Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

| Chapter Fifty-three | Unexpected Visitor

Senjuro Rengoku

A few months after Tenjuro was born, Rika felt recovered enough to resume training. I stood in the yard watching her movements closely as we sparred with our bokken.

Kyojuro was holding Tenjuro, on the porch, while he sat beside Mura, and they both watched us.

Rika decided that I was the best option because we were currently both at the same skill level since she hadn't done any training in a while. And she figured that we could help each other improve.

We danced around each other with speed and I always seemed to waver between my breathing styles. Switching from speed to strength.

There was even once that I caught up to her speed, and switched to strength and sent her into the dirt.

"I'm so sorry, Rika! Are you alright?" I called.

Rika laughed and smiled at me as she laid there in the dirt. I dropped my bokken and ran forward, kneeling in front of her.

"Don't worry so much, Senj. I'm fine. See?"

She sat up, and quickly stood. I was pretty unsure about it, but she did seem alright, so I nodded. After pushing myself back to my feet, I went back to my bokken and picked it up.

I decided to stick to one style, and that would be Flame Breathing. I wanted to prove that I could do it like the Rengoku I was.

If I focused hard enough, and if I breathed properly, I was once in a while abke to produce flames. If I kept up with the practice, I might one day be able to really call myself a Flame Breathing user and make the Rengoku family proud.

I knew that Kyojuro already said he was proud of me, but I felt that was more obligation than really being proud. I wanted to give him a real reason to say he was proud.

I shifted my stance, and thought about Flame Breathing. About what my brother always told me over the years. About feeling the Flame within my body and embracing it. Feel the warmth flow through me.

And then I did. I felt power, strength and a surge of energy. I didn't know what it was, but heat flowed through my body. I felt it and suddenly it filled me. It flowed from me to my arms and then into my hands. My hands tightened around the hilt, and I focused on my next strike.

"What is he..." Kyojuro said quietly.

As I embraced the Flame in my body, I shifted my stance once more, and found my target in front of me and it was Rika's bokken in her hand.

"Mura. Take Tenjuro. Now." Kyojuro said.

I planted my feet into the ground, and power surged from me, and I charged forward.

"Senjuro! Stop!"

I barely heard Kyojuro's shout as I roared and ran forward. The surge of power flowed through through me and Rika's eyes widened. She dropped her bokken and Kyojuro tackled her, shoving her out of my way. The two landed on the ground beside me, but I couldn't stop my arm. It swung forward, and I went through the house, and then the wall behind it.

My eyes widened at my strength and then the Flame disappeared. My breath was taken from me, and so was my strength and energy. I couldn't stand up. My legs collapsed beneath me and I fell to the floor, gasping. Was I dying? I couldn't catch a breath and I struggled to breathe.