Harry Potter: The Legend of Nero Ravenclaw-Chapter 99: State of Mind

"Very few people know the story I am about to tell you," Muzen began, his voice steady and firm, carrying the weight of history itself.

"Many years ago, my magic had reached the apex of what Japan's magical society knew.

I believe in your country, they describe this level as Grandmaster.

I stood at the peak of all Grandmasters in Japan, yet I felt a bottleneck in my improvement.

Instinctually, I knew that if I could not comprehend something deeper than the magic I wielded, I would never step into the fabled Legend realm.

Unfortunately, there were no Legend-rank wizards in Japan.

And with the Muggle world teetering on the edge of chaos, with wars erupting across nations, I had no mentor to guide me. I could only rely on myself.

Thus, I dedicated myself to training in Magic Martial Integration.

I sought to apply my magic in a different way.

For instance, I would channel magical principles into a katana.

This was a simple feat for someone of my level.

Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about a story passed down in my clan.

You see, my lineage traces back to a long line of samurai.

Most of them were born without magic, yet my clan was regarded as one of the most valiant, resilient, and formidable among the samurai.

Deep within my clan's archives lay ancient scriptures, some as old as the 8th century.

Within those archives, I found the story that had been nagging the back of my head, the tale of Kabutowari, or as you might call it in English, helmet-splitting.

Kabutowari was a technique used by samurai, involving a specific type of weapon designed to pierce or crush helmets.

In battle, armored helmets were a formidable defense, but the greatest warriors could split them with precise strikes, demonstrating supreme skill and strength.

To achieve this feat was to attain mastery over the sword beyond normal human limits.

My clan took this legend and forged it into a training regimen.

Those who passed the test would gain swordsmanship skills unrivaled in all of Japan.

My ancestors called this path Muga and Muso.

Muga (Absence of Self): This is a state of absolute flow, where one becomes completely devoid of ego and self-conscious thought. In this state, the warrior moves instinctively, free from doubt, fear, and hesitation.

It is the merging of the self with the act, achieving a unity between body, mind, and weapon. In Muga state, the swordsman does not think, he simply acts with flawless precision, guided by deep instinct and experience.

Muso (Peerlessness / Unrivaled State): This is domination and total awareness. A warrior in Muso sees everything with absolute clarity. It is a state of supremacy, where all movements, all intentions of the opponent, become predictable.

In Muso state, the fighter stands above all others, untouchable, unchallenged, and utterly superior.

To put it simply, Muga is absolute instinct, while Muso is absolute dominance.

The scriptures vaguely described how a warrior could enter either Muga or Muso to accomplish a feat beyond human capability: splitting a helmet with a wooden katana.

To the outside world, it would seem impossible.

But for those who walk the path of Muga and Muso, the impossible is merely another threshold to cross.

Throughout history, few ever reached these states.

But those who did became legends.

One such ancestor of mine, Minamoto no Tsugihiro, was said to have fought fifty men alone, cutting them down in a blur of motion without a single wasted movement.

Witnesses claimed he did not hesitate, did not falter, it was as if he had become the sword itself.

That was Muga.

Another ancestor, Takeda Jinsuke, was said to have defeated three of the greatest swordmasters of his time without drawing his blade.

His sheer presence alone forced them to submit, as if their movements had already been anticipated and countered before they even began fighting.

That was Muso.

They were warriors who transcended human limits.

And so, I dedicated myself to this path, forging my own way to reach the realm beyond Grandmaster.

I trained ceaselessly, pushing my body and mind to the brink of collapse, challenging the limits of what magic and martial skill could achieve.

Day and night, I would picture myself, sometimes as a master of Muga, one with the sword, with no conscious thought, only the pure act of cutting.

Body, mind, and weapon act as one, flowing without hesitation or interference.

The wooden katana, though not designed to break metal, would ignore limits, the helmet would not split, it would shatter violently as if struck by an unstoppable force.

I would become destruction itself, not controlling it, but allowing it to manifest fully.

Then, I would picture myself as a master of Muso, at the peak of perception and control.

Understanding the perfect strike, the most efficient angle, the precise moment to apply force, and the way the helmet's structure will yield to my katana.

The katana would strike exactly at the weakest point of the helmet.

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The force applied would be minimal yet perfectly efficient, ensuring that no energy is wasted.

The helmet would split cleanly, as if it were meant to break apart at that moment.

It would seem effortless, yet the cut would be flawless.

Days turned into months, months into years.

Yet the moment I finally understood, it was as if everything had become clear in an instant.

And in that silence...

"CRACK"

The world answered.

I opened my eyes.

The helmet was shattered.

"It was Muga, the absence of self."

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