In another world, Lu Mingfei is learning card making.

For the third spirit, Lu Mingfei chose Jing Shu. It seemed that the information she brought back last time had truly hurt her still fragile heart, and she still had no intention of conquering the myriad worlds again.

...Well, actually, he had no other options. The Start was certainly an option, but it was a multi-colored spirit card, and if its detailed information were leaked later, Lu Mingfei felt he couldn't bear the consequences.

While creating dual-color magic power isn't particularly difficult, summoning such spirits out of thin air without using magic or any high-level summoning methods is truly astonishing.

At least Lu Mingfei felt that this secret shouldn't be revealed over such a trivial matter.

Sargent's summoning followed closely behind Lu Mingfei's. After that ethereal soul-devouring monster, he summoned three more level-two magical spirits—and then his face fell when he saw Jing Shu.

But having come this far, he could only grit his teeth and choose a stone statue in full armor and helmet holding a horse-slaying sword and a blond swordsman holding a precious sword to step forward and prepare for the duel.

[Construct - War Components]

【✪✪】【500/500/500】

[Race: Construct] [Attribute: Mechanical] [Ability: Agility]

[Ultimate Move: Boiling Flames]

[Boiling Flames: A Deadly Scheme. The war components have been reorganized into several new smaller constructs to continue the fight.]

Swordsman

【✪✪】【500/500/500】

[Race: Human] [Attribute: Justice] [Special Ability: First Strike]

(First Strike: When initiating an attack, this unit may deal damage first.)

[Ultimate Move: Fighting Style, Life and Death in Flux]

[Battle Style: Choose one of 'Duel,' 'Guard,' or 'Recover' as your current battle style and benefit from it.]

(Duel: Deals additional damage when the battle is one-on-one)

(Guardian: Designates an object as the 'Guardian' and uses attack value to offset the attacks it will receive.)

(Recover Mana: Grants an additional boost to defense. Consumes ✪ to replenish mana.)

[Life and Death in Transition: A Deadly Tactic. Upon death, gain an additional turn of active time.]

After both sides have summoned their spirits and selected their battle spirits, it's time for them to "deploy their forces." If it were any other summoner, this would be a highly tense moment, striving to overwhelm the opponent in terms of formation and ensure that their spirits can at least face an enemy they are suited to.

However, Lu Mingfei only looked at Miyamoto Musashi:

"How about it, Mr. Musashi? Want to go up and exchange a few blows?"

"A moving stone statue, a swordsman from the southern barbarians, and even a real ghost? It's truly astonishing." Miyamoto Musashi's eyes gleamed with fierce power, and anyone could see his boiling fighting spirit. "Whichever it is, I have never faced anything like it before."

"Lu, I see that's what they all call you—are you going to let me go first?"

Lu Mingfei smiled and nodded slightly.

"Then let me secure a great victory for you." With an unwavering and imposing presence, Miyamoto Musashi walked towards the designated arena area with his bare hands.

But after thinking about it, Lu Mingfei still reached out and grabbed him:

"Then do you need a knife? I have one here. Although it's not a Japanese sword, it should be usable."

"If you have one, then please give it to me." Miyamoto Musashi said without hesitation, "Since this kind of trial allows the use of real swords, then let's use them."

Lu Mingfei handed the sharp blade left behind by Joan of Arc to Miyamoto Musashi and watched him step onto the arena.

Sargent glanced at the three magical spirits he had chosen, and without hesitation, gestured for the Soul Eater to come to the stage. The ghost didn't step forward; instead, it floated upwards and descended onto the arena.

There were no cheers, no applause; the battle began in complete silence from the audience. But the audience's silence didn't mean Miyamoto Musashi was silent:

"Such astonishing power—I suppose in ancient times you would have been some kind of monstrous monster, wreaking havoc in the region?" Miyamoto Musashi took light steps, his entire attention focused on the black-robed demon. "I was born too late; I never had the chance to witness those renowned great demons, nor to see those legendary Onmyoji whose stories have been passed down through generations—"

"Abe Seimei, Oeyama, Shuten Doji, Minamoto Yorimitsu..."

"I'm curious to know, just how much of their ability do you possess?"

But the Dementor showed no intention of talking to him. Seeing that its intimidation was failing, it determined that it needed to further demonstrate its terror.

Then it floated over, its black robe seemingly weightless, billowing in mid-air, revealing to Miyamoto Musashi an unusually thin, pale face beneath the robe, almost like a corpse.

[Ultimate Move: Desperate as a Wolf!]

Miyamoto Musashi was not unfamiliar with corpses. He had set foot on real battlefields, including the Battle of Sekigahara, the Battle of Osaka, and the Shimabara Rebellion, so he naturally wouldn't be alarmed by such a trivial matter.

But as its face was revealed, a deeper attack immediately arose in Miyamoto Musashi's mind. It was a 'reminder,' telling him: no matter how glorious your life or how superb your skills, the final result will inevitably be a handful of dust—

"Ha, will they be alarmed? It seems my skills are still far from perfect." Miyamoto Musashi twirled his Joan of Arc-style rapier. "A calm mind... Ha, how difficult that is."

With his sword sheathed, Miyamoto Musashi raised both hands. He first adopted the normal sword-holding posture, then relaxed each finger, starting with his little finger, then his ring finger, then his middle finger, until only his index finger curled up, as if he were holding the hilt with just that one finger.

Then, he swung his sword!

Even without a knife, even with an old body, even...

There are many things that could explain his vulnerability, but the Dementors' retreat, as his opponent, speaks even more to his strength.

"Wait, did he really avoid it?" Lu Mingfei's eyes widened suddenly, staring intently at the spot where Miyamoto Musashi's sword fell.

Yes, at the point where the blade strikes. Even when Miyamoto Musashi is unarmed, his strikes are not ordinary punches, but genuine blade slashes.

—Lu Mingfei had witnessed the actual use of a katana in combat, and he himself possessed some understanding of martial arts. It was precisely because of this that he was able to discern the true power of that strike:

"A unit possessing the [Anomalous Phenomenon] ability was actually sliced ​​open! Is this the Consciousness Slash?"

Lu Mingfei instinctively thought this was a fatal blow from him, but then he realized:

This wasn't even a guaranteed kill; it was just an ordinary attack, only that Miyamoto Musashi used the "Niten Ichi-ryu" technique, which was capable of killing an intangible unit.