I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

As his face gradually turned deathly pale, Hiroshi Niizuma inwardly roared with a hint of terror.

Why was Qing Deng able to suddenly become familiar with every move he made? As someone who also had a certain talent for swordsmanship, Niizuma Hiroshi naturally understood why.

But he refused to acknowledge this fact, which was far too cruel for him...

There's only one reason—Qingdeng has improved.

It's that simple.

But that's not the worst part.

The most frightening thing is that Qing Deng's progress is still continuing...

Qingdeng's "Sword Prodigy" received a major boost yesterday. His original "sword skill talent amplification was 50 times the average level" has now become "62 times the amplification".

The combination of "Demon's Heart" and the now-upgraded "Sword Prodigy"... the synergy between these two is terrifying, as evidenced in the ongoing battle against Niizuma Hiroshi.

In less than three minutes since the start of the battle, Qing Deng had become familiar with the various moves that Niizuma Hiroshi usually used and quickly put them into practice, launching targeted attacks and defenses against Niizuma Hiroshi!

Snapped!Snapped!

Two more fierce sounds of bamboo swords clashing erupted.

Qing Deng swung his sword twice, deflecting Niizuma Hiroshi's two consecutive slashes, and then turned his sword to thrust directly at Niizuma Hiroshi's open area.

Shinzuma Hiroshi's move had already been seen through by Aoto, and launching a counterattack from this angle would be the greatest threat to Shinzuma Hiroshi.

Sure enough—seeing Qing Deng thrusting his sword at him, Shinzaku Hiroshi's now much more agile brain was frantically sending out alarms.

Shinjiro Kuan's pupils suddenly contracted, and he scrambled backward, narrowly avoiding Qingdeng's counterattack.

Before he could regain his footing, Qing Deng immediately closed in and slashed down at Xin Qi Kuan's legs.

Qing Deng had already seen through Niizuma Hiroshi's weakness in his lower body, and by maintaining a high-intensity offensive, he was able to effectively disrupt Niizuma Hiroshi's rhythm.

Even an ordinary person who knows nothing about swordsmanship can now see that Hiroshi Niizuma is gradually being suppressed by Aoto, and at a visible speed, he is constantly sliding into a disadvantageous position.

Why did Hiroshi Niizuma, who was just evenly matched with Aoto a moment ago, suddenly become unable to defeat Aoto in less than 3 minutes?

They don't understand, and they're too lazy to understand—after all, they just want to watch the excitement and the spectacle.

Compared to ordinary people who don't know swordsmanship, the expressions of those with a certain level of swordsmanship are much more interesting.

In the spectator stands, almost all the swordsmen with considerable skill, including renowned masters like "Chiba of Technique," "Saito of Power," and "Momoi of Position," could not hide the shock on their faces. Some even wore expressions of utter horror, not just shock.

There are quite a few people who can draw nourishment from battle and improve while fighting.

But to achieve such remarkable progress in such a short time... to describe it as "one in ten thousand" would be an exaggeration!

Even the members of the Shieikan, including Shusuke, Kondo, and Okita, were now showing expressions of surprise—they all felt that Seito's talent seemed to have increased even further...

Chiba Jutaro, who had been looking anxious, was no longer shaking his leg in agitation. Now, his eyes were wide open and his mouth was opening and closing uncontrollably.

He originally thought he had already assessed Qingdeng's talent high enough, but now he realized that his assessment of Qingdeng's talent seemed to be too conservative...

Meanwhile, Sanako, who was standing next to him, also lost her composure. Her beautiful eyes were wide open, and her gaze towards the arena revealed a hint of unconcealed astonishment.

—Damn it! Damn it!

Hiroshi Niizuma's jaw had been unconsciously clenched just now.

A wave of doubt and indignation surged from Niizuma Hiroshi's cheeks.

He didn't understand...

He was very frustrated...

In order to defeat Tachibana Seiden, he didn't hesitate to ingest a strange drug whose name he didn't even know.

Until just now, he thought he had a chance to defeat Qingdeng.

However... in less than three minutes, Qing Deng shattered his hopes with his overwhelming talent...

Even if I resort to underhanded tactics, I still can't beat this Tachibana Aoto?!

The cheers and applause from the spectators for Qing Deng, who had now suppressed him, occasionally reached Niizuma Hiroshi's ears, making him feel even more grief and indignation.

—Impossible!

Shinjiro poured all his grief and indignation into his throat, emitting a piercing gasp due to his unsteady breathing. He then took several steps back, raised his bamboo sword high, and assumed an upper stance.

Shinzuma Hiroshi is not stupid either.

He knew that if he continued fighting like this, Qingdeng would only continue to improve, and with the balance of power shifting, he would inevitably be defeated.

Therefore, he dared not hesitate any longer and decisively decided to finish the battle quickly.

The outcome... rests entirely on the next strike!

Qing Deng originally wanted to chase after Niizuma Hiroshi, who jumped back, but when he saw Niizuma Hiroshi now with his feet planted firmly on the ground, his sword raised high, and his eyes glaring at him fiercely with bloodshot eyes, he stopped in his tracks.

Qing Deng pursed his lips, realizing that Niizuma Hiroshi intended to decide the outcome in the next move. After only a moment's thought, he took two steps back, then spread his feet apart, assumed the Caixia stance, and aimed the tip of his sword directly at Niizuma Hiroshi's chest.

The arena, which had been filled with the sounds of swords clashing and bamboo swords striking each other, suddenly fell silent.

The sudden silence of the arena caused the surrounding stands to quiet down as well.

The vast majority of spectators... regardless of whether they understood swordsmanship or not, were now watching the two people facing off in different stances on the field without daring to blink, their breathing unconsciously slowing down.

Those who don't understand swordsmanship just feel that the atmosphere on the field is very tense, and it seems that Qing Deng and Niizuma Hiroshi are about to make some big move.

Those who knew swordsmanship, upon seeing Qing Deng and Xin Qi Kuan's current posture, immediately felt a chill: these two were about to decide the outcome with a single blow!

The heavy, tense atmosphere that permeated the arena between Aoto and Niizuma Hiroshi gradually spread to the spectator stands, causing many spectators' hearts to beat faster and their palms to sweat profusely.

Although Shinzaki Hiroshi had just been severely suppressed by Aoto, that doesn't mean he's doomed to defeat.

Qing Deng knew this too, so he didn't dare to be careless at all. He steadily aimed the tip of his sword, which was in the Xia Duan stance, at Shinza Hiroshi's chest, his gaze fixed on Shinza Hiroshi.

How will he attack...? One guess after another about Shinzawa Hirokiro flashed through Aoto's mind.

Having already reached the finals, Qing Deng certainly didn't want to return empty-handed, losing when he was just one step away from the championship.

(No matter what, always hold onto the belief that you must win no matter what) – For no reason, Zhou Zhu's teachings from the night before flashed through Qing Deng's mind.

After quickly absorbing the teachings of Shusuke that suddenly flashed through his mind, Qing Deng narrowed his eyes slightly without saying a word and gripped the bamboo sword in his hand even tighter.

His brows furrowed with a yearning and unwavering determination for victory.

The two of them have been staring at each other ever since the sun had risen to its highest point in the sky.

Although his body hadn't moved at all since the beginning, the immense psychological pressure from confronting Qing Deng made Niizuma Hiroshi feel as if he had just fought several fierce battles.

A drop of sweat trickled from his eyelashes into his eye. He frowned hard, blinked, and then opened his eyes wide.

His lips were trying to keep calm in sync with his breathing, but in reality, his whole body was like a fireball burning in a furnace.

In the instant she sensed that her mind and spirit were perfectly aligned, Shinji Kuan strained her abdomen, uttered the loudest breath she could muster, and strode forward, lunging straight at Qingdeng!

At the same time, Qing Deng also started moving!

His bamboo sword, following his body, shot straight toward Shinjiro Hiroshi like an arrow released from a bow!

Just as the two shadows were about to merge under the sunlight, Qing Deng's pupils suddenly contracted sharply.

At that moment, he suddenly noticed wisps of "air" emanating from Niizuma Hiroshi's body.

These "air currents"... Qing Deng is all too familiar with them.

In that chaotic battle on a snowy night three months ago, it was these "air currents" that guided him to defeat the Extermination Group!

At that moment, upon seeing the "energy flow" suddenly emanating from Niizuma Hiroshi's body, a thought flashed through Qing Deng's mind—I should raise my sword higher...

Qingdeng's will swiftly reached the tip of the sword, causing the bamboo sword to rise slightly upwards.

At this moment, Qing Deng did not realize that his new wife, Kuan, was now looking terrified.

I don't know how to describe it... Just now, Shinjiro felt... that Aoto's demeanor... had changed!

Hiroshi Niizuma felt as if a huge mountain was looming over him, pressing down on him like an overwhelming force!

Just as Shin-chan Hiroshi felt that Aoto seemed like a completely different person, the two of them swung their swords.

Snapped!

Aoto's bamboo sword struck Shinzuma Hiroshi's bamboo sword at a clever angle in mid-air.

With a sharp "snap," Shinza Hiroshi's sword path was deflected by the attack, and it swept past Qing Deng's head.

Qing Deng's sword—without diminishing momentum—continued its straight slash toward Shinzaki Hiroshi's head.

Snapped--!

The sword struck Niizuma Hiroshi squarely in the head.

Shinjiro Hiroshi cried out in pain, staggered back several steps, and fell to the ground with a thud...

*******

*******

I've kept my promise from yesterday! A whopping 1 words today!

Today's bonus update is to repay the 4th Alliance Master who owed me a chapter: [Home with a Little Cotton-padded Jacket].

This reader gave this book two "Alliance Master" rewards, and I'm now making up for the two extra chapters I owed him!

The author still owes 13 more chapters of W-word-long updates.

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Chapter 149 The Release of "Power"! Shocking the Entire Audience! [5300]

After Qing Deng and Niizuma Hiroshi assumed their stances and faced off, almost all the spectators who realized that the two would decide the outcome in the next move watched the entire arena with solemn expressions and unwavering eyes.

Especially the group from Shie-e-gwan, their faces now showed varying degrees of tension.

Just now, when Chiba Eijiro saw that Qing Deng had made such significant progress in such a short period of time, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

Upon seeing the two fighters on the field raise their swords in different stances and stand facing each other, Chiba Eijiro, like the others, changed his expression from surprise to solemnity.

Since yesterday, Aoto has been giving Chiba Eijiro too many surprises.

At this moment, Chiba Eijiro couldn't help but concentrate, become curious, and look forward to what surprises this young man, who was only nine years younger than him, might bring him.

A moment is very short, just enough for a person to blink once.