Demon Lord's Reincarnation

Funnily enough, all Alexa could get from me right now was to climb on my back right until we reached the pool area for lunch, though she still insisted on riding me this way until I sat her down. I didn't mind the looks everyone was giving us though from the group that I've talked to versus the group I haven't, it was practically night and day.

It was because, for some reason, it seemed like the people I've talked to looked to have somewhat achieved enlightenment as a ray of sunshine was shining on their faces while the ones pending had this dark cloud over their heads.

Telling everyone I've talked to keep what occurred upstairs a secret was working wonders for me—not for them, obviously—but once the day's over, I just hope they get something out of this just as much as they had from the days that had passed.

After some time, I was once again back to my office and the next person I called over was Isaac.

He came in wearing pretty casual clothes compared to everyone else wearing their tactical uniforms. Obviously, he was always carrying his katana everywhere—only bringing his tachi outside—though this time, he seemed like he was aiming for a fight. However, once he saw that I was completely unarmed, his tense expression softened before he made his way towards me.

"'Sup?"

"'S-Sup, bro?"

"Good."

"Great…"

"If you wanna have a match with me, I still have wooden swords lying around here—"

"N-Nah, bro… I-I'll avoid fighting you if possible… I've seen my limits— You could probably take me barehanded."

"Did I break your spirit too? I have a cure for that—"

"Nah, nah, not like that bro. What's that quote again? Frog in a well?"

"You mean you just realized that now?"

"Wha— Fuck you! I-Imagine once I got out of the well, it's a series of wells! How about that?!"

"Oh? That's a nice way of thinking about it."

"Don't patronize me… Tell me, have you ever gone 100% against anyone?"

"Hmm? Why do you ask?"

"I mean— I've seen you fight Benjie, Mauro, fuck it— even the old dude from the Alvarez Family! And as you know, I've been meaning to peruse Ms. M's girls that night and I was just devastated to hear that they're all booked and had just gone to your house the day before Phase 1 or whatever. You see where I'm going with this?"

"Heh, you want to die or something? I do have control of my body but this *knocking on my head* this is the most troublesome shit I've been facing my entire life. It's my biggest asset but also the worst one."

Isaac shook his head, "At this point, bro, I don't even know if you're still joking or not. Would be glad to see it at least once in my life too. I'm very proud of my thrusts but it's like practice swings compared to yours and I don't even think I've seen you practice that much. Shit's insane. I don't even know how you came to master the blade, dude… and you're not even an old fuck…"

"Hmm~ I'm not a total master per se but once you become one at a certain aspect, you'll know."

"Huh?"

"You'll just know, trust me."

"O-Okay?"

"You don't trust me, huh?"

"I do t-trust you but— FUCK! DID I JUST SEE MY HEAD GET LOPPED OFF?!"

"Yeah?"

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST DUDE! TAKE IT EASY!"

"I am, I didn't do it for real…"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"You okay?"

"YOU— Y-Yeah, I guess… shit… haven't felt that in a while…"

"Heh. I've said it many times before, mastery isn't something you climb up to, it's something you fall into. Kind of like riding a bike but obviously more complex than that. Have I mastered the blade? Some of it, yes. But as a whole?

Not even close. Let's just say I specc'd to the shit I use a lot."

"I fear not the person who practiced 10,000 kicks but the person who practiced a kick 10,000 times…"

"Something like that, yeah."

"Hmm, I guess I'm kind of like that with my thrusts—"

"Pfft— Not even close!"

"DUDE! C'MON!"

"Hey! D'you want me to lie to you?! I could lie to you if you want but do you really want that?! It's life or death out there, you know?!"

"Ugh… I just—"

"But you're getting there… Hmm~ My only tip for that is part of how the thing I'm trying to teach all of you is rooted in. What are you really trying to accomplish by doing those sets of movements?"

"I mean— It's a thrust, right?"

"Well, yeah. Why did you even favor that kind of attack in the first place?"

"Umm… Because I'm good at it than anything else?"

"Hmm~ That could be a reason but if I tell you my entire thought process on it, it might not work for you and do more damage. It's just something you have to figure out yourself. I mean, it's not like you have to master that particular thrust to survive out there. Then again, it's just so fucking sweet to have mastered a few simple motions."

"Argh! Now you're just bragging, bro! I don't even— Maaan~ I still have a fucking lot to work on, huh?"

"It's just how it goes… You just gotta keep going until you reach the peak—"

"Hah?"

"What now?"

"I thought I would fall onto mastery, not reach an apex of some sort?"

I chortled, "Psh! You haven't even reached the apex of your art yet and you're trying for mastery already! Gimme a break!"

"WHAT?! I STILL DON'T COME CLOSE?!"

"OBVIOUSLY!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN OBVIOUSLY!"

"IT MEANS WHAT IT MEANS!"

"NOW I REALLY WANNA BEAT YOUR ASS!"

"NOW BRING IT ON, YOU FUCKER! I'LL SHOW YOU MY FORMLESS ART!"

"WHAT?! THERE'S A THING LIKE THAT?!"

"OF COURSE, NOT! EIGHT TRIGRAMS, SIXTY-FOUR PALMS—"

"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! AHHHHHH!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"TEN THOUSAND YEARS OF PAINNNN!!!"

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"