Chapter 7 Sparring

This time, the location is once again the Meiji Restoration period. The captain this time is Kashuu Kiyomitsu, who has been to this era before, so Kanshu is relatively at ease.

She stood in the corridor, looking at the swordsmen already dressed in their finest attire outside the courtyard.

"I still have some matters to attend to. Although I can't accompany you this time, I can sense your condition. If the enemy is beyond your capabilities, return immediately and don't be reckless."

Thinking of a certain strong-willed member of the Shinsengumi, Hanshu worried that his sword might have inherited this trait, and added a special comment while looking at Kashuu Kiyomitsu.

"Anyone who tries to be reckless will have to stay in the citadel for the next month and will not be allowed to go on missions."

Although the detected strength of the Time Travel Army was not strong, Han Zhou still equipped them with golden swords and golden protective charms.

"Have a safe journey, I'll be waiting for you to come back for dinner." Han Zhou didn't say "May your military fortune prosper," because this wasn't her hometown; she was just traveling through. And so, she left a few traces in the long river of history.

That's all.

After watching them leave, Han Zhou was just about to return to his office when he heard the crisp sound of wooden swords clashing together.

So she abandoned the office documents and went to see who was sparring. The sparring area in the citadel was large, with various wooden swords displayed on a wooden shelf, each corresponding to the physical form of a sword spirit.

As soon as he reached the door, he saw the Genji brothers sparring, while Yagen watched from the sidelines. The nimble short sword, skilled in reconnaissance, had already noticed them the moment Hanshu arrived at the door.

She watched Higekiri and Hizamaru sparring; their swordsmanship bore some resemblance to her own.

It wasn't too surprising, after all, it was a knife she used before.

"Master~ How about a match?" Higekiri stopped what he was doing and looked at Hanzhou with a smile. A hint of anticipation flickered in his beautiful golden cat eyes.

After all, being able to spar with their former master was something they wouldn't even dare to dream of. They all knew that Han Zhou was no ordinary person, but they didn't delve into his identity. They wanted to wait for Han Zhou to tell them himself.

Upon hearing Higekiri's invitation, Kanshu nodded slightly without refusing. Just as he was about to reach for another wooden sword from the sword rack, Hizamaru presented the wooden sword he was holding with both hands.

Taking the wooden sword from Hizamaru, she walked up to Higekiri. Higekiri and Hizamaru, seeing Kanshu holding the sword in his right hand, instinctively swung it a couple of times to test its feel. This familiar gesture brought smiles to their faces.

Yagen noticed this but didn't ask anything. This kind of small gesture was probably a habit the general had when using Higekiri and Hizamaru, who were still swords.

Han Zhou held his sword in one hand, calmly looking at Higekiri before him. After confirming Higekiri was ready, he vanished from his spot with a powerful leap.

Wow, so fast!

The Yagen, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but be shocked.

Hanshu knew that the tachi's mobility was relatively poor, so he controlled the speed to a level that Higekiri could barely react to.

BOOM!

Upon hearing the unusual whistling sound beside him, Higekiri immediately raised his sword to defend himself. Hanshu was not surprised by this; instead, he increased the force of his grip.

Hanshu, standing at a towering 185cm, easily overpowered Higekiri, who was only 178cm. Knowing he couldn't overcome Hanshu's strength, Higekiri abandoned any attempt at a direct confrontation.

He tilted the wooden sword in his hand, and seizing the moment Han's center of gravity shifted, he immediately freed the sword from his oppressive position, then retreated to look for another opportunity.

This familiar method made Han Zhou look up at Higekiri. Truly, he was worthy of being her sword. Being countered by her own technique for the first time—this feeling was truly novel.

But she wouldn't give Higekiri a chance to attack, and Hanshu retreated.

This is a preparatory move; in actual combat, there certainly won't be such a long wind-up. It's just to make it clearer for Higekiri.

Snap—

A strange whistling sound arose, followed by a crisp "thud"—the sound of a wooden sword being knocked away.

Higekiri's wooden sword was caught by Hizamaru.

He glanced at his hand, which was trembling slightly from the shock, and chuckled softly.

"You really don't hold back at all!"

You don't need it.

Han Zhou placed the wooden sword back on the sword rack without turning his head, thus missing the shocked expression on Higekiri's face.

Showing mercy is a term used to describe the weak, but Higekiri, whether as a sword spirit or as her sword, is not what is meant by "weak."

Higekiri knew all the techniques she used very well; even the slowed-down movements just now allowed him to learn a lot.

After a short workout, she returned to her office. She frowned as she looked at the documents; most of them concerned time distortion, a small portion about tsukumogami (spirits of the dead). There was also a reply regarding her replacement of Kitsunenosuke.

The new Kitsune-no-Suke will arrive at the citadel tomorrow.

Hanzhou read a book about the Meiji Restoration period in his office for a while, then prepared to leave. He bumped right into Yagen, who was about to knock on the door.

......

Higekiri and Kanshu each had a cup of tea, while Yagen and Hizamaru carefully refilled their cups. She gazed at the scenery in the courtyard, took a sip of tea, and couldn't help but sigh.

"After traveling for so long, it's definitely time to find a place to rest."

"Is the Admiral always traveling?" Yagen asked with some curiosity.

Han Zhou nodded and calmly recounted some events from his travels.

Of course, most of them are interesting, little-known stories, especially those about monsters. Most people today don't believe in ghosts and monsters, but they actually exist.

It's just that some people can't see it.

"Those without spiritual power cannot see monsters," Han Zhou explained to them.

Speaking of yokai, the three sword spirits present couldn't help but recall the yokai they had slain.

"So, why do demons keep targeting the head of the family?" Higekiri turned to look at Kanshu, asking with a curious expression. After all, Kanshu had slain a great many demons.

This also led to his legendary status as a demon-slaying sword.

"Those who possess spiritual power can see ghosts and monsters. For ghosts and monsters, consuming them is a great tonic."

That statement is correct, but it doesn't apply to Han Zhou. Because she was able to control her power from leaking out early on, she naturally wouldn't attract any demons.

It wasn't her who attracted the monster, but something she carried with her. Although it's no longer with her now.

Han Zhou wore blue teardrop-shaped earrings, which swayed with her movements, always radiating a dazzling light.

The three sword spirits gazed at the earrings, simultaneously falling into thought. After all, when Han Zhou possessed them, these teardrop-shaped earrings were already on his ears.

It remains perfectly preserved and has never been replaced even after a thousand years, which shows how much Hanzhou cherishes it.

Yagen thought to himself, "These earrings must have a special meaning for the Admiral." Then he saw the glowing time converter in the courtyard.

A flash of golden light, and the troops returned.

As soon as Kashuu Kiyomitsu and his group landed, they saw Kanshu holding a teacup and several other colleagues.

Welcome back

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