Yamada had been waiting for Akane Koyama to say this for a long time. Seeing that she had finally agreed to the duel, his gloomy face finally showed a touch of joy.
The others had already moved to the side, leaving the space in the middle for the two of them.
Only Takeuchi and Zhang Heng remained where they were. Takeuchi looked quite happy as well. "Great! I'm honored to be able to witness Brother Yamada's Oishi Shinkage-ryu again."
After saying that, he slowly retreated to a corner.
Yamada cursed under his breath. He had already elevated the duel to the level of the Choshu Domain's samurai's honor, but Takeuchi seemed to think that wasn't enough. He added a battle between two sects to the mix, putting him under even more pressure. His Oishi Shinkage-ryu focused on fast swordsmanship, and if he couldn't take down his opponent after a long time, he would become impatient. On the surface, Takeuchi seemed to be praising Oishi Shinkage-ryu, but in reality, he was using this opportunity to mess with his mind.
As expected of a man who practiced the heart-shaped swordsmanship, he paid attention to the ever-changing and unscrupulous methods.
However, Yamada was a man who had been through the Forbidden Gate. He had seen all kinds of storms and waves. He wouldn't be affected so easily, not to mention that his state of mind would only be affected when his opponent's strength was similar. With the gap between him and Akane Koyama, as long as he didn't get drunk, he would definitely win this battle.
Seeing that only Zhang Heng had not stepped aside, Yamada waved the Tachi in his hand and urged, "Get out of here, or I'll kill you too!"
Zhang Heng ignored him and said to Akane Koyama, "If you can't beat him, just admit defeat. Don't force yourself. If anything happens to you, this dojo won't be able to continue operating."
After that, he retreated to the side like Takeuchi.
Yamada had been waiting impatiently for a long time. He didn't even bother to salute and immediately swung his Tachi at Akane Koyama.
The two had fought at the market last night, and Akane knew that Yamada's left-handed katana was fast and powerful. She had been guarding against him attacking her right. However, as soon as the two exchanged blows, Akane Koyama knew she was in trouble. The Yamada today was completely different from the drunken Yamada last night.
This time, Yamada was trying his best to take revenge for what happened last night. Not only did the heavy pressure not make him restless, but it also stimulated him to be in his best state. Now, his blade was like a graceful swan. Not only was the speed of his blade much faster than before, but the landing point was also more unpredictable. Coupled with his indomitable momentum, he brought out the characteristics of the Oishi Shimmering Technique to the extreme.
On the other side, Akane Koyama was trying her best to resist, but she still felt powerless. Koyama Myoshin-Ryu was a defensive swordsmanship. It was all about seeing one's true self and following one's heart.
However, in the current situation where the sky was filled with saber shadows, she didn't know where her heart should rest.
Although Akane was trying her best to resist, her right arm was cut open by Yamada's Tachi in less than ten moves. In the eyes of the onlookers, the outcome of the duel between the two was clear. But Akane did not seem to want to admit defeat so easily. She gritted her teeth and switched the katana to her other hand.
Yamada, on the other side, felt a little regretful. If Akane had dodged the attack just a little slower, it would have been more than just a wound. But he was also secretly glad that his goal this time was not only to defeat Akane, but also to end her life. Losing an arm might not be enough to wash away the humiliation that the Choshu Domain samurai had suffered.
After the previous few rounds, Yamada had a thorough understanding of Akane's strength. He was certain that there was indeed a big gap between them, and he could finally relax. The fact that Akane did not admit defeat was exactly what he wanted. However, he knew that if something similar happened again, no matter how tough Akane was, she would not continue to fight him.
So, he quietly changed his strategy. Instead of pressing forward, he slowed down a little. In exchange, the trajectory of his sword became more unpredictable. The pressure on Akane Koyama seemed to have lessened, but she was in more danger than ever.
Yamada temporarily hid his claws and teeth in order to seek an opportunity to deal a fatal blow. But few people present could see his true intentions.
Matsuo and Takahashi could not help but cheer for Yamada when they saw that Akane was bleeding early on. But when the two of them got into a fight, they could not help but worry for Yamada. On the contrary, after the initial worry, the children in the dojo gradually began to hope.
This was because Akane had once taught them that as long as Koyama Myoshin-ryū could defend against the opponent's attack, the next step would be to seize the opponent's weakness and find an opportunity to fight back.
Takeuchi, who was also a master, knew what Yamada was thinking. He chuckled. "You call me cunning, but you're not much better yourself."
The duel ended faster than anyone expected. A second ago, Akane was still exchanging blows with Yamada, and the next second, Yamada suddenly sped up again without warning. Changing his previous habit of attacking from the left, he slashed at Akane's forehead. Akane misjudged the direction of her opponent's attack and barely had time to raise her katana. At the same time, she took half a step back, but she still underestimated the power of Yamada's long-awaited attack. She fell to the ground, and at the same time, the katana in her left hand was knocked away.
At this point in the duel, no matter how unwilling Akane was, she could only swallow the bitter fruit of defeat. However, as the winner, Yamada did not put away his katana. Instead, he went one step further. A cold, murderous intent flashed in his eyes, and he raised the katana in his hand again.
A blank look appeared on Akane's face. Was she going to die here today? What would happen to the dojo that her father left behind after her death? These children were still undergoing basic training. Would Koyama Myoshin-ryū be lost in her area?
In contrast to Akane's confusion, Yamada's eyes were filled with excitement. Last night's duel had ruined his reputation, and Takeuchi had purposely come to see him. Along the way, Takeuchi had mocked and ridiculed him. Now, everything could finally come to an end.
As long as he slashed down with his katana, he could regain everything that he had lost.
However, the next moment, something unexpected happened. Yamada's sure-kill attack was blocked by another katana.
Steel collided with steel, and the edge of the blade clashed!
Yamada's hand went numb, and he almost let go of the katana in his hand. On the other hand, the other katana did not budge an inch.
"The winner has been decided. There's no need for you to go all out."
The opportunity to kill Akane Koyama that he had waited so long for was gone. Yamada could not help but be furious. When he saw that the person who attacked him was the ronin he had scolded earlier, his anger flared up even more.
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