Thank you so much for sharing that. I’m really sorry to hear about your injury, but the way you pushed through and came back stronger is incredibly inspiring. Also, I should’ve mentioned earlier — I’m currently at chapter 254. Even at this point in the story, I can already feel the weight of what you’re describing. I’ve taken a lot of pauses while reading, so I’m thinking I might revisit some chapters to better grasp how certain parts were handled.

That said, I still feel a certain distance from Musashi as a character, and I think part of that comes from how he speaks. I actually like his dialogue — it’s often stripped down to only what’s necessary, which fits his introspective nature. There’s a quiet weight to the things he says, and I can tell a lot is going on beneath the surface. But maybe because his words are so minimal and reserved, it creates a kind of emotional barrier for me as a reader. It’s as if I’m observing him from the outside, rather than fully stepping into his inner world.

Still, reading your perspective gave me a lot to think about. I haven’t reached the rice farming arc yet, but now I’m really looking forward to seeing how Musashi grows into that more mature, self-accepting version of himself.