Chapter 258: Wanting and Being Able Are Two Different Things!
"I want to..."
Ayatsuji Ayase paused.
'I want to take back everything that was lost!'
The second half of this sentence was stuck in her throat.
After all, in Ayase's eyes, the dojo being taken away, her great father losing a duel due to physical issues, and the signboard of the Ayatsuji Itto-ryu being taken down—all of this was a disgrace.
It was the disgrace of her life, the disgrace of the Ayatsuji Itto-ryu, and even more so the disgrace of her great father, the 'Last Samurai', Ayatsuji Kaito.
Even though Ayase had come seeking help, she had just met Luke and the others; no matter what, Ayase could not speak of something involving her father's honor.
"Looking at you, I can tell it's because of 'hatred'."
Luke sighed, thinking in his heart, 'Just as I thought.'
Not just him, but even the completely oblivious Stella, Ikki, and the others beside them basically guessed it after seeing the momentary flash of ferocity on Ayase's face just now.
"The desire to become stronger derived from hatred is nothing more than to 'defeat the enemy'."
"To put it bluntly, your current goal is not to become stronger at all; as long as you can defeat your enemy, you don't care at all whether you become stronger or not."
"Ikki must have already seen this point too, right?"
"...Yeah, just a little bit."
Ikki smiled bitterly and nodded.
"I noticed it a bit the first time Ayatsuji-senpai mentioned that Kaito-san was hospitalized, but I didn't expect it to be this serious..."
Ikki's tone also seemed somewhat solemn at this time.
He originally thought that what was in Ayase's heart was at most a mental block, but if Luke's judgment was correct, then it was not as simple as a mental block.
"For someone who doesn't even possess the will to become stronger, even if I were willing to teach you, it would be impossible for you to learn a single move, let alone become stronger."
Luke's words caused huge emotional fluctuations in Ayase, because the meaning in his words fundamentally denied the direction of Ayase's efforts over the past two years.
It even denied the 'kendo' that Ayase had always been proud of since she was a child.
"You say I don't have the will to become stronger?! How could I..."
"Well, don't be so agitated; I know you must have misunderstood."
Before Ayase's angry roar could be fully voiced, she was interrupted by a wave of Luke's hand.
Looking at the purple-haired girl glaring at him, Luke first spoke to soothe her.
"Rest assured, I have no intention of denying your efforts."
"Ayatsuji Itto-ryu is indeed an excellent swordsmanship, and you have learned this swordsmanship very well, while also possessing a not-weak level of strength."
"However, you indeed do not have the will to become stronger, or it could be said that you do not have the heart of the strong."
After saying this, Luke asked Stella:
"I remember you saying, Stella, that your original intention for becoming stronger was to protect the people of your own country, right?"
"Then let me give an example. Suppose I was willing to protect the Vermillion Kingdom in your place, would you give up your current resolve to become stronger?"
"Eh?! W-w-w-what do you mean protect the Vermillion Kingdom in my place?!"
Stella first flushed bright red at his question.
After all, his hypothesis sounded quite ambiguous, and for a moment, it made her a bit flustered, not knowing how to answer him.
However, under his serious expression and the attention of the others around her, Stella quickly adjusted her state of mind.
She pretended to clear her throat, then firmly answered Luke.
"Ahem, of course I wouldn't give up continuing to become stronger!"
"Even if someone could protect the Vermillion Kingdom in my place, I wouldn't hand over this responsibility."
"This is my dream and my obligation; I must accomplish it personally!"
Hearing Stella's answer, Luke nodded and did not continue speaking, but instead asked Ikki on the other side:
"Ikki, you said your motivation to become stronger is the hope of gaining your family's recognition, right?"
"Then suppose I could represent the Celestial Empire to negotiate with the Kurogane family. Assuming the final result is good and the Kurogane family is willing to accept you again, what would you do?"
Luke's words made Ikki fall silent for a moment, and then he said unswervingly:
"I will continue to move forward!"
"I will work even harder than I do now, and I will become even stronger than I am now!"
"Furthermore, I do not wish to achieve this recognition through someone else's hands."
"Returning to the family through that kind of method... would be entirely meaningless."
"I want to make them face my existence through my own power."
Listening to Ikki's answer, Luke again just nodded without following up.
By this time, the several people seated all understood Luke's purpose.
Without a doubt, he cast his gaze back toward Ayatsuji Ayase.
"Then Ayatsuji-senpai, what if I said I could 'take revenge' for you, defeat your enemy in your place, retrieve the honor of the Ayatsuji Itto-ryu in your place, and defeat the opponent in Kaito-san's place?"
"Would you accept it?"
"..."
Seeing Ayase's silence, Ikki sighed with some sympathy; at the same time, he also felt that Luke doing this was going a bit too far.
Everyone's situation is different; you cannot force others to choose the path you approve of.
However, before he could speak up to persuade him, he was stopped by a glance cast over by Luke.
"'I would.' The current Ayatsuji-senpai would undoubtedly choose this, right?"
"It doesn't matter at all who defeats the enemy, and it doesn't matter whether the honor of the Ayatsuji Itto-ryu is taken back; you merely hope to return to your once-happy life."
"Becoming stronger is not your pursuit at all; rather, it is what you are now forced to pursue."
Luke's swordsmanship had up to now acquired an extremely strong personal style, and its core philosophy always revolved around the words 'becoming stronger'.
Those who want to become stronger, even those who are hesitant and wavering about the future, can learn something from his hands.
But someone like Ayase couldn't, not because of talent, nor aptitude, and much less effort, but because from the most fundamental essence, they could not achieve alignment.
The words 'becoming stronger' were not that important in her heart.
Therefore, Luke could not teach her.
Although Luke merely expressed this viewpoint, his digging from the root caused a massive impact on Ayase.
A swordsman?
What right does someone without the will to become stronger have to call themselves a swordsman? At best, they are just someone who knows how to use a sword.
"Of course, I am not saying that this is bad."
Luke suddenly speaking again instantly dissipated the atmosphere that had fallen into silence and seemed somewhat oppressive.
Everyone looked at him, their faces full of astonishment.
"But weren't you just..."
"That's why I kept saying you misunderstood. I was merely stating the viewpoint that Ayatsuji-senpai is not suited to learn from me; I didn't say that this way is wrong."
"Wanting to become stronger and being able to become stronger are two different things."
"It's not as if there is only one path to take in this world. Ayatsuji-senpai and I are just currently walking on different paths, that's all."
"Equally pursuing the life one wants; there is no right or wrong in that."
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