Measure. Cut. Sweat drenches my palms. Measure. Cut. My wooden sword makes contact with the figure ahead of me, causing it to spin in place, its multiple arms flailing about. I dash in, ducking and pivoting out of harm’s way, before striking again. 

“Good, Yasuo. Good.” 

Behind me, a familiar voice speaks. I strike the figure once more before taking a few steps back, bringing the wooden sword down to my waist. I smirk at the man behind me. 

“Is this really all you will have me do, Master Souma?” 

I wipe sweat off my brow and grin wider. 

“I thought this would be harder.”

Souma chuckles. He circles around the wooden figure I struck with his hands behind his back. 

“Now, then... let’s see here.” Souma says, examining the figure closely as he rubs his chin. “You were all too hasty, but you struck true.” He pauses. “However…” 

I raise a brow, staring directly at my mentor. What is he doing? I don’t have much more time to think.  A whirlwind furiously propels the figure in my direction. Measure. Cut. I utilize the winds myself to slice the figure in half before it strikes me. In the split second it takes for the debris to clear, Souma closes the distance between us. He lands a kick square on my chest, pushing me several feet.

He follows up that attack with a swing of a wooden sword he had materialized from behind his back. I block it, but then comes another swing. Then another. Then another after that. Souma is relentless. I’m on my heels, struggling to maintain my balance. 

“What’s the matter, young Yasuo?” he taunts between swings. “Is this too difficult?” 

I smirk once again. My master’s words fuel my adrenaline. I parry his next swing then land a kick of my own. 

“I’m just getting started, old man!” I yell. He dodges my attempt effortlessly, then produces yet another gust, knocking me off my feet. Before my body hits the ground, however, I break the fall, rolling backwards. I prepare to block any incoming attack, but Souma is nowhere to be seen. 

“What--” I mutter to myself, before hearing the sound of violent winds shifting. But where? They grow louder. Above me. Master Souma comes crashing down with a furious swing. I barely manage to dodge out of harm’s way, and once again, my master is on the offensive. Swing. Block. Swing. Block. Swing. Suddenly, my grip loosens, and the wooden sword flies out of my hands. In the blink of an eye, Souma’s sword reaches my neck. He holds it there, a sign that I’ve lost.

The seasoned swordsman smirks and takes a step back, removing his sword. “Well fought, young Yasuo,” he says, calmly. He didn’t even break a sweat.

“Really? Cause from where I’m standing, it seems I got my ass kicked.” I scoff, pangs of shame bubbling up.

“You are gifted, but lack structure,” he says, bringing his hands behind his back once again. “Lucky for you, I can help with that.” He takes a few steps towards me and stretches his hand out.

“Come now,” he says, smiling warmly. “We’ve still got much and more to do.”

I can’t help but smile back as I shake his hand. This is the first time I’ve lost to Master Souma, but something tells me, as I walk with him and feel the gentle Ionian winds, that it will not be the last.