A newbie's anime life diary

As she spoke, Ryougi Shiki looked at Kazami Yuuka: "Sure, could you give him some pointers during the day to help him gain more combat experience and better control his internal power? I don't want him to have to fight desperately every time he encounters an enemy in the future."

"Well, among humans, you're the only one I'm on relatively good terms with. It's rare for you to ask me for help, so I'll help you out. Don't blame me if you get seriously injured." Kazami Yuuka smiled and agreed.

Just then, Mystia's packed meal was ready. Kazami Yuuka reached out to take it, but suddenly her eyes sharpened. She picked up a chopstick from the bamboo tube in front of her and stabbed it into a small, silent hole that had appeared next to the takeout box.

With a faint groan of pain, Kazami Yuuka snorted coldly, picked up the food, stood up, and said to Yukiteru before leaving, "Come find me at the sunflower field west of the Lost Bamboo Forest at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Don't be late. Also, my name is Kazami Yuuka, the owner of the sunflower field."

After saying that, he casually picked up the curtain and left.

Yukiteru glanced at Mystia, who seemed somewhat used to what had just happened, then asked Ryougi Shiki, "Sensei, that was...?"

"Some lazy bum, whose ability to freeload is almost as good as Nurarihyon's. Remember, if you ever see a woman with long blonde hair, wearing a Western dress and carrying a parasol, just steer clear." Ryougi Shiki replied casually, then paid the bill and left with Yukiteru.

For Shiki to say she'd avoid it, it's probably because besides not being able to beat her, there's also the trouble involved. Well, as expected of Purple... Sister.

As they walked towards Moriya Shrine, Ryougi Shiki said to Yukiteru, "As I mentioned earlier, I also found you a swordsmanship teacher. She's a half-human, half-spirit being, and her swordsmanship is even better than mine. I sparred with her for a while back then. Because she's usually quite busy, she only comes out for an hour at midnight. The environment there is too deathly to be suitable for humans to stay in for long, so just wait at the foot of Moriya Shrine every night at midnight. She's a girl carrying two swords; she's easy to spot."

Nodding, Yukiteru accepted Ryougi Shiki's arrangement. Although it seemed that the daytime training would be very tough, since Ryougi Shiki had been here before, why couldn't he endure it?

"Teacher, are you leaving tomorrow?"

“That’s right. I need to investigate Mistyane’s matter thoroughly, as Mystia mentioned earlier. It’s always good to be prepared.” The impending resurgence of Hagoromo Gitsune was already troublesome enough, but now there’s Abe no Seimei and his descendants’ families to add to the problem. Relying solely on the Ryougi family, the Keikain family, and that somewhat loose association, we really don’t have much of a chance.

Yukiteru was aware of Ryougi Shiki's worries, so he didn't say much. Although he couldn't remember the plot of the old anime "Nurarihyon no Yorimitsu," he was still very clear about the strength of Hagoromo Gitsune and her subordinate yokai. All he could do was train hard.

Upon returning to Moriya Shrine, Yukiteru met the two deities there, Suwako Moriya and Kanako Yasaka, two seemingly kind-looking deities.

Although I was initially somewhat resistant to Yukiteru's aura when he first arrived, after observing him for a while, I gradually felt at ease and didn't mind him staying at the shrine much anymore.

Ryougi Shiki was pulled away by the two gods to drink, while Yukiteru, being underage, returned to his room to rest after washing up.

Gently wiping the Heart Ferry resting on his lap, Xuehui felt his connection with it growing stronger. After his flames wrapped around it, it seemed to have changed some of the sword's inner workings, making it more compatible with him.

"With a weapon of this length, I can use the moves I know now, but it still feels like something's missing. I watched Advent Children before, but if I could understand Eight-Sword Flash just by watching the show, I'd be a god. Well, since Shiki-nee said so, I'll ask the swordsmanship teacher for guidance when I meet him tomorrow."

After settling his mind in, Xuehui lay down on the bed and slowly closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, it's still daytime in Italy.

In a dark alley, a glamorous blonde woman threw away the lifeless body of a man dressed as a priest that she had been holding in her hand, and looked up at the somewhat gloomy sky.

"Our contact is getting weaker and weaker. What have you been up to, woman? Never mind, I'll come back to you after I've sorted out these problems."

----------

The next day, Ryougi Shiki stood in the backyard of the shrine, where there was a passage leading to the outside world, one of the few places where one could go out.

She looked at Xuehui in front of her and instructed, "Go to Youxiang's place later. Be prepared, her guidance is very strict, and injuries are inevitable. However, I believe it will be a huge improvement for you, both in terms of strength and mentality. The one tonight is relatively easier to get along with. Feel free to ask her any questions and don't worry too much."

Nodding, Xuehui asked, "Then, teacher, when can I go back?" It's already almost halfway through August, and school will start soon, but it's easy to imagine that the training here won't be short-lived.

"Are you worried about school?" Ryougi Shiki guessed what Yukiteru was thinking, so she explained, "I'll have Hiratsuka Shizuka help you get 10 to 20 days off. You'll probably stay here for about a month. I'll leave the decision of when you can leave to Yuuka. Alright, I'm leaving now. You should go too."

After saying that, he nodded to Yasaka Kanako, Suwako Moriya, and Sanae Kochiya who were standing next to him, then turned around and stepped into the passage.

"Well then, I should get going too." After watching Ryougi Shiki leave, Yukiteru sighed, bid farewell to the two gods and Sanae, and headed down the mountain.

With a heart full of hope, although I'm not confident about guiding the Flower Tyrant, I figure that since I have a teacher's guarantee, it shouldn't be too bad, after all, I am someone with some ability.

should......

Chapter 53 One umbrella knocks him down, simple and brutal.

Looking at Yukiteru's retreating figure, Suwako sighed, "Yuuka Kazami is the instructor. Shiki is quite the strict teacher, finding such a sparring partner for his disciple. I hope this kid won't get beaten too badly."

"Well, you know things are going to get turbulent again, so Shiki probably wants to give his disciple more protection," Kanako Yasaka said casually. "But it doesn't really concern us; it's just providing him with a place to sleep. Let's go, there are still a few shrines we haven't visited today."

"Ugh! Can't we just take a break?"

"Gathering faith is a very important task, otherwise how will you survive? Shiki has already helped us enough, so cheer up." After saying that, he grabbed Suwako, who was trying to slack off, gave Sanae some instructions, and then disappeared without a trace.

After everyone else left, Sanae Kochiya, humming a little tune, went back to her room to do her own thing.

On the other side, Yukihiro followed the direction Ryougi Shiki had indicated and walked slowly. It was still early, and there was still nearly an hour left before the time mentioned yesterday, so Yukihiro decided to enjoy the scenery along the way.

In the morning, Sanae gave herself a small tag. Although the monsters here don't eat people, humans still need to be careful. With the protection of Moriya Shrine, Yukiteru can freely walk on this land.

You're asking about Sister Shi?

He's someone who's drunk with the gods of Moriya Shrine, an old acquaintance of the medicine doctor at Eientei, and chatted and laughed with the Flower Tyrant! Does he need all that?

Hmm, I always felt that Shiki was the real protagonist...

Could it be that the title of this book should be changed to "The Diary of Ryougi Shiki's Disciple Training"?

. . . . . .

With a head full of bizarre ideas, Xuehui finally arrived at a vibrant sunflower field. The sunflowers bloomed across the entire land, creating a spectacular sight, and their vigorous vitality was truly eye-catching.

Walking carefully along the path through the flower field, Yukiteru came across a small house and Yuuka Kazami standing there.

She was still wearing the same red and dark red plaid vest and long skirt as yesterday, except now she had an umbrella draped over her shoulder.

He opened his slightly narrowed eyes, his scarlet pupils staring at Xuehui: "You've arrived?"

Nodding, Xuehui suppressed his nervousness and asked, "Um, what should I call you?"

"I don't mind these things, but of course, it's fine if you want to call me teacher."

"Then I'll call you Yuuka-sensei." After thinking for a moment, Yuki felt that since the other party had a good relationship with Ryougi Shiki, it shouldn't be a problem for him to call her that.

Kazami Yuuka had no objection to this, nodded slightly, and said, "Your training course is very simple, it's just sparring with me. Now, use your full strength, I want to test you properly."

"Is it right here?" Standing in the open space in front of the house, Yukiteru glanced at the house behind Yuuka Kazami, and then at the sunflower field behind him.

"Just go all out. Of course, if you destroy any of the flowers behind you, you'd better think about the consequences yourself." Kazami Yuuka looked at Yukiteru with a strange smile.

Xuehui grinned at the mature woman's smile, knowing he wouldn't do something so suicidal.

He placed the Heart Crossing in front of him, strengthening the magic armor. Then, the flames within his body burst forth, forming a haori once more, which wrapped around the blade of the Heart Crossing.

He took out the prepared talisman, enhanced his power and speed, and activated his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.

Looking at the faint lines on Yuuka Kazami's body, Yukiteru sighed in admiration, "As expected of a great yokai," and then said in a low voice, "I'm coming."

With her right foot planted firmly on the ground, Yukiteru's strength amplified to an exaggerated level as she shot directly toward Kazami Yuuka. Without intending to use any fancy sword techniques, she unleashed a powerful vertical slash, carrying immense power and blazing flames as she struck at Kazami Yuuka.

next second.

"Snapped!"

"boom!"

Kazami Yuuka folded her parasol and took a slight half-step to the side. Looking at Yukiteru, who was lying motionless on the ground, she said calmly, "The idea is not bad, but it's still far from perfect. Get up and continue. From now on, don't use your Mystic Eyes or those talismans. Just use fire and your sword. Once you can dodge one of my attacks, we'll move on to the next stage."

"An attack? Looks like it's not going to be a simple matter." Xuehui stood up, rubbing his head, dusting himself off, and gave a wry smile.

Just now, in the instant his weapon swung down, Yuki didn't even have time to see clearly before Kazami Yuuka became a blur before she struck him with her umbrella, knocking him to the ground.

He did not use any demonic power, relying solely on his physical abilities and skills.

Simple, brutal, and terrifying.

Fortunately, the other party didn't exert any force, otherwise my head would definitely have been blown apart.

For the rest of the day, Yukiteru was constantly alternating between attacking and lying down. Each time, the parasol in Kazami Yuuka's hand struck a different part of Yukiteru's body, making it impossible for him to find an opportunity to defend himself.

There was a short break at noon, but I didn't get a chance to rest. I was ordered by Yuuka Kazami to make lunch, which she called "reward for receiving guidance."

Xuehui couldn't resist or refuse, since he also needed to eat. So he could only endure the pain and cook lunch, and continue in the afternoon afterward.

It wasn't until evening that Yuuka Kazami finally let Yukiteru leave.

Before leaving, Kazami Yuuka said from behind, "Today is the first day, so I didn't go all out. Starting tomorrow and the day after, I will show you the fighting style of a great yokai. Be prepared."

Well, it seems this isn't even an appetizer.

However, Yukiteru was also quite fortunate. After all, although he had taken quite a few blows throughout the day, he hadn't broken any bones. They were all minor bruises that would heal with some ointment and a night's rest, even less severe than the injuries he had sustained while practicing with Saeko Busujima.

"But it looks like tomorrow won't be so easy. I'll have to go back and really get into it. I vaguely saw Yuuka Kazami's movements a few times later." With that, Yukiteru returned to Moriya Shrine.

Dinner was with Sanae and two deities. Yukiteru resolutely refused all the drinks offered by the two deities, who were holding bottles of alcohol. He was joking; if he drank that much, he'd be kneeling on the ground! He had his training session that night!

While watching the two gods drink and eating the dinner prepared by Sanae, it must be said that as the only shrine maiden and a living god, Sanae's cooking skills are absolutely superb. Although it was not a grand meal, Yukiteru was still very satisfied with his meal.

After dinner, ignoring the two gods who were quite drunk, Yukiteru asked Sanae for some medicinal wine, applied it to his face in his room, and then quietly waited for midnight to arrive.

That swordsmanship teacher at midnight is the key.

------------

------------

Just so you know, the update tomorrow at noon will be delayed a bit and will be uploaded in the evening, but there will still be two chapters.

Chapter 54 Arriving and leaving in a hurry

Before midnight, Yukiteru had already left Moriya Shrine and arrived at the foot of the mountain to wait.

In the dead of night, the empty fields were devoid of the usual urban noise; apart from the occasional chirping of insects and birds, there was hardly a single living creature to be seen.

Although it's said to be a place where monsters live, surprisingly no one goes out at night.

Just then, a series of light and quick footsteps came toward Xuehui.

Turning his head, Xuehui saw a silver-haired girl carrying two swords running towards him.

'Youmu Konpaku, that must be her.'

As Xuehui looked at the girl, the girl also saw Xuehui in front of her, so she quickened her pace and stood in front of Xuehui.

After looking her up and down and glancing at the Heart Crossing in Yukiteru's hand, the girl nodded: "You must be Yukiteru. I am Youmu Konpaku, the gardener of Hakugyokurou. Shiki entrusted me to give you swordsmanship instruction for a period of time every night."

"Hello." Yukiteru nodded to Youmu Konpaku and asked, "Where shall we train?"

"Let's go to the woods over there. There's a clearing there. Fighting isn't allowed on the paths outside." With that, Youmu led Yukiteru into the woods at the foot of the mountain, where there happened to be a clearing that had been separated from the main area.

Upon arriving here, Youmu raised her hand and unleashed several streams of ghostly fire, scattering them around the open space and completely illuminating the area that was previously only lit by moonlight. The pale blue light added a touch of mystery to the place.

Turning to Yuki, Youmu said, "Originally, Shiki asked me to give you detailed guidance after finding me, but my swordsmanship is all inherited from my ancestors. Even for Lady Yuyuko, there are some moves I cannot teach." As she spoke, she drew the long sword from her back, which was only slightly shorter than Shinwa's. "I heard that you have a good aptitude for swordsmanship. That's perfect. I will use some special methods to guide you in swordsmanship, which should suit you quite well."

"A special way?" Yukiteru was a little confused by Youmu's words.

“That’s right, a special way. Of course, it’s also a test for you. Once you understand it, you’ll be able to find your own path.” Holding the sword in both hands, Youmu smiled slightly. “Every night, I will use a move. Open your eyes wide, watch carefully, and try to understand it.”