Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Satisfied, the dragon roared its final words and closed its eyes in reluctance.

The thin, scalding blade sliced ​​across his neck, which had only just begun to heal. The taut scales could not withstand the immense force transmitted through them, and crumbled as easily as rotten wood in the face of the shallow strike aimed at the spirit.

The dragon's enormous body was unequally split in two, with the larger portion of its body crashing to the ground first, gradually shattering and dissipating.

The head, flying horizontally through the air, burst into azure dragon flames, as if launching a final counterattack, while the flames remaining elsewhere indeed burned even more fiercely.

With his last strength, Vortigern opened his eyes, wanting to savor the pain or rage of his killer as he entered his eternal slumber.

He got what he wanted.

That man, Hiraharu, fell to the ground even before him. His face, covered with strange markings, was contorted in pain, tears and snot streaming down his face, mingling with the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth that he had bitten open.

So pitiful, so tragic.

It's foolish to make a choice but be unable to bear the consequences.

They're just a group of ordinary females, yet they possess such immense power. How could they possibly be afraid of not finding other females? Or are there some particularly rare types of females among them?

From his lofty position, Voodoo condescended to cast his gaze upon the corpses of those mortal females—

Why are they still alive?

Fuck!

This is impossible!

My dragonfire will burn away their souls! Turning them into a bunch of mindless shells!

And if they didn't die, why is this damned knight in so much pain?

Flames... wait, what's with the flames?

Clinging to his last shred of consciousness, Vortigern, his head already beginning to disintegrate, followed the flowing dragonfire back to Hiraharu Shin. He saw in Hiraharu Shin all the flames he had inflicted on those mortals. Azure, deep, mysterious, and alluring.

Is he taking the brunt of my dragonfire for the females?

why?

How can it be? !

How could he do that?!

You damn fool!!!

Vortigern's head slammed heavily to the ground, his last vestiges of consciousness vanishing with the complete severing of the resurrection spell. Even so, his remaining half-head stared intently at Hiraharu, who lay on the ground howling in pain, his terrifying, yellowish vertical pupils fixed on him.

Resentment! Anger! Hatred!

He is dying!

But no one cared about him now. Hirako was the first to rush to Harunobu's side and pick him up from the ground. Then she was startled by the high temperature on Harunobu's body, which was beyond the level of a fever, and even made her feel like she was being burned.

Amu Hojo and Nako Tachibana, who were only a second or two apart, also showed the same anxious expression.

Chapter 215

Nako even tried to condense swifts to cool Harunobu down, but it was a drop in the ocean.

That's how these markings are; while they greatly enhance physical abilities, the price is extremely high temperatures from the inside out. If you can withstand it, you'll survive, and might even be able to activate the markings more easily; if you can't... you'll die.

Just then, the kitten, who had been forced to slow down due to the intense pain, finally caught up. After confirming Harunobu's condition, she immediately set her sights on Shiranui Ran, who was hesitating beside her, unsure whether to squeeze in: "Miss Shiranui! Can you still move? Can you take me and the teacher to Ame-no-Tama-no-Mikoto Shrine? Yes, the one next to Yoshiwara!"

This bizarre situation naturally reminded the little cat of the mysterious priestess who had saved the twins from the brink of death. However, their speed was still too slow; mental power couldn't be unleashed indefinitely… Although if it were for Harunobu, she certainly wouldn't hesitate to help anyone, whether it was Hirako, Amu, or even Nako. But she didn't want Harunobu to wake up to the news that his woman had gone mad or even died.

And there just happened to be a fast enough vehicle nearby.

Shiranui Ran nodded quickly, squeezed into the group surrounded by Hirai Yukiko and the others, and took the hot letter from Hirai Haruno: "Come up and give me directions!"

Although Shiranui Ran is very familiar with Asakusa Ward and had previously sent people to keep an eye on Harunobu, and knows the shrine where the mysterious shrine maiden is located, she now only wants to eliminate all risks.

The smallest kitten jumped onto Shiranui Blue's back without hesitation, and then a deep blue light shone on the golden fox.

Ninja Art: Wind Release: Divine Speed ​​Technique!

As they watched as Shiranui Ran carried Taira Haruno away quickly, Taira Yukiko and the other two finally calmed down.

Taking several deep breaths, Hirako looked at her disciples who were recovering from the excruciating pain of their souls being burned, and pursed her lips slightly. To be honest, she really wanted to give them a good scolding, but she knew they hadn't done anything wrong; on the contrary, they had made an extremely brave choice. Not everyone dares to charge at a dragon tens of meters long, let alone the one who made that choice.

It was she who ruined the teachers' college and turned her husband into that horrible state.

Her pearly white teeth crunched as she bit them, and Hirako clenched her fists, overwhelmed by grief and guilt that threatened to drag her into despair. Hosho Amu and Tachibana Nako showed similar reactions, as did the other female disciples.

Harunobu had undoubtedly risked his life to save them. To save those who weren't very close to him, and who had even "used" him.

He didn't even hesitate at all!

He clearly couldn't get anything from them at all.

They don't have as much as Hiraharu Nobu, and as for their bodies... well, for a man like Shihan, there are women who would give their bodies to him that could stretch from Asakusa to Minato.

Are they beautiful? Compared to the average person, yes. But compared to the women from the teachers' college, not to mention Xiao Mao, even senior students like Dai and Baosheng are more attractive.

Guilt and the satisfaction of being so protected tormented the disciples' hearts, gradually transforming into a clear and unwavering love. It was a crystallization of their souls, refined after being tempered by dragon flames.

Even the international students couldn't help but experience a slight change in their hearts. Compared to some of their disciples, they felt less guilty for "using" them, but instead developed a stronger sense of admiration.

Regardless of the religion, such acts of self-sacrifice to protect others are lauded with the highest praise. And for these devout believers, Harunobu's actions are almost akin to those of a "saint," a "living Buddha," or a "divine child."

Amidst these slightly different yet ultimately convergent thoughts, a strange atmosphere descended upon the ruins where the dragon's carcass lay scattered. Even the shrunken dragon's remains were an immense treasure.

Immediately, some impatient creatures crowded around.

"You, we'll take you here—"

The speaker suddenly stopped, goosebumps rising all over his body. Even though he was surrounded by beautiful women, the sight of over a hundred pairs of eyes staring at him made him feel as if he were seeing over a hundred female dragons.

If he dares to utter another word...

Hirako took a step forward, her icy gaze sweeping over the figures, both those who had just arrived and those who had been there all along, whether they were in the open or hidden: "Get lost!"

The cold voice was chilling, and the wolves fell silent.

Chapter 200: Your belief is yours...

Oh, am I dead?

In the excessively tranquil environment, Qingxin slowly opened his eyes. Before him appeared a magnificent sea of ​​red flowers, the alluring red spider lilies stretching endlessly from his feet.

A gentle breeze blew by, rippling the sea of ​​flowers, and the fragrance gently seeped into Qingxin's mind, calming his mood.

"Is this the Underworld? It's much better than I imagined."

Qingxin shook his head and sat down cross-legged. His self-talk drifted away on the wind, disappearing into the dim sky, without receiving any response.

In this situation, anyone would think he's really dead.

However, if he really died, he probably wouldn't be able to go to hell with a sword, right? This isn't the Seireitei, and he's not a real Grim Reaper.

He drew the asagi from his waist, placed it horizontally on his lap, and gently stroked the gleaming blade.

Amidst a sea of ​​flowers, a handsome samurai, brows furrowed, brandishing his sword, created a truly picturesque scene. It would seem inappropriate not to add some variation. Unfortunately, not everyone is adept at reading the room. So, after searching for a long time, Harunobu found nothing except numerous handprints and fingerprints on the asakusa.

"So shouldn't another version of myself pop out at this time? If we don't have Uncle Zangetsu, we can have Uncle Kyoka Suigetsu, or even a young boy like Shimōrinmaru; Miss Sode no Shirayuki is also fine, as long as it's not the kind of energetic young man like Zabimaru."

He muttered for a long time, but unfortunately, Asauchi remained Asauchi, without making a sound. He didn't even reveal his real name, let alone "the other me."

When Asauchi delivered the final blow to Vortigern, he reacted, which is why he was able to take the scorching heat of the dragon flames for his disciples. It should be the power of his Zanpakuto. The same goes for the scene before us. Rather than saying that he went to Yomotsu Hirasaka, it's more accurate to say that his inner world manifested the appearance of Yomotsu Hirasaka.

Forget it, don’t think about it if you can’t figure it out.

Let's first figure out what he just learned about the mind.

I never imagined that thoughts could be such a simple thing.

Harunobu refocused his thoughts on the previous battle.

Just as his soaring sword was about to strike its mark, he was firmly trapped by Vortigern's magic, who had been plotting for a long time. Then his soul was scorched by dragon flames, and a flood of junk information invaded his mind. Although the wording and phrasing varied, the central message was the same: to try to turn him into a loyal servant of the great Vortigern.

With the help of strange magic, Vortigern came close to success.

When Taira Yukiko and the others arrived, he took control of Harunobu's mind and body. After being unexpectedly injured by Taira Yukiko and the others using their mental powers, Vortigern decided to use Harunobu to eliminate them in one fell swoop and enjoy the delicious expressions of these betrayed mortals.

Unfortunately, he chose the wrong time and the wrong target for his brainwashing.

Harunobu wasn't actually a dragon speaker; his ability to resist the dragon flames stemmed from his mastery of quickly deciphering external information and his remarkable patience. The spells designed to counter dragon speakers were less effective on ordinary people, allowing Harunobu to maintain his clear mind. This enabled him to discover that with enough willpower, one could resist Vortigern's dragon flames.

—Why is Shiranui Blue so bad?

Of course, it's because her willpower isn't strong enough. After all, she's a ninja, not a samurai, and her strength is...

Chapter 216

They excel in close combat and are more adept at magic.

Having realized this, Harunobu naturally attempted to master his mind. And, unsurprisingly, it was still futile; after all, this wasn't his first attempt. Ultimately, what kind of mind power did all his sword techniques derive from? Hosho Amu, with her family's deep-rooted martial arts tradition, had developed her own unique Mind Power—the Ultimate—from the very beginning.

Hirayukiko possessed exceptional talent, coupled with the swordsmanship of Thunder Breathing, which was her specialty, thus giving rise to the Mindset: Narukami.

Similarly, there's Tachibana Nako, a mysterious genius with the talent of "The highest good is like water," who, combined with Water Breathing and Shigure Souen Ryu, finally managed to deduce Mind's Souen.

It's normal that someone as mediocre as him, who doesn't have any special methods to train his learning mind, can't come up with anything just by thinking.

Qingxin had always thought this way, even though he kept saying things like, "As long as you have enough momentum, that's enough. Just unleash your inner power and charge!" But such words might fool others, but they were meaningless to fool himself.

So, naturally, his second attempt failed again. And as a result, under Vortigern's command, his body assumed the posture of the god of fire and thunder.

At this moment, Harunobu remembered what Nenko, who had merged with the yokai "Ken" and possessed certain prophetic abilities, had told him when he set off from the cargo ship.

The original intention behind wielding the sword...

Speaking of which, why did he start practicing swordsmanship in the first place... to inherit the Taira clan name and become a samurai who wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing?

wrong.

The reasons that could be called justifications come later. The real reason that made him decide to absolutely practice swordsmanship diligently and constantly improve was…

correct.

It's about wanting to become stronger and protect the happy life we ​​have now.

So, has he given up on this idea now?

Of course not. He has so many wives he hasn't even touched!

So, can he accept his happy life being ruined?

Of course not!

So, you fucking body, get moving! I fucking command you!!!

That's roughly the feeling.

After figuring it out, and disregarding the relationship between swordsmanship and intention, Harunobu finally understood what "intention" truly meant. It wasn't that swordsmanship derived intention; it had nothing to do with that stuff. True intention was exactly what it sounded like—the thoughts and desires in one's heart.

Whether it's Shinto-ryu, Shinryu, or Nen-ryu, what truly matters is to believe from the bottom of your heart and then carry out your beliefs. If anything blocks that belief, then beat it down! Until it submits!

Your belief is your heart's desire!

And you fucking want to touch my wife, my wife? Then you fucking go to hell!

It's worth noting here that swordsmanship and mental focus are actually related. As the saying goes, a healthy body can house a sound soul, and a sound soul nurtures a strong will. Having undergone various trials and tribulations in swordsmanship and mental discipline, Qingxin suddenly realized this, and the intensity of his mental focus that erupted was far beyond that of disciples who were still in the early stages of their training. He immediately shattered the brainwashing spell that Voodoo had not even mastered.

Then proceed as described above.

Enhanced by his mental power, Harunobu administered a stamina-boosting drug, then unleashed a six-...seven-hit combo, thoroughly and pleasantly sending Vortigern to his death. In the process, he even mastered the unique technique of the Crimson Blade and moved Asauchi, successfully creating substitute puppets for his disciples.

The price was being burned to this land of the dead... So, what exactly is his Zanpakuto trying to say?

Harunobu was lost in thought, completely unaware of the various figures appearing in the sea of ​​flowers.

The author says:

Author's Note: I'm a bit exhausted after finishing this long chapter... but I'm still asking for your votes!

Chapter 201: The Tachibana Clan (4K)

The mysterious witch's cottage.

As quiet as if in a deep sleep, Qingxin was placed on the bedding in the center of the small house, surrounded by hundreds of paper figures forming a circle. Several white candles were placed in the circle of paper figures, casting huge shadows on Qingxin and faintly covering his entire body.

The shrine maiden knelt outside the circle of paper figures, holding a delicate little Kagura bell in her hand, and rhythmically shook it to produce a clear, crisp sound. Wherever the bell rang, even the extremely anxious cat and Hirako calmed down considerably, but Harunobu's breathing became a little more rapid.

"trouble……"