My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 142 - 86: Gaining Three Talents in a Row: Skillful Hands, Healthy Tongue, Iron Waist

Because they were wearing armor and using bamboo swords that don’t easily hurt, even a solid hit from Mr. Kondo’s thrust didn’t cause Aoto any pain.

After glancing at the spot where he’d been struck, Aoto put down his bamboo sword and offered a wry smile to Mr. Kondo:

"Sigh... I still can’t keep up with your sword, Mr. Kondo..."

"Mr. Tachibana, I’m the one who should be sighing." Kondo also put down his sword at this moment, showing a wry smile like Aoto’s, "Your rate of progress... it’s fast enough to make me feel psychologically unbalanced."

"Compared to a month ago, when you just joined our Shiwei Hall, your movements and strength are worlds apart."

Upon hearing Kondo’s praise, Aoto smiled and then said in a half-joking tone:

"It’s all thanks to that chaotic death match with the ’Radical Anti-foreigner Faction’ before. It gave me a lot of experience."

As the saying goes: Actual combat is the best training.

Practicing a thousand times against a dummy is not as beneficial as sparring once against a living person.

During that "Snowy Night Chaos," Aoto first charged left and right with Saito through the enemy ranks, and then engaged in a deadly duel with Mogami Shofu where even a moment of distraction could mean death...

Aoto possesses a "swordsmanship talent amplification that is 50 times the average level of a person." After going through such intense battles, the nutrients Aoto absorbed under the blessing of being a "Sword Genius"... were enough to leave Aoto amazed.

These days, while practicing swordsmanship at the Shiwei Hall, Aoto clearly felt — his strength had soared like never before.

Aoto felt that the current him could easily trounce the self of a month ago, who had just crossed over to this era.

After experiencing a fierce death match, his strength had received such an exaggerated boost... Aoto couldn’t help but think: If he were to engage in these life-and-death battles ten or eight more times, would he quickly become a Great Sword Hero in no time?

"Hahaha." Kondo laughed, "Mr. Tachibana, your talent... is indeed enviable, just like Captain Toshisuke’s."

"How about it? Mr. Tachibana, want to keep practicing?"

"Of course!" Aoto mounted his bamboo sword in front of him again, getting into position, "Come on, Mr. Kondo, let’s continue!"

"Nice momentum." Kondo widened his big mouth, then, like Aoto, got his sword ready again.

...

...

While Aoto was energetically engaging in "night training" with Kondo—

In one street in Edo—

"Gulp... more drinks... I want... a few more cups..."

"You’re speaking nonsense already, and still want more drinks..."

"I’m not... talking... nonsense...! *hiccup* Ugh...!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Don’t puke!"

A young man, still somewhat conscious, supported a severely drunken man beside him, as they staggered, inch by inch, forward.

"Who says I’m drunk...? I can still drink... still drink...!"

"Alright, alright." The young man spoke in a comforting tone, like coaxing a child, soothing his completely drunk friend, "You’re not drunk, you’re not drunk. Just follow me obediently, go back to your home, and once you’re there, you’ll have new drinks to enjoy."

"Really...?" *hiccup*...!"

"Of course it’s true. Once you’re back home, you can drink as much as you want."

Peppered by the young man’s coaxing, the drunkard calmed down considerably, allowing himself to be supported home without further resistance.

At this moment—Ahead of them, a young Samurai with a sword at his waist and a young woman walked toward them side by side.

Upon hearing the footsteps coming from the front, both the young man and the drunkard raised their heads to look forward.

Upon seeing the pair of man and woman, they each displayed completely different expressions.

The young man showed a look of astonishment, studying the pair with a look of surprise.

Meanwhile, the drunkard simply stared blankly... transfixed by the woman in the pair as if he’d lost his soul.

The couple’s stride was quick; in a mere moment, they brushed past the young man and the drunkard.

Even after crossing paths, the drunkard remained in a wakened state, foolishly staring at the woman’s figure until it was out of sight.

"Ichiro... that girl was so beautiful..." The drunkard murmured to the young man supporting him.

"Ha..." The young man chuckled softly, "Shiro, don’t you recognize that pair of man and woman?"

"Huh...? Don’t recognize... Who were those two just now...?" The drunkard asked in confusion.

The young man turned his head to glance at the pair who had now walked a little distance:

"Ah... It’s normal you don’t recognize, given unlike me, you don’t work at the Tea House next to the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, and can’t see Little Chiba Sword Dojo people every day."

"That pair of man and woman are the famous siblings from the Little Chiba Sword Dojo: Chiba Shigetarou and Chiba Sonako."

The drunkard showed no interest nor concern about Little Chiba Sword Dojo or Chiba Shigetarou — his interest was solely in the woman.

"Chiba... Sonako...?" The drunkard let out a lewd laugh, "Hehehe... what a beauty to match a beautiful name..."

The drunkard turned his head once more, reluctantly watching the woman’s figure fade from his line of sight.

"She’s so beautiful... It’s the first time I’ve seen such a pretty beauty... far more beautiful than those girls at Yutian House..."

The young man could not hold back his smile: "Of course. Ms. Chiba Sonako is ’Chiba Ghost Komachi,’ ’Edo’s First Beauty,’ how could the courtesans from Flower Street compare?"

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Even though today doesn’t reach ten thousand words, it’s almost 7000 words!

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