Tokyo: Starting with the Gear-Conscious Male Gods!

Chapter 56 Seeking guidance from Hattori-senpai

Hattori Sekira narrowed his eyes slightly, remaining unmoved even as Shirakawa Yuta rushed in front of him. Just as Shirakawa Yuta's attack was about to touch his body, he slightly turned his body, directly avoiding the fatal bamboo sword.

At the same time, he lightly raised his wrist and precisely blocked with his bamboo sword, using the least amount of effort to withstand Shirakawa Yuta's attack. He used minimal force to deflect a great weight, directly dissipating most of the opponent's powerful and rapid force.

Yuta Shirakawa was startled, but his movements remained calm and composed. He reacted swiftly, changing his attack the instant it was blocked.

His body suddenly shifted, and he used the bamboo sword to his advantage, sweeping sideways.

The subsequent offensive continued relentlessly without any pause.

With feints on the left and real attacks on the right, front slashes and back cuts, sudden advances and thrusts, the moves flowed smoothly, alternating between fast and slow, combining feints and real attacks, constantly changing the angle of attack, trying to use the speed and strength advantage of the young to apply pressure layer by layer, attempting to break through the opponent's defensive barrier.

The sound of bamboo swords slicing through the air echoed continuously in the dojo. Shirakawa Yuta maximized his advantages, and his super-fast reaction, abundant stamina, and immense strength allowed him to completely control the rhythm of the attack, bringing a strong sense of pressure to his opponent with every strike.

Hoshino Tsukigen and the others standing on the sidelines were all deeply shocked.

Before the match, they had already heard that Hattori 9-dan was facing only a 4-dan, but they had never seen a 4-dan swordsman launch such a rapid and fierce attack against Hattori Sekira, and even keep up with the rhythm of the match without being at a disadvantage.

This fourth-stage swordsman's talent and strength far exceeded their expectations.

One of the people in the audience nudged the person next to him and asked, "Saito, 5th dan, are you confident you can beat that 4th dan player on the stage?"

Saito, a fifth-dan player, looked grave and said with a wry smile, "Win? You should ask me how long I can hold out against such a rapid offensive."

"Then he's at level four..."

"I estimate it's at least level five."

Yuta Shirakawa never expected that with the attribute enhancements and interactions of those equipment, his strength would be so much greater than last time!

I felt like I was getting better and better at the game, and I was completely immersed in this extremely comfortable rhythm.

The only thing that troubled him was that no matter how fierce, fast, or powerful his attacks were, he could not break through Hattori Sekira's defense.

The opponent's fighting style was extremely concise, never using unnecessary moves, and focusing on defense throughout. Every block, every deflection, and every slight dodge was precisely timed to the smallest gaps in his moves, and with his rich experience, he easily neutralized all of his rapid attacks.

After yet another attack was easily thwarted by his opponent, Shirakawa Yuta finally couldn't control his restlessness any longer, and his desire for the red equipment overwhelmed his reason.

The previously steady rhythm began to change, the flawless transitions between moves started to show subtle pauses and openings, the wide-ranging attacks became increasingly chaotic, and the weaknesses in the defense became more and more obvious.

Hattori Kakero noticed all these subtle changes.

After Shirakawa Yuta's somewhat flawed attack, a glint of light suddenly flashed in the old man's cloudy eyes.

Hattori Kakero, who had been passively defending and as steady as a rock, finally made a move!

Without any earth-shattering momentum or overwhelming power, with just a simple flick of the wrist, the bamboo sword in his hand shot out through the air!

This attack wasn't as fast or as powerful as Shirakawa Yuta's, but its timing was exceptionally precise. It directly targeted the only opening in Shirakawa Yuta's attack sequence, sealing off all his retreat routes.

Yuta Shirakawa's pupils constricted sharply as he watched the bamboo sword fly towards him.

His lightning-fast reflexes caused him to tense all his muscles instantly, his body jerking backward. His hands didn't stop either, making a final desperate stand, using his right elbow as a fulcrum to draw a semi-circle in front of him with his bamboo sword, trying to block the attack.

But it was too late.

Hattori Sekiryo's decades of dedicated practice in swordsmanship have given him a precise grasp and prediction of timing that transcends the limitations of speed and power.

The smooth yet sharp tip of the bamboo sword was pressed against Shirakawa Yuta's throat, an inch away.

The air froze instantly.

Yuta Shirakawa felt a slight stinging pain in his throat, his muscles stiffened, and his palm, gripping the bamboo sword, was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. He lost his grip, and the bamboo sword slipped from his hand, falling to the ground with a "thud".

He gazed at the bamboo sword so close to his eyes, closed them, and sighed softly.

He had all the advantages in age, strength, and reaction speed, and launched a fierce attack with all his might, but in the end he still suffered a crushing defeat, a complete and utter defeat without any suspense.

Hattori Sekira slowly sheathed his bamboo sword, letting it hang at his side. His breathing remained steady and long, but the fine sweat on his forehead and the slight trembling of his arm revealed that his response was not as easy as it seemed.

He looked at Shirakawa Yuta, whose expression was complex, and spoke with a hint of appreciation:

"Your strength, speed, and reaction are all top-notch. Your swordsmanship is a bit weaker, only at the fourth dan level, but your foundation is exceptionally solid. Overall, you would be a considerable threat even at the fifth dan level."

At this point, the tone suddenly shifted, becoming more stern and weighty: "But swordsmanship is never a contest of brute force and speed. True swordsmanship is about calmness of mind, knowing when to attack and when to stop, discerning weaknesses, and then delivering a thunderous blow."

"Blindly attacking will only waste your energy and expose your weaknesses. You have a fierce appearance but lack composure. Your eagerness to win is your biggest flaw. If you only want to participate in the Kui Xing Flag Sword Tournament, then your strength is indeed enough to overwhelm others, but if you want to go further..."

Hattori Kakero stopped there and did not continue speaking.

Yuta Shirakawa bowed deeply, took a deep breath, and said respectfully and sincerely, "Please guide me, Hattori-senpai."

Hattori Sekirō looked at the renewed desire for swordsmanship in the other's eyes and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

A key reason he volunteered to join the fight was that when he arrived, he didn't see any respect for swordsmanship in his opponent's eyes. They came to the dojo as if it were just a casual visit, and even when they saw others fighting, they treated it like watching a show.

that's the truth.

After acquiring his first sword-wielding equipment, Shirakawa Yuta had already lost interest in swordsmanship. He felt that he had already learned all the basic moves and that as long as he continued to accumulate equipment attributes, he would eventually reach his peak.

But today's battle made him realize that swordsmanship is not as simple as it seems.