Chapter 214

In the torrential rain.

Two clusters floated in midair, scorching flames burning fiercely; the expression on the human head at the very center of the flames grew ever more ghastly and pained, and this crimson fire grew all the larger.

——【Sōgen Fire (Two-Star Half)】.

"Two-Star Half yokai, truly terrifying."

Uesugi Toru exclaimed in awe: "If the previous me had seen you at such a close distance, I would definitely have been roasted into a field of scorched charcoal."

The two Sōgen Fire clusters turned a deaf ear, merely drifting over from left and right, intending to surround and incinerate him, to harvest suffering.

Heat passed through the rain, falling upon Uesugi Toru's skin.

"But unfortunately."

He reached out and grasped the void, speaking with utmost seriousness: "I am no longer the me of before."

Rumble!

The two Sōgen Fire clusters rotated from stillness, as if by prior agreement, and in an instant lunged from ten meters away!

They evaporated every trace of moisture along their path clean sweep, sending scalding steam soaring skyward.

Yet Uesugi Toru, the target of their attack, did not move.

Or rather, he had already finished moving.

Drip.

An intact raindrop slid down Uesugi Toru's fingertips, cold as ever, and fell into the incomparably viscous mud beneath his feet.

Just like the countless raindrops falling from the sky within Edo Castle.

Uesugi Toru did not turn his head to look again, but simply kept walking toward the residence of the nameless Sword Saint in his memory, expression flat, loosening his hands and slipping them into his pockets.

Pat pat pat.

Only when he was about to reach the end of this short street did two streaks of ghastly white lightning arrive belatedly, from within the twisted human heads at the centers of those two Sōgen Fire clusters……

Erupting with a boom!

Countless blue-purple electric arcs surged wildly from the elongated fissures, illuminating the deep sky of the Edo Castle rainy night.

【You killed Sōgen Fire (Two-Star Half), gained 272 Soul Ash!】

【You killed Sōgen Fire (Two-Star Half), gained 251 Soul Ash!】

【You gained Sōgen Fire's Essence!】

The Proficiency prompt was practically negligible.

"Hah……"

Dragon-like Qi Coating was gently exhaled by Uesugi Toru, then dispersed with a wave of his hand until not a trace remained.

He toyed with the crimson bead in his hand, placing it before his eyes with a touch of nostalgia.

"This Essence is quite a bit inferior in quality to the one Nanjo Sister gave me."

Stroking the glass-bead-textured surface of the Essence, this time Uesugi Toru did not intend to use it to strengthen Kaga Kiyomitsu.

The current Kaga Kiyomitsu, even without the "Soul Spirit Strengthening" — a bug-tier talent skill for strengthening itself — a mere Excellent Quality Essence could no longer bring it much improvement.

Uesugi Toru walked straight down the center of the road, neither favoring one side nor the other.

This time, even though he did not deliberately walk in the shadows to conceal his figure, no yokai with eyes in the wrong place approached, harboring delusions of eating him as prey.

The wandering Samurai roaming the streets and alleys need only sense his existence to subconsciously change direction; from time to time, hungry gazes transmitted from Thatched Huts were greedy yet terrified.

Uesugi Toru raised his head again, and suddenly at the end of his line of sight saw a powerful yokai with an incomparably beautiful upper body but eight jointed long legs covered in coarse black bristles growing from its lower body.

——【Jorōgumo (Three-Star Half)】.

That woman dressed in silk happened to turn her head and look at him as well.

Neither stopped their footsteps; only their gazes crossed and passed.

Uesugi Toru's gaze was indifferent.

Jorōgumo, however, lowered her head slightly toward him, revealing a pitiable expression.

"This Jorōgumo has grown considerably stronger during this period."

After confirming the other party did not follow, Uesugi Toru silently thought in his heart.

This is the best possible outcome.

A Three-Star Half Jorōgumo, no matter from which angle, does not look weak.

His purpose this trip was to seek the nameless Sword Saint, not to sweep up yokai for Soul Ash.

Not only that.

Uesugi Toru could also sense that in Edo Castle, aside from those few Oni Samurai, there was an extremely abnormal great terror existence that had not shown itself.

Therefore, even though his strength was sufficient, he did not ostentatiously pursue and kill yokai within his perception range, launching a killing spree.

……

Because there were no blockers, in just twenty minutes flat, Uesugi Toru with Transform released arrived at the doorway of the nameless Sword Saint's residence.

Passing the small cat stone statues guarding the gate, Uesugi Toru gently pulled the door knocker twice.

Dong, dong.

Soon, the door opened.

Amid a creak, the wooden door swung open to both sides, a wave of rotten stench even thicker than last time surging into Uesugi Toru's……

He sniffed, discovering there was no difference in the scent.

So, this rotten stench was perceived by his Mirror of the Mind?

Morbid and aging.

Uesugi Toru, having "smelled" this stench, felt thus.

Uesugi Toru stepped into the courtyard, and just like last time walked to the wide-open Dojo Gate.

The spacious dojo looked especially desolate under the flash of the violent rainstorm.

Narrowing his eyes, he could see the nameless swordsman still sitting motionless in the center of the dojo.

He still wore that straw hat.

Uesugi Toru was about to step into the threshold of the dojo when he inexplicably sensed an unclear feeling.

It seemed that as soon as he entered this dojo, he would fall into some unknown great terror.

No, that wasn't right.

Uesugi Toru, grasping this feeling, was startled.

This feeling should not be limited to this small dojo.

But rather the entire courtyard... no!

It had already extended from the courtyard as its center, who knows how far into Edo Castle!

Uesugi Toru suddenly realized—this was why there were no yokai around.

As long as they stepped into this "range," the yokai would suffer the blow of this unknown great terror.

But what was this?

A sword domain?

But Uesugi Toru had experienced Shizuku's sword domain up close, and the feeling a sword domain gave him was not like this.

Not entirely sure.

But one thing could be certain: as fellow swordsmen of the Tennen Rishin-ryu, the nameless swordsman far surpassed him and Shizuku in both strength and swordsmanship attainment.

Thinking of this, Uesugi Toru couldn't help but shake his head and laugh inwardly.

That was only natural, wasn't it?

This nameless swordsman had grown so old, who knew how many years he had lived.

And how old was Shizuku?

Barely eighteen.

He didn't think further, but stepped into the dojo, causing the edge of the nameless swordsman's straw hat to tremble slightly.

The dry breathing sound echoed in the dojo again after a long time.

Uesugi Toru could clearly feel his waist being sized up, then heard a hoarse voice sound,

"It's only been a few days, yet you've truly stepped onto the path of technique and principle..."

The surprise in the words flashed by, replaced by a smile: "Still, as expected of Uesugi Toru..."

The nameless swordsman raised his head with difficulty,

"Come on, sit down."

Uesugi Toru said nothing more, sitting cross-legged opposite the swordsman whose skin was dull brownish-yellow, whose muscles had almost entirely disappeared, merely hanging limply on his bones.

The nameless swordsman said softly,

"Since you've chosen the path of technique and principle, I have no qualification to instruct you."

Uesugi Toru was stunned.

What did this mean?

As if seeing through his thoughts, the nameless swordsman seamlessly continued what Uesugi Toru was thinking,

"Because, everyone who steps onto the path of technique and principle walks a completely different road.

Around them seem to be only fellow travelers, but in truth the great way is bitterly cold, and only oneself walks alone..."

"The words of others are like firefly light, real yet illusory."

The nameless swordsman's coarse veil shook,

"From now on, no one can help you in this."

Uesugi Toru silently nodded.

—Shizuku had only taught him general methods, perhaps for this reason.

After the rainstorm fell for a while, the nameless swordsman changed the subject: "But there are still secret arts."

He asked: "Uesugi Toru, can you perform a Three-Stage Thrust for me?"

"Alright."

Uesugi Toru immediately stood up, reached out, and gripped the formless "Kaga Kiyomitsu" brought by technique and principle in his hand, casually assuming the starting stance.

For him now, using the Three-Stage Thrust had long become instinct like eating and drinking; even without a stance, he could easily unleash it in the flash of Electric Light and Stone Fire.

Under the nameless swordsman's quiet gaze, three formless sword lights drilled out of the void, and at the same time, vanished at the same landing point.

He couldn't help but praise: "Flawless basics."

Uesugi Toru shrugged: "Every swordsman who dares to walk the path of technique and principle should have such basics."

"Haha..."

The nameless swordsman suddenly laughed for no reason: "Uesugi Toru, do you know the Mumyo Ken?"

The Mumyo Ken is a secret art of a higher level within the Tennen Rishin-ryu.

Even when breaking through to Expert Level, Uesugi Toru still had not received any related memories.

This shows how high its gold content is.

Uesugi Toru nodded: "I've seen someone use it before."

—During sparring, Shizuku had used it more than once before his eyes.

The nameless swordsman asked again: "Then, what does it feel like?"

"Fast."

Uesugi Toru answered without thinking: "Unparalleled speed."

The Ignorance Sword Shizuku wielded was far faster than the sword light that appeared without warning within her Sword Domain.

"I suppose that person must be very upright."

Hearing this, Uesugi Toru blinked.

In a sense, that was indeed true.

The Nameless Sword Saint paid no mind to what Uesugi Toru thought; he slowly raised his withered finger, and a hint of self-satisfaction emerged in his hoarse tone,

"What I will teach you is based on 【None】 as the root."

"——The 'Strongest' Ignorance Sword."

The Nameless Sword Saint waved his finger, and two faint sword lights collided before Uesugi Toru's eyes.

Then they vanished.

"Fast; just need to be faster to counter."

"But 【None】 is different." He said, "If you can't even feel it, how can you talk about targeting and countering?"

Having spoken this far, the Nameless Sword Saint deliberately paused, then asked Uesugi Toru,

"Want to learn?"

"Want to learn."

Without a shred of hesitation, Uesugi Toru sat down again, gazing intently at the Nameless Sword Saint: "Please teach me this Ignorance Sword of 【None】."

"Hahahaha!!!"

For some reason, the Nameless Sword Saint, right nearby, burst into laughter, heartily and forcefully clapping his hands: "Then come on!"

"——Since you want to learn, Uesugi Toru, what reason do I have not to teach you!"

The laughter and the deep darkness enveloped Uesugi Toru together.

Chirp chirp, chirp chirp~

Amidst the birdsong, the slightly confused Uesugi Toru opened his eyes again.

But the wooden boards and furnishings before him were brand new, not at all like some spacious, decayed Dojo.

The Nameless Sword Saint in the bamboo hat was nowhere to be seen.

He turned his head and saw brilliant sunlight and a scene of birdsong and flower fragrance.

Further away, the sounds of children playing and quarreling seemed to drift over.

What is this situ...

Uesugi Toru's thoughts had yet to turn when they were abruptly cut off.

Leaving only that old voice snorting with laughter.

"——Where are you looking, Uesugi Toru."

A moment of daze.

Uesugi Toru opened his eyes again, and the vibrant scene once more came into view.

Just now was...

Before his thought could settle, a strong premonition of death filled Uesugi Toru's heart.

His pupils suddenly contracted, and he subconsciously raised his sword to block!

But he blocked nothing.

His neck was severed, and the world spun.

"Second time."

"That won't do, Uesugi Toru; you only have one hundred chances... one hundred chances to master this profundity."

At this moment, Uesugi Toru suddenly reacted.

——The one who killed him was that Nameless Sword Saint's Ignorance Sword!

But it was already too late.

Consciousness vanished, then appeared again.

Uesugi Toru took a deep breath, letting his thoughts suddenly clear.

You like starting trials without a word, huh?

Without any hesitation, he opened his Storage Backpack and focused his awareness on that ordinary gray incense ash.

String Hun Xiang Hui, use!

The next moment, death came again!

But this time, Uesugi Toru caught that fleeting "feeling" in the instant before death arrived.

Fourth time opening his eyes.

As if he had opened 4K quality and Dolby Vision, Uesugi Toru spread his arms and smiled and nodded toward the Nameless Sword Saint, wherever he was,

"Come, kill me."

Thus the sword light arrived as expected.

Beheaded, then revived, beheaded, then revived...

Die die die die die.

Uesugi Toru could barely remember how many times he had died.

He only knew that this Ignorance Sword called 【None】 by the Nameless Sword Saint was truly hard to track.

Even with the aid of String Hun Xiang Hui, after dying so many times, Uesugi Toru had only a tiny clue.

No wonder the Nameless Sword Saint called it the "Strongest."

"But a little bit is enough, isn't it."

In the brilliant sunlight, Uesugi Toru, opening his eyes, murmured softly.

He raised no hand, nor used any power.

No warning.

In the void, as if an illusion, the sound of clashing gold and iron rang out.

Touching his unharmed neck, Uesugi Toru grinned: "Senior, what number is this?"

"…Ninety-one."

"That really was thrilling." Uesugi Toru exhaled happily, "I almost wouldn't have learned such exquisite swordsmanship."

Crackle.

Sunlight and the brand-new dojo vanished, and the rainstorm poured down once more.

Uesugi Toru, who could almost hear the movements of all Edo Castle, opened his eyes and saw

【Because you experienced ninety-one deaths and learnings within the Sword Heart of the "Nameless Swordsman," you have learned the Tennen Rishin-ryu secret art—Mumyo Ken: In.】

Huh?

"In"?

Shouldn't it be "Mu"?

"In, Ku, Mu—at the very beginning, this was the path I studied."

The Nameless Swordsman panted twice wearily: "Called the strongest secret art, do you expect to fully master it in the blink of an eye?"

"The road must always be walked step by step."

"So I'm being a bit greedy, am I?"

Uesugi Toru smiled noncommittally: "Actually, there's nothing wrong with learning it in an instant; it's just one secret move, nothing more than drawing and sheathing the sword."

The Nameless Swordsman suddenly said nothing.

The veil swayed, and Uesugi Toru knew the other was looking at him.

"Yes, just one secret move."

The Nameless Swordsman sighed softly: "Uesugi Toru, you are a strong one; that is beyond doubt."

"Then I must say Senior, your eye is quite sharp."

Uesugi Toru was about to rise and bow in thanks when he saw the Nameless Swordsman raise his withered palm, signaling him to stop.

"No need to thank me."

The Nameless Swordsman: "If in the future you absolutely wish to thank me for what you gained today, then come when you have advanced further."

Uesugi Toru thoughtfully: "What counts as advancing further?"

"Sword Saint."

The Nameless Swordsman said slowly,

"Wait until you become a Sword Saint known throughout Tenka."

With the aged voice falling, a pale gold task prompt stretched across Uesugi Toru's eyes.

【Who in Tenka Does Not Know You: Please come to Edo Castle to find the Nameless Swordsman after becoming a Sword Saint; only then will he accept your thanks.】

The last time he saw a task prompt related to gold was during Xiao Jia's legendary task.

"Sword Saint…"

Uesugi Toru murmured.

Sword Saint, Sword Saint.

That is to say, the Nameless Swordsman should also be a Sword Saint.

Speaking of which, this was still the first confirmed Sword Saint he had seen so far.

"I just don't know if Kujou Rōya and Sister Haku count…"

Uesugi Toru withdrew his thoughts, nodded to the Nameless Swordsman still sitting on the ground, and was about to turn and leave.

"Leave through the back door."

The Nameless Swordsman's voice made Uesugi Toru's footsteps pause.

He raised his head and understood why they should go out the back door.

Because, outside the opened courtyard gate, a samurai with red skin and sleepy eyes leaned, embracing a tachi.

Hōsōshi.

That samurai was listlessly chewing on wet straw, and upon sensing someone looking at him, casually raised his head.

And Uesugi Toru faced each other across the space.

Splash splash.

The distance and the rain curtain could not weaken the pressure from Hōsōshi by even a fraction.

Suffocation.

Just being stared at, Uesugi Toru almost felt his thoughts and bodily functions would completely stop.

The Nameless Swordsman urged from behind: "He dare not come in, let's go…"

Uesugi Toru did not move.

He could feel that although he was still far inferior to this Hōsōshi, he was already completely different from the beginning.

At least, he could vaguely sense just how strong Hōsōshi was.

Just like after falling into water and touching solid ground, the pitch-black bottom of the water was no longer frightening.

But looking at that expression… he seemed to have long forgotten that he once casually killed a Laughing Hannya who had just stepped out the door.

Uesugi Toru stared at Hōsōshi, raised his hand, and slowly made a throat-slitting gesture toward him.

It was then that Hōsōshi revealed an interested expression.

The sleepy-eyed samurai showed a happy expression for the first time, nodding at him, revealing unhidden murderous intent.

Uesugi Toru, however, didn't spare him another glance, quickly turning around and heading for the back door.

——Rushing up now to clash head-on with a Ghost God Level Fang Xiangshi, he'd have to have a screw loose to do that!

……

Inside the room, still shrouded by the effects of the String Hun Xiang Hui, Uesugi Toru opened his eyes, completely without drowsiness.

"Have to leave first thing tomorrow morning, sleeping now would be asking the impossible."

He sat up, listening to the sound of the game console outside, pulling up his Skill Panels one by one, pondering who to "Pet and Trust".

After some deliberation, Uesugi Toru looked at the Rin Character Secret he had only learned yesterday.

"It's you."

Without wasting a moment, Uesugi Toru took a deep breath and immediately entered the black space storing the silver ancient characters.

The moment he framed the "Rin" character in his sight, Uesugi Toru felt vast, boundless knowledge scrambling to drill into his brain.

Completely different from the arduous, sluggish Spectator experience last time.

"The String Hun Xiang Hui's effect is this strong……?"

After a long yet brief few hours ended, a refreshed Uesugi Toru finally came back to his senses.

——That incomparably powerful Understanding effect just now was most likely the lingering shade left by that Nameless Sword Saint directly guiding him with Sword Heart.

"This old senior, he really is generous……"

Hua!

On the back of his right hand, dazzling silver light stung Uesugi Toru's pupils.

He lowered his head, focused his gaze, and his whole body shuddered twice.

【Mastery: 5.011%】

Five percent?!

A single comprehension, and Mastery actually jumped 5% directly?!

Staring at the Prompts continuously popping up before his eyes, Uesugi Toru rarely gaped his mouth wide——

【Because your Rin Character Secret Mastery reached 5%, your Rin Character Secret effect has been enhanced!】

【Because your Rin Character Secret Mastery reached 5%, your Rin Character Secret usage Consumption has decreased!】

【Because your Rin Character Secret Mastery reached 5%, you have gained a new effect!】

【Rin Character Secret】

【Mastery: 5.011%】

【Effect One: After use, generate a barrier at will.】

【Effect Two: After use, enhance oneself.】

【——The beginning of all things, governing the Ten Thousand.】

Uesugi Toru originally wanted to casually swipe the formulaic effect enhancement Prompts aside, but he soon saw the newly appeared "Effect Two".

There's another Expert?!

The brief introduction hooked Uesugi Toru's interest; what kind of enhancement method is this enhance oneself, he wanted to see……

——Rumble rumble rumble rumble!

Some mechanical roar rapidly approached from the distant sky; in mere seconds, it went from the azure horizon to right before his eyes.

Again?!

Uesugi Toru raised his head and, through the Window, saw a massive, matte iron bird hovering outside in the sky.

A helicopter!

And an armed one at that!

Pitch-black rotors left countless afterimages in the midair, emitting a deafening roar.

The next moment, the helicopter's hatch was yanked open, and a burly man who nearly burst the Special Affairs Bureau Uniform stepped out.

He shifted his Gaze and quickly Locked onto Uesugi Toru.

Buzz buzz!

At the Pillow, Phone Vibration.

Uesugi Toru picked it up to look, and froze.

Because the following message popped up on it.

【Emergency! This is the transport coming to pick up Operative Uesugi Toru to support Shizuoka Prefecture, please get on board as fast as possible.】

He raised his head again to look at the hovering helicopter, the corner of his mouth twitching hard.

So you're treating me like an airdrop, huh?

But Uesugi Toru didn't dawdle either.

He yanked open the Window, shouted at the top of his lungs,

"Xiao Jia, we're leaving!"

Kaga Kiyomitsu, sheathed in its Sword Sheath, immediately dragged out a winding stream of light, landing with a Stable Landing in his palm.

Uesugi Toru leaped up, landing squarely beside the man under the stunned gaze of the burly man in the helicopter.

He lifted his Chin,

"Let's go."

Thus the helicopter rapidly climbed amid terrifying G-force acceleration, rushing toward Shizuoka Prefecture at full speed.

……

One hour later.

Shizuoka Prefecture, Nagumo City.

Above Jun'ei County Tunnel.

Uesugi Toru felt his mobile phone vibrate again in his hand.

A glance showed it was a distress message from Yagyu Shou, the Shizuoka Prefecture staff member he had added yesterday—otherwise he would not have been so suddenly picked up by helicopter.

But the person on the other end of the phone was probably not the real one.

Because the tone of voice was completely different.

Uesugi Toru did not reply to the fifth "arriving immediately," but threw his mobile phone back into his storage backpack.

He heard the man in uniform shout anxiously as well: "Lord Uesugi! Those below can barely hold on any longer—where should we hover to lower you down!"

"Arrived?"

Uesugi Toru lowered his head and saw thick, dripping resentment and demonic qi in the mountain forest below.

—Among them, there were surely many of the big eyeballs Nanjo Sister had told him about earlier.

—Now, the follow-up rations for the Hundred-Eyed Demon, already fed white and fat in the gacha pool, had a source!

He patted the shoulder of this experienced Special Affairs Bureau staff member and showed him a sunny smile,

"Then, let them look up."

End of Chapter