Chapter 125

Kaga Kiyomitsu began vibrating in dissatisfaction the moment Uesugi Toru grasped it in his hand.

It was as if it were saying: I've clearly completed my transformation and stayed by your side for so long, so why did you only pick me up now!

You lecher who forgets his sword at the sight of a woman!

—Women only slow down the speed at which you draw your sword!

"Alright, alright."

Uesugi Toru rubbed his fingertip along its cool tsuba, whispering: "Even if I have 1% of the problem, don't you have 99% of the problem? Xiao Jia, wouldn't you jump into my hand from over there on your own?"

Kaga Kiyomitsu stopped trembling, as if it hadn't expected there to be such a shameless owner.

It was merely an uchigatana, and moreover one stuffed inside a scabbard; just how was it supposed to move?

Seeing that he seemed to have appeased Kaga Kiyomitsu, Uesugi Toru let out a slight breath, and upon seeing the dazzling golden giant prompt before him, understood where that subtle feeling in his heart had come from.

【Detected that your weapon Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Parting has reached Epic quality!】

【Legendary Quest: Parting Cut has been unlocked!】

【Legendary Quest: Parting Cut】

【Completion Condition 1: Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Parting's quality reaches "Legendary"!】

【Completion Condition 2: Use Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Parting to slay any Wild Kami-level (Five-Star) Yaoguai!】

【—History books a thousand years later will record thus: When the First Wave arrived, the then-obscure Uesugi Toru wielded it to slay Eight Sufferings·Aibetsuri, as the starting point of legend. From then on, this uchigatana gained a name uniquely its own: Parting Cut.】

Legend.

Uesugi Toru's grip on Kaga Kiyomitsu tightened a fraction.

He understood that the sudden palpitation had arisen because of this.

So-called Legendary grade, presumably, are all able to leave a unique, heavy stroke of their own in the long and tedious history, weapons or props that later generations might occasionally hear of.

For instance, Minamoto no Yorimitsu's "Spider Cut" from a thousand years ago in the Heian Period—many have heard these three words, but if you swap them for the two words "Hizamaru," the number of people who have heard of it greatly decreases.

Uesugi Toru had a premonition.

Once Kaga Kiyomitsu advances to Legendary, what it brings will definitely be a qualitative transformation of shedding its mortal body and exchanging its bones.

And it will absolutely have an extremely important influence on himself as well.

"Legend, huh..."

Uesugi Toru followed behind Rituna Minami, walking quietly, and raised it before his eyes in the light streaming in from the aisle window.

The warm-toned sunlight reflected the vermilion scabbard and the copper tsuba adorned with pale white, making them shine brilliantly.

Speaking of the word "Legend" now, Uesugi Toru felt it was still too early.

After all, between "Epic" and "Legend" there is sandwiched another equally important quality—Super Epic.

The Nail of Nail-Head Seven Arrows is of this quality, so it possesses the miraculous effect of being able to ignore distance and teleport to the surroundings of a designated target.

And Kaga Kiyomitsu, just rising from the many Rare-grade weapons already in Uesugi Toru's hands to Epic, has slain who knows how many yokai, including even Aibetsuri, an Eight Sufferings possessing uniqueness.

If it hadn't slain Aibetsuri, heaven knows how long Kaga Kiyomitsu would have needed to advance.

"The days ahead are still long."

Uesugi Toru stroked Kaga Kiyomitsu's hilt, which fit his palm perfectly, and silently began viewing the attributes of the now-Epic Kaga Kiyomitsu—

【Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Parting】

【Quality: Epic】

【Effect 1: Thrust Strengthening·Goku. When using thrust-type sword techniques, will cause massive additional damage.】

【Effect 2: Shousatsu.】

【Effect 3: Slash Strengthening·Goku. When using slash-type sword techniques, will cause large amounts of additional damage.】

【Effect 4: Shiretsu.】

【Effect 5: Separation Blade (Unique).】

【Effect 6: Hyakuren Nyoi. Kaga Kiyomitsu's toughness and hardness significantly increased, becoming extremely difficult to break. Simultaneously, Kaga Kiyomitsu will become easier to adapt to forging.】

【—This is the blade that slew Eight Sufferings·Aibetsuri. It will surely leave its own mark in history in the future.】

Uesugi Toru scanned every single word in the panel in extreme detail.

The most obvious change was Thrust Strengthening and Slash Strengthening, both of which now had a "Goku" appended to their ends, proving that Kaga Kiyomitsu's damage upon landing a hit had increased another notch.

Coupled with the weapon sharpness increase that originally comes with quality advancement, it can be said Kaga Kiyomitsu's numerical values have thoroughly grown a full circle larger.

There is also the newly added Effect 6 "Hyakuren Nyoi," which, on the premise of not affecting sharpness, unreasonably also raises toughness and hardness.

You must know, in ordinary people's cognition, the harder a sword, the better its sharpness can be maintained—but at the same time, its toughness also becomes very poor, causing the weapon to easily snap.

So swords on the battlefield generally aren't overly sharp or hard, precisely to guarantee sturdiness and durability, so they won't suddenly snap halfway through killing and force the wielder into an unarmed state.

But the current Kaga Kiyomitsu, under the blessing of Effect 6 "Hyakuren Nyoi," completely violates this iron law, raising these "three-dimensional attributes" simultaneously, truly becoming a supernatural weapon.

If one took the current Kaga Kiyomitsu and clashed with the tachi in the Tenbina Yagyo Lord's hand, it might even directly cleave the opponent's tachi in two.

Uesugi Toru smiled, then shifted his gaze to Shousatsu, which had a long string of "Notes" appear after it.

【Effect 2: Shousatsu. When using Kaga Kiyomitsu to slay demon monsters, yaoguai, Kaga Kiyomitsu's quality will gradually increase.】

【Note: Re-advancement requires slaying massive quantities of demon monsters, yaoguai; one may seek a Tian Gong or Tian Gong Apprentice to perform secondary forging on Kaga Kiyomitsu: Blade of Parting to strengthen the "Shousatsu" effect.】

These words "massive quantities" coincided exactly with Uesugi Toru's previous thoughts.

But needing to find a Tian Gong or Tian Gong Apprentice... Uesugi Toru completely had no means to contact that old blacksmith and Zashiki-warashi who had scurried off to who knows where.

He fell into slight contemplation.

If Nanjo Sister and the Special Affairs Division have no existence with the same means as "Tian Gong," then afterwards perhaps he could try looking for Katsumi, and while buying things, ask him about it.

"You've gotten stronger again, Xiao Jia."

Uesugi Toru smiled and flicked the other's hilt; the latter trembled once more, extremely dissatisfied with this casual, ordinary appellation, just like the kid next door.

Feeling the vibration transmitted from his palm, Uesugi Toru thought:

——Ever since Kaga Kiyomitsu upgraded to Epic Level, its spirituality has indeed improved considerably.

Previously, when Kaga Kiyomitsu was only Rare Quality, such anthropomorphic actions rarely occurred.

……

After changing out of the hospital gown into a cheap Special Affairs Bureau Uniform, Uesugi Toru followed behind Rituna Minami and walked toward the doorway of the Toshima District Special Affairs Bureau.

Unlike the Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Division, which has a towering office building of seventeen or eighteen floors or more, the Special Affairs Division Headquarters of Toshima District has only a pitiful four floors.

However, considering the current situation where the entire Special Affairs Division is empty and deserted, these four floors of office and residential areas probably cannot be fully staffed either.

"Can't even sense a Shikigami's presence... feels just like a senior community."

Uesugi Toru stared for a while at the distant cafeteria marked with two glittering "Special Price" characters, and smiled politely at the familiar-faced young man standing guard at the doorway.

That's right, this young man guarding the Special Affairs Division Headquarters doorway is precisely the one Uesugi Toru encountered at the hotel earlier.

——Only he didn't expect that even after the First Wave passed, this Special Affairs Division would still be using an actual person with estimated less than One-Star strength to guard the gate.

Their Arakawa Ward Special Affairs Division's gate guards have already become a shift system of Two-Star Half + Three Star Shikigami, guaranteeing powerful early warning capability.

And the gate-guarding Shikigami in Shinjuku or Shibuya are said to require at least Three Stars to be selected, and they're merely for show, not the main guarding force.

One can only say the disparity between regions indeed exists, and it's severe.

Uesugi Toru nodded at the young man whose face was full of shock and eyes full of envy, then turned back and sighed lightly.

What Rituna Minami needs to do now is to try to make the supernatural powers in these "remote" regions grow stronger as soon as possible.

After all, after the Wave Coming, the appearance locations of many Yokai are unreasonable; they themselves don't know why they would appear in such sparsely populated poor backwaters.

Walking out of the empty Toshima District Special Affairs Division Headquarters, Uesugi Toru almost instantly saw the Huijue monk wearing a kasaya, squatting on the roadside curb at the doorway, slurping instant noodles from a cup with a disposable fork.

Hikyou-shoni stood beside him, maintaining a slightly stiff smile as he scrutinized every passerby.

As if afraid someone might stop and accuse them of disgracing Hongan-ji's reputation.

"Benefactor Uesugi! How is your body?"

Seeing Uesugi Toru walk out, Huijue immediately threw the plastic fork into the noodle soup, casually wiped his mouth, and laughed as he walked over to greet him.

Uesugi Toru raised an eyebrow.

In just two days of not seeing Huijue, the "equipment" on his body had been updated and replaced with a whole new set.

The old, patina-covered Buddhist kasaya showed its age at a glance; a skull necklace biting a cross hung down below his neck, and he had switched to a pair of new moon street-stall earrings swaying slightly.

Good grief, this is a unification of three teachings; a difficult problem that countless ancients failed to complete for thousands of years was actually solved by Huijue alone.

Uesugi Toru held back laughter, examined the Kang Shifu Spicy Instant Noodles cup Huijue was halfway through eating, nodded slightly at him, and gave a thumbs up.

"Classic choice, Master has good taste."

"Then it seems this instant noodles is indeed not bad." Huijue smacked his lips, then pointed at Hikyou behind him, "I said this stuff is delicious, let Junior Disciple have a taste, but he said no no no and wouldn't eat it no matter what, what a pity."

Huijue grinned again: "This kid is still too young; after going back he'll probably dream of this instant noodles for several days straight, and when he wants to eat it then there won't be any."

Uesugi Toru shifted his gaze and saw Hikyou with an awkward smile.

"Senior Brother——"

The young novice clenched his fists, face flushing red.

"Benefactor Uesugi."

Huijue set the instant noodle cup aside, put away his playful expression, pressed his palms together and bowed his head slightly.

"This poor monk, on behalf of all my fellow disciples and my Teacher, says thank you to you, Benefactor."

Uesugi Toru recalled the old mage who helped him arrange the spirit tablets, and asked: "The Abbot, has he had no issues?"

Huijue smiled: "Thanks to Benefactor Uesugi, Teacher is all well. He even had the energy to fly into a thunderous rage upon seeing me; two or three elders almost couldn't hold him back."

That's only natural.

With Huijue's abstract divine-man attire unifying three teachings, an old mage of at least sixty or seventy not beating him to death and expelling him from the sect counts as open-minded.

Uesugi Toru shook his head, didn't raise any doubts about Huijue's clothing style and personal aesthetics; after all, he's still in the exploration phase, being a bit wild is normal.

"Then, Master Huijue, if there's nothing else, we'll say see you again another day."

Uesugi Toru pointed at Rituna Minami, who had run off to the other side to smoke alone since just now: "Still have business to handle, can't keep the superior waiting."

"Naturally, naturally."

A faint, barely discernible Buddha Light seemed to flicker behind Huijue; he said calmly: "Safe travels, Benefactor Uesugi."

Having spoken, Huijue picked up the instant noodle cup he had placed on the ground again, and left with Hikyou-shoni who was persuading him not to eat it since it was cold, while slurping noodles.

Uesugi Toru stared at the prompt before him, slightly stunned.

【Safe Travels: A sincere blessing from one with an Innate Dao Body; for the next three days, you will literally have smooth sailing in transportation.】

He gazed at Huijue's gradually receding back, suddenly feeling this era's future would certainly be splendid.

At the same time, three hundred meters away, on the rooftop.

Three blurry figures stood side by side.

"That's the Arakawa Ward's seed, Uesugi Toru?"

A youth in black clothes, wrapped in bandages all over his body, revealing only a pair of purple pupils, said indifferently: "Our opponent seven days from now is actually just this caliber?"

He rather disdainfully teased the crow perched on his left arm, gently stroking its glossy feathers: "That Onmyo Daizoku named Rituna Minami is indeed very strong, my intuition tells me she's even more formidable than Master."

"That monk Huijue beside her isn't bad either; him killing all three of us together probably wouldn't be a problem."

Crow Takes Time Rain sighed disappointedly: "But that Uesugi Toru seems really lacking; I can't even muster the desire to toy with him."

"Now now, little crow, don't be impatient."

Beside him, a blonde woman in a thin evening dress thrust out her magnificent bosom, lifted the hair at her shoulder with her hand and laughed,

"I heard Arakawa Ward has a girl named Tokugawa Ririko who's quite formidable; her swordsmanship has reached Xingcheng Chengjing, comparable to the legendary sword masters."

Kuzuha Chihaya stuck out her tongue and licked her sharp nails: "If I could play properly with her, that wouldn't be bad either."

"Tokugawa?"

A listless voice rang out behind the two of them.

Hands in pockets, wearing a mask, her upper body clad in a loose color-blocked hoodie, but underneath wearing thin translucent black stockings, the girl raised her dark-circle-shrouded eyes.

"Since she's called Tokugawa, there's no need to make an enemy of her."

Akatsuki Ran said softly: "It would bring trouble to Oboro Moon Hall and Teacher."

Kuzuha Chihaya crossed her arms in dissatisfaction: "Ran-chan, you're such a killjoy!"

Akatsuki Ran remained indifferent, not even giving Uesugi Toru, hundreds of meters away, a proper glance: "Of this kind of 'genius,' I've lost count of how many I've killed."

"If that guy dares to recklessly step up, then let me just finish him off directly."

Tossing the White Bone Dagger that had manifested from who knows where, Akatsuki Ran turned around and yawned: "I'm leaving first, last night's digestion exercise was too late, I haven't caught up on sleep yet."

"I thought this time might rare-ly have a bit of surprise, but didn't expect to see only disappointment."

Akatsuki Ran's voice slowly faded away as she transformed into a clump of shadow and dispersed into the air.

Kuzuha Chihaya's remaining words still unspoken, she opened her mouth, helplessly spread her hands: "Ran-chan seems to have underestimated the opponent too much, that's not good."

"Katsura-senpai, this isn't called underestimating, this is just stating facts."

A pitch-black crow spread its wings, soaring into mid-air.

The youth's figure likewise vanished in a flash, leaving only a disdainful hiss on the spot: "Observed him this long and he still hasn't noticed us, in a real battle he'd have died dozens of times over already."

Soon, only Kuzuha Chihaya remained on the rooftop.

She scratched her head, poked the little snake head that had emerged from her collar back inside, and stared for a while at that ordinary youth who didn't even embody a shred of the Jing Shen a strong person should have.

"Seems like Ran-chan and Little Crow were right too... a target like this I can't even be bothered to kill."

"To treat this kind of mediocrity as a District One seed, Nanjo Ai's eye for people is truly miraculous, when she herself is clearly so strong."

Kuzuha Chihaya walked unenthusiastically toward the stairs, and by the time she walked out of the building, she had completely transformed into another person's appearance, blending into the sea of people without a trace.

……

"Nanjo Sister, that's my opponent?"

Uesugi Toru was scrolling through the "Cultivation Progress Bar" Kitano Runa had sent to show off, plus her selfie with Shizuku, leaning against the wall waiting for Nanjo Ai to finish this cigarette.

"Noticed?"

Nanjo Ai looked at him with slight surprise.

"Noticed the first second." Uesugi Toru replied with a tangyuan emoji (not bad), then said, "After practicing Shizuku's two little tricks, these three's 'Shen' are simply like high beams at night, impossible to ignore even if you want to."

He evaluated: "Stings my eyes."

Nanjo Ai exhaled smoke: "Their strength isn't weak, can even be said to be very strong, on paper two Two-Star Halves and one Three-Star, and insidious tricks up to the hair."

"You just barely dealt with a Three-Star Demon, if before the match you feel your strength is insufficient..."

"Those three guys still fall a bit short."

Uesugi Toru pocketed his phone, shrugged at Nanjo Ai: "Even I wasn't detected while observing them, really not up to par."

"Good then."

Nanjo Ai nodded.

She had never really valued those three disciples of Oboro Moon Hall, because similar people she'd seen plenty of early on, ordinary and not worth mentioning.

But Uesugi Toru was different.

Casually flicking the cigarette butt into a nearby manhole cover, Nanjo Ai walked toward the bread van slowly stopping across the road.

Uesugi Toru, is the one and only unique existence.

……

After opening the car door, Uesugi Toru surprisingly discovered Nure-onna and Hiyobou already sitting in the trunk early.

But different from before, the two weren't playing rock-paper-scissors that kind of game kids often play, but one shikigami was holding a smartphone.

Dim light illuminated the shikigami's faces, and from time to time eerie creepy laughter transmitted from their mouths.

"Here he comes!"

Upon raising her head and seeing Uesugi Toru walk in, Hiyobou only then reacted with a start, after pressing the screen-off key she headbutted Nure-onna's face, making the latter turn her head several times in a panic.

Then flusteredly operating a few times to show them the phone desktop, stammering with 'no silver three hundred taels here': "I, I wasn't looking at anything strange okay!"

In just a moment, Nure-onna's face flushed red in the silence.

Uesugi Toru: "......"

He turned his head, used his eyes to poke at Nanjo Ai who likewise expressed speechlessness with her expression, meaning: "Don't you manage your family's shikigami?"

Nanjo Ai shook her head, she couldn't be bothered to expose Nure-onna and the others' little thoughts.

Everyone goes through this, she naturally knows perfectly well what a phone desktop means.

Since she gave the shikigami personal phones, letting them connect to this era's internet and electronics, encountering similar information is sooner or later.

Nanjo Ai felt there was no need to interfere.

After all, when the time comes they'll get bored and stop looking, and Nure-onna is already Three-Star, physical constitution very good, occasionally relaxing is fine.

Understanding Nanjo Ai's meaning, Uesugi Toru sat back in his seat, watching the two Nure-onna already nonchalantly playing Candy Crush, and sighed heavily in his heart.

Two perfectly good shikigami, how did they become like this.

Could it be Adult Erchi secretly taught them in private.

Uesugi Toru decided to interrogate her properly later.

But for now, still do the proper business first.

"Nanjo Sister, I'll sleep a bit."

With a creak, Uesugi Toru narrowed his eyes, leaving only a barely visible slit before his eyes.

——Sleep? That's naturally impossible.

Right now he still had a huge sum of 3080 Soul Ash points in hand, of course he had to seize every gap on the return road to properly grab a handful of Fishing Master.

The two-star White Prajna Physique should swim even faster than those Epic Fish glowing with purple light, not to mention the Four-Tailed Fox Incarnation can unleash Heavenly Thunder to instantly kill a large fish.

Uesugi Toru didn't summon the Two-Shaku Adult to play with Nure-onna and the others after getting in the vehicle for this very reason.

Because he might need the Two-Shaku Adult to act together later to help him salvage some Green-White Fish to eat as a pity guarantee.

Amidst the silence, a prompt popped up before his eyes.

【Special Salvage: Fishing Master!】

【The second salvage costs 1000 Soul Ash! Doubles each time thereafter!】

【Remaining Salvage Times: Two】

【Note: During this Special Salvage, High Quality Item appearance rate is significantly increased!】

【Whether to consume 1000 Soul Ash to activate Special Salvage: Fishing Master?】

"Yes."

Uesugi Toru chanted silently in his heart.

Then familiar characters popped up.

【Special Salvage about to start.】

【Before that, please choose your Accompanying Shikigami.】

Uesugi Toru still chose "Eight Shaku Figure".

In an instant, Uesugi Toru's vision darkened slightly; to the others in the bread van he simply appeared to have entered deep sleep.

【Welcome to Special Salvage: Fishing Master!】

【Here, you must do your best to catch the fish swimming in the pond within the time limit……】

【At the same time, you must ensure you are not hooked by the Angler……】

Snap.

Uesugi Toru felt his feet actually stepping on solid ground, and his surroundings seemed to lack both water pressure and the resistance of water currents.

He opened his eyes.

"Where is this?"

His surroundings were a blur; he could only discern that he seemed to be in a fairly large courtyard, with many, many human figures around.

But it definitely wasn't the Fishing Master's pond he had entered before.

What situation?

Uesugi Toru looked at the "Accompanying Shikigami" column and discovered a "Prohibited" symbol marked on the Two-Shaku Adult's avatar; he indeed could not successfully summon the Two-Shaku Adult.

Fortunately, weapon props like Kaga Kiyomitsu could still be taken out.

Uesugi Toru wore Kaga Kiyomitsu at his waist, maintaining the Ju Ci stance, prepared to face any danger that might appear at any moment.

And just at this time, a prompt popped up again.

【Detected your last random era was: Edo Late Period, Bakumatsu.】

【Simultaneously, you were already watched by a core figure of the Edo Late Period, Bakumatsu era in the last round——】

【Therefore Special Salvage: Fishing Master has been altered!】

These three lines of prompts reminded Uesugi Toru of the end of last time's Fishing Master, the moment he was hooked by that youth suspected to be Okita Soji.

That was actually real?

Uesugi Toru froze——didn't that mean he could use these three chances of "Fishing Master" to time travel back to the past?

Although he could hardly do anything, nor affect anything, the four words "return to the past" themselves held an attraction greater than anything they carried.

"A bit absurd……"

Uesugi Toru murmured, then saw the final line of prompt that popped up.

【——You are entering Special Trial: Slash Master!】

Accompanying the slow dispersal of this line of prompt, the extremely blurry scenery around gradually began to clear, and the sounds of people discussing and speaking gradually entered Uesugi Toru's ears.

It seemed like a long time had passed, yet also like only a brief instant; Uesugi Toru suddenly heard someone call out loudly,

"Next Tester, Uesugi Toru!"

He turned his head in puzzlement, rapidly collecting information from his surroundings.

First, on the stone-paved ground not far away, he saw a giant roly-poly toy as tall as a single person, its face painted with red and black pigments, looking extremely festive.

On its head sat a label same as ordinary demons and monsters: 【Zanshigimaru】.

But the roly-poly toy's body emitted not a shred of aura belonging to demons; it merely swayed slightly there, more like an object, a decoration.

But immediately after, another line of prompt popped up on the three characters Zanshigimaru.

【——Please use full power to slash "Zanshigimaru"; the better the slash effect, the more rewards gained in Special Trial: Slash Master.】

【Note: In this Special Trial, all your skill cooldowns have been refreshed, all your prop cooldowns have been refreshed. Simultaneously, using any skill in the Special Trial will not affect Reality.】

Oh——so that's the routine.

And.

Uesugi Toru placed his gaze on the "Note".

This proved he could freely use the Four-Tailed Fox's Angry Eyes skill without bearing the consequences.

"This is pretty good."

Uesugi Toru curved his mouth corners——this would also let him get a rough estimate of the combat power of his various current states.

Ordinary Person body, wearing small props + Breathing Technique maxed, Berserk White Prajna, Angry Eyes Four-Tailed Fox……

Attribute values, every point increased later reflects differently in reality, so imagination alone cannot fathom what kind of strength one would truly possess upon owning that terrifying numerical value.

But soon, slightly noisy discussions rang out from the surroundings.

"Why hasn't he gone up yet?"

「Won't he be scared? 」

「Shh—shut up, didn't you hear his surname is Uesugi? And that sword at his waist looks extraordinary at a glance. If you dare criticize an Adult like this again, watch your head. 」

Someone closed their mouth, but others discussed even more eagerly.

「Look at his skinny arms and legs, I say at most he can slash out 600 kan of force. 」

「600 kan? You blind fool, his Breathing Technique has reached the level of Qi Through Four Extremities—at least 1000 kan to start! 」

This was the scene of the Edo Region's semiannual Samurai Assessment, so whether commoner or noble, samurai or Dojo Direct Disciple, all gathered here.

Not only to pass the assessment and become at least a nominal samurai, but also to see the level of peers from the same region.

And the first trial everyone faced was the Slash Power Assessment.

If one wanted to pass the assessment, the minimum standard required this black-red Zanshigimaru to announce a value of "500 kan" from its mouth.

Uesugi Toru didn't know these things.

He looked around his surroundings, and upon seeing that everyone around wore distinctly ancient attire, withdrew his gaze.

—It didn't matter; he only knew he was about to draw his sword.

Silently walking before this Zanshigimaru about his own height, Uesugi Toru slowly drew Kaga Kiyomitsu, drawing a chorus of exclamations from those around.

「This blade! This sword blade! 」

「Such a fast sword! Sir, I offer a hundred taels of gold! Will you part with it?! 」

Someone settled the quality of Kaga Kiyomitsu in one word: 「Famous sword. 」

Uesugi Toru turned a deaf ear.

He fondled the sword hilt, gently exhaling a scorching stream of air.

This first slash, let's see how the most ordinary Basic Attack works without using a Breathing Technique.

Raising Kaga Kiyomitsu, Uesugi Toru shouted as he brought it down.

Tang Bamboo Momentum!

Kaga Kiyomitsu, whose Separation Sorrow Domain range had been contracted by a special power, suddenly slashed down, squarely striking the black-red Zanshigimaru.

Whoosh—!

Strong winds howled, and the Zanshigimaru instantly fell backward, simultaneously emitting an extremely punchable tone: 「Slash, Slash Power—nine hundred ten kan, sa, say! 」

When this number came out, the surrounding crowd watching the drama instantly fell silent.

Not because it was too high, but because this number was really too low.

Someone had already said this youth named "Uesugi Toru" was an expert who had trained his Breathing Technique to the level of "Qi Through Four Extremities"; such an expert should be able to reach over a thousand kan with a casual slash.

Let alone that the Uchigatana in his hand was undoubtedly a famous sword treasure blade.

The Record Clerk responsible for recording glanced at Uesugi Toru with doubt, recorded it truthfully, then opened his mouth: 「Next……」

「Ah wait. 」

Uesugi Toru raised his hand to signal, somewhat dissatisfied: 「No one said only one slash, right. 」

The Record Clerk was stunned: 「Uh, theoretically that's the case……」

「Then it's fine. 」

Uesugi Toru hung the Hannya Mask and Four-Tailed Fox Jade Pendant at his waist, then put on a pair of Cold Steel Arm Guards.

Many people looked foolish; just how rich was this noble family's foolish son, swinging his sword while "decked in gold and silver."

Uesugi Toru twisted his neck, and the Corona Qi within his body began to boil.

Around them, youths or adults who had likewise trained their Breathing Technique to Qi Through Four Extremities or even higher Realms exclaimed; it turned out this youth named Uesugi Toru had not gone all out before.

「Inhale—」

Uesugi Toru's eyes flashed with brilliance, gripping Kaga Kiyomitsu as Tang Bamboo Momentum appeared once more.

Corona Breathing Method·Form Five!

But this time the power caused was completely different from before.

Swish—

The vast majority hadn't even seen clearly before Kaga Kiyomitsu's sword blade had already skimmed over the Zanshigimaru's round body, then was drawn back by Uesugi Toru and casually dropped to one side.

But the next moment, that black-red Zanshigimaru not only did not fall backward, but sat right there, beginning to announce the value with a somewhat distorted voice,

「Slash, Slash Power—three thousand—」

Before it could finish speaking, the Zanshigimaru's entire round body was covered in tiny cracks, causing it to explode with a boom in an instant.

Boom!

Under everyone's shocked gaze, the black-red Zanshigimaru exploded into a pile of fragments, still steaming with heat, corpse not yet cold.

「Is this the upper limit? 」

Uesugi Toru slightly frowned; he estimated his slash just now had only touched the peak within Two-Star Half.

Let alone being far from the Four-Tailed Fox state of Angry Eyes, even the Basic Attack of the White Hannya Incarnation with Berserker Effect maxed out could do it.

Is this slash power test so stingy?

Damn, no wonder it allowed him to use skills without side effects.

Uesugi Toru looked at the Record Clerk standing there, displeasedly asking: 「Is there a more durable Zanshigimaru? I haven't gone all out yet. 」

「Yes, yes! 」

The Record Clerk was startled, then unabashedly showed delight—if the hegemon of the Kanto Region appeared in the test he was responsible for, he himself would at least get an extra year's meals.

The Record Clerk immediately took out a Miniature Zanshigimaru entirely blue from a cloth bag embroidered with a Gobosei, throwing it onto the original Zanshigimaru's fragments.

Without mourning the Zanshigimaru's death for a moment, the Blue Zanshigimaru immediately arrived at the Battlefield!

In a moment, it swelled up as if meeting water to grow tall and large, then spoke in a punchable tone loudly: 「Come—slash me! Let me—mock your weak strength! 」

Around them, veins on someone's forehead kept bulging.

Although this Slash Measurement Ball is convenient and practical, one wonders which tendon in the brain of the Onmyoji who created it was crossed, causing all Slash Measurement Balls to share the same ultimate punchable tone of voice.

Uesugi Toru, a literatus refined by modern culture, was different; he glanced at the blue Slash Measurement Ball with indifference and saw a different Label atop its head.

——【Ashigaru Zanshigimaru】.

Ashigaru... perhaps it means a Samurai who can use this kind of Slash Measurement Ball can single-handedly fight massive numbers of Ashigaru.

Not caring about the people around him, Uesugi Toru shook his body and Transformed into White Hannya.

He felt the power further filling his body, and sheathed Kaga Kiyomitsu back into its Sword Sheath.

In the eyes of the surrounding crowd, Uesugi Toru merely put on the Hannya Mask at his Waist — although the behavior was a bit Strange, it amounted to nothing compared to what was about to happen next.

Inside White Hannya, Corona Qi began burning flesh and blood and unimportant meridians to activate the Berserker Effect, enhancing Physical Attribute.

After a full thirty seconds of silent stillness with eyes closed, Uesugi Toru suddenly Raised his Head amidst a stretch of silent air.

Iaido·Front Draw Strike!

Pale Blade Light leaped up, as if severing the vast sunlight cast down from the Sky, plunging the surroundings centered on Uesugi Toru into a scene of pale white.

"Slash, Slash Strike, Power five thousand..."

Bang!

The Ashigaru Zanshigimaru died before it could utter its second sentence in this life, in a manner dozens of times more Miserable than the previous ordinary Slash Measurement Ball.

It Transformed Into a patch of pale, colorless powder, Falling On the Seam of the previous Slash Measurement Ball's corpse pile.

"Physical strength about the same as the Ten Hina Night Walk Lord, reached the three-star baseline, huh."

Uesugi Toru waved the happily humming Kaga Kiyomitsu, thinking silently in his heart.

After pausing briefly, Uesugi Toru asked the Record Clerk who, even with both Hand Palms trembling continuously, was determined to record this terrifying Numerical Value,

"Just this? Any more durable Slash Measurement Balls? I haven't used full strength yet."

"S-still, still coming!?"

The Record Clerk felt his vision go black; he thought he would never forget these words in this life.

End of Chapter