Inside his house, Noah glanced at the time on his phone and felt his stomach drop.
"Shit! I’m going to miss the dojo session, Master Tanaka is going to kill me!" he muttered in a hurry, frantically packing his gym bag with training clothes and some necessities.
Noah had returned home as Lola’s shift began, feeling somewhat tired from everything that had happened—the underground conspiracy, public trial, noble investiture, and body tempering training had made for an exhausting day.
But missing his scheduled session with Master Tanaka wasn’t an option. The old swordmaster valued punctuality almost as much as technique, and Noah had no desire to face disappointed lectures about commitment and discipline.
Noah grabbed his keys and sprinted to his GTR, the engine roaring to life as he reversed out of his driveway with perhaps more speed than necessary.
He zoomed through the highway, weaving between slower traffic with the enhanced reflexes his agility allowed for. The sports car’s performance capabilities matched his urgency perfectly as he raced against time.
Of course, his actions were completely safe. He didn’t put anyone’s life at risk.
To his immense relief, he arrived at Musashi’s dojo with minutes to spare, sliding into the parking lot just as other students were beginning their evening routines.
Warm-Up and Preparation
Noah entered the familiar wooden building, taking his shoes off respectfully before moving to the equipment area to retrieve his practice sword.
He began with basic warm-ups that had become second nature over the weeks of his training. Quick strikes cut through the air, and each movement was designed to activate muscle memory and prepare his body for the upcoming intensive work.
The practice blade traced the air as Noah worked through the fundamental sequences.
Soft flowing strikes that focused on control over power, low sweeping cuts that engaged his core muscles, and high overhead strikes that stretched his shoulders and back.
His high attributes made the warm-up exercises feel almost effortless, but Noah maintained proper form rather than rushing through the preparation. Master Tanaka had drilled into him that foundation work remained essential regardless of his power.
The final warm-up sequences focused on cardiovascular preparation, quick combination strikes that elevated his heart rate and circulated blood through muscles that would soon face some serious testing.
Around the dojo, other students paused their own preparation to observe Noah’s warm-up routine. His movements had evolved significantly since his first appearance around a week ago.
His strikes were now much more deadly, much more precise. It was as if he had been training with the sword since he was in his mother’s womb.
As he finished his training, master Tanaka approached with his slow strides, the practice sword already in hand.
"Ready?" the master asked simply, settling into his opening stance.
Noah nodded, drawing his own blade and assuming the defensive position that had become his preferred starting point for their sparring sessions.
It had become routine that once Noah and Master Tanaka began sparring, every other student in the dojo stopped their individual training to watch. The matches had become legendary among the student body. It was an opportunity to witness techniques that they would never witness during normal training.
Their blades met in the opening exchange, Master Tanaka testing Noah’s defensive capabilities with accurate strikes that asked for his immediate response. The impact sent vibrations through both weapons as they clashed.
Noah flowed into a counterattack sequence, his blade cutting through the air with speed that made several watching students gasp with amazement. No matter how many times they’ve seen him move, they were shocked every single time.
Despite the attack’s insane speed, Master Tanaka’s experience and own agility allowed him to read the incoming strikes, his defensive positioning negating Noah’s strike.
Naturally, the negation came at a cost; Noah’s strike sent vibrations that made his arm numb for a second before he regained control.
"Your footwork is getting better! You are no longer relying on your speed alone," Tanaka called between exchanges, his blade work never slowing as he provided instruction through demonstration.
The pace accelerated as both fighters found their own rhythm. Noah’s agility allowed him to match movements that should have been beyond his experience level, while Tanaka’s mastery provided lessons that made every strike purposeful.
Their wooden swords created a rhythm that filled the dojo, each impact demonstrating the evolution of Noah’s capabilities since their training began. What had started as a new swordsman wanting to learn from the master had become much more than that.
Master Tanaka’s combination attack came in three flowing strikes.
Low, Middle, then high. Completely contradicting his previous strike patterns during other spars.
Noah was momentarily caught off guard; he didn’t expect it. But he quickly regained his stance and defended it successfully at the last second.
Master Tanaka smiled and nodded his head approvingly. "Good job,"
Each transition of attacks was seamless and perfectly timed. Noah’s reflexes allowed him to intercept each blow, his defensive work drawing impressed murmurs from the watching students.
"Excellent defence!" Tanaka approved, immediately pressing into another assault that tested different aspects of Noah’s developing skill. "Now counterattack!"
Noah’s response came as a spinning technique that utilised his full agility enhancement, the blade creating a complete circle that forced Tanaka to step back otherwise he would certainly be injured by the power and speed of the strike.
The attack barely grazed him, causing some blood to drop down from his cheek.
"Continue," He said, ignoring the little blood flowing from his cheek.
Noah nodded, respecting his master’s wish.
"That technique, where did you learn it?" Tanaka asked with obvious interest, his blade intercepting Noah’s follow-up strikes while his analytical mind catalogued the unusual movement.
"Instinct," Noah replied honestly, his level 8 swordsmanship skill allowing for combinations that felt natural despite limited formal training.
The final exchange showcased both fighters at their peak capabilities. Master Tanaka’s experience met Noah’s supernatural enhancement in a display of swordwork that left every watching student mesmerised by the sheer skill on display.
Both blades stopped simultaneously, their tips mere inches from each other’s vital points in a perfect mutual finish that demonstrated respect rather than victory.
"Good job, that was much better than before," Master Tanaka complimented earnestly.
"Thank you, master." Noah nodded a smile on his face, accepting the compliment.
As they lowered their weapons, Master Tanaka gestured toward a figure Noah hadn’t noticed before, an elderly Japanese man who had been sitting quietly in the corner, observing their sparring session with obvious interest.
"Noah, I’d like you to meet Master Yamamoto Kenji. I’ve told him about your talent, progress and that very soon I would be unable to keep teaching you.
He didn’t believe me when I said that your talent is even better than my old bones. So, I’ve brought him here to watch, and from his expression alone, you can tell what he thinks."
Master Yamamoto rose from his position gracefully. Despite his old age, Noah could tell that he had the same power, if not more, than Tanka.