"Yeah, I'm so happy! I feel like all the fatigue I had today has been wiped away by this cake!" Teiichi said, forcing a smile.
Mitsuri didn't react immediately upon hearing this; her emerald green eyes, like deep lake water, were fixed on Teiichi.
A moment later, Mitsuri's brows slowly furrowed together, her two thin eyebrows looking like two caterpillars tangled together.
Seemingly sensing something from Teiichi's subtle expression, he suddenly snatched the plate and began to eat heartily, his cheeks bulging out like a cute little squirrel.
While eating, she mumbled indistinctly, "This stuff is so delicious, and you actually... Humph, I won't give up!"
"..."
When did Mitsuri become so good at reading people's expressions?
and...
Won't give up?
Will there be more?
Is other people's approval of her food really that important to her?
A clearing in the woods.
Mitsuri sat quietly on the ground, her chest rising and falling slightly, emitting soft breaths, her emerald green eyes fixed intently ahead.
There, a tall, slender figure was gently wielding a wooden sword.
The wooden sword gleamed softly in the sunlight, each swing carrying a unique rhythm.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The wooden swords clashed, producing a series of resonant, impactful sounds.
Whoosh--!
The sound of wind blew, and the wooden sword slashed straight down through the air.
Teiichi slightly raised his eyes, and swiftly met the attack with the wooden knife in his hand. His movements were clean and swift, without the slightest hesitation.
Bang!
Feeling the powerful force emanating from the wooden sword, Teiichi frowned slightly.
During his time in the Swordsmith Village, Teiichi had been trying to reduce his strength and speed to fight Yoriichi's Yoriichi Type Zero in order to hone his swordsmanship.
This proved to be effective. After this period of training, Teiichi's speed and power when fighting Yoriichi Type Zero were now somewhat lower than at the beginning.
He could clearly feel that he had gained more control over his strength and speed, and his swordsmanship was gradually improving in this subtle way.
However, the reduction was limited, since it was ultimately Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
and...
If my strength and speed can only drop to this level now, will I be unable to win if they drop any further?
A Teiichi realization dawned on Dingyi. He glanced at the additional figure in the distance, then stopped engaging Yoriichi Type Zero and brandished his wooden sword.
" Third Form: Wind Firmament Wandering Dragon!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!...
The familiar knocking sound rang out.
Teiichi knocking Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wooden sword down again, Teiichi casually called out "Stop!" and then walked to the side.
Teiichi's gaze fell on the figure that had suddenly appeared beside Mitsuri, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before he asked:
Why are you here?
With a carefree smile on his lips, Tengen Uzui crossed his arms and declared loudly:
"I'm here to forge swords, of course! What? Aren't you welcoming me?"
"How could that be? Swordsmith Village isn't my place!" Teiichi shrugged and replied casually.
"That's good. I thought you weren't welcoming me. In that case, I'll have to go home!" Tengen Uzui grinned, revealing his white teeth, and said with a hint of teasing in his smile.
Teiichi looked at Tengen Uzui and asked, "Didn't your Nichirin Blade break during the last fight with Daki? Why are you only now forging Nichirin Blade?"
Tengen Uzui waved his hand dismissively and said, "Oh, that! I did have my new Nichirin Blade made, but I came here this time to have another one made!"
"Let's play a new one?"
Teiichi repeated it, then seemed to remember something. He glanced at Mitsuri first, then at Tengen Uzui, a hint of speculation flashing in his eyes.
"You've started to Lifting Light as Though Heavy?"
Upon hearing this, Tengen Uzui's lips curled into a proud smile, like a peacock. He raised a hand, pointed his thumb at himself, and said with a smug look on his face:
"Yes, that's right, isn't it gorgeous?"
"Yes, quite magnificent!" Teiichi and said in agreement.
"Mmm-hmm!" Mitsuri, standing beside her, nodded earnestly in agreement.
"Hahaha..." Tengen Uzui laughed loudly.
"How come you can do that all of a sudden?" Teiichi asked, somewhat puzzled.
Tengen Uzui stopped laughing, stroked his chin, and replied:
"Ah, that? Ever since I grasped the Transparent World, I've felt my control over my body getting better and better. After studying it some more, I learned it! So that's why I've come back to the swordsmith to have a new Nichirin Blade forged!"
"I see!" Teiichi nodded in understanding. Having strong control over one's body is more or less helpful in learning these kinds of techniques.
"Have you finished communicating with the swordsmith? How long will it take?" Teiichi continued to ask.
Tengen Uzui nodded. "It's all agreed, about ten or twenty days."
"So fast?" Teiichi somewhat surprised.
"Forging Nichirin Blade is inherently quick, and it could be even faster if this sword weren't so heavy! My old Nichirin Blade, for example, could be made in less than ten days!"
Tengen Uzui said this matter-of-factly, then looked at Teiichi with a puzzled expression.
"Does it take you a long time to forge your Nichirin Blade?"
Teiichi slightly, "Mine will take about two months!"
"Mine will also take more than a month!" Mitsuri raised her hand as well.
"Why are you taking so long?" Tengen Uzui, somewhat puzzled.
"Don't Nichirin Blade take a long time to forge?" Mitsuri asked, somewhat puzzled.
Her Nichirin Blade was so special that it had never been forged in such a short time before.
Teiichi, Dingyi explained, "No, it's probably because our Nichirin Blade require a higher degree of toughness, which is why it takes so long! Uzui's weapons only have one requirement: weight. Hardness is inherent in the ore itself, so it's much faster!"
"Oh, I see!" Mitsuri nodded in relief.
"Let's not talk about that. What was that thing you just hit?" Tengen Uzui walked Teiichi Yoriichi Type Zero.
Upon Teiichi, Teiichi's lips curled into a slight smile, and he followed, placing a hand on Yoriichi Type Zero's shoulder as he chuckled:
" Yoriichi Type Zero, a battle doll, is very strong. Why don't you give it a try?"
night.
spa.
Teiichi slumped in her familiar spot, a white towel gently rolled up and placed on her forehead.
Not far away, Tengen Uzui also leaned against the stone wall with his hands outstretched in an extremely relaxed posture.
The temperature of the stone wall and the warmth of the hot spring blended together, making him feel extremely comfortable.
"Phew~" Tengen Uzui let out a long sigh, the sound echoing in the quiet hot spring. He remarked with a touch of melancholy, "The hot springs in the Swordsmith Village are quite comfortable!"