Harry, after years of tutelage and training at the mountain dojo, was kneeling in front of his Sensei.
“Your training is now finished, some would say. However… Harry?” His Sensei raised his wizened eyebrow, clearly expecting an answer.
“One’s training never ends, Sensei.” Harry dutifully spoke up.
A smile transformed his Sensei’s scarred face into a friendly one.
“Indeed. Keep the following lessons always in mind. Your stance should be always natural. This way it will never change, whether you stand at peace or with blades drawn. If you fight as you would stand normally, your mind does not need to shift to be ready. Strategy is nothing more than deception, and the truth will be revealed at the end in the killing. Show something different than your true intentions, and practice it as often as possible. That way, when it is time to draw the blade the mind will do it automatically. That way you also learn tosee through other's facades. It teaches you to see what you are not meant to see. A man’s eyes can lie, so watch his shoulders, his belly and his breathing. A man can fool you with any one of these, but keeping a broad mind prevents you being fooled by all of them. When it comes time to strike, you must strike from the spirit. Thought is slow, but spirit has no time for hesitation. The spirit cannot be distracted. The spirit exists where there is nothing or where actions are unclouded by emotion or thought, the idea of striking from the spirit means to do so without emotion or perception. When an opponent moves with great urgency and strength merely let him go by. A side step is much quicker than a charge, and it leaves you in a position where negotiation means nothing.
When the spirit is clear and in tune with the elements, your true perception will be with mushin, and your spirit will be one with the universe. Then you will learn your opponent's every desire. "Mushin" means "no-thought" or "no-mind", and when one is no-mind one's spirit will be free to act. At the point of becoming mushin, a samurai is in touch with all the elements and the cosmic order. He knows his enemy better than he knows himself, for his enemy is limited by his own perceptions. Be like the river, ever flowing with no beginning or end. One movement leads to another, and the river can flow in all directions at once. This teaches that there is more to a duel than just a single strike. Where many schools teach a secret stepping technique, we do not. There are no secret techniques, all movements are natural. There is a big difference between timing and rhythm. Many schools teach rhythm, and their techniques are like music in beats and tempo. We teach timing, striking between the moments when the opponent is counting their beats. If you watch your opponent carefully, he will reveal his timing to you. Strike when his timing will prevent him from acting, and strike when your opponent believes you cannot. Show him weakness and he will charge, and that is when you have him. Learn to count, and understand his rhythm. If he breathes on one, prepares on two and strikes on three, you must strike between one and two. When you and your opponent fight, there are only three alternatives. If he strikes first, kill him. If you strike first, kill him. If you both strike at the same time, kill him. And finally, do not believe you can win, but know it. Go, and I know you shall bring honour to the Clan.”