My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 447: Chapter 160: Aoto vs Chiba Eijiro, Facing "Edo’s Strongest"!

A dazzling flash of the blade filled Aoto’s vision instantly.

The blade was neither narrow nor wide, with a shallow curvature and no ridges, and its jagged peaks in the pattern gave off a chilling air.

Aoto was not a professional swordsmith or sword appraiser, but even as a layman, he could see the excellence of this sword.

Moon-Swaying Nagamitsu... Aoto found this sword’s name incredibly fitting.

Whether it was due to the use of special materials or a different forging method, the blade of the Moon-Swaying Nagamitsu gave off a very gentle aura—just like moonlight.

However, under this gentle "moonlight," there was a hidden surge of murderous intent.

The extremely sharp blade emitted a chilling brilliance so fierce that it gave the strong illusion that one’s vision would be severed in two if it came into contact with this cold light.

When admiring someone else’s sword, there was an unwritten rule that one must follow if they didn’t want to offend the sword’s owner—don’t speak, and it’s best to even slow down your breathing.

The reason being that when you talk, saliva can easily splatter onto someone else’s sword, which is extremely impolite and nearly tantamount to provoking the person.

Therefore, after carefully admiring the blade of the Moon-Swaying Nagamitsu and sheathing it, Aoto let out a long breath and sincerely praised Chiba Eijiro:

"What a brilliant sword it is..."

In terms of quality, Aoto felt that his current Ghost-Slaying sword paled in comparison to the Moon-Swaying Nagamitsu.

"Hahaha, thank you for the compliment," Chiba Eijiro chuckled lightly and half-jokingly said, "This is indeed a fine sword, but unfortunately, its weight is still a bit light. If it were heavier, the Moon-Swaying Nagamitsu would be perfect for me."

Admiring Chiba Eijiro’s Moon-Swaying Nagamitsu... This was merely a small interlude in their pre-battle preparations.

After setting down everything they carried and tying their sleeves tightly, Aoto and Chiba Eijiro stepped into the center of the dojo.

Zhouzhu personally served as the referee for this trial match.

Aoto adjusted his gauntlets, then quietly waited as Chiba Eijiro finished donning his protective gear.

Chiba Eijiro was slightly slower than Aoto and had only just finished putting on his chest armor.

Watching Chiba Eijiro still leisurely putting on his armor, Aoto couldn’t help the fiery gleam that flashed in his eyes.

Soon, I get to face off with "Edo’s Strongest Swordsman"... Every time this thought crossed Aoto’s mind, his heartbeat quickened.

He accepted Chiba Eijiro’s challenge for three main reasons.

The first reason was that after being pointed out by Chiba Eijiro, Aoto grew curious about how his "momentum" differed from others. What made it different? Where exactly was the difference?

Aoto’s understanding of "momentum" was still murky. If he wanted to understand this question, he could only seek help from the one man who had noticed his unique "momentum."

So, to clear the clouds of doubt in his mind, Aoto was willing to try releasing his "momentum" in front of Chiba Eijiro once more.

The second reason was the desire to replicate Chiba Eijiro’s talent.

With a brilliant track record and having earned the title of "Edo’s Strongest" at a young age through mere hard strength, Aoto couldn’t believe that Chiba Eijiro had no special talent!

At this moment, Aoto couldn’t help but eagerly anticipate—anticipating what kind of talent he could replicate from Chiba Eijiro.

And the third reason... was the primary inducement for the fiery light in Aoto’s eyes—he greatly wanted to personally experience how strong this man, reputed as "Edo’s Strongest," truly was!

All along, Aoto had only heard of Chiba Eijiro’s prowess and had never personally witnessed his strength.

So, Aoto had always been curious: how strong was this man who was commonly regarded as "Edo’s Strongest"?

Just how formidable must a person be to be acknowledged as the strongest?

And now... the extremely rare opportunity to personally witness Chiba Eijiro’s strength was right before Aoto!

How could Aoto not be excited? How could he not be expectant?

Aoto’s fighting spirit transformed into an invisible flame, burning within his eyes!

Amidst the slightly anxious wait, Chiba Eijiro finally finished donning his protective gear.

He firmly squeezed his hands a few times, ensuring his gauntlets were secure, then gave Aoto a slight smile: "Are you ready?"

Aoto: "I’m ready for your instruction at any time!"

Chiba Eijiro nodded with a smile, then tilted his head and gestured with his eyes toward Zhouzhu, standing in the middle of them.

Zhouzhu understood immediately.

Because before the match, Aoto and Chiba Eijiro, for convenience, had agreed there was no need for the full ceremonial courtesy. So once Zhouzhu saw both were ready, he immediately raised his hand, took a deep breath—

"Begin!"

Both Aoto and Chiba Eijiro initially assumed a middle stance.

Upon Zhouzhu’s command to "begin," Chiba Eijiro quickly switched his stance to a lower stance, hiding his bamboo sword in the shadow of his body.

In the same instant he switched stances, his long body sprinted forward like the wind!

The bamboo sword slid upwards, drawing a black line straight toward Aoto’s waist and abdomen.

Aoto barely had time to dodge and could only hold his bamboo sword straight in front of his chest.

Bang!

The bamboo swords clashed, emitting a dry sound.

Although he successfully deflected Chiba Eijiro’s strike, Aoto’s hasty defense left his posture unstable, and he involuntarily took half a step back.

In just one strike, Aoto was already at a disadvantage.

*******

*******

Asking for monthly tickets! Asking for recommendation votes! (Crying like a leopard.jpg)