Tokyo Sword Saint Online Dealing

"An incompetent leader is more terrifying than ten troublesome demons."

"I don't think someone like you is capable of leading the Shinsengumi, nor do I think you would be competent to guard the area."

"So, I'll kill you right here. I hope your successor will be a little better than you."

Miyagawa Yu didn't speak, but the sword in his hand was already drawn three-tenths of the way out of its sheath.

His sword was a short dagger, a standard wakizashi, and more than half a meter long.

The famous sword "Nagasone Kotetsu" has a gorgeous blade pattern and a gleaming edge.

He gave a mocking laugh. If it were Uezumi Hidekawa who said these words, he might have been somewhat wary of a junior.

Before his dismissive attitude had faded, his pupils suddenly contracted.

A ghostly figure flashed, and a gleaming blade swept towards his neck.

"So fast!"

The swordsman's instinctive reaction is to dodge, followed by a parry with a wakizashi (short slash).

But what happened next was even more unbelievable to him.

Uesugi Kiyoshi suddenly drew his sword and unleashed more than one strike.

Instead, it was a set of "katana," with continuous, relentless sword strikes, like a dense thunderstorm, leaving him no time to catch his breath.

He was very familiar with this style; it was the signature move of the Shinkage-ryu school, the Raito, one of the representative techniques of the orthodox Japanese sword style.

but

Even when he fought against Kamiizumi Hidekawa, his skill with the Thunder Blade alone was probably no better than this!

This brat, isn't he just a fledgling who has just awakened and stepped into the realm of the extraordinary?!

How could he use such a powerful and oppressive lightning blade?!

Chapter 337 Clash of Ultimate Intent

Habit is a very powerful force.

Muscle memory, etched from the deepest subconscious of a martial artist, will gradually form a set of fixed moves and routines.

For example, Uesugi Kiyoshi preferred the art of drawing his sword and launching attacks with the Thunder Blade.

In the world of martial arts, speed is the only way to break through. With his superhuman speed and strength, his experience and insight from two lifetimes of sword cultivation, coupled with his tenacious spirit and swift reaction speed, the best solution to defeat his enemies is a fast blade.

Therefore, whenever he draws his sword, if the opponent is not a giant beast, he will usually use a sword-drawing technique or a thunder blade to test the waters.

It's not a bad thing to crush the weak with one blow, but to test the waters with the strong.

Having been selected from numerous choices, and ultimately relying on the familiar tactics of Uesugi Kiyoshi, it is naturally not weak.

At least Miyagawa Isamu was caught off guard.

Anyone who could become enemies with Kamiizumi Hidekawa must be no weakling. Putting aside his swordsmanship, Miyagawa Isamu's linked spirit is Kondo Isamu, the most famous commander in the history of the Shinsengumi.

Leaving aside Kondo's historical reputation and his role in the anti-shogunate movement, let's focus solely on his swordsmanship.

He was the fourth head of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school. He began learning swordsmanship at the age of fifteen and obtained the Manuka Kaiden at the age of twenty-seven, becoming the fourth head of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school. At that time, he was also a brilliant and talented swordsman.

Those who link will receive some inheritance from the connected heroic spirits.

For example, Rin Kamiizumi's swordsmanship aptitude is closely related to the heroic spirit connected to Nobutsuna Kamiizumi.

Miyagawa Isamu was the same; he practiced the Tennen Rishin-ryu swordsmanship and deserved the title of master.

Tennen Rishin-ryu is a relatively modern school of Kendo, having emerged less than three hundred years ago. Its founder was a disciple of Katori Shinto-ryu, so it is considered a legitimate branch of Japanese Kendo.

Shinto-ryu, Itto-ryu, and Kage-ryu are the three major schools that dominate traditional Japanese swordsmanship.

However, the natural Rishin-ryu school was truly developed and popularized during the late Edo period, flourishing in the Shinsengumi.

The three most famous swordsmen of the Shinsengumi at that time were all from the Tennen Rishin-ryu school.

Kondo Isami, Hijikata Toshizo, and Okita Souji.

The core idea of ​​Tennen Rishin-ryu originates from a waka poem, which literally translates to: "The desolate sea surges, the wind and snow rage, and the floating birds soar high on the waves"—seemingly a description of scenery, but actually describing the "ultimate meaning" of Tennen Rishin-ryu.

Every school has its own ultimate goal—the Shinkage-ryu's is "no-sword take-off," which means defeating a sword without a sword, giving rise to the idea of ​​winning without fighting, and developing in a direction that leans towards the kingly way.

The ultimate meaning of Natural Rishin-ryu is: to harmonize with the principles of nature, to adapt to changing circumstances, and to react naturally to the enemy's actions, hence the name Natural Rishin-ryu.

This does not mean giving up resistance and letting others take advantage of us.

Instead, swordsmen of the Natural Rishin-ryu style focus on accumulating experience, relying solely on instinctive reactions to handle most combat scenarios.

Uesugi Kiyotsugu struck with lightning speed, but Miyagawa Isamu barely managed to parry it with a short wakizashi. Despite the subsequent, even more ferocious lightning blades slashing at his vital points, he managed to parry flawlessly with his half-meter-long wakizashi while dodging and weaving.

Both of them tacitly refrained from using "sword energy," their blades clashing and snarling.

Uesugi Kiyoshi grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. To be fair, aside from his mentor, Miyagawa Isamu was arguably the best swordsman he had ever encountered.

Even if you add up all the swordsmen you've seen in your past and present lives, this person would still rank among the top.

This is not a leader who only knows how to give orders; he is definitely a warrior who has experienced bloody battles.

Finding an opening, Uesugi Kiyoshi stepped back, retreating several meters, tensing his body like a drawn bow, but did not attack again with his thunder blade.

Miyagawa Isamu, on the other hand, looked very relaxed. He squinted, gripped the wakizashi with both hands, the tip of the sword pointing diagonally at Uesugi Kiyoshi's eyebrows and eyes, his gaze wandering over Uesugi Kiyoshi's shoulders, elbows and knees, his face showing a half-smile, his aura as imposing as a mountain, unshakable.

"Sunny Eyes!"

Uesugi Kiyoshi sighed softly, his expression turning serious, and even the anger and killing intent in his heart subsided somewhat.

"Clear Eyes" is the most basic structure in the Natural Rishin-ryu school, and its status is similar to that of "One Cut in Two" in the Shin-kage-ryu school.

These are the most basic of the basics.

Despite Miyagawa Yuzuru's relaxed demeanor, his sharp eyes captured every movement of Uesugi Kiyoshi, and he could react with lightning speed to the blade hovering between the enemy's brows and eyes.

This seems to be a formidable rival.

He licked his lips, and a subtle change occurred in Uesugi Kiyoshi's expression.

His somewhat excited smile, coupled with his gloomy expression, made him appear rather frightening, though he was unaware of it.

"Interesting. Is it using the internal transmission of the Natural Mind-Body Flow?"

"Which move was it? Wave Reversal Sword? Edge Return? Reversal?"

"It seems he's not just a figurehead."

Uesugi Kiyoshi had read books on the Tennen Rishin-ryu school and was familiar with it. He casually recited a few sword moves, all of which were defensive techniques from the Tennen Rishin-ryu school.

The Tennen Rishin-ryu school encompasses a wide range of techniques, including not only Ōdachi (great sword) techniques and spear techniques, but also Jujutsu (hand-to-hand combat).

Close-range trembling, defensive counterattacks, and parrying techniques are what this school of thought excels at.

Before Miyagawa Isamu could answer, Uesugi Kiyoshi gave a cold laugh.

"Fine, whatever."

"That was a two-handed sword, using the orthodox thunder blade of Shin-kage. I didn't sacrifice too much [strength], so it can't be called [speed]."

"You are not an opponent whose head I can easily cut off."

"In that case."

"Take my full strength!"

With a flick of his hand, the Onikiri on the wall let out a clear cry and sprang out quickly, landing swiftly in Uesugi Kiyoshi's hand.

With his left hand holding the Spider Cutter and his right hand holding the Child Cutter, he stepped back slightly, rubbing the ground beneath his feet.

The next second, his body left only a blur in place.

The sword that was held with both hands was changed to a sword that was held with one hand, and one knife became two knives.

Miyagawa Isamu faces twice as many threats.

Aside from the Shinkage-ryu school, Uesugi Kiyoshi was most interested in the "Niten Ichi-ryu" school left behind by the sword saint Miyamoto Musashi.

He had worn out the five-ring book his master had given him. The dual-wielding style founded by this legendary swordsman was very much to Uesugi Kiyoshi's liking.

The ultimate meaning of Niten Ichiryu is "the Way of Emptiness," which is not the emptiness of the four elements in Buddhism, but rather the emptiness of clarity.

Miyamoto Musashi's emptiness is seeing things clearly, seeing friend from foe clearly, seeing everything clearly.

When everything is clear in one's heart, then one is invincible and unconquerable, reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

It was precisely because he created such "ultimate skill" that Miyamoto Musashi was hailed as the "Sword Saint".

Uesugi Kiyoshi cannot yet fully utilize the ultimate essence of the Way of Emptiness.

He was intimately familiar with the two-sword style combat techniques described in the Five Rings Manual.

His steps were like those of a ghost, and his momentum like that of a tiger.

Two Onikiri swords, one in front and one behind, rushed towards Miyagawa Isamu like the fangs of a vicious tiger hunting its prey.

Even if Miyagawa Isamu had mastered the ultimate technique of the Tennen Rishin-ryu style to an extremely high degree, Uesugi Kiyoshi did not believe that a short wakizashi could defend against his two-sword style.

How can he defend himself against two knives coming at him from the left and right at the same time?

Half a second later, he saw Miyagawa Isamu's solution.

The disheveled middle-aged swordsman showed no impatience. He merely twitched his eyelids, took a half-step back, and shifted his body to the side. The "Nagasone Kotetsu" in his hand drew a cold, beautiful light, leaving an arc in its trajectory.

He dodged Uesugi Kiyoshi's sword with a very precise step back, creating a brief time difference between the two swords that were originally attacking simultaneously. At the same time, he used his wakizashi to cut an arc, accurately breaking through the two weakest points of Uesugi Kiyoshi's two incoming swords.

After a somewhat dull clang of metal against metal, Uesugi Kiyoshi took three steps back, stomping his right leg so hard that it slightly dented the floor.

His gaze had completely changed.

"You've got some skills, old man."

He wasn't very tactful because he disliked Miyagawa Isamu, but he genuinely admired his swordsmanship.

To achieve what just happened requires at least decades of rigorous swordsmanship training, keen insight, extensive combat experience, and the physical strength to support such a difficult sword move.

In any case, if the roles were reversed, Uesugi Kiyoshi's strategy would definitely be to dodge, not to use this blocking technique to parry, as that would be too risky.

Miyagawa Isamu was confident and successfully blocked the attack.

Furthermore, he skillfully exploited Uesugi Kiyotsugu's weak point, repelling him and rendering his prepared dual-wielding thunder sword technique useless.