The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

When the autumn harvest came, the dojo had just been built, and Nobunaga was eager to set fire to it and steal the grain.

He loved playing with fire so much, burning fields, cities, and temples; no wonder he was burned to death.

Nagayoshi followed Nobunaga into battle and entrusted the task of developing dojo bamboo swords and protective gear to Hidenaga.

Because Saito's army was well-prepared, Oda's army turned back before even entering Mino.

Nobunaga's plan to set fire to and seize grain failed, and after returning to Kiyosu, he began to actively govern his territory.

On the trade routes leading to Tsushima and Atsuta, several checkpoints privately established by powerful clans were dismantled. Nobunaga also reduced the privileges of local large merchants and lowered trade taxes, and caravans from Sakai Port and Kyoto quickly brought prosperity to Owari.

The booming commerce boosted the bodyguard industry, which led many ronin (masterless samurai) to enter Owari.

In just a few days since the kendo dojo opened, Hideaki has already recruited quite a few disciples.

Inside the dojo, Changqing took the roster and glanced at it. Most of the people were local farmers, but there were also a few who looked quite skilled and had participated in the Battle of Okehazama before.

"Let's screen them first, and once the dojo is built, let them all come and try it out."

"Yes." Hideaki hesitated for a moment. "Master, the dojo should have a name, and the disciples should have a school name... What do you think?"

As Changqing gazed at the training ground taking shape, images of the agile and tenacious figures from Sekiro suddenly flashed through his mind.

"Let's call it 'Ashina Style'." He paused. "Ashina Style means it should include the ways of the spear, the sword, the bow, and even the ballistics!"

"My lord, what is a trajectory?"

"I'll figure out American-style iaido sooner or later... Don't worry about it!"

"Ashina-ryu..." Hidenaga repeated softly, his eyes gradually brightening. "A good name! In the Kojiki, Japan is called Ashihara no Nakaku, right? It means a school of martial arts that resounds throughout Japan!"

……

Three days later, Nagayoshi taught Kendo for the first time at the dojo. Under his guidance, Hidenaga had already figured out how to make bamboo swords and protective gear.

"There's no chance to stand still and fight on the battlefield." Nagayoshi demonstrated, wielding a bamboo sword and weaving through the morning mist. "Enemies will surround you, arrows will fly, and the ground beneath your feet may become slippery with blood. So the first principle of the Ashina style is: keep moving, never stop moving."

The disciples followed along and practiced. At first, their movements were clumsy, but after half a month, they began to see the basics.

Changqing introduced combat training, where two people in a group wear simple protective gear and fight with cloth-wrapped wooden swords.

Those who perform well will receive a free meal every day from the dojo, provided they indicate that they will follow him on expeditions in the future.

At that time, ordinary Japanese people ate at most two meals a day, and providing even one meal was considered an immense favor.

One day, two men who looked like merchants came to visit. The one in the lead was over fifty years old, with a sharp face, and introduced himself as the manager of Tsuya, specializing in trade between Sakai Port and Owari.

"I've heard that Lord Mori's disciples at his dojo are all highly trained. I've taken the liberty of coming here to hire a few men to protect our caravan." The shopkeeper respectfully presented the gift money. "The road from Kiyosu to Tsushima has been rather unsafe lately. If you could send four or five skilled men, the fee would be fifty mon per person per day, including food and lodging."

Changqing did not immediately agree, but instead summoned Xiuchang and several outstanding disciples. "You can decide for yourselves. Escorting the caravan offers practical combat opportunities, but also carries risks. Those who are willing to go will have 20% of their earnings collected by the dojo as a benefit fund, used to purchase training equipment and provide compensation for the wounded."

Finally, five disciples stepped forward, all ronin in their early twenties and among the top performers in the swordsmanship assessment. Changqing then instructed them, "Guarding is not war, but you must be decisive in your actions and not hesitate."

The first group of disciples set off with the caravan and returned safely seven days later, bringing back good news: they had encountered seven or eight bandits on the way, but the disciples fought their way into the bandit stronghold and robbed it of a considerable amount of money. The caravan manager was very satisfied and not only paid the agreed-upon fee but also gave them an extra reward.

As word spread, more and more merchants came to commission him to provide protection. Nagayoshi simply put Hideyoshi in charge of making the deals and organized the disciples into three teams to take turns performing the protection duties. With a stable income for the dojo and the accumulated public funds, Nagayoshi purchased new wooden swords and bamboo armor, and even asked merchants to buy real weapons from Sakai Port as rewards.

As the reputation of the dojo grew, it also attracted the attention of some true masters.

In early winter, a samurai dressed as a ronin appeared at the entrance of the dojo.

He was about twenty years old, exceptionally tall, with a steady gait. The hilt of the katana at his waist was worn smooth and gleaming, clearly a product of long use. Most striking of all were his eyes; they clearly showed he had indeed killed people.

"I am Nagayoshi, and I have traveled to various countries to study swordsmanship. I have heard of the newly established Ashina School here, and I have come to seek your guidance."

Marume Nagayoshi, you actually came here?

Historically, this man was a master of the Shinkage-ryu school, later becoming a disciple of the sword saint Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, and a legendary swordsman who created the "Taisha-ryu" style. He should have been a retainer of the Sagara family by now.

There are plenty of military commanders in this era, but true swordsmen are hard to find, especially since Marume Nagayoshi is a swordsman who can also lead troops.

We have to poach their talent! We're willing to sacrifice anything!

"Lord Marume, you have come from afar; I am so sorry for not greeting you properly. Please!"

The two stood in the center of the training ground. The disciples formed a circle, watching with bated breath. Hideaki quietly brought over two sets of protective gear, but Marume Nagayoshi shook his head: "No need. A wooden sword will suffice."

Changqing refused to believe he couldn't even defeat a young swordsman, and declared directly, "A true sword duel!"

"good!"

Marume Nagayoshi's starting stance was peculiar: the tip of his blade was slightly lowered, his body was turned to the side, and his center of gravity was extremely low. Nagayoshi dared not be careless and adopted the Dragonfly Eight Forms starting stance, moving his feet lightly.

Almost instantly, Marume Nagayoshi moved. His advance was incredibly fast, his blade slashing upwards from below, aiming straight for Nagayoshi's ribs.

It looks like a type of iaido.

I haven't tried the new skill yet! I wonder how the burst damage of [Shrinking Earth] + [Dragonfly Eight Phases] will be.

Changqing lightly touched the ground with his foot, his body shooting backward with explosive force, feeling as if his toes were about to break. No wonder this footwork is called "Shrinking the Ground"—pure, explosive power from the feet!

Marume Nagayoshi was also stunned by the distance he had moved. Nagayoshi had no intention of holding back, so he rushed forward and tapped Nagayoshi's shoulder with the hilt of his sword.

"I concede!" Marume Nagayoshi smiled slightly. "Lord Mori's moves and footwork are too unique, which arouses my curiosity."

"Want to learn? I'll teach you!"

"Really? But I want to follow the Sword Saint in my cultivation..." He hesitated.

There are only two sword saints: Kamiizumi Nobutsuna and Tsukahara Bokuden.

I can't beat them now, but if I kill a few more generals, I'll be about the same as them.

Nagayoshi's heart stirred: "If Lord Marume has nowhere to go for the time being, would you be willing to stay at the Ashina Dojo? I am willing to offer you 250 koku of credits as a reward, and ask you to serve me so that we can work together to improve the Ashina School's system."

This is a very generous offer.

Marume Nagayoshi was clearly somewhat surprised. He was silent for a moment, then said, "I pursue the ultimate in swordsmanship, and I have already served the Yoshiie family, so I'm afraid I won't stay here for long."

"It's alright," Changqing laughed. "I'll only tell you two things: first, I will definitely reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship; second, I will definitely rise above others. If I were a retainer, we would share the same salary as master and servant! If I were a daimyo, you would surely be the ruler of a nation!"

The principle of equal pay between master and servant means that the master must give half of his knowledge and skills to his servants.

Seeing that Changqing, who was also young, offered such conditions and promises, Changhui was indeed somewhat tempted.