This chapter's epigraph comes from a conversation between a student and a teacher, in which the two discuss the different kinds of martial arts that are taught in their school. The teacher says that the martial arts are "iso varied" , and that it is hard to know what to do with them. The student says that he would like to have been able to fight without the quick attack, but that it would have been "a little helpless" . He thinks that it must be a fake move, as he cannot see the man through the mist. He wonders if the man is alive or dead, and wonders if he has learned the technique of quickly drawing a sword and cutting the opponent down with it. He says that it takes him three times as long to store up three four times the amount of time it takes to fight with a single sword. He also says that if he knows what is coming, he can quickly change direction and dodge the punches. He tells the teacher to be careful with the punches, as it could cost him his life. He reminds the teacher that he learned the move from a friend and that he is his role model. He warns the teacher not to believe everything he sees, as this is not the real deal.