Given Busujima Saeko's current level of martial arts, any movement within a radius of dozens of feet around her would not escape her perception.
But the owner of this voice was like air—even though he stood right there, she couldn't sense his presence at all!
If she hadn't seen him with her own eyes and heard him with her own ears, she would have doubted his existence!
"Girl, I saw it all. You could have stopped that man, but instead, you lured him into making a move, then used your wooden sword to deliver a cruel punishment."
"Beneath that pure exterior, who would have thought there lay such a bloodthirsty and slaughterous heart?"
His tone was light and full of mockery. As he drew closer, Saeko finally got a clear look at the man—a black-haired, black-eyed man with a sinister, charming smile.
If she had been slightly calmer, Saeko might have been terrified by his words. But at this moment, she was unusually excited and exhilarated!
A sense of danger—yes, she felt an overwhelming sense of danger emanating from this man!
This wasn't some feminine intuition; it was the instinct of a beast honed through years of training.
Ever since she defeated her father, the strongest man she knew, Saeko had never felt this way about anyone. And it was from that moment onward that her life became aimless, devoid of purpose…
Her mind could no longer think of anything else. The only thing left was an irresistible urge to challenge him to a duel.
The blood that had just begun to cool was boiling once again. Having a clear enemy made life an unparalleled pleasure.
The girl herself didn't realize how terrifying her bloodthirsty, dark smile looked at this moment.
"You… are strong! Please… fight me!"
Her voice trembled slightly. Having finally encountered such a formidable opponent, Busujima Saeko would never let him go.
Even if she had to use the same method to lure him into making a move, she wouldn't hesitate!
As for what would happen afterward, the girl no longer cared. Whether she was taken away by the police or punished by her family, it didn't matter anymore. All she wanted was to have a decisive battle with this powerful man before her.
"Heh… So your warlike and bloodthirsty side has been completely awakened, has it?"
"Very well. In fact, I came here specifically to have a duel with you."
A mysterious smile curled on the man's lips as his eyes gleamed with an unusual light.
"Draw your weapon. This is a duel between swordsmen."
Seeing that the man—Sora—had agreed, Saeko's face lit up with excitement. She couldn't wait to engage in a fierce battle with him.
However, what caught the girl off guard was that the man across from her shook his head.
"Against someone who only uses a wooden sword, I don't need any weapon."
"Let's begin. I know your blood has already been boiling."
His smile was relaxed and casual. Though Saeko was indeed strong, to Sora, she was nothing to be concerned about.
Frowning slightly, Saeko realized that her usually calm and indifferent heart, which cared for nothing but swordsmanship, was now filled with a hint of anger.
She, who had always been hailed as a genius, was being looked down upon by this man?
"Yes, my blood is boiling. This feeling, as if it's about to explode and needs to be released…"
"By the name of Busujima Saeko of the Busujima family, I challenge you!"
Since the man didn't want to use a weapon, Saeko didn't care either.
Moreover, the man's relaxed demeanor, treating this duel as nothing more than a game, made the girl more eager than ever to prove herself to him.
So, she made her move—without holding back, she unleashed her most skilled iaijutsu, aiming to cut down this man who had underestimated her with a single strike.
Ssshh…
A sharp sound of air being torn apart. With an expression of unparalleled enjoyment, the girl's sword slashed toward Sora's neck.
The blade was very close, almost touching the man's body. If nothing unexpected happened, Saeko could already envision the scene that would follow—a spray of blood and a flying head…
However, the unexpected did occur.
Looking at her wooden sword, which could no longer advance even an inch, Saeko's face was filled with shock.
If the man had merely blocked her attack, it wouldn't have elicited such a reaction from the girl. But what stopped her was nothing more than a single finger!
"Tsk tsk tsk, girl, your training is still far from enough…"
With a mocking expression, the man seemed to enjoy watching the girl's shocked face.
"Incredible! Truly incredible!"
After regaining her composure, Busujima Saeko did not exhibit the expected signs of being emotionally shaken. On the contrary, she became even more agitated, her hands gripping the wooden sword trembling uncontrollably.
"Defeat you! I will absolutely defeat you!!!"
Facing such a monstrous opponent, any rational martial artist would choose to keep their distance and devise another strategy. However, the girl did not. She had completely lost herself to madness, her wooden sword transforming into a blur of shadows, relentlessly attacking Sora like a storm at close range.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Still not moving an inch, Sora continued to block the girl's attacks with just a single finger.
Dozens, hundreds of strikes—she had lost count of how many times she had swung her sword, but not a single blow had landed!
Finally, at a certain moment, the girl's sword came to a halt.
Though she was panting heavily from exhaustion, the girl had no intention of stopping. It was just that her sword had been caught between Sora's two fingers.
No matter how hard she tried, Busujima Saeko was shocked to find that she couldn't move her sword even a fraction.
Crack! With a gentle twist of Sora's fingers, the wooden sword snapped in two.
"Well, this toy for kids is no fun at all. You should use this instead!"
With a wave of his hand, a jet-black tachi exuding an endless cold aura appeared in Sora's hand, which he then tossed to the still-stunned Busujima Saeko.
Looking at the sword in her hand, the girl's pupils contracted sharply, her expression filled with disbelief.
As a genius in swordsmanship, she naturally had an unparalleled understanding of blades. Whether it was the design, weight, material, or even every curve on the blade, Busujima Saeko was astonished to find that this was a perfect sword!
Compared to her family's treasured sword or any legendary blade she knew of, this one made them seem like mere scrap metal!!!
Seeing the girl's face filled with fervor, Sora's lips curled into a faint smile.
Just like Miyamoto Rei's spear, this was something he had prepared long ago for the girl before him.
The best materials, the highest technology, the finest craftsmanship—this blade was thousands of times superior to any so-called famous sword forged with outdated techniques!!!
"Defeat me, and it's yours."
Materializing his own King's Sword, which transformed into a similar tachi, Sora spoke in a calm, enticing tone.
For all the extraordinary actions displayed by the man before her, Busujima Saeko no longer wanted to delve deeper, simply attributing it to the wonders of a true master.
At this moment, her eyes were filled with boundless fervor and excitement. If she could defeat him, this blade that made her soul tremble would be hers!
Without a moment's hesitation, the girl launched her attack once more. Unlike before, Sora also wanted to gauge the girl's true strength, so he swung his own sword to meet hers.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Under the dim night sky, two figures flickered continuously on a secluded, shadowy street. Every time their blades clashed, dazzling sparks and piercing sounds erupted…
A smile—a smile from the depths of her soul. The opponent's strength far exceeded her imagination, and Busujima Saeko clearly understood that her power couldn't even match a ten-thousandth of this man's!
Yet, she felt no resentment, no pain—only that smile, a smile of pure joy and enjoyment.
Finally, she had found him—a man stronger than herself, an opponent she could chase after!
No longer would she feel lonely, no longer would she be stifled, no longer would life be dull. Because of this man's appearance, every day of her future would be filled with the motivation to live brilliantly!
"Ah… I lost. You're really strong…"
Looking at the blade pointed at her delicate neck, the girl showed no trace of panic. Instead, she smiled with a sense of relief…
"What a pity, girl. You couldn't defeat me."
Leaning close to the girl's ear, Sora whispered softly.
"Since you're not worthy of possessing it, I'll have to seal it away."
As Sora's words fell, Busujima Saeko was shocked to see the sword in her hand begin to change. A layer of wood rapidly spread over the blade, and in just a few breaths, the once icy-cold treasure had transformed into a wooden sword—identical to the one she had originally wielded!
No, it hadn't changed. It had been sealed. From the weight in her hand, the girl could clearly feel that the sword was still inside the wooden blade!
"Let's make a promise!"
"Three years. I'll give you three years to train with all your might, and then I'll give you another chance to challenge me."
"The loser will unconditionally fulfill one condition for the winner, and my condition is already clear—"
"I need you—your body, your soul, everything about you…"
"So, what do you say, Busujima Saeko of the Busujima family? Will you make this all-or-nothing bet?"
With a sinister smile, Sora knew she would agree.
For no other reason than the fact that she was Busujima Saeko!
"Fine, I accept. Three years from now, we'll fight again. If I lose, everything about me will be yours!"
As expected, a glint flashed in the girl's eyes. She licked her lips and agreed without hesitation.
"This is a little gift for you, girl. Do your best!"
A beam of light shot into Busujima Saeko's forehead as Sora transmitted the method of cultivating internal energy to her. Although she had already practiced her family's inherited techniques, they were nothing compared to Sora's. Otherwise, Busujima Saeko wouldn't have trained in swordsmanship for so many years without being able to unleash even the most basic sword energy.
Having achieved his goal, Sora didn't linger. With a flash, he disappeared from the spot.
The future Queen of Blades, the goddess in the hearts of countless people, was now destined to remain within Sora's grasp.
"It's been five years. Those two girls must have grown quite a bit. I wonder how far they've come…"
On top of a tall building, Sora's figure appeared. The moon finally emerged shyly from the clouds, casting a soft glow on his face…