"Who is this...?" Haohmaru asked in a low voice, his eyes full of wariness and fighting spirit.
"This is my friend, Cloud." Nakoruru introduced, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
"Cloud?" Haohmaru rolled the name around in his mouth, then broke into a grin, flashing two rows of white teeth—a wild smile brimming with challenge. "Interesting aura... Hey, you in black, interested in exchanging a few moves with me?"
This was how a sword fanatic thought.
Upon encountering a strong opponent, his first reaction wasn't to question their background, but "let's fight."
Before Cloud could respond, Nakoruru hastily waved her hands: "Lord Haohmaru, you misunderstand! Cloud isn't a bad person—he's here to help us fight Amakusa!"
"Can't tell if someone's bad until we fight." Haohmaru was clearly a straightforward, stubborn type. "Besides, if he doesn't even have the guts for a friendly spar, what's the point of talking about fighting Amakusa?"
"I never said I wouldn't fight." Cloud finally spoke, looking at Haohmaru with an equally interested gleam in his eyes. "It's just that I'm not used to using weapons. You sure you want to fight me barehanded?"
Haohmaru blinked in surprise, then burst into hearty laughter: "Hahahaha! Interesting! Too interesting! Barehanded against my Fugudoku? You're the most arrogant guy I've ever met! But I like it!"
He drew the katana at his waist in one swift motion—a legendary blade named "Fugudoku." The blade reflected cold light in the sun, a sharp sword aura sweeping toward them.
"Come on! Let me see just how much substance backs up that arrogance!" Haohmaru assumed a standard sword stance, his entire presence transforming instantly from a lost drunk into a battle-tested sword saint.
Nakoruru watched Cloud with concern, but he gave her a reassuring look.
"Step back a bit, Nakoruru." Cloud rolled his wrist, then beckoned Haohmaru with a finger. "Don't say I'm bullying you—I'll let you have the first three moves."
"Arrogant!"
Haohmaru was thoroughly provoked by Cloud's "go ahead and hit me, I lose if I move" attitude.
With a low growl, he pushed off the ground, his form shooting forward like an arrow from a bow.
"Secret Art: Senpuu Retsu Zan!"
He held nothing back, opening with his signature technique.
Fugudoku transformed into a white tornado, carrying devastating sword energy as it swept toward Cloud. This single strike could reduce a row of giant trees to splinters in an instant!
Facing this violent attack, Cloud simply stood still, not even changing his posture.
Just as the sword tornado was about to engulf him—
He calmly raised his right hand, fingers spread, and gently pressed against the tornado's center.
"Foundation of Zero."
An invisible transparent hemispherical barrier instantly expanded before him.
Hmmmmm—
The violent sword tornado struck this gossamer-thin barrier and vanished like a stone in the ocean, instantly neutralized and dissolved into pure energy particles that dissipated into the air.
No explosion, no thunderous noise. Everything happened silently, yet impossibly bizarre.
Haohmaru's pupils contracted sharply!
How is this possible?!
His Senpuu Retsu Zan just... disappeared? It couldn't even make his opponent retreat half a step?
"That's one." Cloud's voice rang out calmly, as if he'd merely swatted a mosquito.
"Damn it!" Haohmaru's competitive spirit blazed. He backflipped to create distance, then switched his sword to his left hand, assuming a strange stance.
"Secret Art: Senpuu Ha!"
He swung his blade forward, and a massive blue crescent of sword energy sliced along the ground toward Cloud at terrifying speed! Where it passed, the earth was carved into a deep furrow!
"Oh? A ranged projectile? I know how to do that."
Cloud smiled. Still standing in place, he raised his right hand as purple flames ignited between his fingers.
"Yami Barai."
With a casual wave, the purple flames became a fire serpent that also traveled along the ground, meeting the blue sword energy head-on.
BOOM!
This time, it was a real energy collision. Purple flames and blue sword energy met in midair, erupting in violent thunder. Shockwaves spread outward, making Nakoruru's long hair flutter wildly.
When the dust settled, Cloud still stood in the same spot, not having moved a fraction—even the ground beneath his feet remained undamaged.
Haohmaru's expression had become extremely grave.
If the first move shocked him, the second filled him with fear.
His opponent had used some "sorcery" he'd never seen before (that's what it looked like to him) to precisely neutralize his sword energy. And judging by the other man's casual demeanor, he clearly hadn't even used ten percent of his power.
"One more move." Cloud reminded him.
"Ha... haha..." Haohmaru suddenly laughed softly. He slowly straightened up, the gravity and fear in his eyes gradually replaced by something more intense—the excitement and longing of a martial artist seeing an even higher peak!
"What kind of monster are you...?" he murmured. "I admit, I underestimated you. This next move is one I recently comprehended—specifically for dealing with gods and demons! If you can take it, I, Haohmaru... will drink this entire gourd of sake today!"
He gripped his sword with both hands, raising it high overhead. An unprecedented aura erupted from within him; the air around him began to distort, and pebbles at his feet floated upward uncontrollably.
He and his Fugudoku seemed to merge into one—man becoming sword, sword becoming man.
Nakoruru's face changed dramatically. She could feel that this strike had touched the edge of "law," containing the determination to sever all causality!
"Tenha Fuujin Zan!!!"
With an earth-shaking roar, Haohmaru's figure vanished.
No—not vanished.
His speed had reached the absolute limit, leaving a continuous string of afterimages on Cloud's retinas. He and his blade became a ray of light piercing heaven and earth, descending from above to cleave Cloud's skull!
This slash seemed capable of splitting space itself!
Facing this world-shaking strike, Cloud finally stopped using just one hand.
For the first time, an appreciative smile appeared on his face.
...
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