Cut, chop, pare, slash, push, pull, cleave, parry, thrust, wipe... The masterful blade techniques were unleashed without reservation in a flurry of slashes. What was merely an ordinary bamboo sword, in Hirakawa Masamasa's hands, seemed like an indestructible divine weapon, whistling through the air with a buzzing sound.
The two men's battle was dazzling and heart-stopping, each narrowly dodging a perilous strike at the last possible moment, like dancing on a tightrope, causing both spectators to break out in cold sweats, their hearts pounding.
Ching!
Ching!
At the same time, two soft sounds, and gashes appeared on both men's clothes.
Under their miraculous swordsmanship, even a blunted bamboo sword, when swung, could cut through flesh and take a life as easily as a sharpened iron sword.
By now, both Zhou Ming and Hirakawa Masamasa had accumulated several wounds on their bodies.
Fortunately, both of them possessed extraordinary strength, able to narrowly avoid vital points, trading minor injuries for serious ones. Thus, even as their clothes gradually became soaked with blood, they continued to fight with abandon.
Oda Heizo and Matsui Kyoshin, who were watching from the side, were already drenched in cold sweat. Their initial optimism that no lives would be lost because Zhou Ming used a bamboo sword had long since vanished. With the intensity of these two's battle, a bamboo sword could still kill!
Just then, another fierce exchange, and both men, unable to avoid it, sustained another wound.
Zhou Ming's body remained perfectly still, as if such insignificant minor injuries didn't exist, but Hirakawa Masamasa's body swayed slightly, and a barely perceptible hint of weariness appeared in his eyes.
Zhou Ming keenly caught this anomaly and immediately struck without hesitation, increasing his speed by three points, forcing Hirakawa Masamasa to also speed up.
The speed of their attacks gradually exceeded their controllable limits, and the precision of their minute manipulations decreased, causing the probability of sustaining more wounds to skyrocket.
'He's forcing me to trade injuries!' Hirakawa Masamasa instantly understood Zhou Ming's intention, a bitter smile rising in his heart.
'Has he discovered it so quickly? What a formidable opponent!'
Such high-intensity combat, coupled with continuous injury and blood loss, meant that even with Hirakawa Masamasa's excellent stamina, he was inevitably growing tired, his speed dropping, his reactions slowing, and his strength waning.
Zhou Ming had discovered this, which was why he forced Hirakawa Masamasa to trade injuries, making his stamina decline faster and causing him to give out sooner.
'He's sustained fewer injuries than me from start to finish. His attention to detail is so perfect, and his stamina is better than mine, so he hasn't shown any fatigue yet. Amazing, Zhou-kun, I've lost to you.'
This thought flashed through Hirakawa Masamasa's mind, and his Battle Intent immediately diminished by three points. He swept his sword horizontally, retreated three steps, and distanced himself from Zhou Ming.
"I lose," he said frankly, dropping his bamboo sword to the ground.
"Thank you," Zhou Ming exhaled, steam rising from his body, the bamboo sword in his hand already in a dilapidated state.
After all, they weren't actual weapons. Even though both men had tried their best to avoid direct collisions with the bamboo swords, these two bamboo swords were still rendered useless.
"Good! What a spectacular battle!"
Oda Heizo, from a distance, seeing the battle finally conclude, let out a sigh of relief and shouted excitedly, startling Matsui Kyoshin, who hadn't yet recovered, almost making him jump.
"You idiot, what are you still looking at here!"
Oda Heizo kicked Matsui Kyoshin and scolded him.
"Hurry up and call for a physician!"
"Yes, yes, I'll go right away." Although Matsui Kyoshin really wanted to do nothing and simply re-live the incredibly exciting battle, digesting everything he had learned from it.
But he still chose to obediently follow Oda Heizo's command.
Matsui Kyoshin turned and left, while Oda Heizo laughed heartily as he approached, saying, "Gentlemen, you've worked hard. I'm sure this sparring match was very rewarding for both of you!"
"How about this, let's have the physician take a look first, then take a hot spring bath. I'll treat you to a few drinks, how does that sound?"
"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and get ready. A battle like that takes a lot out of you." Zhou Ming casually tore a piece from his tattered clothes and wiped the blood and sweat from his face.
This battle was truly the most arduous he had experienced since entering this world.
A pure contest of swordsmanship, he had even abandoned his edelman alloy blade this time. It was a difficult fight, but also an exhilarating and satisfying one!
"I..." Hirakawa Masamasa hesitated, glanced at Zhou Ming, then nodded in agreement.
After this battle, his perception of Zhou Ming had changed considerably.
'Perhaps, I really can drink with him.' Hirakawa Masamasa thought.
"Hey, ah hahahahaha, the physicians are here!"
Matsui Kyoshin came in from outside, carrying a basin of hot water, followed by several maids, all carrying hot water, towels, and other items.
At the very back were two physicians, carrying small medicine chests. Seeing the two ragged "blood-men" in the courtyard, both physicians appeared very calm, clearly experienced veterans.
"Gentlemen, please sit here and let us examine your wounds."
The physicians immediately got to work, and Zhou Ming and Hirakawa Masamasa cooperatively sat on the stone stools, allowing the physicians to examine them.
Hirakawa Masamasa's side was quite normal: cleaning wounds, applying medicine, bandaging. Although Hirakawa Masamasa had many wounds, none were particularly serious, and the physicians handled them with ease.
On Zhou Ming's side, however, the physician acted as if he had seen a ghost, examining the scars on his body up and down.
"This, this, this..."
The physician used a damp towel to wipe away the blood from Zhou Ming's arm, only to see that what should have been a finger-length wound was now just a shallow bloodstain.
It wasn't just this one wound; including Zhou Ming's other injuries, the physician had checked them the first time, by the second check, the bleeding had stopped, by the third check, they were half-healed, and by the fourth check, the wounds were almost invisible... The physician's shocked expression made Zhou Ming secretly chuckle.
His two shoes were already torn from the intense fighting and had been kicked aside, his bare feet on the ground.
Unseen by others, roots extended from the soles of his feet, burrowing into the soil, absorbing nutrients to heal Zhou Ming's injuries.
Two-turn Vine Root Gu!
The effect of a Two-turn healing Gu was already quite good, and it was a Wood Path Gu insect that naturally complemented Zhou Ming's own constitution. Healing these minor flesh wounds was simply too easy.
"Alright, you may step down," Zhou Ming patted the physician's shoulder and stood up.
"I'm going to wash off this blood first, it's all sticky."
Zhou Ming said, waving to everyone, and walked towards his room.
'I wonder how widely that physician will spread news of my abnormality. Heh heh, let it spread, the wider the better.'
'It would be best if it reached the ears of all the Daimyo, making them feel sufficiently threatened, and all wanting to eliminate me before the conference begins.'
'Come on, all of you. How boring would it be to just wait for the conference to start? You all hurry and make your move, then I'll have a reason to kill to my heart's content!'