Chapter 581 - The Prettiest Fireworks In the World (1/2)
The cherry blossom trees had shed their flowers, leaving behind only dried and yellow leaves. With the gentle morning breeze, leaves rained down from the tree like a golden shower.
Mr. Okita raised his cheeks and took a deep breath, savoring the taste of nostalgia showered upon him by the ecstatic environment. He opened his eyes, telling Zhang Heng, “My sensei is the leader of Tennen Ris.h.i.+n-ryū, and his name is Kondo Shūsuke. When he was nineteen, he acquired the Mekyo Kaiden. After that, he came to Kyoto with his Kondo Isami. Both of them joined the s.h.i.+nsengumi at the same time. We partic.i.p.ated in the a.s.sa.s.sination of the former director Serizawa Kami, Hikujiro Uchiyama, and the subsequent Ikedaya Operation. Other than that, we’ve completed many major and minor missions too. I don’t remember how many people I killed, but my swordsmans.h.i.+p got getting better and better. Six months ago in Gion, we fought side by side. But if you treat me the same, I’m afraid you will lose the battle..”
Okita Soki paused, “…I had nothing to do when I was sick. Each day, I could only think about all kinds of nonsense to relieve the pain. Among those things were thoughts about my swordsmans.h.i.+p. I almost re-enacted all the previous battles I had been through, and I looked for ways to overcome my weaknesses and improve my skills. It took a long time for me to recuperate. So I’m not lying. I am indeed in the best state of mind and body.”
“It just so happens that I have been busy improving myself recently,” replied Zhang Heng with a nod. “It seems we can verify each other’s gains in this friendly match.”
“Indeed.”
Okita Soki said no more, raised the wooden katana in his hand and made a move. Instantly, his whole temperament changed. Without the dread that plagued him, Okita Soki was radiating with life force and vitality. n.o.body would have ever thought he was seriously ill just moments ago. If Kirino Tos.h.i.+aki was like a tiger from the mountains, the current Okita Soki was like the bright moon hanging in the dark night.
He tossed his shadow into the river, and it looked like it was reachable.
“Be careful, Mr. Abe.” Okita Soki placed the wooden katana at his side, and at the same time, he began to move. He was as light as a b.u.t.terfly that flew amongst the flowers, dashed toward Zhang Heng in a blink of an eye. The only thing that was faster than him was the wooden katana in his hand.
Zhang Heng, on the other hand, remained still and did nothing about the incoming attack. However, his eyes never stopped following Soki’s hands. When the wooden katana struck, Zhang Heng quickly caught the katana in a steady move.
But the next moment, Zhang Heng let out a sigh, and Okita Soki’s wooden katana disappeared from his vision. A second later, it reappeared again, and it landed accurately on the back of Zhang Heng’s sword.
With Zhang Heng’s sword pinned down, Okita Soki did not waste this rare opportunity and stabbed his opponent’s chest with all his might. Zhang Heng still managed to remain calm in this dangerous situation—the time he spent on the s.h.i.+p during the Black Sail quest helped him survive the attack. When the wooden katana struck at him, Zhang Heng turned sideways and dodged the attack.