Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Shiranui Ran straightened the report in front of her and replied, "I was wondering what was going on with that move you used before? It wasn't this exaggerated last time, was it?"

Harunobu had used the Gale Slash before, when he fought Kujo Hideki; but back then, it only managed to scatter Kujo Hideki's dojo garden, nothing like the scale of this attack. Although Harunobu did control the range a bit back then, it was clearly far inferior to this one.

Qingxin spread his hands helplessly: "I don't know either. I just went all out in a fit of anger, and now it seems I can't use it anymore."

"Hehe~ Teacher's College~"

Fujiwara Kaguya nestled in Harunobu's arms, chuckling sweetly as she rubbed against his chest, her body limp as if she had no bones. How could she not react this way? Any woman seeing her beloved so anxious, so diligent, so heroic for her sake would surely react the same way.

There were outsiders present, otherwise the cowgirl would have started riding a horse long ago.

Shiranui Ran pretended not to see Fujiwara Kaguya's urging look and continued to speak unhurriedly: "I have a guess, how about we do a test?"

“Okay.” Qingxin had no objection. He also wanted to find out the reason and see if he could reproduce that move that was like a natural disaster.

Shiranui Ran got up and went to Harunobu's side, with Yakumo Kurenai following behind. The two foxes began to grope Harunobu, whispering to each other in ways Harunobu couldn't understand.

They quickly grew tired of just touching each other through their clothes; Shiranui Ran picked up Fujiwara Kaguya, and Yakumo Kurenai took the opportunity to strip Harunobu of his shirt. If Minamoto no Yukisakura hadn't been watching, Harunobu felt they probably wouldn't have even given him his pants—

Harunobu looked at Yakumo Kurenai, the red-haired fox staring at him with a serious expression, as if her little hand wasn't inside Harunobu's crotch, but outside his pants. This serious expression even made Harunobu swallow his questions—after all, she wasn't a stranger—so he simply lay back down on the sofa, only to be pulled up again by Shiranui Ran.

The two foxes seemed to have reached a tacit agreement: one was in charge of Qingxin's upper body, and the other was in charge of teasing Qingxin's lower body. After a lot of fuss, and even using some strange props such as talismans and silver needles, the two foxes finally stopped.

Shiranui Ran took off her gloves, revealing a pair of fair and radiant hands, and finally tapped Harunobu's temple: "Congratulations, Harunobu, you can now be considered a spellcaster."

"Huh? Me?" Harunobu really hadn't thought of that, but upon closer inspection, it seemed quite reasonable; of course, one couldn't create such a heaven-defying storm with just physical strength, but if magic was involved, then it seemed quite reasonable... right?

Yakumo Kurenai sniffed her smelly little hand and added, "To be precise, Master, you just have magic power and you've used it; even we ninjas have never heard of using swords to cast spells; so rather than saying that you used magic, it's more accurate to say that your swordsmanship utilized magic power... Hmm, this is all so confusing, maybe we should just call it magic."

"How can you be so lazy?" Harunobu pinched Yakumo Kurenai's cheek, and the little fox, who was deliberately acting cute, leaned into Harunobu's naked arms and began to act coquettishly.

Qingxin simply hugged the fox tightly to prevent her from moving inappropriately. As for the matter of magical power, Qingxin had a rough idea of ​​what it was.

Although the Wind-Riding Sword Technique has nothing to do with the mana bar and cannot "destroy a parking lot with a tornado", Harunobu's sword techniques related to wind are now not limited to the Wind-Riding Sword Technique.

Eight Leaves One Blade Style - Second Form - Gale.

This SSR-level swordsmanship, reaching the realm of reason, while not as absurdly powerful as the Wind-Riding Swordsmanship which relies solely on physical strength to control the wind, possesses an "energy"...

Chapter 428

His experience with "manipulation" and "wind control" allowed Harunobu to naturally incorporate these elements when using the Wind Control Sword Technique. Harunobu had always felt regretful about the lack of "orientation" in his Eight Leaves One-Sword Style, but now it seems he may have found a substitute for it.

Therefore, the previous Gale Breath Slash was not just a Gale Breath Slash, but also incorporated the secret technique of the Eight Leaves One Blade Style. The latter used the magical power that Harunobu had somehow acquired, turning the original gale into a real storm... which is quite in line with the philosophy of the Eight Leaves One Blade Style.

This school emphasizes the importance of self-discovery of profound secrets. The same sword technique can always be transformed into different sword techniques in the hands of different disciples, and each form has its own variations, with only the most basic principles remaining unchanged. For example, the Second Form: Gale is "an attack performed with high-speed movement."

As for whether to throw wind blades, run and slash, or simply attack together, that depends on the disciples' individual understanding.

No wonder it's even more difficult to learn than the Wind-Riding Sword Technique...

Of course, these are all just speculations, and evidence is needed to confirm them; however, if Harunobu's guess is correct, then proving it will not be difficult.

He raised his free right hand and began to try to control the magic power within his body according to the energy control techniques of the Eight Leaves One Blade Style, even though he couldn't even feel where the so-called magic power was right now...

Seeing Harunobu's sudden action, Shiranui Ran knew exactly what he was doing. However, controlling magical power was no easy task; even geniuses needed to learn the corresponding methods and practice sufficiently.

"Don't rush, magic power isn't so easy to control..."

Shiranui Ran was worried that Harunobu would be unhappy because of the failure, so she was going to give him a heads-up. But before she could finish speaking, she saw a small whirlwind emerge from Harunobu's palm, accompanied by a faint fluctuation of magical power.

The well-informed Fire Demon was stunned. It wasn't that she hadn't seen Qingxin control the wind before; in fact, if she had to say, the technique of controlling the wind without even using magic was even more terrifying. But to witness someone who hadn't even known they possessed magic power suddenly conjure up a spell they'd never seen before, without any instruction, was a different kind of terrifying and shocking experience altogether.

On the other side, Harunobu noticed Shiranui Ran's stunned expression, extinguished the whirlwind in his hand, and looked at Shiranui Ran, saying, "I see... Is this magic power? Then maybe my disciples will all have magic power in the future."

"Huh?!" The stunned Shiranui Ran was jolted awake by the mental shock from Harunobu and let out a fox-like shriek.

The author says:

Author's note: Please vote~ Yesterday's illustration seemed a bit too much; it didn't last long and I even got a warning from the editor. Next time, I'll have to choose a more wholesome version? (▽｀)

Chapter 400: Splitting Up

"Do you know what you're saying, Harunobu? Are you running a fever?"

Coming to her senses, Shiranui Ran even forgot to put on her gloves before raising her fair, delicate hand and placing it on Harunobu's forehead, demonstrating her suspicion with her actions—she wouldn't say such a foolish thing without a fever.

Moreover, given that Harunobu had been engaging in strenuous exercise and bathing directly in the icy river water, it was quite normal for him to catch a cold and fever.

Qingxin stared at the two large lumps of fruit that were almost pressing against his face, and calmly said, "I know that magic power depends on talent, and there is no method of cultivation—but do I look like I have a talent for casting spells?"

Shiranui Ran really wanted to say that she did have magic, and that it was very powerful; because she had only ever seen one human, Harunobu, who possessed magical power and could control it freely. But her regained rationality made her shake her head: "No, if you had magical power a long time ago, we should have discovered it long ago."

Putting everything else aside, just consider the Ueno explosion earlier. Wasn't that even more critical and desperate than the situation where Fujiwara Kaguya was surrounded and killed alone? But Harunobu clearly didn't use any magic power.

No, that's not right either. It seems that Harunobu did have some magical power at that time... but it was Ame-no-Mikoto's magical power!

Shiranui Ran recalled the golden light that had emanated from Harunobu's body, and was momentarily confused, unsure of what was going on with him. Was it a natural talent that had only recently awakened, or had Ame-no-Mikoto manipulated things? Or was Harunobu telling the truth, that his swordsmanship could truly awaken magical power in others?

After replenishing her energy at the teacher training school, Yakumo Kurenai looked up and said quietly, "Lan, have you forgotten the most basic point of magic power—everyone actually has magic power, it's just that ordinary people can't perceive or control it."

This is why monsters love to eat people, and the more they eat, the stronger they become, and the easier it is for them to enter the "mature stage" early, awaken their wisdom, and master magic.

“But it’s not like no one has tried to teach ordinary people techniques like meditation and prayer to control their magical power.” Shiranui Ran frowned slightly; she certainly knew what Yakumo Kurenai was talking about. Theoretically, everyone possesses magical power, but those without talent simply cannot control or master it—this is proven by concrete practice.

Throughout history, many spellcasters have tried to lower the difficulty of becoming a spellcaster, but regardless of their specific motives and methods, the result is always the same—a waste rock will always remain a waste rock.

Yakumo Kurenai should also be aware of this.

In response to Shiranui Ran's question, Yakumo Kurenai replied matter-of-factly, "Just because those good-for-nothings can't do it doesn't mean my Normal School can't."

Shiranui Blue's hands suddenly felt a little itchy.

Qingxin, who was standing to the side, understood even more why she had magical powers.

If everyone inherently possesses magical power, but those without talent are unable to perceive or control it, then his sudden appearance of magical power is likely due to the "energy manipulation" inherent in the Eight Leaves One Blade Style, which enabled him to master the ability to manipulate magical power.

As for why he couldn't do it using the spellcasters' ability to control magic in this world, Qingxin could only say he didn't know; he certainly did have it now. And he definitely didn't have spellcasting talent—that was certified by the system.

However, it's hard to say about the system. Haruno could only smile and rub Yakumo Akane's cheeks, saying to Shiranui Ran, "Anyway, it doesn't matter whether it's true or false. The difficulty of learning my sword technique is not low. If we really want to talk about it, it's hard to say whether there are more people who cultivate magic power or people who are born with magic power."

To be honest, Harunobu is only certain that Hirako, an SSR-level Susanoo, can definitely learn it. As for others... maybe they can learn it in a few years.

"In any case, let's discuss the next steps."

Harunobu forcefully changed the subject, and Shiranui Ran could only reluctantly withdraw her hand and put on a new pair of gloves.

Sadako Ootake provided Harunobu with a considerable amount of intelligence, including the locations and abilities of two key members of the Tongxin Society, as well as information about the so-called foreigners. In other words, Harunobu now has at least three leads to track down the Tongxin Society. The question is, which one will be the most useful next?

First of all, the foreigners—now Harunobu knows—are a group of alchemists who fled from England, and they are constantly receiving their companions through Western opera houses; that is why Kameda Midorishige was given the task of receiving the foreigners, and it is perfectly reasonable for him, as the mayor, to meet the "foreign opera singers".

Moreover, they are relatively easy to deal with. Although there are many of them, alchemists are not as good at sudden encounters as spellcasters. Qingxin and his group can probably sweep them away in one wave.

But like the orphans of the gods, their relationship with the Tongxin Society is merely one of cooperation; even if the relationship were closer, they would likely be severed by the divine if something went wrong. Compared to the Tongxin Society's cadres, their cost-effectiveness is somewhat low.

Then, the two cadres of the Tongxin Association also had their strengths and weaknesses.

Needless to say, Nurarihyon is a troublesome old man, a born thief, assassin, and deadbeat. To catch him, you have to be absolutely certain, otherwise he'll easily figure you out or escape, after all, he's the kind of guy who can even hide his presence.

However, since Nurarihyon is in charge of intelligence, theoretically, catching him...

Chapter 429

It is the best choice, as it will provide the largest quantity and highest quality intelligence leads.

Then there's the painting demon who calls herself Hana-cho-maru, who theoretically seems to be the easiest to deal with, but according to the information provided by Ootake Sadako, that's not necessarily true.

Although she is not the real Hana-cho (花鸟卷), as a painting demon, she also possesses the ability to create a "world within a painting," and ordinary people would likely only become her toy dolls. Therefore, she is not easy to catch.

Furthermore, the fact that a member of the Tongxin Association like her is actually staying in an ordinary illegal clinic makes one wonder what kind of conspiracy she might be hiding; that might involve the Tongxin Association's true purpose in Osaka!

Therefore, these two monsters are still in densely populated areas. If they cannot be subdued immediately, they will certainly not hesitate to use ordinary people as hostages.

Although Harunobu could now be described as ruthless killers, that was only in relation to those who deserved to die; if possible, he still wanted to avoid affecting innocent ordinary people.

Finally, given the Tongxin Society's current attitude of avoiding Qingxin like the plague, if he were to attack either side, regardless of success or failure, the other two sides would undoubtedly flee immediately. In other words, he can only succeed; failure is not an option…

But there is only one Qingxin, and he cannot take care of all three parties.

"In that case, why don't we split up and take three separate groups, Teachers' College?"

Harunobu looked at Taira Yukiko sitting beside him: "Separate outfits? No, in case of danger..."

"How could these small fry possibly put us in any danger?" Yakumo Kurenai interjected with a grin. "You surely know better than anyone how skilled Sachiko-nee is, right?"

Indeed, with Hirayukiko's current mastery of various sword techniques, including those with full license, coupled with the protection of the Womb Realm Mandala, her combat power far surpasses that of ordinary yokai, or even elite-level yokai.

"So, let me and Sachiko-nee deal with that painting demon—the world in the painting is just another kind of barrier, and it dares to show off its skills in front of me." Yakumo Kurenai proudly put her hands on her hips and raised her pointed chin, which made Harunobu rub her chin.

Shiranui Ran continued, "Leave Nurarihyon to me. I want to see who is better at stealth and ambush—him or the Fire Demon from Shiranui—what's with that look?"

Harunobu withdrew his gaze and chuckled twice. Mainly because Shiranui Ran had always been outmaneuvered by him, he subconsciously showed distrust when he heard that she was going to catch Nurarihyon alone.

Shiranui Ran knew she really had to put on a good show today, otherwise she, the Fire Demon, would completely lose face.

She gritted her teeth and emphasized, "Don't forget who was the main opponent of the Tongxin Society before you appeared. I've taken down more than one or two Tongxin Society cadres."

Indeed, Qingxin first met her when she was investigating the Demon Dragon Society, which was colluding with the Tongxin Society. It was also thanks to her that Qingxin learned about the existence of the Tongxin Society.

"Finally~" Yakumo Hong drawled, drawing everyone's attention, "Master, you, Minamoto-san, and Kaguya-chan should go and deal with those alchemists. After all, there are many of them, and if we go, there's a good chance some will slip through our net; not to mention, although Ran and I can speak English, we're not very fluent, but Minamoto-san and Kaguya-chan are quite good at it, right?"

Yakumo Kurenai's words were logical and well-founded, leaving Harunobu with no grounds for rebuttal. Moreover, he understood the reason why Hirai Sachiko and Yakumo Kurenai had suddenly said this—finding clues was probably secondary; the main purpose was simply to create an opportunity for him and Minamoto Yuki Sakura to be alone—Fujiwara Kaguya?

It's just a charm for Harunobu.

So, in the end, we decided to do it this way.

Chapter 401: Daily Life - Waking Up

Although a plan to split into three groups and act separately was established, the operation would not begin immediately. One group needed to carefully observe and confirm the authenticity of the information, as the Nurarihyon's period of activity had already passed—or at least the period of activity had not. The other two groups were in the same situation.

After all, it's intelligence from the enemy. While we can't completely disbelieve it, we also can't blindly accept it all.

In short, it will take two or three days to thoroughly examine it.

This is the specialty of Shiranui Ran and Yakumo Kurenai; the two former fire demons of Shiranui can easily conduct simple reconnaissance. Although Harunobu possesses the stealth skills of the Shimada school, he is still far inferior in terms of the ability to act covertly, so he can only reluctantly hold a silver party at the hotel... no, it's to conserve his energy and prepare for battle.

Moreover, it would be a good time to digest and organize the extra magical power in his body; although he already has the secret technique of Eight Leaves One Blade Style, the second form of Gale is not good at energy manipulation, so it would be better to practice it as much as possible.

"Speaking of which, now that I have magical powers, does that mean I can learn magic spells?"

Qingxin suddenly remembered and said excitedly.

Yakumo Kurenai was fiddling with her fox head when she heard this, and she laughed as if she had just stolen a chicken: "Of course you can, you can ask Koharu for some textbooks at the teachers' college..."

Harunobu actually did it; he contacted Tsuchimikado Haru through the Womb Realm Mandala.

A few minutes later, the student who had graduated from elementary school in this life and failed advanced mathematics for two consecutive years in her previous life, barely passing by thanks to her participation grade, caught the little fox trying to escape and began to roughly rub her smooth, sly face.

MD advanced calculus is still chasing me!

Even the most basic fire spell, as described by Tsuchimikado Haru, requires advanced mathematics to construct its model—and it's some kind of mystical version! What a joke! Swordsmanship is much more suitable for me.

……

The next day, Harunobu lazily opened his eyes, nudged Yakumo Kurenai who was lying on his chest, but couldn't move her and didn't bother with her anymore.

"Husband, you can sleep a little longer today." Hirako, who had gotten up early, came in with breakfast and looked at Harunobu on the bed with affection. "Nothing else important to do today, right?"

"No, I've been so busy these past few days that I haven't had time to practice my swordsmanship. I need to catch up quickly." Harunobu yawned and sat up with the help of Hirako.

Yakumo Kurenai couldn't keep up the act any longer, and Hirayukiko pushed her out of Harunobu's arms, picking up a warm towel to wipe Harunobu's slightly sticky skin. The red-haired fox gave a fake yawn, pretending to have just woken up, and also picked up a towel to wipe Harunobu's face. However, it was more like she was trying to seduce Harunobu than helping him wash up, so she was quickly suppressed by Hirayukiko and sent to dry Harunobu's still-dry clothes.

Hirako skillfully manipulated Harunobu's body, quickly restoring him to a refreshed state; then Harunobu got off the bed, his vigorous dragon nodding its head at its mistress, before being dressed in brand-new underwear that smelled of sunshine.

Hirako gently tapped the faucet through the soft fabric, playfully twisting her hips to shake off Harunobu's large hand, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Then she picked up the perfectly warm meat porridge, scooped a spoonful, and held it to Harunobu's lips as he sat back down on the bed: "Ah~"

Qingxin opened his mouth, took the spoon that was handed to him, and his big hand climbed back up to his beloved's waist, skillfully stroking it.

Before long, the pale ceramic spoon was replaced with a bright red meat spoon...

boom!

The door to Harunobu's room was kicked open, and Yakumo Kurenai stormed in, carrying Harunobu's clothes except for his underwear. She yelled in a high-pitched voice, "Wow! I knew you two were going to secretly show off your love again! That's too much! I'm angry! I'm not getting up until you kiss me at the teacher's office~"

As he shouted, he even lay down on the ground and started rolling around.

Harunobu glanced at the dramatic fox who rushed in right on time, then rolled out the last bit of meat porridge from Hirako's mouth, released the adorable girl who was almost out of breath, and gently nudged the little fox's delicate foot with his foot.

"Weren't you supposed to go on a reconnaissance mission with Lan today? It's already so late."

Yakumo Kurenai stopped her fake crying and grabbed Harunobu's leg, starting to climb up him: "That idiot Ran isn't coming with me anyway, I'll go scout out that painting demon myself later; it won't take long, Master~"