The Dream Tree

As the sun set over the lake, Kanoru finished setting up his tent. Their journey to the Eastern Hills had halted for the day. Traveling from the Western Black Kanji Forest to the Eastern Hills took two days on horseback. If they pushed through without rest, they would arrive exhausted, and encountering the enemy in such a state would mean certain defeat. 

With his tent secured, Kanoru walked away from the temporary camp. At a distance, he unsheathed his sword and practiced the five sword styles one by one. Then, he restarted, this time incorporating the power of wind into his movements. 

He had once formed 36 prototype sword moves but had forgotten them. Now, from the very beginning, he sought to integrate wind power into close combat again. 

Through his practice, he rediscovered 80 different ways to channel wind power. As he analyzed them, he found that among them, 36 sword moves could each be performed in one, two, or three different ways. With his growing understanding of the three new sword schools, that number increased to 45. 

"When my mastery of all five sword schools deepens, I will be able to perform 80 different ways as 80 perfected sword moves," he thought. Every unique way of wielding wind power held the potential to become a sword move of its own.

By the lake, Kanoru performed the 36 sword moves along with the nine newly discovered ones. After completing the sequence, he realized he couldn't seamlessly connect them. Unlike before, when his sister would say his swordplay looked like a dance, now, after every move or two, he had to stop and adjust his stance before continuing. 

Murmuring to himself, he affirmed, "My discovery that every different way to use the power of wind has a corresponding sword move is correct." 

For an hour, he repeatedly practiced the 45 sword moves. Then, standing still, he analyzed his performance, carefully examining his movements. After thorough review, he began rearranging the order of the sword moves. Through countless adjustments, he identified 12 moves that could flow into one another seamlessly, followed by another set of nine. In these sequences, his strength transitioned smoothly between moves, eliminating the need to stop or adjust—each move's end naturally became the beginning of the next. 

Before returning to camp, he performed one last set of sword techniques from all five schools. Then, he turned and walked back. The camp had no barricades, allowing access from any direction. To ensure security, a rotating patrol of 20 samurai guarded the perimeter, switching shifts every two hours. 

After greeting a patrolling samurai who had spotted him, Kanoru entered the camp. Instead of heading straight to his tent, he patrolled the area, searching for Shikichi. As deputy captain, he needed to communicate with the captain.

Over a hundred tents were set up along one side of the lake. The camp was arranged in clusters of 10 to 20 tents, each forming a circle with an open space in the center for a fire. The fire provided light and warmth, essential as the autumn nights grew colder. To keep insects and creatures away, they burned nightshade grass, its smoke and scent acting as a natural repellent. 

Kanoru found Shikichi in a clearing, sitting with several middle-ranked samurai, Takenaka, Tasuo, Asuna, and Mika. Spotting him, Asuna waved, and he walked over, taking a seat beside her. Some of the samurai exchanged knowing looks, while Tasuo shot him an angry glare. 

Tasuo suddenly spoke. "Kanoru, where were you? You're the deputy captain, yet you were missing during an important discussion." 

Kanoru didn't react. He was used to this. Since arriving at the training camp, Tasuo had either challenged him or thrown strange questions his way. To Kanoru, he was just an attention-seeking child. Though Kanoru looked like a child himself, his mind was over 30 years ahead of Tasuo's. 

Calmly, he replied, "I was made deputy captain because my strength is the highest among lower-ranked samurai." Though he could only maintain the third gate for ten minutes and had yet to master its energy, he was confident that no lower-ranked samurai, regardless of age, could defeat him in the territory. 

Tasuo simply grunted, "Hmph," but fell silent as Takenaka patted his thigh.

Kanoru asked, "What are you all discussing?" 

Asuna replied, "We're discussing how to stop the Niwais from crossing the river." 

Shikichi added, "We can't decide whether to engage them in battle if we find them after entering the Eastern Hills." 

Kanoru shook his head. "Their numbers and strength are greater than ours. Fighting them directly would be foolish." 

Tasuo scoffed, "What, are you afraid? We can defeat them." 

Without even glancing at Tasuo, Kanoru continued, addressing Shikichi. "Master Junzo ordered us to prevent them from crossing the river or attacking our town." 

"We're already a day behind them, so stopping them at the river is impossible. Before thinking about how to fight them, we need to ensure they don't leave the Eastern Hills." 

One of the middle-ranked samurai nodded. "Shikichi, Kanoru is right. If we face them in open battle and lose, they'll have a direct path to our town." 

Shikichi sighed. "Then we must figure out how to trap them inside the Eastern Hills." 

Kanoru asked, "Do we have a map of the Eastern Hills and the surrounding area?" 

Shikichi nodded. "Yes, in my tent." 

"Can I see it?" 

"Of course." Shikichi entered his tent and returned a minute later with a large scroll. "Here," he said, handing it to Kanoru. 

Kanoru took the scroll, unrolled it, and adjusted his position so the firelight illuminated the map. He studied it carefully, noting every detail. Then, he rolled it back up and handed it to Shikichi. 

Shikichi raised an eyebrow. "You don't need more time to study it?" 

Kanoru shook his head. "No need." He sat back down and closed his eyes. 

As he listened, he heard Takenaka discussing the map with the others, debating how best to trap the Niwais within the Eastern Hills and the surrounding forest.

While the others continued their discussion, Kanoru recalled the map in his mind, analyzing every detail. His first thought was not about destroying the Niwais' small force but how to block them while prioritizing his own safety. 

His attention settled on the five villages surrounding the Eastern Hills. The forest and hills had been cleared of blood beasts and impure blood beasts, leaving only ordinary wildlife. Because of this, the villages were able to exist near the forest, relying on it for survival. 

The blood beasts and impure blood beasts had to be regularly hunted. The Eastern Hills stretched from the northern to the southern border of their territory, eventually connecting to the Eagle Mountains. These mountains served as a natural barrier between the Mori and Niwais territories, with only two passages linking the two sides. 

Kanoru's thoughts remained fixed on the five villages. Slowly, the first step of his plan began to take shape in his mind.