Oriental Adventures 218
While Togashi listened to Shinsei expounding his philosophy to the first Hantei, he grew frustrated and stormed out of the court. Taking up a seat of meditation, he refused to move, or even to eat, until he understood this philosophy that Shinsei had brought. After he had fasted for nine days, Shinsei himself came to sit with the troubled Togashi. Togashi repeated his ultimatum-"I will not move until I understand"-and Shinsei responded with but three words: "Neither will I." After a moment, Togashi laughed and bit into a plum.
Samurai of the Dragon clan train in a simple dojo with Shinsei's three words painted on the wall. To the Mirumoto family, these words are a reminder that a samurai's duty is to his lord. While he was starving himself, Togashi was also starving those that he had promised to protect, and Shinsei's words reminded Togashi that he was being selfish in putting his own search for enlightenment over his responsibilities to others.
The Mirumoto school teaches a unique style of swordplay, rooted in this sense of duty. Mirumoto wrote, "Some people say I am a coward. A samurai's duty is to protect his lord. Are they so simple-minded that they cannot see that two swords serve their lord better than one?" The Mirumoto niten ("two-sword") style typically employs the wakizashi for defense rather than offense. Mirumoto niten masters are the military leaders of the Dragon clan. The Mirumoto family shoulders the responsibility of protecting the clan form attack and from assassination attempts.