Chapter 291: Kamizumi, Defeated! The Secret Realm’s Ultimate Prize! Shangshan Che Is An Absolute Monster!
Shangshan Che lowered his head, nodding his chin toward Kitamura Yūyū, who happened to be looking his way.
Then.
Just like that, he held Two-Foot Adult in his arms and closed his eyes.
He opened them again.
The crisp sound of blade rubbing against scabbard entered Shangshan Che’s ears, and this time he hadn’t even said a word.
—The boy Kamizumi, at the first instant of seeing him appear, obediently followed his inner intuition and drew the unremarkable daito from his waist.
Then, a familiar prickling sensation that Shangshan Che felt everywhere enveloped him.
This was Kamizumi’s Sword Domain.
Shangshan Che, wearing the Red Hannya Mask, let out a surprised “oh,” then tossed the Forty-Meter Greatsword aside.
This time he hadn’t done anything yet, but Kamizumi had already silently unleashed Forbidden Hand.
No doubt about it.
Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna had already noticed that the Shangshan Che standing before him this time was fundamentally different.
This man with the Hannya Mask on his face… could kill him.
Even without relying on that inexplicable greatsword nearby.
Sensing the subtle stinging pain transmitted from all over his body, Shangshan Che spoke up: “Kamizumi, this time we’re not catching up on old times.”
After all, the Seed Battle outside was still ongoing.
His goal was merely to test a godspeed iaijutsu slash to get prepared, plus warm up a bit.
In the previous matchup against Yan Liu, he had at most casually waved his hand without even moving his feet, leaving his body stiff.
“Catching up on old times?”
Kamizumi could tell this man wasn’t lying but simply didn’t want to waste unnecessary time.
So he strangely asked: “Your Excellency, do I know you from before?”
“I’m Shangshan Che.”
Shangshan Che casually flicked a speck of spiritual power from his fingertip, making Kamiizumi Nobutsuna’s pupils twitch slightly,
“By the way, Kamizumi, you should know iaijutsu, right?”
“Iaijutsu… meaning daito drawing technique.” The boy, hands gripping his sword with the blade tip aimed precisely at the center of Shangshan Che’s throat, nodded.
“A little bit.”
Kamizumi curved the corner of his mouth slightly in apology,
“But not that proficient, Shangshan Ge Xia.”
So Shangshan Che stared into the other’s eyes and solemnly requested: “Then please use that move to slash at me. I want to experience it firsthand.”
“Okay.”
Kamizumi sheathed the daito gripped in his hand again.
After waiting a few seconds, the boy strangely asked again: “But from the look of it, Shangshan Ge Xia, you seem to have seen me more than once.”
“That question…”
Shangshan Che had just opened his mouth to say not to talk about these irrelevant matters when a streak of silver-white light flashed in the center of his vision.
Splitting the entire pure white world.
In two.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!
While Shangshan Che was still thinking of answering Kamizumi’s question, the daito blade that naturally slipped from the scabbard landed on his body surface at a godspeed that even the Eye of Interpretation could hardly capture.
To be precise, it landed on the Flame Armor on his body surface and the “armor” of multiple Qi Circulations mixed with Five Thunder Technique.
But this super armor that had taken all of Yan Liu’s attacks head-on didn’t even hold for an instant under Kamizumi’s blade.
That ordinary daito blade practically ignored it, shattering the Flame Armor and probing out at the weakest point.
The moment Eightfold Fence activated, dazzling bloodstains bloomed on Shangshan Che’s chest, which had strength far surpassing fine steel.
Flesh and blood churned, bone-deep.
Yet it healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Shangshan Che, who reacted and dodged the vital spot in that instant, showed no anger in his eyes; instead, they were filled with astonishment and joy.
Sneak attack?
Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna actually sneak-attacked?
This was just like the last time he revealed Forbidden Hand—Kamizumi’s first time!
He could even react to this?
Was this Shangshan Che even human?
Kamiizumi Nobutsuna shook the blood droplets off his blade and met the pleasant eyes under that mask.
The refined boy also instinctively smiled, seemingly understanding Shangshan Che’s mood as he exaggeratedly grinned and replied,
“Fighting a strong one like Shangshan Ge Xia is fun, so winning after fighting is even more fun, right?”
“If I lost to you, Shangshan Ge Xia, I wouldn’t be happy.”
Kamiizumi Nobutsuna reached out and naturally gripped the hilt tightly: “So, both kinds of fun and happiness, I’ll hold them in my hands.”
This was the greed of the strong.
“Sorry about that, Kamizumi.”
Shangshan Che also reached out and made a grasping motion: “This time, you won’t beat me.”
Even without bringing Kaga Kiyomitsu in.
Shangshan Che slowly closed his five fingers, compressing a massive amount of Qi Barrier and spiritual power within them, forging them together into the form of Kaga Kiyomitsu.
The Eye of Interpretation fully opened, discarding everything else in his vision and locking solely onto Kamiizumi Nobutsuna.
Infused with vast spiritual power, the reappearing Flame Armor merged into the Qi Circulation as one layer, then spun rapidly under the control of Spirit Control Technique.
Not to completely block, but to link with the Eye of Interpretation to deflect Kamizumi’s invincible godspeed blade as much as possible.
As long as it didn’t hit a one-strike vital spot.
“Is that so? Then I’ll have to try hard.”
Kamizumi smiled brightly, tossing those words in place and stinging Shangshan Che’s pupils through the near-perfect defense from afar.
“Come on!”
Shangshan Che didn’t mind the blood tears trickling from his eye corner, laughing as he stepped forward and swung the “Kaga Kiyomitsu” formed in his hand.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!
Dazzling sword light instantly formed like a sphere, then bloomed open in an instant!
In less than the blink of an eye, Shangshan Che and Kamizumi had faced each other, swinging hundreds of swords.
Facing Kamizumi’s extremely fast yet incredibly precise sword, Shangshan Che used nearly every trick he had just to barely protect his vitals from being pierced first.
Two seconds later, all sword light dissipated.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!
Accompanied by the sound of Qi Circulation shattering, massive blood sprayed from Shangshan Che’s body surface due to skyrocketing blood pressure, making him look like a blood-soaked figure from afar, fearsome.
If these wounds didn’t heal, Shangshan Che might die from excessive blood loss soon.
But Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, standing unscathed before him, didn’t laugh.
The boy looked up glumly, questioning the blood-soaked Red Hannya Mask: “Shangshan Che, are you even human?”
—Why did his sword swings get faster the heavier his injuries?
What kind of logic was this in the world?
“Guess.”
Shangshan Che exhaled hot bloody steam with difficulty, making the boy furrow his brow hard.
He wanted to get angry.
But that breath was cut off by the bloodline slowly emerging at the center of his throat.
Countless fine blood beads emerged on that fair neck, then trickled out messily, pooling into a spotless blood puddle on the white ground.
Plop.
Boy Kamiizumi Nobutsuna’s head fell heavily into the blood puddle, maintaining its furrowed expression.
Shangshan Che grinned, flashing a V-sign at Kamiizumi’s displeased head.
“Refreshing!”
He let out a long breath toward the sky.
Now, he had finally gotten revenge for being beheaded by Kamiizumi so many times!
—Defeating Kamiizumi was due not only to significantly improved base stats, but crucially the qualitative change in Spirit Control Technique after promotion to Master Level.
Master Level Spirit Control Technique allowed Shangshan Che to wield the several Onmyōdō techniques he knew freely and combine them at will.
And next, if he was right…
【You have cleared the 42nd floor of the Projection Secret Realm!】
【You are the first to fully clear this secret realm!】
Yes, that’s it!
Shangshan Che stared at the two key prompts that popped up, snapping his fingers happily.
Everything was as he thought: the 42nd floor boy Kamizumi was the final boss of this Sengoku Secret Realm.
More prompts continued to pop up.
Then, a small pocket wooden sword floated right above Kamizumi’s little head.
【Since you chose to retain the 40th floor reward earlier… you obtained fixed reward: Goro’s Sword!】
【Goro’s Sword】
【Quality: Super Epic】
【Effect One: Contains a projection of the boy “Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna” from his childhood, which can be challenged anytime.】
【Effect Two: Once only, summon prime Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna for ten minutes. The item is destroyed after summoning.】
【—Goro’s childhood pendant, unremarkable.】
Goro… like “Takechiyo” to Tokugawa Ieyasu, was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna’s childhood name?
No, the key point wasn’t that.
Shangshan Che’s gaze first locked on the “Quality” line, then swept over the two powerful effects with slight surprise.
Effect One allowed endless sparring with a Sword Saint-level prodigy, even if only the youthful version of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna—that was ridiculously good.
Even boy Kamiizumi Nobutsuna had few rivals below Ghost God.
Let alone using him as a free training partner forever.
And from the description, it seemed this wooden sword pendant wasn’t just for him.
—Lili Zi, Two-Foot, and even more people later!
At critical moments, activate Effect Two to summon one of the most famous sword saints of the millennium, “Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna,” for backup.
Even during the World Revival in the Sengoku Period when old man Kamizumi was half in the grave, Shangshan Che figured he could still chop ordinary Ghost Gods like cutting vegetables.
Because he was a Sword Saint.
One of the most renowned.
Temporarily storing the wooden sword pendant in his Storage Bag, Shangshan Che looked at the subsequent prompts.
【Additionally, as the first to fully clear the Projection Secret Realm, you obtained special unique reward: Karuta’s Only Solution!】
Karuta?
Shangshan Che was puzzled.
How did clearing a Sengoku Projection Secret Realm drop something related to the Karuta Factory?
Fortunately, the next item description cleared up his confusion.
【Karuta’s Only Solution】
【Quality: Super Epic】
【Effect: Guarantees victory in Karuta battles upon use.】
【—Even if you don’t realize it, this is currently the item you need most.】
A blank karuta card fell into Shangshan Che’s palm.
Most needed, huh…
Whether he needed it or not, this reward was overpowered.
This effect was pure conceptual hax—better than aimbot, wallhack, ESP, and god mode combined!
Forget Ghost King Shuten Doji; even her boss Shuten Doji would have to obediently concede in a card game!
The moment he got this “Karuta’s Only Solution,” Shangshan Che knew the Karuta Factory was cleared.
Once the Seed Battle ended, he could speedrun the whole factory with one life.
He wondered what the final reward of the Number One Karuta Tournament Under Heaven was…
Shangshan Che happily pocketed the karuta card and exited the cleared secret realm, reopening his eyes in the Seed Battle seat.
At the same time, in a pitch-black bedroom with curtains drawn.
The 4K monitor lit up, showing the Top 100 Ranking’s first place clear floor change from 41 to 42.
The surrounding speakers blared celebratory sounds like gold coins dropping and treasure chests opening.
“Finally… cleared it!”
Ye Chun, woken by the cheers, rubbed her eyes ringed with dark circles, wearily sitting up, but broke into a genuine joyful smile upon seeing the screen.
She immediately grabbed her mobile phone to see how everyone was discussing the Top 100 Ranking change and worshipping the first place.
But soon, Ye Chun was stunned to discover no one online cared about the Top 100 Ranking shift.
All attention and hype was drawn to the event called “Seed Battle.”
Slumped on the bed, Ye Chun leaned close to the screen, sleepily scratching her cheek.
Seed Battle, what the heck?
—Over the past half month, Ye Chun had not only fulfilled her promise to readers for massive updates but also refined all previous artwork before the collected volume release, working day and night until this morning.
So, Ye Chun, who had long lost track of time, hadn’t touched her phone or checked the internet or the hot Seed Battle.
Though annoyed, she groggily clicked the top link and entered the official live stream.
Then, her wandering gaze stopped on the person in the Red Hannya Mask sitting in the TOP6 spot in the camera.
Ye Chun’s eyes widened instantly.
She recognized him.
Even with the mask, she could instantly tell the person below was Shangshan Jun!
And Ye Chun’s first reaction.
Was to look for a donation button in the live stream.
……
“Yan Liu, give up.”
Kitamura Yūyū, whose spirit, energy, and vitality had twisted into a soaring force after over a dozen victories, said: “You like this can’t beat me no matter what.”
“Shut up!”
Yan Liu clenched his fist, which had been trembling until just now, and shouted: “Dealing with trash like you is a piece of cake.”
Sixteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, Yan Liu lost.
Kitamura Yūyū, left with one breath but with spirit, energy, and vitality growing stronger, fully recovered his injuries under the Ghost Gods’ healing.
Then he challenged seventh-ranked Hayashi Jin’ya.
Four minutes and twelve seconds later.
“Kitamura Jun, is this your sword?”
Hayashi Jin’ya closed his empty, hollow eyes and gave a bitter smile.
If even one less person had joined midway, it would have been his victory now.
But now, even he, who wanted to end the fight quickly from the start, became his stepping stone.
A stepping stone to higher kendo realms.
“Yeah, this is my kendo… pretty shameless, right?”
Kitamura Yūyū, weak-voiced, leaned on his tachi, panting with all his might.
Absorbing others’ experiences, states of mind, kendo, thoughts to fuel his own growth… no different from a thief.
“I have no right to say that.”
Hayashi Jin’ya collapsed to the ground, rasping: “But the one above is different from us…”
“That’s a real monster.”
“I know…”
Kitamura Yūyū looked up again, meeting the grinning eyes now close at hand: “I know.”
“Winner, Kitamura Yūyū!”
After the announcement, the venue erupted in tsunami-like cheers.
—Extreme comebacks from desperation, this heart-pounding, life-on-the-line uncertainty, the thrill and tension were always what audiences loved most.
Less than ten seconds later, Kitamura Yūyū, restored to peak… no, having surpassed himself again, sheathed his sword,
“I challenge sixth place: Shangshan Che.”
Two beams of light flashed, landing on the already repaired central arena.
Kitamura Yūyū’s heart skipped a beat.
Even with mental preparation and others’ warnings… only facing him directly did Kitamura Yūyū truly feel the meaning of “monster.”
Just standing before the guy named “Shangshan Che,” his fingers on the hilt began to tremble.
In the silence, Kitamura Yūyū took a deep breath, brushing away unease and fear, regaining control over his body and spirit.
Then he raised his head, staring into the pleasant eyes behind the Red Hannya Mask and roared hoarsely,
“Shinmusō Hayashizaki-ryū, Kitamura Yūyū…”
“Here I come!”
