I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

If we're talking about who was most surprised by this result, it would have to be Susumu Oishi.

It is obvious that the current situation does not allow him to remain here in shock.

Qing Deng's forward strides concealed a hidden force for counterattack.

Once he stepped into the optimal attack range, he immediately raised his sword overhead and, without hesitation, slashed at his opponent's shoulder.

Before he could dwell on his astonishment, Oishi Susumu quickly stepped back and sheathed his bamboo sword, holding it to his chest.

With a "crack," he barely managed to block Qing Deng's slash, and the two bamboo swords became entangled.

Qing Deng twisted his right wrist slightly, and the sword in his hand slid away at an odd angle, aiming at Da Shi Jin's face.

With the movements of a yoga performer, Oishi Susumu leaned back dramatically, stretching his head as far back as possible. The tip of the bamboo sword grazed his nose, leaving a red mark.

The two immediately engaged in combat, their dazzling swordplay creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

The fighting area shifted to the left first, and then to the left again.

Qingdeng's offensive remained relentless and showed no signs of abating.

Anyone with eyes could see that Qing Deng's sudden close-range attack and subsequent series of fierce attacks left Daishi Jin exhausted and in a very sorry state.

However, he was still one of the strongest swordsmen in Edo.

Even though Qing Deng's attacks seemed to rise from the heavens, he managed to parry them all with his incredibly rich combat experience and unparalleled skill.

Finally, he seized a fleeting opportunity, leaping back two steps to break free from the entanglement.

Tick-tock... tick-tock... tick-tock... tick-tock...

A few drops of sweat trickled down Da Shijin's wrist and onto the ground.

His breathing, though not rapid, had become noticeably heavier, and his nostrils were flared to their limit.

In contrast, Qing Deng's breathing remained long and strong.

The two sides stood facing each other, about eight steps apart.

Just then, Qingdeng suddenly spoke:

“…Mr. Oishi, stop hiding it.”

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes, staring intently at his opponent with a sharp, sword-like gaze.

"It's about time you showed me your secret technique—one-handed thrust!"

These words immediately shocked everyone present.

Immediately, there was much discussion.

"One-handed slash...? I remember this is..."

"Yes, that's right, the one-handed thrust... the secret technique of the Oishi God Shadow Style!"

"A signature move that once knocked out the great swordsman Shimada Toranosuke and even blew out the eyeball of Naganuma Musouemon of the Buzen Domain..."

……

"Katente" in Japanese means "one hand".

The term "one-handed thrust" literally translates to "single-handed thrust".

There was once a great swordsman named Shimada Toranosuke, who was as famous as Otani Seiichiro, and who passed away more than ten years ago.

This person had sparred with the then young and ambitious Oishi Susumu twice, with a record of one loss and one draw.

There's not much to say about the draw.

The loss, however, was quite amusing—Shimada Toranosuke was knocked unconscious.

The move that stunned him was none other than Oishi Susumu's strongest move, the ultimate technique of the Oishi Shinkage-ryu: "One-Handed Thrust"!

In terms of form, Susumu Oishi's "one-handed thrust" is very simple and unadorned: he starts with a blue eye stance and launches a thrust with his left arm and one hand—that's it.

However, it is precisely this seemingly ordinary move that makes countless martial artists turn pale at the mere mention of it, and they rack their brains but still cannot come up with a way to counter it.

There are two other well-known anecdotes about Susumu Oishi's "one-handed slash".

Firstly, there was once a swordsman from the Buzen Domain named "Naganuma Musou Uemon" who challenged Oishi Susumu.

In the heat of battle, Oishi Susumu unleashed a "one-handed thrust," the tip of his sword striking Naganuma Musouemon squarely in the face, piercing his mask and knocking out his eyeball!

According to bystanders, Naganuma Musouemon's eyeballs flew directly out of his shattered mask...

That's not even the most shocking part.

The most shocking thing is that Nanaguma Musouemon's mask is made of iron!

In other words, Oishi Susumu pierced the iron plate with his bamboo sword!

Secondly, Chiba Shuu, the founder of the Hokushin Itto-ryu school, designed a special type of bamboo sword to counter Oishi Susumu's "one-handed thrust".

He replaced the hilt of his bamboo sword with the lid of a four-dou zun—a large vat that could hold 72 liters of water.

The lid of the four-dou vessel is about 53cm in diameter, basically the size of a shield.

Replacing the hilt of a bamboo sword with this damn thing... is utterly cheating. Simply adopting a mid-stance is enough to defend against most of the enemy's attacks.

In other words, Chiba Shusaku designed a new type of weapon that combined sword and shield, which finally allowed him to parry Oishi Susumu's "one-handed thrust".

Even someone as strong as Chiba Shusaku resorted to cheating... From all these events, it's easy to see that Oishi Susumu's "One-Handed Thrust" should not be underestimated!

Qing Deng had long heard of Daishi Jin's signature move.

He had been waiting for the opponent to use this move ever since the start of the war.

"Let me see it!"

Qing Deng spoke again.

“Mr. Oishi, even without my reminder, you should know very well, right? If you don’t reveal your secret technique now, you won’t have the chance to use it later.”

"..."

Daishi Jin remained silent.

That doesn't matter.

After all... for a swordsman, the sword is the most powerful language compared to dry words!

Da Shi Jin exhaled a breath of turbid air, then lowered his center of gravity, leaned out his left shoulder at an angle, tilted the sword tip, and switched to the Blue Eye stance.

In an instant, the entire hall fell silent.

Seeing that Daishi Jin had accepted Qing Deng's "invitation," everyone present held their breath.

Qingdeng blinked, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"It would be extremely impolite not to respond with a technique of equal caliber, Mr. Oishi. In response... please witness my ultimate technique!"

Having said that, he raised the tip of his sword—also in the Blue Eyes stance!

Upon seeing this, Oishi Susumu's face immediately displayed a half-smile.

"A thrust... You want to face me head-on with a thrust?"

Qing Deng smiled.

"Head-to-head confrontation—that's my favorite way to fight."

"In that case... make your move!"

There was no long build-up of strength, nor a prolonged standoff.

Daishi Jin unleashed the immense power hidden within the sword!

Oishi God Shadow Style Secret Technique: One-Handed Thrust!

At the same time, Qing Deng also launched an offensive!

Natural Ryōshū Myōjutsu: The Three-Stage Strike of the Heiseigan!

The two sword tips thrust out one after the other, and then collided heavily in the air in the next instant!

People have seen many scenes of swords clashing against each other.

But the clash of sword tips... such a scene is truly rare.

At the very instant their sword tips collided, a surging "momentum" erupted from their bodies, crashing into the air along with the sword tips!

*******

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Chapter 533 [Nine Bulls and Two Tigers 3]! An Unknown Force Pursuing from the European Continent! [5000]

A clash of forces!

The sheer power of Qing Deng alone is enough to make those with weak wills and mediocre abilities feel physically unwell.

And now, with the added "momentum" of Susumu Oishi...

The aftershocks of their collision left even those of slightly weaker strength, such as Imai Nobuo, feeling a lingering sense of unease!

The Three-Stage Thrust of the Blue Eyes—this profound technique of the Natural Rishin-ryu school, created by Souji, is a unique skill that requires both masterful swordsmanship and a strong physique.

Without the former, it would be difficult to hold the sword firmly in one's hand.

Without the latter, it would be difficult to quickly retract the thrusting sword.

Souji is not a person who keeps secrets.

She did not keep the "Pingqingyan Three-Stage Strike" secret; she opened its cultivation method to the entire training hall and welcomed others to learn from and adopt it.

However... so far, apart from Qing Deng, no one else has mastered this move!

The swordsmanship skills required to master "Pingqingyan Three-Stage Thrust" are not insurmountable obstacles.

Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo were both exceptionally talented swordsmen. In terms of swordsmanship, they were absolutely top-notch.

The most critical factor is physical fitness.

The physical requirements of the "Pingqingyan Three-Stage Strike" technique are extremely high, especially the requirements for explosive power.

To thrust out a sword with all one's might, and then instantly retract it... This "instantaneous" action makes more than 90% of the people in the world unable to perform this move.