience and found the feeling of imparting knowledge and teaching.
Mitsuko found a wall and tapped a mark on it with the tip of his knife.
"To practice, press the tip of the knife against a point on the wall, then twist your body left and right to find that feeling of concentration. Once you find that feeling, you can do it like me."
Mitsuko began to shift his feet from side to side, but the tip of the knife remained consistently aimed at the point on the wall.
"If this level of mastery has already been achieved..."
Mitsuko picked up a stone from the ground, tied it to the beam with a rope, and then nudged the stone, causing it to sway from side to side.
Mitsuko stood still, gripped his Nichirin Blade, and easily struck the swinging stone with the tip of the blade.
Then his body began to move from side to side, and the tip of the knife struck the swinging stone once again.
"When you reach this level, you've already mastered the basics. Here's what we'll do, Junpei, why don't you experience it for yourself?"
Junpei Ogiya drew his Kikuichimonji Norimune, aimed the tip at the mark on the wall, and slashed down fiercely.
Unfortunately, the blow didn't hit the spot on the wall, but rather the rope with the stone tied to it.
The stone fell to the ground, and Ogiya Junpei blushed slightly, scratching his head sheepishly.
Mitsuko patted Ogiya Junpei on the shoulder: "Don't feel ashamed. After all, this is your first time holding a sword. To help you get a better impression, Junpei, just slash at me and experience it for yourself."
Junpei Ogiya was startled: "Slash at you? What if I accidentally hurt you?"
Mitsuko couldn't help but retort, "Junpei, you really underestimate me..."
"Isn't there an old saying, 'A novice can beat a master with a flurry of punches'?" Ogiya Junpei said embarrassedly.
"Don't worry, the prerequisite for a novice to defeat a master is that you have to learn the novice's techniques first."
Junpei Ogiya stopped hesitating, raised his Kikuichimonji Norimune high, shouted, and slashed straight at Mitsuko.
Just as Kikuichimonji Norimune was about to strike Mitsuko, Mitsuko easily deflected Ogiya Junpei's sword with the blade of his own, and then the tip of his sword rested on Ogiya Junpei's Adam's apple.
Mitsuko sheathed his Nichirin Blade and explained, "My blade tip was always held in front of my chest, aimed at your throat. When you slashed at me, you exposed your weakness and fell into my rhythm. I could easily deflect your blade and then pierce your throat, killing you in one strike."
Junpei Ogiya's eyes gleamed: "Amazing!"
"Is it impressive...? This is only at the beginner level. If you are at the same level, your opponent will not easily fall into your rhythm, nor will they easily expose their weaknesses."
This relates to what you'll be learning later, such as wrist control, blade pressure, and changing the direction of the blade. However, the prerequisite for learning these techniques is that you must first master what I just mentioned.
Junpei Ogiya couldn't wait to learn swordsmanship.
Seeing that Junpei Ogiya's enthusiasm had been aroused, Mitsuko said in the end, "What I just taught you were the basic techniques, but you don't even know how to hold a sword yet. So from today onwards, Junpei, you will first practice how to hold a sword and how to swing it."
Junpei Ogiya stood ramrod straight and said with a serious expression, "Yes!"
...
Mitsuko and Junpei Ogiya continued their journey while learning swordsmanship.
Mitsuko found Ogiya Junpei's talent incredible.
In just two months, Junpei Ogiya had already mastered how to hold and wield a sword.
Mitsuko originally thought this process would take at least six months.
What's even more outrageous is that Junpei Ogiya also mastered control over the tip of the blade.
Back then, Mitsuko practiced holding and swinging the knife using tree branches, and it took him a whole year to master the control of the knife tip.
Junpei Ogiya's talent is one thing, but the most important thing is his own hard work.
If you have talent but don't put in the effort to turn that talent into ability, then talent will only remain unrealized potential.
Mitsuko and Ogiya Junpei arrived in Kotohira Town.
This is a large town with a relatively large population.
Mitsuko and Ogiya Junpei came to Kotohira Town for the purpose of obtaining blood.
During his journey, Mitsuko obtained blood through various means.
Mitsuko also found a way to store blood using his demonic abilities.
It involves mixing one's own blood with human blood, and then simply separating one's own blood from the human blood when needed.
Human blood mixed with Mitsuko blood can be kept in a container for a month without spoiling.
Now that the blood supply has run out, Mitsuko and Junpei Ogiya have come to Kotohira Town.
In towns with large populations like these, hospitals produce a lot of blood every day, which can be used as a supply.
Mitsuko and Junpei Ogiya arrived at the large hospital in Yūbe Town.
This hospital is crowded even at night.
The smell of various medicines mixed with the smell of blood filled the nostrils of Mitsuko and Ogiya Junpei.
Mitsuko and Junpei Ogiya followed the strongest smell of blood to a room.
Inside the room, on the table, was a bucket containing a large amount of unprocessed blood.
Mitsuko took a portion of it and placed it in a container that she and Ogiya Junpei carried with them. After mixing Mitsuko's blood into the container, she left the hospital.
After leaving the hospital, Junpei Ogiya stretched comfortably: "I don't have to worry about blood for the next month."
Mitsuko didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the dark alley ahead.