Chapter 93
"But later I understood that a sword is just a weapon, not something used for kendo competitions, but a deadly weapon with ominous uses. The more powerful the wielder, the more obsessed they become."
Was it the murder weapon?
Busujima Saeko quietly clenched her hands.
Having committed atrocities herself, she understands this all too well: when you possess a weapon that can easily harm your opponent, the urge to destroy becomes increasingly difficult to suppress.
"This is indeed the essence of the sword."
Hasegawa Izumi picked up her teacup and took a sip of hot tea.
The tea had a mellow and fragrant flavor that went down smoothly and left a lingering aftertaste; it was clearly a higher-class tea than the tea he had drunk in the club.
Seeing the carefree and relaxed demeanor of the young man before him, Busujima Masao inwardly admired him.
At least at that age, he was far from having reached that state of mind.
Cultivating swordsmanship is also cultivating the mind; this is a truth he only understood later.
Unfortunately, he realized this a little too late.
There was a hint of gloom in his eyes.
"So, Hasegawa-kun, what do you think a sword is?"
Busujima Masao peered through the steam rising from the water, looking straight ahead.
"What is a sword? In my eyes, everything in heaven and earth can be a sword..."
He sat amidst the hazy smoke, creating an air of mystery, like a sage preaching and imparting knowledge.
However, this was not enough to convince the father and daughter of Busujima, since what he said was still too incredible for those who had not yet entered the Dao.
"Hasegawa-kun, your swordsmanship is indeed broad, but isn't it somewhat unrealistic?"
What Busujima Masao wanted to express was simple: such words were too vague and needed to be more realistic.
Even Busujima Saeko, who was awestruck by Hasegawa's talent, found such words utterly absurd.
However, considering the other person's performance at school, she could understand and wouldn't dwell on it.
"Busujima Senpai, why aren't you too fixated on the form the sword takes?"
Hasegawa Izumi retorted dismissively with a question.
"A sword is simply a sword that you can hold in your hand; it has no other form."
Busujima Masao shook his head.
His limited knowledge is to be expected.
After all, according to Hasegawa Izumi's estimation, the so-called Sword Saint should still be at the level of 'the State of No Mind', only more advanced than other grandmasters.
However, it's quite remarkable that they've achieved this level of skill in a world without magic.
I believe that after the change in the climate, their accumulated experience should be able to improve significantly.
"Busujima Senpai, you are wrong. The essence of an object never lies in the form it presents, after all, its manifestation can be diverse. But when you comprehend the way of the sword, you will naturally be able to use all things in the world as swords. This is called... the Sword Heart Realm."
The boy's expression remained unchanged.
"I've never heard of that... never mind."
Busujima Masao seemed to understand something, and his expression changed slightly.
He had also heard the saying that there is often only a fine line between genius and madness, and this was certainly true for this young man.
Only someone so obsessed with themselves, to the point of unwavering self-belief, could reach a level unattainable by ordinary people.
Next, the two talked about swords for a while.
However, the other party's answers were always so far-fetched and fantastical, making it seem as if they were living in a novel rather than in reality.
Busujima Masao gradually got used to this kind of conversation. Although he thought what the other party was saying was all nonsense, some of the theories had some reference value. Moreover, it was his initiative to invite the conversation, so he did not interrupt it.
Before we knew it, two hours had passed.
Let's leave it at that.
After taking a sip of tea and putting down the teacup, Hasegawa Izumi suddenly spoke.
Just as he was about to leave, Busujima Masao, who was sitting opposite him, continued, "Hasegawa-kun, I'm still a little reluctant to let you leave like this."
"Oh?"
He stopped and looked back.
Their eyes met, their sharp edges gleaming, as if sparks were flying in the air.
"Hasegawa-kun, let me see your swordsmanship, the swordsmanship that defeated my daughter and even made her praise it highly."
Busujima Masao stood up, his eyes filled with ambition for the sword.
"Good."
He simply replied with a single word.
This also allows for more accurate observations through combat.
Moreover, he has never been afraid of challenges.
"Hasegawa-kun, we don't have any Kendo Uniform here, so how about we follow the rules you used when you challenged me: the first one to fall is the loser?"
"I have no objection."
A few minutes later, the two stood facing each other in the open courtyard, about ten meters apart.
Busujima Masao gripped the wooden sword with both hands, slightly lowering his body, maintaining a ready stance to act at any moment.
Although he was already a grandmaster and a renowned figure in swordsmanship, his opponent was just a high school student still in school. This serious demeanor seemed rather comical.
However, after learning about his daughter's fight with the other party, he realized he had to take it seriously and not let carelessness lead to a disaster.
"Hasegawa-kun, a genius is still just a genius; he lacks the maturity of time. Let me tell you that."
He remained confident, he thought to himself.
On the other side.
Hasegawa Izumi held a wooden sword in one hand, pointing it diagonally at the ground, with a scabbard strapped to her left waist.
This was his specific request, because it was related to the swordsmanship he was about to use.
Using a knife to perform swordsmanship may sound strange, but in Tou-ei, swords and knives are not actually distinguished. A knife is a type of sword, and the way of the sword also includes methods of using a knife.
"Who will win? Father, or Hasegawa-kun?"
Busujima Saeko, who was watching the match, looked hesitant and undecided.
Although she didn't have a good relationship with her father, the truth is that her father was indeed one of the top sword masters in Tou-ei, and a genius who was hard to beat from a young age.
Even Hasegawa-kun would find it difficult to overcome the advantages that come with age, right?
That's certainly the most reasonable way to think about it, but she just happens to have higher expectations for Hasegawa-kun.
Perhaps, the other party can create a miracle, just like before.
"Hasegawa-kun, listen up!"
"Bring it on."
As a gust of wind blew by, the two moved almost simultaneously.
As the distance closed to a certain point, Busujima Masao suddenly vanished, his figure flickering and disappearing without a trace. Then, in the next instant, his two-handed sword grip changed to a single-handed drawing motion, and he swiftly swept his sword forward.
"Bang!"
However, it struck the cross-section of another wooden knife.
Her movements, which seemed unfathomable to others, did not escape the notice of Hasegawa Izumi; she precisely positioned her blade in the path of the opponent's strike.
Such a fast reaction--
Busujima Masao felt a chill run down his spine.
But!
In the next instant, he twisted his feet and spun lightly, seemingly retreating after a brief contact, but quickly regained his composure and unleashed his next move.
"Demon Sword Technique: Sword Thrust!"
He used his Breathing Technique, and a tearing sound came from his mouth. His speed suddenly exploded, and his clasped hands shot forward like an arrow.
Just as the sword was about to strike, Hasegawa Izumi reacted with Divine Speed, executing a perfectly timed upward slash with irresistible force, lifting the opponent's wooden sword and easily deflecting the attack once again.
"What!?"
Two consecutive failures dealt a blow to Busujima Masao's confidence.
As if possessing the ability to foresee the future, the opponent knew the flaws in his sword style and repeatedly interrupted his attack at just the right moment.
This is probably the only time he's ever felt this way, when his instructor was teaching him swordsmanship.
But how is that possible?
Now, as the grandmaster of the Busujima Style of swordsmanship, he had never felt such a profound sense of awe, not even when sparring with the Sword Saint!
"Could it be the <Nine Solitary Swords>?"
Busujima Saeko's eyes gleamed with a strange light.
She experienced the same situation when she fought Hasegawa before; no matter what sword techniques she used, her opponent could see through them, and she was powerless to use them.
Now it seems that even his father's method of integrating the family's Breathing Technique to create a sword style that suited him was not enough.
"Young man, your reaction time is unbelievably fast. That must be the secret to your strength."
Busujima Masao jumped back to a safe distance, then looked at him with a knowing look in his eyes, as if he had discovered some secret, and said with deep conviction.
In this world, there are always some geniuses who possess talents that are on a completely different level from ordinary people, such as physical gifts like reaction speed, hearing, intelligence, and strength. He had seen them before, and they were even much stronger than any Guinness World Record.
But this was the first time he had ever seen someone with such a fast reaction time.
"If you say so, then so be it."
Hasegawa Izumi neither confirmed nor denied it.
Through the previous conversation, he understood that what he said would definitely be taken as nonsense by the other party, so he decided to use facts to prove himself.
"Young man, you are stronger than I imagined. Then I will give it my all!"
Busujima Masao's expression hardened, his body lowered, and his breathing became increasingly rapid. His blood was filled with oxygen, and the veins on his hands bulged, indicating a significant increase in his physical abilities.
After the earlier probing, he realized that he had no room for holding back if he wanted to win, so he went all out.
"Since you're taking this so seriously, it would be extremely impolite of me not to respond with swordsmanship."
Seeing the opponent's momentum suddenly rise, Hasegawa Izumi's expression during the battle took on a serious tone for the first time.
As a grandmaster, judging from his physical condition at this moment, he should be close to the limits of human potential.
That should allow him to truly enjoy himself this time.
"Demon Sword Technique: Yin Slash!"
As he charged forward, Busujima Masao shifted to the side, a position that conveniently blocked the view of the sword's path, making his strikes more unpredictable.
This was a test of his opponent's incredible reaction ability.
Call!!
However, Hasegawa Izumi dodged the tricky sword strike by tilting her head back.
"It's not over yet! Demon Sword Technique: Lunar Eclipse!"
He smoothly raised his sword and brought it down, the faint sound of it cutting through the air demonstrating its speed; the falling wooden blade sliced through the air like a sharp crescent moon.
"Not bad."
Hasegawa Izumi commented, twisted her body to avoid the attack again, and used the Mental Power to spin around before unleashing a slash.
This is the Flying Dragon Sword Style --
Tornado Flash!
The blade came whistling through the air.
"Bang!"