My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 353 - 138: Aoto vs Kondo Shuuzo! The Secret Essence of Natural Reasoning Heart Stream Revealed!

Aoto’s body leaned forward due to inertia after Kondo Shuuzo suddenly withdrew.

Whoosh—Shuuzo swung the bamboo sword over his head in a half-moon arc, bringing down a powerful gust of wind towards Aoto’s back!

In that split-second moment, Aoto quickly steadied his body using the "Cat Form," and set up Xia Gou, launching a fierce upward attack at Shuuzo.

Clash!

The two bamboo swords collided heavily once more, and the force sent both their blades recoiling back.

Utilizing the power of the "Cat Form" again, Aoto firmly planted his right foot on the ground. His body compressed like a spring and then released suddenly, thrusting his blade from the right flank towards Shuuzo!

As if intending to match Aoto, Shuuzo squinted his eyes slightly, glanced behind him, and then mirrored Aoto’s move by firmly planting his left foot backward! His left foot pushed off the ground with force, transferring power from his calf to his waist, then from his waist to his arms. Using Xia Gou, the sword tip thrust straight into Aoto’s chest!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang... The blades of the elder and the younger clashed repeatedly in midair. If they were using real swords, sparks would surely be flying by now.

After another intense exchange, Shuuzo suddenly retreated, increasing the distance between himself and Aoto.

Aoto didn’t pursue. After the series of fierce offensives and defenses, he felt his breathing becoming significantly irregular. Taking this chance as Shuuzo withdrew, Aoto hurriedly adjusted his breathing.

Facing him, Shuuzo’s breathing was equally heavy.

After a few panting breaths, Shuuzo gave Aoto a faint smile.

"Mr. Tachibana, your progress is indeed remarkable... To think that back then, you struggled just to parry my attacks. And now, you’ve unleashed several strikes that genuinely threatened me."

Aoto grinned: "Thanks for the praise."

It was his second time dueling with his teacher Shuuzo since becoming an apprentice at Shiwei Hall.

During his first encounter, he couldn’t even fend off Shuuzo’s fierce assault, much less fight back.

Now, he could conduct a duel that resembled actual combat with Shuuzo... This tremendous progress made Aoto deeply reflective.

At this moment... the smiling Shuuzo slowly put away his smile.

"It’s been a while since I’ve had such an intense battle with someone... Haha, my body is starting to heat up."

Shuuzo drew a half-moon, slowly raising the bamboo sword high above his head to enter Upper Rank.

As the sword rose inch by inch, Shuuzo’s usually squinted eyes gradually opened.

From the opening eyelids came a gaze sharp and captivating like a drawn blade.

In the next moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded in the dojo. After Shuuzo opened his eyes, his aura abruptly transformed!

From Shuuzo emanated a fierce, overwhelming momentum! This surging aura pressed heavily toward Aoto from the front!

The sudden change in his aura altered the entire atmosphere of the dojo!

Aoto’s pupils contracted uncontrollably, astonished by the transformation of Shuuzo.

The man who feared his wife, the comedian of Shiwei Hall, was gone.

Standing before Aoto now was a swordsman as fierce as a tiger!

Shuuzo exhaled a long, turbid breath: "Here I come."

The word scarcely left his mouth, and he was already there!

Shuuzo lunged forward, the sword tip aimed at Aoto’s chest.

The power and speed of this strike were not significantly different from before, yet Aoto felt its tremendous force! None of Shuuzo’s previous strikes could compare to this one!

Aoto lifted his sword to block, barely deflecting Shuuzo’s blow, and swiftly sidestepped to the left.

In the blink of an eye, as Aoto sidestepped left, Shuuzo advanced and chopped fiercely at Aoto’s shoulder again.

Aoto gritted his teeth, leaping further back while swinging his sword like a whip towards Shuuzo’s shoulder.

Shuuzo easily evaded Aoto’s counterattack with a sidestep, then stepped forward again, pressing Aoto relentlessly.

This time, using Xia Gou’s momentum, Shuuzo launched a forceful strike from a cunning angle, the sword’s might was astonishing, demanding total concentration, as in a split second, it reached Aoto again; Aoto managed to lift his sword to deflect it, but barely, his stance almost collapsing.

Just as Shuuzo’s blade was parried, he returned to his original position, ready to strike again.

Aoto clearly sensed—Shuuzo’s attacks had become more fearless and decisive than before.

Clenching tightly, he relentlessly unleashed a torrent of ferocious attacks!

Only now did Aoto notice—when had his palms become drenched in cold sweat, wetting the grip of his bamboo sword?

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