(TL/N: Sry for late upload. I was out of city and forgot to put a automatic upload release date for this chapter š)
"I came to... I came to..."
Kamisato Ayaka was momentarily speechless.
She couldn't exactly say she had come to see what Su Han's attitude was.
However, the young girl was clever.
With a quick turn of her eyes, she immediately came up with an excuse.
"I came to ask Big Brother Su Han for special training."
"Special training?"
Su Han blinked and thought to himself: That excuse is way too clumsy. Even a child could see through it.
Kamisato Ayaka knew the excuse wasn't very convincing, but she could only force herself to continue.
"Yes. After reading the latest manga, I deeply realized my own shortcomings, so I wanted to train for a day."
"A day? That's fine."
Su Han suddenly remembered that there were some things he wanted to teach Kamisato Ayaka.
This was the perfect opportunity.
After all, she would become one of Inazuma's pillars in the future.
The two arrived at the shore of Araumi.
A port was currently under construction there, but it was far enough away that it wouldn't affect them.
"I just thought about your shortcomings and combined them with your physical condition. I feel that it's time for you to walk your own path."
"My own path?"
Kamisato Ayaka didn't understand.
Seeing her confused expression, Su Han smiled gently and explained:
"The so-called Way of the Sword is a path everyone must walk, just like life itself."
"For example, you're at the stage where you need to choose your own path. The swordsmanship of the Kamisato Clan can no longer help you continue improving."
"Understand yourself. Understand heaven and earth. Ultimately form your own understanding. That is the Way of the Sword."
He sat down cross-legged and motioned for her to do the same.
The Way of the Sword.
In truth, it was one's personal understanding and cultivation.
Whether it was Kamisato Ayaka or Kaedehara Kazuha, neither had found their own path yet.
Those who found that path had essentially stepped into the realm of a grandmaster.
That was the Dao.
Kamisato Ayaka was eager to learn and asked after some thought:
"Then what should I do?"
She truly didn't understand, so she wanted to ask as much as possible while she had the chance.
Su Han smiled warmly.
"You need to examine yourself. For example... your build is petite, so fierce and rigid techniques are obviously unsuitable for you."
"But when facing powerful enemies, besides confronting them head-on, you should think about other ways of fighting."
"The Kamisato Style suits your brother very well, but it doesn't suit you."
Comparing both the game and reality,
the Kamisato Style was based on gentle force.
Meanwhile, Kamisato Ayaka's personality, or rather her fighting style, leaned more toward agility and explosive speed.
If one had to describe it,
Kamisato Ayato's techniques were like flowing water,
while Kamisato Ayaka was lightning.
After Su Han's guidance,
Kamisato Ayaka gradually realized that today's conversation might change her entire life.
Perhaps she would have understood this eventually.
But without Su Han's guidance, who knew how long it would have taken?
Know yourself.
Understand yourself.
In terms of physical strength, she was nowhere near Miss Beidou.
In terms of speed, she wasn't as fast as her brother.
Only in explosiveness did Kamisato Ayaka believe she could compete.
"So this is my path."
Rather than pursuing flashy techniques,
it would be better to follow the example of the Shogun.
Condense every ultimate technique into a single strike.
Kamisato Ayaka's eyes lit up.
She felt as if her martial spirit had finally taken shape.
Drawing her family's inherited blade, she walked to the shore.
The sword in her hand gradually began to glow.
"If my power is insufficient, and my speed is insufficient, then I'll stake everything on explosive force."
"So although a single strike is brief, it can cut through everything."
"Perhaps this is my path."
Kamisato Ayaka murmured to herself.
A chilling, icy sword aura continuously gathered in her hand.
During this process,
she abandoned the inherited methods of her family.
She fused Haki and various other powers together.
A white wave emerged across the sea.
The vast ocean rapidly split apart on both sides.
The slash extended several hundred meters.
Such terrifying power was something Kamisato Ayaka had never imagined before.
Even now, she was stunned by her own strength.
"Did... did I do that?"
Kamisato Ayaka awakened from that mysterious state.
Looking at the sea slowly closing again,
she found it hard to believe.
At that moment, Su Han walked to her side.
Looking at the fully restored sea surface, he gave her the highest praise.
"Well done! If you continue refining that slash, you'll be able to fight Takeno on equal footing."
"N-No way."
Hearing Su Han compare her to a great swordsman, Kamisato Ayaka immediately blushed.
It wasn't because she lacked confidence.
The truth was that the strike had consumed seventy percent of her energy.
She still had a long way to go before she could sustain combat with such techniques.
Kamisato Ayaka clearly understood her future direction.
No matter what stood in her way,
one strike would cut through it.
A breakthrough of the heart had an enormous effect on a person.
After comprehending her own path,
the way Kamisato Ayaka looked at Su Han changed.
Gone was the former timidity and shyness.
In its place was openness and confidence.
For the rest of the day,
the two remained by the seaside.
Only at dusk did Kamisato Ayaka finally leave, exhausted.
Just before parting,
the young girl seemed to think of something.
Her cheeks gradually turned red.
"Big Brother Su Han."
"What is it?"
Tap.
The moment Su Han turned around,
the girl stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
Before he could react,
Kamisato Ayaka had already fled.
Su Han: I taught you how to use explosive power, not for this.
Su Han couldn't help laughing at her fleeing figure.
After laughing,
he looked up toward the cliff overhead.
"You've been watching for quite a while. Are you coming out or not?"
On the cliff,
Kamisato Ayato watched his departing sister and sighed inwardly.
He had originally planned to leave.
But Su Han had exposed his presence.
The secretly observing Ayato could only smile helplessly.
He had merely come to check on things out of concern.
Now that he'd been discovered, avoiding an appearance was impossible.
With a light leap,
Kamisato Ayato landed elegantly on the sea surface.
"Greetings, Mr. Su Han."
"And greetings to you."
The two exchanged smiles.
The scene each had imagined did not occur.
That made both of them relax somewhat.
With a wave of his hand, Su Han conjured a table and chairs on the beach.
"Sit."
Facing the invitation, Kamisato Ayato did not refuse.
He even picked up a pastry and took a bite.
Su Han poured him a cup of tea.
Under normal circumstances, Ayato would have been flattered.
But now, he seemed perfectly justified in accepting it.
Su Han curled his lips.
At this rate, you're getting a little too confident, buddy.
Even so,
he still wanted to clear things up.
Otherwise, who knew what rumors might spread?
Taking a sip of tea, Su Han gazed toward the sunset in the distance and said casually:
"Actually, Kamisato Ayaka simply admires me."
"I know."
Kamisato Ayato calmly lifted his teacup.
His tone was equally calm.
His sister had been distracted for quite some time.
Combined with what happened last night, the outcome was obvious.
Girls grew up and eventually pursued people they admired.
Mr. Su Han had turned the tide and saved all of Inazuma.
His manga was beloved throughout the world.
He was practically the perfect idol.
Therefore, although Ayato wasn't particularly happy about it, he could only respect his sister's choice.
Suddenly, Kamisato Ayato sighed.
Looking at the distant waves, a trace of sadness appeared in his eyes.
"I was born before my sister."
"My mother was a very, very wonderful woman. She fulfilled her loyalty to Father and her responsibilities in raising us."
"But regardless of gender, everyone longs for the wider world beyond."
"In truth, I discovered Mother's secret long before my sister did."
"So from that moment onward, I swore..."
"That I would never allow my sister to repeat the same tragedy!"
Kamisato Ayato's voice grew increasingly firm.
At the same time, he was expressing his own beliefs.
The feudal ideology of Inazuma had ruined Kamisato Kayo's life.
As her son, he naturally didn't want his sister to walk the same path.
No matter what she chose to do, as long as she was happy, he would support her unconditionally.
Su Han rubbed his forehead.
This was becoming difficult.
"Ayato, that's not what I meant."
"Please elaborate."
"What I mean is that your sister only admires me. There aren't any real romantic feelings involved. Do you understand?"
Celebrities attracted admiration wherever they went.
That was the effect of the idol halo.
In reality, these glamorous figures were just ordinary people.
The media simply magnified their strengths.
As for flaws, everyone had them.
"So you're asking my sister to keep her distance?"
Kamisato Ayato's gaze instantly became dangerous.
He hadn't forgotten what happened yesterday.
Although the darkness had concealed the details, even with the scouts surrounding the area, there had still been fragments of torn clothing on the ground.
If nothing had happened,
why would the clothes be torn?
Surely his sister hadn't ripped them herself.
This was really becoming troublesome.
Su Han took a sip of tea.
He wanted to explain, but the circumstances from yesterday were impossible to clarify.
At the end of the day, her brother had caught him red-handed.
The only option left was to circle around the topic.
At that moment, a cherry blossom drifted down on the wind.
Su Han immediately got an idea and smiled.
"It's not what you're thinking. Mainly... you know my situation. The former Grand Narukami Shrine Maiden of Inazuma is also my lover."
"I understand. However, please rest assured, Mr. Su Han. My sister has always been a well-behaved child. Even the current Chief Priest greatly likes her. As for reputation, even if misunderstandings arise, I believe they will eventually become a beautiful story."
Rather than getting angry after Su Han's revelation,
Kamisato Ayato actually provided a solution.
Thinking about it carefully, it made sense.
After all, the other party controlled the media.
Guiding public opinion would be incredibly easy.
Su Han rolled his eyes.
He was completely out of options.
If even the future brother-in-law didn't care, what was the point of struggling?
He might as well let things happen naturally.
"As long as you don't mind."
Su Han accepted his fate.
The matter passed in a thoroughly confusing fashion.
Night fell.
Everyone else was resting.
Only Su Han sat cross-legged before the Sacred Sakura Tree.
He placed his hand against the trunk.
He was trying to search for Makoto's soul.
Unfortunately,
even after several hours, he still found nothing.
Unwilling to give up, Su Han attempted to increase his power.
His consciousness swept through the entire tree.
Yet there was still no trace of her.
"How strange."
"Why can't I find her?"
Su Han was deeply puzzled.
Logically speaking, Makoto's consciousness should be hidden within the tree.
Yet he couldn't find any trace of her.
Was she deliberately hiding?
It didn't seem likely.
He had searched extremely carefully.
One could even say he had explored every corner of the tree.
Although he had initially feared disturbing Makoto's soul,
Qiqi's successful recovery had already proven that soul restoration was possible.
That was why Su Han had finally decided to try.
But the result was completely unexpected.
Just as he was about to continue searching,
the Den Den Mushi in his pocket suddenly rang.
Taking it out, he saw that it was Yae Miko calling.
The moment the call connected,
before Su Han could even speak, the fox woman's anxious voice came through.
"Run!!!"
"The Shogun has taken control of the body!"
"Su Han, you're her target!"
As soon as she finished speaking,
a deafening thunderclap erupted from the Den Den Mushi.
Boom!
The sky above Inazuma was torn apart by purple light.
Terrifying lightning awakened countless people from their sleep.
Su Han's expression changed.
Just as he was about to ask something,
he sensed an overwhelmingly terrifying presence locking onto the area.
The next second,
a fearsome violet flash descended from the heavens.
Countless Sacred Sakura blossoms scattered under the pressure of the Shogun's aura.
Holding Musou Isshin,
she stared directly at him.
Terrifying arcs of electricity flashed endlessly.
At that moment,
a door opened.
Kitsune Saiguu rushed out and shouted anxiously:
"Ei!"
"Be careful, that's the Shogun."
Su Han had guessed her intentions.
What he underestimated was the Shogun's speed.
A flash of lightning.
The Shogun appeared behind Kitsune Saiguu.
With a single casual strike, she knocked her unconscious.
"Troublesome individual. You interfere with the continuation of eternity."
"And you are eternity's greatest enemy."
As the Shogun's gaze swept over him,
Su Han immediately felt a powerful wave of Haki crashing toward him.
A contest of Haki?
He feared no one in that regard.
Almost instantly,
the two Haki forces collided violently.
Buildings throughout the Grand Narukami Shrine emitted piercing sounds before cracks spread across them.
"This is bad. If this continues..."
"The entire shrine will be destroyed."
"I have to move the battlefield."
Su Han instantly withdrew his aura and shot into the sky.
The moment he moved,
the Shogun followed like a shadow.
Above the coastline,
their auras clashed once more.
Such an intense battle drew countless eyes.
At the Kamisato Estate,
the White Heron Princess gazed at the two figures in the sky and asked worriedly:
"Brother, why would the Shogun choose to fight Mr. Su Han at a time like this?"
This didn't look like sparring.
Even from thousands of meters away, she could clearly feel the killing intent leaking from the battlefield.
Kamisato Ayato analyzed calmly:
"I suspect that isn't Her Excellency the Almighty Narukami Ogosho. It's the Shogun puppet. Come, let's head to Mt. Yougou!"
Based on the aura that had erupted earlier,
the Shogun's first destination had undoubtedly been the Grand Narukami Shrine.
He was worried that the lady up there might have encountered trouble.
The siblings immediately rushed up the mountain.
When they arrived,
Kitsune Saiguu was still unconscious.
"Sister, check her condition."
"Okay."
Kamisato Ayaka knelt down and carefully examined her.
She soon discovered that not only was Kitsune Saiguu unconscious,
her consciousness had also been sealed by a powerful force.
Resting his chin on one hand, Kamisato Ayato analyzed:
"It seems she has been planning this for a long time. Today was simply the final eruption."
Ever since Inazuma's liberation,
he had thoroughly studied the Shogun's operating mechanisms as a loyal retainer.
Judging from today's events,
the Shogun had clearly suffered setbacks and secretly prepared for quite some time.
But wasn't the Shogun merely a puppet without independent thought?
Why would something like this happen?
Ayato couldn't understand.
However, there was no time to dwell on it.
"Sister, take Lady Kitsune Saiguu and leave immediately. I'm worried the Shogun may come after her again once she returns. Protecting Lady Kitsune Saiguu takes priority."
"Yes."
The young girl carried Kitsune Saiguu on her back and hurried down the mountain.
Meanwhile, Kamisato Ayato leaped onto a rooftop.
Watching the fierce battle in the distance, he began considering how to make the Shogun calm down.
Above the clouds,
lightning and flames collided violently.
Both combatants were using Haki.
As a result, Su Han's previous advantages had vanished.
The continuous battle transformed the sky into countless exploding fireworks.
Staring coldly at the Shogun, who seemed determined to kill him at all costs, Su Han finally voiced his question.
"Do you truly refuse to accept my existence?"
"You have affected Inazuma's eternity."
The Shogun swung her blade once more as she answered.
In the puppet's view,
without Su Han, Inazuma would never have changed.
There would have been no variables.
Although the Fatui would have caused trouble,
everything would eventually have returned to peace.
The puppet's rigid thinking made Su Han laugh in anger.
Pointing toward Inazuma City, he shouted:
"Then how do you explain the fact that the city is improving now?"
"No answer is required!"
The Shogun vanished and reappeared behind him.
Countless bolts of lightning condensed into a single strike.
Feeling the danger,
alarm bells rang in Su Han's mind.
He pushed his Devil Fruit powers to their limits.
The instant he dodged,
a beam of lightning brushed past him and crashed into the sea.
A thunderous explosion followed.
A gigantic purple trench appeared across the ocean, visible to countless people.
Looking at the transformed sea surface, Su Han couldn't help inhaling sharply.
If he hadn't dodged just now,
he would have been severely injured even if he survived.
This Shogun was completely insane.
Raising his head, he glared at the expressionless puppet and cursed:
"Are you an idiot? If Inazuma doesn't improve, your so-called eternity will be nothing but a fleeting illusion!"
"Variables must be eliminated. What you speak of does not belong to my rules."
The Shogun remained unmoved.
She stubbornly clung to her logic.
"If that's your answer, then today I'll completely shatter those pathetic rules of yours, Shogun."
Su Han was preparing his trump card.
He took out a mask from his pocket and used the system to strengthen it twice.
150,000 points vanished instantly.
He obtained two new attributes.
[First Attribute: Perfectly replicate the original source of any absorbed power of faith.]
[Second Attribute: Energy consumption reduced by 50%.]
Su Han placed the mask over his face and pressed it firmly into place.
Countless rays of light erupted from his body.
"This is your fault, Shogun..."
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