Chapter 5 - What is a Swordsman?

Slowly, the night approached. Except for the morning training, the rest of the day was boring. It was filled with Josh running around the house like a kid, Scarlett who was clinging to Kazuya, and Kazuya himself trying to familiarize himself with the environment.

He has this strange ability, don't know if this can be called an ability but, it makes him kinda special. He's divided into different personalities, three personalities to be precise.

First is his happy-go-lucky personality which is currently acting. Next is his sadistic side, this was personally tested by the two when they trained this morning. The third is a serious and calm personality, which usually enact when he wields his sword.

It creeps him out, knowing that he couldn't even control these personalities. But at least now that he knows he could keep track of how it triggers. Soon he will manage to control it.

Especially the sadistic side which made his students shiver. Anyway, the happy-go-lucky side is quite okay to be his "face" for the time being. Only in battle will he get serious while he'll try to only be sadistic when training...or other intercourses- wink, wink.

Anyway, tonight is when he would teach them how to wield a sword. Of course, not literally. Back in his second life, no one taught them about it. Even the researchers who discovered the book does not know about it

Still most of em' learned it, it was thanks to his seniors' generosity and hard work all of them knew how to form a " Sword Intent ". Which is what wielding a sword truly meant.

...

" Sword, what do you think a sword is? Or specifically, how do you treat a sword? ", Kazuya asked them, looking straight into their eyes.

Josh then excitedly answered, as if he was expecting this question. " According to my research, it is a tool used for defending one's self. Commonly made by powerful metals, a shape inspired by grass, with the edge as sharp as possible. In ancient times, some people even call it, 'The Weapon of Slaughter'. Or something like that. To answer your question I treat a sword as a weapon of choice, a weapon made with the purpose to kill."

Pretending to be amazed, Kazuya clapped his hand. He already predicted that this sword-fanatic knew at least that match. Even Scarlett wasn't surprised by it.

" Well, your answer is correct... But it only answered my question partially.", replied Kazuya, coolly.

The two just frowned, not knowing what or how to reply. Seeing this Kazuya chuckled and picked the plastic straw from their drinks, while saying, "Josh, you said that the purpose of a sword is to kill right?"

Josh nodded, but he's still confused.

"Babe, do you agree?"

"Sort of.", she said, also agreeing.

"Okay then.", as he said that he walked slowly to the two. His eyes filled with animosity, the two's back was drenched by cold sweat, instantly as they met his eyes.

Then leaving a meter or two distance, he swung the plastic straw towards the two. Not understanding the situation, the two closed their eyes, scared.

They could feel that in front of his "sword" their name is already listed on Grim Reapers' notebook. As if under his gaze, they are already as good as dead. They even forget that he was someone close and would not harm them purposely. This is the power of killing intent, specifically Kazuya's killing intent.

Then seconds later, the impending death has not yet come. The pressure was long gone, and instead, they felt a strange lightness and warmness engulfing their body.

Slowly, thinking that they are dead, they opened their eyes. There, they saw a handsome man standing in front of them, smiling as if everything happened is just normal.

Then he said, " That my students, are what you two call the 'purpose is to kill'."

"What you felt is a wielder's Intent. There are different types of intent. Intent to kill, Intent to Comfort, Intent to Love, etc.

You can master any intent by, let's say, having enough experience with it. The 'purpose is to kill'-thingy, that you two were talking about is simply the Intent to Kill or Killing Intent.

Wielder's Intents helps you strengthen the way you wield a weapon. It helps you understand the purpose of using a weapon. Any type of weapon.

Now, what did you two understand from this?", he asked, unfazed. As if everything that happened was normal.

The two looked at each other, waiting if any of them understood anything. Or at least gathered enough courage to talk.

Luckily, Scarlett's will is strong enough. And thanks to the warm feeling that is emitting from Kazuya, she gathered the courage to talk her opinion.

"I think I found out that a sword is just a type of vessel for Intents. A sword's 'purpose' depends on the wielders Intent, it could be to kill, to protect, or even to emit elegance. Just like the technique you showed us this morning.".

This made Josh nod profusely as if understanding something as well.

Kazuya clapped, genuinely happy for the two of them. He's very surprised at Scarlett's thinking. To say that she's a genius is not exaggerating at all. He spent a week to understand the Intents that was taught by his senior, yet this girl understood it in just a couple of minutes.

He even planned to give them a week or two to digest that information. Now this gal, this gal is amazing.

" Precisely! Haha, you two have talents for the sword. Especially, you Scarlett. Anyway, that is precisely what a sword means. A vessel for Intent. However, any weapon could be a vessel of Intent as well."

Blushing slightly Scarlett nodded, while Josh has a smug smile, proud of himself as well.

"Now that you know what a sword and intent are, let's combine the two and teach you what a swordsman is.

A swordsman use sword as a vessel for his intent. A swordsman uses the sword but the sword uses the swordsman as well."

The two again are confused and asked questions about it. They even forget that someone "tried to kill" them just a while ago.

"Well you see, a sword also has its intent. Which is called a 'Sword Intent'."

As if a sudden realization, the two beamed with happiness. Knowing that it was something important, the two excitedly asked for more details.

"Sword Intent, let's say that it's the soul of the sword. You know how every human has souls right? Then swords also have something similar. Understanding it, you'll have the power to control it. Or precisely absorb it."

"Wait, what does that mean? You'll become the sword itself?", Josh asked curiously.

"Haha, right! The sword will become you and you'll become the sword.", Kazuya replied.

" But aside from having more proficiency in handling the sword, what help would that be?", asked Scarlett.

Kazuya smiled mysteriously, then he released a wave of Psychic Energy. A bluish wave was emitted from him for two seconds, but the pressure it brought is more than what they expected. Seeing their expressions, he said, "This.".

The most knowledgeable about Psychic Energy, Scarlett, trembled not from the pressure, like Josh did, but from shock. The pressure he emitted is comparable to Tier 1 F rank!

" T-Tier...2? Tri-Triple S Rank?", she asked stuttering.

"Precisely, Sword Intent strengthens your knowledge in handling sword as well as your soul."

"Then does it mean that some Tier 1 practitioners mastered Sword Intent?", she asked hurriedly.

"Could be, but from what I know it's not possible. Because... I'm The Last Swordsman.", he then coolly turned around while sheathing his sword.

"Grab your sword and follow my lead.", he shouted interrupting their questions.

Then that night two persons were carried to their room, dead tired. It was somewhat a new life for them. Just like in the past they train combat techniques, however now, a week of training can be compared to a single night. In terms of difficulty that is.

...

Scarlett was damn tired last night, she couldn't even feel her arms now. All she could feel is the soreness and a warm embrace... 'Wait? Why is there someone hugging me?'

Then she opened her eyes, she saw a room painted in blue, a bookshelf filled with books, and an old sword beside the bed table. This certainly isn't her room.

Then she looked at the side to see who's hugging her. What she saw shocked her, it was Kazuya!

'Ahhhh! He's hugging me! What do I do? What do I do? Ah, right. Just have to enjoy it. No need to question anything, not when I'm enjoying this.'

Then she turned to her side, facing him, it was several inches close, she could kiss him now. But she decided not to, and saved her first kiss, for now. She just hugged him back while staring into his face.

...

For Kazuya, this sleep was the best sleep he got. It was not because his body was tired but because he has a personal cuddler. Or so he thought, if Scarlett hears this, he would never hear the end of it.

Last night just before he put Scarlett on her bed, Scarlett murmured in her sleep. " If I ever woke up the same bed as him, I would be the happiest woman in the world."

At first, he didn't know what to reply, it was like when your teacher asks you a question when you're not listening. But soon he decided to gift it to her, or so he thought it was a gift.

Looking at her, he somehow feels nostalgic. But he can not remember why he felt like this. Like when he intently looks at her, he felt like she kinda completes something inside him. As if the two are originally connected.

Thus he decided to bring her to his room and spend the night together. What he didn't expect is this girl to be a cuddler. A good cuddler. As soon as she felt the bed, she immediately looked for "warmth", which in that case him.

Then she cuddled like no tomorrow, her arms all over his chest while her legs were slithering on his thighs. She immediately closes their distance in seconds he laid.

As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw in the morning is the face of a beautiful woman looking intently at him. He then said, " Uh? Good Morning?"

"Yeah, good morning babe. Care to explain why I'm your bed?", she said, feigning an angry tone.

Kazuya knows that she was just feigning it. The smile and blush betrayed her tone. Thus he explained everything to her.

The first she did when she heard it was to jump out of the bed, sprinted out of the door, and screamed. Her face is red as a tomato, and she was embarrassed... no you could say that she was ashamed of what she said in her sleep.

Josh who was holding a cup of coffee while heading to his room was startled, his coffee almost jumped out of his hand. He saw Scarlett running out of his brother's room, the face is red while heading to her room.

Then he saw his brother, on just boxers(Scarlett is wearing her training clothes), smiling wryly at him. He could only smile back as well, while saying, " Wonder what you two did so early in the morning."