"Damn woman, just why are you so strong?"
Over three hundred years ago, on the day Akaza had just defeated the previous Upper Rank Three and been promoted to the new Upper Rank Three, he finally couldn't help but ask this question he had buried in his heart for so long.
For Akaza, Mitsuba was a special existence.
She was annoying. Clearly they had no blood relation whatsoever, yet for some reason she had to manage him all day, control his demon life, sticking to him like dog skin plaster that couldn't be shaken off.
Akaza wanted to resist, yet completely couldn't resist.
Because while she was very annoying, she was also strong.
And it was that kind of strength he fundamentally couldn't defeat.
Akaza once thought that as long as he kept working hard, he would surely catch up to this damn woman someday.
But after this Upper Rank meeting, Akaza gradually realized this was an impossible matter.
This woman's strength had already reached a degree he couldn't see through at all. The gap between the two of them was like a mayfly looking up at the blue sky.
So Akaza felt very confused.
This damn woman was only a hundred years older than him, how could she be so much stronger than him?
This wasn't scientific.
Akaza truly wanted to know the secret within this.
If he could know the secret of how this damn woman became strong, perhaps he could also...
"Oh, this..."
In the dark night, lying on a tree branch nearby, swinging her legs while reading a novel, Mitsuba heard this without turning her head, casually saying:
"Of course it's because I was born this powerful~"
"I'm asking you very seriously!!"
Akaza nearly exploded with anger.
What do you mean born this strong, if you're going to brush me off at least find a better reason?!
Seemingly finally noticing Akaza's serious attitude, on the tree branch, Mitsuba finally sat up.
She looked down at Akaza practicing his fists below, smiling as she teased:
"Oh my oh my~ what's wrong with our little Hakuji?
Not secretly flipping through your martial arts books behind my back, so why come ask me?
What~ finally realized that your Big Sister Mitsuba is the number one peak of martial dao in this world?"
"Forget it if you won't say it!"
Completely red with anger, the thin-skinned Akaza turned to leave in shame and fury.
As expected! This damn woman! His brain must be broken to think of asking her!
"There there~ I was joking~ I'll tell you~"
At this moment, Mitsuba suddenly smiled and waved her hand, calling Akaza back. She seriously said:
"This is actually because I've already stepped into the supreme realm of martial dao."
"Supreme realm?"
At this name he had never heard before, Akaza's expression showed confusion.
"Yes, this is the representative of martial dao's peak—a transparent world.
When a person decides to execute a technique, first, his lungs will begin to expand greatly.
Second, his blood will flow along blood vessels, surging toward a specific location in large amounts, thereby driving changes in body muscle tissue and bones, and achieving the final result of executing the technique.
But under normal circumstances, these changes are all hidden beneath our skin, unable to be directly observed.
So Hakuji, think about it—if there was such an ability that could let you know every detail of these changes in your enemy's body.
Then couldn't you establish an enormous advantage over him in battle?
And this, is Transparent World."
After seriously finishing her explanation, Mitsuba raised her head and patted her own chest, speaking with slight pride:
"Your Big Sister Mitsuba is one of only two existences in this world who have reached this realm! How about it, isn't that amazing?"
"Then, then what must be done to reach this realm?"
Not paying attention to Mitsuba's self-boasting, Akaza hurriedly asked.
He didn't doubt the truth of Mitsuba's words at all, because Mitsuba's strength that made him unable to even see her back was the best proof of her words.
"How to reach it? Hmm..."
Hearing this, Mitsuba instead lowered her head, falling into deep thought.
"Wh-what's wrong? Is there some problem?"
"Ah, I was thinking—just how should I explain the method to open Transparent World in language that little Hakuji can understand..."
"Hah? What's so difficult about that? Just directly tell me the process of how you opened it back then!"
Akaza expressed that he didn't understand this.
Honestly, though he couldn't compare to this talent monster before him, Akaza still had some confidence in his own talent.
He believed that as long as he knew clearly about Mitsuba's experience opening Transparent World back then, with his talent, he could definitely explore and enter that supreme realm himself.
But in the next second, he wasn't confident anymore.
"Eh? Me back then..."
Mitsuba suddenly raised her hand to scratch her head upon hearing this, somewhat embarrassedly saying:
"Actually I didn't do anything back then, I just wanted to open it, so I practiced a bit at night, then it opened..."
...Huh?
Looking up at Mitsuba sitting in the tree, face full of bashfulness, Akaza stood frozen in place, expression blank, nearly petrified.
What did this damn woman just say?
What does it mean I wanted to open it, so I practiced a bit and it opened?
Is this still human language? Or is this damn woman actually playing some word random arrangement mini-game?
Speaking of which, are the two of them really talking about the same topic right now?
"Sigh, I knew it..."
Looking down at Akaza with vacant eyes, Mitsuba helplessly sighed.
She thought hard, after racking her brains, using that stumbling tone, seriously explaining:
"Ahem! The details I'm not too clear how to say, but in short, first you must temper your martial arts to some kind of peak, have certain understanding and comprehension of martial dao—this point Hakuji you're doing very well right now.
Then the most important point is to restrain your own battle aura.
Gather battle aura back into yourself, open your five senses, start from feeling yourself first. When you feel you know every slightest detail of your own body like the palm of your hand, then bit by bit feel the outside world.
At this time, you will gradually feel that the world around you begins to become transparent... roughly like this."
After speaking, Mitsuba looked at Akaza listening seriously, then said:
"So, on this latter point, Hakuji you've actually already gone wrong right now.
Though your Blood Demon Art is convenient to use, its existence is actually also blocking your path to the supreme realm.
You shouldn't rely too much on the perception and convenience it provides you, but should more try to rely on yourself to perceive enemies, understand?"