Just when Ogata was carefully looking at the red crescent moon engraved on the gun butt, a loud shout suddenly sounded from behind Ogata:

"Hey! You guys can't be sincere when you apologize...Hey! What are you two guys doing?!"

This loud shout made Ogata and Atachi raise their eyebrows.

Looking around, I saw a young man standing at the entrance of the alley, panting.

"Isn't this the Kondo Uchisuke I met today..." Amachi muttered in a low voice at a volume that only he and Ogata could hear clearly.

A-Machi recognized this person at a glance as Kondo Uchizosuke, whom they met by chance after leaving Sengakukan today.

Just when Ogata was about to ask why Kondo came—

"Originally I just wanted to catch up with you and make you apologize more sincerely..."

Kondo said solemnly.

"I didn't expect to see such an incredible scene... Were you two the ones who killed that person?"

A man with blood constantly pouring out of his mouth fell at the feet of Ogata and Atachi - such a scene makes it easy for people to misunderstand that this was Ogata and Atachi's doing.

"We didn't kill this person." Ating said urgently.

"It's hard for me to believe your one-sided words." Kondo said with a stern face, "I'm sorry, you two, please come to the prison with me."

"Someone is suspected of being killed by others - I can't pretend I didn't see something like this happen."

"I'm sorry." Ogata said without thinking, "I'm very busy right now, so I won't accompany you to any shrine."

"...That's it." Kondo seemed to have expected what Ogata would say. He expressionlessly placed his hand on the handle of the katana on his left waist and slowly pulled out his katana.

While assuming a standard mid-level stance, Kondo turned the blade and pointed the back of the blade towards Ogata.

"...A-Machi, please step back a little."

As Ogata spoke, he used his left hand to lift up the Daishiten on his left waist, and then pulled it out of its sheath inch by inch.

At the same time as he pulled out Dai Shiten from the sheath, Ogata also turned the blade, pointed the back of the blade at Kondo, and slowly adjusted his breathing to the "breath of the source".

[Ding! Use "Breath of Source" to temporarily increase reflex nerves by 5 points and improve concentration]

[Current reflex nerve value: 14 points]

[Increased concentration]

As the system tone fell, Ogata instantly felt that the distracting thoughts in his heart became much less.

This is the new ability of "Breath of Source" after reaching advanced level: increasing concentration.

"...If you think about it carefully, this is the first time I have drawn a real sword since I came to Luo."

Kondo suddenly said at this time.

"I went to Luo this time just to test the power of my self-created swordsmanship and to practice myself."

"Stop, I - I'm very strong."

Speaking of this, Kondo's face showed a bit of pride.

"You still have a chance to turn around now and choose to follow me to the monastery."

Ogata turned a deaf ear to Kondo's suggestion and just silently took the middle stance.

"...It seems that the negotiation failed, then - I'm on board!"

After shouting loudly, Kondo quickly ran towards Ogata.

After using step steps to avoid Kondo's two sword moves, Ogata raised his eyebrows slightly.

Katori Shinto-ryu is one of the schools that Ogata is familiar with. After all, when he was in Hirose Domain, he often had conflicts with the disciples of Ishikawa Kenkan who practiced Katori Shinto-ryu.

So Ogata could tell at a glance that the swordsmanship used by Kondo had some shadow of Katori Shinto style.

But it is somewhat different from Katori Shinto style.

Ogata remembered what Kondo had said to him during the day today - he had developed a brand new swordsmanship based on Katori Shinto style, but he had not given his new swordsmanship a name yet. He

The purpose of leaving home this time was to test the practicality of his new swordsmanship.

——Is this the new swordsmanship that Kondo created...

After thinking this secretly in his mind, Ogata narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at Kondo's sword that was swinging towards him.

When Kondo's sword was still about an adult's arm's distance away from Ogata's chest, Ogata's eyes suddenly widened and he swung his sword towards Kondo's sword.

clang!

With a deafening sound of gold and iron clashing together, Ogata's Daishiten and Kondo's Katana collided heavily.

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The sword technique used by Ogata is the "Usagi-ryu" of the Muga Rado-ryu.

The collision of two knives - the winner of this contest was decided in just a moment.

"Well..." Kondo let out a low cry of pain, then took a few steps back holding the knife that was struck back.

Just now, when he used stepping steps to dodge Kondo's first few moves, Ogata had already noticed that although Kondo was relatively strong in stature, he was surprisingly more of a skill-based swordsman than a power-based swordsman.

In terms of strength, Kondo is slightly inferior to Kinoshita Rin.

Ogata didn't hold anything back in the "Blade Counterattack" move just now, and just used all his strength.

In terms of pure strength, Kinoshita Rin is no match for Ogata, let alone Kondo?

Kondo, who had not yet had time to stabilize his body, was covered in flaws. Naturally, Ogata would not miss this great opportunity for a decisive victory.

After seeing that Kondo's body was now broken, Ovo quickly moved closer to Kondo like a shark smelling the smell of blood.

Ogata pressed Kondo's shoulder with his left hand, slipped his feet, and used the enemy-defeating technique in Shiranui-ryu jujutsu, slamming Kondo to the ground.

When Kondo was knocked out of his sight and his grip on the sword unconsciously weakened, Ogata snatched Kondo's katana from his right hand and threw Kondo's katana far away.

[Ding! Use Shiranui-ryu ninjutsu and Shiranui-ryu jujutsu to defeat the enemy]

[Acquire 95 personal experience points and 90 experience points for the Ninjutsu "Shiranui-ryu Ninjutsu"]

[Current personal level of Shiranui-ryu ninjutsu level: Damn..."

Kondo struggled to get up and touched his wakizashi on his left waist.

However - before he could get up, his hand had time to touch the handle of the wakizashi sword on his left waist, and the sharp blade was pressed against his neck.

Ogata put Daishiten's blade against Kondo's neck, and then said softly to Kondo:

"You lost."

"How could it be..." Kondo seemed not to have expected that he would be defeated so quickly. His face turned pale and full of shock, "I was unexpectedly... defeated so quickly..."

"Look carefully."

As Ogata said this, he put Da Shiten back into the scabbard.

"This man bit his tongue and committed suicide. He was not killed by me and my companions."

After that, Ogata dragged the murderer's body, which was lying at his feet, to Kondo's side.

"It's true... he bit his tongue and committed suicide... This guy is really brave..."

While Kondo was muttering like this, Ogata waved to Amachi.

Amachi, who understood what Ogata meant, quickly threw the rifled gun in his hand towards Ogata.

"This guy used this iron cannon to sneak attack the Master Inaba of the Metaphysics Hall, so my companions and I chased him. My companions and I chased him here. When he was desperate, he bit his tongue and committed suicide. Then you chased him.

Come here—that’s the truth.”

"What's going on with this iron cannon...?" Kondo looked at the rifled gun handed over by Ogata with a confused look on his face, "Why is there no match rope?"

"This is the new type of iron cannon of the Nanman people." Amachi said, "The new type of iron cannon of the Nanman people can shoot without a match rope."

"Huh?" Kondo suddenly raised his head and cast his shocked eyes on Atachi, "Take a closer look... isn't this the woman who accompanied Master Tengu today?"

Hearing Kondo's words, Ogata and Atachi both pursed their lips, looking "speechless".

The two of them looked at Kondo, as if Kondo was saying: "Did you just find out?"

——What a simple and honest person...

Ogata thought to himself in his heart.

Although he and Kondo just met today and have not had much friendship until now, but in this brief contact, Ogata has a superficial understanding of Kondo: he is a simple and honest person.

Because I thought his apology was not sincere enough, I followed him all the way without bothering.

It was obvious that A-Machi had been talking to Kondo just now, and the surrounding light was not dim enough to see the face clearly. As a result, it was not until now that he recognized A-Machi...

After recognizing A-Machi, excitement gradually filled Kondo's eyes.

"If she is the woman I met today..." Kondo turned his excited gaze to Ogata, "then, are you the Tengu-sama..."

Before Kondo could finish his sentence, another series of gasps came from the entrance of the alley.

"Huh...huh...huh...huh...I finally...caught up with you..."
To be continued...