My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 663: Chapter 10: Talent Upgrade! Sword Genius Upgrades to [Sword Saint]! [8800]

Tadomaru swung his sword horizontally, slashing towards Aoto, who was only a step away and almost touching him.

Aoto almost simultaneously thrust his sword forward, intercepting Tadomaru’s arc-like strike in mid-air.

The next instant, as the swords clashed, Aoto’s bamboo sword scraped against Tadomaru’s bamboo sword with a series of shrill noises, striking towards Tadomaru’s chest.

Tadomaru chose not to meet it head-on but instead stepped back with his right foot to the right rear, dodging the sword tip that was barely missing him.

No wonder he’s a renowned apprentice of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, holder of the Beichen One-Sword Style Master of All Techniques.

Combat experience, swordsmanship strength, the sense of oppression he gives... none of these can be compared by the previous nine challengers.

Obtaining the Master of All Techniques means graduation, allowing one to establish their own dojo.

To prevent graduated apprentices from embarrassing the dojo due to lack of skill, major dojos like the Little Chiba Sword Dojo are extremely strict with the standards of granting Master of All Techniques.

Tadomaru, who graduated from the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, is indeed formidable.

Since childhood, he’s been learning swordsmanship, practicing for over ten times longer than Aoto, who only started formal training at the beginning of the year, honing highly skilled sword fighting techniques and deep combat experience through long practice.

However, facing Aoto’s swordsmanship talent, which is now upgraded to 80 times the average level and his numerous ”Body Enhancement Talents”... Tadomaru’s strengths and advantages were not at all... no! They were completely ineffectual!

In an instant, as Tadomaru dodged to the side, relying on the insight and reaction speed from ”Eagle Eye” and ”Gathering Spirit,” Aoto stepped forward with lightning speed, slashing fiercely at Tadomaru’s shoulder.

Tadomaru quickly parried with his sword.

Immediately after, the two leapt apart like swifts, creating distance, then clashed again.

This time, due to ideal angle and perfect timing, Aoto’s attack was faster, and the tip of his sword struck Tadomaru’s face... while Tadomaru hadn’t even had time to draw his sword.

Though wearing a protective mask, being hit directly on the face with a bamboo sword still felt quite unpleasant.

Tadomaru felt a wave of dizziness like a tide, crashing onto his face, making his head spin and feet stagger, almost causing him to fall.

”Hahahaha.”

After steadying himself while holding his mask, Tadomaru let out a hearty laugh.

”Impressive!”

”What a quick strike, I couldn’t react at all.”

”I admit defeat.”

Tadomaru, whose demeanor is as upright as his appearance, openly acknowledged his defeat, then straightened up, placing his bamboo sword beside his left waist, deeply bowing to Aoto.

”Thank you for the lesson,” Aoto replied courteously.

[Successfully copied talent: ”Swordsman with Minor Achievement”]

[Talent Introduction: Swordsmanship talent is amplified to 8 times the average level]

...

[”Sword Genius” ability upgraded]

[”Sword Genius” talent introduction: Swordsmanship talent is amplified to 88 times the average level]

...

”Wow!”

”Even Tadomaru has lost!”

”Mr. Tachibana has won 10 consecutive matches!”

Among the audience, there was another outburst of exclamations, mainly from the female apprentices.

Tadomaru is a well-known senior at their Little Chiba Sword Dojo, noted for his great strength.

Such a senior actually lost to Aoto... the psychological impact on the audience was far greater than any of Aoto’s previous victories.

The defeat of Tadomaru marked the beginning.

The battle-loving individuals keen on challenging various strong opponents developed strong interest in Aoto.

Those with similar perspectives to Chiba Domon Shiro, not wanting Aoto’s continued victories to overshadow the Little Chiba Sword Dojo’s reputation, also grew increasingly interested in challenging him.

As a result, the number of people wanting to step forward and challenge Aoto suddenly surged.

And these people... were mostly the outstanding students who ranked in the middle to upper levels at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo.

As soon as Tadomaru took off his mask and retreated to the sidelines, another apprentice, full of fighting spirit, stood up with a ”whoosh”.

”I’m Shibayama Soshi! Mr. Tachibana, I would also like to ask for your guidance!”

Aoto glanced at the youth who called himself Shibayama Soshi, then swept his gaze over the audience filled with faces brimming with battle intent.

——It seems... I have no chance to rest yet.

Up until now, Aoto’s goals have slightly shifted.

At the beginning, his main goal was merely to defeat the members of the ”Sazanoko Pursuer Corps”.

But now, having noticed people like Tadomaru, who have nothing to do with the Sazanoko, stepping into the ring to compete with him, Aoto’s objective has become to gather as many talents as possible and... test his own limits.

Aoto is eager to see — against the heroes of Little Chiba Sword Dojo, how far can he go!

The corners of Aoto’s lips slightly curled up beneath his face mask.

Then he flipped his right hand, lifting the bamboo sword naturally at his right side, with the tip pointing obliquely forward at the crowded audience... no, at all the challengers eager to test his blade.

...

Shibayama is a ”Speed Type Swordsman” with agile and flexible footwork and wrist.