The gruesome sight of the tiger's corpse made Ryougi Raku feel uneasy. In his previous life, where would he have seen such a disgusting scene? Even if he had, it was only in movies—nothing as shocking as the real thing.
"Very good. Although it's partly due to your own abilities, you were also brave enough to face this tiger head-on. You are qualified to be my disciple!"
"Well, from now on, I will train you rigorously. I hope you can endure it!"
Seeing that this old man had dared to throw his own disciple into a fight with a tiger, Ryougi Raku knew that this old bastard would definitely keep his word and that he was in for a world of suffering. However, the power he had always desired in his previous life was now within reach, as long as he persevered.
"Hmph, who's afraid of who? Bring it on." His eyes burned with a thirst for power.
"Hahaha, kid, you've got guts. I hope you won't cry when the time comes." Aoyama Yaha was very fond of this desire. He laughed, grabbed Ryougi Raku, and in an instant, they had covered a great distance.
…
Aoyama Yaha was the head of the Kyoto Shinmei-ryū. He had been obsessed with swordsmanship since childhood and firmly believed that no matter how many obstacles lay ahead, they could all be cut down with a single sword.
He was also a man of the same character: straightforward, unyielding, and uncompromising. He faced problems head-on, even if it meant death. As the saying goes, "the harder the steel, the easier it breaks." His behavior earned him numerous enemies throughout his life, each of whom he slew with his sword. However, he maintained only a distant connection with the entire Shinmei-ryū. He lived a life without friends, relatives, or acquaintances.
At first, he didn't care, but as he grew older, he began to miss the past. Reflecting on his memories, he realized that he had gained nothing except the sword in his hand.
He didn't even know why he had traveled to this world. There was no Shinmei-ryū here, and nothing he was familiar with. However, this made him abandon his thoughts and prepare to live out his life alone here.
But in the end, fate sent him a promising young man: someone from the same world as himself, gifted and dedicated to the way of the sword. Therefore, Aoyama Yaha accepted him as his disciple, hoping he would inherit his legacy and leave a mark on the world of Shinmei-ryū.
It is said that the elderly hope their descendants can make up for their regrets and reflect on their lives. They are strong and resolute. There is nothing wrong with this, but too much of anything is bad. Aoyama Yaha also reflected on himself.
In Aoyama Yaha's mind, eighty percent firmness and twenty percent flexibility were the right balance. He had high hopes for this first and only disciple he had accepted in his twilight years.
"But your temperament is too soft. Although you are strong at heart, it is still not enough. I hope you can keep your promise and persevere through my training."
Aoyama Yaha believed that Ryougi Raku was from the same world as him because Ryougi Raku had inadvertently mentioned the words "Shinmei-ryū." However, Ryougi Raku was quick-witted and immediately realized that this old man must have also traveled through time. Based on his knowledge, the old man was likely from either "Mahou Sensei Negima" or "The Familiar of Zero."
Then, Ryougi Raku decisively admitted that he too had traveled through time, having heard of the Shinmei-ryū in his previous life, and expressed his admiration and respect for the school. Aoyama Yaha was a straightforward person, not prone to overthinking. Furthermore, the Shinmei-ryū was somewhat well-known in his world, so it was natural for others to know about it. He naturally assumed that this young man came from the same world as him. Combined with the young man's dedication to the way of the sword, it was only natural for him to accept him as his disciple.
To test the boy's temperament, Aoyama Yaha took him to a remote mountain forest, found a tiger, and left him with a long sword, observing Ryougi Raku's actions. Ryougi Raku's decisive reaction—killing without hesitation—greatly satisfied him. Even more surprising was that this disciple possessed an unusual ability.
…
For the next year or so, Aoyama Yaha took Ryougi Raku on a whirlwind adventure: meditating under Niagara Falls to cultivate a calm mind, enduring the unbearable loneliness of the Sahara Desert to channel survival instincts, being thrown into the Amazon jungle to survive, engaging in extreme sports like diving, visiting the polar regions to experience ice and snow, and witnessing volcanic eruptions. He also found time to teach swordsmanship.
The cruelest part was that after Aoyama Yaha learned of Ryougi Raku's ability, he never allowed him to use it to overcome difficulties unless he was truly at his limit.
This inhuman training, in just one year, greatly improved Ryougi Raku's strength, and his abilities became more versatile.
This kind of life was worse than death. Ryougi Raku wanted to give up several times but ultimately gritted his teeth and persevered. Now, when it came to survival skills, Ryougi Raku believed that even Bear Grylls would be inferior to him.
…
A remote forest somewhere in Japan.
"Kid, all of this has been tempering your character. You've suffered greatly, but you've kept your word and never given up halfway. This pleases me greatly." Aoyama Yaha smiled with satisfaction.
After more than a year of trials and tribulations, the biggest change in Ryougi Raku was the resolve that emanated from him. His eyes were firm and resolute, no longer hesitant as before. He was like a seasoned elite soldier.
His body didn't seem to have changed much; he still looked somewhat slender, but his skin remained as fair and tender as a girl's, as if the wind and sun of the past year were all an illusion.
Ryougi Raku was quite satisfied with this; it was better than becoming muscular, dark-skinned, and covered in calluses. The fact that he could maintain his figure was a pleasant surprise.
"Kid, now that your mental training is complete, I should have started your swordsmanship training. I don't know what you did in your past life, but you're so naturally gifted in swordsmanship that you've mastered everything I've taught you in just your spare time." Aoyama Yaha exclaimed in admiration, utterly astonished by this boy's incredible talent. It had taken him a lifetime to reach this level of swordsmanship, but this kid had mastered it all in less than a year, leaving him feeling completely helpless.
"But I still can't beat you, old man!" Ryougi Raku said discontentedly.
"You little brat! I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice! If I were defeated by my own disciple, where would my reputation as a master be?" Aoyama Yaha roared, then paused. "Don't belittle yourself. At first, you couldn't even withstand a single blow from me, but now you can fight me for three hundred rounds. All you lack is experience. And experience is something you can only gain yourself. I can't teach you that."
"Next, kid, since you've learned all the sword techniques of my Shinmei-ryū, I will teach you the final move. This is the culmination of everything I've learned in my life." Aoyama Yaha seemed lost in thought as he spoke meaningfully.
"Oh? I didn't expect you, old man, to still have a secret move. Then teach me quickly!" Ryougi Raku's eyes flashed, and he spoke impatiently.
Indeed, Ryougi Raku had relied on his own abilities to master the swordsmanship of Shinmei-ryū. In addition, he often sparred with his master. Although it wasn't a life-and-death struggle, training with such a great swordsmanship master had made him much less green than before.
Facing Ryougi Raku's urging, Aoyama Yaha did not respond directly. Instead, he stared at him and said, word by word, "Kid, do you dare to kill someone?"
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Kamogamo Shrine is one of Kyoto's oldest shrines. Originally the clan shrine of the Kamo clan, a powerful family in ancient Kyoto, the Kamo clan's ancestor, Kamo no Yasunori, was the teacher of the renowned onmyōji Abe no Seimei. His eldest son, Kamo no Tadayuki, was Abe no Seimei's lifelong rival.
Such a famous and long-standing family, even though it has declined in modern times, remains a major power and holds a prominent position in Japan's demon-hunting organizations.
Kamogamo Shrine serves as the family's headquarters, and its current patriarch, Kamo no Meihin, resides here.
The shrine covers a large area and is a historical site open to tourists free of charge.
Ryougi Raku strolled leisurely inside the shrine like a tourist, showing disdain for the gods enshrined there, such as Tamayorihime-no-Mikoto and Kamo Takeetsu-no-Mikoto, while releasing his hostility and murderous intent without any concealment!
…
At the same time, deep within Kamogamo Shrine, in a secluded hall not open to the public.
A figure knelt on the ground as if in prayer, while another attended to him. These two were the current patriarch of the Kamo family, Kamo no Meihin, and his disciple, Nagata Teppei.
"Master, what is this hostility?" Feeling the unknown hostility, Teppei Nagata asked Kamo no Meihin.
"Don't pay attention to it for now, Teppei," Kamo no Meihin said lightly.
"But... this hostility is so directed at the shrine. Could it be..." Seeing Kamo no Meihin so indifferent, Teppei Nagata worriedly said.
"Hmph, don't worry, Teppei. I can sense that the one releasing the hostility is a 'human,' not some demon or monster. He is so blatant; he might just be some country bumpkin who doesn't know his place." With a cold snort, Kamo no Meihin spoke disdainfully.
If the other party were truly a monster, they would have attacked without warning, and the Kamo family would have dealt with it directly. If someone wanted to harm the Kamo family, they wouldn't have announced their arrival so casually. It was more likely they would have planned secretly and launched a covert surprise attack.
"It seems they understand some of the rules. They're just showing hostility, not coming straight for us... Teppei, go prepare the repellent barrier. Since they're not making a move during the day, they probably don't want to be seen by ordinary people. I'm sure they'll come for us at night."
"Yes, Master. I'll prepare it right away." Seeing his teacher so calm and composed, completely unconcerned with the hostility and even having a plan, Teppei Nagata breathed a sigh of relief, secretly laughing at his own overthinking. While the Kamo family had declined somewhat, a lean camel was still bigger than a horse. With so many years of inheritance, they must have some hidden tricks. Furthermore, they had a good relationship with the government and no major feuds. Who would be so bored as to attack them?
Seeing his disciple about to leave, Kamo no Meihin suddenly felt a pang of anxiety and hurriedly stopped him. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "It's better to be cautious. It's possible that this is a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, to distract us. Hmm... Teppei, tell the rest of the family not to go out at night. Although the possibility of this being a conspiracy against the Kamo family is very low, it's still good to be safe..."
Seeing the teacher, who had always been so proud, suddenly become so cautious, Teppei Nagata opened his mouth but only said, "Yes," though he secretly laughed at his teacher. He had just told him not to worry but had suddenly become so timid.
But he had to obey his teacher's words, so Teppei Nagata saluted and turned to prepare.
After speaking, Kamo no Meihin felt a wave of regret. As the patriarch of the Kamo family, he was openly powerful and influential, with countless businessmen and politicians fawning over him. Secretly, as the leader of a demon-hunting organization, he possessed Yin-Yang techniques unmatched by ordinary people. He considered himself infinitely superior to ordinary people and usually acted with aloofness. So, why would he be so troubled by such a small act of hostility? He pondered it but couldn't figure it out, so he ignored it and secretly prepared to face this unexpected guest that night.
…
After releasing his hostility, Ryougi Raku left the place on his own. His mission was complete, so there was no need to stay under anyone's watchful eye. Ryougi Raku had initially been interested in the shrine itself. As a Chinese in his previous life, he had never been abroad, so he was somewhat fascinated by the mysterious shrines of Japan. However, after visiting, he felt they were just so-so. He didn't believe in the eight million gods here, so staying would be boring.
Thinking about the eight million gods, Ryougi Raku secretly felt a headache. He really didn't know how these gods had come to be.
With money in his pocket, he wasn't worried and continued to wander around Kyoto, openly admiring young and beautiful girls. His thoughts gradually drifted to what his master had said not long ago.