Female Swordsman Training Dojo

"So you'd better be wary of the Tanaka Group." The kitten stretched, trying to hide any possible slip-ups in her expression. Although Harunobu had instructed her to expose it, the thought of revealing Harunobu's secrets still made the kitten a little unhappy.

After a moment of silence, Jinshan Xun spoke: "I understand, the plan is postponed, I need to prepare more..."

This time, the kitten interrupted him directly: "Team Leader Jinshan, you're not planning to abandon the plan and try to win over Ping Qingxin instead, are you? If so, I'll have no choice but to abandon the darkness and join the light first?"

“Abandoning darkness for light isn’t the right way to put it,” Jinshan Xun corrected, his professional smile turning completely cold. “Besides, are you threatening me?”

"You're the one threatening me! I've already revealed such important information. What if you turn around and sell me out?" Little Cat sneered, revealing the ruthlessness of someone who had gone from being a homeless child to a female team leader. "Today, you either continue with the original plan, or you can wait for me to betray you first and see who Ping Qingxin will believe then."

"Or, I could just kill you right here."

Jinshan Xun said coldly, while Xiao Mao shrugged nonchalantly, "You are indeed very powerful, but before these children are all dead, I can definitely get to a place you can't catch. Want to try?"

Jinshan Xun's momentum faltered. Through his unusual ability, he could clearly sense the resolute emotions of the little creatures in the house. If they all fought back fiercely, he might not be able to stop the kittens with his speed and fighting style.

Well, he never intended to win over Hiraharu Shin; he just wanted to lull him into a false sense of security for the time being. After all, it wouldn't be good for either him or Suzuki Ryuichi to have such a powerful guy join the Demon Dragon Society.

It's a bit troublesome now, but as long as we increase the number of people in the ambush... well, the Tanaka group isn't a monolithic entity. Adding them in just now will actually make Taira no Shin lower his guard. We just need to remind the others to be wary of the Tanaka group.

Under the watchful gaze of the kitten's bright eyes, Kaoru Nishikiyama sat down again and began to explain his new plan.

Two hours passed before Kaoru Nishikiyama finally left through the back door of the cat house. After he left, Harunobu walked into the cat house without any hesitation.

He had been nearby the whole time. After all, it was possible that Nishikiyama Kaoru had really turned against Kyoko earlier, so Kyoko had arranged for the twins to be on the second floor. As soon as there was any unusual activity downstairs, she would light the prepared flammable material and summon Harunobu, who was hiding nearby.

As for why they didn't strike first... there was indeed a contingency plan. If Nishikiyama Kaoru had directly revealed where the sword hunter was, unfortunately, he was still quite cautious. Even though the cat was acting as if he hated Harunobu so much, he didn't reveal this most crucial bait.

"There's no other way, it seems we have no choice but to step into this trap willingly." Harunobu took the hot tea handed to him by the twins, and pinched the little one's cheek with a smile. "I hope Tanaka Mataichi is capable enough to use his expertise to win over Nishikiyama Kaoru as well."

The kitten looked at her strangely. As Harunobu's chief intelligence officer, she was of course aware of Tanaka Mataichi's "special skills." Hearing that Harunobu seemed to admire Tanaka Mataichi quite a bit, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous: "Harunobu, you don't happen to have a hobby of the cult, do you?"

"What are you thinking about!" Qingxin gave the kitten a flick on the forehead. "How many times have I told you I'm not interested in women without breasts or butts, regardless of gender."

The kitten, clutching its slightly aching head, glared at the twins beside it who were puffing out their chests and smirking: "What are you standing there for? Get to work!"

The twins went to work with long faces, so the kitten simply clung to Harunobu: "So, are you really sure? What if they bring guns?"

"So I need to go find the shrine maiden later to get a new defensive artifact. Also, didn't I arrange for Sachiko to call the police? As long as I can stall for a while, no matter which side Tanaka Mataichi chooses, I'll at least be able to come back safely."

Harunobu said confidently that after learning about Nishikiyama Kaoru's plan, he immediately began preparations. In addition to helping Tanaka Mataichi take the position of head of the waka, he also devised the plan that was currently underway to turn the tables on him.

Tanaka Group, as the most visible helper, was used as a stepping stone for the kitten, allowing her to gain Nishikiyama Kaoru's trust and learn more about his plans—this step has been successful.

Next is Tanaka Mataichi, the new head of the group. In the conversation between Koneko and Nishikiyama Kaoru just now, she threw out a lot of clues, both overt and covert, indicating that Harunobu is colluding with the current head of the Tanaka Group, while the new head of the group is inclined to oppose him. Because of this, Tanaka Mataichi had acted as a peacemaker in the previous conflict between the Tanaka Group and the Nishikiyama Group.

If Nishikiyama Kaoru truly believes this and intends to win over and divide the Tanaka group, then Tanaka Mataichi, the new leader who rose to power by selling his genitals and must rely on Harunobu's military force to maintain his authority, will surely give Nishikiyama Kaoru a huge surprise.

Finally, there's Hirako, who has already mastered Thunder Breathing to the intermediate level and is about to reach the level of Total Concentration: Normal, which is the ultimate level. Her current strength is already very strong.

If she then brings Tanaka Yu and a whole bunch of police officers over, unless Nishikiyama Kaoru wants tomorrow's headlines to be "Dragon Society Clashes with Police in the Streets," he'll have no choice but to back down.

Furthermore, as a benchmark for the plan, Harunobu's own strength is definitely enough to give Nishikiyama Kaoru and the Demon Dragon Society a huge surprise. Even if they really bring guns, unless they bring out a few Maxim guns, if the Demon Dragon Society really has such things... then they would have been crushed by the government long ago.

“Before that…” Harunobu took out the second bottle of [Diluted Sakura Dragon Blood], “I originally wanted to save it for you, but now it seems I can only use it myself.”

Chapter 72: Instant Kill?

【Thin Sakura Dragon Blood】 is a special item that Harunobu obtained by drawing two bottles in a row. It can enhance physical fitness. Harunobu drank one bottle on the day he got it, and then found that although this thing takes effect instantly, you can't drink too much at once. You need a buffer period for your body to adapt, and the effect will decrease with each use.

He had been hoping to use the item to save the kitten's malnourished body, so he kept it. But now that they needed to rush into a trap, it would be too foolish to keep it.

He swallowed the pale cherry-colored liquid from the wooden gourd in one gulp. The cool, fishy taste instantly slid down his throat, and the familiar burning sensation climbed up his body, but it was noticeably easier than before.

However, it is still a significant improvement. He can now fight against ordinary-level monsters directly... Well, he may still be inferior in defense, since he doesn't have scales or thick fur, which is an innate disadvantage. But Harunobu doesn't want to become a lizardman or a monkey.

In short, the pre-battle supplies have been replenished, and all that's left is the battle itself.

Holding the soft kitten in his arms, Harunobu slowly felt his strengthened body, gradually regaining control of the power. Having already experienced it once, he was able to complete it quickly.

Meanwhile, Nishikiyama Kaoru approached the head of the Tanaka-gumi. The head of the Tanaka-gumi, who had lost his son, was not very sad, because he had a new and better weapon to use.

So when Nishikiyama Kaoru found him, he immediately sensed that Tanaka Mataichi was filled with resentment and ambition. Recalling the information provided by the cat earlier, he nodded thoughtfully.

"Team Leader Tanaka, I have located the location of the Blade Hunter. I hope you can send some people with me to capture him. You don't need to worry about casualties. As per the chairman's orders, I made some arrangements beforehand. This time, Hiraharu will fight the Blade Hunter first. It doesn't matter whether he wins or loses. We will be the last ones to catch him."

"What 'stalker'? We're the Demon Dragon!" Team Leader Tanaka rudely gulped down a mouthful of sake, letting out a loud "Ha!" before slamming his sake cup down. "In that case, let's bring the whole team along. Anyway, all the idiots in the Ranbo team are dead now, so there's no need to worry."

Chapter 73

We've been ambushed!

Seeing Tanaka's rude manner, Nishikiyama Kaoru's heart sank slightly. This guy really did collude with Hiraharunobu. Otherwise, how could the entire group have been mobilized as soon as they heard that they were going to deal with Hiraharunobu?

Without the Chaotic Wave Group, is there no risk of a sneak attack?

Do you really think all the other Yakuza in the neighborhood are your family? And if we really are family, it's not unreasonable for me to come in and eat, drink, or take something when you're not home, is it?

Nishikiyama Kaoru had no idea that this was the pillow talk that Tanaka Mataichi had given to Tanaka Group Leader, with the key words being "show your strength," "avoid being looked down upon for not having a successor," and "create an excuse to seize nearby territories."

However, Tanaka Mataichi is now filled with anger, dissatisfaction, and a little bit of joy, successfully portraying an ambitious man who is both pleased with the old man's usurpation of power and his rampant misbehavior.

Or perhaps this is simply his true feeling.

Kaoru Nishikiyama left with a smile, and Tanaka stood up to see him off, taking the initiative to curry favor with him. Kaoru Nishikiyama also gave him face and chatted happily with him.

As night fell, Nishikiyama Kaoru and Tanaka Mataichi, who had arrived at the Chuanfa Court passage first, had become quite familiar with each other. Although it was mostly Tanaka Mataichi who was flattering Nishikiyama Kaoru, the fact that Nishikiyama Kaoru didn't drive him away or tell him to shut up was quite unbelievable to the other Yakuza.

This is, of course, because they have already reached an agreement.

In an unspoken understanding, the members of the Tanaka Group were divided into two groups. One group consisted of the current Tanaka Group leader’s die-hard loyalists, who were assigned to the “safe” inner circle, surrounded by members of the Nishikiyama Group, Hanayama Group, and Yamamoto Group.

The other group consisted of Tanaka Mataichi's men, who were assigned to the front lines. Yes, although Nishikiyama Kaoru felt that Tanaka Mataichi and Hiraharunobu had no connection, it didn't mean that he completely trusted or valued this swindler.

Although he is not a traitor who needs to be eliminated, there is no need to value him too much either. Let him be cannon fodder on the front line. This is exactly what he wants to achieve, isn't it?

Seeing that Tanaka Mataichi was quite excited beside him, Nishikiyama Kaoru picked up the binoculars and looked towards the entrance of the street.

The kitten was clinging to Taira no Harunobu, displaying a charming smile, and pulling Harunobu toward the designated location.

That's such a great acting skill.

Jinshan Xun muttered to himself in a low voice, shifting his gaze to the other side. A terrifying figure was slowly emerging from the shadows. He was wearing a tattered suit of armor, most of the belts had come off, and the armor plates hung haphazardly, revealing the pale, corpse-like skin beneath. You could even clearly see the dark blue veins. But what was more striking was the knife scar on his chest, twisted and horribly resembling the product of someone being disemboweled and then carelessly stitched up by a poorly skilled doctor.

When this incredibly strange thing appeared, pedestrians on the street screamed and scattered in all directions. Stimulated by this, the normally slow-moving figure suddenly darted out.

The heavy helmet bent his neck, and two red lights flickered in the deep shadow, landing on the chest of a passerby. The next second, blood flowed out from the hole and splattered into the ground.

The sword hunter, having swallowed the heart whole, let out a satisfied growl. His bloodied hand stiffly flexed and extended its five fingers, grasping the hilt of the sword at his waist and drawing out the bloodstained katana.

Bizen Osafune.

The rust-covered blade sliced ​​through the air, stained with blood, and the Blade Hunter began his hunt.

"Phew... The operation has begun. Everyone, get your spirits up! If anyone drops the ball or drags the team down, don't blame me for not giving you any face in front of the president!"

"Yes!"

The leaders who remained by Jinshan Xun's side responded solemnly and then rushed to the locations of their subordinates.

Apart from Tanaka Mataichi.

Those who rose to power through deception should stay on the front lines and cause trouble; they should just remain here as mascots.

The true fighters thought so, while Tanaka Mataichi, with a submissive smile, stayed by Nishikiyama Kaoru's side.

Then, as the Yakuza took their positions, Harunobu followed a "passerby seeking help" to the streets where the sword hunters were wreaking havoc.

The swordsman, covered in blood, suddenly stopped and looked towards the end of the street.

The instant his gaze turned to him, Harunobu had already drawn his sword.

Like lightning tearing the sky apart and thunder shaking the earth, the deafening roar drowned out the screams and wails on the street. By the time the horrified crowd reacted, the once arrogant Blade Hunter had already been sent flying like a rag doll.

Thunder Breathing - First Form - Lightning Flash - Divine Speed!

Full power!

The remaining armor completely shattered and scattered, revealing the tattered lining underneath that couldn't even cover the ribs, as well as the knife marks that had pierced the flesh.

Harunobu took another deep breath; his twice-strengthened physique allowed him to unleash even more unrestrained power when using Thunder Breathing.

Then, the electric light reappeared.

Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit!

Five bolts of lightning struck Toushi almost simultaneously. Without the protection of his damaged but highly effective armor, Toushi's already frail body could not withstand the onslaught of the famous sword, Yukigiri. His right hand and left leg were severed, a half-cut wound was left on his neck, and his chest was ripped open again along the twisted blade mark.

The entire human form of the Blade Hunter was sent flying by the violence, crashing into a low wall by the roadside and kicking up a cloud of dust.

In the blink of an eye, the sword hunter, on whom Nishikiyama Kaoru had placed high hopes, was on the verge of death, and many people could see his miserable state through the thin layer of dust.

Harunobu simply let out a breath.

His only goal has always been to kill a monster and meet this year's quota, so since he has the opportunity, he will naturally go all out to kill Togashi-sensei.

It now seems that the plan has been completed ahead of schedule. The improvement brought by the second enhancement is even better than he imagined. Even though this Blade Hunter has become stronger after devouring flesh and blood, he is still cut down to the point of being like a rag doll.

Just end it.

Once he had regained his composure, Harunobu immediately raised Yukigiri and charged toward the fallen swordsman, Katari.

A flash of silver light—

Chapter 73: Isshin Ashina (Youth Version)

A flash of silver light clashed with the crimson blade in mid-air, the thin layer of dust being pushed aside by the blade's wind, revealing a startling scene behind the dust.

Togai remained slumped against the low wall, looking utterly dejected. His right hand gripped the Bizen Nagafune tightly, while his left leg slumped to the side. He clearly had no chance of fighting again. Yet, from the neck that Harunobu had slashed open halfway, a withered arm, thin as a dried pine tree, emerged, clutching a bone that was already covered in cracks and dripping with blood.

"What the hell?"

Seeing this scene so familiar, Harunobu couldn't help but utter a folk song from his hometown, and at the same time immediately swung his sword to strike again.

The sharp edge of the snow-slicing blade slashed towards the neck of the sword hunter, but the wind generated by the rapidly swung blade blew the blood flowing down his neck first, creating a faint ripple.

Just as the ripples appeared, the withered arm thrust forward, and the top of the blood-soaked bone struck the center of gravity of the Snow Cutter blade. The immense force of the yokai erupted, almost breaking the Snow Cutter into an L-shape. This violence rushed along the blade toward Harunobu's hand, but Harunobu, after being strengthened twice, was not far from being a normal-level yokai in terms of pure strength. With the enhancement of Thunder Breathing, he naturally ignored the impact and maintained his original speed and movements.

Thus, another deep scar appeared below the collarbone of the sword hunter.

Although the speed remained the same, the hit Yukichi still deviated from its original path and failed to sever the sword hunter's neck.

Having missed his first strike, Harunobu, without the slightest surprise, thrust his sword forward again. The remarkably resilient Yukikiri had already straightened, its tip swiftly piercing towards the sword hunter.

Chapter 74

heart.

When Harunobu unleashed this thrust, his upper body naturally leaned forward to shorten the interval and speed up the attack. Thus, at the instant Yuki-kiri struck Togashi's chest, his chest and his right foot, which was stepping forward, were attacked almost simultaneously.

A heavy kick landed squarely on Qingxin's shin, and a diagonal blow slammed into his chest. The combined effect activated the defensive magic artifact he had just bought during the day. The pale yellow light shield blocked both blows, but it couldn't stop the impact from reaching Qingxin, causing him to stagger back a few steps.

A row of footprints appeared on the hard ground. Harunobu watched the light barrier flicker several times before stabilizing, then turned his gaze to Touhou, who had taken the opportunity to stand up.

From its left leg, a section of its thigh was slowly turning translucent. Judging from the burn marks at the knee, it must have been the thigh that had just been pressed against Qingxin's chest.

Moreover, not only its left leg, but also a completely translucent limb emerged from its right arm. Considering the kick it just delivered, this could potentially turn into a real arm at any moment.

As for the withered arm protruding from the wound on Togashi's neck, it had already discarded the bones shattered by Harunobu's power and extended to lift the Bizen Osafune on the ground.

With the acquisition of the Bizen Osafune, a phantom figure appeared behind the sword hunter.

It was a humanoid being that was also semi-transparent, with a faint red glow emanating from its periphery. Its appearance was very blurry, and it was impossible to distinguish the specific details. Only the old age of its face and the indifference of its eyes could be barely discerned.

As it appeared, the translucent limb at the point where the sword was severed emitted a faint red light.

"A parasitic spirit?"

Harunobu speculated on the true form of the sword hunter. The image looked very much like a kind of monster called a parasitic spirit. They are like hermit crabs that frequently change their "shells". However, the shells of hermit crabs are rocks, iron cans, or at most the skeletons of larger marine creatures, while the shells of parasitic spirits are human bodies.

The problem is that although the possessing spirit can possess and manipulate the body in a very sophisticated and ingenious way, it cannot revive the body. In fact, the body possessed by the spirit is equivalent to death and will eventually rot and dissipate.

Both just now and the time before, when Harunobu slashed the sword hunter, fresh blood flowed out, indicating that the sword hunter's body was alive. This is not right.

Harunobu couldn't figure out the truth, and even the fleeting thought that he was so eager to grasp stopped him from thinking about it. His mouth and nose had already swallowed a large amount of air with each opening and closing, and when he exhaled, it created a loud, thunderous sound.

Amidst the thunder, Harunobu once again transformed into a bolt of lightning, rushing towards the sword hunter in a flash. His Yukigiri slashed horizontally, but collided with a section of red light. The Bizen Nagafune, whose blade was still covered in blood, had already blocked Yukigiri's path.

This wasn't because the sword hunter's speed had somehow surpassed Harunobu's; it was simply that he had anticipated Harunobu's attack target, and even predicted the latter's next attack move—

The blade flashed and split into five slashes, but Ina Soul blocked them all on Bizen Osafune. The five collisions, which sounded like a clang, left Yukiri with no chance and forced him to retreat back to Harunobu's side.

Just as Harunobu retrieved Yukigiri, the ethereal left leg of the sword hunter solidified again, forcefully pushing off the ground, and the Bizen Osafune suddenly shot up, slashing down diagonally!

This was a strike that was bound to succeed, timed to the very moment after Harunobu's ultimate burst of power. It was the instant Harunobu had to breathe again and could no longer use the explosive movement of Thunder Breathing!