I looked down at the deed papers in my hand, blankly.
'Fuck.'
Sighing, I pocketed them into my duffel bag and stared out the train window.
Selling a house and buying one should've been harder than this.
['Before we arrive, you need to reduce the amount of Cursed Mana leaking from you.']
The talking sword, Muramasa, spoke as casually as if discussing the weather.
'Why didn't this appear in canon?'
Biting my tongue, I nodded internally before blinking.
'And how exactly do I do that? And why?'
Sighing, Muramasa remained silent for a moment. And I could only picture an old geezer with a long white beard looking disappointed.
['I'm only going to explain this once. Listen well, Wielder.']
Adjusting my posture, I braced myself for an undoubtedly long lecture.
['Those that can sense…']
~One Lecture Later~
['…As such, you need to contain the Cursed Mana leaking from your body. Understood?']
Grunting in affirmation, I ignored the curious look I received from a nearby mother.
Closing my eyes, I questioned what the process even entailed.
['Whatever works best for you. Picture your Mana as a tap and your body as a cup, or your body as a floodgate and the Mana as the flowing water. Find what works for you, and contain the amount leaking out.']
Drip.
Drip.
Opening my eyes, I was greeted with darkness.
A void that smothered all light.
Drip.
Yet before me, what I could only describe as a star made of black and red flames slowly engulfed the void.
From that star emerged a smaller white star, absurdly tiny in comparison, only about the size of a finger.
Drip.
Black and red liquid from the larger star dripped onto the tiny one, and I watched it grow ever so slowly.
'The larger one… must be Muramasa.'
I walked? Flew? I wasn't sure. Shaking my head, I approached the small star and cupped my hands to catch the liquid.
Drip.
...
..
Drip.
['That'll have to do for now, Wielder.']
Blinking, I looked around and realized I was still on the moving train.
'How long did that take? And why were you giving me Mana? Is this why I have Cursed Mana instead of normal Mana?'
A sigh echoed in my mind, and I wondered if at some point Muramasa would ever take human form. I shivered at the thought.
['As my Wielder, you share part of my Curse. 'Madness and Lust of Blood.' My own Mana bleeds into yours, shaping it into a greater, yet tainted, source for Magic.']
I frowned at the Cursed part, but didn't have time to question it as the train came to a halt. Outside, I saw the signs marking my arrival in Kuoh Town.
'This is it, Muramasa. The place where shit hits the fan.'
Groaning, I stretched and stepped out of the train with the crowd.
Squeezing through people heading home or to work, I looked around like a tourist which, to be fair, I was.
"…It's a nice place, all things considered. I can see why the cast likes it here."
Pulling out my phone, I input the address of my new home and began walking through the town.
'So what's the plan exactly? Get stronger, meet Rias or Sona and get their backing? What about afterward?'
['I will make this clear, Wielder. I am not holding your hand. You must figure things out for yourself.']
Frowning, I looked down at the duffel bag in my hand. Shaking my head, I looked back up and nodded slightly.
'Right. I was practically an adult before dying. I should at least act like it.'
Still, as I arrived at what would be my home for the foreseeable future a weight settled heavily on my shoulders.
I knew what it was, the stress of being in a different world was just settling in even after a year.
'Yet I can't do much about it.'
Taking out the keys, I entered and dropped my bags, wandering through the house to take it all in.
'I should learn Kendo.'
['Six months.']
Tilting my head in confusion, I looked at the katana resting in its bag.
['After six months, you'll need to prepare yourself for something big. In the meantime, learn.']
~Scene Change~
It was a good thing that Muramasa and I seemed to have a range at which we couldn't talk to each other.
'I just know that it would be upset right now.'
The old man in front of me stroked his well kept white beard.
(Pic)
"So, you wish to learn from this little place?"
I nodded again. This was the sixth time this frail looking man had asked me.
"As you may notice-"
He raised his left hand and pointed behind him, where his small dojo definitely needed some maintenance.
"-I'm not exactly in a place where many seek this kind of training. Do you still wish to learn from this old man?"
I nodded.
'The sign outside said it's only four hundred yen a month… cheaper than other places.'
While it might've been better to spend a little more money on a nicer dojo, to me it was all the same.
'How different can the basics really be between dojos?'
"Hmm. Very well, follow me."
Standing up, I trailed him into the dojo and noted that he was just a bit shorter than myself.
Around five foot- Damn…
I looked around the clean interior of the dojo and then at the old man, who turned to face me, tilting his head up and down as though assessing me.
"…You don't know anything about Kendo, do you?"
Straightening up to face my prospective teacher, I nodded and responded.
"No, Sensei. I have, however, exercised a lot last year due to being overweight."
Stroking his beard again, he walked in a slow circle around me with a slight hum before stopping in the same spot as before.
"You do seem to have a… body fit for learning. Wait here while I get the papers."
I nodded again and sat down. As the man disappeared from sight, I blinked.
'I didn't ask the old man his name.'
Planning to do so after he returned, I didn't have to wait long. He came back with a stack of papers.
"Sign these, and you'll officially be my student."
Standing, I grabbed the offered pen and signed while glancing over the documents. One of them made me frown.
"Life waiver? Am I going to do some kind of suicidal training?"
He hummed but said nothing, and I realized I'd only find out if I signed. Sighing, I did.
"Hmm. Good. Now that the small things are out of the way-"
He tucked the papers into his clothing and took a few steps back.
"-Let us get the introduction out of the way."
Raising a brow, I nodded and bowed.
"Itsuki Soma. I'm fifteen and I like Dango."
Straightening up, the old man offered a small bow and introduced himself.
"Arata. Ninety five and I tend to favor plum wine."
I hummed, filing that information away.
"Now, Soma-kun, attack me."
I blinked.
'Wait.. why am I seeing the ceiling-'
Boom!
"Fuck—Ack!"
My back ached as I hit the wooden floor. Arata-sensei appeared above me, looking down.
"Hm. Hm. Four months should be the time it takes for you to learn the basics of fighting another."
I blinked and saw the old man smile down at me.
"Now, attack me."
~Scene Change~
['You found a teacher faster than I thought. Not so pathetic of you.']
Grunting in response to the snarky katana, I face planted onto the couch, burying my face in a pillow.
'That old guy said I can't use a Shinai or Bokken until I've learned how to move…'
The katana hummed in response. Then I felt a spark of Mana tickle my brain like an unreachable itch.
['Interesting… Learn well from him.']
Deciding not to comment, I rolled onto my side and glanced at the black katana.
"…How can I use my Mana… better?"
Other than meditating to sense the magical source, I didn't know how to cast spells or reinforce my body.
['Focus on matters with your new teacher.']
Clicking my tongue, I sluggishly got up and walked to the bathroom for a shower.
['Though… you could do with more practice on Mana control…']
Snorting, I turned the shower on and stripped. Jumping in, I let the cold water, now lukewarm, wash today's soreness.
'…Wonder if Naruto's Chakra would work similar to Mana.'
That thought lingered as I finished showering, dressed and walked to the living room, where Muramasa waited in a chair.
['An interesting thought. However, Mana is fundamentally different from Chakra. One is the result of the body, the other a combination of spiritual and physical energy.']
Sighing at its words, I sat cross legged and closed my eyes, still listening to Muramasa.
['That said, 'Cursed' Mana is a mix of Soul Magic and physical energy. There may be a chance those Shinobi methods work if the ratios are right.']
I wasn't sure if it was just me, but the old katana sounded… excited?
"Right… How will I know if the ratios are right?"
Its next words put a damper on my mood.
['You won't, until you try.']
'Nothing gained, nothing ventured.'