Unshaken:

The Third Chapterin the Strictly x RoninFive Elements Series – Earth

By Strictly Tattoo on June 28

Strength. Endurance. The Foundation of All Things.

In the heart of a shadowed bamboo forest, a lone warrior stands. His presence carves silence into chaos. Beaten, bruised but unbowed, he faces the unknown with a steady grip, one hand holding a blade of tradition, the other a weapon of the present. Behind him, a tiger spirit looms, watchful, patient, eternal. This is Earth, the third chapter in the Strictly x Ronin Five Elements Series

An Unmovable Force

In this chapter, we reveal Ronin not as a fighter on the attack, but as the immovable center of the storm. Wrapped in a dark moss-green robe worn from war, the red Call Of Duty Oni-mask conceals his emotion, but not his intent. His tattooed arms bear the scars of battle.
His posture says it all, I'm ready

The towering bamboo stalks around him symbolize discipline and vertical growth. Above, the eyes of a tiger, a creature of ancient Earth energy, watch from the shadows. Silent.
Dangerous. Protective. Like the spirit animal of a grounded warrior, the tiger waits, not out of fear, but mastery.

The Element of Earth: Strength in Stillness

Musashi wrote:

If you have built
a strong foundation,
no force can shake you.

Earth is not loud. It is not fast. It does not waver.

It is the discipline of training long after others stop. The calm in chaos. The decision to hold your ground while others run.

Earth teaches the warrior that the greatest power is not found in aggression, but in presence, in being so grounded that the world must bend around you.

Bushido and Balance: The Samurai’s Earth

Before striking, the samurai learned to stand. Before advancing, to breathe.

The Earth element is crucial to master, not for combat, but for control. Without balance, there is no precision. Without stillness, no clarity

A warrior who is grounded cannot
be moved. A warrior who is patient
cannot be defeated.

This is the Bushido ideal. Earth is where every blade draws meaning, where stillness becomes strategy, and presence becomes power

Tu Lam’s Earth:

Foundation of the Modern Warrior

Tu Lam, the soul behind Ronin, embodies Earth in both life and battle. As a former Green Beret, his calm presence amidst chaos was survival, not metaphor, but fact.

If you lose your balance, you die.
If you hesitate, you die.
But if you are grounded,
truly grounded,
nothing can break you.

-Tu Lam

In his teaching, Tu reminds us: weapons evolve, enemies change, but discipline never goes out of style. Earth is mastering yourself, so no storm can move you

The Artwork: Ronin, Unshaken

This piece is not just a scene, it’s a state of being. The bamboo forest, the postured stance, the unwavering gaze, all speak to the spirit of endurance. The red oni mask, a symbol of ferocity and honor, guards his face. Behind him, the tiger, a symbol of Earth’s silent power, reflects the true warrior spirit: deadly, but disciplined.

Where Fire burns and Water flows, Earth stands still.
Where others strike, Earth waits.
And when it moves, it ends everything.

In Your Journey

Earth reminds us: you don’t need to move to win. Victory can come through patience.
Through resilience. Through becoming the foundation others break themselves upon

The unshaken warrior
never loses.
He only outlasts
-Musashi

You cannot control the battle,
but you can control yourself.
And that is all you need
-Tu Lam

Strictly x Ronin: A Story Worth Owning

The Earth edition in the Five Elements Series is more than just artwork. It’s a visual belief.
A personal reminder to plant your feet, control your breath, and let nothing shake your center.

This is the way of the warrior.

Earth — the foundation of every victory.

STRICTLY x RONIN

THE FIVE ELEMENTS