Shukumei 宿命 ⋮ Sukuna Ryomen

Chapter 1

The metal clashes against each other loudly. The sharp sounds disrupt and terrify the resting birds. They squawk noisily and flee in clusters from the safety of their nests in a nearby tree.

"Again." He says and you're already out of breath.

Your hands tighten around the handle of your blade. You draw a deep breath. You bend your legs and then you let go of your breath. Your arms cross as you bring the weapon right above your eye line. The katana now points at your formidable opponent.

He smiles at you and shifts his body. He brings himself to a half squat and his hands swing his sword above his head with great elegance. You see his fingers dance along the tsuka (handle) made of complete patterned silk and his grip strengthens.

He deflects your careless slashing with a multitude of parries and his quick, unexpected counter knocks the sword out of your hold. The high-carbon steel spirals through the air before it pierces the sod a few feet away. And your eyes which had been following the katana remembers where it actually needs to be; your gaze whips back in your opponents direction.

The tip of his sword, now, sits just at the skin of your neck. He lets out a quiet chuckle before he lowers his weapon.

"You're thinking too much." He shakes his head at the way you rush in with little regard for technique.

"We've been at it for hours." You pant. Physical work that requires a lot of calculated prediction is actually quite mentally exhausting.

"Don't ask me to train you." He wears an innocent smile, like he always does and then he does a little thing with his arm to gesticulate what he means, "If you can't keep up."

You grumble under your breath and you throw him a pleading look, "Okkotsu...."

"Alright, alright." He throws a hand behind his head and laughs wholeheartedly, "And how many times do I have to tell you? Just call me Yuta."

"Thank you.......Yuta." You sigh heavily and throw yourself to the ground while Yuta retrieves your blade before situating himself next to you. It felt too informal despite the years you've known him and despite all the time the two of you spent together.

It's a beautiful day. You close your eyes to enjoy the warmth of the suns kiss. It was much needed after a brutal morning. The man looks at you with admiration and then he lowers himself to lay down beside you. You always had a hungering need to improve yourself. No matter what it took. He respected you so much for it. Your eyes open and the two of you take pleasure in this quiet cloud gaze. These wisps that travel across the earth take many abstract shapes ranging in animals to objects.

You had no problem pointing out your imagination to Yuta. Including all the ones that resembled phallic symbols, "Whoa. Look at that...."

With a genuine smile, he rolls his eyes at your immaturity, "You would point something like that out."

"What??" You smirk, "It's funny."

It hasn't been long since you graduated from jujutsu high, Kyoto. It was all thanks to the second-year teacher Kusakabe Atsuya. If it weren't for him you wouldn't be a well respected grade 1 sorcerer who has also mastered the New Shadow Style. Although you didn't have an innate technique or anything really quite special, you were still a renowned swordsman.

You spent most of your years wielding tanto's and wakizashi's (all forms of shorter katanas). It wasn't until recently you took interest in the traditional katana. There was no better person to help guide you than the special grade sorcerer, Okkotsu Yuta. The man himself has been swinging the damn thing since it was given to him as a first-year student many moons ago. Sometimes you couldn't believe it was Zenin Maki who taught him all the basics of combat. They were nowhere near the same level (with all due respect and in no offense to the girl).