21st Century Necromancer

At the invitation of Kojo Kyoko, Chen Yu arrived at the dojo of Muso Itto-ryu.

"This dojo was built during the Edo Period when the founder of our style, Lord Kojo Kanenaga, established Muso Itto-ryu. It has a history of three hundred and fifty years and was previously listed as a historical site by Shigeyama City Hall. It is the most important asset of our Muso Itto-ryu," Kyoko explained proudly as she stood at the entrance of the dojo.

Despite being an old building from the Edo Period and not very large, its enduring presence had evidently taken on a completely different significance.

Listening to Kyoko's introduction, Chen Yu was quite interested as he surveyed the dojo, following behind Kyoko like a tourist visiting a historic site, stepping into this ancient dojo.

As a kenjutsu school with hundreds of years of history, the dojo of Muso Itto-ryu had quite an ancient feel. The floor was not covered with tatami mats but with thick wooden planks. Even though the original color was no longer discernible due to darkness, they were exceptionally clean, and through years of use, these planks had been polished until they shone like mirrors.

On the wall of the dojo there also hung a long scroll inscribed with "Rebirth Without Attachment." Perhaps due to its status as a curio, it was now covered with a transparent casing to prevent damage.

Looking at this long scroll, Chen Yu's eyes couldn't help but light up, and he examined it carefully.

Seeing Chen Yu looking at the long scroll on the wall, Kyoko introduced, "This is the handwriting left by Lord Kojo Kanenaga. Along with this dojo and the sword Lord Kanenaga carried, it is one of the three most important things of our Muso Itto-ryu."

Staring at the long scroll in front of him, Chen Yu nodded, "Indeed, it is a very important item."

As it was a weekend, there were no people practicing in the dojo, so it felt somewhat empty.

Chen Yu and Kyoko crossed the deserted dojo and came to the backyard, where the Kojo family lived.

"I am Kojo Kanenaga, current head of Muso Itto-ryu. It is an honor to meet the master," said Kyoko's father respectfully as he greeted Chen Yu in the quaint tea room, the ancient etiquette almost making Chen Yu feel as if he had traveled back in time.

"There's no need to be so formal. I'm not used to such quaint etiquette; a more casual approach would be fine," Chen Yu knew that to these ordinary transcendent beings, his so-called "Master" status held an extraordinary position, but he still wasn't comfortable being treated with such respect, or perhaps wasn't accustomed to such elaborate rituals.

Hearing Chen Yu say this, although Kojo Kanenaga put away the intricate ancient etiquette, he still didn't dare to act too casually in front of Chen Yu and asked very formally, "May I ask what has brought the master to our school? Or did Kyoko offend the master in some way that was disrespectful? If so, please feel free to punish as the master sees fit, I will have no objections."

"No, Mr. Kojo, you've misunderstood. In fact, Miss Kyoko saved my friend this time, helping me out a great deal. As previously agreed upon, I am willing to provide a corresponding reward.

It's just that Miss Kyoko is somewhat indecisive about what to choose as a reward, so we came back to discuss it with you," Chen Yu explained to Kojo Kanenaga his reason for visiting, hurrying to clear up any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Hearing Chen Yu's explanation, Kojo Kanenaga's worries were alleviated, and he also grasped the implications in Chen Yu's words, asking with surprise, "May I know what kind of reward you have offered to make Miss Kyoko unable to decide?"

"I have offered Miss Kyoko three choices for her reward: a heritage that could promote her to Official-level Superhuman, a curio of equivalent value, or a promise from me," Chen Yu said with a smile, revealing the rewards he was willing to give.

Upon hearing the rewards Chen Yu had offered, Kojo Kanenaga was as astonished as Kyoko had been, "Master, are you willing to offer a heritage as a reward?"

"Why are both of you so concerned about heritage? It seems to me that, given a school as ancient as Muso Itto-ryu, there should be no shortage of heritage, right?" Chen Yu found this rather strange.

For smaller, declining schools to be concerned about heritage was natural, but Muso Itto-ryu not only had a dojo that had been in operation for hundreds of years, but both Kojo family members he had met were Official-level Superhumans. They didn't seem like a lineage at risk of breaking nor in desperate need of a heritage.

At Chen Yu's question, Mr. Kojo and his daughter exchanged a glance, both with a bitter smile in their eyes.

Kojo Kanenaga shook his head, his tone filled with reluctance as he explained to Chen Yu, "Of course, there is a heritage for Muso Itto-ryu, but our ancestor, Lord Kanemasu, was only a Sword Master. The school's heritage can at best reach Expert Level, and Lord Kanemasu did not pass down his Sword Principle, so Muso Itto-ryu has not produced another Sword Master over the years."

"Sword Principle?" Chen Yu perked up with interest upon hearing Kojo Kanenaga's words, curious about the Sword Principle he mentioned.

"Sword Principle refers to a swordsman's comprehension of the ultimate truth of kenjutsu. Only by realizing one's own Sword Principle can it be integrated into their own kenjutsu, thus advancing to become a Sword Master.

In modern terminology, it means gaining a new understanding of one's power, undergoing a transformation in its nature," Kyoko Kojo explained to Chen Yu, who, unlike her more traditional father, was better versed in these newer concepts.

Understanding their meaning after Kyoko's explanation, Chen Yu still found it odd, "Even so, the reward I'm offering is merely an Official-level heritage, which shouldn't make much difference to you, should it?"

May I ask, Master," Kojo Kanenaga inquired respectfull while his face showed even more resignation, "does the heritage you're offering have further potential? For me, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm too old to hope for a breakthrough. But it's different for Kyoko and her brother. Both are kenjutsu prodigies.

Kyoko's brother even advanced to swordsman status at the age of sixteen, becoming an Official-level Superhuman. He will surely become a Sword Master in the future. I can't delay the children's prospects."

"Sword Principle? While I don't know what you're referring to, didn't you notice anything unusual about the scroll hanging under cover as you passed by our dojo earlier? Though I don't understand much about kenjutsu, I could feel the spiritual fluctuations attached to it. It must be the case that the person who wrote it infused some of their insights, right?

Why not try to comprehend that?" Chen Yu looked at Kojo Kanenaga, understanding the feelings of parents who yearn for their children's future, and shared with them the anomaly he had previously detected.