Female Swordsman Training Dojo

"Your health is really bad." Harunobu stood up, grabbed the kitten by the collar of her kimono and lifted her up. "Look at Sachiko, she practiced for the same amount of time all morning, and look at her."

The kitten gave Qingxin a disdainful look, looking listlessly: "I think you want me to look at something else, not physical strength."

"So what?" In the relatively short time it had been teaching the kitten, Harunobu had already become immune to this brat's sharp tongue. "So you're insecure about not having a chest or a butt, huh?"

Harunobu and Sachiko walked back to the living area after moving the suddenly agitated kitten a little further away. Sachiko went to cook, while Harunobu took the kitten to the bathroom: "Go wash yourself clean. Don't be stingy with soap. I'll get you some clothes."

The kitten snorted, released Qingxin's large hand, and crawled into the bathtub that had been filled with hot water. The comfortable feeling made her groan, but she quickly suppressed it.

Through the blurry frosted glass, she saw Qingxin leave a stack of clothes at the door, which reminded her of the first time she took a bath here, when that bastard teacher actually said that she was almost the same as a man and could just wear his clothes.

Even if it's the truth, it's still too hurtful!

But then again... when did she get used to this kind of life? While her underlings are still working on the streets, she's enjoying herself in this luxurious place... Ah, even if it's a dilapidated Aozora-kan, it's still an incredibly luxurious place for Eita.

Perhaps she shouldn't have rejected Harunobu's suggestion? It wouldn't have been bad to let those little guys come over too... No, no, no, what is she thinking? Eta is still Eta after all.

She pursed her lips, then the kitten submerged herself in the bathtub. The warm water gently soothed her body and washed away her complicated thoughts.

A dozen minutes later, the kitten, having dried its hair, cautiously peeked out from behind the door to avoid being attacked. But after waiting for a while and not seeing Qingxin come over, the kitten got bored, changed into new clothes, and went back to the restaurant on the first floor.

She saw that Amu Hosho, who had been looking at Harunobu with resentment yesterday, was sitting face to face with him, her face showing excitement and joy, her rosy lips moving as she said, "Thank you! Teacher!"

The kitten, with its sullen face, sat down next to Qingxin.

The author says:

Author's note: Two chapters for now, the rest at the usual time~

Chapter 53: The Thin Blood of the Sakura Dragon

To be honest, Harunobu wasn't surprised by Hosho Amu's arrival. After all, Hosho Amu's love for swordsmanship and Hosho Ichijo's incomprehensible stubbornness were enough to drive her to come to what was probably the first and only women's dojo in all of Japan to learn swordsmanship. Not to mention that Harunobu had also shown the strength to beat up the Hosho Dojo—at the age of a mere twenty-four.

Of the players Harunobu fought yesterday, none were younger than him. The youngest, Ito Ranzo, was 27 years old, and Hosho Ichijo was almost a full twelve years older than Harunobu. You can imagine how much of an impact this had on Hosho Amu.

In short, Harunobu was happy to accept Hosho Amu, which surprised Hosho Amu a bit, since she was a member of the Hosho Dojo and not just an ordinary disciple, but the future heir of the Hosho Dojo!

Isn't Ping Qingxin worried that she's here to steal his skills?

She didn't hide anything and asked directly.

Harunobu was greeting the kitten when he heard her question and casually replied, "I don't care. Swordsmanship is swordsmanship, and a swordsman is a swordsman. Using the same swordsmanship doesn't mean they are equally strong."

Both use the no-outflow method, but Baosheng Yitiao...

Chapter 54

His fighting strength is different from that of his disciples, and Hosho Ichijo is different from that of the Saito family.

"Besides, I don't think you're that kind of person." Harunobu patted the kitten's head, turned back to the side, and smiled at Hosho Amu. He looked very open and honest, which made Hosho Amu admire his character even more.

However, Harushin thought to himself that it didn't matter if the Thunder Breathing technique got out. They, the "Natural Harushin-ryu," had plenty of swordsmanship techniques that even Hojo Amu herself probably couldn't learn, let alone have time to teach others.

Of course, on the other hand, Harunobu really didn't think that Hosho Amu would do something like passing on her skills without permission. Her personality, as she had shown before, didn't seem like that kind of person, even though she was the future successor of the Hosho Dojo.

Or rather, precisely because she is the future heir of Baosheng Dojo, if she dares to do this, then her disciples at Baosheng Dojo will probably be able to openly sell Wuwailiu with a clear conscience in the future, and Wuwailiu will suffer even greater losses in the future.

"Hi~ the fish soup is here."

Hirako, carrying a bowl of sweet fish soup from the kitchen, broke the somewhat serious atmosphere at the table. Harunobu habitually got up, took the soup, placed it in front of the kitten, then picked up his chopsticks and opened the system panel.

"I'm gonna start now."

Harunobu skillfully picked up a piece of fish for the kitten and accepted the fried shrimp tempura handed to him by Hirako, but his attention was already focused on Hosho Amu's personal panel.

Name: Hosho Amu

Gender: Female

Age: 20

Current status: Curious

Height: 160cm

Weight: XNUM X kg

Measurements: 855575

Talent: A Thousand Thoughts in One Mind (A talent that allows one to use one mind for a thousand purposes, or to focus a thousand thoughts on one mind, increasing mental focus by 100%)

Finally, it's not about improving learning efficiency by xx% anymore. Harunobu felt a little teary-eyed, though he didn't actually show it. Talent is talent, and without the extra bonus of talent, SR is far more genius than ordinary N and R, so there's no need to worry about Hojo Amu falling behind in her studies.

—But what exactly is this mental focus?

Thoughts... thoughts... stream of thoughts?

Recalling the strange sense of danger that Hosho Amu felt when she was about to make her move yesterday, Harunobu had a rough idea. It probably referred to her talent in the extraordinary abilities of Nen-ryu, making it easier for her to achieve that kind of idealistic outburst.

However, he doesn't currently possess any sword techniques that fit this idealistic viewpoint... Harunobu thought, glancing at his remaining Diligence Points on the panel: 2325

It was originally 2123. I spent 1000 points to buy the Scripture Pavilion, but after completing the main quest, I was rewarded with another 1000 points, which made up for it. With the help of Hirako and Kyoko's efforts in the morning, we got to this number.

So, should we smoke or not...? Of course, we should smoke hard!

The system doesn't have a guaranteed 10-pull pity system, nor are there any limited-time rate-up events. Are you expecting to unleash a powerful burst of power in a critical moment if you don't just pull directly? Flying Sword Style Warning!

Thinking of the unexpected "burst" result when fighting Suzuki Michi, Harunobu immediately made a decision.

[Would you like to spend 1000 Study Points for a single draw?]

Yes.

【Extracting...】

[Draw complete. Obtained R-rank item: 'Diluted Sakura Dragon Blood']

what?

Sakura Dragon? Could it be the Sakura Dragon I'm thinking of?

Suppressing his excitement, Qingxin went to the item page, where a simple wooden gourd lay in the center. As Qingxin selected it, its effect was displayed.

[Diluted Sakura Dragon Blood]

The blood of the Sakura Dragon, which had been deliberately collected and processed in a foreign land, lost most of its power after being tempered by time.

[Special Effect: Permanently and slightly enhances physical fitness after consumption]

Well, of course I'm disappointed. It's just an ordinary enhancement drug. It can't even make a dog, let alone a wolf. But if I calm down and think about it carefully, this stuff is actually pretty good. It's something that can permanently enhance your physical abilities. I've never heard of anything like it before.

So this can be considered a good start, let's try again! Qingxin, full of vigor, chose to try one more time, preparing to draw the Mind-Only Sword Technique.

【Extracting...】

[Draw complete. Obtained R-rank item: 'Diluted Sakura Dragon Blood']

"..."

Harunobu silently closed the system page, thinking that he should teach Thunder Breathing first. Maybe this genuine genius could derive a new breathing technique from Thunder Breathing?

After all, the original work even allows for Beast Breathing and Love Breathing, so it's not impossible for them to create Mind Breathing, right?

Even if it doesn't work, Thunder Breathing is strong enough, and he doesn't forbid Hosho Amu from learning the Unbounded Sword Technique—no matter what sword technique the disciple learns, as long as she makes progress, Harunobu can get study points.

As Qingxin pondered, a piece of fish suddenly appeared in his bowl. He turned to look at the seemingly unconcerned kitten beside him and gave it a relieved expression: "Kitty~"

"Ugh! That's disgusting! That's enough!" The kitten shrank to the side with its rice bowl as if it had seen a ghost, while Hirako let out a gentle but teasing laugh.

"Haha~"

Hosho Amu silently shoveled rice into her mouth, feeling a bit like an outsider. No… she'd heard about Taira Yukiko and Taira Harunobu's relationship, but what was this little girl? If she was supposed to be his daughter, she seemed way too old!

And so, lunch at Aozorakan ended with a two-person stand-up comedy routine by Harunobu and Koneko. Hojo Amu, who was new to the place, seemed to have learned something and was no longer so meticulous.

"Then let's begin the afternoon practice right away. Hosho, you already have a foundation, so I'll start by teaching you Thunder Breathing."

"Yes! Normal!"

Hojo Amu stood up excitedly, having no objection to Harunobu's arrangements.

Chapter 54: A Marriage Alliance?

At the main dojo of Aozorakan, Hojo Amu walked out of the changing room, her white top and black bottom kendo uniform perfectly dressed, with the five standard folds in her black hakama. In comparison, even Harunobu, the instructor, was incredibly lazy, not to mention Koneko. Only Taira Yukiko was somewhat competent.

"Oh, it fits quite well."

Harunobu sincerely praised her. Hojo Amu was a beauty to begin with. Although her height of 1.6 meters was not as tall as Hirako's, she was quite outstanding among women of this era. Moreover, compared with when she was wearing casual clothes, Hojo Amu had a noticeable more dignified aura when she changed into her kendo uniform. Her high ponytail was the finishing touch, giving her the air of a high-and-mighty flower.

Besides, as expected of a samurai's daughter, and an only child at that, her nutrition is plentiful, exceptionally plentiful, completely different from that stray cat... Speaking of which, in his Aozora-kan, in terms of the number of cups, it seems that the little cat can only be at the same table as Saten Yoko?

What a pity.

"You flatter me, Teacher's College."

As Hosho Amu spoke modestly, she bowed gracefully to Harunobu. The soft movement of her body immediately made Harunobu realize that she was wearing a traditional kimono underneath. That made sense, given Hosho Ichijo's stubborn old manner, the Hosho family's upbringing must be in the traditional Japanese style.

"I'm just stating the facts, especially compared to that cat..." Harunobu stepped aside to let the kitten's little paws go, easily taking their grip. "But after you've finished practicing, it would be better if you changed your inner garments to a Western style, after all, you're different from that cat."

Following Harunobu's hint, Hojo Amu realized what was happening and her movements became somewhat restrained, prompting Harunobu to glance at Hirako, and the two then locked eyes.

"Cough cough cough."

The kitten coughed twice, waking the two who were gazing deeply into each other's eyes. Harunobu, a little embarrassed, rubbed the kitten's head: "Ahem, anyway, let's start with breathing exercises now. This doesn't require any strenuous physical activity."

Chapter 55

Don't worry.

"Yes, teachers' college."

Hojo Amu breathed a sigh of relief and approached Harunobu following his instructions.

"Listen carefully, and try to keep up with the rhythm, but don't force yourself..."

Harunobu slowly regulated his breathing. For him, who had already turned Thunder Breathing into an automatic mode, that is, reached the state of full concentration and normality, and had already taught it twice, this operation was not difficult at all.

However, unlike her two senior sisters who had extra talent bonuses, Amu Hojo's progress was slower, as can be seen from the frequency and number of her Diligence Points appearing.

However, these things can't be forced, and Harunobu isn't in a hurry. He'll just take it one step at a time.

Their breathing was slow and rumbling. Hojo Amu stood beside Harunobu, listening intently, while Hira Yukiko and the kitten were practicing on their own a little further away. However, their attention was drawn to the same place at the same time.

To Hirako, Amu Hojo was different from some harmless cat. She was young and beautiful, with a figure that was no less than her own, and even taller—petite girls were the mainstream aesthetic in Japan—and, more importantly, this girl had the same talents as her.

Teacher training... That's why Harunobu initially approached her.

While Harunobu, who always seemed somewhat insecure, couldn't suppress her attention, Koneko was much simpler; she was focused on whether Hosho Amu had come to learn from Harunobu.

This woman is the future heir of the Hosho Dojo, and yesterday Harunobu broke her father's leg. Why is she so excited to come and ask to become his disciple today? This is too suspicious.

Furthermore, even if she really is just here to become an apprentice, she still needs to keep an eye on her to prevent some perverted samurai who likes big breasts and big butts from doing something irreversible—the little cat thought to herself, noticing Hirako's gaze.

Under their watchful eyes, Harunobu felt a mix of helplessness and satisfaction. After all, it showed that Hirako was indeed paying close attention to him. He wasn't worried about anything going wrong, since unlike the exceptionally talented Hirako, Hojo Amu wouldn't lose control due to her rapid progress.

And indeed, as time passed, Amu Hojo was even able to maintain Thunder Breathing for a second or two intermittently, and nothing unusual happened between her and Harunobu.

"Hi~ Teacher's College, and good afternoon to Sachiko-nee and Kitten-chan~"

Nana Hanazawa's drawn-out greeting drowned out the sound of her opening the door. Then came the footsteps of several other female college students, including Yoko Saten, as they entered. They, along with Harunobu's group, were already used to Nana Hanazawa's mannerisms.

Yes, including Amu Hojo, after all, they were classmates. Although they weren't particularly close, the whole class enjoyed watching Nana Hanazawa go crazy.

"Good afternoon, Nana." Harunobu didn't dislike this "clumsy" girl. "Did you finish the assignment I gave you yesterday? Yoko has already started the next stage."

"Eh~" Hanazawa Nana drawled, looking around for something to change the subject, "I'm different from Yoko, she's a genius, and she works so hard... Eh? Hosei-kun?"

Then she found Amu Hojo next to Harunobu.

Amu Hosho, who was called out, calmly nodded and replied, "You're still as energetic as ever, Hanazawa-san."

"Is it really Hosho-kun?" Hanazawa Nana looked at Hosho Amu in surprise. She had never seen Hosho Amu in a kendo uniform before, and the location was also a bit strange. To be honest, she was a little hesitant to recognize her. "What are you doing here?"

"As you can see, I am now a disciple of this Aozorakan, starting today," Amu Hosho said calmly. "I am currently undergoing my first training with the instructor."

"But, Baosheng, your family isn't..."

"Fool!"

Saten Yoko's iron fist, though late, arrived just in time, interrupting Hanazawa Nana's subconscious question and prompting her to apologize to Hosho Amu: "I'm sorry, Hosho-kun, you know this girl, she didn't mean it."

Hojo Amu smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, Hanazawa-san is just curious, and there's nothing wrong with saying it. I really didn't study at my family's dojo because my father is too stubborn. He won't even let his own daughter learn swordsmanship."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm—" Hanazawa Nana struggled in Saten Yoko's arms, her mouth, which was covered, kept moving, but Saten Yoko didn't need to use her brain to know what she wanted to say—the explosive news that Hosho Dojo had been challenged to a one-on-one fight had already spread throughout Asakusa, and the two of them, who lived in Asakusa, already knew about it.