Uesugi Sakura sat quietly on the spot, looking around.
He noticed that the left and right sides of the dojo were adorned with two segments of text written in Chinese characters, very neatly.
He concentrated and took a closer look.
"Shooting Technique Training"
The archer does not aim at the bow but at the bone, which is most crucial.
...
"Ritual Records - Shooting Meaning"
Shooting, advancing and retreating, must conform to the rites.
...
Kyudo etiquette?
Although it was Uesugi Sakura's first time seeing these two short texts, he could understand their meanings.
In the middle of the dojo hung four large characters: Seisha Hicchu
Everyone sat cross-legged in front of the platform, which was the shooting range.
The entire range was covered in lush greenery, with a small sloped hill at the opposite end, where several round, tri-color targets hung.
The distance from here to the shooting position of the dojo was about twenty-eight meters.
The dojo had eight shooting positions, meaning eight people could shoot simultaneously.
Against the wall were several longbows, arrows, ishi dzuki, kake, doho... neatly arranged on stands with a shrine placed above and green plants flanking each side for decoration.
Just the strict and traditional layout of the dojo made Uesugi Sakura feel the words "discipline" and "tradition."
It seems... I've really joined a troublesome department...
After a while of sitting silently, a few students trickled in.
Like Uesugi Sakura, they were invited by Seisuke Yooya to sit down and wait for the briefing to begin.
It seemed there were quite a few people interested in joining the Kyudo Club.
"Everyone, everyone, please quiet down, please."
Seisuke Yooya stood in front of the group, smiling.
The senior's face carried a lot of weight; the previously chattering students fell silent.
Uesugi Sakura also looked toward the front, where four people stood, carrying longbows and dressed in hakama.
"Let me introduce these members of the Kyudo Club; they will be your seniors from now on."
"This is Sugita Shuhei, the club's vice president, a third-year student, Sixth Rank of Kyudo."
The man named Sugita Shuhei, with a crew cut, nodded slightly to everyone. He appeared very rule-abiding and impressive.
"This is Hirata Masanobu, a second-year student, Fifth Rank of Kyudo."
"Hello, everyone!"
Hirata Masanobu immediately greeted everyone with a smile. He looked average but probably was a sunny boy.
Seisuke Yooya pointed to a tall, graceful lady with a delicate complexion and a black ponytail:
"This is Ogata Asaka, a second-year student, Fifth Rank of Kyudo."
"Hmm."
Ogata Asaka responded coldly.
Upon seeing her, Uesugi Sakura silently labeled her in his mind as having long legs and being aloof.
"This is Sakurai Fumiko, a second-year student, Fourth Rank of Kyudo."
"Hello, everyone~ Please take care of me in the future."
Sakurai Fumiko smiled brightly, attracting the gaze of male students below.
The addition of the Kyudo hakama gave her a unique aura.
"So cute..."
"Her bosom is large too."
Seisuke Yooya smiled at everyone: "There are a few members who couldn't make it today, but you'll meet them eventually. Kyudo does not differentiate between genders, and I hope everyone can get along peacefully. Please look after each other."
"Please take care of us!"
Except for Uesugi Sakura, everyone responded in unison.
"Hmm..."
Don't be fooled by how the Kyudo Club seemed to be almost full; Seisuke Yooya knew very well that in a week, few would be able to persist.
Kyudo, as it's called, isn't just about shooting arrows.
This briefing was actually a screening process.
After all the students finished introducing themselves, the four Kyudo Club members, wearing hakama, sat patiently behind Uesugi Sakura, waiting for the briefing.
"Ahem,"
Seisuke Yooya cleared his throat and smiled at everyone:
"Thank you all for attending the Kyudo Club's briefing. If your legs are numb, feel free to relax."
Without needing further prompting, Uesugi Sakura had already done so.
When everyone settled back down, Seisuke Yooya prepared to continue explaining.
But this time, his expression grew more serious:
"As the president of the Kyudo Club, I must first clarify: Kyudo is not merely about shooting arrows; please understand that."
"Yes."
Everyone responded in unison, but it was very casual, with no serious demeanor.
Seisuke Yooya continued seriously:
"Kyudo, in a way, is like life.
"Everyone starts by honing their skills, striving for progress.
"Gradually, as progress is made, they realize that beyond technical learning, there's also internal character development.
"Beyond Kyudo, life is the same.
"When heart and skill become one, the inner self also improves, making life richer and more resilient.
"This is the pursuit of Kyudo—truth, goodness, and beauty."
"Truth is, the real bow without falsehood."
"Goodness is, having a peaceful mind within."
"Beauty is, the fusion of truth and goodness."
"I'll explain the specific meanings of these elements, and what truth means is..."
...
"Ahem," Seisuke Yooya coughed twice, reminding everyone to focus, "thus our practice of Kyudo is not solely about technique, but also the internal..."
"Is it almost over? It's been so long."
"Yeah, it's been almost half an hour."
"Why do we have to listen to these things?"
The dry explanation gradually made everyone restless.
"Furthermore!"
Seisuke Yooya raised his voice, dashing everyone's hopes,
"Kyudo possesses four qualities: competitiveness, entertainment, artistry, and cultivation.
"I won't go into detail about these; you'll discover them as you learn Kyudo.
"Lastly, I must emphasize that your purposes for learning Kyudo may differ, but Kyudo emphasizes beginning and ending with etiquette. It's a process of shooting the perfect arrow with a good mindset and perfect posture.
"As long as you persevere, you will ultimately achieve your goals and gain something you never obtained before."
"Shooting is life."
Seisuke Yooya enunciated the last four words clearly.
After such a long lecture, Uesugi Sakura was okay, but many students were starting to feel bored with these preachy words.
"Student, take this."
Sakurai Fumiko handed a small stack of booklets to Uesugi Sakura with a bright smile.
"Thank you."
Taking the booklet that contained the Kyudo Club's regulations, Uesugi Sakura flipped through it slightly.
Besides some basic rules of the Kyudo Club, it also included the short texts "Shooting Technique Training" and "Ritual Records - Shooting Meaning."
Seisuke Yooya: "Everyone has received one, right?"
Everyone started flipping through the regulation booklets in their hands.
"This booklet contains the basic regulations of the Kyudo Club as well as the articles 'Shooting Technique Training' and 'Ritual Records - Shooting Meaning,' which represent the etiquette and philosophy of Kyudo.
"I hope everyone will study these when you go home, as we'll read them through before each training session in the future."
"Yes."
Though they responded, a couple of students began to grumble quietly.
"The Kyudo Club has so many rules; had I known, I would have opted for the Food Research Department next door. I heard they have various snacks."
"Why do we have to memorize these things? Isn't shooting accurately enough? I really don't get it."
Listening to Seisuke Yooya's series of dry explanations, Uesugi Sakura understood why there were so few people in the Kyudo Club.
In this fast-paced era, few people can truly calm down to seriously study something, let alone something as full of rules as Kyudo.
Even the neighboring Kendo Department had far more people than the Kyudo Club.