Tokugawa Ririko, whose lips were practically impossible to keep from curling upward, naturally went along with it.
She walked to a corner by herself and continued her daily suburi practice.
The sound of something slicing through the air from beside him made Uesugi Tetsu click his tongue in displeasure.
It was just like how a college student could sleep soundly amid the clatter of blue-switch keyboards, yet lie awake all night at the sound of their roommate turning pages.
Uesugi Tetsu focused his attention on the Soul Soothing Incense Ash, which was currently sparkling brightly. Before long, a prompt popped up: [Use?]
Uesugi Tetsu froze for a moment. So he could use the Soul Soothing Incense Ash himself?
Wasn't this stuff a material for evolving Demon Incarnation? Wouldn't a human who ate it drop dead on the spot?
Although Soul Soothing Incense Ash was a necessary material for upgrading Demon Incarnation, it actually wasn't precious at all.
On the contrary, it was a common piece of junk that appeared nine times in a ten-pull from the gacha.
Narrowing his eyes, Uesugi Tetsu pondered for a moment before clicking Use.
In an instant, Uesugi Tetsu felt the world before his eyes shift from blurry 1080p to astonishingly clear 4K. Countless minute movements slowly flowed through his five senses.
When Uesugi Tetsu gripped the Bamboo Sword, Ririko's words and hands-on instruction from earlier suddenly became clear in his mind.
Every movement and every bit of theory seemed to have become extraordinarily simple.
"I understand now."
He murmured to himself.
Ririko stopped her suburi and glanced at him. "What do you understand?"
"Stance, gripping the sword, controlling my center of gravity, suburi, stepping forward..."
Like he was reciting a menu, Uesugi Tetsu listed all the basic skills Ririko had just taught him, causing her expression to grow increasingly interesting.
She covered her mouth, her body trembling for quite a while before she finally said solemnly, "Keep going. I promise I won't laugh out loud."
Uesugi Tetsu did not reply to Ririko. He knew this state definitely had a time limit, and Soul Soothing Incense Ash was a consumable.
He had to imprint these insights onto his body before the effect disappeared.
Under Ririko's half-amused, half-skeptical gaze, Uesugi Tetsu circulated the Ki-ai Technique and maintained a Heart Like Still Water state as he began practicing his stance, gripping the sword, and swinging it through the air...
And so, through those empty swings, Uesugi Tetsu's swordsmanship rapidly advanced from that of an ordinary person who knew nothing about swordsmanship to that of a swordsmanship enthusiast with roughly one or two months of practice.
Ririko's expression went from barely holding it together at first, to serious, then puzzled, and finally completely silent.
After everything passed, time...
Ririko lowered her head blankly and glanced at her phone.
Only an hour had passed.
As the effect of the Soul Soothing Incense Ash faded, the world before Uesugi Tetsu's eyes suddenly became more than one level blurrier.
Only then did he realize that he was drenched in sweat, as though he had been fished out of water. Every muscle in his body ached terribly, as if Ririko beside him had beaten him half to death.
Still, it had all been worth it.
[Under the effect of your first use of Soul Soothing Incense Ash, after arduous training, your skill Incomplete Ki-ai Technique proficiency +18!] [Incomplete Ki-ai Technique (Beginner 74/100)] [Under the effect of your first use of Soul Soothing Incense Ash, after arduous training, your skill Tennen Rishin-ryū proficiency +50!] [Sword Technique - Tennen Rishin-ryū (Not Initiated 51/200)] [Under the effect of your first use of Soul Soothing Incense Ash, your Willpower +1!]
Not only had the proficiency of both skills increased significantly, but his Willpower had also risen from 7 to 8.
Uesugi Tetsu turned to Ririko and forced himself to maintain a smile. He said calmly, "I told you to let me be quiet for a while and sort through my thoughts."
Ririko was bewildered.
In just one hour, he had crossed the distance covered by her month of effort, day and night.
Every time someone else swung their sword, it was equivalent to her swinging hers hundreds or even tens of thousands of times.
So effort really was insignificant in the face of talent.
The clown was me all along.
In the silence, Ririko suddenly said, "Little Che, come on. Slap me."
"Huh?"
Uesugi Tetsu had not yet reacted.
"This really is reality." Ririko sighed. "If this were a dream, I would've already been beaten into a pig's head."
Ririko paused, then asked, "Do you still want to learn today?"
"Spare me. I can barely lift my arms."
Uesugi Tetsu shook his head and waved his limp arm.
"Mm."
Ririko nodded silently. She disassembled the Bamboo Sword, carefully wiped and polished every part, then reinstalled the sword guard, middle tie, and leather strips before finally attaching the tendon string used to keep the Bamboo Sword straight.
Watching Ririko take it as seriously as if she were in the middle of a great battle, Uesugi Tetsu felt that something seemed off.
But he could not say what was wrong.
He had merely focused on practicing his sword just now. It wasn't as though he had done anything to provoke Ririko.
After a while, Ririko put the Bamboo Sword into its bag and waddled to the doorway. She looked back in confusion. "Uesugi-kun, aren't you coming?"
Uesugi Tetsu thought for a few seconds before deciding to ask directly. "Is something on your mind?"
Ririko stared at him for two seconds, then stopped pretending to wait around. "Just like you said, let me be quiet for a while and sort through my thoughts."
Uesugi Tetsu had no reason to stop her, so he nodded. "Tomorrow, I'll teach you breathing techniques."
The kendo girl flashed a carefree smile and shoved the wooden door open. Her voice came from ahead:
"See you tomorrow, Uesugi-kun."
Uesugi Tetsu watched Tokugawa Ririko's back disappear into the distance. He had originally planned to treat her to some barbecue that evening.
But forget it.
Since Ririko had left first, he could take the opportunity to find some time later to explore the new map on the track field.
As long as he lit the shrine at the spawn point, he would no longer have to enter Everworld from a designated location.
For example, even from the kendo hall, Uesugi Tetsu could now enter Edo Castle.
After taking a quick shower and changing clothes, Uesugi Tetsu found a shady corner on the track field and lay down.
He selected the [Enter Everworld] option with his mind, and darkness once again filled his vision.
New map, launch!
The fresh scent of thatch mixed with a pungent sulfurous odor filled his nostrils. Uesugi Tetsu was nearly overwhelmed to the point of seeing stars, so he immediately put on Laughing Brahma's mask.
He sat up and looked around.
He found that he had once again spawned inside a cramped thatched hut, though the furnishings inside had changed somewhat.
Besides the usual old tatami mats, piles of straw, and low table, there were even two or three broken chairs leaning against the wall.
"This map's era must be at least sometime after the Meiji period."
Uesugi Tetsu pondered. What he had seen already confirmed that different eras truly coexisted within Everworld.
Although chairs had entered Japan from the Tang dynasty as early as the Nara period, they had not actually become popular in common households until after the Meiji period, when Western culture began its massive influx.
The mobs here had better not use American-style iaijutsu...
With that thought in mind, Uesugi Tetsu began searching for the shrine.
The first time was unfamiliar; the second was easy.
Before long, Uesugi Tetsu lit the shrine.
His eyes lit up.
[You have lit the shrine of Arakawa Ghost Village.] [Current area unlocked: Arakawa Ghost Village (One Star)]
Before you continue