Anime, but the Phantom Thieves of Heart

"Junior is just an identity, who knows what his relationship with the eldest lady is?"

'Then ask again?'

'Ask again! !'

Although the group of adults surrounding Lan Ke seemed to be trying hard to lower their voices, Lan Ke's enhanced hearing made it impossible for him to ignore them. Fortunately, before they could continue to surround him, accompanied by a burst of footsteps, the majestic Busujima Saeko walked towards the crowd with capable steps.

"Senior Dahe, is there something you want to talk to my junior about?"

Busujima Saeko was smiling as usual, but perhaps because of her 'home team' status, she seemed to be more oppressive than usual. The middle-aged man known as 'Senpai Ohga' coughed awkwardly, as if he had been caught by his own daughter buying Pokémon cards secretly.

"Nothing, it's just that it's rare for a newcomer to come to the dojo, and since you brought him back, Miss, I couldn't help but ask if there's anything I can help with..."

While speaking, the other party was trying to wink at Lan Ke, as if trying to get Lan Ke to help him get away with it.

Unfortunately, in Lan Ke's opinion, with the other party's poor acting skills, he had 100% been discovered, but he didn't intend to make enemies with the other party, so he simply went along with what the other party said.

“The seniors are more enthusiastic.”

Busujima Saeko didn't say much, just reminded them "don't bully newcomers" and the matter was temporarily over.

However, Busujima Saeko bowed slightly to Lan Ke with some apology.

1

"I'm sorry, Narukami-san, I seemed to have scared you a little just now."

"It's okay~ It's okay~ I didn't lie just now. The seniors didn't do anything rude. They were just a little too enthusiastic. But, senior sister, you are indeed a 'young lady'~"

Because he didn't want to dwell on the previous topic any longer, Lan Ke simply changed the subject.

As expected, this topic seemed to hit Busujima Saeko's 'weakness'. Usually, Busujima Saeko, who was always calm and composed in the face of everything and could even reject someone's confession with a smile, blushed for the first time, as if she was not used to being called 'young lady' by her classmates at school.

"That was just a joke from Taiga-senpai and the others. Taiga-senpai was one of my father's earliest disciples and practically watched me grow up. They jokingly called me 'Miss' when I was little, and it's been that way ever since. I'm just the daughter of a dojo family."

"So I hope Narukami-san doesn't get angry at the seniors."

Although Lan Ke really wanted to complain about the long row of walls outside, he really didn't think it could be simply explained as "the daughter of a dojo family", but she really didn't care about the people in the dojo.

It can even be said that Lan Ke is a little envious.

After all, he hasn't felt this kind of pure and sincere emotion for a long time since his family passed away.

Of course, it’s not that he had never seen this before. After all, most patients in the hospital have a good relationship with their families. But for some reason, he seemed to have lost something in his heart and found it difficult to empathize. Or was it simply because he had seen so much birth, aging, sickness and death due to his work that his sensitivity decreased?

"Mr. Taiga didn't do anything disrespectful. Rather, it's something to be happy about, Senior, that you care about your 'family' so much."

While Lan Ke was speaking, Busujima Saeko was also observing Lan Ke's expression. She only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the smile on Lan Ke's mouth. After all, she didn't come to Lan Ke to cause trouble for him.

"Thank you~"

After saying thank you softly, Busujima Saeko straightened her expression again.

"As I mentioned before, I'd like to entrust you with the task of 'sparring', Narukami-kun. Although the gym organizes 'sparring', sparring itself is extremely physically and mentally exhausting. Even if apprentices who are close friends train with each other, everyone's energy is limited, and they will definitely focus more time and energy on the things they need to train. Therefore, it is unlikely that every apprentice will find a suitable opponent..."

"So, you're looking for a 'punching bag' that's strong enough but also durable enough?"

In response to Lan Ke's teasing, Busujima Saeko chose to respond positively this time and also gave an additional explanation.

"That's right, but this isn't a bad thing for you, Senior Ming. After all, you have plenty of talent, but your foundation isn't solid enough. In a short period of time, what you need is to integrate the knowledge you've acquired into your body and turn it into instinct. So this kind of training will also be beneficial to you."

Qian-Xun ⑨⒍○⑴二⑹㈡７0

"Of course, our Busujima Dojo will not deduct your salary for this reason. What do you think, Narukami-san?"

Although she had already said it once before, Busujima Saeko still took the trouble to confirm it with Lan Ke again.

Although Lan Ke came to the "Dokujima Dojo" to look for clues, what Dokujima Saeko said really moved him.

Although his close combat ability is not a shortcoming in the current battle, it is not a strength either.

To give the simplest example, facing the same slash, even though Lan Ke and Busujima Saeko can both block it, the principles they use are completely different.

Because of countless times of swinging the sword, her body has almost become instinctive. When she realizes that an attack is coming, a thought arises and her body will react to block it.

Lan Ke, on the other hand, must first be aware of the incoming attack through vision or hearing, then decide how to deal with it, and finally react.

Because of the extra step, it tends to be slower.

This has almost no impact under normal circumstances, but if you encounter a truly powerful opponent, it may become an insurmountable gap, just like facing Busujima Saeko's "shadow" not long ago. Even if Lan Ke had not been fully prepared, he would not know what to do if he encountered the evolution of the "shadow".

If it was said that Lan Ke initially simply intended to use the opportunity of coming to the dojo to explore the route first, and if he couldn't figure it out he would continue to look for clues at night, then at this time Busujima Saeko really persuaded Lan Ke.

If 'defeating monsters in the cognitive world to plunder their 'cognitive energy' to strengthen one's own personality mask' is regarded as raising the level of monsters in the game, then it can now be understood as 'raising the level of melee skills'.

Not only that, he even gets paid for his work!!

Although he previously "worked" to buy himself more time to kill monsters, with his "eyesight fading" recently, he has begun to consider whether he should really work.

As for using the identity of a 'Phantom Thief' to make some money from the target?

Lan Ke is not a moral purist. Just like what he said to "Lion Lord" before, there is no good or evil in weapons, and the same goes for money. If he uses it to do justice, then it is justice!

The only problem is that Lan Ke realized that in order to enter the lower levels of the "Impression Space·Subway", he needed a higher "fame", so the image of a "chivalrous thief who does justice without seeking money" would definitely be more advantageous.

It seems that the 'part-time job' provided by Busujima Saeko for him seems to be more suitable than he imagined!

"For me, working part-time is working anywhere. The conditions you offer are so generous, I certainly won't refuse them. However, I can't just take advantage of it. I hope to be able to take the test. If I can meet the requirements of the dojo, I will naturally be happy to accept it. If I can't meet the requirements, I don't want to make things difficult for you!"

At this time, Lan Ke didn't even know that there was no permanent "sparring partner" in the dojo. This position was completely added at the last minute by Saeko Busujima to meet her own "training plan".

Of course, as the 'teacher representative', Busujima Saeko is also qualified to add this position.

So what she cared about was not "working" at all, but Lan Ke as a person.

She found that she seemed to be becoming more and more satisfied with Lan Ke.

A talent that even impressed Fujimura Taiga, an indomitable fighting spirit, and the courage to challenge the strong...

Even the hint of arrogance in his words made her very satisfied.

In her opinion, a "swordsman" is like a "sword", which can be humble, just like a sword in a scabbard, and does not have to show its edge all the time.

But you must never lose your pride, because that means you have lost the courage to keep climbing, just like a blunt sword that has lost its future and will eventually break.

So not only would she not stop Lan Ke, she would even be happy to see it happen.

"In that case, let the 'seniors' of the gym help you test it. I believe that with your ability, there will be no problem. However, I must make it clear that 'salary' is directly linked to 'workload'. In other words, the longer you persist, the higher your salary will be~"

As if seeing through Lan Ke's thoughts, Saeko Busujima gave Lan Ke a boost in the end.

Lan Ke's fighting spirit is growing almost visibly!

Obviously in order to restore his 'eyesight', Lan Ke feels that he can now fight 10 people! !

Chapter 30: The opponent is definitely not an ordinary thug! We must use a heavy punch!

Although Lan Ke's current identity is a "test subject", the treatment given to Lan Ke by the Dokujima Dojo is not less than that at all, including a close-fitting kendo uniform and a suitable bamboo sword.

When Lan Ke stood in the center of the kendo field, almost all the apprentices gathered around him. Even a few who were not interested followed because they were worried that they would not fit in.

Seeing this, Busujima Saeko didn't say much, or perhaps one of her original purposes was to let the apprentices in the dojo understand Lan Ke's abilities, which would save a lot of trouble.

This world is extremely complex, and different places have different rules. For example, in Japanese schools, simply having good academic performance is useless. Often, only people who are good at socializing can become the core of the group, and academic performance is just icing on the cake. For another example, the words of seniors in the workplace are absolute, regardless of right or wrong.

It is undoubtedly a bad habit, but it does exist.

In contrast, the world of swordsmen is relatively much simpler. It can be summed up in one sentence: strength comes first!

Saeko Busujima knew very well that although no one in the dojo would openly disobey her orders as long as she gave them, it would not help Lan Ke integrate into the dojo, but might instead isolate him. After all, it would not be considered a violation of the rules to just praise him and ignore him.

So, she chose another way to help Lan Ke integrate into the dojo.

"Since you're applying for a 'sparring partner' position, let's test you in a 'work' manner."

Naturally, no one present would object to this. After all, since Lan Ke was applying for the position of "sparring partner", this kind of test was perfectly normal.

But Busujima Saeko actually thought more. In her opinion, Lan Ke had enough talent, but his foundation was not solid enough. Compared with complex games, "sparring" within a certain range would make it easier to show Lan Ke's advantages and win the recognition of everyone present.

However, after Lan Ke grabbed the bamboo sword and struck it a few times, he tried to strike a few stances. During this time, everyone unconsciously started to communicate in low voices.

"This posture is quite standard."

"Aren't you talking nonsense? As the young lady's junior, since he was brought in by the young lady to 'work', it at least means that he has won the young lady's approval. How could he be a rookie?"

It is obvious that Busujima Saeko's thoughts were not hidden from everyone in the dojo. Of course, Busujima Saeko had no intention of hiding it. She simply gave Lan Ke a chance to show off. Everyone in the dojo was also very curious about why their "teacher representative" brought Lan Ke back.

Is the gym short of sparring partners?

After all, an opponent who is strong enough and can give you feedback according to your requirements is much more useful than simply swinging in the air, but the problem is that even if you find a sparring partner, it is the personal choice of the "disciples". The dojo is only responsible for teaching, not babysitting, so there is often only "sparring" but no "sparring partner".

But Busujima Saeko clearly said that she hired Lan Ke to be a sparring partner for everyone.

This undoubtedly makes everyone more curious.

However, the whispered conversation among the crowd was forced to be interrupted when Busujima Saeko asked, "Who wants to try it first?"

After all, it is very rude to chat while others are discussing.

Then a young boy stood up first.

"Teacher's representative! I wonder if I can do this?"

After hearing what her apprentice said, Busujima Saeko nodded without any nonsense, and the onlookers couldn't help but show an 'interesting' expression.

If the group of middle-aged men led by 'Dahe' were simply curious and scrutinizing Lan Ke, then the young male disciples in the gym had a hint of hostility.

But this is not surprising. Most of the former are disciples of Busujima Saeko's father or simply fellow disciples. They watched Busujima Saeko grow up. To them, Busujima Saeko is like their own daughter or a younger sister who is much older than her.

They are not opposed to Busujima Saeko having a boyfriend, but in their opinion, Busujima Saeko's boyfriend should at least be worthy of their "daughter/sister"!

As for the latter, although no one has ever confessed to Busujima Saeko, after all, her mate selection criteria are no secret at all, and everyone is self-aware. But when facing a person of the opposite sex of the same age who is impeccable in terms of appearance, figure, family background and strength, who doesn't have any thoughts in mind?

Naturally, many people have the idea of ​​studying kendo hard and then defeating Busujima Saeko one day to win her heart.

At this moment, I suddenly met a person of the opposite sex who was suspected to be my 'rival', and the other party's reaction was not surprising.

Most people of the same age remained silent, but most of the older ones had smiles on their faces, after all, the scene in front of them was very interesting.

Although Lan Ke didn't know the details, he was not a fool. What else could be the reason why a stranger of the same sex who was almost the same age as him suddenly showed hostility towards him?

Lan Ke sighed in his mind, "Since the birth of life, the struggle for mating rights has never disappeared." He put the bamboo sword on his waist and bowed to the other party.

"Ming Shanglan, please give me your guidance."

As for the other party, he also quickly returned the gift.

"Shimada Tadashi, please give me some advice!"

Although he was hostile to Lan Ke, he was very meticulous in etiquette.

"I've been practicing upper dan recently, so I'll be troubling you, Narukami-san, from now on. Please give me your guidance!"

As he spoke, the other party raised the bamboo sword high above his head. Lan Ke was stunned for two seconds.

He could probably guess the opponent's plan. The upper part was the most offensive of all the postures, but its disadvantages were as obvious as its advantages. It had almost no defensive ability, or it could be said that it used offense instead of defense. The most famous of them was the 'Manifestation Flow', and the 'Monkey Call' was the symbol of the Manifestation Flow.

What is 'monkey call'?

Simply put, it means shouting while swinging the sword to distract the enemy, and then waiting for an opportunity to attack.

Of course, actual practice is not that simple. You need to adjust your breathing method to make your voice louder.

Therefore, when dealing with the "upper section", few people would choose to take the initiative. They would often choose to interrupt first, forcing the opponent to attack before the attack reaches its limit, or use the sword to deflect the attack. As for dodging, it requires relatively high physical fitness and reaction ability, so few people would choose it.

But Lan Ke's job right now is to be a 'sparring partner', so naturally he cannot take the initiative to attack and interrupt the opponent. That means he only has three options: 'block', 'deflect' or 'dodge'.

The other party probably intends to use this method to intimidate me, right?

However, Lan Ke couldn't help but sigh that the other party was so easy to guess.

Indeed, showing one's strength to the opposite sex is the most direct way for humans... no, it is the most direct way for humans to seek mates since the birth of all living things. But the problem is that one also has to choose the right target.

Take Busujima Saeko as an example. There is nothing wrong with showing your strength to her, but the prerequisite is that you must be stronger than her. There is no point in defeating others.

However, although Lan Ke was unable to interrupt his opponent's attack due to his work, he was not going to suffer any loss.

Facing the bamboo sword swung at him with a loud shout, Lan Ke aimed the tip of the bamboo sword in the middle section straight ahead, and only took a step forward the moment the opponent swung the bamboo sword.

"Crack~!"

Accompanied by a crisp sound, everyone saw Lan Ke suddenly step out with his left foot, his body in a bow stance, and the bamboo sword in his hand was against the opponent's throat.

"Thank you~"