Flow Like Water:

The Second Chapter in the Strictly x Ronin Five Elements Series

By Strictly Tattoo on May 11

WATER

The element of adaptability, resilience, and mastery. Unlike Fire, which
strikes with intensity, Water flows, shifts, and takes the form it needs to
overcome any challenge. Today, Strictly is proud to unveil Water, the second chapter in our exclusive Five Elements series in collaboration with Ronin.

This artwork represents the fluid strength of the warrior’s mind and body, inspired by Tu Lam’s journey, Miyamoto Musashi’s teachings, and the Call of Duty Ronin character. Ronin stands amidst the power of water, poised and ready with his traditional katana and underwater pistol, symbolising the harmony between ancient strategy and modern combat tactics.

The water does not resist, it redirects, reshapes, and ultimately overcomes. But what does Water truly mean to a warrior, and how has this element guided both the samurai and Tu Lam?

The Warrior’s Water: Flow, Adapt, Overcome

In Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings, Water is the element of flexibility, awareness, and strategic movement. Musashi believed that a warrior must be fluid like water, adapting to their surroundings while remaining steady in discipline. He wrote:

Water adopts the shape of its container. It can be calm or turbulent, but it never resists, it overcomes.

To a warrior, Water is not just a symbol, it is a way of thinking, reacting, and surviving. A swordsman who fights with rigidity and predictability will fall, while one who flows with the situation, adjusting to the opponent’s movements, will endure and win.

Musashi taught that rigidity is the enemy of survival. Water does not fight an obstacle head-on; instead, it moves around it, reshaping itself to find the path of least resistance. It is both patient and relentless, capable of carving through stone over time.

For a modern warrior, Water represents balance, knowing when to attack, when to defend, and when to let the enemy exhaust themselves. It is not about overpowering; it is about outlasting.

Mastery in Motion

For the samurai, Water was a principle applied to swordsmanship, battlefield tactics, and personal discipline. The greatest samurai were those who could read the flow of battle, anticipate their enemy’s actions, and strike at the exact right moment.

In combat, Water was the difference between predictability and invincibility. Warriors trained to be fluid in movement, unpredictable in strategy, and calm under pressure. This element reminded them that to resist too much is to break, but to flow is to survive.

But Water was not only a principle of war, it was a way of life. Samurai practiced patience, self-awareness, and emotional control, ensuring that no matter what storm came their way, they would move through it, rather than be consumed by it.

Musashi himself embodied this philosophy, never allowing himself to become rigid in thought or action. He wrote:
Fixation is the way to defeat. A warrior must be free in mind and movement, unshaken by the flow of battle

Tu Lam’s Modern Fire: Controlled Aggression

For Tu Lam, Fire has shaped his entire journey, from his elite career as a Green Beret to his role as the founder of Ronin Tactics. But Tu’s interpretation of Fire mirrors Musashi’s teachings—it is not about uncontrolled aggression, but about disciplined action.

In the military, Fire was mission-critical. Tu learned that acting without hesitation could mean the diff erence between life and death, but that action had to be
deliberate and precise. Today, he channels that same intensity into helping others master their inner fi re through self-defense, mental resilience, and purpose-driven action.

The ability to flow, to remain calm under pressure, and to shift tactics when needed,that’s what separates those who survive from those who don’t

-Tu Lam

In the Special Forces, he learned that a rigid mindset leads to failure. Mission rarely went as planned, and success required the ability to adapt on the fly, read the terrain, and adjust tactics in real-time.

Today, Tu teaches others to master their own flow, applying Water’s philosophy to combat, self-defense, and life itself. He emphasises that strength is not about being the biggest or the loudest, it’s about being the smartest, the most adaptable, and the most controlled.

Like a river, a warrior must remain steady but adaptable. If they panic in chaos, they will sink, but if they trust their ability to move with the current, they will always find their way.

The Second Artwork

In this second amazing piece of the Five Elements series, Ronin moves with the water. Unlike Fire, which represented controlled aggression, Water is about precise movement, patience, and striking only when the time is right.

His weapons, both modern and traditional, represent his ability to move between two worlds, much like Water moves between solid, liquid, and vapor. His stance is neither rigid nor passive, he is in motion, ready to shift, react, and overcome.

“The water does not threaten him. It empowers him.”

This piece embodies the power of flow, the resilience of patience, and the wisdom of adapting rather than resisting. It is a visual representation of how a warrior should move through life:

  • Like a river—steadily forward, never stopping.
  • Like a storm—sudden and unstoppable when needed.
  • Like the tide—always returning, always evolving.

The Meaning of Water in Your Journey

Water is not about brute force. It is about wisdom, patience, and adaptability.

It teaches us that in both combat and life, those who panic drown, but those who trust the flow will always find their way. Just as Tu Lam and the samurai before him mastered the art of fluid movement, calm under pressure, and precision in action, we too can embrace Water’s lessons.

Musashi’s wisdom reminds us:

A warrior must be like water, strong, yet yielding; forceful, yet flowing

Water does not seek confrontation, yet nothing can stand against it in the end. It erodes stone, breaks barriers, and always finds a way forward.

“Move like water, and you will never be caught.Flow like water, and you will never be broken."

—Tu Lam

STRICTLY x RONIN

THE FIVE ELEMENTS