The moment the sound fell, the swirling snowstorm ahead seemed to be violently pushed aside by an invisible force!
A tall and robust figure emerged from the snow, his weapon no longer the common katana, but an ancient-looking, savage, and extraordinarily heavy black halberd!
The massive blade reflected a cold gleam in the snowy light. With unmatched momentum, he raised it high with his right hand, as if swinging a mountain-splitting battle axe, and brought it crashing down toward Yanagyu Soichiro's position in the most domineering, most direct trajectory possible!
Before the halberd even arrived, the terrifying wind pressure, carrying the force of the fall and the power of the whole body, had already crushed and pushed aside a large area of snow below!
Soichiro Yagyu's pupils contracted slightly. He dared not be negligent in the slightest. He exhaled and shouted, his arm muscles bulging. He shattered the snow pit with his feet and fiercely met the attack with his dark iron rod from bottom to top!
"Come!"
"Clang!!"
This time, the sound of the collision far surpassed any before! It was no longer the crisp clash of metal, but more like two solid battering rams colliding with full force!
Boom!
A visible ring of air, accompanied by surging chakra, suddenly exploded outwards from the two of them, instantly clearing away and shattering the snow and wind within a radius of tens of meters, even exposing the frozen ground and revealing fine, spiderweb-like cracks!
The next moment, Soichiro Yagyu groaned, his face flushed red, and a clear tingling and trembling sensation came from the bones of his arms holding the iron rod. He could no longer stand still and was pushed backward by the immense force of the giant halberd falling down!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The heavy footsteps left a series of deep craters in the snow, and it wasn't until he had retreated more than ten meters away that he finally regained his footing.
He looked up abruptly, gazing at the tall figure that had become clear again in the wind and snow, his heart filled with surprise and uncertainty.
This guy, after just a few months, has increased his strength so much?!
The one who fought against Soichiro Yagyu was naturally Isshin.
Since the day he was officially recognized by the Akazonae City Swordsmanship Association and became an instructor of the Ashina style, his behavior had been peculiar: he did not open a dojo or take disciples; instead, he wandered the city like a lion patrolling its territory while practicing his swordsmanship in public.
But at least things have calmed down, and no more major incidents have occurred.
However, Soichiro Yagyu's peaceful days did not last long.
Soon, this guy began visiting all the dojos, big and small, in Akazonae City, under the pretext of drawing on the strengths of a hundred dojos, gathering the techniques of a thousand paths, and perfecting my Ashina-style swordsmanship. This fellow began visiting other dojos throughout the Akazonae City one by one, proactively requesting sparring exchanges.
In no time, complaints arose throughout the city, and all sorts of complaints and grievances flew to President Soichiro Yagyu's desk like snowflakes, causing him great annoyance.
He had to personally speak with Isshin, warning him that, as an instructor recognized by the association, he needed to be mindful of his influence, maintain the unity of the swordsmanship community in Akazonae City, and avoid acting so recklessly.
Perhaps he was somewhat persuaded, but the more likely reason is that he has already sparred with most of the dojos in Akazonae City, leaving him with no new opponents.
As a result, this guy's range of activities expanded rapidly, starting from Akazonae City and radiating outwards to other surrounding towns.
In just a few months, almost every slightly famous dojo and Master Swordsman in the area surrounding Akazonae City in the Land of Iron had been visited by this tall young man who carried a sword and a halberd and would come to ask for instruction.
The surrounding swordsmanship community was thrown into turmoil by him, with letters of complaint and protest flying in like snowflakes to the Akazonae City Swordsmanship Association, all aimed at Soichiro Yagyu: "You are the president of the Akazonae City Swordsmanship Association, so you have to take care of him!"
Finally, after another batch of strongly worded joint letters arrived, Soichiro Yagyu could no longer tolerate it. He went directly to Isshin and said with a dark expression, "Are you so battle-hungry? Can't you stay still for a moment? Since you want to fight so badly, instead of causing trouble everywhere, why don't you come directly at me!"
Thus, this intense scene unfolded outside Akazonae City, amidst the wind and snow.
In the distance, atop a hillside covered in thick snow.
A travel-worn boy, wearing a tattered cloak for warmth, was lying prone in the snow, watching the scene before him.
He held his breath, not even bothering to blink as frost formed on his eyelashes, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the two inhuman figures in the wilderness below and their confrontation.
It was Yamagami Genya.
Since traveling alone north from the Land of Hot Water, through the Land of Rice Paddies, and into the Land of Iron, known for its harsh cold and steel, he had been eagerly inquiring about news and searching for any possible way to gain strength.
Soon, a name kept coming to his ears: Isshin and his Ashina Style.
Rumor has it that this young Master Swordsman travels all over the southeast region, stirring up trouble and displaying formidable strength and reckless behavior.
Upon learning that it was related to Akazonae City, Genya Yamagami disregarded his fatigue and rushed in that direction.
He crossed the last snow-capped mountain, and the outline of Akazonae City was already in sight. However, he never expected that before he even entered the city, he would encounter such a thrilling scene in the wilderness!
The two combatants moved with such force that snow seemed to melt, and the ground cracked with every move they made. The sound of their weapons clashing was like thunder.
Just watching them made his heart pound and his breath catch in his throat, as he witnessed the lingering power and the almost tangible aura they exuded.
He gritted his teeth, his nails digging into the cold snow, his heart churning with an indescribable shock.
Inside the arena.
Suppressing the surging blood in his chest, Soichiro Yagyu looked at the boy not far away who stood tall in the wind and snow, holding a katana upside down in one hand and a heavy halberd on his shoulder in the other, his eyes burning with fighting spirit, seemingly unaware of fatigue.
He slowly exhaled a breath of white air and gripped the dark iron rod in his hand again.
"President, are you alright?"
Isshin put down the halberd from his shoulder, slamming it heavily into the snow with a dull thud.
This menacing and ferocious halberd was a product of his advancement to Master Swordsman and his understanding of the principles of armed combat.
Since the occupation clearly states that mastering other weapons can also achieve twice the result with half the effort, he has no reason not to make use of them.
Who knows, it might even generate some new talents in the future?
For example, weapon masters, martial saints, and so on.
Moreover, the Isshin, who was given the title of Sword Saint, demonstrated a combat aesthetic that was not bound by any particular weapon. He could use any weapon at will, and he used not only swords but also a halberd.
So he asked the city lord, Takeda Nobutsuna, to mobilize skilled craftsmen to forge this halberd.