Reincarnation Sword God

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00410 천계(天界) ————————————————————————=

Miyamoto Musashi!

Special Position of the Twelve Joules!

‘W-what in the world.’

I was stunned to the point where my vision went completely white.

The very person I had been searching for!

It was clear that the man in front of me was Dongyoung’s character. I had indeed heard about him before. No, rather, during my past lives, whenever I went to Aokigahara Suha or Dongyoung, I always managed to find a clue about him. This was not due to a different reason, but because his influence in the world was tremendous, along with a singular word that symbolized him.

The strongest absolute master in Dongyoung’s history!

[Haha… Of course, Dongyoung’s martial artists might fall short compared to those of the Continental Nobility. However, there are three martial currents on this land that one must not underestimate.]

[First, my New Shadow School. Miyamoto Musashi’s Two Heavens One Style. Lunar Kill Technique.]

[He is a born genius with extraordinary talent.]

The assessment given by Dongyoung’s Sword Saint, Kamizumi Nobutsuna, came to mind. It had been quite some time, but it remained vividly etched in my memory. Kamizumi Nobutsuna, despite being from Dongyoung, was an expert comparable to the leader of the Nine Great Sects in the Central Plains and even acknowledged that he could not measure up to Miyamoto Musashi.

[The martial arts written in this Book of Five Relationships uses two swords in a Reverse Sword Technique, not the Standard Sword Technique.]

[It is an extremely exceptional art where one must have extremely outstanding talent to even be permitted entry—it is said that only two or three can learn it between Heaven and Earth.]

[This is the uncaring martial book that only permits challenges to those of extraordinary talent. Perhaps this flaw arose because the person who wrote the Book of Five Relationships was a genius like no other in the world.]

I also recalled the evaluation from the Sword Demon, who had seen Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Relationships. He was also the creator of the Reverse Sword Technique that only a peerless genius could acquire. The Sword Demon had mentioned that anyone who mastered the martial arts in the Book would become a master who could conquer the world.

[First of all, I am not Miyamoto Musashi. I am Sasaki Kojiro of Ganryū.]

[I have been known to have engaged in a great duel with Musashi at Ganryūjima, but in reality, he didn’t even need a single breath of time to defeat me. I had prepared for death that day, but… Musashi, lamenting my wasted talent, gave me this Book of Five Relationships.]

[Indeed… Miyamoto Musashi seemed to be disappointed in the martial world after competing with me, who was called Dongyoung’s Great Swordsman. And so he ordered me to live on as Miyamoto Musashi, saying he would cultivate his own martial arts.]

[He mentioned that he would go to the continent in search of an opponent. Other than that, I don’t know either.]

When I had previously gone to Dongyoung searching for Miyamoto Musashi, I encountered the fake Musashi, Sasaki Kojiro. After losing to Musashi, Sasaki Kojiro was ordered to cultivate the Book of Five Relationships and live as a fake.

‘No way… No way…’

After that, so many other events occurred that I couldn’t focus, and I never thought I would find him here! Furthermore, that the Miyamoto Musashi in the Special Position of the Twelve Joules, said to be on par with the Three Masters, was right before me was something I never considered!

While I was trembling in shock, the Sect Leader spoke to Miyamoto Musashi.

[You’ve been nearby to monitor me because you are the Special Position of the Twelve Joules.]

“That’s right.”

After a brief silence, the Sect Leader let out a sound of admiration.

[Hmm… It was only after deepening my understanding of the Primordial Void that I sensed your existence through the Seven Senses. The infinite power that was full of Primordial Spirit has ebbed away like a receding tide, sharpening my senses indefinitely, and amidst that ecstasy, I detected faint cracks.]

“……”

[You’ve hidden even your intent by attuning with the source of Qi. That realm is indeed astonishing.]

Hidden my intent?

‘I don’t understand.’

I couldn’t comprehend the Sect Leader’s explanation of Miyamoto Musashi’s stealth abilities. Intent can be considered the extreme will held by a martial artist, extending its influence into the world. But is it possible to hide intent? That would imply there exists another realm that transcends human free will, something generally unacceptable as it lies beyond the realm of human perception.

The only thing that was certain was this.

The superhuman before my eyes had transcended the Realm of Intent and had approached an absolute realm!

And that realm was dauntingly incomprehensible to my current self.

Miyamoto Musashi looked straight at the Sect Leader and spoke briefly.

“Shall we fight?”

Huh?

Why did such words come out now? Of course, the Sect Leader sees the Twelve Joules as a formidable opponent, but on the surface, they are still in a Non-aggression Pact. Furthermore, the Sect Leader had proclaimed that identifying Miyamoto Musashi had sufficiently empowered him. Given that I, the owner of the Seven Luminaries, was also present, I couldn’t fathom why he would provoke a fight.

But it seemed it was not the case from the Sect Leader’s standpoint. He gazed intently at Miyamoto Musashi’s waist, where two swords hung, and replied.

[There’s no need for us to perish together right now.]

“…….!!”

I nearly gasped in astonishment, instinctively covering my mouth with my hand.

No way… The Sect Leader would discuss mutual destruction in response to the opponent’s provocation?!

Even when I gathered the power of the Moon Sovereign and exerted my threat, the Sect Leader had merely suppressed with his aura. He only acknowledged the potential of mutual destruction after mentioning Great Destruction. But now, he thinks that if he fights Miyamoto Musashi, there’s a high chance of mutual destruction.

Unbelievable.

No matter how strong he is as Dongyoung’s top master, such a realm couldn’t possibly exist…

Just then.

Shukak

‘Ah.’

A sharp flash zipped past, and my neck cleanly severed. There was no trace of blood.

I felt a thought cross my mind that this was my 19th death.

……

…

Ah, no. I’m not dead.

I fumbled and touched my Adam’s apple. The sight of my head having just been severed was apparently an illusion I had experienced. However, no matter how I thought about it, the illusion had a reality to it so intense that I could have sworn I had died and come back to life.

‘This illusion… it’s not an illusion technique. It’s merely my instinct…’

Moreover, as a martial artist, I instinctively understood. The illusion of death I just felt was Miyamoto Musashi sensing my killing intent and reflecting it back! In other words, it was evidence that even the slightest hint of my killing intent, distress, or even the tiniest muscle twitch was perfectly readable to Miyamoto Musashi.

I was familiar with this sensation. If I were to fight Miyamoto Musashi under these circumstances, no matter what tricks I employed, I would be hacked to pieces within three seconds.

My body felt drained of strength.

Despite diligently training my martial prowess, now feeling that I had reached a level adequate to conquer the world, there still existed such monsters in this realm? Moreover, this had appeared so suddenly away from the White Lotus Sect’s Four Great Families, which only added to the shock.

What was all my effort in the past hundred years for?

Yet, the two monsters continued to ignore me, glaring at each other. That space was filled with an overwhelming aura where no living being could survive. Even I, a top master, found it difficult to perceive the complicated and terrifying thousands of auras writhing and breathing around me.

The first to withdraw was Miyamoto Musashi. He looked at the Sect Leader with deep-set eyes and said,

“If you have something to say, then say it.”

That was an incredibly arrogant tone for someone speaking to the current ruler of the Central Plains, who had even brought down the Great Immortal. However, Miyamoto Musashi had proven himself deserving of such a demeanor through their prior exchange. For some unknown reason, it felt as if the Sect Leader would tear through the space of the Seven Luminaries if he unfolded it.

The Sect Leader smirked and replied,

[Convey this to the Twelve Joules. I wish to form an alliance.]

Miyamoto Musashi fell silent momentarily before responding,

“What alliance?”

[I wish to form a coalition to defeat the Celestial Realm.]

“How audacious.”

He continued in a cold tone.

“If you take my blade, then convey that message.”

The Sect Leader replied nonchalantly,

[Come.]

Pa-at

I couldn’t see it. I sensed that the Sect Leader had reacted at a terrifying speed as he unfolded the hidden realm in an instant, but even in that moment… I felt nothing until it reached an overwhelming microstate of sensation. Normally, even if something is fast, you’d expect to perceive at least a scene once the sensory coefficient reached this point. However, even as it surpassed the fine to the thread-like, I still couldn’t see anything.

Yet, in that extreme microcosm, it seemed the two absolute beings exchanged a single strike.

Puhwak!!

A stream of blood surged from the Sect Leader’s left shoulder. Given the blood vessels, the wound itself wasn’t too grave, but it was a fact that he couldn’t withstand Miyamoto Musashi’s strike and suffered a genuine blow. Even in combat against the Great Immortal, he had somehow managed to evade injury by employing a barrier!

Miyamoto Musashi wasn’t unscathed either. He staggered backward two steps and bled from his mouth.

He wiped the blood from his mouth with his finger and grinned.

“Wonderful. It’s been a while since I felt this way…”

[Are you satisfied now?]

“Somewhat.”

[Come to the main White Lotus Sect.]

“I understand.”

As soon as Miyamoto Musashi finished speaking, he vanished. His disappearance was unlike anything I had ever witnessed, be it the teleportation of boiling or the spatial techniques of a sorcerer. The sense of emptiness I felt was like something threatening my cognitive world the moment the sensation was cut away. There was an absolute swiftness, without even a trace of lingering light.

I hurriedly looked at the Sect Leader.

“Sect Leader! Are you okay?”

[Of course. It was quite enjoyable.]

The Sect Leader seemed somewhat unperturbed in his response. However, on the other hand, he murmured with a voice slightly weak.

[Yet, had I not attained the Seven Great Techniques and the enlightenment of the Primordial Void, it wouldn’t have ended quite as interesting.]

“……”

[Baek Woong. I’ve been staying in the Imperial Palace to meet that person.]

“I think I understand.”

Now I was able to comprehend the Sect Leader’s choice. The Special Position of the Twelve Joules, who had concealed himself in the supreme martial realm, was none other than Miyamoto Musashi! Originally, no one had been able to notice his presence, but since the Sect Leader had faintly sensed him, it was as though he had collated the enlightenment gained from the battle with the Great Immortal and sought him out in earnest. Such insight was something that no matter how wise one might be in the Zhuge Clan’s wisdom, it was impossible to grasp.

The Sect Leader spoke.

[Indeed, the Lunar Kill Technique. The power I observed in the ancient texts was not a falsehood…]

I was jolted back to reality by the Sect Leader’s mention.

‘Now that I think about it…’

It was the Sect Leader who had first informed Kamizumi Nobutsuna, the Sword Saint of Dongyoung, about the existence of the Lunar Kill Technique, and astonishingly, that was over a hundred years ago.

[It is the ultimate swift sword technique, which only the blind can grasp. I do not know who the successor is, but there’s a legend that once the master of the Lunar Kill Technique appears, the world bathes in blood.]

[When I went to the Ming Dynasty, I sought the Master of the White Lotus Sect, who had achieved the extreme of the martial path. I had specially met and spoken with him about martial arts, and at that time, he said to me, ‘If you want to grow strong as a Dongyoung native, learn the Lunar Kill Technique. It is the most dangerous martial art in the world.’ Of course, I didn’t acknowledge that and returned to Dongyoung to cultivate the Blade-less Technique. I thought that winning without drawing a sword was the pinnacle of swordsmanship. I still haven’t changed my mind on that, but the Lunar Kill Technique is undoubtedly an extremely vicious swift sword technique.]

The Sect Leader had clearly stated that the Lunar Kill Technique was the most dangerous martial art. This meant that for over a hundred years, the Sect Leader had understood the nature and power of the Lunar Kill Technique. I pieced together the information I had accumulated, leading me to a question I posed to the Sect Leader.

“Ancient texts? You mean to say the Lunar Kill Technique is an ancient martial art?”

[That’s right. I’ll provide more details later.]

The Sect Leader sharply turned his head.

[I must accumulate more power before I meet the Twelve Joules again.]

Pa-at

With that statement, the Sect Leader vanished using boiling techniques to leave. I thought he must have returned to the White Lotus Sect because it is the most conducive place for martial arts training. He would gather insights on the Seven Great Techniques and prepare himself with utmost diligence until Miyamoto Musashi came looking for him.

Zhuge Sa giggled from within.

[If it were normal, the Twelve Joules would never accept an alliance proposal. Just watching the Celestial Realm attack the Sect Leader while basking in comfort would be insane to accept it!]

[So, does that mean the Sect Leader acted recklessly?]

[No! He read the nature of the Twelve Joules. The Sect Leader is really something.]

Zhuge Sa responded ominously.

[Things are starting to get urgent. Should I prepare as well…]