On the outskirts of Akame Castle in the Land of Iron.
A violent snowstorm swept across the wilderness, reducing visibility to less than ten meters and turning the world into a chaotic, blinding white.
Howling winds whipped the thick snow on the ground into short-lived, twisting snow dragons.
Yet, within this raging curtain of nature, the jarring sound of clashing metal stubbornly pierced through the howling storm!
Clang! Crash! Bang!
The sounds of intense weapon collisions—sometimes sharp, sometimes muffled, sometimes explosive—tore through the wind and snow with incredible power and rhythm.
Suddenly!
BANG!!!!
An exceptionally heavy crash exploded, sounding like a massive sledgehammer slamming into a solid iron anvil!
A towering, heavily built figure stumbled backward from the center of the clash, his feet plowing two deep trenches through the snow before the swirling white curtain swallowed him up.
However, Yagyu Souichirou—who had just knocked his opponent back with a single swing of his staff—didn't look relaxed in the slightest. Instead, his expression grew even graver.
The heavy iron staff in his hands hung slightly low, vibrating with a distinct, high-frequency hum.
That clash just now... his physical strength feels even heavier and more condensed than our last fight!
Before he could think further, a booming, energetic—even ecstatic—shout rang out from the swirling snow like a beating war drum:
"Heh!"
"My blood is boiling! I'm going in!"
The instant the words fell, the blizzard ahead seemed to be violently pushed aside by an invisible force!
A tall, muscular figure burst out of the snow. The weapon in his hands was no longer his usual katana, but an ancient, savage-looking, exceptionally thick and wide black halberd!
The massive halberd blade caught the snowy light, reflecting a chilling gleam. Carrying an unstoppable aura, he raised it high with his right hand—like swinging a mountain-cleaving axe—and brought it crashing down toward Yagyu Souichirou in the most brutal, direct trajectory possible!
Even before the halberd struck, the terrifying wind pressure carrying the weight of his descent and his full-body strength viciously flattened and parted the snow beneath him!
Yagyu Souichirou's pupils shrank. Not daring to be the slightest bit careless, he exhaled sharply. The muscles in his arms bulged, his feet shattered the snow beneath them, and he swung his heavy iron staff upward in a fierce counterattack!
"Come!"
CLANG!!!
The sound of this collision was on an entirely different level than any before! It wasn't the crisp ring of clashing metal; it sounded more like two solid, iron-plated siege rams slamming into each other at full speed!
BOOM!
A visible, ring-shaped shockwave—mixing surging chakra with ripples of pure physical force—exploded outward from the two of them. It instantly vaporized and shattered the snow within a dozen meters, exposing the frozen earth beneath, which immediately cracked like a spiderweb!
In the next instant, Yagyu Souichirou let out a muffled grunt. The blood rushed to his face. The bones in his arms holding the staff transmitted a clear, numb vibration. Unable to hold his ground, he was pushed steadily backward by the majestic force of the crashing halberd!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
His heavy footsteps left a string of deep craters in the snow. He was forced back over ten meters before finally managing to stabilize himself.
He snapped his head up, looking at the tall figure becoming clear again in the snowstorm, his heart filled with shock and suspicion.
This guy... it's only been a few months, yet his raw physical strength has grown this much?!
The person fighting Yagyu Souichirou was, of course, Isshin.
Ever since he had received official recognition from the Akame Castle Swordsmanship Association and became Master Isshin, his behavior had been a bit strange at first. He didn't open a dojo or accept disciples. Instead, he spent his days wandering the city like a lion patrolling its territory, practicing his sword in public.
But at least he had quieted down and stopped causing major incidents.
However, Yagyu Souichirou's peaceful days didn't last long.
Soon after, using the excuse of "taking the strengths of a hundred schools and gathering the techniques of a thousand to perfect my Ashina Style," Isshin began visiting every other dojo in Akame Castle, big or small, actively requesting to exchange pointers.
His methods were clean and decisive. He usually settled the match in two or three exchanges. While he didn't injure anyone, he caused many dojo masters to completely lose face.
For a time, complaints flooded the city. Grievances and whining flew onto Yagyu Souichirou's desk like snowflakes, annoying the Association President to no end.
He eventually had to speak with Isshin personally, warning him that as an Association-recognized master, he needed to consider his influence, maintain unity within Akame Castle's sword community, and stop acting so recklessly.
Perhaps Isshin was somewhat convinced by the talk. But the more likely reason was that he had already fought almost every dojo in Akame Castle and run out of fresh opponents.
Consequently, the boy rapidly expanded his area of operation, using Akame Castle as a starting point and radiating outward to the surrounding towns and cities.
In just a few short months, almost every somewhat famous dojo and renowned swordsman in the areas surrounding Akame Castle had been visited by this tall youth—who carried a katana, rested a halberd on his shoulder, and bluntly asked for guidance the moment he walked through the door.
The nearby sword community was thrown into chaos. Letters of complaint and protest flew toward the Akame Castle Swordsmanship Association in an even thicker blizzard, pointing straight at Yagyu Souichirou: He's from your Association! You have to control him!
Finally, after receiving yet another batch of aggressively worded joint letters, Yagyu Souichirou couldn't take it anymore. He sought out Isshin directly, his face dark, and barked, "Are you really that addicted to fighting? You can't sit still for a second? Since you want to fight so badly, instead of causing trouble everywhere else, just come find me!"
And that was what led to this intense scene in the middle of a blizzard outside Akame Castle.
Meanwhile, in the distance, atop a hill covered in thick snow.
A travel-stained boy wrapped in a tattered winter cloak was lying prone in the snow, watching the scene unfold.
He held his breath, not even daring to blink despite the frost forming on his eyelashes. His eyes were wide, staring fixedly at the two superhuman figures clashing in the wilderness below.
It was Motoya Yamagami.
Ever since he had traveled north alone from the Land of Hot Water, crossed the Land of Rice Paddies, and entered the Land of Iron—a nation famous for its bitter cold and steel—he had been desperately asking for information along the way, searching for any possible path to gain strength.
Very quickly, one name had been repeatedly whispered into his ears: Ashina Style Isshin.
Rumor had it that this young sword master was challenging people all over the southeastern region, stirring up storms wherever he went. He was insanely strong and acted without restraint.
Upon learning that Isshin was connected to Akame Castle, Motoya had pushed past his exhaustion and rushed in this direction.
He had just crossed the final snowy mountain, with the silhouette of Akame Castle already in sight. He never expected that before he even entered the city, he would stumble upon such a breathtaking scene in the wilderness!
The two men fighting below were shattering the earth and tearing the snow apart with every movement. Their clashing weapons sounded like thunder. Just watching from the sidelines, the shockwaves of their power and their nearly tangible auras made his heart pound so hard he could barely breathe.
He gritted his teeth, his fingernails digging into the freezing snow, indescribable shock surging through his heart.