Chapter 35: Don't Look At Me Like That
In the arena, Jon stood with his hands in his pockets, wearing a relaxed expression on his face.
"You've lost," he said.
The three seemed to have lost their confidence.
Yes, they had lost.
And it was an utter defeat.
Facing that indescribable punch, they couldn't even manage to block.
Too strong. This man was just too strong!
"Clap, clap, clap."
At that moment, applause could be heard from the dojo.
Jon looked in the direction of the sound.
He saw a middle-aged Samurai in a kimono, chewing on a piece of grass, clapping as he approached in wooden clogs.
"Wow, I've seen something extraordinary," Atomic Samurai's expression was delighted, "It's been a long time since I've met a young one like you."
"Atomic Samurai."
Jon nodded slightly, returning the greeting.
Atomic Samurai sized up Jon with admiration growing in his eyes.
Young and powerful.
Not bad, not bad.
A perfect opponent!
"Master, we've sullied your name."
Seeing their master personally stepping in, Atomic Samurai's three disciples showed a hint of shame on their faces.
The Atomic Samurai waved it off nonchalantly.
"What's embarrassing about it? If you can win, you can win; if you can't, you can't. There's still a lot of room for improvement in your swordsmanship. Keep practicing."
"Yes!"
The master was as vast as the sky.
The three disciples quickly got up and respectfully bowed.
"Youngsters' responsibility is to learn; the future belongs to you," the Atomic Samurai said with great satisfaction.
"Master!"
The eyes of the three disciples turned red.
Jon's forehead creased with three black lines, and he suddenly said, "Should I leave?"
You were all talking about filial piety and discipleship, but I feel awkward standing here.
The Atomic Samurai was taken aback.
Then he burst into laughter.
"Haha, my bad, my bad."
With that, he drew his sword.
"Come, let's have a match!"
The moment the renowned sword Nichirin was unsheathed, the momentum around the Atomic Samurai suddenly changed.
Deep as an abyss, vast as the sea.
Jon furrowed his brows as golden arcs of electricity jolted around him.
The delighted Atomic Samurai struck first.
"Atomic Slash!"
In an instant, sword shadows filled the air.
Jon dared not take it head-on and dodged into the 'Inner World'.
When he reappeared, he was already three steps away from the Atomic Samurai.
Within three steps, fists were faster!
Mustering his strength, Jon's fist enveloped in Color of Arms Haki headed straight towards Atomic Samurai's face!
"Good one!"
The Atomic Samurai truly lived up to being a master of countless battles.
Faced with the sudden change, he didn't even show the most primitive emotion of 'astonishment'. Instead, he swung his sword using the back of his hand, slashing upward with all his might.
An eye for an eye, a life for a life!
The three disciples watching were shocked.
Fubuki, who was secretly peeping through the crack in the dojo door, was so frightened that she covered her mouth.
Jon sighed. Realizing the trouble, he once again used his Stand.
"Swish!"
Atomic Samurai's sword slashed through empty air.
"Your ability is quite convenient," the Atomic Samurai chuckled, "However, if you keep dodging, you won't be able to defeat me."
"That's not necessarily true."
Returning from the 'Inner World', Jon widened the distance between them.
Atomic Samurai was quite formidable indeed.
Although his hero ranking was right below Bang's, in terms of strength, he had already surpassed the Grandmaster of 'Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist'.
He was in his prime on top of his confident and aggressive personality.
Jon clenched his fists.
He was really a tough opponent!
"Aren't you coming? Then, take this move!" The Atomic Samurai unleashed a slash, "Sky Soaring Slash!"
The compressed air blade was looming at Jon.
Jon countered with a punch.
"Boom!"
It was clearly a clash of energy, yet it produced a sonic boom.
Earth and stones flew everywhere, and the plants in the courtyard were uprooted.
Ignoring the chaos around him, Atomic Samurai smiled, "Not bad, not bad. Since you manage to withstand this slash, I acknowledge you."
"Acknowledged?"
Jon lifted his head.
"Don't underestimate me, old man," he said.
Reaching out, he conjured a sword out of thin air.
Atomic Samurai's expression changed slightly. "You're a swordsman!"
Jon didn't reply and lightly took 'Raiu'.
This famous sword that he snatched from Shiryu's hands had been gathering dust for a long time.
Now, it finally had its time to shine!
"Interesting, interesting, you're quite interesting," Atomic Samurai beckoned, "Come on, let me see your swordsmanship!"
Atomic Samurai was a straightforward person.
Discover strong opponents, challenge them, defeat them.
That was his whole life.
'Discipline' was the reason he became the head of the Council of Swordmasters in his early thirties.
And now, he actually felt the same aura from a young man under twenty.
It was simply unbelievable!
"Well, I'll indulge you."
Jon's expression remained unchanged as he casually swung his sword, "Sky Soaring Slash!"
The same strike, the same sword energy.
The Atomic Samurai never expected that Jon would use the same move as him.
It was absurdly unbelievable!
Not only the Atomic Samurai, but the disciples were also dumbfounded.
This 'Sky Soaring Slash' was one of their moves. How did Jon learn it?
"Heh."
Jon smiled.
He swung his sword again.
"Atomic Slash!"
Atomic Samurai's swordsmanship was a sword technique taken to the extreme speed.
He had mastered all of Atomic Samurai's moves. Even the signature sword technique of the Atomic Samurai was effortlessly at his fingertips.
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"
In awe, Atomic Samurai barely managed to withstand Jon's attacks.
Jon took a step forward and flashed.
"Color of Arms Haki and Overdrive-enhanced Atomic Straight Slash!"
Yes, you were the original.
But I was capable of more than just swordsmanship.
In the blink of an eye, black Color of Arms Haki enveloped the blade of 'Raiu'.
Staring at the opponent's black blade, the Atomic Samurai sensed ominous danger.
Without much thought, he also used the technique 'Atomic Straight Slash'.
The wind raged, and the sword light flickered wildly.
Flying stones, broken tiles, smoke and dust, everything was obliterated.
Perhaps it was an instant, perhaps it was a millennia.
The disciples snapped back to reality, staring dumbfoundedly at the scene.
In the arena, the two men stood facing each other with swords.
The same posture, the same expression.
Who won? Who lost?
"I didn't expect it to be this interesting."
Atomic Samurai spoke first, lightly spitting out a blade of grass that was noticeably shorter.
In this match.
He lost.
"I concede."
Jon sheathed his sword, storing 'Raiu' back into his personal space.
Although both of them used the same swordsmanship, Jon's body, enhanced by Ripple and Color of Arms Haki, was far stronger than the Atomic Samurai's.
Just like in the final stages of the college entrance examination, what you compete with was fundamental knowledge. In the final stages of swordsmanship training, what you compete with was physical fitness.
These days, it was all about comprehensive strength.