Martial Glory Chapter 8 Commissioned by an Anon and Razmiel (Patreon)

Knowing there was a possible apocalypse in the wings in the form of the Umbrella Corporation was a major kick in the pants for me to get my ass rolling in training. But for now, I enjoyed my dinner with the four girls, Kasumi, Honoka, Marie, and finally Miu.

After the food, I looked to the girls and asked. "Can one of you girls take me to where I can work out or where some training equipment is?"

And to my question, Honoka raised a hand as she put down her cup of tea with her other hand. "Uhhh Ryouzonpaku doesn't really use free weights due to them being too bulky for their light weight honestly. But we do have several places to work out!" She said earnestly and then seemingly in interest in showing me around the other three girls quickly finished their food and told me to change back into my workout, outfit if I was going for an actual workout.

After getting changed into my martial arts outfit, I was led out into the backyard of Ryuozonpaku's large property and strewn across a small field with low-cut grass that honestly felt like it was as thick and low-cut as golf grass were several weird-looking instruments strewn over the ground.

Marie Rose all but bounced over to one of them and I realized it was some kind of rowing machine... But instead of rowing and the fan pushing water or something as would be the norm in a gym's version of this machine. No, this one seemed to be tied and mounted to an actual fucking motor. "So Jake, Ryouzonpaku is actually a proud follower of green energy!" Marie said cheerfully and as I saw the engine hum to life as Marie's muscles tensed as she cutely growled as she pulled back the taunt rope.

"You gotta keep pulling the motor and using these bike pedals to provide power and all these machines have magnets and other things pushing against you so not only are you getting a hard workout... But you are also providing the neighborhood with power!" Marie said excitedly as her face turned a bit pink at the clear strain it was putting on her to pull the rowing machine abomination while pedaling the bike pedals as well.

Then while Marie worked on that machine Miu showed me the other machines that boggled my ideas of workout equipment. Sure the machines and things were super rugged, but there were extremely clever basic ideas used in the manipulation of the machines and stuff to make them as difficult as possible. All in order to give the full body a potent workout.

Like even just the inclined bowl-like treadmill thing had those swinging arms I had to push to get the treadmill to actually work and move the track along... Oh and for whatever reason it had those punching speedbags filled with iron sand swinging back and forth, so as I was running I needed to bob and weave my head and upper body around quickly so I didn't get hit by the hundred-pound swinging bag of pain.

"So Jake, do you have any plans on doing some Kengan matches for money and getting used to fighting outside of spars?" Miu asked me and my face twitched at the thought of getting in the ring with people Tokita Ohma... That way led to not needing a dentist in this life as some of the fighters in Kengan had obscene almost fantasy like bodies in the bullshit they could do.

But knowing how to fight outside a spar would be important to use the Kyotouryuu, or No-Sword style from Katanagatari and the memories I inherited of its use from Shichika Yasuri.

"Marie can you take that branch and use it like a sword against me." I asked after I warned up my body and I breathed deeply using Bang's Awakening Breath, breathing technique to turn my body into a superhuman state like when Breath User's in demon slayer used their breath styles.

But like the Demon Slayer's that weren't Hashira level, my body clearly wasn't at the standard in which the breathing style was my default state of breathing and being also like Bang. As I could feel my lungs and what felt like my very veins stretching to contain the rushing blood and air that was circulating through my body.

Marie Rose seeing my state became serious but she still raised an eyebrow as she picked up the branch that had clearly fallen from one of the trees that were providing the workout shade. "Uhh so I just try to stab or hit you with the stick?" She asked wryly with an off smile and even I realized this was a bit weird but I wanted to try some of the techniques of the Kyotōryū.

"Yeah, remember how I have two martial arts buried in my brain?" I said with a smile as I continued. "The other is a pure offense with a focus of turning a person's body into a jealous sword that breaks all other blades," I said before exhaling loudly as I stepped forward and dashed at Marie Rose.

And it became instantly apparent that Marie Rose had zero clue on how to use a sword, or likewise how to properly beat someone with a stick but it didn't matter as after I dodge the first swing of her stick I felt my instinctual knowledge of the art of Kyotōryū or the 'flow of the empty sword' awaken in my bodies natural motions.

So when Marie brought down the thin hard stick towards my head in a simple overhand swing I felt my body move into the proper position as I sidestepped the blow with my arms falling behind me and as her stick when past my back my arms closed around the stick. And in a flash of movement, I pinned the stick against my back and a gunshot-like cracking noise rang out as the stick from the tree that survived grandmaster martial artists constantly kicking and punching it, exploded into three pieces as my arms used my back as leverage to break the would-be sword using the Chrysanthemum technique.

Marie Rose was a talented martial artist despite her being petite and a slip of girl, just because she didn't pack a punch didn't mean whenever she kicked someone to the balls or went to for someone's joints, wouldn't let her win her fights. So her swing of the stick still had her style of speed over power.

"Woah that was cool!" Marie cheered as she threw the small hunk of wood she had left as she bounced over and blinked in surprise as she clearly noticed how my arms covered in the sleeves didn't have any wooden debris or anything from breaking the stick. And I smiled with a bit of pride as I did the technique properly as if done correctly there was little chance of cutting yourself in doing the technique.

And of course, if I could time it correctly I could also do that sword-breaking technique on someone who kicked or did a lunging punch at me.

"Can I try with another stick? I actually can use a sword." Kasumi asked with curiosity and I smiled wryly as her being a kunoichi meant she was definitely going to be a challenge and I could feel the heart of the martial art within me all but salivating at the prospect of breaking a real practitioner's would be blade.

But before I we could start after Kasumi found a decent stick of length she appreciated a broom handle of all things pierced the ground between us and in a flash of movement that made her short purple skirt flap through the air and expose the wire panty hose that covered her thighs, Shigure the Weapon Grandmistress stood between us. Shigure's slitted pupils flickered to me and she spoke softly in her usual monotone voice.

"Your Martial Art... It hates swords and is jealous?" She said in almost wonder at how a martial art had its story and desires so clearly outspoken in its movements.