The cherry blossom trees had shed their flowers, leaving behind only dried and yellow leaves. With the gentle morning breeze, leaves rained down from the tree like a golden shower.

  Mr. Okita raised his cheeks and took a deep breath, savoring the taste of nostalgia showered upon him by the ecstatic environment. He opened his eyes, telling Zhang Heng, “My sensei is the leader of Tennen Rishin-ryū, and his name is Kondo Shūsuke. When he was nineteen, he acquired the Mekyo Kaiden. After that, he came to Kyoto with his Kondo Isami. Both of them joined the Shinsengumi at the same time. We participated in the assassination of the former director Serizawa Kami, Hikujiro Uchiyama, and the subsequent Ikedaya Operation. Other than that, we’ve completed many major and minor missions too. I don’t remember how many people I killed, but my swordsmanship got getting better and better. Six months ago in Gion, we fought side by side. But if you treat me the same, I’m afraid you will lose the battle……”


  Okita Soki paused, “.……I had nothing to do when I was sick. Each day, I could only think about all kinds of nonsense to relieve the pain. Among those things were thoughts about my swordsmanship. I almost re-enacted all the previous battles I had been through, and I looked for ways to overcome my weaknesses and improve my skills. It took a long time for me to recuperate. So I’m not lying. I am indeed in the best state of mind and body.”


  “It just so happens that I have been busy improving myself recently,” replied Zhang Heng with a nod. “It seems we can verify each other’s gains in this friendly match.”


  “Indeed.”


  Okita Soki said no more, raised the wooden katana in his hand and made a move. Instantly, his whole temperament changed. Without the dread that plagued him, Okita Soki was radiating with life force and vitality. Nobody would have ever thought he was seriously ill just moments ago. If Kirino Toshiaki was like a tiger from the mountains, the current Okita Soki was like the bright moon hanging in the dark night.

  He tossed his shadow into the river, and it looked like it was reachable.

  “Be careful, Mr. Abe.” Okita Soki placed the wooden katana at his side, and at the same time, he began to move. He was as light as a butterfly that flew amongst the flowers, dashed toward Zhang Heng in a blink of an eye. The only thing that was faster than him was the wooden katana in his hand.

  Zhang Heng, on the other hand, remained still and did nothing about the incoming attack. However, his eyes never stopped following Soki’s hands. When the wooden katana struck, Zhang Heng quickly caught the katana in a steady move.

  But the next moment, Zhang Heng let out a sigh, and Okita Soki’s wooden katana disappeared from his vision. A second later, it reappeared again, and it landed accurately on the back of Zhang Heng’s sword.

  With Zhang Heng’s sword pinned down, Okita Soki did not waste this rare opportunity and stabbed his opponent’s chest with all his might. Zhang Heng still managed to remain calm in this dangerous situation—the time he spent on the ship during the Black Sail quest helped him survive the attack. When the wooden katana struck at him, Zhang Heng turned sideways and dodged the attack.

  This was just the beginning.

  Okita Soki took the opportunity and bludgeoned Zhang Heng non-stop like his life depended on it. Every strike that he landed was better than the last. The fallen leaves on the ground whipped up each time he swung the wooden katana, like an orchestra perfectly synced and composed.

  Zhang Heng knew that Okita Soki was not lying earlier. There were indeed significant improvements in his skills compared to when he met him at Gion that night. If Kirino Toshiaki stood before him now, it was likely that he would not be able to survive more than 20 moves, considering his horrible physical condition at the moment.

  Zhang Heng was very curious about how this top samurai would turn out if he did not die so young. What could he achieve afterward? Unfortunately, no one would know the answer. Thank goodness, though, two other people were able to witness the last dance of this peerless master at the end of his life.

  Akane Koyama held her breath from the first moment Zhang Heng and Okita Soki fought. Since she was a katana practitioner, nothing in this world could be more exciting than the battle brewing before her.

  Zhang Heng and Okita Sokie were perhaps the strongest swordsmen at that time. This friendly battle that they had could be considered as the battle of the era. Though they were slugging it out in her small courtyard, it was a breathtaking sight to her. It wasn’t until years later that Akane Koyama became a master. Whenever she recalled this battle, she knew she had learned a lot from it.

  After the battle at Gion, Zhang Heng had almost forgotten what it felt like to be pressured by others during a fight.

  Could this be the gap between different talents?

  While he was challenging the dojos in Kyoto, Okita Soki caught up with his skills secretly. No one knew what kind of epiphany he gained when his illness tormented him. Now, the two were standing on the same line again. The most enjoyable thing in this world was to compete with someone as good as you.

  Without expressing themselves with words, Zhang Heng and Okita Soki could feel each other’s thoughts. Soki’s eyes lit up like stars in the night sky, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards, revealing the long-lost innocent, hearty smile. Meanwhile, Zhang Heng closed his eyes, clearly recalling the cultivation mantra Akane Koyama told him earlier. And he thought it was useless. As of now, Zhang Heng entered his zone. Although his eyes were closed, his other four senses had become unprecedentedly sharp and sensitive. Okita Soki’s movements were predicted, and his attacks were all blocked by Zhang Heng. Unbeknownst to her, tears fell from Akane Koyama’s eyes. After witnessing the battle, the most moving scene she had ever witnessed, she saw that both sides had a common goal of pursuing what they deemed to be beautiful. She could see that Zhang Heng and Okita Soki were giving it their very all. It was especially true for Okita Soki. Like a moth flying toward the flames of a candle, he couldn’t stop himself, fighting with every last labored breath he had. He fought even if it meant certain death.

  Zhang Heng had also forgotten that he was seeking a breakthrough in his swordsmanship. He was so focused on the battle he did not even hear the system notifications. All he could think of was to defend against Okita Soki’s next attack. His sweat started to evaporate, turning into a steamy cloud as the intense battle raged on. However, a few seconds later, his powerful momentum disappeared without any warning. The heavens and earth returned to silence again, leaving only a vast expanse of land, cleansed, as if there was nothing. It was at that time; Zhang Heng knew the traces of Okita Soki in this world would remain in this world forever. When he opened his eyes, he saw Akane Koyama was crying.