As Tamayo's experiments steadily advanced, step by step.
Xia Xi's training finally entered a new stage as well.
Although he was enjoying the continuing benefits of the Dojo and the Grand Training Camp.
He still took up basic Kendo training again, with renewed gratitude and reverence.
Every day, he set aside a considerable amount of time, entering a state of concentration that neither Tamayo nor Yushiro could understand.
He devoted that practice to the simplest of "standard sword swings."
And when the Swordsman's Core Skill, [Suburi].
Reached lv5.
Xia Xi vaguely sensed that something had quietly changed.
It was not that his strength or speed had increased again.
Or that he had mastered some new enhancement skill.
Rather, it was a subtle feeling he could neither describe nor explain... he vaguely sensed that between him and the sword in his hand.
Or rather, every sword he held, there was now a faint, elusive connection.
And during his Sword Zen Meditation that night.
The usual experience of closing his eyes and opening them to find that morning had already arrived did not occur.
Instead, Xia Xi felt as though he had fallen into a thick darkness.
Yet he felt none of the faint unease humans experienced toward their surroundings and the darkness upon entering an unfamiliar place.
On the contrary, when that presence, like dense black ink, enveloped him.
It gave him a warmth like coming home.
He tried reaching out into that darkness.
Within those depths.
Specks of gentle light actually seemed to respond to him.
They drifted closer and softly nuzzled his palm.
When that falling sensation ended.
Xia Xi discovered that he was standing somewhere vaguely familiar.
There was no sky and no ground.
In every direction, there were only billions of stars, so brilliant that they inspired