Bear School Astartes

Inside the hidden Buddhist Hall of the Hirate family's inner residence, a dazzling clash of swords was taking place.

"Clang!!!"

The Lady of the Lake's Sword collided with the Golden Iron Dragon-Slaying Blade, indigenous to Iwami, bursting forth a brilliant shower of sparks.

After a brief exchange of swords, Lann's eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"His body looks so old, yet his strength is still astonishingly great... Is it due to the same muscle structure as Nogami Genji?"

It's hard to imagine that the one who could go head-to-head with Lann was an old man who appeared skin-and-bones.

At that moment, the old man, in his one eye, revealed a flash of deep interest.

"Kid, I hear you figured out a way to counter 'Dragon Fish Ascension,' similar to the principle of 'One-Stroke Slash'?"

"Then let me show you the genuine 'One-Stroke Slash'!"

The pressure transmitted from the sword suddenly weakened, and without thinking, Lann pressed forward with the sword.

This kind of response is fine within the realm of Bear School Swordsmanship or Western swordsmanship systems.

The process of clashing swords is not just about applying pressure, but also listening to the force.

When the opponent withdraws their force during the clash, it's possible their strength lacks stamina, indicating a lack of basic quality. At this time, pressing directly is the natural choice.

The second possibility is the desire to escape the entanglement to perform an alternate move.

However, the process of withdrawing the move and then performing another move, how could it possibly be faster than a sword always in a state of continuous force?

The opponent's alternate move may deviate the blade direction, but as long as it's not too excessive, the opponent is bound to suffer a hit.

Lann was equipped with heavy armor, while the opponent was an elderly man in a bathrobe. Judging by risk probabilities, it was definitely worth it.

Western swordsmanship is a game of tactical thinking.

One feels the instant change in the battle situation, then makes the corresponding choice.

Lann's strong pressure perfectly executed the practical approach he learned from Bear School Swordsmanship.

However, this time, his opponent was not from the Western swordsmanship circles.

Iwami Yixin—he is the Sword Saint of East Japan!

"Damn!"

Lann couldn't help but curse.

He suddenly felt that the opposing force from the sword had been completely withdrawn.

The Lady of the Lake's Sword rushed straight down towards the opponent's face!

But the one-eyed old man only tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. The edge of the sword narrowly grazed past the bathrobe!

This mastery of weapon distance... Isn't it said that one-eyed people lack depth perception?!

It's not over yet.

The force from Iwami Yixin's sword was completely nullified because he had directly relaxed his wrist during the clash.

The Golden Iron Dragon-Slaying Blade's back was pressed directly towards himself.

The Samurai Sword was held, the back of the blade pressed backwards, naturally causing the hilt to jut forward.

And during the process of the hilt jutting forward, Iwami Yixin raised his hand!

With a "Pa" sound, the tip of the Samurai Sword's hilt directly hit the underside of Lann's right arm armor.

This collision force was highly penetrating; even the Bear School Armor's arm guards couldn't stop it, as Lann's right wrist suddenly tingled, reducing his strength.

"Hit the nerve!"

The Demon Hunter felt absurd.

The hilt colliding with a flat, hard, evenly stressed steel arm guard could actually unleash such a concentrated penetrative power?!

And it directly hit the nerve?!

Are you kidding me?!

"Mister, it's 'Force'! That kind of movement we aren't familiar with yet!"

Mentos urgently reminded.

But knowing what it is doesn't help Lann now, as he doesn't know how to counter it!

The only observer, the paralyzed Giant Ninja smirked, watching his old friend easily overwhelm the person who had taught him a lesson yesterday.

This 'Owl' chuckled inwardly, while also shivering for his friend's astonishing advancement in Sword Dao.

'If wearing heavy armor qualifies one to stand before Iwami Yixin... huh, do you think the Inner Mansion can't afford Southern Barbarian armor?'

'This old guy... retreating for decades, has instead become more terrifying.'

'And next comes the most authentic 'One-Stroke Slash'!'

Seeing the one who had battered him last night also get pummeled, Owl took some schadenfreude.

His judgment of his old buddy was correct.

After Iwami Yixin used the rising hilt to strike Lann's right forearm, he didn't stop.

The hilt continued the momentum, raising all the way to the top of his head!

And now, this stance...

"It's 'One-Stroke Slash'!"

Even with a rough glance over the move book, Mentos had already fully recorded it and issued a reminder.

But reminder aside, Lann's stance had ultimately been broken.

The scattered muscle strength couldn't be consolidated in a moment.

The elevated sword blade of the one-eyed elder, surrounded by an almost tangible air shockwave along the sword's edge.

Just like last night with Mi Mountain Institute Yuanzhen, this was the unique use of 'Force' to drive air, increasing the area and damage of destruction.

However, compared to that deadly monk, Iwami Yixin hardly showed any sign of using a technique.

There was no accumulation of force, no adjustment of breath, no preparatory movements... The Air Blade to him was as ordinary as a typical sword swing!

The blade slashed towards Lann's numbed right hand.

Based on last night's Mi Mountain Institute Yuanzhen's spear tip Air Blade estimation, this sword could easily sever Lann's entire arm.

If Iwami Yixin wished, breaking through the chest armor, straight into the chest cavity would also be normal.

The Air Blade was already bearing down on Lann's forehead.

The Demon Hunter even felt his forehead, his splendid silver hair, being slightly cut!

The interest in the corner of Iwami Yixin's mouth was fading; he sensed the enjoyment from this encounter was nearing its end.

The observing Giant Ninja displayed an unsurprising expression.

To him, Lann was strong but still not close to matching the 'National Guardian Sword Saint' of Iwami.

But at that moment, Iwami Yixin's one eye inadvertently glanced at the young man's tiger eyes on his face, causing his slashed left eyelid to twitch suddenly.

Those were very calm, very confident eyes.

He was confident he could break my sword.

"This kind of look... this sensation!"

The feeling of crisis, along with the excitement it brought, suddenly rose!

"Swipe"!

It was the sound of leather boots fiercely scrubbing against the ground!

In the Sword Saint's excited yet surprised view, Lann's center of gravity suddenly repositioned!

The core knowledge of Bear School Swordsmanship is the control of balance.

When muscle power cannot unify, let the center of gravity guide my movement!

The young Demon Hunter, with utmost determined confidence, allowed his body to move with the center of gravity by a mere five centimeters!

The Air Blade, along with the sword blade's terrifyingly deadly force, slashed empty beside Lann's right arm exterior!

It was just like Lann avoiding Iwami Yixin's previous strike!

Experts calculated sword tip distance, slightly adjusted, in the end, even the garment was merely affected by the sword wind.

"Wha...!" The dense beard of the Giant Ninja bristled involuntarily in astonishment.

But Lann did not stop.

The core knowledge of Bear School Swordsmanship... has always been one with both offense and defense!

Balance transferred sequentially between the ankle, shin, knee, lumbar spine, continuously accumulating force.

Eventually, like the taut recoil of a drawn bow, the curved backward body propelled the Longsword's blade directly upward diagonally from below!

Iwami Yixin, who had just brought down his 'One-Stroke Slash', couldn't even perform a follow-up move, being forced to meet this heavy slash!

"Clang!!!"