"How exactly am I supposed to improve my combat skills?"
Suddenly, Fushimi Kyo's eyes lit up.
The internet in this era was incredibly advanced. Many martial arts schools openly showcased their strength online.
Boxing gyms. Karate dojos. Judo halls.
In order to attract students, they spared no effort countless promotional videos flooded the web.
Kyo pulled out his phone and began searching through various combat-related videos.
But after watching for quite a while, disappointment slowly set in.
The so-called combat tutorials were nothing more than basic offense-and-defense drills.
And their opponents?
All humans.
Whether it was reaction speed, attack patterns, or sheer power, humans were in a completely different league compared to ghouls.
If he trained according to these videos, Kyo could already imagine the outcome
Facing a ghoul like that, he'd die miserably.
"As expected… this method is completely unreliable."
With a frustrated sigh, Kyo put his phone down.
He grabbed the remote from the bedside table and turned on the TV.
Whenever his thoughts hit a dead end, watching TV was his go-to way to relax.
What appeared on the screen made his breath hitch.
It was a movie he loved deeply
Rurouni Kenshin.
The film had reached its climax.
Himura Kenshin was locked in a fierce battle against Enishi Yukishiro.
Their fight was brutal and intense.
On screen, Enishi delivered a powerful kick, sending Kenshin flying backward. Using the momentum, Kenshin twisted midair, gripping his sword with both hands and slashing downward with terrifying force.
Enishi raised his blade horizontally to block
Clang!
The collision sent Enishi crashing to the ground under the overwhelming power.
"Ryūtsuisen!"
The name of the move surfaced clearly in Kyo's mind.
At the same time, the technique itself felt as though it had been etched directly into his brain.
On screen, Enishi struggled to his feet and charged again.
Kenshin drew his sword at godlike speed, attacking nine directions at once.
There was no way to evade.
Enishi was blasted backward, tumbling more than ten meters away.
"Kuzuryūsen…"
Another technique name appeared in Kyo's consciousness.
"GRAAAH!"
Enishi roared and stood up once more, sprinting forward before leaping into the air, slashing down at Kenshin with his blade.
Kenshin calmly sheathed his sword, lowered his stance, and sprinted forward at extreme speed, skimming just above the ground.
At the instant they crossed
Kenshin drew and slashed in a movement beyond human perception.
BOOM!
Enishi spat blood, his body flying like a torn sack, crashing dozens of meters away.
"Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki!"
Yet another technique name surfaced.
"…That's strange."
Kyo stared blankly at the screen.
"These are just movie sword techniques… so why do I remember them so clearly?"
"Why does it feel like I've completely mastered them?"
Murmuring to himself, Kyo summoned the virtual panel.
His personal information had changed.
[Host: Fushimi Kyo
Age: 17
Skills: Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu Sword Techniques (Lv0+)
Body: Initial Enhancement Complete (Lv1)
Inventory: Japanese Katana (1)
Evolution Points: 10
Available Enhancement:
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu Sword Techniques
(Consumes 10 Evolution Points to upgrade to Lv1. Proceed? Yes / No)]
"Holy hell!"
No matter how calm he usually was, Kyo couldn't stop himself from blurting out a curse.
"Learning practical combat techniques was useless…"
"And watching a movie made me master Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu?!"
His brain short-circuited for a moment.
Seeing the '+' sign next to the skill level, Kyo didn't hesitate.
"Upgrade. Enhance!"
At a speed visible to the naked eye, his Evolution Points dropped from 10 to 0.
At the same time, the skill level changed from Lv0 to Lv1.
In an instant, countless sword techniques flooded his mind:
Ryūsōsen.
Doryūsen.
Ryūtsuisen.
Sōryūsen.
Hiryūsen.
Ryūshōsen.
Ryūkansen.
Ryūmeisen.
Kuzuryūsen.
Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki.
Each technique was incomparably clear, as though permanently engraved into his consciousness.
At the same time, Kyo sensed a subtle change in his body.
Before, his strength was purely raw speed and power.
Now, there was coordination.
Precision.
His muscles reacted far faster than before on an entirely different level.
"If I had a sword right now…"
He stopped mid-sentence.
His gaze locked onto the Inventory section
Japanese Katana (1).
With a single thought, a katana materialized in his palm.
His wrist sank slightly.
By rough estimation, the blade weighed over twenty kilograms.
Before the enhancement, he wouldn't have been able to wield it at all.
Now?
It felt perfectly balanced heavy, yet obedient.
The katana measured roughly 110 centimeters in total length, with a long, slightly curved blade of over 70 centimeters and an extended tsuka (hilt) of nearly 30 centimeters, clearly designed for powerful two-handed strikes.
A five-clawed golden dragon was intricately engraved along the saya (scabbard), its form coiling upward as if ready to soar majestic, ancient, and awe-inspiring.
At the kashira of the hilt hung a golden ring, hollowed through the center, within which was set a small golden skull, faintly gleaming with a cold, ominous luster.
The sword hadn't even been drawn yet, and Kyo was already transfixed.
"What a magnificent blade…"
He couldn't help but praise it.
With a sharp pull
Zing!
The blade sang as it left the scabbard, its clear cry echoing through the room.
The snow-bright edge shimmered with chilling light, as if the room's temperature dropped several degrees.
Kyo stared at the sword in a daze.
"In this dangerous world…"
"Stay by my side as I carve out a place of peace through slaughter."
"From today onward "
"Your name is Bloodsong."