Pa!
Pa!
Wooden swords struck training posts again and again, crisp echoes ringing through the entire Isshin Dojo.
Every disciple was immersed in training.
And what kind of training?
Sword-swinging.
Right now, in the minds of all students, the most effective method of improving swordsmanship… was to swing a sword. Endlessly.
After all—Ryukawa, their overwhelmingly powerful senior brother, swung his sword every single day.
His strength was insane.
Therefore, the reason was obvious—
It must be the sword swings.
Their logic was simple:
Ryukawa does nothing but swing his sword.
Ryukawa is unberryevably strong.
→ So, swinging swords is the secret method!
Of course…
None of them knew that Ryukawa's sword swings were backed by a cheat system.
And they?
They had no cheat.
That was the true gap.
"Did I… come to the wrong dojo?"
Koushirou stood at the entrance, scratching his head as he watched a crowd of disciples passionately wHacking wooden posts like their lives depended on it.
Something felt… off.
Normally, whenever he entered the dojo, disciples would rush over to greet him respectfully.
But today?
Not a single one looked at him.
As if he were invisible.
The dojo master's dignity took a heavy blow.
"This place really has been derailed by Ryukawa…"
Koushirou sighed helplessly.
In the past, disciples would frequently ask him for guidance.
Today?
Not one.
Every last one of them was swinging swords like obsessed devotees.
And to Koushirou, this was as basic an exercise as it got.
Nothing mystical. Nothing profound.
Yet—
"Master, master! Look! I think I've mastered Senior Brother's secret of becoming strong!"
A teenage disciple ran up to Koushirou, face flushed with excitement, and swung his sword trying to imitate Ryukawa's movements.
To be fair… the form really did have some "essence" in it.
But still!
Koushirou nearly choked on his own breath.
"Master, do I look like Senior Brother when I swing? I feel like… I'm about to catch up to his swordsmanship!"
Another disciple chimed in:
"Yes, Master! I swear when I was swinging earlier, I felt a warm current in my body! I think I'm getting stronger!"
Warm current?
Warm你个头!
It's called getting tired, child!
Koushirou almost spat blood.
But he maintained his gentle smile and patted the boy's shoulder.
"Very good. Keep working hard."
As he watched all the disciples swing their swords with burning determination, he had to admit—
The passion was admirable.
This was what a dojo should look like.
…
But then his expression darkened.
Because at the center of it all… was the culprit.
"Swinging practice… That brat Ryukawa is really causing trouble."
"And even Kuina is being led astray by him! Kuina! My bright, level-headed daughter!"
"Sigh… I expected Zoro to get dragged off the path, but Kuina? You were supposed to be the sensible one!"
To Koushirou's despair—
Even Kuina had joined the cult of sword-swinging.
She genuinely believed this plain, repetitive practice contained some hidden profundity.
It hurt his soul.
"Daughter… wake up!"
"Ryukawa's talents are not something you can imagine!"
He stared at Ryukawa's back and felt his authority slipping away.
Unknowingly…
The dojo's true center of gravity had shifted.
He, the dojo master, felt like he had been quietly replaced by this monstrous senior brother.
After all—
He rarely displayed his skills.
But Ryukawa?
Ryukawa publicly obliterated both Zoro and Kuina.
This was enough for every disciple to worship him.
It was logical.
It was natural.
But Koushirou felt wronged.
"Good dojo… all ruined."
"The entire style of training has been completely overturned by one child!"
Koushirou stood there in emotional disarray.
My sweet, intelligent daughter…
How did you let yourself be fooled like this?
"Senior Brother! Is my form correct?"
"I swear my swordsmanship has improved so much! The sword feels so much more natural in my hands!"
"As expected of Senior Brother! This sword-swinging may look simple, but it must hide deep mysteries!"
"If we keep training like this, we might really catch up to Senior Brother someday!"
"Oh yeah, Senior Brother! When I was swinging earlier, I definitely felt a warm current in my body! That means I'm improving, right?!"
Among those speaking…
Kuina and Zoro were right in front.
Both stared at Ryukawa with bright, eager, expectant eyes.
No.
Just no.
You're all wrong.
This is not some mystical cultivation technique!
This is just me cheating!
I'm literally pressing a system button!
And whose genius idea was it to hallucinate a "warm current"?!
What warm current?!
Do you really think you're special enough to activate a cheat too?!
Facing the disciples' dazzling, hopeful gazes—
Ryukawa felt his soul leave his body.
Great.
They had officially misunderstood everything.
The whole dojo now believed his everyday sword swings were some kind of divine sword art.
Dojo master, forgive me.
I am innocent!
They did this to themselves!
They overthought everything on their own!
I… am also very desperate here!
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