Bear School Astartes

Nojima Iizuka's training was indeed rigorous, granting his body the instinct to execute techniques.

Before him, Lann seemed to have his posture broken due to [Climbing Carp], leaving him wide open.

Though he himself was still a bit dazed, his body's instincts had already shown through his sword blade.

[Iwami Style: Climbing Carp] is swordsmanship that gradually disintegrates an opponent's posture while parrying, followed immediately by—

[Iwami Style: Lower Carp]!

Lann's armor prevented Iizuka from a single decisive strike, so his body instinctively chose to further disintegrate the opponent's posture.

[Lower Carp] continues to disintegrate the opponent's posture with successive aggressive strikes following the fluent rebound of the blade.

The Iwami People liken this swordsmanship to a carp rushing down a waterfall.

But when Iizuka instinctively used this move, he suddenly realized something was off.

"Is the speed at which his posture disintegrates... a bit too fast?"

The young warrior's eyes widened in astonishment, meeting Lann's gaze of excited realization.

Though it was his first time witnessing such swordsmanship, his instincts as a Son of the Emperor quickly began to absorb the knowledge within.

And by now, although he still couldn't grasp how this swordsmanship was executed, when it came to countering it...

He almost had some ideas!

The tall body seemed to naturally lean back as the blade was repelled.

But it was this seemingly natural lean back that allowed Iizuka's later swung blade to graze past with just a hair's breadth.

With one swing missed, the young warrior had to retract his strength and regain his breath to maintain his state.

Taking advantage of this gap, Lann's boots, fitted with external plate armor, twisted forcefully, leaving deep impressions on the greenish soil ground.

A spiral force conducted from the toe upwards, integrating the power of various joints, turned Lann's body into a vast, drawn bow!

Tension meant energy storage! Spiral meant force storage! Until this power was released from the tip of the sword!

"Clang!!!"

Iizuka struggled to defend, finally managing to block this strike.

The immense force severely distorted the warrior's facial expression; he was hacked so that both feet left the ground, being pushed backwards!

Until Iizuka buried his sword tip into the soil, leaving a fierce sword mark on the ground, stopping five meters away!

And when the warrior regained his composure and raised his eyes to look at his opponent... he only saw a standard frontal slash!

"His posture... has recovered?!"

Iizuka was utterly astonished at this moment, more shaken than being slashed away by Lann!

A Swordsman who first saw [Climbing Carp], within two minutes of confrontation... broke the move?!

And the smile at Lann's corner of the mouth was becoming ever more cheerful.

His idea of a countermeasure had worked.

In the tight war space, using a significant movement move all at once.

My posture doesn't need you to break, in executing large movements, it naturally cannot maintain!

But after this big movement strike, returning to the normal state, this process was generally completely within self-control.

And the stuttering feel granted by [Climbing Carp] mostly disappeared through this 'broken and then stand' cycle.

The inner astonishment made Iizuka lose his composure, he barely lifted his long sword in hand, completely forgetting any swordsmanship, only resorting to simple blocking.

Swordplay confrontation, from another perspective, is a contest for opportunities.

The more disadvantaged an excellent swordsman is, the more they should think.

For someone like Iizuka, whose mind is in chaos and only focuses on supporting the immediate, with no thought for follow-up responses, he's only leading himself into a pit of failure.

But it seemed luck favored this young warrior.

Lann, after that previous major slash, had a Samurai Sword already chipped.

And when this frontal slash came towards Iizuka, it looked like he slightly overshot his step.

As a result, the blade intersected with Iizuka's blocking blade right at that chink on his own blade.

The crisp sound of blade breaking arose.

Iizuka, whose brain was muddled due to immense pressure, dazedly watched as a bright blade fragment flew into the air, descended diagonally, and embedded itself into the soil.

The scene briefly fell into silence.

"Oh? Seems I've lost, after all, equal weapons truly can't defeat you, Lord Nojima Iizuka."

The calm and sincere words shifted Lann's impression from fierce to gentle.

"Hmm… Hmm?!"

The young warrior, with hair slightly disheveled, snapped back to his senses.

He saw Lann's Samurai Sword had shortened by a section, while his own still-intact blade remained poised at Lann's oncoming chest.

"You've won, Lord Iizuka."

Lann smiled repeating, then disengaged from his battle stance and straightened up.

"You accurately seized the chink in my blade, your observation skills are commendable."

"You are...?!"

Iizuka opened his mouth, but couldn't utter anything for a long time.

He himself didn't know if he instinctively aimed at the chink, but he was acutely aware of just how muddled his mind was before.

To seize victory amidst that chaos of thought... he couldn't believe he had that ability.

But given the other party had already given him an out, for the sake of his warrior reputation, it was best not to cause trouble.

After hesitating slightly, Nojima Iizuka pressed his lips together, loudly declared.

"Lann has already... lasted through forty moves! The highest skilled among the ronin!"

When mentioning Lann 'lasting through' several moves, Iizuka spoke with slight difficulty, feeling somewhat ashamed.

Yet the Demon Hunter himself seemed rather serene.

Not offending others upon arrival, this is a practical philosophy.

Though unsure if Nojima Iizuka was the kind who couldn't bear loss, he wasn't willing to risk it.

Plus, he himself had already gained new swordsmanship knowledge from the preceding bout, rendering verbal victory or defeat insignificant.

After Iizuka announced the result, Nogami Genji continued on.

"Everyone, return to the original spot in the Castle Town to rest, the accommodating supplies and the first round of this month's rewards will be released tomorrow. Tonight, a live chicken will be sent over, as a celebration for passing today's examination, please feel free to indulge."

The ronin who passed the examination left in high spirits, preparing to return to their lodging.

And only after Lann's figure completely disappeared at the corner of the manor wall did Nogami Genji, who had been watching his back, speak sharply to Iizuka.

"Can you recall the state of that person after delivering the powerful downward slash, Iizuka?"

"I deeply apologize, my lord... I, I cannot."

Nogami Genji disregarded Iizuka's evidently embarrassed response, speaking to himself.

"That guy outwardly caught a breath, but his hand holding the sword did not exhibit any instability due to the brief eruption, having wielded a sword all my life, on this solitary point, I hold confidence. Do you know what this implies?"

"...I understand."

Iizuka's lips twitched slightly.

A steady hand signifies that the strike was not due to some explosive technique employed by the opponent but was regular!

And if that power was indeed Lann's baseline, it also signifies... from the initial sword exchange stage, he could effortlessly crush himself through sheer force!

"Looks like you now comprehend the caliber of the individual you've enlisted, Iizuka."

A sudden elderly woman's voice intervened unexpectedly from the roof eaves of the courtyard house.

Inserting herself into the two men's conversation.

Both Nogami Genji and Iizuka, along with several warriors behind, displayed no surprise. Instead, they slightly bowed towards the direction of the voice in a matter-of-course greeting.

"Lady Butterfly!"

On the roof above, a gaunt elderly woman with white, withered hair lounged at ease crossed-legged.

Her outfit was efficient, a short cape draped over her shoulders. In her hand rested a thin, long, shimmering kunai, toyed with like a plaything.

Yet contrary to her relaxed action, her face appeared void of emotion, remaining wooden, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.

"Enough idle talk."

She waved a hand towards the individuals beneath the eaves as a return gesture. Her sharp eyes pinned on Iizuka.

"Now, tell me about his background."