Female Swordsman Training Dojo

Harunobu didn't mince words and said directly, "I only need location information. Give me a price."

The information brokers exchanged glances and then announced their prices. Whether it was due to the excellent management of the Rumor House or their own politeness, there was no scrambling or fighting among them. Harunobu, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, chose the SSR she had just bought, even though she quoted the highest price: 25 yen.

"You're the one." Qingxin looked at the man in gray. "Is there a quiet place?"

"If you trust me, you can go to the private room on the second floor, or you can go outside to make the transaction yourself, but in that case, I suggest you be more vigilant."

As an intermediary, the Rumor House naturally has the obligation to ensure the security of intelligence transactions and the reliability and effectiveness of information, but that is limited to the Rumor House. If you want to run out, they have no say in it—but they still have to collect their commission.

"Then let's go to the second floor." Harunobu looked at the new SR, "What's your name?"

"Hehe, you can just call me Little Cat, Samurai-sama," SR said. His voice was quite pleasant, though a little childish, but he was still a child after all.

She was plain-looking, about thirteen or fourteen years old, with no breasts or buttocks and a sallow complexion—but she was an SR!

"plz follow me."

The man in gray led Qingxin and the kitten to a private room on the second floor, then closed the heavy wooden door and left.

Qingxin took out his wallet: "Tell me, where is that guy hiding?"

After counting the money twice, the kitten said with satisfaction, "He's hiding in Ichiraku Ramen near Sumida River Park. It's a safe house of the Demon Dragon Society. There's a secret door in the kitchen, but I don't know how to open it."

"In addition, he goes out for a walk around nine o'clock every night. At this time, he has the fewest men around him. I suggest that you make your move then, sir."

"besides……"

Harunobu, who had been prepared to be taken advantage of, actually felt like he had made a huge profit as he listened to the cat's detailed and detailed information.

Finally, the kitten stopped, seemingly still wanting more. Its two clear black and white eyes darted around, as if it was about to strike while the iron was hot and try to sell some bundled information. But Qingxin thought it was a done deal and was about to leave.

So he quickly brought up the real business: "Little cat, do you want to learn swordsmanship from me?"

Chapter Nine: The Hunt

As soon as Harunobu said those words, the room fell silent. The kitten stared at Harunobu with its big eyes, looking at him intently.

No, is this samurai out of his mind?

Do you accept those who are corrupted into becoming disciples?

And it seems like he's really serious... Could it be that he's run into a pervert who likes to prey on little girls?!

As an Eta, a kitten who has lived for sixteen years, she doesn't believe there's such a thing as a free lunch in this world—and even if there were, it would never be her turn.

So the answer is clear: the samurai in front of him must be someone with abnormal fetishes, but he doesn't dare to attack ordinary people or people of the same social class, so he specifically targets Edo, who is left unattended.

If someone foolishly believes this, they'll probably end up even worse off than those courtesans of Yoshiwara.

Thinking this through, the kitten, while increasing its vigilance, also deepened its business smile: "No, no, samurai-sama, I don't have that talent."

"No, you do." Qingxin couldn't stand to hear that, and immediately said seriously, "You are the most talented person I have ever seen, unparalleled in the world. It would be such a waste if you didn't practice swordsmanship!"

Qingxin spoke with such sincerity that the kitten was terrified.

You've only known me for less than half an hour, and you can already see my talent?

It's a shame you're not practicing swordsmanship yet; I think it's a shame you can't train with it, you bastard!

That's fucking filthy and full of profanities!

No matter how foul language she was thinking, on the surface, the kitten maintained a professional smile: "Thank you for valuing me so much, but I don't have the money to pay for tuition."

Harunobu's gaze shifted downwards, landing on the 25 yen intelligence fee that the kitten was clutching tightly, which had been in Harunobu's wallet not long ago.

"..."

"..."

After a moment of silence, the kitten calmly said, "This money is to be split equally among everyone; I will only receive five yen."

Harunoshi nodded. This was normal. It was inevitable for the Edo people at the bottom of society to stick together in order to survive, especially in the intelligence business. Those Edo kids might even be in cahoots with Kitten.

In fact, the Yakuza were originally an Eta organization that banded together for survival, but they gradually changed as they expanded and developed. Now, they are the ones that exploit the Eta the most.

but……

Harunobu smiled and said, "That's a really coincidence. Our Aozorakan only charges five yen a month for tuition."

silence.

The kitten could only remain silent. Although what Harunobu said was true, and the price was in line with the niche of Aozora-kan, a third-rate gym, she felt that Harunobu was deliberately picking a fight.

However, she couldn't refute or rebuke the samurai, so she could only remain silent.

Of course, she had already made up her mind that she would never leave the Wind and Sound House with Haruno, and that she would avoid him from now on!

Fengwenwu has a very good reputation.

After a moment, Harunobu said with some helplessness, "Even if you really don't want to, at least come up with another excuse, right?"

The kitten rolled its eyes: "Hmm... I usually have to work, so I don't have time to practice swordsmanship!"

"Really?" Harunobu blinked, pointing at the kitten's right hand with obvious calluses from the sword. "I thought you thought you were disgusted by our Natural Harunobu-ryu swordsmanship and would rather continue to secretly learn the Mugae-ryu."

The kitten broke down for the first time, hiding its paws behind its back: "How could you—"

"Your defensive stance was too obvious, but it's thanks to your straightforwardness that I was able to react." Qingxin stretched and stood up. "Let's call it a day then. By the way, my swordsmanship is quite impressive. If you don't believe me, remember to come and see tonight. You should know where I'll be at night, right?"

Qingxin pushed open the door and left, and the kitten breathed a sigh of relief.

We finally managed to fool that pervert!

Although her secret learning of swordsmanship was exposed, it wasn't a big deal, because she only learned a very basic part, which had already been widely circulated. Moreover, it was Wuwailiu that actively "leaked" it to expand its influence, so there was no need to worry about Wuwailiu coming after her.

This perverted samurai may be a bit abnormal, but he seems to have a good eye. Could it be that he really discovered her extraordinary swordsmanship talent in such a short time?

Should we go watch him deal with Suzuki Michiichi tonight?

The kitten pondered for a moment, then walked out of the Rumor House.

……

Harunobu left the Kazemonya. The bright sunshine indicated that it was still morning. However, Harunobu did not plan to return to the Aozorakan. Instead, he decided to take a walk in Sumida River Park, which would help him better practice his breathing techniques and also change his mood.

We might even catch the little spy who sneaked over to watch.

Having made up his mind, Harunobu headed towards the tram station, and a few minutes later, taking advantage of his samurai privileges, he brazenly freeloaded—well, samurai don't have to pay for using public facilities like trams.

However, nothing noteworthy happened after that. No foolish Yakuza or thugs caused trouble, and no rich girls or female students came out to fawn over him. Harunobu quietly strolled along the Sumida River by himself, passing by the Ichiraku Ramen shop that the cat had mentioned a few times, and even went in for a bowl of ramen.

To be honest, it's just an ordinary ramen shop. You wouldn't guess it's a Yakuza stronghold. Everyone from the customers to the owner and the sign girl at the door is very ordinary. There are no tattoos or anything like that. On the other hand, the ramen is pretty good.

We strolled around eating and shopping until after 7 p.m., when it was almost completely dark. But the area around the Sumida River is a bustling part of Asakusa Ward—after all, Senso-ji Temple is located here—so even at night, there were still quite a few pedestrians around.

Moreover, because it was nighttime, many people who rested during the day and worked at night also came out. Their clothing was much bolder than that of pedestrians during the day. Although they still didn't wear cheongsams with slits up to their shoulders, this half-covered and half-revealed look was even more attractive.

With a relaxed mood, Haruki strolled back to the vicinity of Ichiraku Ramen. The clock in front of the Western-style watch shop next door pointed to 8:58.

He went into a wagashi shop next door and bought a few daifuku. The clock then pointed to 9:30. Out of the corner of his eye, Harunobu saw a short, stocky figure walk out of Ichiraku Ramen, followed by two people who were a little taller than him but smaller, walking towards a side path near the ramen shop.

He turned around and sized up the short man in the lead, with slanted eyes, a bulbous nose, and a short stature... It was definitely Suzuki Michiichi; the government's wanted poster did look quite similar.

After paying for the daifuku, Qingxin followed after him, carrying the complimentary paper bag.

As the crowds thinned out and the hustle and bustle of the night market faded away, leaving only the sounds of footsteps and breathing, Harunobu stuffed the last daifuku into his mouth in the gentle night breeze, and gave Suzuki Michiichi, who was casting a questioning glance at him, a smile.

Perhaps it was because Harunobu, chewing on daifuku, looked too harmless, or perhaps it was because the darkness obscured the shape of the sword beneath his long haori, Suzuki Doichi suddenly revealed a smug smile and commanded his two subordinates: "Catch him!"

He enjoys tormenting people who seem happy.

Two burly men, each about 1.7 meters tall, also revealed ferocious smiles. They took out iron bars as thick as their wrists from their waists and slowly approached Qingxin. The sudden situation startled Qingxin for a moment, and then his smile became even more genuine.

"It's a pity we didn't see the kitten, but it's great that you came to die."

As Harunobu spoke, he gently pushed the hilt of his sword with his left hand. A click was suddenly heard, followed by a thunderous breathing sound. Suzuki Michiichi's eyes widened, as if a flash of silver lightning had appeared in them. Then he felt a pain in his neck and lost consciousness.

Just then, the sound of Harunobu sheathing his sword rang out, and Suzuki Michiichi and his men collapsed to the ground simultaneously, not even realizing what Harunobu had done until they passed out.

The bounty is higher for capturing the enemy alive.

"But this is too bad. Is this all the junior leader of the Demon Dragon Society's direct lineage is capable of?" Harunobu thought with great disappointment, taking out the rope he had prepared beforehand, intending to tie up Suzuki Doichi and take him back.

But just as Harunobu approached the fallen Suzuki Michiichi, a gust of wind suddenly rushed towards his chest—

Chapter Ten: Demonic Transformation

The moment he felt the gust of wind, Qingxin instinctively dodged backward, but his half-crouched position prevented him from completely avoiding the attack. The sharp claws that created the gust of wind tore open his shirt, leaving a bright red scratch mark on his chest and abdomen.

"what?!"

Ignoring the pain in his clothes, Harunobu jumped several meters away and stared dumbfounded at Suzuki Michiichi, who had gotten up again.

Unlike his previous short stature of at most 1.45 meters, Suzuki Michi has now grown to at least 1.7 meters. His existing muscles have swelled into exaggerated bulges, stretching his clothes into a pile of tattered strips, which are scattered among the dark scales covering his body. Two horns, resembling both a cow and a sheep, grow from the sides of his head, pointing straight at the night sky. The ends of his limbs are twisted and elongated, turning into sharp beast claws.

The current Suzuki Michiichi is completely different from his previous appearance, except for his face, which is still ugly even when covered in scales.

monster?

Qingxin swallowed hard. He had heard of monsters that could disguise themselves as humans, but those monsters were at least elite level. Ordinary monsters didn't have that ability, let alone the brains.

If an elite-level monster is going to disguise itself as a human, it means it wants to keep a low profile and avoid being noticed by the authorities. So why become a Yakuza? And why go on a killing spree in the street, as if afraid of not being noticed by the authorities? Where's its brain?

The contradictory reality left Harunobu's mind somewhat confused, but he quickly calmed down with the rhythm of his breathing.

Regardless of whether this guy is elite or ordinary, since things have come to this point, all he can do is fight.

As a samurai who enjoyed so many privileges, Harunobu would not allow himself to desert his post—especially when the yokai was so close to the bustling Sumida River!

Although he was thinking this morning that he should make full preparations before challenging the monster, it is one thing to be fully prepared before the battle, and it is another thing to maintain courage during the battle. The two are not contradictory!

Besides, he might not necessarily lose. The physical strength of elite-level monsters is not much different from that of ordinary-level monsters. They just have the advantage of being smarter and possessing some magic.

Harunobu breathed heavily, his blood surging through his body, his breathing becoming thunderous.

He stepped forward with his right foot, lowered his upper body, leaned forward, and braced his left foot against the ground behind him. He gripped the scabbard with his left hand, pushed hard with his thumb on the hilt, and exerted force with his right hand and right foot simultaneously.

boom!

A small crater was created on the unstable ground of the secluded path by his footsteps, and Harunobu's figure appeared like lightning in front of Suzuki Michiichi, who was still standing in the same spot.

Thunder Breathing - First Form - Thunderclap Flash - Six-Hit Combo!

The silver blades traced six streaks of lightning in the pitch-black night, finally converging at the same spot—Suzuki Michiichi's neck. Suzuki Michiichi, who was already roaring and preparing to launch an attack, was completely unable to keep up with Harunobu's speed and was completely overwhelmed by all the attacks.

But Harunobu, who unleashed this precise combo, felt no joy whatsoever. The sensations returning from the blade made it clear to him that his attack had no effect whatsoever!

No, it wasn't completely ineffective. At least the impact of Harunobu's Six-Strike Combo did affect Suzuki Michiichi, putting him in a state of stun, rendering him unable to move or retaliate.

But this guy's scales are too hard! Harunobu felt they were even harder than steel!

Normally, for Harunobu, who had mastered the ultimate form of Thunder Breathing, cutting through stone and splitting iron would not have been difficult. However, his 30-yen katana could not withstand this power. After six strikes, it was covered with cracks, while Suzuki Doichi's scales only had a single white mark.

Are you kidding me? Is this guy's magic some kind of physical enhancement?

A roar flashed through his mind, and Harunobu took another deep breath. The katana in his hand flew out like lightning once again, turning into five irregular bolts of lightning, attacking Suzuki Doichi, who had broken free of his stun and was roaring as he charged forward.

Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit!

Five slashes, executed almost simultaneously but without any pattern, landed on Suzuki Doichi's neck, forearms, abdomen, and face. Regardless of the location, the force returned to Harunobu was equally hard, leaving the same shallow marks on his scales.

Moreover, the impact of Inari Soul is not as strong as Thunder Flash. Because it lacks the bonus of charging and high speed, even if the five strikes hit almost simultaneously, they could not put Suzuki Doichi into a state of stun.

"West--"

A distorted roar, its pronunciation indistinct and unclear, came from Suzuki Michiichi's mouth, which was covered by scales, as his thick right arm, also covered in scales, slammed into Harunobu's chest.

Harunobu had no doubt that the punch could kill him, so he immediately dodged it. The powerful physical abilities brought by Thunder Breathing came into play at this moment, allowing him to narrowly avoid the punch at the last moment by bending over backward.

But then, Suzuki Michiichi's thick thigh flew over and hit Harunobu's side, sending him flying sideways.

"Roar!!!"

Suzuki Doichi let out a threatening roar at Harunobu, who was blocked by the wall of the alley, and then strode towards Harunobu. This fierce charge shook the earth and the things on it, causing them to flee in fear and crash into Suzuki Doichi's legs.

So Suzuki Michiichi stopped, then slowly bent down and picked up the iron bar that had hit what should now be called his claws.

—The iron bars that Suzuki Michiichi's two henchmen were holding earlier.

Qingxin has gotten up, and now he has both good news and bad news.

The good news is that, regardless of what level of monster Suzuki Doichi is, he seems to be completely brainless now.