All of them pounced on me as if they planned it all beforehand.
I think yesterday they sat and prepared a plan to defeat me.
Heh, whatever they plan, that's not going to work on me, as I know their sword style, strengths, and weaknesses.
But this time I can't stop all of them, so I took two steps back and ran to the right side to escape them, but Keiko was on my tail, and this is what I wanted.
I stopped and did a back kick, which landed on her stomach, and she flew two steps back.
And Kenji was just behind her.
I ran towards him and ducked and slid on the ground as he swung his sword in a horizontal way and knocked out Akiko who was behind him and made her fall on her face, she was ready to ambush me if I took Kenji's attack with my sword.
I got up and pointed my sword towards her neck, and she yielded so easily.
And when I was just turning, Keiko swung her sword in a diagonal way.
I blocked it and pushed her back, and Kenji tried to stab, but I parried it and started attacking him.
Keiko came from the back to assist him, but I used the KASHIRA of my handle to push her back.
She blocked it with her sword, but got pushed back as I used some strength.
Then I started my continuous strikes on Kenji; he's able to handle them all.
In the meantime, Keiko also joined him.
This time I don't have much of a chance, so I increased my movement speed, at which Keiko is weak.
And when I was just about to attack, Kenji kicked me in my gut, and I went back flying and landed on the ground.
This is the first time I took a hit since I was 7 years old.
This hurts a lot, so he's not strongest of the three for nothing.
Well, it's about time I got a little bit serious about this fight, or else they will think lightly of me.
"Is that all you've got? I expected a little more from you. We did plan for you last night, but it didn't go as we planned. You really are talented; you messed up our plan from the beginning, that's why Akiko fell first. But this much is something I can handle on my own," Kenji said way confidently.
"Hold your horses, you are jumping just because you kicked me once? Don't get carried away, let me get up."
I stood up and held my sword tightly.
I don't know why, but I can't stop smiling.
What will they think of me if I smile in this kind of situation?
I should take this seriously; I should not smile.
"Why are you smiling? You think you can still win? Okay, let's start again, here I come," said Kenji.
And our match started again.
He attacked me head on while Keiko was ready to ambush me if I took his attack head on.
The same old pattern—I am getting sick of it.
So, I increased my speed and got past him and attacked Keiko.
She defended it nicely, and I think she is good at swordsmanship compared to Kenji, but she does not have strength to support her technique.
So, I just needed to overpower her and started attacking.
She pushed me, and here begins the real fun.
She started the KIMURA clan's swordsmanship, and Kenji also started it along with her.
I know how deadly their combination attack can be, but now I cannot do anything as they already started.
Now I should start the FUJIWARA clan's technique.
I thought of winning this match without using the swordsmanship, but facing them both with their clan's technique is a bit risky, as I am not that trained.
I have to use the seventh form to stop their combo.
One of them uses the first form while the other uses the fourth form, but we can't tell which one uses which form to counter it.
It would have been a lot easier if I could tell, but now I have to defend their attack.
I took the stance for the seventh form, and they launched their attack.
Keiko used the first form, which pierces their enemy like a drill with high speed and power, and the fourth form is a high-speed slash that is aimed for the neck.
They are planning to crush me with the drill and slash me if I dodge it.
It's simple but efficient, because it's all done with speed and precision.
Now I've got to parry or avoid getting hit by Keiko and have to take care of Kenji.
Keiko came towards me; I decided to take it head on, as she doesn't have that much strength.
I blocked it with my blade's HI and kicked her back.
And Kenji came with the slash, so I used the seventh form, which is 'Kagen no Tsuki.
Both the attacks got cancelled, and I rapidly used the second form, which is called 'Mikazuki'.
Kenji couldn't use another form, as his previous attack was done in air; he got pushed back, and I struck his wrist with the MUNE of my sword and kept my sword on his neck.
I don't know if I am lucky or not, but I learned the forms that would help me in this fight.
He accepted his defeat.
And Keiko is the only one left.
We both once again took our positions and started our match.
She used the fourth form again; this time I dodged it and used the seventh form.
This crescent moon form starts from the ground, so it is a bit difficult to stop it in the middle if you apply too much force.
So, I used a little to stop it near her neck, and it went as I planned.
She also admitted her defeat.
Fighting after a long time made me weak, so I collapsed on the ground as I won.
It was tiring but was a lot of fun.
I didn't have this much fun in a long time; I missed this for the past thirteen years.
As I was resting, the three of them came to me and sat beside me.
Akiko is smiling as always and having a chat with Kenji and Keiko.
I got up and sat along with them.
"You really won against us three. We even prepared a plan for you, though it didn't go as planned," Kenji felt sad while saying it with a grieving face.
"Yeah, you totally beat us. You are really a genius, and I don't like it, it feels unfair," Akiko vented her frustration towards me.
"Don't be like that, and I really had to go all out to win," I said and continued, "If I hadn't known your strengths and weaknesses, it would have been difficult even for me, but you all came at me without knowing anything about me, you three are great."
"No, we watched your childhood videos of your sword training and made a plan, but you didn't move according to it, which made it harder for us," Keiko said.
"How did you get those videos of mine?" I asked, "and with whom did I train?"
"Our grandpa got them from your grandpa and gave it to us to help us study your technique, but you didn't move according to those videos at all. You were training with your teacher in every video," Kenji replied.
"Those were videos from when I was learning the sword, that's why you couldn't grab my movement or ideas."
In the meantime, the old farts came down to us, and they started talking.
"I think now you all have to take the license exam seriously," Kimura Makoto said, smiling while looking at the three.
"And Genji lost the bet about these three winning the match, and now he has to train my grandson for the next one month," my grandpa said while laughing loudly.
"Yeah, I get it. Boy, you are in for a hell of training, be prepared," Adachi Genji said it with a grumpy face.
"And you three should train well for the next month," my grandpa said looking at the three.
"What? Isn't your license exam in one week?" I asked.
"Yes, it was first, but my grandpa said that we weren't ready and said if we were able to defeat you, he would allow us to take it in one week. Now I have to train for the next one month with my grandpa," Kenji said it as if he's losing his life.
I think it's tiring enough thinking about the training with his grandpa.
Though I am not in any position to enjoy.
Old man Genji is a lot stricter than old man Makoto.
Grandpa Genji came towards me and said, "I will be teaching about ki this whole month and make you master it. I will teach you from morning six to seven every day, and in the afternoon, you'll have sword training, and in the evening, you'll have the special training you had yesterday. The one you met yesterday will train you in the afternoon and evening, so be prepared, we'll start in half an hour."
I rested for half an hour, and old man Genji came to me, and we started the training.
The other three also started their training with sword, as they have mastered ki.
He started speaking.
"Now I'll tell you about this one-month course. The first one week you'll learn about the ki and its circulation, in the second week you'll learn ki manifestation with sword, and in the third week you'll learn to maintain it while moving and train your sword technique while manifesting it. In the fourth week you'll fight with me using ki, and I'll show you how to use it while fighting. In the afternoon he'll teach you how to fight properly and will teach you his own swordsmanship."
"But I should learn my clan's swordsmanship, right?" I asked him.
"Yes, you should, but you already know it, right?" he replied.
"No, those two are the only forms I know," I answered.
"Okay, he will teach you both the swordsmanship's," he replied.
"But how does he know my clan's swordsmanship?" I asked.
"Hoo..." he sighed deeply and said, "Why do you have so many questions? This is the last time I am answering. He is your grandpa's one and only student. Got it?"
"Yes," I answered.