It was difficult to dodge this slash from Genichi, which seemed to have predicted his movements.
Toyotomi Nobuhide only had time to pull his head back as far as possible, moving as far away from Yang Shen's blade as possible.
Swish—the blade cuts through the flesh.
A huge gash was once again cut into Toyotomi Nobuhide's handsome face.
This time, the gap stretched from the right corner of his mouth to the base of his left ear.
Although it was painful, fortunately the eyes were not injured and it would not affect the subsequent battle.
There is no change in Yuanyi's fighting style compared to before - it is so fierce that it is hard to imagine that he is an old man.
Bang!
The sound of footsteps on the deck exploded.
Genichi, who initiated the pursuit, stepped out with his left foot, stomped hard on the deck in front of him, and then turned his body with his left foot as the axis. The raindrops and blood beads on his body were shaken away, and the hem of his clothes swung out a beautiful semicircle.
He used the centrifugal force created by rotating his body to powerfully chop the Yang Shen in his palm towards Toyotomi Nobuhide!
The blade cut through the falling raindrops, making bursts of crisp sounds.
The crisp sound expanded in the blink of an eye, and then - the dazzling sword light passed through the air and gathered on Toyotomi Nobuhide's body in one breath.
Toyotomi Nobuhide instinctively felt that the current Genichi seemed very different from the one just now. In order to be safe, he did not choose to take Genichi's attack head-on, but chose to retreat conservatively and temporarily avoid the attack.
The knife wound that Genichi had just inflicted on Toyotomi Nobuhide's face had now healed to its original state.
While retreating and avoiding Genichir's slash, Toyotomi Nobuhide couldn't help but stare at the sword that Genichir had just slashed with surprise.
——Is this... Yan Fei of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu? No... He is very different from Yan Fei...
Bang!
The sound of footsteps on the deck was heard again—Genichi moved his right foot and took a step forward.
It seemed as if he didn't intend to let Toyotomi Nobuhide attack Lin again as he did just now. He stuck closely to Toyotomi Nobuhide who had just retreated, preventing him from freeing his hands to attack Lin.
Toyotomi Nobuhide saw it very clearly - almost at the same time as he was retreating... no, before he even started retreating, Genichi had already taken a step forward in advance as if he had anticipated that he would step back, so as to prevent Toyotomi Nobuhide from escaping his attack range.
——Tsk…! Did he see through all my moves…!
There was no longer the calmness on Toyotomi Nobuhide's face that he had just shown after successfully seriously injuring Genichi.
His expression was tense along with his nerves. He tilted Yoshimitsu Boneshoku behind him and assumed the "rolling and hitting" stance of Katori Shinto-ryu.
Target: Genichi's already wounded chest - Yoshimitsu Boneshoku drew a straight line and approached this target.
However, a scene similar to what just happened happened again.
Yuan Yi made a wrong step and dodged, causing Ji Guang Gu Shi to miss his target again.
While dodging, Genichi raised his Yangshen above his head and switched to an upper stance.
In the rain, a blade flashed! The Yangshen slashed down at Toyotomi Nobuhide from above, making a sound with the wind.
He dodged to the right - relying on the extraordinary reaction speed granted by the "power of immortality", Toyotomi Nobuhide successfully dodged Genichi's attack and was not injured at all, but his eyes were wide open as if he had been stabbed.
——No external style? No, it seems that there is a shadow of some of the sword techniques of Beichen Mengxiang Style!
While he was still immersed in shock, Genichi's pursuit, as fierce as a rainstorm, came again.
Slashing horizontally, slashing downwards, slashing upwards, stabbing...
Every time Genichi swung his sword, the astonishment in Toyotomi Nobuhide's eyes grew more intense.
Just now when Genichi was using the dual sword style, he was basically using the dual sword style techniques, so it was not that clear to see.
And now, after Genichi sheathed his Yanrong and held only Yangshen and switched to Ittoryu, Toyotomi Nobuhide could clearly see that every move and every style of Genichi... were obviously quite different from the sword skills of various schools in his memory.
But he could see the shadows of various schools in Genichi's moves.
The speed without outflow...
Tomita-ryu's techniques...
Demonstrating the destructive power of the flow...
The depth of Katori Shinto style...
The calmness of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu...
…
To use an inappropriate metaphor... Genichi's moves are like a "big dye vat".
Each school took a part and combined them to form the "Sword" of Genichi.
It’s obviously just a “hodgepodge” and a “melting vat”…
However, Toyotomi Nobuhide felt the weight of a mountain in Genichi's sword!
(It seems that your swordsmanship still needs to be improved. Didn’t I use the sword skills of various schools a long time ago?)
For no reason, Toyotomi Nobuhide suddenly recalled what Genichi had just said to him...
--Oh shit……!
Toyotomi Nobuhide was a person who didn't like to swear.
But at this moment, he couldn't help but break his vow.
——Plans are disrupted again and again... Enough is enough...!
The original plan was to easily take off the head of the seriously injured Genichi, but now it seems that there is no possibility of realizing this plan.
Accidents that occurred again and again constantly disrupted Toyotomi Nobuhide's plans.
The plan was completely disrupted, which made Toyotomi Nobuhide, who hated having his plans disrupted the most, have a terrifying cloud on his face.
——There’s such a big gash in your chest, I want to see how long you can hold on!
Toyotomi Nobuhide took a deep breath, clenched the sword in his hand, changed his fighting tactics, and launched a fierce and quick attack towards Genichi!
What happened to this old man? Why did he suddenly seem to have acquired the ability to "predict movements"?
Toyotomi Nobuhide knew nothing about it.
But he knew that it was impossible for a mortal to be unharmed after having a big gash in his chest.
So, he changed his tactics.
Can't you predict my movements? Can't you dodge them by predicting my movements?
Then we'll see how long you can hold your severely injured body!
He attacked, attacked fiercely, forcing Yuan Yi to dodge, forcing Yuan Yi to consume his physical strength.
The development of the situation was just as Toyotomi Nobuhide had expected - Genichi, who tried to avoid a swordfight with him because of his superior physical fitness, dodged his attacks and was constantly drained of his strength.
This old man with the name "Sword Saint" could not have been unaware that if he continued to fight like this, his body would sooner or later collapse - this was what Toyotomi Nobuhide thought in his heart.
He thought: Genichi, who had to desperately dodge his attacks, should be feeling anxious now.
However - after looking closely at Genichi's face, he did not see the slightest trace of anxiety on Genichi's face.
All he saw was... a smile on Genichi's face.
It is not a smile mixed with any negative or unnecessary emotions.
Just laugh.
A very pure smile, so pure that it has no impurities in it.
…
…
——Is this... a state of clarity...?
Looking at the world that became "transparent" before his eyes, a long-lost sense of familiarity surged into Genichi's heart.
He had tried this several times before - the things he saw suddenly became "transparent".
Because what he saw before his eyes became "transparent", he named this state, which was completely different from the "state of no self", the "state of transparency".
But besides feeling familiar... he also felt extremely strange...
The world I see this time... is far more transparent than any other time I have seen when I entered the "transparent realm"!
Be it windy or rainy.
Be it a person or a sword.
Their trajectory, their every move, are all visible in his eyes!
This feeling...it's no longer like the world has become clear in my eyes.
It’s more like I have become one with the world!
You are the world, and the world is you!
Why did I suddenly enter this wonderful state of "becoming one with the world", what was the sound I just heard, what exactly is the "state of transparency"... too many questions came to my mind.
Genichi didn't know the answers to these questions.
He didn't have time to think about the answers to these .
At this moment, he was immersed in joy.
——Is this... the new "peak" and "scenery" on the path of kendo...?
Genichi's mouth was slightly open as if he was about to cough, and an unstoppable smile welled up on his lips.
Toyotomi Nobuhide's guess just now was actually not wrong at all: all his actions were indeed seen through by Genichi.
In his eyes, nothing in the world can escape his gaze - this naturally includes Toyotomi Nobuhide's body.
Every change in Toyotomi Nobuhide's breathing, the movement of every muscle and every bone, was visible to Genichir.
Just by watching the changes in the movements of Toyotomi Nobuhide's muscles and bones, Genichi could accurately recognize what action and move he would make next.
After Toyotomi Nobuhide suddenly changed his tactics and launched a fierce quick attack on him, Genichi naturally saw what Toyotomi Nobuhide was trying to do at the first moment.
Although he has temporarily suppressed the pain in his body with his willpower and excitement, if he continues like this, it won't be long before he collapses from exhaustion.
If it were before, before entering the "transparent state", Genichi might have felt secretly anxious, and then racked his brains, thinking of ways to counter.
But at this moment, he felt exceptionally calm.
Even though I am now relying on the "transparent state" to dodge Toyotomi Nobuhide's attacks.
Even though I now look like it won't be long before I collapse from exhaustion.
But Yuanyi just felt very calm.
It's like standing on a tranquil lake without any ripples.
There is only one emotion left in my mind and chest: joy.
Genichi felt as if he had returned to the age of 13, to the day when he first entered the sword hall, and to the day when he first held a sword.
After holding the sword for the first time and defeating the old senior in the sword gym, he was just like he is now - there was only the purest joy left in his mind and chest.
I feel happy from the bottom of my heart that my skills have been improved!
——It’s been a long time since I last felt the feeling of finally improving myself.
——Yes...that’s how I got here!
Genichi couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips.
He knew his current physical condition and was afraid that it would be difficult for him to use the dual sword style, so he just put his Yanrong back into the sheath and only held the Yang Shen with both hands.
——I have survived by always holding the sword and being ready to swing it, improving myself bit by bit, and improving myself bit by bit!
yes.
No need to feel anxious.
There is no need to rush.
I still have the sword.
I still hold the sword!
As long as you have a sword in your hand, you don’t even have to fear death!
yes.
The battlefield... is where I belong!
Put everything into it!
Put all your life learning into practice.
Put your own will.
Put everything you have into the sword in your hand!
Bet your everything!
Woo woo!
Toyotomi Nobuhide, who was determined to fight until Genichir bleeds to death or is too weak to fight again, thrusts Yoshimitsu Bone Food into Genichir's chest with the tip of the knife, and a "wuwu" sound can be heard in the air.
call!
Using his right foot as the axis, Genichir turned his body suddenly, brushing past the tip of Yoshimitsu Boushi's knife, and dodged to the left side of Toyotomi Nobuhide!
--What?!
The speed of Genichi's dodge this time was much faster than any of his previous dodges! Toyotomi Nobuhide's pupils shrank slightly uncontrollably.
Bet your everything!
With smooth, flowing movements, Genichi switched to an upper stance and slashed his blade down with an unstoppable momentum.
——Tsk! Then I will knock your sword away!
Toyotomi Nobuhide gritted his teeth, raised his sword, and prepared to use brute force to knock Genichi's sword away.
But at this moment——
Whoosh——!!
Gusts of wind blew towards us with terrifying momentum!
The knife-like gale blew up the falling raindrops and made them fly all over the sky!
——What’s going on? !
Looking at the sudden strong wind blowing around him, Toyotomi Nobuhide's expression changed.
What made Toyotomi Nobuhide even more shocked was the scene that quickly unfolded before his eyes.
The sudden gusts of wind seemed to have their own consciousness, gathering towards Genichi... no, towards the sword that Genichi was chopping down!
Not only Toyotomi Nobuhide was shocked by the scene before him, but Genichi was also very surprised.
Why did the wind suddenly blow? Why did the wind gather on his sword as if it had consciousness?
However, the strange thing was that as he felt the gusts of wind surrounding him, Genichi had a... very strange feeling.
There's a feeling...that these winds are coming for him!
There was a feeling that... the "world" was responding to his sword!
The blade, wrapped in the strong wind, hit hard the Yoshimitsu Bones Food that Toyotomi Nobuhide had raised.
“Hmm…!”
Screams and cries of pain burst out from between Toyotomi Nobuhide's clenched teeth.
Just like being hit by a carriage traveling at top speed, the moment the two swords collided, Toyotomi Nobuhide's defense was instantly broken!
Was it the effect of the wind? The blade of the Yangshen Blade, wrapped in the strong wind, was frighteningly heavy and terribly sharp!
Even Toyotomi Nobuhide, who possessed the "power of immortality", found it difficult to defeat him!
Just like pushing away a praying mantis blocking the road, Yang Shen pressed down Yoshimitsu Gushi and chopped towards Toyotomi Nobuhide's forehead!
"!!" Toyotomi Nobuhide was so shocked that he quickly tried to move his upper body to the side!
Click!
The sounds of the blade cutting flesh and breaking bones rang out at the same time.
Yang Shen chopped into Toyotomi Nobuhide's left shoulder, and then in just a moment, he cut off Toyotomi Nobuhide's left clavicle and the butterfly bone on his left back!
Seeing that he failed to successfully smash Toyotomi Nobuhide's head with one blow, Genichi snorted coldly, gritted his teeth, and exerted strength with both arms - the "Wind Blade" that was embedded in Toyotomi Nobuhide's body and was wrapped in strong winds continued to chop down!
Target: Toyotomi Nobuhide's right abdomen!
He chopped in from the left shoulder and out from the right abdomen! He rushed to cut Toyotomi Nobuhide in two!
--not good!
If Genichi succeeded in cutting him in half diagonally - Toyotomi Nobuhide knew better than anyone what that would mean.
Even though he has an "immortal power" that is far stronger than Yoshihisa and Soemon's, he will still die if he does not connect the two parts together in time after his body is split into two!
The desire to survive... emerged in Toyotomi Nobuhide's chest after a long time.
"Gu...!" He tightly grasped the Ji Guang Bone Food, trying to push back the Yang Shen that had cut into his body.
Whoosh——!!
Another gust of wind suddenly blew up!
The wind seemed to be encouraging Genichi, with gusts of wind lingering around Genichi.
“Ahhhhhhhhhh——!” Genichi seemed to be responding to the wind, roaring as if he wanted to burst out with all his strength.
Hiss, hiss, hiss…!
Just like tearing cloth, Yang Shen tore open Toyotomi Nobuhide's flesh bit by bit! Breaking Toyotomi Nobuhide 's bones!