Asuka Episode

Alright, then.

Sensei!

W-Whoa?!

W-Where did you come from all of a sudden? I almost swung my axe from the shock!

Huh? It was that bad?

It was that bad!

Hmm... You're so skilled, Sensei, I thought you wouldn't even flinch. Sorry if I startled you!

What brings you here...? Shouldn't you be in the middle of cleaning?

Hehe, I finished cleaning ages ago!

I heard you went out to chop wood, Sensei, so I came to find you. I figured you'd get hungry, so I packed you a bento!

Didn't expect you to be so... domestic.

E-Eh?! I-It's not like that...

Wait, you use that kind of phrase here too?

I just got excited after meeting someone like me for the first time in ages, that's all. So, shall we dig in?

What's on the menu? Bread with jam? Or dried meat and salad?

Futomaki.

Huh? Futomaki...?

How did you even make Futomaki? You shouldn't have had the ingredients.

There was some dried nori! It looked like it was meant as seasoning, so I got Merlin's permission and made Futomaki.

Everyone liked it, so I thought I'd bring some for you too, Sensei.

Ooh!!

Is it bad?

Never thought I'd be eating Futomaki here... I'm so moved I could cry.

Ahaha... I'm glad.

...Thanks for thinking of me. It looks nutritious, so I'll finish it all.

None of these flavors go together. You could've at least added some jerky...

And why is it so thick? I'm gonna split my mouth open.

S-Sorry. I'll train hard and try making it again!

Still, I like that you tried. I'll look forward to the next one.

Hyaah!

Asuka, are you training?

Ah! Sensei!!

Did you come out to train too, Sensei? You're pretty diligent.

Not really. It's a pain, but if I don't do basic drills every day, my body dulls...

All those small efforts pile up and end up saving me. In short, I do it to survive.

Hmm... It's a pretty obvious motive, but I get it. Our Sensei used to emphasize that too.

A Sensei, huh... A teacher at a Shinobi Academy sounds kind of cool.

But right now, you're our Sensei!

Haha... Come to think of it, back when I used to daydream about life in another world, I had thoughts like that.

Like living at some academy with awesome friends, caught up in fun adventures and incidents.

But... it's not all fun for us either.

Clashing and competing with each other isn't easy... and more than anything, we have a mission to eliminate Yoma...

Ah, I didn't mean you all look like you've got it easy. If you did, you wouldn't be training this hard.

Ahaha... I'm just doing what I always do...

Polished movements, seasoned swordplay... I can tell how hard you've worked.

Ah, I still have a long way to go. Hehe!

By the way... have you never attended an academy before?

You came from a world like ours, so you have, right? Right?

I have. But there...

W-What do you mean by that...?

Exactly what it sounds like. I never had a cheerful, smiley friend, and it was always so gloomy...

I-It's not like that, so don't get the wrong idea. You just look like a weird little kid to me, that's all!

Why are you trying so hard to explain it?! That just makes it weirder...!

Don't blush, just ignore it! Train!

It's peaceful, but it's not like there's no competition. In some ways, it's worse.

Worse than a battlefield where blood and flesh fly?

Yeah.

Yeah... an academy like that would be no fun.

...Alright! Sensei, want to train together?

Huh? You sure?

Of course...! I'll show you what the fun academy life you talked about is really like!

Hiyah! Hyaaah!

Asuka, aren't you going a little too hard this early?

Ah! Sensei... did I wake you up?

No. Thank goodness.

You train nonstop, morning and night... Yumi and Hikage are staying quiet. Why are you so restless you can't sit still?

Because I'm not good enough...

Huh?

Compared to those two, I've still got a long way to go...

I heard you've taken down plenty of enemies. You've done well here too.

I can't be satisfied with barely scraping by. Winning like that... will show its limits someday.

That's true, but...

If I want to become the best Shinobi, I have to build my fundamentals. So I can't waste time...!

Asuka. Do you think ending up here happened because you weren't good enough?

...! How did you...?

I was wondering why you were pushing yourself so hard... You said it was an accident, right?

Still... everyone will worry. If we don't get back soon...!

I figured you'd say that. So, how about this...?

Asuka, this world is full of fascinating magic and sorcery.

If you want to help everyone... then gain a new power before you go back.

Huh? A new power?

If you learned a technique like the Ninpo you talk about, something that could change the tide of battle... wouldn't that help?

I see...! That's a great idea, Sensei!

How do I do it?

Not sure... Maybe Merlin or Morgana would know if you asked.

But they won't teach you for free. They'll want something in return.

Something in return? Don't tell me... they're going to make me do something terrifying...!

What are you thinking about? They're weird, sure, but they won't ask you to do anything weird.

T-Then...?

Morgana will probably spill everything if you cook something delicious. And Merlin... if you work hard, maybe you'll at least get a hint?

Ah! If it's that, I can do as much as you want!

Hmm... who should I go to?

Morgana... that small person, right? I'm confident when it comes to cooking!

First, I'll make a ton of Futomaki...

Wait!!

Regular Futomaki won't cut it. Meat... Futomaki stuffed with as much meat as you can manage.

Got it. I'll go hunt a boar if I have to!

People already praise me for my work. If I scrub and sweep even harder, Merlin will like it too, right?

Then that's great. It'd be nice if my workload went down too...

Huh?

It's nothing...

I'll come back for sure, with the legendary Ultimate Secret Ninpo!

Woooow!

So? This place is pretty livable too, right?

It really is. I didn't realize because I'm always training... but there are so many people, and it's full of energy!

Even in a world made hard by war, the market is still fun.

That's how it is, when things are tough, you smile and endure. Hunger can't be helped... but things have been better since the Alliance agreed to support each other.

No matter where you go, there are plenty of good people.

Well... they're still brawling every day because everyone insists their own justice is right.

I used to... worry about that kind of thing too.

Like, what the true path of a Shinobi really is...

We'd clash swords all the time just because our ways were different, but the answer was always unclear.

In times like that, I was told not to wander around searching for the 'right' path, but to carry out my own beliefs, while keeping others in mind...!

Who told you that?

It's something my grandfather left behind.

My grandfather is a great ninja!

Hmm... Sounds like an incredible grandfather.

To be honest, I don't really know what it means though. Hehe!

How can you not know what it means...

I just don't get how doing what you want and caring for others can overlap.

I kind of heard it as, 'Keep an eye on your surroundings and move forward!' Something like that. Ahaha...

That's not wrong, but...

If you ask me, it sounds like advice to steel your heart... so you won't waver no matter what happens.

If you set a clear goal and move forward, you'll naturally end up connected with other people.

So it means don't get swayed just because someone says something tempting?

Right. Being easily swayed and caring for others aren't the same thing, even if a lot of people mix them up.

...I think it's less about going out of your way to 'do good,' and more about building the habit of considering others in everyday life.

That way, even when you act on your own will, you'll still notice what's going on with other people.

So... I should see the forest, not just the trees...

Hmm...

What is it...?

Sensei, you're an adult!

K-Khack!

Then what did you think I was up until now?

A laid-back guy? A troublesome adventurer who gets scolded every day...?

No!

Nope. From now on, I'll show you the dependable head-of-household I really am!

Yes! You and I will both grow even more, Sensei!

Maybe you... might already be the best Shinobi.