THE BOOK OF FIVE SLOTS

[milksoda 2884]

 

THE BOOK OF FIVE SLOTS

 

By The Iron Lady

 

 

 

My name is Atsuko of Ugokoyama, and I have never lost a duel.

With my purpose complete, I stand at the zenith of my craft. I now find moment of respite within lost sanctum to take to brush of boar's hair, which hath grown wet with experience, thus bloomed into something indistinguishable from my blade. As I watch the children of Man grow blessed with age; I remain as stone. It has come time to impart my guidance unto future wanderers.

 

Be it by steel or brush I impart my ideals, though only through which color their ichor stains can their purpose be discerned. This is my Way of Heaven. May it pave the Way to yours.

 

 

 

THE SCROLL OF EARTH

 

-+-

 

 

To agree to be both warrior and poet is to agree to carry Budo.

 

In carrying the weight of Budo upon your shoulders,

 

it becomes indistinguishable from the dirt beneath each passing step.

 

As does the Earth nary crumble beneath your feet,

 

you must never crumble beneath the weight of the world.

 

Such is the Way of Heaven.

 

 

-+-

 

I oft noticed younger students would addle their minds with distractions amidst their training. I noticed they did not spar to further technique but to display what they already know to onlookers. Such is not the mind of one who is willing to learn, and I ask if you have not this mind prepared, to stop reading and return when you have. This text is not made to convince you. It is written for those who wish to hear it.

 

Without discipline the genius shall fall behind the diligent. 

To do this, one must pay careful attention to their character each and every moment. Both in battle and in life a man lives as a collection of his actions and naught more. The blade is an extension of mortal man’s will, and the clashing of steel resonates with he who wields it. His swinging arm can only reach as far as his resolve is willing to soar. 

 

To train one's daily habit is to practice training. A necessary redundancy. Yes, one must practice how to practice before they may begin to truly practice. The best students are the ones who understand what it means to struggle. People who are naturally gifted never put in the required effort to attain mastery. This daily routine can be performed by anyone of any station, regardless of if they are on the road or deployed in mission. In the morning a Samurai should wake up when a blue and black thread becomes distinguishable beneath the sunlight. If he is to pray, he shall do so with his eyes closed and his palms pressed against one another. In preparing for the day, he must do nothing that is of no use. He will eat only what he must and he should never eat for pleasure until his mind is tempered to control compulsion. To be picky about one's appearance is wasteful. Perhaps healthy for the Samurai to appear noble, but not the Ronin. He shall put his kosode then hakama then his chestplate as he has been taught proper and he shall perform no less than 100 swings before he takes his first step on the road. Before he takes his first swing, he shall sharpen his blade with 100 strokes, and before he sharpens his blade first he might sharpen his tool another 100 times. In doing this, he embodies Jisei.

 

When the wanderer finds another soul. He shall approach her with the beginner's mind. As he watches her movements he shall consider how to improve his own, as he listens to her speak he shall consider what he can learn. He shall look her in the eyes with his chin pointed to the ground.  One must treat their opponent as they would an honored guest lest they mirror the beasts of the land and not the Way of Heaven. When two wanderers are in a duel, they will hold their lessons close. If his opponent falls he shall wait until she rises. If his opponent turns her back he shall wait until she faces him. Let him always close the eyes of those he murders, and if her eyes were already closed when he struck her down then he should kill himself. In doing this, he embodies Meiyo.

 

The Samurai shall nary give a fellow wanderer directions he does not know to be true. He shall say naught that he is not willing to gamble his very life upon. He shall soon find his every word grows heavy with worth like sacks of gold. To be honest is not solely by word but by conduct. If one makes a mistake one should own up to it. If one owns up to a mistake one should repent for such mistake. If one makes an excuse for their mistake they do not lie only to others but they lie the most to themself. A master should be forgiving to the retainer who is accountable. To be honest only for gain is craven, and it is best to meditate deeply upon one's words before they make an apology. In doing this, he embodies Makoto.

 

A Samurai hesitates not. His resolve is steel and his conduct must reflect such. The Samurai shall not draw his blade lest it is to draw blood. To draw the blade otherwise is in vanity or fear. When the Samurai meets with another who he wishes to make peace with, he shall remove his blades from his left side and place them to his right side at the floor. The Samurai shall always draw his blade with his right hand. When a Samurai relinquishes his weapon to another it shall always be with both hands. When a Samurai relinquishes his weapon he relinquishes his very will. When one inherits the weapon of their master they inherit their master's will. If he is ever to surrender his weapon to another it should be in the pursuit of a noble cause. To teach is noble, to guide is noble, to barter for one's life with one's weapon is unacceptable. To barter one's will in pursuit of wealth is craven. The man who holds his weapon closely too holds onto his ideals with tenacity. In the end he finds that the fear he holds is the same iron that forges his freedom. In doing this, he embodies Yu.

 

One must treat their friends with kindness and their foes like honored guests. Let your actions speak through your blade. Offer your opponent a swift death, do not disrespect him with torture. To cut the hair or topknot off another Samurai is equal to taking his head. Some do this because they do not have the heart to kill those they have been forced to do. Others for glory. I wish to reiterate to you, to consider why you swing your blade before you swing it. Every time. When a Samurai bows to another to embody the sun he places his hands to his side and to embody the moon his hands fold over one another at his front waist. When he sits before another he sits upon his knees with his toes pointed behind himself and the backs of his feet are planted on the ground, his hands should remain upon his knees or thighs. When he bows to his fellow Samurai he must honor them by meeting their gaze with his own. When he bows to his Shugo he must avert his eyes from her gaze and look to the ground. When he bows to his Shugo he should bow until he is perpendicular to the ground. When he bows to his peers a 30 degree angle shall suffice; and when he must apologize his forehead should touch the dirt in humility. In doing this, he embodies Rei.

 

A Samurai’s dedication to the Way raises his merit above that of the commoner, though this does not mean his chin shall be tilted upward when speaking to a commoner. He shall dip his head to show his respect to his fellow man. If his countryman cannot walk he shall carry them. If his countryman cannot speak he shall listen with his eyes. If his countryman cannot see he shall speak to them. In all things he shall seek to guide. When he acts he must act as he wishes to be treated. When hatred is levied to him he shall not fall to hatred. When anger is levied to him he shall not fall to anger. When sadness is levied to him he shall not fall to sadness. The Samurai’s smile is hope, though he need not carry it on his person he carries it in his soul. In turn he shall find that his smile shall carry him in suit. In doing so, he embodies Jin.

 

A Samurai follows the spirit, not the letter of the law. A Samurai does not use this as an excuse to break the law. If a law is unjust a Samurai seeks to better his community through the proper channels. A Samurai does not keep idle hands. A Samurai continues his training outside the eyes of his master. A Samurai speaks his lessons outside the ears of his master. A Samurai respects those above his station. A Samurai trusts his teacher has his best interests in mind no matter how strict she may seem. A Samurai thinks before they speak. To act in defiance is to disgrace your superior’s honor. To question to learn is holy, to question to defy is pride. In doing this, he embodies Chugi.

 

Never turn your back upon a friend. When one must decide between two contradictory ethical rules one makes the best decision they can. When one feels shame for their choice, one never makes that same choice again. To dishonor yourself is to dishonor the people who placed their trust in you. In battle, when a Samurai’s friend has his back turned she puts her back onto his and faces the opposing direction. When she faces him he looks behind her. When he does wrong, she corrects him. When she does wrong, he corrects her. When they both do wrong they laugh together. They laugh to uplift their spirits, not to deny their wrongdoing. A real friend never leaves your side, as does the roots of a tree prop it upwards so its branches may graze the clouds. In doing this, they embody Tei.

 

A Samurai must first straighten his heart before he may poise his blade. To act without weighing right and wrong is to swing in darkness. When orders are given he shall measure them against Heaven and against his own quiet judgment; he shall not hide behind the will of his master to excuse his own cowardice. If he is offered reward for a deed that stinks of treachery, he shall leave the coin upon the mat. When two friends quarrel he shall not bend truth to favor either, but speak as though he were already a dead man. A Samurai who twists his words to please others will soon twist his soul. A man may lose a duel and yet remain whole, but the man who wins by abandoning his justice has already been cut in two. In doing this, he embodies Gi.

For a warrior to stray from one of the Nine Budo is to disgrace the many before who died to maintain their integrity. However, time and time again your Budo will be challenged by those who would not dare follow it. You must rise above their fetid taunts, and should they mistake your honor for weakness. You shall treat them like the beast they wish to be treated by you shall let the full breadth of your anger loose. Consort with nary a schemer, for they are nightspawn by their actions synonymous with their own soul.

 

 

THE SCROLL OF WATER

 

-+-

 

 

Crashing waves yield to no act,

 

Yet to drown is my choice alone,

 

To thrash like beast, 

 

or bob like hollow wood. . .

 

As water is shaped by earth below,

 

I am my actions and nothing more.

 

 

-+-

 

To become resolute like Earth is the first step. Man digs the foundation and shapes the earth before letting the stream flow through it. If the canal is too shallow, the fields drown; if it is too deep, the water never reaches the paddy. Your resolve shall lay the foundation of all your pursuits, for all defeat lies in the mind until bodily death. How far a man can reach is dependent upon his resolute acceptance of consequence. You must consider everything besides your ability to persist - something that can be taken from you.

 

You may think the talents and powers you have gathered to be an exception to this. You may think your belongings so permanent that they cling to your very soul and cannot be taken. This shall be your first mistake. To accept consequences is not to hold as little as a monk and be sated as one would upon a path of enlightenment. But rather the Journeyman should accept all change as if it were as inevitable as the falling of leaves, bringing season anew. 

 

Let neither shining metal nor alluring magic draw your eye from your Way. You must hone your focus upon your Way so strongly that you may adapt to any struggle. A Katana shall not defeat all beasts, nor will naginata, nor any single tool you find in your grip. Though, once upon a time I called the alchemical arts the great equalizer, I have come to find that such cut and dry determinations of strength and weakness are folly. The temptation of such tools that shine in gilded or verdant hues may allure thee, dispel these thoughts immediately. This is Iboku the Deceiver, creeping into your mind so she may sow discord. These are mere crutches that build upon your foundation, and should you rely on them you will be helpless when you lose them. Nothing is permanent, not even your body. Though my exterior is flesh, my lungs are wrought of alien steel, my veins pump with lifeblood, the inside of my flesh mixes with nanocogs, such things are no longer entirely familiar to me. I never in my mortal life expected such a thing, yet I retain my soul, my humanity, and my lessons. This is what I have learned to put my faith in. Rely upon such things in a way that feels as though you beat upon a drum not with your arms but heartbeat alone. To be too stiff is to let your soul snap, and to be too loose is to blow away with the wind. In finding the rhythm of your heart, only your branches shall drift in the wind, nary your roots.

 

Do not grow attached to any one blade. If you grow too attached to a single weapon, you will be helpless without it. Learn the rhythm of each tool and seek its echo in others. In most fights two blades will suffice: a long blade for offense and a short blade for defense. Against the naginata or spear this is especially effective, though two blades are weak before the shield. I shall not reveal all my secrets of battle to the world. This is to inspire your own discovery. After each battle, consider calmly what you wish you had carried in your hand instead of what you did. If nothing comes to mind, then your choice flows in harmony with the moment. If you cannot critique what you did, think deeper until you can.

 

Do not rush to finish a painting before you have tested your colors. I have found that men are often impatient. When they ask to learn and are given a task, they seek to complete the task, but not to meditate upon why they are doing it. Some men are not clever enough to discern the lesson's meaning yet, and thus they follow their orders and complete the task by the letter. This makes for an excellent retainer, but for a poor warrior. This can be honorable. However, some men see the task only as a goal to meet an agenda. They have lessened the beauty of life’s hurdles by reducing them to tallies upon a ledger. If you will not believe me by merit that the menial tasks one’s master assigns may be more than busywork, I urge you to consider the following: He who treats his tasks as mere items to be marked complete will never see the hands that shaped the task. It is often the journey that is looked back upon fondly when one reaches their destination.The fool, at last, learns that the peak is only a place to look back from, and not the glory itself. The wise man knows there is always another mountain.

 

Once the Journeyman has accepted this fact of life, his soul becomes like water, prepared to fill whatever vessel lay before it. In doing so, he begins to open his heart to the Rhythm of the world. The Journeyman is a gardener, and inevitably, his garden has been filled with his favorite flowers even before he realized he had a field to tend. The Journeyman should now have no issue in salting his beds and setting his crop ablaze. In doing so, he accepts that the most crucial change is caused by oneself and readies his tools to garden anew. Wise is the man who tastes many different fruits for the man who is unwilling only tastes defeat. When the Journeyman’s mind is accepting, only then will he begin to hear true silence, and only then, in that tranquility, can he hear the Rhythm of the world.

 

 

THE SCROLL OF FIRE

 

-+-

 

 

In the crackle of the flame there is rhythm,

 

My blade dances to its song,

 

As I am pressured to sway,

 

My body like hot coals,

 

And yet my mind,

 

A diamond.

 

-+-

 

The principles of battle are the principles of this world. I know not what law I shall be bound to in the life after this, and I shall not dwell upon it. To dwell is to hesitate. To hesitate is to accept death.

 

A general who has never seen battle is as a fork is to soup. Give no command you are not willing to carry out yourself, nor make any request you cannot remember doing with your own two hands. Your men are your soldiers, yet they are not idle pieces in shogi; each pawn carries the conviction to reach the end of the board. Even fallen men are akin to shogi pieces waiting for the right moment to be put back into play. Never hesitate to treat your men with kindness, for they shall return it tenfold. If a master treats his men well, his retainers consent to his authority. If his conduct is poor, his men will rebel. Loyalty is as precarious as one’s balance; once lost, it is hard to regain. Do not neglect a loyal retainer. If a master cannot discern nor explain to his men what is right and what is wrong, then retainers of true character will soon lose interest in him. When a loyal retainer loses heart, his master should guide him with a gentle hand.

 

On the sunrise before battle, his men may be woken harshly by the clamor of pots and pans. Treat your men harshly upon the day of battle, and they shall treat the enemy with twice your ferocity. Do not speak of anything before them that might lessen their confidence in victory. A master should never cause his retainer to hesitate. Do not allow your men to trade jests nor quip at the enemy. You should rouse the ferocity of your own troops, not the anger of your foe. The honeybee may possess the malice of the wasp when its hive is shaken. Show no weak attitude, even before loved ones, for servants will not respect the man of little valor.

 

Know that your opponents hold these same ambitions. There is no man in this world who loves to lose. The battle does not begin with the first swing, but with the first meeting of eyes. That is when the rhythm of your hearts collide. You must consider your actions carefully, yet, paradoxically, you must not hesitate. This comes with experience, but for now you must at least understand this: it is better to take any action than no action. If you have words to say, speak them while you move. Let your speech rise from your inner courage; do not let it wander alone, for that is a waste of breath. Empty quips do not only disrespect your opponent; they cheapen your own worth. Reserve quips only to disrupt the rhythm of your opponent. But do not abuse this. Remember, your opponent must be akin to an honored guest in your home, and at dinner you serve tea only once.

 

The foundation of battle is to maintain your own rhythm and to disrupt the rhythm of your opponent. When you grow accustomed to the rhythms of nature, you will more readily recognize the rhythms of men and beasts alike. Take care not to maneuver excessively. Too many schemes lead only to thought. One must choose a plan quickly and stick to it. To stray needlessly from the natural course of things is folly. To go too far is as bad as not going far enough.

 

When intending to take the enemy by surprise or when merely wandering, avoid the great roads and take the lesser paths. When you are easily seen by the enemy, face him. Yet it is mistake that led you to this position. A battle is like the advance of a pawn in shogi: you must set small goals and, through steady action, convince your opponent the battle is lost. Each blow against the body is also a blow against the mind’s resolve. When the mind crumbles, the body follows. Resolve shatters easily when it bears weak rhythm.

 

You must block as you strike, and you must counter when a blow is turned aside. To sacrifice a hit can be a strategy, best done at the beginning, when you seek to swell the confidence of your opponent. He who controls the opening of a duel holds more power over its Rhythm. You may consider taking a non lethal blow if it means to create an opening for a devastating blow. It is not shameful to reposition if you have been cornered. When you act, consider how your action shall make your opponent react, and lead them to that position. This is the same as only asking questions that you know the answer to. You lead your opponent where you want him to be, without him even knowing it. Three steps ahead is the perfect place to be, four is an unlucky number. If you plan too far ahead you will hesitate, and be cut down.

 

The strongest action one can take is to deprive the opponent of action, or to seize a second action before he can answer. Since it is rarely possible to act twice before your enemy can react once, it is wiser to remove his one option.

 

There exists no power in this world that cannot be undone by proper teamwork. Two or three mundane men with maces and shields are stronger than any yokai, if they take their positions well. When you fight with a companion, stand at odds with one another in the pursuit of Kegare. In doing so, you have two chances to break its Rhythm rather than one. There is no honor among those who have discarded it. Seldom few nightspawn have convinced me to treat them with a warrior's death. But I too am still a student of the world with great kindness in my heart, and I do oblige them from time to time. Reserve such mercy for those nightspawn truly deserving, lest you dishonor what blood shall soon stain you.

 

Once the enemy’s Rhythm is broken, you will no longer hear its song overlapping your own. This moment is pivotal. You must seize the momentum of the battle and strike without pause until your opponent yields or dies.

 

THE SCROLL OF AIR

 

-+-

 

Woe to the mighty,

 

They have forgotten weakness,

 

Woe to the meek,

 

They yearn for power still,

 

Let not the sparrow ask an Eagle,

 

how she soars.

-+-

 

A man argues not with the clouds above. He watches them eagerly with an open mind. He looks to their color, their pattern, their movement to discern the weather ahead. The first men to be swept away by the wind are those who mistake air for nothing. You must see not only through your own eyes, but also through the eyes of your fellow men. Regard the words of those whose merit you trust, and discern which are mere illusions to be discarded. Regardless, you must always listen. A man does not only see with his eyes; he perceives with the full breadth of mind, spirit, and body.

 

There is value in trusting one’s intuition. Your ancestors speak through you if you are humble enough to hear them. When you feel that something is amiss, this too may be the voice of those who came before you. Do not disregard it, yet do not trust it entirely. Even spirits may be foolish, overly cautious, or too zealous in their urging. One must look at all factors and make a proper assessment before taking any action or speaking any word.

 

When a warrior assesses a scene from afar, he has time to be diligent in his meditation upon the situation. But if his pondering sacrifices the mission, he must learn to act when the time is right. When a man observes in the heat of battle, his body often moves on its own. He must not think for longer than the length of a breath. This will come with experience.

 

You must observe the Way of others in the cultivation of your own Way. In my days I have observed many different ways and I have come to critique them. You may think this prideful yet this is only my perception. You may discern differently in your own way, you need not treat mine as gospel. 

 

I call it Maho, or magic, in this text only so my meaning may be understood. I do not believe what we call “magic” to be magic because like alchemy, we can explain it through proven theory. Reserve that which you call magic to that which you cannot explain. The realms of the Kami are rife with inexplicable powers. To understand their source is not to fully understand their inner workings. Asking how is imperative to understanding, asking why is only as important as you deem it to be.

 

Those who rely upon foreign powers are devoid of internal strength when severed. They do not remember what it was like to fight without their boons. They have opened their rhythm to disruption all upon their own.

 

Those who take very long to make decisions, those who seek perfect movement in all things sacrifice a healthy rhythm. They are overwhelmed by continuous attacks from the mind that does not hesitate. The perfect action is oftentimes the most predictable, reserve the unpredictable for when you need to end the fight quickly. Chaos tempers order. One can predict the river's path until they cannot see the waterfall ahead.

 

The warrior who uses a blade too long and focuses upon his great size to ascertain victory shall lose when his opponent fights him in a cramped room. The warrior who focuses upon superior techniques shall lose to the opponent who overpowers him with brute strength. The warrior who relies too much upon his shield loses an arm with which to attack with. The warrior who relies upon heavy armor will drown in the lake. But the warrior who relies upon his lessons may yet survive.

 

When a Samurai hears her own name amidst the wind in critique of her own Way, she should neither fear it nor give it undue weight. So long as she continues to act righteously, righteousness will follow. Those who wish to hate her shall hate her. Those who wish to love her shall love her. Let her actions cut through defamatory words; let her prove another wrong not by argument but by the movement of her feet.

 

This does not place the Samurai above criticism. It only teaches that she must know when to listen and when to turn aside. The Samurai who changes her Way in the face of truth embodies Rei, Jisei, and Makoto. The Samurai who remains resolute in the face of folly embodies Chugi, Meiyo, and Yū. Soon the student realizes the many directions his Way of Heaven can take him. He should walk along the path toward which the wind pushes him; in doing so he will go farther than on any path he must fight with every step.

 

THE SCROLL OF VOID

 

-+-

 

 

The mallet leaves my grip,

 

Yet gong still she tolls,

 

Upon the beating of my heart,

 

It thrums evermore.

. . .

 

Long before time had a name, there was nothing. It was not darkness, for darkness at least belongs to a place. Total absence. As indescribable as infinity, the Void gives nothing of its own. It only answers with what you are willing to surrender. Too does the universe answer with only what the mind is willing to perceive. So uncaring is the absence of all things that it holds no mercy for its own existence.

 

The Void is potential. Potential is only what can or may be. But it is not what is. It is mages who shape this noosphere with thought. From nothing they pull the earth that shapes itself to hold the world’s splendor. From nothing they pull the seas that fill to their vessels. From nothing they pull fire that keeps darkness at bay. From nothing they pull the winds that push sailors amidst crashing torrents.

 

Yet, foolishly, they revere this place of no place. They do not know that within each and every man lay this wellspring. Whether they surrender themselves to this plane or not. Yes, it is the ordinary man who sacrifices nothing. Not his sound mind, not his strength, not his soul and yes, he too, can make mountains out of molehills. He too, can divide the seas and direct the winds. And he too may shine as bright as dragon's flame.

 

It is as the Journeyman becomes older that he soon comes to realize. How helpless he is to the world and yet how much control he has over its forces. He wields in his mind true magic that which he can teach to no other man. He can only hope they look within themselves, and somehow, only then, gaze beyond the stars.

 

When he enters this place of no place, he is presented with silence. There is no Rhythm to hear or to disrupt. Only what one gives to it shall be received in turn. It is as if the world’s heart has stopped so that the mind may speak its piece in full truth. In that stillness, he sees clearly what he fears and what he desires, and he lets them pass before him like clouds. Then, when he returns to movement, he finds that his feet step of their own accord and his arm swings to aid them. In such moments he no longer asks whether he should move or strike. He simply discovers that he has already moved, and that the cut has already landed. In this moment the Journeyman has become the mind of no mind. 

 

In silence the chorus of the world’s rhythm unveils.

 

-+-

 

Return to this concluding chapter when you are ready, wanderer.

 

For after this, we shall not speak again, and I will miss you so.

 

You’ll know when it is time.

 

Until then, keep your head up, and one foot before the next.

 

. . .

 

The wanderer’s feet sink into the mud with every step synonymous with the pattering rain overhead. She feels the roaring wind and needs not to gaze up toward the skies to know that the Sun shines too on the backs of gray clouds. Perhaps she lays the night for rest and imbibes in spirits with good fellows. She sees no enemy before her, she knows the only enemy to be herself. She no longer swings her blade in rage, fear, nor sorrow, she knows she is lying to herself before the tool leaves its sheathe. She is no longer fickle of the self for she cannot categorize infinity.

 

She has slain beasts and men alike. She does not remember why until she looks at her calloused hands. She cannot change their fate, so she remembers their rhythm. A million songs over a million years. She has heard them all and yet she hears a new one each day. When she listens for a beat she hears the chorus. As she listens for eternity she only hears one song. She casts herself into silence, with her palms flat against one another she dips her head, claps twice, and closes her eyes. In this Aether, she does not speak, she listens.

 

. . .And only then, when all is quiet, can she finally hear the rhythm of her own heart, and discover that it is synonymous to the beat of the world.

 

This is my Way of Heaven. May it pave the Way to yours.

 

 

Spoiler

hiii. After I finally retired as Shugo and passed on the torch I realized that both Shugo's before me wrote a book. I decided 2 musashi larp because it is awesome. This is the LOTC equivalent of the book of five rings all based on real lessons i learned IC and based on the characters arc. I hope you guys enjoy this it was a labor of love. I hope future ronin larpers fw this heavy.

Art and writing made by meeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Thanks to all my moral support who read it and said "good job milk" couldn't have done it without u guys :>

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2025 by milksoda

[Islamadon 9158]

Danzen, whose Mahō slots overflowed filled with both Ki and Righteousness, managed to withstand the Color of the King - just barely - as he read. "Kimari da . . . Dai Sandaime has, at last, become immortal."

[xo31 3979]

Arthur read the beautiful poetry from the Once-Shugo, even if his mind was too rotted by the void to fully absorb all of it's wisdom.

[Shorsand 2006]

i love milksota

 

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 15456]

Ena sought out a copy to bear in his bag alongside the little pink book and kaninokyo - the only extensively paged books allowed by the Stratocracy government. In those three books was all a shimin would ever need for the rough roads of the lord of the craft.

[colovian fur 8360]

 

Yoshinobu carefully jots downs lessons from The Book of Five Slots, ever eager to perfect his craft with lessons from his Clan.

[Nen 347]

Dokumaru read out a copy in his boardroom in Yorumachi. "Atsuko-sama supah wise. True mastery in business requires being disciplined like rock but fluid like water. When all is quiet, mitashi hear only the sound of the mon counter. . ."

[Fishy 2709]

Shugo Honda burns a stick of incense as he prepares for his nightly reading, attempting to learn the wisdom of his predecessors. 

[xDisarray 552]

Ser Aurellius Greye carefully read over "The Book of Five Slots" making sure to study it carefully. Now that he would be working much closer with the previous Shugo of Kurai-Kuni, he wanted to be sure that he understood how she thought. He would keep a copy of the book with him everywhere he went, applying her logic to any situation he might find himself in.