Void Genius

(A/n: The diary log is intended like that.)

Edo Japan Arata Hiroyuki is referred to as Hiroyuki. Reincarnated Arata Hiroyuki is referred to as Arata.

...

The Chronicles of Arata Hiroyuki. Date of issue: May 13th, 1921.

Diary Log 3, Day 920, Year 1861.

'Today was important, from what Katsujiro Okita told me. One of my students had gone on a bloodthirsty rampage in Nagoya. This isn't something I can ignore. They are my responsibility.'

...

Arata thought back to the spar and the feedback he had given Souji. It came from his own opinion and Hiroyuki's last input in the diary. The diary mentioned that Hiroyuki wanted, on either Souji's seventeenth or eighteenth birthday, to end his mentorship.

He would no longer be able to teach her effectively as she, in a sense, outgrow him. Her talent was more extraordinary than his, and it's yet to reach its full potential. Souji was sad and disappointed when Arata told her that her mentorship was finished. He had taught her everything and passed on his sword style.

He suggested that Souji name her new sword as he walked to her father's office. He entered Katsujiro's office and saw the man at his desk signing off some documents. Katsujiro looked up and saw Arata entering, laid the pen aside along with the papers, and looked at him.

"Arata, I take it that Souji liked her new sword?"

"She did. Right after giving it to her, she wanted to spar immediately. After the spar, I told her she was no longer my student as she had learned everything I'd taught her. She was sad, but she understood. Right now, she's probably in town getting food."

"I see. It sounds just like her. Whenever you had left to deal with your unruly students, she was sad but understood it was something important. Regardless, I'm grateful you took her as your student. If I had taught her, she wouldn't be anything like right now."

He stood up and bowed to Hiroyuki. Despite being the older of the two, Katsujiro felt no embarrassment. Arata looked slightly surprised as he didn't expect Katsujiro to bow like that.

"Don't sell yourself short, Katsujiro. She would've turned out the same. So, what did you call me for?"

Katsujiro nodded and sat down back on his chair. He looked around his desk to find a letter which had a matter of importance. Upon seeing it, he handed it to Arata. The envelope held the Tokugawa Shogunate symbol, and the letter had the signature of the Shogun.

Arata knew what this entailed for him. He was always known to travel around Japan and not tied down anywhere. As such, anything meant for him went through the Souji clan. It was known he was close to the clan, and it seemed to be the only way to contact him. He opened the letter and started reading the letter.

The letter was the symbol that immediately showed who it was from the Tokugawa Shogunate. There were some trivial pleasantries that he skipped over and went to the main points of the letter. He was being called for as things were getting heated in Kyoto, among other things, such as his skills as a swordsman and teacher.

His students have made names for themselves, proving that anyone with his tutelage could become something. He couldn't reject it, and this favored his plan. It involved the Shinsengumi and, seeing as it wasn't formed yet. The Roshigumi was the thing that would get him involved. After reading the letter, Arata had pocketed it up and turned to Katsujiro.

"The Shogun is calling for Ronin and Samurai to form a group. The name hasn't been decided, and it's meant to quell the unrest in Kyoto."

"Unrest? Was it caused by the forced opening of Japan by the Americans? It 'was' about time the Emperor and Shogunate did something. All this time, and they've been doing nothing."

"It is sad that it took them so long to act. But I think this action will be the best in the long run. For that reason, I will accept and help the most I can. Maybe even Souji could become of the group if she so wished."

"It would be a good experience, and you would be there to help if anything did happen, but I doubt anything would happen. Still, it is her decision, and if she chooses to, I won't mind at all."

While talking about it more with Katsujiro, Arata had a thought in his mind. How would he go through with this? This is an essential part of Japanese history, the prelude to the Meiji Restoration. The fact that he was here was already affecting history. The main reason was his involvement in the life of Okita Souji.

Had his past version not been here, Souji would've been acquainted with some core members of the future Shinsengumi. And in the present time, she would've been in line to join the Roshigumi in some months. That already was a massive deviation from the history he knew.

That didn't include the students that Hiroyuki taught during his time. Most of them held him in high regard as their mentor. Each student was a rabbit hole that could become even bigger if not appropriately handled. Back to his main issue, he decided to think about it in more detail later.

Finishing the conversation with Katsujiro, he left the office and went to the town. He had to inform Okita of his decision and her possible choice of going too. After all, they wouldn't reject someone when Arata says their talent surpasses his.

...

Teach said to name this new sword of mine, and while it's been a bit since receiving the sword. I still haven't thought of a name, and it's been frustrating for me. I sighed as I took another bite of the dango I got from a food stall. The dessert was good, as always.

Not much was happening here as I sat on a bench near the stall. People were doing their business and not paying attention to each other. The stall wasn't busy either; another person and I had gone to it in the last ten minutes. It was unusual as this stall was usually busy around this time.

I didn't pay much attention and just noted the strange occasion. I sighed again before looking at the sword in my lap. This damn thing was causing me much trouble. Naming this thing was much more complicated than I thought it would be. It was as if it wasn't ready to be named, or the situation didn't call for it.

The sword was perfect for me, as Teach told me previously. It was light like a feather, sharp enough that it could cut through most things with ease. This sword was terrific, and I couldn't be more grateful to the maker. It was my birthday gift, after all, and he sometimes spoiled me.

I looked at the sword again and saw a weird symbol I didn't notice. Most likely from my excitement and how I immediately wanted to spar with Teach. The emblem was the letter 'C,' or was it a moon? Teach had a weird fascination with the moon.

Speaking of that person, I spotted him walking around town. He was checking stalls in search of someone, presumably me, as I did tell him I was getting food. As much as he lived around here, he didn't know many people here. The people here saw him as a Ronin despite his affiliation with my clan.

People are blind at times, and this shows that. Disregarding that, they did tolerate him, and while some were skeptical, that was expected. It didn't bother him, so why should should it bother me? He's holding his side... That wound should've been gone by now, considering the time frame.

As I began thinking how strange that was, my train of thought was broken by the man himself. Apparently, he had some important news relating to my future. The news wasn't pleasant, well, for me anyway. He will be gone for the foreseeable future, as the Shogun had called him up.

A group of swordsmen, Ronin or Samurai, would be formed to cease the unrest in Kyoto. Considering we're in Edo, that is some distance, and I imagine he will be going within the month or early next month. I was confused as to why this was related to me before he told me that I could go as well.

That my father didn't mind as Teach would be with me in case anything happened. It was a great opportunity and experience, but I didn't want to leave my father alone here. Teach understood and said my father probably wanted me to stay but wouldn't go against it if I wanted to go to Kyoto.

This wouldn't be the first time I've left Edo, but this is the first time I won't be returning. I imagine if I did go, I would be staying in Kyoto until the Shogun didn't need us. For someone like Teach, that is something he is used to, but to me. It's a new thing entirely and won't be something that I'd get used to immediately.

Despite that, I had decided to go to Kyoto with him. My decision had brought relief to his eyes, strange as that was. I ignored it quickly and asked him for more details. He wanted to leave soon, within a week or two, he said. The reason was that along the way, he would help get me some real experience.

I lacked this, and while my talent was extraordinary, nothing beats actual experience. One of the main things I know I will be doing in my future is the act of killing. I knew from a young age that I would have blood on my hands, and I came to terms with it.

Both Teach and my father have killed, either directed by orders or the need to. The two have also warned me not to kill indiscriminately and not to kill innocents. They were very adamant about not involving innocent people in any shape or form. It is something I took to heart, and knowing that things were getting heated in Kyoto.

I prepared my mind for the eventual confrontation that would happen. Teach said something about potential rebels, and I know it wouldn't be peaceful. He continued, saying that there might be a chance that I could be rejected from joining. The obvious being that I was a girl, and not many liked a female swordsman.

That was something I expected, and I knew I would eventually confront it in the future. After talking some more, Teach left to go home, but not before getting some dango from the stall. The treat even captured my Teach; it was that good! I could've sworn I heard him say something. As I returned to the manor, it was sunset, and there weren't many people.

I reached home and checked in with the guards. I decided to tell my father about my decision in the morning as he's probably tired from today. The spar from today with him had pushed hard and the end too as well. I still feel sorry knowing that I did that and without thinking too. I'll properly apologize tomorrow, too as well.

I head to my room and rest my new sword on a holder. I still haven't thought of a name, and after some thinking. I decided not to worry too much about it; the name would eventually come to mind. Changing into more comfortable clothes, I lay in bed as sleep took me. I didn't notice a small blue light coming from the symbol on the sword.