Chapter 45: Chapter 6: Eastern Grandmaster Vs Sword Master

"Make your move, young man."An elderly man with a lean build and handsome Eastern face that seemed like a ladykiller in his prime stood with a simple wooden katana in his right hand.

Across the room, he faced the exhausted Lancelot wearing a white training outfit and holding the same wooden sword of a Western type in both hands.

His body was completely covered in small bruises from the wooden blade hits.

'This old man is strong!' Lancelot thought, his eyes shining bright, focused on the old man as they turned yellow and locked onto his body as if to learn everything the man had to display.

Lowering his body, Lancelot shot forward his right foot first before lifting his left blade to meet the old man's rapid slash from diagonally above—with a resounding crack.

However, he used the force and momentum of their strikes to adjust his stance and slash again from overhead with more power.

"Shhh!" The old man exhaled with a short, powerful breath.

"Hah!"

Forced to use his right blade to block the attack, Lancelot tried to lunge forward with his left hand to stab the man's chest. However, the old man intercepted him with a swift backhand slash before he could unleash his attack.

"Hah!" The old man's lips curled into a smile as he pushed Lancelot away with a powerful kick before leaping back out of range. "You've improved in a mere hour."

Their battle was progressing with vigour and skill, with Lancelot's attacks finding their mark and the old man blocking them easily. He could instantly counter Lancelot's attacks, slashing away with speed and precision.

The old man's skill was unmatched by anyone Lancelot had fought before, and he was proud of himself for having beaten another opponent for the first time in so long.

"You've fought against me for a whole hour? That's not something even I did until I was fifty-two." The old man chuckled as he retracted his blade back into his sheath before continuing. "You are strong, young man. I believe we'll be friends."

"However!!!" His loud voice echoed through the room before stroking his long curly white beard.

"If you want my cute Sumika! Dream on! Kakaka!"

He said, walking away with a strange old man laugh, while Lancelot almost collapsed to his knees, knowing that although the old me complimented him.

It meant strong ONLY for his age, and he needed to become stronger; looking at the old man's back, Lancelot shouted, "Can I come again tomorrow?"

The old man didn't speak until he left the dojo, the wooden door closing behind him as his voice suddenly sounded. "You are welcome here anytime, Lancelot. I will always accept your challenge." With that, the man's laugh returned from across the dojo as he walked away towards a private room.

"Wow! Lancelot!" The said girl rushed towards the tired Lancelot and hugged his chest tightly with a wide smile. "I've never seen Grandpa so excited!" She giggled excitedly while looking at him with her eyes sparkling. "He's never used his special skills on me before!" She told him proudly while her face reddened slightly.

"Grandpa hasn't smiled like that since... I don't know when." She said quietly while looking down, thinking how long it had been since she last saw her grandpa happy.

"Will you please come back again?" Her cute eyes fluttered while still hanging off his neck, her soft body like a tempting fruit from the tree of wisdom.

"Of course, I'll come. Will you welcome me too? Breakfast and a massage?" Lancelot smiled while stroking her soft black hair, a little sweaty from her training with the other students. "Now, may I use your bath? I am a bit sweaty..."

"Ohoho! Behold, we have an open-air bath, Fufu! Would you like to join me?" The cheeky kunoichi showed her little tiger fangs as she began to drag him towards their private bath.

"Fufu! You're a bad girl! You'll get in trouble!" He replied playfully while walking alongside her towards their private bath. She laughed loudly with her fangs flaring out at him—then she started walking ahead of him, showing off her small but perky butt as she teased him.

"You know~ we are taught a lot about boys and their desires as kunoichi training, but my grandpa doesn't want me to hone those skills~" Sumika chirped. At the same time, they came to a huge open bath, with a small isolated changing room on either side, with bubbling water with a slightly creamy texture.

"Honestly... I love Grandpa and his swordsmanship, hehe~" Sumika giggled before removing her clothes, her soft skin glistening with sweat from her training.

She walked into the hot water before sitting on one side of the bath; she then started to stretch out her long white legs before looking up at him and giggling playfully.

"Do you like my butt?" She asked with a cheeky smile as she slowly lifted her short black skirt, showing off her white panties with flower patterns while wiggling her hips seductively. "I'm wearing a thong~" She giggled as she looked at him with a mischievous smile.

"It's a very nice butt—better if you remove the cloth, though." Lancelot nodded; since she didn't use the changing room, he removed his clothes, standing naked and enjoying her shocked face as she looked down, her eyes slowly returning to his face.

"Ohoho! Are you okay? You're blushing!" She giggled while looking at him with big eyes. "How about if I tease you more?" Sumika chirped happily.

"I... I can't keep up with your teasing~" He chuckled as he sat beside her in hot water.

The two began to slowly cleanse themselves with the showers, a peaceful silence as both looked at their partner's body with interest and admiration. Lancelot couldn't help but think she would make an amazing kunoichi, but he agreed with her grandfather.

If she were going to be a weapon, he'd like to keep her close by his side—and that was his weakness in this world as well—he was always worried about losing people he loved. He knew that was just part of being human, but still...

After cleaning themselves up, the two stepped out of the shower and moved into their private bath together—they sat beside each other, soaking in the large tub a slightly soothing feeling that tickled and caused a pleasant tingle in his body.

Sumika closed her eyes, seeming to think about something hard.

"Hmm... I've been thinking... About you." She spoke quietly so only he could hear it. "You're... strong..." She paused for a moment before continuing in a soft voice.

"I don't know how that will change once we reach Avalon, but..." She smiled in front of him before leaning close and whispering in his ear: "Do you know that a kunoichi must serve a master?"

Lancelot froze as he heard those words—it wasn't something he'd considered until now—but if Lancelot was going to be anything more than just friends, he would have to deal with it eventually. He was unsure how this would affect their relationship or if it would even work out at all...

'I wanted to ally...' Lancelot thought sadly as Sumika looked at him with sadness—it was obvious what she wanted to say but didn't want to say out loud.

'She is so cute... Shall I test the waters? This girl is too naive,' He thought, moving closer to support her wishes.

"I'll be your master," He told her quietly. Sumika's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at him, her mouth opening but no words coming out—she said it as a joke because her father had been discussing arranging a Lord for her to serve. She hated the idea of being forced to answer the stranger's desire. Sёarch* The NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"W-will you make me do weird things?" Her voice was rather coy, like a cat testing water with her paw.

"No, no, no~" Lancelot chuckled, moving closer to hold Sumika's face in his hands and smiling at her, the cute girl not pulling away as her mouth opened like a fish.

"Let's say until I earn your true respect and worship—I won't make any orders outside of Avalon and combat?" His thumb brushed along her soft lip, squishing them as he spoke with a charming, mind-numbing tone.

"And I won't force myself on you either." Lancelot paused before adding: "Nor do anything against your will."

"Yes!" Sumika nodded fervently, a frown crossing her face as she stared at him—she knew what he meant by that, and it was rather unnerving to think about it.

"I'll make you my servant, and everything will be fine~" Lancelot chuckled as he leaned in and kissed her lips, causing the little cat to shudder, her big eyes dilating but never pulling back—it was just so sudden, yet the feeling of his warm lips, their taste and scent of his breath...

Sumika decided to let him off this once!

After finishing their bath and returning to their room to clean up for dinner, Sumika dressed in a simple white and black cotton kimono, making her look chic and refined. He wore black hakama pants with her grandfather's yukata.

"You will stay, right?" Sumika grasped his hand, pulling him under the small table with lots of mandarins and juice; her big eyes seemed to cause Lancelot to feel weakness towards her.

"Sure, I'll stay."