I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

Azuki waited restlessly in the room.

Obviously, it has only been more than 10 minutes since the two of Ogata left the room, but Azuki felt as if it was as long as an hour.

Finally—while she was waiting bitterly, the door of the room was pulled open.

She quickly turned her head to look, and Ogata and Ah-Ming were following the opened door, returning to the room, and sitting in front of her.

Ogata and Azuki met each other's eyes.

Under Azuku's expectant eyes, Ogata said slowly:

"If you can make it so that no matter where my wife and I go, you can follow without complaint, then you can come with us."

Ogata's words were short.

But such a short voice made A Zhu stunned for a long time.

After a while, she finally came back to her senses.

"No, no problem!"

Because of his emotional agitation, Azhu stuttered when he spoke.

While stammering, she once again stepped down from the seat to Ogata in the tiger prostrate pose.

"Master Yidao Zhai, I promise that no matter where you go, I will follow you well, and I will never complain at all! At the same time, I will never cause you any trouble!"

Ogata nodded slightly, then stood up.

"My wife and I can sleep in this room for three people. It's a bit cramped. I'm going to open you a single room now. You can sleep there tonight. We'll set off tomorrow morning."

"As for where we're going, I'll tell you when we leave tomorrow."

Hearing that Ogata was going to open a new house for her, A Zhu first showed a flattered look, but then seemed to think of something, his expression paused, and he hesitated:

"That...Master Yidaozhai, thank you for your kindness...but I don't have any money right now...I'll just find a random pimple outside tonight that no one has passed by, and it will be fine for a night..."

"You don't need to pay for the hotel. Let me help you out." Ogata smiled, "After so many days floating on the boat, you must be physically and mentally exhausted. Tonight, you will be on the soft tatami mat. Get a good night's sleep, and when we set off tomorrow, there won't be so many opportunities to be on the tatami."

After learning that the money for staying in the hotel does not need to be paid by myself,

Various emotions climbed onto Azhu's cheeks and pupils, and finally——Azhu condensed her various emotions into one action.

This movement is the earth seat of the tiger prostrate on the ground.

I don't know if he used this action too frequently today, but now A Zhu is getting more and more proficient at performing the unearthed and seated.

Azuki: QAQ "No, thank you very much! I...I haven't slept on tatami for a long time..."

"Okay, get up quickly." Ogata said helplessly, "It will bother me if you slap me down every now and then. I'm not used to seeing people slap me down. You and your wife will wait in the room first. Come on, I'll go to the counter to open a new house for you, and I'll be back soon."

Ogata turned to the door, and when he was about to leave the room——

"Ah, Lord Yidao Zhai!\

,"Azhu yelled loudly at this moment, and stopped Ogata.

"Before I go to open the new house, can I ask you one more question?"

Before Ogata could respond, Azuki immediately asked her question:

"Master Yidao Zhai, I want to know how you managed to train your energy to such an extent within a few days? It's really unbelievable! How did you achieve the explosive force of your energy within a few days? The power that comes out can be superimposed on the weapon freely? I haven’t reached this level after practicing for nearly 10 years!”

"Have you come into contact with Yunjin before?"

"Or did you figure out some quick secret?"

Hearing the question that Azuki asked quickly, Ogata sighed silently in his heart.

——What should come will always come...

Ogata knew it - Azuki, who had witnessed him using his luck to kill the enemy in chain mail like chopping melons and vegetables, would never ask him why he could use his luck in just a few days. Practice to this extent.

"The reason is actually very simple."

Ogata turned his head and looked at Azuki with a straight face.

At this time, Ogata with a serious face made Azhu also sit up nervously and upright.

"I am a genius who knows everything about martial arts."

"It is precisely because of my ingenuity that I, Ogata Yasushi, have come to where I am today and achieved what I am today."

Ogata said so solemnly.

...

...

——Finally sent the child away...

Within Ogata's field of vision, Azuki was no longer there.

"What a lively child..." Ogata sighed softly.

She had just carried her luggage and headed to the new house that Ogata opened for her.

The new house that Ogata opened for him was not far from Ogata's room, just next door to the one on the left.

By now, Azuki might already be rolling on the fluffy tatami floor.

I have to say—names such as Executioner Yidao Zhai, Shura, and Ren Zhan Yishi are really useful.

If it were someone else saying that he was a martial arts prodigy, he would be able to understand everything, and others might only think that he was bragging.

But for Ogata, who has experienced hundreds of battles and fought countless bloody battles that others thought had no chance of winning, this kind of statement is very credible.

When Ogata learned Shiranui Ninjutsu from A-Machi, he used the rhetoric of "I am a martial arts genius" to fool A-Machi.

Should it be said that history has a symmetrical beauty? Unexpectedly, about a year later, Xu used the same rhetoric to fool another ninja.

Under the flickering of Chunchun of Ofang Yanzhi, Azhu was finally fooled, so that Azhu would not continue to delve into this issue.

Of course—whether Azuku really believed Ogata's rhetoric, Ogata didn't know.

But Ogata didn't care, as long as the kid didn't bother him with this question anymore.

Ogata has suspicions: the reason why the child insists on asking Ogata to "take" her in may be because the child feels that he is having an affair with Iga.

After all, within a few days, she reached a level that she hadn't reached in nearly 10 years, which is indeed a bit unbelievable.

The child suspected that Ogata had an affair with Iga before, and learned luck a long time ago, so he planned to lurk beside Ogata to see if he could get some clues related to Iga, which is understandable.

But anyway——Ogata's request to Azuki to "take in" her is because she simply thinks that staying by Ogata's side can increase the chance of encountering the remnants of Iga, or is it for some other purpose, Ogata doesn't care much care.

He used Azhu as a bait to lure out the unknown force that was looking for him, and his purpose would not change no matter what.

They and A Zhu, to put it bluntly, are just using each other.

But there is nothing wrong with such a relationship, each takes what he needs.

Ogata only hoped that what Azuku told him was true, and that the remnants of Iga were really looking for him everywhere. Ogata didn't want to bring Azhu by his side, but wasted his work.

"Yes." Ah-Machi echoed Ogata's emotion, "He is indeed a very energetic child."

After finishing speaking, A-Ming took the cloth bag next to her for storing clothes.

"I'm going to go to the bathhouse to take a bath, do you want to go together?"

"It's still early, and there may still be a lot of people." Ogata replied without hesitation, "I'll wait until later, when there are fewer people."

Now that there is no human skin mask, going to the bathhouse to take a bath has become a lot more troublesome.

After all, after entering the bathhouse, Ogata could no longer use bamboo hats, scarves, etc. to cover his face.

A-Machi also knew that it was inconvenient for Ogata to go in and out of places like the bathhouse, so after saying "Then I'll take a bath first", he began to pack the clothes that will be changed later.

"You can go to Azhu and ask her if she wants to take a bath with you now." Ogata suggested, "After tomorrow, we will walk together. You can take this opportunity to get acquainted with each other."

Ah-Ming nodded, "Okay."

"Speaking of which——I didn't expect you to agree to let Azuki go with us so quickly..." Ogata raised his hand and scratched his hair.

"Huh? Why do you say that? I agree to let Azhu go with us. Is it a very strange thing?"

"Because... after all, Azuki is a young girl who is not ugly."

Although Ogata spoke in a very cryptic manner, Ah-machi instantly understood what Ogata meant.

"I'm not so narrow-minded that I don't even allow you to have another female companion." A-Ming said angrily, "Didn't you have a good relationship with Miss Guasheng before? Did you see me and say something about it? Did I say anything because of Ahili when I acted with Ahili and Aizan in Ezodi?"

"Ah, that's true..." Ogata nodded solemnly.

Ogata didn't notice it at this time——A hint of an intriguing smile flashed in A-Machi's eyes.

A-cho actually lied to Ogata just now.

There is a new young and beautiful girl beside Ogata - it is naturally impossible for A-Machi to not feel a little pimple in his heart.

But she still readily agreed to let A Zhu go with her—the main reason is that A Zhu looks so safe that A Ding feels safe.

Earlier in the Red Moon Fortress, Ogata told Ah Ding what kind of girl he liked.

For a girl like Azuki who is much younger than her, Acho has only one feeling - what is there to be afraid of?

At this moment, Ah-Ming subconsciously straightened his waist and chest.

...

...

When A-machi and Azuki went to the bathhouse to take a bath together, they helped Ogata ask the time when the bathhouse closed.

For Ogata, the best time to take a bath is naturally when the bathhouse is empty.

So, until it was about half an hour before five o'clock in the evening (10 pm), Ogata picked up his change of clothes and went straight to the bathhouse that came with the hotel.

In Japan in the Edo period, it was undoubtedly late at night at five o'clock. Walking in the corridor leading to the bathhouse, the surroundings were completely silent, only the occasional snoring sound, or something that children could not hear. the sound of.

Fortunately, there are oil lamps for lighting at intervals in the corridors of this hotel, so there is no need to worry about not being able to see the way ahead.

Soon, Xu conveniently came to the door of the bathhouse.

——The bathhouse that comes with this hotel is quite impressive... It is indeed a high-end hotel.

——At this time, there should be no one in the bathhouse.

Ogata pushed aside the blue curtain with the word "male" written on it, and strode into the men's bath.

It was exactly as Ogata had thought—it was quiet inside, and there were probably no outsiders in the bath.

According to the bathing rules of this era: when you come to the bathhouse to take a bath, you must first scrub your body before entering the bath.

Therefore, most bathhouses are strictly divided into two areas: "the place for scrubbing the body" and "the bathroom for bathing".

The bathhouse that comes with this hotel is the most popular arrangement.

Ogata has always been a person who follows the principle of "short, flat and fast" when bathing.

After pouring 2 pots of hot water on his body, he quickly wiped his body, and walked quickly to the door connecting to the bath.

After opening the door, Ogata was surprised to find that there was a figure in the bath.

--Ok? It's about time, is there anyone else coming to take a bath?

Surprised, Ogata quickly looked at the figure sitting in the bath through layers of mist.

The dense water mist obstructed Ogata's sight, and after Ogata narrowed his eyes, he could barely see the appearance of this figure.

After seeing the facial features of this figure clearly, Ogata raised his eyebrows subconsciously, and his lips moved involuntarily:

"Huh? Isshiki-kun?"

Ogata breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, the heart that was unable to take a bath with peace of mind because of the fear of strangers present was also relieved at this time.

"What a coincidence, you came to take a bath at this time." Ogata moved his eyes, scanned the bath, and after confirming that there was no one else in the bath except Isshiki, he strode towards the bath.

Because of the cover of the water mist and the fact that Isshiki's neck was soaked in the pool water, Ogata didn't notice—that pair of people who were hidden under the water made Isshiki have to hammer and rub his sore shoulders every day. The culprit...

...

...

Isshiki's eyeballs... now seem to be falling out of their eye sockets at any moment...

She widened her eyes and stared at Ogata who was striding towards the bathing pool stupidly.

It wasn't until nearly half of Ogata's body entered the pool that Isshiki finally raised his hands, crossed his hands to cover his chest, and then turned around suddenly, turning his back to Ogata like a conditioned reflex. .

"Huh?" Ogata looked at Isshiki who suddenly turned his back with a strange expression, "What's wrong?"

"No, it's okay!" At this moment, his mind was a mess, and he panicked and perfunctory.

Although Isshiki said "it's okay", Ogata still looked at Isshiki's back suspiciously.

After a while, the doubt on his face turned into a sudden realization.

——Is he not used to "being honest" with others?

You can often see such people in the bathhouse - they don't like to "be honest" with others, especially they don't want others to see their private parts.

After silently concluding that Isshiki turned his back because of this, Ogata no longer paid much attention to the question of "why Isshiki turned his back", silently looked away, and began to concentrate on enjoying the bath.

Ogata is enjoying it now, while Isshiki is enduring suffering at this time - the two people who are bathing in the same pool have two completely different experiences.

——What, what, what's going on——? !

Isshiki's cheeks were frighteningly white at the moment due to nervousness, fright, fear and other emotions.

——For what, why is Ogata Ittosai here? Isn't this a women's bath?

—Is he here to spy?

Isshiki couldn't help turning his head to look at Ogata behind him.

Now about 7 steps away from her, Ogata, who was facing her back to her, was calmly enjoying the immersion in the just-right temperature of the pool.

Isshiki quickly made up his mind - if Ogata really came to peep, it would be impossible for him to sit in the pool so calmly.

And if he saw her in the women's bath who should have appeared in the men's bath, Ogata should be shocked.

So... a terrible idea emerged in Isshiki's mind.

"I-I said..."

Isshiki's voice trembled slightly despite his efforts to control it.

"This is... the men's bath... right?"

"Huh?" Ogata turned his head to look at Isshiki again, with a puzzled expression on his face, "Of course this is a men's bath. If it wasn't a men's bath, why would you and I be here?"

—So did I go to the wrong place——? ! !

Isshiki screamed in his heart.

Isshiki realized that he had gone to the men's bath by mistake, and his face became even paler.

— But, but... I remember when I came in just now, the curtain of the women's bath was lifted...!

--what should I do now? !

When Isshiki's mind was still in a muddled state, trying to think about what to do now, Ogata suddenly said:

"By the way, where's your grandpa? Didn't your grandpa come to take a bath with you?"

"Ah? Eh... I, my grandfather has already washed it early..." Isshiki, who is now in a state of shock, hurriedly said.

"Is that so..." After Ogata finished asking this question, he didn't ask any other questions, and fell silent.

—He doesn't seem to have discovered my real gender yet...

Isshiki, who was still covering his chest with his hands crossed, turned his head again and looked at Ogata behind him.

At this time, Yishi also gradually calmed down.

The head that regained its thinking ability also gradually sorted out the current situation, and drew up the most suitable countermeasures for the current situation.

——Now there is no one else here except me and Ogata Yidaosai...

——As long as Ogata Ittosai can leave here, it will be fine.

——As long as he can leave here, I can also take the opportunity to escape.

——Is there any way to get Ogata Ittosai out of here...Huh?

At this time, Isshiki opened his mouth slightly in surprise, and his head was temporarily interrupted.

Because of the heavy mist, Isshiki didn't realize until now that there were many scars on Ogata's back.

Knife wounds, penetrating wounds, new wounds, old wounds... all kinds of wounds.

Due to these large and small injuries, Ogata's entire back became as bumpy as the muddy ground after the rain.

——Okay... amazing injuries...

It was the first time Isshiki saw a person with so many injuries on his body.

——There are so many wounds on his back alone, so how many wounds are there on the rest of his body...

Isshiki couldn't help thinking like this.

As the granddaughter of the owner of the sword gym, she can be said to have been born and raised in the sword gym.

Growing up in the sword gym, she has long been used to seeing men's naked upper bodies - the apprentices of their one-color sword gym often take off their upper body clothes after practicing swords, and then directly use the well water in the yard of the sword hall Come and scrub your body.

Isshiki often handed them towels and water.

Almost everyone in their sword gym—including her grandfather and her father—almost had no injuries on their upper bodies. Even if there were injuries, they were just some bruises accidentally hit by the wooden sword during the wooden sword practice.

There was only one person with a large scar on his chest—this person was an old apprentice in their sword gym who had been studying for many years.

He once fought against a drunken warrior on the street, and before the match was over, the encounter had to be stopped because of the arrival of officials.

Although there was no victory or defeat, the drunk man managed to leave a not-so-deep scar on the man's chest - that's how the scar on the man's chest came about.

Since this wound was added to the chest, this person often used it to show off to others—look! Do you see it! I am a person who has conducted real combat!

For some reason, Isshiki really wants to catch this guy who just has a scar on his chest and shows it off everywhere, and let him see Ogata's body - your little scar is as good as Ogata's! In comparison, it's a fart!

——As expected of... the unparalleled Ogata Issai...

——How many death battles do you have to go through to have such a scarred body...

——In addition to killing the tyrant in Gennai Matsudaira and breaking Nijo Castle in Kyoto, he must have fought many fierce death battles that I don't know...

Isshiki looked at Ogata, and the emotions contained in it gradually became complicated.

——This is... the best body a true samurai should have...

In Isshiki's eyes, Ogata's bruised body is the body that a swordsman and a samurai should have.

Isshiki has always had an aversion to that kind of samurai with a clean body and no scars.

At this moment, Ogata vaguely noticed that Isshiki behind him seemed to be looking at him, so he turned his head to meet Isshiki's four eyes who were still staring at his scarred back.

"What's wrong?" Ogata asked.

"Ah, it's nothing..." It's very rude to keep staring at others, but Ogata found out about her little gesture, which made Isshiki's pale cheeks turn red with embarrassment, "I This is the first time I saw a person with so many injuries, so I was a little surprised..."

"Hahaha." Ogata chuckled a few times, "I'm sorry, these injuries on my body scared you, right?"

Isshiki shook his head: "No. On the contrary, I think your bruised body is great. I think all samurai should be like you, with countless injuries on their bodies. In my eyes, a samurai with thin skin and tender flesh is not warrior."

"Thank you for the compliment." Ogata smiled, "It's the first time I've heard someone praise my injuries."

"It would be great if all the apprentices in our sword hall are here now." Isshiki continued, "In this way, we can show them what kind of body a real warrior should have."

"You are a little too strong." Ogata said with a helpless smile, "In this peaceful world, there are not many opportunities to use swords and guns. People like me with a lot of injuries are purely different."

Although Ogata and Isshiki only chatted a few words, the awkward atmosphere between the two dissipated a little.

Isshiki's flustered heart was a little calmer now.

——If you think about it carefully... now is a good opportunity.

Isshiki muttered.

——Right now, there are only me and Ogata Ittosai here...

——If I don’t take this opportunity and express myself quickly, I will definitely not be reconciled in the future...

Isshiki made up his mind and took several deep breaths. After calming down, he asked Ogata:

"That, that..."

Ogata: "Huh?"

"Thank you..." Isshiki lowered his head slightly, "Thank you for saving me today..."

Today, when meeting those pirates, if Ogata hadn't appeared in time and helped Isshi block the knife, Isshiki would have been in danger.

"It's okay." Ogata, who knew what Isshiki was thanking, smiled freely, "I just did what I should do."

"I was really deceived by you so badly..."

Having said that, Isshiki couldn't help casting a resentful look at Ogata.

"Your swordsmanship is clearly unparalleled in the world, but you still say that your swordsmanship is mediocre... You must be too modest..."

Having said that, Isshiki paused for a while, then changed to a volume that only she could hear clearly, and murmured in a low voice:

"Hit me...to say such embarrassing things..."

After finishing speaking, Isshiki's face slowly turned a strange red.

Thinking of the scene where Ogata said that he was "average in swordsmanship" on the boat today, Isshiki felt an unknown fire running around in his mind for some reason.

Especially after thinking about what she said to Ogata back then, "Call her when you are in trouble", the unknown fire that ran wild in her mind became more vigorous.

She doesn't hate humble people.

But in her eyes, excessive modesty seemed a bit hypocritical.

Isshiki thought that Ogata would say some polite words to perfunctory her.

But who knows—Ogata said seriously:

"I'm not being humble. I just honestly feel that I'm far from it."

"Huh?" Isshiki cast a surprised look at Ogata.

"I once...entered a wonderful state." Xu Fang showed the color of memory, and said slowly, "I feel that the whole body is integrated with the world."

"Any movement of the surrounding things—whether the falling leaves of the trees or the flying flowers dancing with the breeze, can't escape my eyes and ears."

"Even the way the enemy's bones and muscles move and the direction of blood flow, I can see clearly. Just by looking at the physical condition of the enemy's muscles and bones, I can see through all the enemy's subsequent movements, and then dodge calmly. "

"In that state, to put it bluntly, I felt like I was omnipotent, like a god who controlled the world."

"Because after entering this state, the whole world seems to be transparent and invisible, so one of my seniors named this state 'transparent state'."

"To this day, I haven't been able to fully comprehend the 'transparency realm'."

Having said that, Ogata raised his head and looked up at the ceiling above his head.

"And above the 'transparent realm', are there any new realms that have not been touched yet?"

Ogata shrugged, and changed into a half-joking tone:

"When I think about it, I feel that I'm still far behind. I'm just a frog in a well. In terms of swordsmanship, I might just be a rookie."

"It's a lie..." Yishi said in a daze, "Merge into one body with the world? Is this a lie?"

"I didn't lie to you." Ogata said, "I have entered this wonderful state twice. But until today, I still haven't figured out what the conditions are for entering this state."

If someone else told Yishi that there is such an incredible state, Yishi would definitely think that this person is a liar who can only brag.

However... the person who said such words was the well-known great swordsman Osu Fang Yidao Zhai.

This makes the credibility of these words soaring.

——Transparent realm... In this world, is there such a miraculous state...

Isshi suddenly and unconsciously recalled their apprentices at the Isshiki Sword Academy, as well as the other young heroes of the swordsmanship world she knew.

As the daughter of the Isshiki Sword Academy in Osaka, Isshiki naturally knows many young heroes who are well-known in the fencing world.

Those people she knew who were also learning swords were still thinking about how to hold the sword more tightly, but the man in front of her had reached a level beyond their comprehension, and he still raised his head, looking up above the sky...

Isshiki couldn't help comparing the few heroes he knew who were recognized as "skilled talents" and "swordsmanship geniuses" with Ogata, and Isshiki couldn't help but tighten his lips, and let out a long sigh in his heart. sigh:

——Tomorrow and next year are about the same age...why is there such a big difference...

--Well? !

Isshiki suddenly raised his hand to cover his head.

Because at the moment just now, Isshiki felt his head was dizzy.

And after this sudden dizziness popped up in Isshiki's mind, it didn't dissipate, on the contrary, it tended to become more and more intense.

A thought that made Isshiki's face turn pale again flashed through her mind.

——Am I... dazed? !

*****

*****

Today is a long-lost chapter of nearly 8,000 words. I have nothing to ask for, just ask for a monthly ticket (Leopard Head Crying.jpg)

Ask for a monthly pass! Ask for a monthly pass! Ask for a monthly pass!

By the way: The obi of women's kimono is very wide, and it is usually tied below the chest, not exactly on the waist. I saw in the last chapter that some readers mistakenly thought that Isshiki's Opie hung down to his waist, so I hereby note... If it hangs down to his waist, it would be too scary!