Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Harunobu suffered a heavy blow to his entire body at the same time, as if he were being crushed by a stamping press, or as if a mountain had crashed down on him. But this blow was not enough to break through his defenses. He tensed his strength, his muscles bulging, trying to push the Yama Blade down by just a little bit.

However, thousands upon thousands of white chains bound every part of his body, while the pain of being cut by a sharp blade shot through his neck. Just as Izanami had seen through after regaining her memories, Izanagi's ritual would bind her and her victim together, sharing life and death.

However, that spell was supposed to be effective only by connecting "I"'s body and soul, and ideally by utilizing the remnant soul buried within Izanami's body. This was a fact that Izanami, Asuka, Amaterasu, Yakumo Kurenai, and others all acknowledged, so why was it working on him now?

Harunobu didn't have time to ponder this question deeply, because an even more important question lingered in his mind—why did Izanagi know his name from his past life?

The author says:

Author's Note: Three chapters today, so please be patient while reading the next chapter.

Chapter 595: The Mystery of the System?

Azure sea and sky, shrouded in white clouds.

Izanagi stood in mid-air, her clothes half-tattered, countless white chains extending from her body, binding Harunobu tightly and pressing her down slightly above her. Izanami, Asuka, Amaterasu, and Minamoto no Yuki Sakura surrounded Harunobu, but dared not make a move.

The wound on Harunobu's neck was still bleeding; if the Enma Blade were to advance any further, both of them would perish. Therefore, the four of them dared not move at all; how could Izanagi's life be compared to Harunobu's?

In stark contrast to the heavy and solemn atmosphere on Harunobu's side, Izanagi was laughing heartily, seemingly unconcerned about the Enma sword still around his neck. He even had time to say to Amaterasu, "I didn't expect you to actually betray me, Amaterasu. What exactly did this man give you?"

Amaterasu remained indifferent, gripping a gleaming golden katana, her killing intent palpable.

"Alright, so Xiaomei, what's wrong with you? You should have regained your memories, right? Why don't you come in your real form?"

Izanami's eyes blazed with fury, and even her figure became somewhat unsteady, clearly so enraged that she could barely maintain her form.

Izanagi smiled smugly, then looked at Asuka: "And you, Asuka..."

"How do you know that name?" Harunobu suddenly spoke, interrupting Izanagi. The Enma sword gleamed with an eerie light, as if it could unleash a sword aura capable of cleaving through space at any moment.

Izanagi paused slightly, then turned his gaze back to Harunobu, seemingly quite surprised: "You still have the strength to speak? It seems I underestimated you. But that's fine, this way I can get even more."

Qingxin's face was cold and hard, but his hands holding the sword remained steady and strong: "Don't talk nonsense. I have a soul even when I die, but you don't."

"Soul? That thing dies too." Izanagi, with a beaming smile, first "reminded" Harunobu, then added, "Besides, you've already died once, haven't you, Harunobu?"

Once again, Izanagi uttered that name, licking his lips as if he couldn't wait. Haruno's heart sank, but she quickly looked at him coldly: "Get to the point."

The Yamato trembled slightly, as if it was about to strike, but the light on its body suddenly faded in the next moment, as if it had turned into an ordinary katana.

Izanagi raised her head as if she had expected it, letting the katana slide across her neck. Ordinary iron cannot harm a spirit; it simply slides away as if passing through air.

She smiled and said, "Do you remember the amulet you wore when you came into this world? Have you ever wondered which god it belonged to?"

Harunobu's pupils dilated violently, instinctively resisting Izanagi's words. However, he genuinely hadn't paid attention to which god it belonged to, as it was just an ordinary amulet for protection. Moreover, after activating the system, the amulet remained unchanged; whether he wore it or not didn't affect his use of the system.

For example, he wasn't wearing it now; he had left it at home. After all, it was just an ordinary amulet, and even the slightest aftershock in a battle would destroy it completely.

"System, that's what you call it, right?"

Izanagi was still smiling, but in Harunobu's eyes, that smile had become somewhat cruel and cold.

She gently pinched the slipped-out Yama-no-Kami with her index finger and thumb, and with a light tug, pulled it from Harunobu's hand and tossed it into the boundless sea below. The entire sequence of movements was so fluid and effortless, as if a strongman were effortlessly snatching a candied hawthorn from a three-year-old.

But how could Harunobu's strength be so weak?

Izanagi took a step forward, and Harunobu almost wanted to back away, but he held his ground. He then heard Izanagi's voice more clearly: "Your body, your swordsmanship, your weapons, all your novelties—they were all taken from me. How could you possibly think you could defeat me?"

White mist—the power of creation—was drifting around Izanagi, sometimes transforming into the Yamato sword, sometimes materializing into a human figure practicing swordsmanship, and even the Box Weapon and the blood of the Sakura Dragon appeared. If all of this was fake, how did Izanagi know things that Harunobu hadn't even revealed?

Moreover, it is true that Izanagi's power can indeed create things out of thin air.

“It seems you’ve figured it out.” Izanagi reached out and placed his hand on Harunobu’s chest, pausing slightly, but no one noticed this, because everyone’s eyes were focused on the white mist emanating from Harunobu’s body.

Izanagi said slowly, "You were originally food I prepared for me to ascend to a higher level, just like Xiaomei, Hiraharu. To become the kind of god in legends, the omniscient and omnipotent being in the mouths of blind believers, in addition to having a sufficiently resilient vessel and a sufficiently clear mind, what is more important is that I need a ladder from outside this world that can truly transform me and allow me to transcend the mundane. And a soul from another in 2024 is obviously the best choice."

"However, a fragile ordinary soul is not enough, so I placed you in my era and gave you power, most of which belongs to me, which is what you call the system in your memories; otherwise, do you think I would really weaken to the point of having no faith power in such a short period of time? Do you think I can't even beat Amaterasu and Asuka?"

Izanagi stroked Harunobu's chest with a fascination, as if selecting pork at a butcher's stall: "To be honest, if Mikoto hadn't regained her memories and Amaterasu hadn't chosen to betray us, then you wouldn't have known such a cruel truth; I would have let you have both of them again. After all, after eating her, I can create another physical body for you, and I have no reason to kill Amaterasu."

Izanagi looked up at Harunobu and gently pinched Harunobu's pectoral muscle: "Even now, I can still give you a chance, Qin Xin; honestly help me complete the ritual, and I can return your system to you. You can still continue to live a life of extravagance and debauchery with your remaining wives, and I can even help you if you take a fancy to another woman... But if you don't agree, then I can only completely drain your power and turn you into an empty shell."

Harunobu glared at Izanagi, determined not to agree regardless of whether what she said was true or false.

Chapter 646

He'd rather die here than help Izanagi fight Izanami and the others.

However, Izanagi seemed not to notice that look and smiled brightly: "You made the right choice, Qin Xin. You're right, I was your savior."

Harunobu wanted to roar and shout, but no sound came out. He didn't know when he had stopped speaking. He quickly remembered that he still had a mental connection and could clarify the facts to Izanami and the others without speaking. However, when he tried to do so, he found that his usually noisy brain was now completely silent.

I don't know when it started, but the connection between our hearts has been severed.

Yes, the Zanpakuto is also a product of the system, so it is naturally under Izanagi's control.

Harunobu felt a deep fear creeping up from his tailbone to the top of his head; his strong body seemed to return to the day two years ago when he woke up in the dilapidated Aokakukan dojo; sunlight streamed through the old windows, fragmented into pieces, falling on the furrowed-brow youth, and a wisp of ghostly spirit, escorted by white mist, entered and took his body.

His body, his power, everything about him was preordained. Even his seemingly superhuman ability to defy fate was merely a sheepdog arranged by others to protect him and help him grow. And now, he's grown up, and it's time for him to take his place.

Harunobu felt an urge to vomit, but he felt so weak that he couldn't even vomit. His unwavering will, which had stood firm even in the face of death, seemed to crumble under this weakness. The only thing supporting him was his sense of responsibility, no matter what.

Izanagi watched this scene with satisfaction, nodding with admiration: "As expected of the soul I personally nurtured, it is indeed resilient enough. No wonder it can support so many creations. It seems that you can definitely help me transcend this world!"

Harunobu's soul fell into the ice cave.

Chapter 596: Bankai - Three Thousand Floating Worlds of Joy

Low, dim, cold, desperate, deathly silent—

Qingxin felt as if he had returned to his childhood, a five-year-old child, walking alone on the street, the cold wind blowing against his already purplish face, his shrunken stomach too weak to even make a sound, only silently convulsing, wasting his last bit of strength.

That was Ping Qingxin's childhood, no, this is Qin Xin's childhood...?

Harunobu no longer had the strength to discern this; he only felt that this sense of despair was so fitting, just like at this very moment. He absolutely did not want to help Izanagi fight against Izanami, that was an evil act he could not accept; he even less did he want to become a stepping stone for Izanagi's ascension, for if such a manipulative soul, who did not even spare himself, were to truly become a so-called true god, it would be a disaster for the entire world.

But he was powerless to resist.

Qin Xin was just a salaryman, and Taira no Nobuyoshi was just an ordinary samurai; they couldn't possibly defeat Izanagi. Just like those ordinary samurai couldn't defeat Taira no Nobuyoshi before.

Perhaps his best course of action would be to die quickly, to die a gruesome death. That way, even without him, with Amaterasu, Asuka, Izanami, Artoria… and with them around, Izanagi wouldn't be able to act with impunity.

Furthermore, although his power came from Izanagi, those sword techniques were indeed practically usable. With those sword techniques, Hirai Yukiko and the others could still stand firmly in this world; they were exceptionally talented swordsmen, unlike him, an N-ranked piece of trash.

Even if he dies and disappears, they can still be happy.

Thoughts abruptly ceased at that moment, and in the endless drowsiness and despair, a new kind of pain suddenly arose. It was a pain of agonizing heartache, stomach cramps, and soul trembling. It arose with even the simplest thoughts about Hirako and the others.

After Taira no Harunobu dies, will they be alright? Will they forget this imposter who only gained power because of Izanagi's strength? Will they go and form families with other people?

A sharp, piercing pain, as if it were going to pierce his heart and crush his brain, tormented Qingxin. He couldn't accept it, he couldn't accept it! They were all his! His!

Like a mad villain's insane evil thoughts burst forth from Harunobu's soul. The vastness of his thoughts and will, enough to interfere with the present world, erupted completely in the most extreme contemplation, invading the white fragments buried within Harunobu's soul.

At the same time, Harunobu's wives, whether outside or inside Takamagahara, suddenly felt a familiar and powerful will descend upon them. He seemed somewhat confused, tense, and even rough—but still gentle.

"Just like a naughty child begging for their mother's attention." Hirayuki Sachiko chopped off the head of the giant bull demon in front of her, her Zanpakuto gleaming. "It's really worrying that it turns into this if I don't keep up for even a little while."

Amu Hosho, who was standing to the side, also chopped off the head of the fat, black dog in front of her and said to Yukiko Hira, "You're actually very happy, aren't you? You're able to help the teacher's college again, and it's a big help."

The kitten stabbed the short, lucky god in front of it to death, and also complained, "No, I think what makes Sachiko-nee happier is that she felt that strong possessiveness from the teacher's college again. Honestly, it's not like we don't feel it normally."

Surrounded by her, Hirako shook her head speechlessly; they were all clearly much more excited than she was. But while she was disciplining her younger sisters, she should go and comfort her own idiot teacher. Honestly, how could she think of them as such scoundrels? Even she was getting angry!

Amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, Hirako, Neko, and Hosho Amu closed their eyes and opened their minds, letting Harunobu's chaotic will rush into their minds, roughly rummaging and playing with them. It felt as if he wanted to completely devour them, hide them, possess every inch of their skin, and control every bit of their minds—well, not much different from everyday life, huh?

Even though they were separated by thousands of miles, the same sentence came to mind for all of Harunobu's wives, and with their own will, it rushed back into Harunobu's mind along with the unbreakable bond between them and Harunobu.

The Garbhadhatu Mandala has never disappeared.

Amaterasu pierced through the oncoming white mist with a single sword stroke, all the tension and anger on her face transforming into a calm smile. She looked disdainfully at Izanagi behind the white mist and suddenly spoke to Izanami: "Are you sure you want to leave this kind of thing for Shiban to play with?"

"She's never eaten anyone, nor has she killed any of us..." Izanami had already started smiling again: "Why not let the instructor decide? If it really doesn't work out, we can play with her first and then kill her, or kill her first and then play with her... The instructor shouldn't mind if the corpse is intact, right?"

Asuka glanced at Izanami and said, "You can even pull off your old, monstrous appearance, so I think it should be fine."

Yuan Xueying remained silent, her gaze briefly shifting across Takamagahara before she focused her mind into the silence of her thoughts. She could clearly feel that the connection between herself and Qingxin had not been severed, but something was blocking it, preventing their voices from clearly reaching each other.

But a strong enough one, like the obsessive possessiveness that Harunobu just unleashed towards them, could break through this barrier. If Harunobu could do it, so could she. Their feelings for Harunobu were definitely more than just that, it's just that everyone usually restrained themselves... in Harunobu's words, they just kept it a little understated.

But since there were no outsiders around at the moment, and he couldn't risk killing Izanagi by letting Harunobu be taken away by the ritual, he might as well focus on venting the emotions that he usually couldn't express.

For example, she liked Harunobu the most. She liked the way his muscles were revealed when he practiced swordsmanship with her, his clothes soaked with sweat; she liked the occasional embarrassment and confusion he showed when learning swordsmanship; she liked the relaxed and carefree feeling he had when he was with her, how he wanted to pin her to the ground but always respected her; she liked his gentle yet rough advances when they were intimate, how he used her like a scabbard, going back and forth.

Chapter 647

fiddling with it—

I like it, I like it, I like it—hiss, his ...

Feelings surged through her mind like a torrent, and even the usually aloof Celestial blushed slightly.

Amaterasu and Asuka are similar; neither of them is particularly straightforward, although the specific reasons are different. The only difference is Izanami, because she's usually like that, acting erratically.

If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, she would have ridden on Harunobu's back right now.

Meanwhile, Izanagi, who had been "ignored," was starting to feel uneasy. While what she had said wasn't entirely a lie, she couldn't possibly strip Harunobu of his power. Otherwise, why would she have gone to all this trouble, arranging rituals and deploying cannon fodder? It was simply because she couldn't defeat Taira no Harunobu and needed external help!

The reason she was able to create that illusion was mainly due to the ritual. With the help of the ritual and the power of Takamagahara, she temporarily interfered with Taira no Harunobu's power, and on this basis, used mental techniques to plunge him into despair, thereby promoting the absorption of the ritual.

Yes, her statement about "eating up" Harunobu was not a lie. The fact that her ritual worked on Harunobu was not accidental, but rather a carefully planned scheme.

And now, with just a little bit more time, she will complete this step, complete half of her plan to ascend to godhood!

Just a little bit more time!

The white mist surged and churned, attacking Izanami and the others, preventing them from interfering.

Izanagi gazed at Harunobu with fascination, relentlessly absorbing the soul that Harunobu lacked and needed. His pale hand remained pressed against Harunobu's chest, almost leaving a handprint. White mist continuously emanated, eventually enveloping Harunobu in a large cocoon, with only countless chains visible extending from within and hanging from Izanagi's body.

Just one more step!

Izanagi fought against Izanami and her two companions with one hand. Had the three of them not hesitated to use their full strength, and had they been distracted by Harunobu's side, she would have been defeated long ago. But finally, she finally!

Izanagi sensed it; the end had opened up for her. She had grasped that last vestige of the soul—so cold! So hard—

No, that's not right!

Izanagi looked up in alarm. The white mist could not obscure her vision, and she naturally saw Harunobu's open eyes and the sword hilt that had appeared out of thin air in his hand.

She heard Qingxin's whispered words, cheerful and clear:

A Dream of Yellow Millet, Zhuangzi's Butterfly

After returning from the dream, all the myriad things in this floating world are but objects to me.

Happy day.

Bankai: Three Thousand Floating Worlds of Joy!

The author says:

Author's note: Update progress 3/30.

As mentioned before, the foreshadowing of Bankai depends on the strength of Harunobu's will, that is, his spiritual pressure. After successfully connecting with Amaterasu and Izanagi, his "possessiveness" surged dramatically, and with this "Spirit Bomb," awakening Bankai seems quite reasonable, right? I originally wrote a part where Harunobu accepts the Spirit Bomb, but it seemed too sentimental, so I deleted it. Otherwise, this chapter would probably be around 3200 words. In short, one less major plot hole.

Finally, the website has recently lowered its standards, making it harder to write erotic content... Poor Izanagi, who was supposed to be the main course, is now going to be dessert.

Chapter 597: Three Slashes Shatter the Dream of Ascension to Godhood

A light, neither dazzling nor scorching, suddenly shone forth, illuminating all around. Neither the pure white nor the pitch-black mist could block this light; they could only let it pass through them and absorb its power.

For Harunobu's Zanpakuto to return to its original state, it needs to retrieve the fragments scattered within his wives' bodies. In other words, it needs to release its Shikai.

But at this moment, a thin blade extended from the bare hilt of the sword in his hand, bathed in light. The blade was covered with dense patterns, seemingly depicting something. If Izanami and the others were to examine it closely, they would surely be able to discern what these seemingly simple patterns actually represented.

But now was not the time to admire the famous sword, for Taira no Harunobu had already swung it at Izanagi. The chains that had previously bound his body now seemed to nonexistent, utterly unable to hinder his movements. But this was not a good thing, after all, this ritual had bound his life and Izanagi's!

But just as Izanami and the others were beginning to panic, they found comfort in Harunobu's mind—the Izanagi ritual was no longer effective.

The first effect of Bankai: Three Thousand Floating Worlds of Joy is that it can forcibly turn anything that comes into contact with Harunobu into his possession. The deeper the contact with him, the faster the conversion and the stronger the coercion.

Those chains that penetrated deep into his flesh and bones, even binding and draining his soul, naturally fit the concept of contact perfectly. In an instant, they became Harunobu's possessions, and in turn, bound Izanagi.

As the blade slid past, Izanagi could only transform into a white mist, escaping her chains and avoiding the fatal blow. At the same time, she wasn't simply taking the hit; her creative power manifested as countless weapons, bombarding Harunobu. Under this immense force, the power of Takamagahara to bestow divine titles and restrain deities silently descended, attempting to suppress Harunobu once more.

However, just as it appeared silently, it vanished just as quietly as it appeared, disappearing without a trace when the weapons were engulfed by the raging winds and blood flames. No, it didn't disappear; instead, it descended upon Izanagi! Harunobu could even control and monopolize this intangible "spell"!

Izanagi was startled and immediately used his authority as the Lord of the Hidden World to remove the restrictions on himself, thus widening the distance between himself and Harunobu once again.

"Just a little bit more, just a tiny bit more..."