Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Suddenly, Ryūbei made no mistakes. He was neither startled into trying to parry the upper stance of the Satsuma Jigen-ryū style, nor did he lose his footwork. He narrowly avoided the powerful attack and even swung his sword in an attempt to retaliate.

But before that, a katana had already struck his neck.

Fierce and domineering, once unleashed, the Lion Manifesto, which is difficult to change unless it is completed, unexpectedly turned into a horizontal slash halfway through, directly knocking Yanagishiro Rokubei off the stage, who thought he had avoided danger.

Fortunately, the golden light stopped the blade, leaving only a bruise on Liuxia Liubingwei's neck, while his head remained intact.

"Pretty strong." Harunobu sized up Sakamoto Sawa. Although he only had an N above his head and a "angry" expression, it was precisely because of this that he could deliver such a powerful blow.

Seeing Sakamoto Sawa return to his companions and sit down, Harunobu's gaze then shifted to the new round of contestants.

After several more rounds, it was finally the turn of the disciples from Qingkong Pavilion to take the stage.

"Number 45, Zheliu Pavilion, Wuwailiu·Okuden, Narusawano!"

"A showdown!"

"Number 46! Aozora-kan! Tennen Seishin-ryu - First Transmission! Hosho Amu!"

Hosho Amu turned her gaze away from Harunobu, picked up her katana, and stepped onto the arena. The Hosho Dojo disciples watched their beloved member walk onto the arena with mixed feelings, feeling a bit of a sore spot.

Although the people on the field are not disciples of their Hosho Dojo, they are still Mugaeryu. If Hosho Amu can easily defeat her opponent like the two people before, wouldn't that mean that Mugaeryu is really inferior to Tennen Seishinryu?

The disciples of Hosho Dojo had very mixed feelings. If they could see Hosho Ichijo mixed in with the crowd and dressed as an ordinary person, their feelings would probably be even more complicated.

Chapter 88: The Assassin Makes His Appearance

Facing off to the west and east, Amu Hojo, located in the west, appears to be slightly weaker.

At 1.6 meters tall, she is considered tall for a woman, but compared to the 1.8-meter-tall strong man opposite her, she appears somewhat insignificant. However, after learning from the example of the little cat, no one dared to underestimate her.

However, to those in the know, Amu Hojo's aura does appear somewhat weak, lacking focus, and scattered, naturally making her seem feeble and powerless.

Her opponent, Naruzawa, possessed a refined and imposing aura. His fierce and sharp eyes were like two daggers pressed against her hands and legs, forming a posture of impenetrable yin energy. He placed his katana on his shoulder and arm, his entire body resembling a tiger arching its back and retracting its claws, ready to strike and kill the enemy.

The host hurriedly left the ring, and as his footsteps faded into the distance, Amu Hojo, who was only maintaining a normal mid-level stance, suddenly launched an attack.

A clear, high-pitched voice rang out, and a long howl made everyone on and off the stage momentarily lose their focus. When they came back to their senses, they found that Amu Hosho had already arrived in front of Narusawa, and with a forward slash of her sword, she was pointing directly at Narusawa's chest.

The latter was no weakling either. With a flick of her wrist, the blade instantly flew forward. Instead of parrying Hojo Amu's attack, she aimed straight for Hojo Amu's neck, seemingly intending to take her down with her.

However, it's quite normal for this style to be played without external influences, since this school, like the Satsuma Jigen-ryu, focuses on...

Chapter 90

One is filled with murderous intent and is willing to risk one's life. However, the Samatha-ryu is a wild and unrestrained force that runs wild across the sky, while the Mugae-ryu is a persistent force that hides its weapons and waits for the right moment to strike.

The audience gasped at the start of the scene, which was so dangerous. Harunobu also pressed his hand on the asabu at his waist, ready to strike at any moment, but he wasn't particularly nervous.

because……

clang!

Naruzawa suddenly raised his katana high, and a scabbard replaced it on his sword path.

Flying Sword Style: Dragon Flash!

Using her scabbard, she unleashed a lightning-fast sword-drawing technique, deflecting the enemy's katana and forcibly creating a wide-open opening. A slight smile played on Hojo Amu's lips as she continued forward mercilessly, wielding her katana in her right hand.

Just when everyone thought that Amu Hojo was about to easily win like the disciples of the Aozorakan earlier, Narusawano suddenly jumped back to avoid Amu Hojo's sure-fire attack and regained his footing.

Having missed her attack, Amu Hojo immediately retreated, returning to her middle stance. Looking at her opponent, who had also returned to the Yin stance, she bit her lower lip.

It was her again...

Dropping the scabbard, Amu Hojo gripped the sword with both hands, adjusting her breathing. She didn't have a natural talent for Thunder Breathing, and her learning time was shorter. Right now, she could only maintain it for a brief moment when she was in a state of mental concentration, which was even worse than a kitten.

However, with her already highly proficient Flying Sword Style, victory shouldn't be too difficult.

Faint sounds began to appear in the air. Although it wasn't quite thunder, it was already a dangerous sign for Narusawa, who was intently watching Hojo Amu.

As an assassin sent by the Demon Dragon Society, Naruzawa naturally had information about the target, which emphasized the special burst technique of the Natural Harukoku style. After witnessing the performance of Hirako and Koneko, he paid even more attention to the sounds around him, fearing that a sudden clap of thunder might be heard.

So, the instant that Hojo Amu was about to enter Thunder Breathing, Narusawa immediately launched an attack. He bent over and his legs moved in small, rapid alternations as he rushed towards Hojo Amu. Even as he moved, the katana resting on his left arm did not shake at all.

He was indeed a master swordsman without any outside influence. In fact, he should have been a samurai. However, the Origyukan was completely destroyed, and the previous master was killed by a monster. Having lost his master and dojo, and having neither attended school nor acquired any other skills, Narusawa unsurprisingly ended up making a living with his sword and eventually became a member of the Demon Dragon Society.

He was living a good life until Ryuichi Suzuki told him about an opportunity to become stronger and took him to participate in an experiment.

Ultimately, he became stronger, but the experiment failed. His body was enhanced, but he couldn't adapt to the drugs, and even suffered severe side effects, immersing himself in pain every day, wanting to get rid of that suffering.

He had already given up and thought about suicide countless times, but he could never make up his mind until this time, when Suzuki Ryuichi said that there was a way to cure him, at least to stop him from suffering so much.

The condition was that he had to kill any one of five targets in a swordsmanship competition.

Naruzawa agreed to the condition without hesitation, and now he unleashed the power that had plunged him into hell without hesitation.

tread--

Narusawa slammed his left foot heavily onto the arena floor, bursting into Hojo Amu's midst. The latter had not yet fully charged up her power, but at this moment she could not continue and could only swing her sword to meet the attack.

Flying Sword Style: Dragon's Nest Flash!

The chaotic, high-speed slashes swept towards Narusawa like a gust of wind, the intricate sword shadows dazzling the audience below, who cheered with excitement.

Faced with such a ferocious attack, Naruzawa did not flinch at all. Instead, he took the initiative to meet it. In the blink of an eye, before anyone could notice, his eyes turned completely black, and then his muscles bulged. The foot he stepped on even cracked the wooden plank.

The moment they realized this, Toshogu Shūshō and Kujō Ryūgetsu stood up, preparing to cast a spell.

But in that instant, a sickening metallic creak rang out, and the two blunt blades clashing at high speed finally decided the outcome, with Amu Hojo's blade being cut in two.

After this decisive blow, which could have decided the outcome of the battle, Narusawa did not stop. Instead, he slashed at Hojo Amu's slender neck without hesitation. When he realized this, screams erupted from the audience.

Harunobu stood up, his left hand already drawing Yukigiri from its sheath, but he stopped just before he could activate it with lightning speed.

On the stage, facing the blade that was about to strike her, a blade powerful enough to cut through metal, Amu Hojo was so calm that even she was surprised. It was as if her brain had been split into several parts, one of which was screaming in panic.

But one of them calmly assessed how to turn defeat into victory.

The other one had already begun breathing before reaching this conclusion.

The other one controlled his upper body and raised the broken sword.

No Outflow, Secret Technique, Fang Thrust - Zero Style!

Hojo Amu's still upper body seemed to be suddenly bumped, and she was suddenly lurched forward. During this process, she raised her katana to position with both hands.

Before Naruzawa could even savor the excitement in his mind after revealing a ferocious smile, the pain of his Adam's apple being shattered took over his senses.

The sudden reversal left the audience stunned once again, but this time, Amu Hojo herself was also stunned.

This was her first time killing someone, but why didn't she feel even a little bit uncomfortable about it?

It wasn't until Narusawa collapsed, foaming at the mouth, that Hojo Amu slowly lowered her sword. This wasn't due to her mental state, but rather the recoil from forcibly unleashing the Zero Style Fang Strike, which left her momentarily unable to move.

After all, it's not a technique that I've completely mastered.

Habitually completing the Blood Vibration, Remnant Heart, and Hosho Amu looked towards the judges' panel.

Harunobu gave her two thumbs up and a bright smile.

Meanwhile, hidden in the crowd below the stage, Baosheng Yitiao pressed down on his trembling right hand and took a deep, deep breath.

The author says:

Author's Note: I'm quite satisfied with this fight scene, so please vote and follow along!

Chapter 89: Common Disease

While Harunobu was still giving Hosho Amu a thumbs up, Toshogu Shūshō had already personally rushed to the arena to prepare to treat Narusawa. This was not because he was particularly kind, but because he did not want Narusawa to die on the arena, as that would contradict his original intention in holding the competition.

But as he approached Naruzawa, his expression suddenly changed. The hand that had been reaching for Naruzawa's neck changed direction and took off his shirt.

Large patches of black ravaged the skin, the colorful patterns eroded and scattered by the black, giving off an aura of fallen gods and Buddhas. Beside these black patches were obvious scratches that had caused festering sores, and in some places even the bone was visible.

The master craftsman of Toshogu Shrine gasped, raised his hand to form a hand seal, and bathed himself in golden light. At the same time, the audience closest to the arena exclaimed in surprise: "Tokoyo disease!"

Upon hearing this, the surging crowd simultaneously took a step back, their synchronized movements truly astonishing.

Harunobu and Kujou Ryugetsu also arrived at the arena, where they closely observed Narusawa's corpse.

However, Harunobu was merely an observer, while Kujou Ryugetsu took out her gohei and gently waved it. Amidst the flowing light, her expression first turned serious and then relaxed.

"It is indeed Tokoyo disease, but it is only the most common kind."

The master craftsman of Toshogu Shrine also withdrew his magic:

Chapter 91

"Thank goodness, no wonder that person was so ruthless just now, it seems he was having an episode."

He deliberately spoke loudly, made a conclusion about the situation, and calmed the audience below. Then two monks appeared and carried Naruzawa away.

No one paid attention to Amu Hojo's killing in the ring anymore. After all, everyone had seen that Narusawa No started it, and besides, he was a patient with Tokoyo disease.

In order to deal with Taira Yukiko's matter, Harunobu had specifically looked into Tokoyo disease and had some understanding of it.

The so-called "worldly disease" can be understood as a kind of contagious cancer. Depending on the specific symptoms, the contagiousness and the mode of transmission are also different. What is consistent is that after getting it, you either have to use magic to cure it in the early stage, or you can only wait to die.

Those that go berserk and kill when they have an attack are actually not very contagious. They can only be infected through contact with bodily fluids. So, as the master craftsman of Toshogu Shrine loudly explained the facts, the audience gradually calmed down and even became a little excited.

There aren't actually many people suffering from Tokoyo disease, since it's not easy to get this disease. The fastest way to get it without being infected by a patient is to eat unprocessed monster flesh or live in an environment with extremely high concentrations of monster energy for ten days to half a month—and you still have to survive.

Now that they were sure they wouldn't be infected, the sensory stimulation from the sudden reversal of the sword fight and the blood splattering on the scene once again took over their minds.

Seeing the crowd gradually returning to normal and starting to discuss how strong Amu Hosho was, Tōshōgū Sōshō breathed a sigh of relief and quickly beckoned the host over.

The game resumed, and among the crowd, some people were deep in thought, their eyes gleaming.

One of the groups were, of course, assassins sent by the Demon Dragon Society. They watched as Naruzawa made triumphant advance, victory seemed within reach, and then suddenly died on the spot, leaving them feeling utterly disheartened.

These women have only been learning swordsmanship for a few months at most, how come they are all so strong?

That Taira Yukiko's speed and power, Taira Koneko's precision and skill, and this Hojo Amu's stability and ruthlessness... Damn it, who is the real Yakuza?!

Although Naruzawa was not the strongest among them, he was still a top-tier expert, not to mention the enhancement brought by the surgery. It's too outrageous that he was defeated by a woman so easily.

As they pondered, their gazes fell upon one of their companions, who seemed to have also drawn a number to face off against a disciple of the Azure Sky Pavilion.

I originally thought he wouldn't get a chance to play. After all, if Naruzawa successfully killed the disciple of Aozorakan on the stage, the match would definitely be canceled, regardless of whether he lived or died. But I didn't expect that guy would be killed in return and even be classified as a patient with Tokoyo disease... It's not entirely wrong.

In short, the unlucky one is about to take the stage.

While the assassins from the Demon Dragon Society were rejoicing over their companion's misfortune, Harunobu was leading Hojo Amu back to her spot. Since Hojo Amu seemed quite calm, he didn't try to comfort her, lest he make things worse.

He simply praised Hosho Amu's decisive judgment and affirmed her actions.

Amu Hosho smiled faintly as she sat in her seat and watched Harunobu return to the judges' table. She then lowered her head and began talking to Koneko and Sachiko Hira, presumably discussing her.

Why not call her over too? There are plenty of other spots available.

She sighed inexplicably and turned her gaze to the competition on the stage.

The rest of the matches went smoothly and returned to normal. The incident involving Naruzawa was forgotten as if it had never happened. In this atmosphere, it was time for Saten Yoko to take the stage.

"Number 59! Aozorakan! The first transmission of the Natural Harushin-ryu school! Saten Yoko!"

"A showdown!"

"Number 60! Namishikan! Yagyu Shinkage-ryu - Chuden! Yamashita Kitano!"

"Now! The Asakusa Ward's Thirty-Fight True Sword Tournament! The battle begins!"

The moment the referee called "start," Yamashita Kitano rushed towards Saten Yoko, the blade of his sword, which was barely visible as it was dragged diagonally under his left leg, making his movements unpredictable.

Saten Yoko was a little nervous, but she managed to stay calm and continued to grip the katana still sheathed, waiting for the enemy to approach.

One step, two steps.

Soon, Yamashita Kitano rushed into Saten Yoko's attack range. Saten Yoko, who was really fighting for the first time, nervously and excitedly pushed the tsuba (handguard) of her sword and used the Flying Heaven Sword Style's swift sword-drawing technique.

A silvery-white blade flashed through the air and landed in empty space. Yamashita Kitano's body seemed boneless, suddenly lowering half a head to avoid the strike aimed at his neck, while simultaneously swinging his sword.

But he was still a little too hasty and didn't notice that Saten Yoko was wielding the sword with one hand while holding the scabbard with the other.

Flying Sword Style: Twin Dragon Flash!

Just like the previous remake of Hojo Amu and Narusawa, the scabbard and the katana collided. However, Saten Yoko's strength was not as great as Hojo Amu's, and she only barely managed to block the attack, giving her a chance to sheathe her weapon and regroup.

"Hoo..." Saten Yoko exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling somewhat dejected. As expected, she was still no match for Sachiko and the others.

But she quickly regained her composure. No matter whether she could beat Sachiko and the others, she would not give up!