Future Pet Shop

"My ancestors once took in a Swordsmanship Master from the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, which is how we came to inherit its swordsmanship," Sakai Kaori said proudly. The Yagyu Shinkage-ryu is an incredibly influential traditional martial arts school in Japan, and she considered it a great honor to carry on its authentic teachings.

"Whoa, now that you mention it, I’d really like to see it." Shen Yibin’s interest was piqued. He had watched his fair share of anime in school, so he knew all about Sakura Hime’s Flying Heaven Swordsmanship, Ghost Eye Mad Blade’s Wuming Divine Wind Style, and Roronoa Zoro’s Three-Sword Style. Although he knew that manga swordsmanship was vastly different from the real thing, he certainly wasn’t going to miss the chance to see it with his own eyes.

"Uncle Liu Sheng is usually in the dojo guiding practice, and he’s always happy to demonstrate the profound swordsmanship of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu to others. I come here to practice often, too. In a little while, Uncle Liu Sheng and I can spar for you, Mr. Bin," Sakai Kaori said, brimming with confidence. It seemed she possessed considerable skill in swordsmanship herself.

"Ah, Lord Egg, you’ve arrived! Oh my, and a panda, too? Young Sakai, this must be the Mr. Bin you’re always talking about, yes? He’s certainly a fine-looking gentleman." Inside the dojo, a kind-faced, middle-aged man welcomed them with a warm smile. Sakai Kaori began to translate for them. For some reason, however, the man’s gaze lingered on Shen Yibin a moment too long, holding an indescribable quality that left Shen Yibin completely baffled.

Once inside, the disciples respectfully served tea. Even Hah’Er got a cup. As for Egg, he was the very first to be served; the title of "Lord" wasn’t just for show.

"Sakai, have you brought a guest from afar to appreciate Japanese swordsmanship?" Mr. Liu Sheng asked with a smile after everyone had settled in. "This hardly seems like a young lady’s activity. You should be taking Mr. Bin to admire your flower arranging skills."

"Uncle Liu Sheng!" Sakai Kaori’s face flushed slightly as she quickly cut him off. "If you keep this up, I won’t share any of the wine Mr. Bin brings next time!"

"Uncle Liu Sheng is mistaken. Whatever Mr. Bin wants to see, I’ll have someone demonstrate it right away." This threat hit Mr. Liu Sheng right where it hurt. He immediately threw his hands up in surrender. Ever since he’d tasted Shen Yibin’s Monkey Wine, he’d lost all interest in other liquors. And since Mr. Liu Sheng was a great lover of wine, being deprived of it would be the death of him.

"Mr. Bin came all this way. You should be the one to personally give a demonstration, Uncle Liu Sheng," Sakai Kaori said, standing up. "I’m going to get changed. In a moment, Uncle Liu Sheng and I will demonstrate for Mr. Bin."

With that, Sakai Kaori entered the changing room to the side. A moment later, she emerged wearing a white kendo uniform and holding a bamboo sword. Her entire presence seemed to shift. She walked to the center of the dojo and waited quietly. Mr. Liu Sheng also took up a bamboo sword, entered the ring, and struck a lazy pose. "Sakai, come at me."

"Hai!" Sakai Kaori bowed, tapped her bamboo sword lightly against Mr. Liu Sheng’s, then gripped her sword with both hands and slowly advanced toward him, seemingly searching for an opening.

"Tang Bamboo!" Sakai Kaori suddenly roared, shouting the name of the move as she swung her bamboo sword down at Mr. Liu Sheng’s head. Mr. Liu Sheng casually flicked his own sword to neutralize her attack, and the two instantly engaged in a flurry of strikes.

"Kasaya Slash! Reverse Kasaya! Left Cut Up! Right Cut Up...!" Only Sakai Kaori’s shouts and the crisp CLACK of colliding bamboo swords could be heard in the dojo. The two moved faster and faster, until the disciples on the sidelines could barely follow their movements.

’Back when I played games like *King of Fighters*, *Street Fighter*, and *Samurai Spirits*, I thought shouting out your move names was just a video game thing. I never expected people to do it in real life!’ Shen Yibin was a bit confused. ’Is this just for practice, or do they do it in a real fight, too?’

’Their swordsmanship really is impressive,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’It’s not as exaggerated as what you see in anime, but it definitely looks like it has real power. The others can’t see clearly, but I’m different. After all that training with Shi Gaofei and Xiaoliu, my eyes are far sharper than an ordinary person’s. I can see every single one of Sakai Kaori and Mr. Liu Sheng’s moves with perfect clarity. It’s just... when I compare their swordsmanship to Xiaoliu’s, there seems to be a noticeable gap!’

Shen Yibin mulled it over. He felt confident he could handle the moves from Mr. Liu Sheng and Sakai Kaori. But whenever Xiaoliu struck him, he could never dodge, no matter what. That was a lesson learned through painful experience.

WHAP! CLATTER! Just then, a victor was decided. Mr. Liu Sheng was, after all, the more seasoned fighter. Seizing an opportunity, he used his bamboo sword to catch Sakai Kaori’s, and with a swift tap, bind, and twist, her weapon went flying into the air. It landed on the ground with a sharp crack. To lose one’s weapon was to lose the match.

"Thank you for the lesson!" Sakai Kaori immediately stood straight and gave a deep bow, only then going to retrieve her bamboo sword.

"Miss Sakai has improved again! She puts us mere mortals to shame!"

"Even so, Miss Sakai still lost to Teacher Liu Sheng. And from the look of it, he wasn’t even using half his strength, was he? Teacher Liu Sheng’s swordsmanship is truly unfathomable."

"That’s right! Gentlemen, since we are fortunate enough to study under Teacher Liu Sheng, we must not let his guidance go to waste! We must practice even harder!"

The disciples began chattering amongst themselves, analyzing the match. Mr. Liu Sheng patiently pointed out the good and bad points of Sakai Kaori’s performance. After he finished, he suddenly shifted his gaze to Shen Yibin. "Mr. Bin, you have also practiced swordsmanship before, have you not? I wonder, might I have the honor of witnessing the subtleties of Chinese Swordsmanship?"

"Eh? Mr. Bin knows swordsmanship? How did I not know that?" Sakai Kaori asked, completely bewildered.

"While I was instructing you just now, I sensed that Mr. Bin’s gaze always fell upon the most critical points. If he weren’t a swordsman, how could he have such a penetrating gaze?" Mr. Liu Sheng said earnestly. "Speaking of which, Japan’s Sword Way has its roots in China. The very term ’Sword Way’ first appeared in the *Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue*. And yet, I have never had the chance to cross swords with a Chinese swordsman. Mr. Bin, please, you must grant my wish. I implore you!" With that, Mr. Liu Sheng gave a deep bow.

’I just came here to watch the fun, how did this turn into a dojo challenge?’ Shen Yibin was torn. ’Should I accept or not?’

Sakai Kaori and all the disciples turned in unison to look at Shen Yibin, their eyes filled with expectation.