So I’m a Fish, So What?

So, you might be wondering why I am currently doing an impression of a dead fish.

That question’s answer invokes bad memories, so I’ll refrain from answering!

Ah, just kidding, you better believe I am gonna dedicate my all to complain.

 

A few hours earlier,

“So, you want me to train your daughter, lassie? You should know it’s hard for someone to even transfer to this dojo much less catch my eyes.”

These were the old man’s first words as we got neared his position.

Huh? Does mom have some connection with this old man?

“I am clear about that, Kenji-ojisan, but I can’t trust anyone else with this, I believe training with anyone else would make her uncomfortable.”

Why though? I mean my trauma would – OHHH, I see! This old man’s presence is literally suppressing my trauma, I don’t feel stiff closer to him.

In fact, I feel very safe yet restrained at the same time.

As if being this old man’s ally would be like standing behind a solid barrier but being his enemy would make it so that no place is safe.

“I can’t let anyone enter though, lassie. Okay, let’s do it like this, I will test the little doll and if she manages to arouse my interest, I’ll train her. This’ll write off my debt to your father.”

Leaving no room for negotiation, he turns and walks to a corner with a smaller arena, probably the sparing area for younger children.

“Ah, I’m sure she’ll do more than just catch your interest, ojisan. Let’s go, sweetie, give it your best!”

Mom chuckles and follows after him while gesturing for me to keep up.

Huh? Huuuuuuuh?!!

Am I gonna spar with that old man? No no no no, this can’t be, right?

Are you perhaps trying to get your daughter un-lived, mother dearest?!!

I move towards them with a pale face, getting a thumbs up from mom and a head shake from the old man.

“Pick a sword and come at me, little doll.”

Wait, this is one of those right?

Your test began from the moment you stepped inside this room kinda thing?

Crap, I need to hurry and do my best, mom used up a leftover debt from grandpa for this!

Observing the array of wooden swords placed on the weapon rack, I pick up one that seems to have the same body-to-length ratio the old man’s sword follows.

Oof, too heavy…

“Hoh, it seems there’s more to you than the eyes can see, little doll. Your body’s too weak for that ratio, pick the one your heart wants, girl. There’s no right answer”

I’m startled by Kenji-san’s voice, stealthily peeking through my sphere, I see his eyes regarding me with an amused expression and a barely noticeable smile appears on his lips.

Seemingly feeling my gaze, he starts looking around in a confused manner, damn sensitive old man.

Hastily stopping, I focus back on the swords.

I mean… there’s only one choice here, right?

Not only is my nearly forgotten super intuition screaming at me, but even my heart yearns to use such a style.

It’s very cool as well, you know?!

Deciding to just satisfy my desires; I move my hands toward the weapon rack.

They end up settling on pair of swords, one of them half the length of the other, I believe the short one is called a Shoto while the longer one is called a Daito.

I can see myself relying solely on feints and rapid attacks in a fight.

While using two short swords feels like it would be more comfortable, I believe having a long sword against a larger, more experienced opponent would be better.

This is my first time using any weapons, so I will also have to adjust during the spar.

Clenching my choice of swords, I take a deep breath and slowly take my position on the opposite end of the arena.

“Mind telling me why you picked these two before you start?”

That’s fine with me so I just tell him.

“I am physically weak and small, so I want to use two swords for rapid attacks, you’re bigger with a longer reach so I need a long sword as well, and more importantly, it seems cool!”

I explain with a serious expression, but my eyes start shining at the last sentence.

Let’s ignore the camera flashes flickering in the corner of my eyes, I’m sure it’s just an illusion.

Mulling over my words for a second, he chuckles while changing into what I assume is a defensive stance.

“Following your desires without shame unless it involves loved ones, huh? Mixing truths with some misdirection and using your advantages to the fullest as well. Nice try, little missy, but it won’t work for me.”

Ah…? Damn perceptive old man.

Not only did my little trick fail, but I was also read like book.

I wanted to be seen as a naïve child with a little more than average critical thinking ability and then take advantage of being underestimated to land a surprise hit in the middle of the spar.

He can probably see through the bluff added into my stance as well, I am copying a stance from an old movie while showing an incredibly confident look.

What experience would a six-year-old have in swordsmanship, me?!

My prideful expression is probably nothing but funny too, the increasing frequency of camera flash attests to this.

“All right, missy, come at me with all you’ve got!”
He knows this is my first time wielding a sword, so he presumably wants to assess my talent.

I am sorry old man, but I have no swordsmanship talent whatsoever.

My other traits and abilities can compensate for that though, I’ll need to thoroughly show this to pass his test.

Charging at him seemingly recklessly, I observe how his body reacts through my sphere.

No movement, but his leg muscles tense in case of a feint?

He overestimated me because he saw through me?!

Putting some weight into my right hand holding the Daito I transfer the force of my charge into a diagonal slash onto his sword while visibly tensing my left arm as if preparing for a stab.

Ohhh!? He moved back an unnoticeable distance; It seems my thoughts are on point.

My strikes feel weaker than they should be though, I adjust my grip and charge again with a different stance.

I get absorbed in observing and recording the differences between the old and adjusted forms through my sphere every time I retreat from a confrontation.

Manager-san, please pause the analysis on telepathy and help me out for a while here.

{“Telepathy” Ability analysis paused}

{Creating a new file: “Self-Created Swordsmanship”}

This will delay me getting {Telepathy}, but I don’t care right now.

In fact, I am too absorbed in my experiments that I lose sight of everything around me except for Kenji-san and his movements.

All insignificant twitches are discarded and then the strength exerted by his moves is calculated and the better ones are integrated into my movement set.

The discarded ones included stuff like facial expressions which led me to miss Kenji-san’s change in facial expressions.

It started with him shaking his head with a frown to a slightly serious expression followed by an approving nod then transforming into astonishment.

Suddenly detecting a change in Kenji-san’s body, I predict he will end the spar by knocking my sword out of my hand.

Letting Manager-san resume the work on {Telepathy}, I go for a newly deduced move to counter Kenji-san’s slash.

I let his strike fall on my Daito, moving my wrist slightly with precise timing and gradually lowering my body into a squat.

His strike is a lot heavier than predicted, so I just let go of my Daito while launching myself forward and under his sword using the spring-like force provided by my body position to stab upward at his shoulder with my Shoto which was previously hidden behind my back.

Yes! This is a guaranteed hit! I am such a genius, wahaha—huh…?

The expression of joy on my face morphs into confusion as my Shoto connects with nothing leading me to face-plant to the ground as I fail to control my momentum.

I slowly come to my senses and shift into a position where I’m lying on my back looking at the ceiling while panting.

It didn’t register in my state of extreme focus, but my body is currently screaming, and my lungs feel like they are burning.

Ahh, of course, it’ll be like this, the highest effort I’ve ever made was running after Theo when he stole my food to tease me.

But I’ve just engaged in a high-intensity fight while disregarding my body’s state.

It was fun though; This state of extreme focus is very intoxicating.

“Well, color me surprised, missy. Your talent for swordsmanship is frankly terrible, and what you’re doing is not even kendo, you’re fighting as if in a life-and-death duel. However, your observation skills and growth rate are just absurd, it’s as if you’re some sort of artificial robot from a sci-fi horror movie. You need to work on controlling your face though, it gave you away your intention in the end there.”

He looks at me as if looking at some sort of monster, then turns to my mother and spoke about his opinion.

“She’s not suitable for the knightly swordsmanship that modern kendo follows. Instead, she’s cut out for learning my real skills. I can take her as my personal disciple, her training would consist of pretty much nothing but spars as they are the most efficient for her. Whaddaya think, lassie?”

Mom silently shifted her eyes to my tired yet content face while considering his offer.

“How do you feel, sweetie?”

“That was… AWESOME!”

I can not begin to express how intoxicating that felt, it’s like this is what you bastards were having fun doing behind my back?!

I feel like I have finally found something that clicks with me, the sheer satisfaction felt due to the rapid improvement coupled with the heart-pounding feeling of battle makes me feel alive.

Ahhh, this is addicting.

“Okay Kenji-ojisan, let’s do it according to what you think.”

“Don’t worry about her, lassie, I’ll take good care of her. I believe she will surpass me in the future.”

So, I am now this old man’s disciple, huh?

I take a better look at him now that my initial nervousness is gone, he’s a moderately tall man with long white hair tied into a ponytail, sharp black eyes, and a lean but toned body.

“All right, little missy, get up and come at me again.”

Excuse me...? I’m resting here...

“Get up or you’ll be getting no food rests.”

Are you the devil, old man...?!

How can you speak such heresy with such a harmless smile?!!

I swiftly jump up to my feet and go at him with all my strength, the earlier event is then repeated incessantly until I couldn’t move a single muscle no matter how much I tried.

Looking at me wriggling around on the ground like a dead fish, Kenji-shishou walks away with a satisfied smile after saying something that fills me with dread.

“We’re done for today, little missy. See you again tomorrow, same rules as today.”

Ahh... Save me...