Chapter 24

"Tennen Rishin-ryu?"

The blacksmith repeated it, staring at the little bean sprout beside him who was completely shrouded in a hood, silent.

Uesugi Toru nodded, but in his heart he suspected: could there be particular rules about what sword art one cultivates in Chang Shi?

"Good."

After ten-odd seconds of silence, the blacksmith, who knew what he was thinking, said: "Come collect the weapons in a few hours."

……

After handing in the task at the blacksmith's, Uesugi Toru naturally went to the Kendo Hall to meet up with Shizuku.

It is currently afternoon class time; naturally, in the vast Kendo Hall only Shizuku is silently cultivating alone.

The Privileged Class in the School can do whatever they want.

Arriving at the Doorway, Uesugi Toru looked at her feet——the floorboards there had all turned a deep brown, soaked through with the girl's Sweat.

Swinging the sword in silence, climbing alone. Uesugi Toru thought perhaps this is the secret manual for why Shizuku stands out among her peers.

But the more he watched, the more Uesugi Toru felt something was off.

He rubbed his eyes——why is Shizuku's body glowing?

An illusion?

Hu——

Accompanied by the last wind-splitting sound of the Bamboo Sword falling, Shizuku let out a light breath and walked over to him.

Soles contacting floorboards, making a pattering sound like a duck walking.

While drinking Mineral Water she greeted him: "You're here? Change clothes and let's start training."

"Wait." Uesugi Toru grabbed her sleeve, leaned in to look, then said doubtfully: "Shizuku, your body really is glowing, haven't you noticed?"

Shizuku felt pleasure in her heart, but on the surface she replied casually: "This is the symbol of just breaking through 'Sword Heart Penetration'; if you can achieve Heart Like Still Water you can naturally see it."

Uesugi Toru doubted: "What is Sword Heart Penetration?"

——Finally waiting for you to take the initiative to ask.

Shizuku replied indifferently: "The second sword art realm after Heart Like Still Water, doesn't count as any achievement."

"Oh, so that's it."

——Uesugi Toru seemed to half-understand, chose to believe.

——Then, Uesugi Toru fell into deep contemplation.

"The gist of Kiai Technique is like this, let me demonstrate once more……"

"No need."

Uesugi Toru froze slightly.

"I've already understood it all." Shizuku curled her lip at him, revealing a proud smile Uesugi Toru had never seen before: "Uesugi-kun, your breathing technique is quite exquisite!"

Speaking, she took a Deep Breath, puffed out her chest, and with a loud shout swung her sword: "Ha!"

Uesugi Toru saw clearly.

No doubt, this is Kiai Technique just at Entry Level, far inferior to his current Proficient Level.

——But the problem is he just spent a few minutes explaining it for the first time a moment ago.

Right?

How does this non-cheater look more formidable than me, the one with cheats?

Shizuku learning it in one go must have something to do with that "Sword Heart Penetration"——you call that not an achievement?

What new-style humblebrag is this.

"Hey!"

A brand new face mask was tossed into Uesugi Toru's arms; he caught it and saw Shizuku resting the Bamboo Sword on her Shoulder.

"Since I've already learned Uesugi-kun your breathing technique, next, we should switch positions too."

Clearly Shizuku is a head shorter than him, but at this moment Uesugi Toru produced the illusion that the girl before him was looking down on him.

"Uesugi-kun, you are a genius." Shizuku watched Uesugi Toru put on the Protective gear, the corners of her mouth unbearably curving upward: "Since you're a genius, you can't progress step by step like an Ordinary Person."

Uesugi Toru felt a trace of ominousness.

He said: "Right, I want to learn how to listen to sounds to determine position……"

"Stop." Shizuku withdrew her sword: "These, you will learn one by one in the upcoming practical combat teaching."

Practical combat teaching?

Uesugi Toru knew why Shizuku gave him Protective gear.

But he's only trained sword for one day!

"Uesugi-kun!"

Shizuku used Kiai Technique to shout loudly, making Uesugi Toru instantly snap back to his senses.

She gripped the sword with both hands, her gaze fervent and earnest:

"——Don't get left behind by me!"

Gripping the Bamboo Sword tight, Uesugi Toru faced her Face to face.

Since Shizuku has said it to this extent, he felt he had no excuse to refuse.

【You used String Hun Xiang Hui ×1】

In a world where everything is depicted down to the finest detail, Uesugi Toru took a Deep Breath:

"Come."

Then the Bamboo Sword transformed into a Phantom, crashing down like a Thunderbolt.

Not a metaphor.

Uesugi Toru merely parried a single sword strike from Tang Zhu, yet half his body went numb,

not because Shizuku's strength was outrageous, but because the force traveled through the bamboo sword at the moment of contact into his limbs and bones.

Under the blessing of String Hun Xiang Hui, Uesugi Toru could clearly feel how Shizuku did it.

But knowing the principle and putting it into practice were worlds apart.

Before Uesugi Toru could regroup, another sword strike came.

This time at his back, a searing pain came.

Uesugi Toru staggered from the blow, and Shizuku's light laughter came from behind him: "Hey hey, is that all?"

When!?

Uesugi Toru instantly exerted force, swinging a sword behind him, but hit nothing.

The next moment, he felt his head struck heavily again.

Shizuku's guidance followed: "Don't follow your first reaction, think with your head—didn't you say you wanted to practice locating by sound?"

After a moment, focusing his attention on hearing, Uesugi Toru finally heard the exceptionally clear "slap slap" sound.

——That was the sound of Shizuku's bare feet touching the floorboards.

Sometimes light, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, sometimes heavy... stopped!

The instant the footsteps stopped, Uesugi Toru swung a Kesa-giri toward that direction.

But there was no feeling of cutting a solid object.

Slap!

Uesugi Toru was struck flat to the ground by this heavy blow.

At the moment of contact with the ground, he couldn't help but wonder how that Fox Dog Raccoon had driven Shizuku to such a state?

——Perhaps even without him, Shizuku could have single-handedly killed Fox Dog Raccoon?

"Don't treat your enemies as fools, think from their perspective more." Shizuku looked down at him, lightly stepping her bare foot on his helmet: "Also, combat isn't discovering then acting, but a connected whole."

"Take your foot off."

A muffled voice came from within the helmet.

Hearing the change in voice, Shizuku readily complied, her eyes becoming even more eager.

——The transmission of force, locating by sound, changing perspective, combat is a whole.

These vague concepts gradually became clear in Uesugi Toru's senses, and accompanying Shizuku's sword strikes one after another, what came was not only pain.

But also realization!

Uesugi Toru, being crazily beaten, not only didn't mind the pain in his body, but became more and more excited.

Uesugi Toru even felt that what Shizuku held in her hand was an experience rod, hitting his head once would show "Experience Points +1".

But it was still lacking a bit.

After applying a second dose of String Hun Xiang Hui, Uesugi Toru, whose body was gradually approaching its limit, wondered in his mind.

Clearly he could hear Shizuku's footsteps, and could slowly receive her sword...

But there was a problem—Shizuku's sword was always a bit faster than him.

Not much faster, but just that perfectly right, unbiased bit.

Uesugi Toru thought, thought about Shizuku's position changes, thought about where Shizuku's sword would attack from the next moment.

And as his body grew more and more fatigued, Uesugi Toru's thinking had to become sluggish, even difficult to think.

Wait.

Difficult to think? No thought, no mind?

Uesugi Toru's movement stagnated for a moment, then took another heavy sword strike, staggering back.

Shizuku's roar came: "Is that all! Uesugi Toru, is that all you've got!"

Stinking woman, so noisy!

Uesugi Toru felt he had grasped the key—since thinking was difficult, then simply give up thinking!

Not returning to the old path of relying on instinct to fight, but letting the master of thinking change!

Body or subconscious, whatever, as long as it could replace his slow brain.

After taking another sword strike, Uesugi Toru consciously gave up thinking, letting his brain discard all information from the external world.

But the more he fell into this state, the more Uesugi Toru could truly feel the existence of Shizuku and her sword. Closer and closer, as if within reach...

So Uesugi Toru reached out his hand, and gripped!

Under Shizuku's astonished gaze, the sword Uesugi Toru swung seemed to become elusive flowing water, and also seemed to become hard-to-grasp lightning, shattering her defense in a flash.

Sending the bamboo sword in her hand flying heavily!

Just like that, the sword tip wrapped in String Hun Xiang Hui steadily hovered before Shizuku's neck.

That fleeting clear sword light illuminated her pupils, leaving an indelible mark on Tokugawa Ririko's clear Sword Heart.

The next moment, Uesugi Toru's consciousness fell into a coma, and he heavily slumped onto the floorboards.

Shizuku just watched like that.

She was stunned for a good while before reacting to what had happened.

The girl hurriedly squatted down, untied Uesugi Toru's mask, and after confirming no serious problems, let him rest his head on her lap.

In the pale late spring sunlight, Tokugawa Ririko lowered her head, gazing at this tired face slowly dripping with sweat, and revealed a smile of joy from the bottom of her heart.

"Uesugi-kun."

She gently closed her eyes, seriously, extremely happily, said:

"I have never felt so clearly at this moment—that being able to live in the same era as you is truly wonderful."

【Your Skill, Kiai Technique Fragment Proficiency +75!】

【You had an epiphany in battle, Tenrai Rishin-ryu Proficiency +300!】

【Your Skill, Sword Art · Tian Ran Li Xin Liu has risen to Beginner Level!】

Will change the update time from now on, become noon 12:00 two chapters consecutive release

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(End of Chapter)