When Mitsui Daichi arrived at his grandparents' house, he looked at the huge buildings around him. In front of the house was a kendo hall covering a large area, and in the back was where his grandparents usually rested. Mitsui Daichi, who came here for the first time, looked at the five large characters "Shinto Munen Ryu" on the door plaque, and his eyes lit up.
The old man following behind him seemed to have noticed his gaze. He was Saito Yunyou, the owner and successor of this kendo hall, and also the grandfather of Mitsui Daichi. Saito Yunyou reached out and touched his grandson's head. He had heard from his daughter before that his grandson was very smart, and he immediately wanted to test him.
Saito Yunyou asked Mitsui Daichi beside him, "Does our Daichi know what sword arts there are in Japan now?" Mitsui Daichi thought for a while after looking at the plaque on the door, and said to his grandfather, "I don't know everything, but I have read about the general styles in books."
"Oh? Can you tell me about it?" Saito Yunyou asked Mitsui Daichi puzzledly. He obviously had not expected that his grandson actually knew about kendo schools. At this time, Mitsui Daichi pondered for a moment and said, "First, the oldest school, Nakajo Ittoryu, is almost the origin of the current kendo schools."
At this point, Mitsui Daichi also glanced at his grandfather, only to see Saito Yunyou slightly narrowed his eyes and nodded, and then Mitsui Daichi continued: "Then there are branches that emerged from this ancient school, such as the more well-known Tomita-ryu, Ittoryu, Hokushin Ittoryu and Muto-ryu, etc."
At this time, Mitsui Daichi suddenly stopped talking. Saito Yunyou, who was listening with great interest, looked at his grandson and said, "Why don't you continue talking?" Mitsui Daichi touched his head, as if he realized that he was a little too mature, so he stopped talking and just smiled at his grandfather and said, "I don't know the rest."
However, Saito Yunyou did not notice the hidden look in Mitsui Daichi's eyes. He just looked up at the plaque on the door and said, "Yes, these are the schools that are well-known now, but there are actually many branches. If I were to remember them, I might not be able to remember many. But there are only a few major schools in total."
Saito Yunyou stroked his already pale beard and continued, "After the Nakajo Ittoryu, six major branches were derived, including the Nen-ryu, Ittoryu, Shinto-ryu, Yin-ryu, Niten-iryu and the last Hayashizakii-ryu. Then there are some schools that are not among these major schools, and our Shinto Munen-ryu is derived from the Shinto-ryu branch."
At this point, the old man's eyes were full of sighs. There are very few young people learning kendo in this era. Then he continued: "Our Shinto Munen-ryu is a sword school founded by Fukui Heiuemon, a native of Shimotsuke, in the middle of the Tenmei period. At the end of the shogunate, Shinto Munen-ryu was also a sword school with great influence and many disciples."
"Hei'emon originally learned the Ichien-ryu sword technique. Legend has it that on his way back from training, he visited Shinshu Inazuna Gongen and had an epiphany while worshipping, which led to his creation of a new sword technique. Because he suddenly gained enlightenment from the appearance of the god while meditating with his mind empty, it is called Shinto Munen-ryu."
"So our Shinto Munen-ryu also has the saying of focusing on practicality in combat and overwhelming the opponent's momentum and strength. So although it combines Taoism and Buddhist meditation, the essence of "strength" was brought to full play by my ancestor of the Saito lineage, Saito Yakuro. So now Shinto Munen-ryu is better known as the Saito-style Munen-ryu. "
At this time, the old man's eyes were like a sharp sword unsheathed, and he looked deeply at the door plaque above his head. Mitsui Daichi beside him also felt the vague aura of the old man. His eyes suddenly became bright, and he said to his grandfather: "Then grandpa, can I learn kendo from you?"
Hearing that his grandson wanted him to teach kendo, Saito Yunyou suddenly put away his aura and gaze, looked at his grandson with a kind face and said: "I remember your mother told me that you like basketball. Why do you suddenly want to learn kendo?" This question stumped Mitsui Daichi.
He hesitated, not knowing what to say, and Saito Yunyou said nonchalantly: "It's okay. If you want to learn, grandpa will teach you. But learning our Shinto Munen Ryu requires one to follow nature and break all laws with force. So you must be calm and not be disturbed by external things. Can you do it?" As he spoke, the old man's eyes became serious and he looked at his grandson quietly.
At this time, Mitsui Daichi was also lost in thought. Seeing that his grandson did not reply quickly, Saito Yunyou nodded with satisfaction. He had heard from his daughter that his grandson loved basketball very much. If he was asked to give up basketball, he would not be suitable for the Shinto Munen-ryu swordsmanship.
Just when Mitsui Daichi was about to refuse his grandfather, his grandmother, who had already gone home to cook, spoke from inside the door: "What are you talking about? Come back and eat!" When Saito Yunyou heard his wife's words, he also said to Mitsui Daichi: "Daichi, think about it, there's no rush. We should go back and eat now, otherwise your grandmother will be unhappy."
The old woman strode towards the door, shouting as she walked, "Old lady, did you make Sukiyaki for your grandson today?" Mitsui Daichi's grandmother Saito Saeko responded, "I did, really, how could I not make food for my good grandson?"
But Mitsui Daichi was standing at the door, looking at the plaque above his head, holding his basketball, and no one knew what he was thinking. Even when he started eating, he didn't eat much of his favorite sukiyaki placed in front of him. Saito Saeko, who originally wanted to persuade him to eat, was stopped by Saito Yunyou, who even said to Saeko: "Let Daichi think about it carefully!"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Then the two old men stood up and took the food away. They left the restaurant and returned to their rooms, leaving Mitsui Daichi alone sitting on the sofa, his little body shaking as if he was thinking about something.
The next morning, Saito Yunyou listened to the sound of the ball in the yard and saw his grandson practicing seriously from the window. He stroked his beard silently and said softly, "He passed. He is worthy of being my grandson, Saito Yunyou."
When Mitsui Daichi finished his practice for the day and returned to the house, he saw his grandfather sitting at the door wearing a swordsman's outfit with a blade placed on his knees.
After seeing his grandson coming back, Saito Yunyou silently raised his head, and the whole person was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath. He stared sharply at the grandson in front of him who had just turned five years old, and said to him: "So, after a night, has our Daichi thought of the answer?"
At the same time, Mitsui Daichi also carefully placed the basketball at his feet, and sat down like Saito Yunyou, and looked at his grandfather seriously and said, "I chose basketball. Although I also want to learn kendo, it turns out that I like basketball the most! Sorry, Grandpa!"
But who knew that Saito Yunyou was not as angry as Mitsui Daichi imagined, but looked at his grandson with a smile and said, "Then are you willing to learn Shinto Munen Ryu from grandpa?" This question made Mitsui Daichi raise his head, looking at his grandfather in disbelief, and asked, "Why?"
Saito Yunyou picked up the sword on his knees and said to Mitsui Daichi: "Our Shinto Munen-ryu has always emphasized a strong mind. If you can't even have a stable mind, how can you learn? And your persistence in basketball is also very touching to me, so you are qualified to learn."
Saito Yunyou stood up and said to Mitsui Daichi: "Of course, don't worry, practicing sword with me won't interfere with your basketball. But every time you practice sword, you must be determined to die, otherwise the blade in my hand will not have eyes, even if you are my grandson!"
Saito Yunyou walked out of the door with his sword in hand. Before he left, he said to Mitsui Daichi behind him, "Pack up and come to the front hall when you're ready! Don't worry, practicing sword skills will also be good for your basketball skills, at least in terms of your body and mind!"
Then Saito Yunyou left the living room. Mitsui Daichi, who was sitting on the ground, looked at the basketball beside his legs. The awakening in his eyes became more and more certain. Since last night, he chose to have both. Even if it was a combination, he wanted to combine Shinto Munen Ryu and his basketball to play his own basketball.
At this time, he gently placed the basketball on a rack specially used for basketballs and took the kendo clothes and the beginner's iron sword prepared for him by his grandfather from the side. After putting them on, he waved the iron sword a few times and went to the front hall.
And in the system interface that he did not notice, his own meditation also changed from an unlocked state to an unlocked state. However, this was only what he had learned from listening to Buddhist teachings since childhood. What he needed now was to rely on external forces to formally train this special state of mind.
When Mitsui Daichi came to the front hall, his young age and stature attracted the students who came to practice sword. All the students looked at the clothes Mitsui Daichi was wearing and understood that he was a new student in the kendo hall. However, it was rare to see kendo students so young, and almost everyone looked at Mitsui Daichi curiously.
At this time, Saito Yunyou also appeared on the sword-practicing platform. He coughed lightly, attracting everyone's attention, and then said to everyone: "Today, our Shinto Munen Ryu welcomes another kendo student. He is my grandson, Mitsui Daichi!" As he said that, he stretched out the sword in his hand and pointed it at Mitsui Daichi, who everyone was curious about.
Saito Yunyou then continued, "Although my grandson is only five years old, in my opinion, his cultivation of the state of mind has far surpassed all of you in the gym. What he lacks is the basics, so I will personally teach him about our kendo."
Then he motioned for Mitsui Daichi to come on stage. After Mitsui Daichi came on stage, Saito Yunyou said softly to his grandson: "I know you are a genius, so I won't let you always keep kendo in mind. I need you to learn the essence of kendo, especially the essence of Shinto Munen Ryu. Now, raise your sword!"
When Mitsui Daichi raised his sword, the way he raised it made the students in the audience laugh. They didn't expect that this junior fellow in the dojo couldn't even hold a sword. At this time, Saito Yunyou said to Mitsui Daichi: "Think of the sword in your hand as your basketball. For the rest, you do what I do, whether it's the movements or the steps."
Saito Yunyou began to swing the sword in his hand. The nine forms of Neon Kendo, the first technique, the second and third techniques, the sweeping technique, the retreating technique, the pulling technique, the wiping technique, the exiting technique, the returning technique and the knocking technique appeared in his hands one after another. Mitsui Daichi on the side also ignored the laughter around him and began to concentrate on learning.
In the end, he could no longer hear any sounds around him. He only felt that the environment around him had become quiet, and his grandfather's movements became gradually clearer in his mind. He seemed to be immersed in a state where he could clearly feel everything and all the movements around him.
Then, in everyone's astonished gaze, Mitsui Daichi slowly closed his eyes, and his whole body was like a sword drawn from its sheath, with his hands and feet moving along with it. Almost every movement was exactly the same as Saito Yunyou's just now, and even more perfect.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It's even more exciting later!
Seeing his grandson like this, Saito Yunyou nodded with satisfaction. He knew that his grandson had understood his thoughts and abandoned many ideas. Now he was in a state of returning to nature.
After Mitsui Daichi had completely wielded all his sword skills, he slowly opened his eyes. But when he was about to look at his grandfather, his eyes went dark and he fell backwards. Saito Yunyou suddenly appeared behind him, stopped him, and walked towards the backyard.
On the same day, almost all the kendo halls knew that a genius had appeared in the Shinto Munen-ryu Kendo. However, what they did not expect was that this genius never practiced kendo again after that, but instead integrated the kendo learned from his grandfather into his usual training.
Mitsui Daichi, who woke up from his coma, looked at the familiar ceiling. He knew that he was back in his bedroom. He just lay quietly on the bed and recalled the state of mind just now. He was like a Buddhist who understood every flower, every grass, and every world.
And he also found that this realm could be completely combined with his basketball, which made him a little excited. When he went downstairs to find his grandfather, his grandfather just took out a book on Shinto Munen-ryu Kendo and handed it to him, telling him that he had become a master and now he could focus completely on basketball. This sword manual would be what he would read in the future.
When Mitsui Daichi left here, he didn't understand what happened. But Saito Yunyou looked at his grandson's departing figure and whispered softly: "Now, kid, you can put aside the distracting thoughts in your heart. Whether it's kendo or basketball, you must be absolutely serious and immersed in everything. This is the concept of our Shinto Munen-ryu."