Chapter 10, Borrowing from the Art of War
Shima Ritsury invited him twice, but he thought Kitahara Hidetaka probably did not want to disturb his mother, so he went back to get his things. He returned home and without saying a word, headed straight for Shima Yo's boudoir, sweeping away all the materials and books she had collected over the years, and conveniently took her sword bag used for training outside—this unfortunate sister, he would settle the score with her tonight
Uchida Yuma and Shikishima Ritsu exchanged a glance, both feeling that his idea was quite unrealistic. However, after some thought, Shikishima Ritsu felt that it would not be good to refuse such a request, so he agreed, saying: "Then I will bring you... My sister is very fond of kendo and has collected some illustrated techniques of modern kendo, as well as ancient military strategy books that have been passed down. I will choose a book for you that focuses on the basics."
Shida Ritsuya looked up in surprise, while Uchida Yuma couldn't help but laugh: "Kitahara, you aren't planning to teach yourself, are you? Kendo is something that can easily lead you astray if you try to learn it on your own. Once bad habits are formed, it takes several times the effort and time to correct them. Self-study is simply not feasible."
Hidetaka Kitahara thought for a moment; such matters should be addressed sooner rather than later. Who knows what kind of trouble Fuzawa Fuyumi might stir up next? If she were to really give him a beating, it would be quite embarrassing—being beaten by a little girl would leave a lifelong psychological scar. He then asked, "Is it possible to go get it now? If so, I would like to bring back a few more to take a look... That Fuzawa Fuyumi claims to be an external transmission of the Ono Ittō-ryū. Are there any swordsmanship styles that are on par with hers?"
His sister made the situation so awkward that he was filled with resentment and decided to go back and have a big argument with her. He preemptively searched her room as a small act of revenge, and lent it to Kitahara Shuji as a minor compensation
Shidao Lyu also nodded silently, but although he was angry that Fuze Dongmei deliberately used dangerous moves, he was even more upset that his sister had put him in a difficult position in front of his friends
Shima Ritsu wanted to invite Kitahara Shuji to his home for a visit, but Kitahara Shuji declined, staying at the station and smilingly urging Shima Ritsu to go back and fetch something.
The result didn't even say a comforting word
The three of them were originally not on the same route home, and they would basically part ways as soon as they reached the station. However, this time they first took the tram to accompany Yuma Uchida to a station near his home. After watching Yuma Uchida sway as he walked away, they headed together towards the Shikishima residence. Fuzawa Fuyumi's aim was precise, while Yuma Uchida did not suffer any major issues; he only stumbled once and is still a bit unsteady on his feet now, but it is estimated that he will be fine by tomorrow
Shidao Lu looked at Hidetaka Kitahara, who was a novice and didn't know what to say. This matter was complicated and difficult to explain. After some thought, he decided it would be better to let him go back and look it up in books, so he nodded and said: "I have prepared everything for you."
This is not discernible in school, as everyone wears the uniform provided by the school, and even the socks are either distributed by the school or must be purchased from designated stores, making it difficult to distinguish between the wealthy and the poor.
Shima Ritsu felt extremely embarrassed about what had happened. In his view, he had invited his two friends, Kitahara Hidetaka and Uchida Yuma, to help his elder sister's club in order to deceive funding, which was something to be grateful for. However, Uchida Yuma had been intentionally injured by Fukuzawa Fuyumi. Although it was not serious, shouldn't there at least be some sense of justice? If not, shouldn't there be some distance maintained from the "perpetrator"?
Kitahara Hidetaka gently assisted him, but Shikishima Ritsu insisted on bending down. Despite the assistance, he did not move at all and could only smile and say: "Shikishima-kun, I am not blaming you"
Hidetaka Kitahara smiled and said, "There is no loss in trying, right?"
He has been familiar with the Shidao Law since childhood, and his feelings are quite extraordinary. Out of consideration for him, there were not too many criticisms directed at his sister. However, when it came to Fukuzawa Fuyumi, the tone was far less courteous. Without regard for his own inappropriate behavior, he directly lashed out, saying: "That guy must have been looking for trouble on purpose; he is definitely not mentally stable, probably due to his height being insufficient, leading to excessive inferiority complex..."
Fukuzawa Fuyumi was retained by Shikishima Yo, as it seemed that the head of the Kendo Club was quite enamored with the ancient style of swordsmanship and wished to have a good conversation with Fukuzawa Fuyumi
Avoiding the issue merely postpones it; it is not a solution and is therefore inadvisable
Hidetaka Kitahara glanced at the coward Uchida Yuma and did not agree. Avoiding such matters is of no use! Who knows what kind of person Fuzawa Fuyumi is? What if she finds it interesting and starts causing endless trouble?
Kitahara Hidetoshi finally understood why Uchida Yuma and Shikishima Ritsu were filled with resentment whenever they mentioned Shikishima Yo. This Shikishima Yo was simply not a normal person. After they completed the club entry forms, he instructed them, "If the student council asks, just say that you are participating in club activities normally and that you are also going on the expedition with the first army," and then he dismissed them, treating them as if they were disposable, akin to toilet paper.
"How did you provoke that little shorty?" Uchida Yuma said with a face full of resentment. Just by looking at his expression, if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't defeat Fukuzawa Fuyumi, he might have already set off to beat her up and skin her alive.
Uchida Yuma touched his throat, recalling the moment he was struck; he didn't even see where the tip of the sword was. With lingering fear, he said, "I'll inquire about it tomorrow. However, that little shorty is indeed formidable; let's try to avoid her in the future"
A typical example of having an emotional intelligence roughly equivalent to zero
After Hidetaka Kitahara got off the car, he discovered that this place, with mountains at its back and the sea in front, was in the Minami Ward of Nagoya City. The area is dotted with villas and is a newly developed affluent district following the expansion of Nagoya City. It can be inferred that the Shikishima family is in a favorable financial situation.
As for Kitahara Hidetoshi, he was equally perplexed and could only shake his head and say: "I don't know, I don't know her at all"
In summary, the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt, and his eyes turned red with grievance. Suddenly, he performed a deep bow at a ninety-degree angle and said in a low voice, "I apologize to both of you; I will definitely provide you with an explanation regarding this matter"
Shidao Lyu nodded repeatedly in agreement, stating that in swordsmanship, the most important aspect is posture. It is as if one adjusts the direction of the blade through the grip of the sword, employing scientific techniques of force application, footwork, and body movement. Without guidance, relying solely on reading books will lead to a 99% chance of taking a long detour. He further added, "Kitahara-kun, what swordsmanship requires most is persistent perseverance. One must practice a single movement countless times until it becomes a conditioned reflex... Even if one is intelligent, without sufficient time for practice, it is impossible to defeat Fukuzawa." He reiterated, "Kitahara-kun, what swordsmanship requires most is persistent perseverance. One must practice a single movement countless times until it becomes a conditioned reflex... Even if one is intelligent, without sufficient time for practice, it is impossible to defeat Fukuzawa."
After all, he is a bit older and understands that venting anger on others and circumstances is of no help, and at the same time, he has a larger capacity for tolerance... At least he will not be like Shidao Luming, who, despite being a mere sixteen-year-old boy, would actually redden his eyes and be unable to bear the grievance
Shidao Lu led Kitahara Hidetaka to change the train line, and after another half hour, they got off the train again
The Art of War
One must possess the ability to protect oneself, even if it is just a child fighting
Kitahara Hidetaka helped Shima Ritsu to her feet and nodded, saying, "She is indeed deliberately causing trouble, but it is directed at me; you are merely caught in the crossfire."
Uchida Yuma looked utterly dejected, embodying a tragicomic failure of pretension. It was one of life's great tragedies, and he felt extremely disheartened. However, in response to Shima Ritsu's sincere apology, he managed to say, "It's fine, Ritsu. I know what kind of person your sister is; she really lacks emotional intelligence... She didn't mean to put you in an awkward position; she just didn't think of these things. If anyone is to blame, it should be that little shorty!" He still managed to say, "It's fine, Ritsu. I know what kind of person your sister is; she really lacks emotional intelligence... She didn't mean to put you in an awkward position; she just didn't think of these things. If anyone is to blame, it should be that little shorty!"
He turned to Shidao and asked, "Shidao-kun, I would like to learn Kendo. Could you lend me some books on Kendo? If possible, it would be even better if I could also have a bamboo sword."
Oh, in ancient times, swordsmanship was referred to as military strategy or minor military strategy, and the military instructors of military strategy in the army specifically referred to the swordsmanship coaches