"Fall down for me!"
The heavy sword blade seemed to be wrapped in some kind of talisman paper. Enhanced by the talisman, faint flashes of lightning actually began to flicker along the blade.
After a brief assessment, Teppei realized this was not something he could block.
He rolled awkwardly across the seashore sand, barely managing to dodge the attack.
"One strike is all it takes!"
The warrior clad in tight attire, his face concealed behind an oni mask, saw that his first strike had missed and immediately pursued Teppei, swinging his blade down without mercy.
"Kairagi"—that was his alias.
So-called Kairagi were essentially warriors who had turned to banditry.
Some might be deserters, others might simply be martial artists with no way out, and there were even some former "Allogenes" who had lost their Visions due to the Vision Hunt Decree and resorted to this method to vent their frustrations.
Compared to the Nobushi, the Kairagi possessed far more refined swordsmanship and were adept at using talismans crafted through the long-lost "Kamuna art" techniques from centuries ago to imbue their blades with elemental power.
Both their skill and sheer ferocity sent chills down Teppei's spine whenever he faced them.
He had witnessed the swordsmanship of Mr. Himura—a technique so fast it reached the extreme, one that could make you "die once" without even feeling pain.
Mr. Himura called it the "Godspeed Iaido."
If he could master the Godspeed Iaido, even without a Vision, he could traverse the entire continent of Teyvat.
Unlike Mr. Himura's swordsmanship, the Kairagi's technique was like a towering mountain. Perhaps the swings weren't as fast, but the crushing momentum, like a landslide, could suffocate a person.
Still, Bai Luo's training had proven somewhat effective. In the past... against a Kairagi like this, he wouldn't even have been able to move.
Now, at least he could dodge while dealing some damage in return.
To him, this was already significant progress.
"Still not ruthless enough, Teppei."
The Kairagi had originally intended to quickly finish off this Resistance-looking fellow, but unexpectedly, another voice sounded from the side.
He immediately raised his tachi and turned toward the source.
"One more opponent makes no difference!"
The man leaned against a rock, holding a skewer of grilled Unagi Eel, his crimson robes glaringly conspicuous under the reflection of the seawater.
Logically, such bright attire should have been noticeable from the start.
Yet, bizarrely, he only became aware of the man's presence after he spoke.
"Another Battousai imitator? How utterly dull!"
Roaming near Watatsumi Island, the Kairagi had encountered countless ronin.
Aside from those who, like him, had willingly sunk into depravity, many wore this distinctive red-robed attire.
But so far, none of the so-called "Battousai" he had met had been able to withstand a single strike from him.
"Then, sir, would you care to try blocking this one strike of mine?"
After devouring the grilled Unagi Eel skewered on a stick, Bai Luo freed his right hand and rested it on the hilt of his reverse-blade sword.
"Child's play!"
The Kairagi assumed a defensive stance, eyeing Bai Luo with cautious gravity.
Having lurked in Inazuma for so long, he knew exactly whom to provoke and whom to avoid.
This red-clad ronin before him seemed like the most ordinary of ordinary people, yet an instinctive sense of danger made him completely disregard Teppei behind him and focus entirely on his opponent.
Bai Luo leaned forward slightly, adopting an iaido stance the Kairagi had never seen before.
"Clang—"
A flash of steel—by the time the Kairagi registered it, Bai Luo had already leaped high, twisting his waist and pivoting his foot to deliver a vicious downward strike at the Kairagi's forehead.
"Crack—"
The Kairagi's tachi, inscribed with talismanic seals, was cleanly severed by Bai Luo's blade, and the reverse-blade landed squarely on his face.
Bai Luo's "Dragon Hammer Flash" might not have been a true killing blow, but it was still far more than a mere Kairagi could withstand.
Even the oni mask covering his face shattered into pieces under the reverse-blade.
"You... you're Battousai!"
The broken sword slipped from his grip, embedding itself into the sand.
Blood streaming from his forehead nearly blinded him.
Now, the Kairagi finally understood—this red-robed ronin was no cheap imitator, but the genuine Battousai.
Bai Luo gave him no time to recover. After executing the Dragon Hammer Flash, he immediately followed up with a "Dragon Soar Flash."
Gripping the hilt with both hands, Bai Luo swung upward, striking the Kairagi's chin.
What seemed like a light upward slash sent the towering Kairagi flying, crashing into the shoreline, lifeless.
Two moves—just two moves—and the once-ferocious Kairagi was utterly defeated.
His heavy armor made him nearly impossible to knock back or stagger—unfortunately for him, he had encountered Bai Luo, an anomaly whose system could even immobilize a god for a second, let alone a mere bandit warrior.
Flicking the blood from the tip of his blade, Bai Luo sheathed his reverse-blade sword.
The reverse-blade couldn't kill—neither humans nor humanoid monsters.
But that only applied to normal attacks.
If skills were used, those struck would still meet their end.
"Mr. Himura."
After confirming the Kairagi's demise, Teppei, clutching the standard-issue tachi he had obtained from the logistics division, stood beside Lyro, awaiting reprimand.
This had become routine for him lately.
"You did well. Keep it up next time."
To his surprise, Bai Luo didn't scold him—he even offered praise.
But before Teppei could celebrate, Bai Luo's next admonishment arrived.
"However, as I said earlier, you still lack ruthlessness in your strikes. Had I not been here today, it would be you lying there instead."
"I understand."
Teppei scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though the joy on his face was unmistakable.
"Go rest. The ship should arrive soon."
"Mm."
After sending Teppei off, Bai Luo stood at the water's edge, gazing distantly toward Yashiori Island.
A vast expanse of sea separated Watatsumi Island from Yashiori.
Mist rose from the water's surface, obscuring the distant island in a hazy silhouette.
The island appeared lush and vibrant, with occasional traces of structures visible, yet the ominous dark clouds looming overhead cast an unsettling aura.
According to Sangonomiya Kokomi, ever since the ward suppressing the Tatarigami was destroyed, an unending storm had shrouded Yashiori Island, showing no signs of relenting.
This was likely one of the consequences of the ward's destruction.
Beyond the pressure of public opinion, the relentless clouds and torrential rains alone must have taken a toll on the Resistance.
No wonder the poor little fish had been so desperate to beg for his help. At this rate, the Resistance would collapse sooner or later.
But Bai Luo wasn't in any position to condemn whoever had destroyed the ward.
If he recalled correctly, his good buddy Scaramouche had just passed through here on his way to Watatsumi Island when the ward was sabotaged.
Even if he hadn't done it personally, it was probably part of his scheme.
Heh. Just after parting ways, he was about to cause trouble for his old pal again.
Should he go ask for his opinion?