The Unseen Path

After the school bell rang, Yūto immediately headed to the parking lot.

His head was lowered.

“Today, I got the highest score on the exam. But somehow, I still feel like something is missing,” Yūto muttered.

Several of his classmates greeted him.

“Hey, Yūto. Your performance earlier was really good,” one of his classmates said.

Yūto smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Yūto, you're really cool. Teach me sometime, okay?”

“Sure. Thank you.”

Yūto slowly got on his bicycle and started riding.

The next day...

“Class, your friend Gery is no longer attending this school. He has transferred to another school. So, don't be confused if you can't find him. I'm telling you this now because his school records were just transferred to his new school today,” the teacher said.

Yūto was shocked.

'Gery transferred schools? Why? Why so suddenly?' Yūto thought.

After learning about it, Yūto became discouraged.

A few days later...

Click!

“I'm home...” Yūto said.

Yūto walked weakly toward his room.

David, who was eating, looked at Yūto.

“Yūto.”

Yūto slowly turned around.

“What's wrong, Dad?”

“Are you sick?”

Yūto shook his head.

“I've noticed that you've been looking really down these past few days. Is something bothering you again?” David asked.

Yūto shook his head.

“I'm just tired.”

David frowned.

“Hmm... Go take a shower and eat. After that, you can get some rest.”

Yūto nodded and walked away with heavy steps.

'What's wrong with Yūto?' David thought.

That night...

Knock! Knock!

“Yūto. Are you asleep?” David asked.

Click!

Creak!

Yūto opened the door and looked at him.

“What's wrong, Dad?”

David let out a long sigh.

“Can I come in?”

Yūto nodded.

“Sure. Come in.”

David sat beside Yūto on the bed.

“Yūto... I was your age once, too. Whenever I had problems, I also wanted to be alone all the time. Back then, I could only keep everything to myself. There was no one I could talk to.”

Yūto lowered his head and folded his hands.

“I know you might be dealing with a problem right now. Tell me about it. I'll listen until you're finished,” David said.

Yūto turned toward him.

“Gery, my friend. He transferred to another school...”

“Hmm... And then?”

“I don't understand why he suddenly transferred schools.”

David narrowed his eyes.

“Didn't you also transfer schools several times before? I think it's normal.”

“That's true. But I still wonder why Gery transferred schools,” Yūto muttered.

“If that's what's on your mind, I understand. I'm sorry that your friend had to leave, but I want to remind you of one thing. Never stop fighting, because someday, you may meet Gery again, or you may meet someone else. Show them that you're going to become a great person.”

David patted Yūto on the shoulder.

“Not everything has to be understood, Yūto. Get some rest now. You have school tomorrow, right?”

Yūto nodded.

'He's right. I can't keep being like this. I have to stay strong,' Yūto thought.

Yūto smiled.

“Thank you, Dad.”

David smiled back at him.

Several months later...

Swoosh!

Swoosh!

“Yūto! Come here and eat first!” David shouted from inside the house.

Yūto came over to him.

“Thank you, Dad.”

David smiled.

“I can see that you're getting better at using that wooden sword.”

Yūto nodded.

“I like it... I feel like this wooden sword makes me move faster.”

David smiled.

Then, he showed Yūto a piece of paper.

“There will be a kendo competition for ages thirteen to fifteen. Are you interested in joining?”

Yūto's eyes immediately lit up.

“I'd love to, Dad!”

A few days later...

“This is the moment we've all been waiting for! Kendo Talent Program! We are looking for talented teenagers who are skilled in the martial art of kendo. The winner will have the opportunity to train directly under a professional samurai, Mr. Kenji!” the host announced.

Clap! Clap!

“And now, please welcome Mr. Kenji to say a few words to all the participants.”

Kenji walked onto the stage and took the microphone from the host.

“I won't say much. I'm looking for talented teenagers whom I can train in the art of fighting with a katana, or a real sword. As the judge, I would like to thank all of you for coming. Give it your best!”

Kenji handed the microphone back to the host.

Clap! Clap!

“Let's watch the first fighters from the red and blue corners. Please step into the arena!” the host said.

A few minutes later...

Now it was Yūto's turn.

“Fighters from the blue and red corners, please step into the arena!” the host said.

Yūto looked at David.

“Good luck, Yūto! You can do it!” David shouted.

Kenji turned toward David after hearing him shout.

Yūto stepped into the arena.

The place was filled with cheers from the audience.

“Come on, Leon!” several spectators shouted.

“Leon will probably win easily. His opponent is just an amateur,” a spectator near David said.

David turned toward him.

“Yūto! Beat him! You can do it!”

The spectators turned toward David.

In the middle of the arena, the two participants stood facing each other.

Yūto was wearing full bogu.

Both of his hands gripped his shinai tightly.

Standing in front of him was a fifteen-year-old participant who had already won several junior tournaments.

“Mr. Kenji, that's Leon. He's fifteen years old, and he has won several kendo tournaments in America,” a man said.

Kenji nodded.

“Are you interested in recruiting him?” the man asked.

Kenji smiled coldly.

“I only recruit the winner of the talent competition I organized. I don't really care about the titles they've won before. Here, every participant has the same opportunity,” Kenji said coldly.

“Oh. I see, Mr. Kenji.”

The two participants bowed their heads.

Then, they took their positions.

“Ready... Begin!” the referee said.

Yūto immediately moved forward.

Tap!

His steps were light and fast.

Yūto's opponent raised his shinai and waited for the attack.

Yūto launched his first swing.

Whoosh!

His opponent blocked it.

Clack!

Yūto didn't stop.

He turned his shinai and attacked again from a different direction.

Whoosh!

Clack!

His second attack was blocked again.

“He's so fast!” one of the spectators shouted.

Yūto's opponent started moving forward.

Swoosh!

He swung his shinai straight toward Yūto's head.

However, Yūto shifted his body slightly to the side.

Whoosh!

The attack passed right beside him.

In the same movement, Yūto turned his waist and launched a counterattack.

Swoosh!

Bam!

The tip of Yūto's shinai struck Leon's men perfectly.

“Ippon!” the referee said.

The referee's voice echoed throughout the hall.

The audience immediately cheered.

“Yūto scored a point!” David muttered.

Yūto's opponent gritted his teeth.

'He read my move...?' Leon thought.

The two returned to their starting positions.

But this time, Leon looked much more serious.

He moved forward quickly.

“Dō!”

Whoosh!

Yūto blocked the attack.

Clack!

Leon attacked again.

“Kote!”

Yūto dodged.

Whoosh!

“Kote!” Leon shouted.

Clack!

The second attack was blocked again.

Yūto then stepped forward.

One step.

Two steps.

His body moved closer.

Leon raised his shinai to defend himself.

But suddenly, Yūto changed the direction of his attack.

“Dō!”

Bam!

Yūto's shinai struck Leon's body armor.

“Ippon!” the referee said.

The audience erupted in cheers again.

“Yūto! You can do it!” David shouted.

“Who is that kid? His movements are so clean!” one of the spectators near David asked.

On the side of the arena, several people from the talent organization began paying close attention to Yūto.

One of them even stopped taking notes.

“What's his name?”

“Yūto.”

The man turned his attention back to the match.

Meanwhile, the match was not over yet.

Leon began attacking with all his strength.

“Men!”

Whoosh!

Yūto blocked it.

“Kote!”

Clack!

Yūto dodged.

“Dō!”

Whoosh!

Yūto jumped backward.

For the first time, Yūto's expression changed slightly.

His eyes became sharper.

He gripped his shinai more tightly.

“He's not bad.”

Yūto's opponent took a deep breath.

The two stood facing each other again.

The hall slowly became silent.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

They only stared at each other.

Then...

Yūto moved.

Tap!

In an instant, his body shot forward.

“Men!”

Leon raised his shinai to defend himself.

But Yūto changed the direction of his attack at the last second.

“Kote!”

Bam!

The shinai struck Leon's wrist.

“Ippon!” the referee said.

The referee raised his flag.

The match was over.

Yūto stood still as he lowered his shinai.

Leon looked at him, breathing heavily.

“Yūto, you're amazing! That's my son! I knew you could beat him!” David shouted.

“I... lost?” Leon muttered.

Yūto lowered his head.

“Thank you for the match.”

Leon remained silent as he lowered his head.

“Thank you,” Leon murmured quietly.

In the special seating area, the talent scouts looked at each other.

“That kid isn't just fast.”

“You're right.”

“His technique is also very mature for someone his age.”

One of them smiled.

'Looks like I found a gifted kid...' Kenji thought.

Amid the cheers of the audience, Yūto walked away from the arena.

Match after match followed, until Yūto finally became the champion of the talent competition.

After the event ended, Yūto and David walked out of the venue.

Step... Step...

“Yūto...” Kenji called from behind.

Yūto and David turned around.

The three of them talked for a while.

“Starting tomorrow, I'll be contacting you. I'll be training you privately,” Kenji said.

Yūto smiled and turned toward David.

“Dad, can I learn from him?"

David smiled and nodded.

“Of course.”

A few days later...

“Harder! Your strikes are still weak. This isn't a dance class!” Kenji yelled.

Yūto wiped the sweat from his face.

'I can barely keep going...' Yūto thought.

“Yūto! You came here to become stronger! What's your motivation?!” Kenji asked.

Yūto turned toward him.

“I want to become the strongest swordsman in the world! So I can protect the people I love...”

Later that afternoon...

“Come as usual. Remember, I'm not teaching you to dance. I'm teaching you to become a swordsman,” Kenji said.

Yūto nodded.

“I understand, Master. I'll go home now."

“Yūto, you can't ride your bicycle anymore starting tomorrow."

Yūto turned around.

“Why, Master?”

“Starting tomorrow, you have to walk everywhere you go. You need to train your legs. A swordsman often forgets the most important thing—their legs! They spend their time training their strikes, but their legs are weak. That's why I'm teaching you everything so that you can become a great swordsman someday."

Yūto nodded.

“Thank you, Master. I'll be going home now.”

Yūto went home while pushing his bicycle.

He slowly disappeared into the distance.

“That kid has an incredible desire to improve. Unlike my son...” Kenji muttered.

The next day...

Yūto came back to train again.

“Keep going! You're not a girl! Another 1,000 left-hand strikes. 500 more right-hand strikes!” Kenji said.

“Yes!”

“Move faster!"

"Yes!"

"Your jump isn't high enough"

"Yes!"

"Turn! You have to be able to spin your body! You have to dodge as if your opponent is trying to kill you!”

"Yes!"

The next day...

“Run faster!"

"Yes!"

"2,000 left strikes! 2,000 right strikes!"

"Yes!"

"Jump! Don't be spoiled, Yūto!”

"Yes!"

Several hours later...

Yūto was already out of breath.

“Hah... Hah... Master, can I rest for a moment?”

“Two minutes."

“Whoa... Thank goodness...”

Yūto immediately lay down and regulated his breathing.

After only one minute of rest, Yūto was already standing straight again, and his breathing had returned to normal.

Kenji looked at his watch.

'Only one minute! This kid is incredible,' Kenji thought.

Ring... Ring...

“Hello?” Kenji said.

“Hello, Mr. Kenji. How are you?” Justin said.

“Hey, Justin. I'm good. How about you?”

“I actually need a job."

“A job? Hmm... Come to my house this afternoon. I'll send you my address."

“I'll definitely come, Mr. Kenji.”

The call ended.

“Yūto. That's enough for today. I'll contact you tomorrow,” Kenji said.

Yūto nodded.

“Alright, Master.”

Yūto continued training with Kenji almost every day for approximately two years.