I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"We are former officials of the judge, and we have come to avenge our lord's old grudges. Our lord has committed suicide with this sword, and we ask that you also use this sword to commit seppuku with the samurai's honor!"

His eyes were vacant, as if unfocused. Although he was staring straight at Qingdeng, it was as if he was looking at someone else.

Qing Deng dislikes Kabuki and rarely goes to Shibaju-sha (traditional Japanese theater) to watch plays.

Even though he knew nothing about Kabuki, he immediately recognized it as a famous line from "Kanatemoto Chushingura".

"Kanatehon Chushingura" - one of the three great masterpieces of Kabuki.

This work is based on the "Ako Incident," which began with Asano Naganori, the lord of the Ako Domain, injuring Kira Uenosuke, and ended with Oishi Kuranosuke avenging his lord.

Because the Edo Shogunate explicitly prohibited the use of real names in artistic performances, the historical background of the play was changed to the "Muromachi Shogunate," Oishi Kuranosuke, who sought revenge for his master, was changed to "Ohoshi Yuranosuke," and Kira Uenosuke was changed to "Takamori Nao."

Thanks to the fame of the "Ako Incident," the drama was very popular among the samurai and common people.

Even Qing Deng, who rarely watches Kabuki, had heard of the play's fame and knew its famous lines and scenes.

The scene that Shuten-dōji just performed was the climax of the play.

Oohoshi Yuranosuke led a group of companions to storm Koshinao's mansion, forcing him to commit suicide in order to avenge his master.

Gao Shizhi reached out and took the knife handed to him by Daihoshi Yuranosuke, but instead of committing suicide, he swung the knife back and the two immediately engaged in a fierce battle.

Ultimately, the less skilled Koshinao was killed by Oohoshi Yuranosuke.

Shuten-dōji's strange behavior greatly puzzled Aoto.

He was a veteran of countless battles, and this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

Is he trying to bait me into making a move?

Or... has he simply gone mad?

Before he could think further, Shuten-dōji spoke again:

"...Gao Shizhi, aren't you going to commit suicide?"

The atmosphere at the scene froze instantly!

Shuten-dōji quietly raised his gaze, his eyes filled with intense hatred.

The intensity of this hatred... made it seem as if Qingdeng was truly the "Gao Shizhi" who had killed his lord!

He unleashed an undisguised killing intent, fiercely wielding Sun Liujianyuan in his hand!

Seeing this, Qing Deng stopped thinking about what was going on with the other party's strange behavior and focused all his attention back on the battle in front of him!

In an instant, the two people who were several meters apart just a second ago became zero in the next second!

The sound of a blade slicing through the air once again dominated this space!

This was a battle devoid of any beauty.

There are no sophisticated techniques.

A game without excitement.

Exhausted, the two had no strength left and could only resort to monotonous and tedious horizontal and vertical slashes, swinging their knives at each other again and again!

Sweat and blood droplets glistened in the sunlight.

Shuten-dōji's eyes were like two kaleidoscopes; with each blink, the scene before him would rapidly change.

The ground beneath his feet was sometimes a dilapidated castle tower, and sometimes a shibaju hut filled with spectators.

Sometimes he could hear the swordsman's shouts, and sometimes he could hear loud cheers and enthusiastic applause.

He sometimes identifies himself as Shuten-dōji, who punishes the party, and sometimes as the loyal retainer Ōhoshi Yūrōsuke.

Witnessed by countless spectators, he battled it out with "Gao Shizhi" on stage, earning thunderous applause!

He could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion.

He wielded the knife with abandon, completely absorbed in his "performance"!

The long-awaited performance, the long-awaited thunderous cheers... At this moment, he almost burst into tears.

Yes... I am Oohoshi Yuranosuke!

I must kill Gao Shizhi! To avenge my lord!

Under the watchful eyes of thousands of "spectators," on a spacious "stage," he shook off his "black clothes" and charged at "Gao Shizhi" with his knife still attached! A ferocious attack unfolded before his blade!

This divine intervention dramatically changed the course of the battle.

For a time, Qingdeng was suppressed and could only defend himself.

However... strangely enough, as Shuten-dōji's behavior became increasingly violent, Aoto's expression became even calmer.

He half-closed his eyes, neither sad nor happy, watching the other person's every expression and every movement, as if waiting for something.

For a fleeting moment... though it was only a fleeting moment, a unique light did flash in Qing Deng's eyes—a light that was quite different from the "state of no self"!

At some seemingly insignificant moment, Shuten-dōji raised Sonroku Kengen in his palm, adopted an upper stance, and prepared to fiercely cleave Aoto's body.

At that very moment, without warning, Qing Deng's half-closed eyes suddenly widened!

At the same instant, his feet made a loud thud—he teleported towards his opponent!

Its speed and timing were so precise that Shuten-dōji had no way to defend against it!

Shuten-dōji blinked hard, and the figure of "Kōshō-no-sei" filled his entire field of vision... Suddenly, the scene before him changed again.

Just a moment ago, Gao Shizhi was still wearing that plain white robe.

But in the next instant, Gao Shizhi's white clothes turned into black firefighter's uniform, with delicate mountain-shaped patterns on the cuffs.

He was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly looked down to see that his "black clothes" had turned into "white plain clothes".

Aoto becomes the loyal minister "Ōhoshi Yūrōnosuke"! And he becomes the treacherous minister "Takamori no Nao"!

The sudden identity swap caused his brain to briefly freeze.

No... I am the righteous one... I am the loyal subject...!

Before he could even reach out and tear off the "plain white robe" he was wearing, "Oohoshi Yuranosuke" in front of him had already thrust the knife from his hand—

Pfft!

Vairocana's blade pierced through his chest, thrusting from the tip all the way to the guard.

This was a blow that defied all medical help.

This is the decisive blow!

【Ding! 】

It was the system voice… A moment later, the long-absent system voice rang in Qing Deng's mind:

[Talent detected]

[Beep beep beep! Successfully copied [Eternal Talent]: Heartless Ghost Child]

[Talent Description: The ability to enter a state of "selflessness" at will.]

[Ding! "Heartless Ghost Child" and "Innate Selfless Holy Body +7" can be fused!]

[Ding! Initiating talent fusion...]

[Ding! Talent fusion successful!]

[The "Heartless Ghost Child" has been promoted to the "Heartless Demon Child"!]

[Talent Introduction: The ability to enter the "Selfless State" at will, and to significantly reduce the burden on the body from the "Selfless State"]

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This chapter is something I've been brewing and preparing for a long time! I wrote about 6 words in this chapter, then deleted and revised it to shorten it to its current length.

For the sake of this chapter's quality, please be sure to vote for this book with your monthly ticket! (Crying leopard head.jpg)

Leopard is always striving for perfection!

Strive to write even better battles!

It's difficult to make new breakthroughs in specific combat details; the only thing to focus on is the "artistic conception."

I've been preparing for this duel for a long time.

[By combining "decisive battle" with "Kabuki", Shuten-dōji's consciousness repeatedly shifts between "illusion" and "reality", ultimately dying on the "stage"] - I packed a container of dumplings for this little bit of vinegar.

For the sake of this chapter's quality, please continue to support Leopard! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

Chapter 967 The Battle of Edo Castle Ends! [4400]

After much deliberation, Leopard has decided to change "Selfless Demon King" to "Heartless Ghost Child"; and the evolved "Selfless Ghost God" to "Heartless Demon Child". Please be aware!

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Qingdeng had almost forgotten when he last heard the system notification.

As his strength continues to grow, fewer and fewer people can withstand his blade for more than 10 seconds.

A new talent... and an extremely rare eternal talent at that!

It was both unexpected and yet perfectly logical.

Shuten-dōji possessed the ability to "freely enter the 'state of no-self'", so it was only natural that he had such a high level of talent.

To Qing Deng's surprise, Shuten-dōji's talent could actually be fused with "Innate Selfless Holy Body +7".

Upon closer examination, this might be because these two talents belong to the same type, representing the "superior" and "inferior" levels within the same field. Their relationship is similar to that of a "sword prodigy" and a "sword master," thus allowing them to complement each other.

In any case, it is truly fortunate to be able to replicate this talent.

Without a doubt, with this talent, Qingdeng's strength will experience another leap forward!

Unfortunately, he is now so tired that he can't even lift a finger.

The intense weariness left him with no energy left to even feel joy or excitement.

Since the system notification sounded, it means that in the system's perception, the battle has already been decided.