Daily Rewards! Transmigrating into a novel as a side-character!

I tossed one of the swords to Kojiro, who caught it effortlessly and gave it a few experimental swings to test its weight and balance. His expression remained composed, but I could see him mentally adjusting to the weapon's characteristics.

"These swords are dulled for safety," I explained, settling into a ready stance with my own practice blade. "They'll still hurt on impact, but they won't cause lasting damage. Don't hold back, I need to understand where my skills truly stand against someone with your level of expertise."

Kojiro nodded once, his grip shifting slightly on the sword's handle as he adopted a defensive stance. "Understood. I will provide the challenge you seek."

...

The moment we both settled into our stances, I could feel the intensity radiating from Kojiro. His dark eyes assessed my stance.

I decided to start without using any of my bloodline abilities, no Blood Control, no secret techniques, just pure swordsmanship enhanced only by the passive boost from my {Supernatural Physique} trait that I couldn't simply switch off.

Clang!

Kojiro moved first, his blade cutting through the air in a horizontal arc aimed at my midsection. I brought my sword up to parry, the impact sending vibrations up my arms as steel met steel.

Clash! Scrape!

He immediately followed with a vertical strike, forcing me to sidestep and counter with a thrust toward his shoulder. Kojiro deflected it effortlessly, his blade sliding along mine with a metallic screech before he pivoted into a diagonal cut.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The rapid exchange of blows filled the training room with the harsh music of combat. Every time I thought I'd found an opening, Kojiro was already moving to close it, his footwork carrying him smoothly from attack to defence and back again.

Thud!

His pommel struck my ribs as he closed distance, forcing me to stumble backward. The dulled blade followed immediately, catching me across the shoulder with enough force to make me grunt in pain.

Whoosh! Clang!

I swung to create space, but Kojiro ducked under my wild cut and swept his blade in a low arc that caught my thigh. Even through the dulled edge, the impact sent a sharp jolt of pain up my leg.

Clash! Scrape! Thunk!

My attempts to press an offensive were dismantled. Every combination I tried, Kojiro had already anticipated. His blade seemed to be everywhere at once - parrying my strikes, deflecting my thrusts, and finding gaps in my defence that I didn't even know existed.

Smack!

The flat of his blade caught me across the back as I overextended on a lunge, sending me stumbling forward. I managed to turn it into a roll, coming up with my sword raised defensively.

Clang! Clang! Scriiing!

But Kojiro was relentless. His blade work was poetry in motion - flowing combinations that transitioned seamlessly from one technique to the next. Where I had to think about my next move, his responses were instinctive, it seemed.

Thwack!

Another pommel strike, this time to my solar plexus, drove the air from my lungs. I doubled over, gasping, as Kojiro's blade pressed against my neck in a killing position.

"We should stop," Kojiro said, his voice steady despite the intense exchange. "You will only get injured. This serves no purpose."

I straightened slowly, wiping blood from a cut on my cheek where his cross guard had caught me during one exchange. My ribs ached, my shoulder throbbed, and my leg felt like it had been hit with a hammer.

"No," I said firmly, raising my sword again despite the pain. "Continue."

Kojiro looked at me in silence for a moment before nodding. "Very well."

Clang!

I launched myself forward with renewed determination, but the result was the same. Kojiro's superior technique and experience overwhelmed my raw enthusiasm.

Clash! Scrape! Thud!

His blade work was like watching a master craftsman at work. Every movement had purpose, every strike was precisely calculated. He could have ended the fight a dozen times over, but instead he was teaching me through pain, showing me exactly where my weaknesses lay.

Whoosh! Clang! Crack!

Another devastating combination left me reeling. A feint high followed by a low cut that I barely managed to block, then a lightning-fast reversal that caught me in the ribs again.

Thunk!

I hit the training room wall, my sword arm trembling from the constant impacts. Kojiro approached with measured steps, his blade held in a perfect guard position.

"You fight with heart," he observed, "but technique requires more than determination. Your foundation still needs more work, even though it's really good for your age."

I pushed myself off the wall, sweat mixing with the blood from various small cuts. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, but I'd learned more about my limitations in this battle than in hours of solo practice.

"We are taking a five minute break, then we will resume," I announced, my breathing somewhat laboured from the intense exchange.

Kojiro nodded his head before taking a seat on the floor cross-legged, closing his eyes in what appeared to be a meditative state. His breathing was also slightly laboured, showing a few signs of exertion from the vigorous sparring session we'd just completed.

I activated my Blood Control trait, feeling the familiar sensation as I directed my own blood flow to accelerate healing in the injured areas. The ache in my ribs began to subside as I encouraged better circulation and cellular repair. It wasn't miraculous healing, but it would help with the minor damage I'd sustained.

I also retrieved one of the mortal-grade healing potions from my storage and drank it quickly. The effects weren't particularly potent, but they were sufficient for the light injuries I'd sustained. The warm sensation spread through my body as the potion's magic worked to mend cuts and reduce inflammation.

Five minutes passed, and I felt significantly better, not perfect, but back in fighting condition. This time, I decided to up the ante a bit. It wasn't exactly enjoyable getting beaten down twice in a row without at least making Kojiro work for his victories.

I stood up, rolling my shoulders and testing my sword arm's range of motion. Time to see how he handled a more serious challenge.