This was a very tranquil town.
Every day, all one could see were familiar faces long since accustomed to.
Initially, no matter how much he thought about it, Michikatsu couldn't understand why his younger sister could live in such a place for five years, and even not want to leave.
But as the days grew longer, as his interactions with the people here deepened, he seemed to gradually understand some things.
The people here wouldn't compare him with anyone else.
The people here were utterly ordinary—everyone had their shortcomings, and no one was an omnipotent peerless genius.
The people here always helped one another, within the scope of their abilities, assisting each other to live better.
When these people evaluated someone, it wasn't based on that person's abilities, but on that person's heart.
Are you kind? Are you willing to help everyone? Do you genuinely want to integrate into this collective?
Being helped by others, being praised by others, being recognized by others—and then helping others, praising others, recognizing others...
In this town, among the neighbors on this street, they formed an utterly perfect, virtuous cycle.
This virtuous cycle would silently change every person within this collective, granting them that spiritual satisfaction and tranquility extremely difficult to obtain in the outside world.
This truly was a beautiful place.
Being within it would make one forget their troubles—no wonder Mitsuba liked it so much...
"Hmm?"
Shifting his gaze, Michikatsu—walking along the road—suddenly noticed the Tengu beggar lying half-dead by the roadside.
He had an impression of this person.
Although this man had already established his own family and career, every so often he would deliberately dress in rags and lie by the roadside pretending to be a beggar to swindle money from traveling merchants.
Mitsuba had told him that this person was simply an idle swindler.
If it were the past, upon seeing such scum blocking his path, Michikatsu would certainly have drawn his blade without hesitation and directly cut him down.
But today...
Walking slowly forward, Michikatsu took out his money pouch and scattered some copper coins into the broken bowl before the Tengu beggar.
"Thank you, my lord..."
"Don't thank me yet."
Looking down at the Tengu beggar who had opened his eyes and was about to express thanks, Michikatsu crouched halfway down, pointing at the copper coins in the broken bowl, and spoke word by word:
"Now, immediately take this money and buy new clothes for your wife and children at home.
Tomorrow, if I don't see new clothes on them, I will personally cut off your head. Do you understand?"
"Eek! Eek—"
Terrified by Michikatsu's horrifying tone, the Tengu beggar grabbed the broken bowl before him, stood up, and ran away with all his might, shouting as he ran:
"Help! Master Michikatsu is going to kill me! He's so scary! Just as scary as Master Mitsuba!"
Michikatsu didn't stop him, only silently watching him flee.
He was very clear that for this kind of cowardly person, going this far was sufficient.
Tomorrow, he would certainly see brand new clothes on his wife and children.
[Alright, dawn is approaching. Next, I should head to the dojo...]
As Mitsuba's elder brother, Michikatsu naturally received enthusiastic welcome from the children at the dojo these past few days.
Of course, it was a completely different welcome from Mitsuba's.
"Ooh ooh ooh! Big Brother Michikatsu, your muscles are so big! Much bigger than Sister Mitsuba's!"
"Big Brother Michikatsu, how exactly did you train them? Hurry up and tell us!"
"It's just... eat properly... then practice diligently every day... that's all... most importantly, you must persist..."
"Brother-in-law, let us see your abs! Oh! Brother-in-law has so many big abs! Can we touch them?!"
"I don't particularly mind..."
"Ooh ooh ooh! Big Brother Michikatsu's abs are so hard! Punching them is like hitting iron!"
"Hey! You've touched enough, right! Hurry up and move aside! It's my turn to touch!"
"Me too! I want to touch too!"
"Um... it should be time for sword practice now..."
Michikatsu didn't understand why these little ones always liked to touch the muscles on his body nonstop, each time squealing like monkeys while touching—very strange indeed...
They were clearly just a pile of flesh. Were they really that special?
And aside from having to deal with these children, Michikatsu also frequently had to deal with that young man who would run over from the Soryu Dojo...
"Haha! Big Brother Michikatsu! I've come to challenge you again!"
Striding into the Centenarian Dojo, Hakuji immediately spotted Michikatsu—who was standing to the side instructing in swordsmanship—upon entering, and instantly laughed as he assumed his stance.
"Come!"
Hearing the voice and looking up, expressionlessly sizing up the excited Hakuji, Michikatsu gently shook his head.
"Go back and practice more. You're still far from ready."
"Don't say that, Big Brother Michikatsu! I feel like I've been improving rapidly these past few days! This time I'll definitely be able to exchange several more moves with you!"
"Don't daydream during daytime. I don't see any improvement from you compared to before."
"Haha! I knew Big Brother Michikatsu would say that! Take this! I'm launching a surprise attack!"
Shouting about a surprise attack, Hakuji actually delivered a flying kick straight toward Michikatsu.
Clearly, he wanted to force Michikatsu to exchange blows with him this way.
Then the next second, the mid-air Hakuji was seen being thrown to the ground by Michikatsu with one hand, unconscious and passed out cold.
"Oh! Just like last time! Also taken down in one move!"
"Big Brother Michikatsu is so amazing! He seems even stronger than Sister Mitsuba!"
Not paying attention to the exclamations of the children watching in the dojo, long accustomed to this, Michikatsu only let out a soft sigh. He skillfully stepped forward, hoisted the unconscious Hakuji onto his shoulder, and carried him to a room nearby.
After a while, his girlfriend named Koyuki should come looking for him.
Although this tattooed brat running over to challenge him every few days was quite annoying, if he really thought about it, Michikatsu actually quite liked Hakuji.
The reason was simple: it was because he saw in Hakuji that pure martial artist's persistent pursuit of one's own strength.
This youth named Hakuji possessed that most pure essence of martial spirit.
This pure heart of the martial way made Michikatsu like him very much.
If there were an opportunity, he would even be very willing to transform Hakuji into a demon, granting him an eternal life like his own.
And in this infinitely extending future, let him continue his research on the path of martial arts.
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