Sakumo stood in the center of the clearing, the morning sun casting a gleam off the short bde Hiro now held. The weapon was shaped like a combat knife, its front edge running smoothly for twelve inches before angling towards the back. The backside was roughly a centimeter thick and cked a sharp edge, instead featuring a series of arrow-shaped protrusions beginning at the midpoint of the bde and extending toward the back. Between these protrusions were small empty spaces, designed for a very specific function.

  The hilt was wrapped in patterned bck leather, leading up to a sturdy guard. This guard extended outward with strong metal protrusions, about three inches beyond the bde on the front and back, while the other two sides extended by just an inch or so.

  Hiro studied the bde in his hands, feeling its weight and bance. It wasn’t a normal knife, that much was obvious.

  Sakumo gestured for Hiro to step forward into the clearing, standing beside him. “This weapon has a funny name,” Sakumo started, a small grin on his face. “It’s called a swordbreaker.”

  Hiro raised an eyebrow. “Swordbreaker? So it actually breaks swords?”

  Sakumo chuckled. “Not exactly. A broken sword can still be deadly.” He motioned for Hiro to hold up the bde. “This isn’t a weapon meant for cutting—it’s a defensive tool used to stop a sword-wielding opponent from continuously sshing at you.”

  Sakumo then crouched, picking up a stick from the ground. “Watch carefully.” He mimicked the motion of a sword swing before catching it in the notched protrusions of Hiro’s bde. With a sharp twist of his wrist, the stick locked into pce.

  “The idea,” Sakumo expined, “is that these teeth catch the opponent’s sword. If you twist your wrist just right, the force of friction locks their bde down. Most swords are reinforced along the edges, but their sides and backs are softer—these teeth bite into that weaker metal and hold it still.”

  Hiro’s eyes widened slightly as he considered the implications. Trapping an enemy’s sword mid-fight would be a game changer.

  Sakumo nodded, as if reading his thoughts. “Now, there is a way to counter this. A trained swordsman will recognize what’s happening and immediately let go of their weapon, switching to a secondary one.”

  He tossed the stick aside, standing straight again. “But most inexperienced opponents won’t react that fast. Their first instinct will be to pull back, trying to free their sword. And that’s the opening you need.”

  Hiro considered the possibilities. He was already dangerous at long distances with his whips, but now, with this weapon, he could cover short range as well. If he paired it with his short whip, he could create devastating combos, especially when utilizing poisons on his weapons.

  Nearby, Shinji pulled a practice sword from a wrapped bundle and handed it to Natsume. “Let’s see how well this works in action.”

  Natsume grinned, eager to test herself, and stepped forward with the wooden bde in hand. She lunged at Hiro, swinging downward.

  Hiro reacted quickly, catching her practice bde between the protrusions of the swordbreaker. With a quick torque of his wrist, Natsume’s sword wrenched from her grip and tumbled to the ground.

  She froze for a moment before huffing, running forward to retrieve it. “Again!”

  They reset, and once more, Natsume attacked. This time, she tried a different angle, but Hiro still managed to trap her sword. Another twist, and it was out of her hands again.

  The third time it happened, Natsume let out an exasperated groan, stomping her foot on the ground. “This is so stupid!”

  Shinji chuckled, watching the exchange with amusement. “You’ll thank Sakumo for this ter.”

  Natsume shot him a gre, crossing her arms. “Doubt it.”

  Sakumo smirked slightly, watching the two children. “She’ll learn,” he said simply. “Combat awareness isn’t just about attacking. It’s about knowing what your opponent’s weapon is capable of and not creating openings carelessly.”

  Shinji nodded in agreement. “Exactly. If she learns to anticipate when an opponent might try to disarm her, she’ll be much harder to deal with in a real fight.”

  Despite her frustration, Natsume sighed, gripping the practice sword again. “Fine, but I’m getting my sword back next time!”

  Hiro smirked, adjusting his grip on the swordbreaker. “We’ll see.”

  The lesson continued, with Hiro refining his grip and technique while Natsume adapted to the challenge. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the clearing echoed with the sounds of wood cshing, ughter, and the foundations of skill being built.