My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 492: Chapter 171: One-on-One Against 18! Aoto’s New Breakthrough

Blood sprays like a fountain from the severed neck of the Samurai.

A few drops of fresh blood splatter onto Aoto’s eyelids, nose tip, mouth corner... Aoto doesn’t even blink.

Since his time travel to this world, he has slain countless enemies and is long accustomed to blood and death.

Aoto wasn’t just standing there dumbfounded without doing anything just now.

When the 18 Samurai appeared, he began silently measuring the distance between himself and them, calculating how to counterattack once they attacked, who to prioritize killing, and the smoothest way to strike each one.

In short—once these obviously hostile Samurai appeared, Aoto tensed his nerves, ready to confront the enemy at any moment!

This is the first time Aoto has faced so many enemies alone.

Looking back on the past, almost every battle Aoto fought had companions assisting him by his side.

During the Snowy Night Chaos, Saito and Anthony’s guards were by his side.

When rescuing the Foreign Language Research Institute, Saito, Nagakura, and the others were present.

Facing nearly twenty Samurai alone without any comrades... this is indeed Aoto’s first time.

But Aoto does not feel apprehensive or fearful about this.

On the contrary... at this moment Aoto feels even more spirited!

The martial arts honed through relentless training and the extensive array of talents in his personal system interface give Aoto the confidence to accept any dangerous challenge!

This is just the opportunity to test the power of ”Gathering Spirit”... Aoto thinks to himself.

Since copying the divine-level talent ”Gathering Spirit” from Chiba Eijiro, Aoto had yet to find a good opportunity to properly test the effect of this new talent.

Those dojo spars wearing armor and holding bamboo swords, with no risk to life, couldn’t at all force out the full potential and power of this talent.

And now—the opportunity has come!

The sudden attack by that Samurai and Aoto’s lightning-fast counterattack, likened to a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up waves... turned those who just insisted on ”killing Aoto now” into wild berserkers.

They roared like beasts and launched a collective assault on Aoto!

Twelve people attack Aoto.

The remaining five, who did not immediately join the attack on Aoto, were those who advocated ”not engaging Aoto directly now.”

These five ”Peace Faction” individuals are now caught in a dilemma, looking at each other, unsure of what to do.

Three of them gritted their teeth, drew their swords, and also charged at Aoto.

The other two still stood where they were, hesitating.

”Yah—!”

The first person to rush in front of Aoto had a sharp voice, his howl sounding quite piercing.

While shouting and raising his blade to slash at Aoto, he yelled, ”You beast!”.

Aoto ignored his insults.

At a glance, Aoto assessed the opponent’s sword path, spread his legs, and sidestepped to avoid the slash, simultaneously swinging his left fist to break the opponent’s sword-wielding right wrist.

With a loud clatter, the opponent’s sword fell to the ground.

Disarming him in one swift move, Aoto then smoothly swung Ghost-Slaying across the opponent’s neck... creating another fountain of blood.

”The second one...”

Aoto did not look at the face of the enemy whose throat he had slit, lightly noting his kill count in an indifferent tone, and then withdrew Ghost-Slaying, adjusted the blade’s direction, and effortlessly delivered a Kasaya Slash to the next enemy.

Splashing sounds of blood.

Crunching sounds of flesh and bones being severed.

These two sounds intertwined, proclaiming the death of yet another life—Aoto’s Kasaya Slash added another broken corpse to the alleyway.

”The third one...”

In an instant, Aoto has already killed two more.

Aoto now feels as though he has entered a... peculiar state.

The intensity of his focus almost feels terrifying to him.

His eyes, ears, nose... all of his senses, are unable to pay attention to anything else.

He only sees the enemies around him.

He only hears the footsteps, roars, and the sound of blades moving from the enemies.

His mind is so clear... it feels as if his head was filled with mint candies.

The intense concentration drastically enhances Aoto’s reaction ability and speed of thought!

—So strong!

Feeling the change in his mental state, Aoto can’t help but exclaim inwardly with sincere amazement.

He increasingly understands why Chiba Eijiro was able to conquer numerous experts with overwhelming strength at such a young age.

The ferocity of this ”Gathering Spirit”... is no less than talents like ”Lone Brave” and ”Ghost Heart”!

Indeed, only in such life-and-death duels, where caution is imperative, can the full power of ”Gathering Spirit” be unleashed.

Aoto is now utterly convinced—equipped with ”Gathering Spirit,” his overall strength has reached a brand new breakthrough compared to the past!

At this very moment, all of Aoto’s enhancement effects are close to stacking fully.

The more numerous the enemies, the stronger the enemies, the more it ignites the fighting spirit to exceptionally wield the power of ”Lone Brave.”

Far easier than ordinary people to concentrate and maintain ”extremely high mental focus” for extended periods with ”Gathering Spirit.”