I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"……what?"

Kiryu's abrupt remark caused Aoto to exclaim "Ha!" in surprise once again.

Kiryu had anticipated Aoto's reaction, so he was mentally prepared and continued calmly:

"Flowing Light is a unique skill that I have painstakingly honed."

"Whether from a moral or logical standpoint, I don't want to see my 'Flowing Light' technique be lost."

“I started looking for someone who could inherit my mantle 50 years ago.”

"This 'journey to find a disciple'... in short: it was utterly despairing."

"I have spent a long time and countless efforts, but I still haven't found a suitable person to inherit my mantle."

"Until now."

Qing Deng's gaze sharpened slightly.

Kiryu had barely finished speaking when Aoto asked in a serious tone:

"...Kiryu, why do you think I'm a suitable disciple for you?"

Aoto stared intently at Kiryu's face with an almost scrutinizing gaze.

"Since you've spent a full 50 years searching for someone who can inherit your mantle... you must have encountered countless geniuses with exceptional talent and character, right?"

"You spent a full 50 years searching for someone who truly suited you... so why did you choose me 50 years later?"

Kiryu laughed loudly a few times.

"Mr. Ju, it is indeed as you say. In the past 50 years, I have seen quite a few geniuses."

"There are always people better than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding" is an eternal and unchanging truth in this world.

"Some guys... are practically like gods descended to earth."

"What ordinary people can barely reach after years or even decades, these people, who are like gods descended to earth, can achieve with the flick of their wrists."

"Since I started looking for someone who could inherit my mantle, I have seen so many young people whose talent and character are far superior to yours that I can't count them on two hands."

"But... Tachibana-kun, without exception, none of these people are as interesting as you."

"When I choose disciples, I not only look at their talent and character, but also whether they are interesting enough."

“Interesting…?” Qing Deng murmured, pondering the word that left him utterly puzzled.

"Well... it's also difficult for me to explain my definition of 'fun' in concrete terms."

"Let me put it bluntly: when I choose disciples, I place great importance on whether they feel a connection with me."

“Generally speaking, a normal person cannot do something as crazy as ‘challenging more than sixty warriors all by himself’.”

Kiryu's gaze toward Aoto suddenly became unpredictable.

"Your behavior reminds me of an old friend who has recently taken to leisurely sunbathing alone on the street."

"My body tells me—"

Kiryu pointed a finger at his chest.

"You absolutely have the potential to become... my most proud disciple!"

“I don’t like those formalities. If you are willing to follow in my footsteps, you don’t need to perform any apprenticeship ceremony or call me ‘Master.’ Just call me ‘Kiryu-sama’ as usual. I quite like it when people call me ‘Boss.’”

"You don't need to pay me tuition either. I have served my lord for over seventy years and have accumulated a considerable amount of savings. I am not short of money."

"I have only one request—keep it a secret from everyone that you learned your sword-drawing technique from me."

When someone asks you, "Where did you learn your sword-drawing technique?", you can simply answer, "I figured it out myself."

"Anyway, with your talent, even if you give such an answer, no one will doubt it."

"I don't want too many people to know that Kiryu Kazuma of the Senjiya has quite a background."

"Tachibana-kun, what...what do you think?"

Kiryu smiled and rested his elbows on the counter in front of him, his fingers interlaced, waiting for Aoto's reply.

"..." Qing Deng lowered his eyelids and frowned slightly.

Kiryu had just been talking about some very serious and informative information, but without any preamble, he suddenly changed the subject and started talking to him about taking on apprentices...

The huge leap in the topic left Qing Deng feeling slightly confused.

"The matter of becoming an apprentice... let's discuss it in detail later."

Qingdeng is a secluded path.

"I have a few more questions I'd like to ask you."

"Once all my remaining questions have been answered, let's talk about the apprenticeship process properly."

"Mr. Kiryu, you've told me so many things that I don't think are things I should just tell outsiders... Are you sure it's okay?"

Qingdeng said it in a tone that was half serious and half joking.

"Aren't you afraid that I'll spread the word that 'Kiryu, the owner of Senjiya, is no ordinary person,' 'Kiryu Kazuma's true identity is Mamiya Kurou,' and 'the organization he's affiliated with is a business called Gourd House'?"

You won't do that.

Kiryu first responded without hesitation in a firm tone, then switched to a teasing tone.

"I am not so foolish as to choose someone who cannot even control his own mouth as my disciple."

"Then why did you tell me so many of your secrets, the secrets of the gourd house behind you?" Qing Deng pressed on relentlessly. "You're not trying to drag me into the gourd house, are you?"

“You’ve misunderstood.” Kiryu shrugged. “It’s not so easy for us to join the Gourd House.”

"Whether or not to recruit you into our ranks is a decision for our lord to make personally; I cannot make that decision."

There's no particular reason why I'm telling you all this.

“I think you are qualified to know so much, and I believe you will not betray us. After receiving the lord’s permission, I decided to tell you everything—it’s that simple.”

“…Alright, I understand.” Qing Deng let out a sigh of relief. “Then do you know why Kamaitachi, one of the leaders of the Law Extermination Party, suddenly appeared that night and brandished his weapon at me and A-Wu?”

"Ah...you've really stumped me with that question."

Kiryu's smile turned into a wry smile.

"I don't understand why the Kamaitachi suddenly appeared and attacked you that night."

"Although I hate to admit it... the intelligence control of the Fazhu Party is truly unparalleled, and our Hulu House can only look up to them."

"Looking back, I have been here in Edo for quite some time now."

"After spending so much time in Edo and expending countless resources and energy, we still couldn't find any trace of the Hoju Party in Edo."

"The night I encountered the Kamaitachi was the first time I had ever seen someone from the Hoju-dō since I opened my Senjiya in Edo."

"The cadres of the Party that punishes the law are extremely loyal to the Party that punishes the law."

"It is unbelievable that someone is so loyal as to be willing to die for the law and punish those in power."

Kiryu opened his mouth and raised his right hand to point to his back molars inside his mouth.

"The cadres of the Fazhu Party all had a hollowed-out denture inserted in their back molars, and inside this hollowed-out denture was a specially made poison that would cause immediate and incurable death if ingested."

"When faced with a situation where one needs to commit suicide by poisoning, one should use their tongue to open the dentures behind the molars and swallow the poison."

"Our Hulu House had two opportunities to capture and execute Party cadres alive, but we failed to do so because these cadres committed suicide quickly."

"Originally, when facing Kamaitachi, I had learned from the lesson that the members of the Fazhu Party would commit suicide without hesitation. After disabling Kamaitachi's ability to resist, I immediately put my hand into his mouth to remove his dentures containing poison."

"Unfortunately... we were still a step too late."

"It doesn't seem quite right to say that Kamaitachi wanted to protect that Kanna Tatsugoro."

"Before he showed up, Shinno Tatsugoro, who had already taken your fatal blow, was already beyond saving."

"They didn't appear earlier or later, but only when Jinno Tatsugoro was already doomed... It doesn't seem like they wanted to come out to protect Jinno Tatsugoro."

“Those who are involved in the Party’s persecution are inherently eccentric, so it is not surprising that they do anything strange or incomprehensible.”

“‘Just passing by by chance, because I dislike the officials, I suddenly decided to kill you, Tachibana-kun,’ ‘Because the young master is beautiful, I want to kidnap him and take him home’… These are all things that members of the Law Extermination Party might do.”

"In short, I am still investigating why the Kamaitachi suddenly appeared and attacked you that night."

"If anything is found out later, I will let you know as soon as possible."

Qingdeng nodded solemnly: "Thank you for your trouble..."

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Kiryu asked in return.

“…No more.” Qingdeng shook his head.

Kiryu turned his gaze to Kinoshita Mai.

Noticing Kiryu's gaze, Kinoshita Mai pondered for a moment, then gently shook her head.

“Well then…” Kiryu smiled happily, “let’s get back to the topic we just put aside.”

Kiryu moved his hands, which were resting on the counter, to his lap, sitting up straight and with great dignity.

“Ju-kun, I don’t force you to become my apprentice.”

"If you are willing to inherit my mantle, I will warmly welcome you."

"If you are unwilling, I will not force you."

So... what are your thoughts?

The issue of "taking on a master," which had only been put on hold for a short time, was once again placed before Qingdeng.

Kiryu's expression was quite calm... his calm gaze conveyed the message that he was "ready to receive any response from Aoto."

Kinoshita Mai turned her pretty face to look at Aoto, her red lips forming a nervous curve.

She was also waiting for Qingdeng's reply.

"..." Qing Deng lowered his eyes and looked at the sword Ju Shui that was placed on the ground to his right.

—The art of drawing one's sword...?

Qing Deng silently recited the name of this famous martial art in his heart.

Because he was focused on thinking, Qing Deng felt as if the gravity around him had disappeared, and he felt a sense of floating while sitting on the ground.