Ki-ai Technique, Activate!

The immense water pressure struck.

Uesugi Tetsu opened his eyes once more in the dilapidated thatched hut. He leaned against the door and listened for a moment, confirming there was no movement before quietly pushing the door open.

The creak of the wooden door only traveled two or three meters before being swallowed by the heavy rain. Uesugi Tetsu poked his head out and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that the Gassho-zukuri houses on either side were not inverted.

That absurdly powerful Oni Warrior was indeed mobile…

Only then did he take the Walker token from his storage grid and hang it on his waist.

After closing the door behind him, Uesugi Tetsu squinted, finding his vision limited to about twenty to thirty meters due to the pervasive rain mist.

He knew that in reality, after equipping the Hundred-Eyed Demon's Eyes while in his Brahma form, he could see the faces of people two to three hundred meters away with perfect clarity.

So how was he supposed to hide and scavenge?

This was not good.

Edo Castle was a four-star map; he estimated that the low-level monsters wandering around here were at least one star…

As he thought this, Uesugi Tetsu stepped into the sticky mud, held his breath, and scanned his surroundings. Not far ahead, he saw a dark shadow lying across the road.

What is that? A corpse?

Uesugi Tetsu swallowed, gripped the kitchen knife in his hand, and paced, ready to open his eyes and go to school.

Closer, even closer.

When he was about ten meters away, without any probing or observation, Uesugi Tetsu, who had been watching for a long time, shattered the curtain of rain and broke into a sprint, raising his kitchen knife for a leaping slash.

First strike!

The sensation of the blade entering flesh was incredibly clear, and a round object that rolled to the side confirmed the success of the strike.

However, no kill notification popped up before him.

"A real corpse?"

Uesugi Tetsu picked up the severed head that had rolled away, examined it for two seconds, then put it down. He clasped his hands together and offered a prayer for forgiveness.

Then, he began to meticulously search the corpse.

[You have obtained, Ki-ai Technique Fragment (Mortal Grade).]

[Learn?]

As Uesugi Tetsu withdrew his hand, he also pulled out a slippery book soaked in blood and rain.

He flipped through it slightly, finding that the pages were all stuck together and impossible to separate. The parts he could open were illegible.

The thought of trying to learn it himself was immediately extinguished. Uesugi Tetsu didn't hesitate and directly chose to learn.

[You have learned, Ki-ai Technique Fragment.]

[Ki-ai Technique Fragment (Novice 0/100)]

[Effect: Gathers the scattered ki of the physical body and consolidates it.]

[--Created by a certain Sword Saint of the Heian period as a prerequisite for difficult breathing exercises. Entry is relatively easy, with shallow effects.]

As soon as he finished reading the description, memories related to the Ki-ai Technique flooded Uesugi Tetsu's mind.

He then felt a breath of energy rise in his chest, condensed and unscattered, and his limbs felt noticeably stronger.

[Physique: 10 → 11]

Huh? Didn't it say the effects were shallow?

Uesugi Tetsu, who was looking down, saw the Laughing Brahma mask in the water's surface and suddenly understood.

The "shallow effects" were probably for ordinary people. But he was a genuine demon now, and a Brahma, known for its strength!

How could this Brahma ki be the same as ordinary people's ki!

With the spoils from this roadside corpse-plundering, Uesugi Tetsu's steps became even more powerful.

But the good times didn't last.

When he saw the dark shadow by the roadside for the second time, Uesugi Tetsu, who wanted to repeat his previous success, was knocked aside by a sword strike that deflected his kitchen knife. His head was then cleanly severed.

[You have died]

Uesugi Tetsu grimaced as he opened his eyes, covering his neck with his hand and gasping in pain.

The pain this time was much greater than before, and the sensation of the slash was jagged and uneven, likely because the little monster's swordsmanship wasn't well-practiced.

He remembered seeing "[Wandering Samurai]" above the little monster's head, followed by a half-star, and cursed:

"Bad swordsmanship!"

Decades of sword training only resulted in him being one star higher than his juvenile Laughing Brahma form. Had all those decades of sword practice been wasted?

After speaking, Uesugi Tetsu rolled on the bed twice more in pain.

A few minutes later, the pain in his neck gradually subsided. Uesugi Tetsu, with a dark expression, opened the upgrade progress bar for the Laughing Brahma.

["Laughing Brahma (Juvenile)" Upgrading: 10%]

Tch.

It's been almost eight hours and it's only at 10%? That means it'll take over 80 hours, nearly four days, to fully level up?

Slow, it's just too slow!

This means I'll still get killed seven or eight more times by these roadside mobs!

Uesugi Tetsu's neck started aching just thinking about it.

This won't do. I need to think of a way to get stronger besides just waiting for Laughing Brahma to level up.

As he thought, Uesugi Tetsu's gaze fell upon the new skill he had acquired not long ago, "Ki-ai Technique."

The ki within him was much less than when he transformed into Laughing Brahma, but it was still a force to be reckoned with for him in his current state.

He estimated it had increased his Physique stat by about 0.5.

Uesugi Tetsu closed his eyes, carefully gathering the ki within him. When he felt all the ki converge into one mass, he suddenly opened his mouth:

"Hah!"

With a loud shout, Uesugi Tetsu briefly felt a strong stimulation throughout his limbs and body, making them incredibly agile and powerful.

He then looked at the proficiency of the Ki-ai Technique—Beginner (1/100).

This was probably the training method for the Ki-ai Technique.

But if that's the case, won't I be unable to use class time to train the Ki-ai Technique?

Oh, right.

Uesugi Tetsu remembered that Tokugawa Ririko was the president of the school's Kendo club. If he wanted to find time and a place to practice the Ki-ai Technique like this, the Kendo club dojo would undoubtedly be the best choice.

Then he could both learn Kendo and practice the Ki-ai Technique, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

Decision made. I'll join the Kendo club right away.

"Dad, I'm going out."

After a familiar farewell, Uesugi Tetsu placed the Nanjō doll and the Walker token into his backpack together.

Just as he was about to enter the school, Uesugi Tetsu spotted a familiar figure at the school gate.

"Ririko?"

He blurted it out subconsciously, then realized their relationship wasn't that close, so he changed his address to, "Classmate Tokugawa."

"Just call me Ririko."

Leaning against the school gate, Tokugawa Ririko, with a cold expression, sighed in relief upon seeing him, "Good, I've survived another day."

The girl, with a brand new bamboo sword pendant dangling from her neck again, walked alongside him. Amidst the curious glances from surrounding students, it was Ririko who broke the silence first:

"Thank you for what happened last night."

Ririko bowed slightly to him, "If you, Uesugi-kun, have any needs, I will do my utmost to satisfy them."

Do my utmost.

Uesugi Tetsu didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "I want to join the Kendo club and learn Kendo, starting today."

"Okay."

Tokugawa Ririko didn't even consider how unreasonable the request was and immediately called the Kendo club's advisor.

After a minute of negotiation, the girl hung up the phone and nodded at Uesugi Tetsu, "Come to the Kendo club at noon. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance."

Even Uesugi Tetsu was taken aback by such absurd efficiency. He opened his mouth and, after a while, continued, "Regarding the Friendship Club..."

As if a keyword had been triggered, Tokugawa Ririko immediately fixed her gaze on him.