"Oda-kun, why do you look so upset when you see me?"
Tokugawa Saron wore a faint smile, his voice steady, his demeanor relaxed, as if he were catching up with an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time, a stark contrast to Oda Heizo opposite him, who looked like he was facing a great enemy.
'Did Tokugawa Saron hear our conversation just now? It shouldn't be possible from this distance, but I heard Tokugawa Saron has excellent hearing...'
Oda Heizo thought, his expression growing a little flustered.
But he still retorted stubbornly, "This is just how I do things. If you don't like it, hit me!"
Tokugawa Saron laughed heartily, "Hahahaha, adorable, adorable. Oda-kun, I suddenly think you're very beautiful, like a beauty, like a beauty who knows how to be tsundere."
Tsundere?
Who are you insulting!
Oda Heizo's Face darkened. He turned to Zhou Ming and said, "I'm giving you a chance. Cut him down."
"Are you sure?" Zhou Ming's gaze was peculiar. "Can you handle the fallout?"
"I... I can't handle it." Oda Heizo looked dejected. "I'm sorry, I admit my voice was a bit loud just now. Don't take it seriously."
Cutting down Hori-koshi So, Oda Heizo could still rely on his status as a Daimyo to bear the consequences. But cutting down another Daimyo? Then Oda Heizo might as well prepare for war.
Moreover, that Daimyo was Tokugawa Saron. Cutting him down was basically synonymous with suicide.
"Boring." Zhou Ming looked bored. "Then let's go. Don't waste time here."
"Go, go, go!" Oda Heizo felt as if he had been granted a great pardon and quickly urged Matsui Kyoshin to drive away.
Matsui Kyoshin looked at the carriage blocking the road ahead with some difficulty. After thinking for a moment, he decided to squeeze past from the side.
Although the width there was certainly not enough for a carriage to pass, he had already moved to the side. The other party should at least move to the other side, making enough space for them to pass. Surely, they wouldn't be so disrespectful as to remain motionless.
"Wait!"
Just as Matsui was driving the carriage to the side of the road, the black-clad young man in the opposite carriage spoke, stopping Matsui.
His gaze was fixed on Zhou Ming, sharp as a knife, and a palpable Evil Qi emanated from him, completely undisguised.
"You are Zhou Ming?" His voice was cold and chilling, gritting his teeth, as if he harbored a deep-seated hatred for Zhou Ming. "Remember my name, I am Oishi Takashi! Your life is mine. Keep it safe until I come to claim it!"
"I'm a fortune teller. What are you?" Zhou Ming scoffed, about to retort, when he suddenly thought of something.
"Your accent sounds familiar, like it's from Koriyama Castle. Your surname is Oishi, are you related to Ōishi Shinpū-ryū?"
"Oishi Shingo, he is my father!" Oishi Takashi enunciated each word, his hatred palpable, bone-chchilling, and frightening.
"Oishi Shingo? Who's that?" Zhou Ming asked with a puzzled expression.
"He's the Dojocho of the Oishi Dojo!" Matsui Kyoshin couldn't help but remind him cautiously, wiping sweat from his forehead at the same time.
Destroying someone's Dojo but not even remembering the Dojocho's name—wouldn't that just infuriate the other party to death?
"Oh, oh, it's him!" Zhou Ming suddenly understood. "I remember now, you're the Genius of Ōishi Shinpū-ryū? No wonder when I challenged them, I killed everyone but never saw you. So you had already gone to another place to make a name for yourself."
"Bastard!" Oishi Takashi was furious. He grabbed the long saber at his waist, ready to step out of the carriage.
"Don't be rash!" Tokugawa Saron reached out to stop him. "Your grievances can be settled at the Martial Artist Assembly."
Oishi Takashi's Face contorted in struggle, but he ultimately sat back down, glaring at Zhou Ming and making threats.
"You killed my father and destroyed my Ōishi Shinpū-ryū, Zhou Ming! I will settle this score with you at the Martial Artist Assembly!"
Zhou Ming sneered, "Revenge is best served cold, but you're taking too long. Why are you such a wimp?"
"Shut up, you scoundrel!"
The continuous provocation was more than Oishi Takashi could bear.
He drew his saber and charged out of the carriage, unsheathing his blade and rapidly closing in on Zhou Ming.
"Stop!" Tokugawa Saron's Face changed in the back. He wanted to stop him but it was too late. Oishi Takashi was too fast; by the time he reacted, the other party had already rushed out of the carriage.
"Zhou-kun!" Oda Heizo watched Oishi Takashi charge furiously with great Aura, letting out a scream of fright.
"Don't yell!"
Zhou Ming frowned in disgust, activating the Ghost Shadow Gu, and rushed out of the carriage at an even more incredible speed.
Clang!
The two sabers clashed, metal ringing, sparking intensely.
Oishi Takashi's forward momentum halted. The power transmitted from the opposite side was so fierce, like a mad bull crashing into him, forcing him to retreat five steps before he could barely withstand the surging force and stabilize his body.
"So fast, so fierce!"
Oishi Takashi's heart sank. Even though the opponent was an enemy, he couldn't help but exclaim this.
And when his gaze fell upon his own saber, his expression grew even uglier.
"Good saber!"
His eyesight was excellent, so he could clearly see a tiny chip on his blade, while the opponent's saber was completely unharmed.
What seemed like a small difference was, in reality, as vast as a chasm.
Zhou Ming also looked at his saber, praising it as well: "Your saber isn't bad either. This is the first time I've encountered a saber that only got such a small chip after being struck by mine."
"Onikiri Yasutsuna, a famous saber with a two-hundred-year Legacy."
Oishi Takashi slowly raised his long saber, gazing at the chip on it.
"This saber has slain countless Martial Artists and battled many famous weapons, never once suffering the slightest damage. I never thought that today, it would finally encounter a saber that could wound it."
Swish!
Wielding his long saber, two sharp beams of light suddenly shot out from Oishi Takashi's eyes.
"This wound can only be mended with blood!"
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
An intense clash unfolded in an instant, countless sparks exploding. Two figures moved and fought at a dizzying speed, exchanging blows several times in just a few breaths.
Neither Oda Heizo, nor Matsui Kyoshin, nor even Tokugawa Saron opposite them, could react in time. Their eyes couldn't keep up with the two men's fight, and their minds couldn't keep up with the rapidly changing situation.
"Excellent, very strong. This Oishi Takashi's saber technique is very strong!"
In the fast-paced battle, Zhou Ming's eyes revealed intense excitement, and his spirit became increasingly invigorated.
Oishi Takashi lived up to his reputation as a Genius. His level of mastery in saber techniques far surpassed everyone Zhou Ming had fought since entering this world.
In all of Koriyama Castle, neither Takenouchi Jun, nor Oishi Shingo, nor Matsui Kyoshin, could last thirty moves against Oishi Takashi.
Perhaps, this was also the reason he left Koriyama Castle. There, he had no opponents, and his strength couldn't improve. Naturally, he would leave to seek out famous teachers and challenge stronger enemies.
Fortunately, Zhou Ming at this time was no longer at the level he was when he first entered this world.
His saber technique, which had already risen to Lv3 more than ten days ago, separated from Cold Weapon Lv2, forming its own attribute category. Although ten days had passed, it remained at Lv3, but Zhou Ming's understanding of saber technique deepened every single minute.
In this battle, he did not use Gu or firearms. He only competed with pure saber techniques.
Zhou Ming had a feeling that for his saber technique to Breakthrough to Lv4, he needed to completely abandon all other external aids and engage in a satisfying battle like this. Only then could he grasp that subtle, profound mystery and achieve a Breakthrough.
"Too bad, not today."
Once again, their weapons clashed, and both sides simultaneously retreated. A hint of disappointment flashed in Zhou Ming's eyes.
The Onikiri Yasutsuna in Oishi Takashi's hand was already covered in chips.
Rather than a saber, it was more like a crudely made saw, perhaps even more fitting.
The third update has arrived. Do the big shots have any monthly votes? Seeing how diligently I'm updating, please cast one to make me happy