I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Twin streaks stretched across the ground as Kiichi Hougen's heels skidded back, her teeth clenched in frustration.

The next moment, the armored figure closed the distance, bringing its katana down in a relentless assault. Kiichi Hougen found herself locked in an intense exchange of attacks and defenses.

If one were to describe the armored figure's initial strikes as a heavy mountain and an unending stream, then the strike that had just sent Kiichi Hougen flying could only be likened to a surging blaze.

Now, the energy before her was that of a swift and violent gale.

This was what truly shocked Kiichi Hougen.

The person before her… could they really wield four distinct sword styles seamlessly in battle?

No, "wielding" wasn't sufficient to capture the astonishment she felt.

What was unfathomable was how effortlessly the armored figure could switch between entirely different sword techniques in the heat of combat.

It was this seamless transition, with vast differences in style, that had caught Kiichi Hougen off guard, resulting in her being sent flying earlier.

When Kiichi Hougen demanded an explanation, all she received was a tempest of even fiercer swordplay. Naturally—her opponent lacked any capacity for communication or dialogue.

"...Tch!"

The sharp winds of the blade grazed her cheek, and Kiichi Hougen clicked her tongue in irritation before breaking into a grin.

"Fine, you got the upper hand for now, but..."

Dodging her opponent's strike, Kiichi Hougen leapt back. As soon as her right foot touched the ground, her figure disappeared entirely.

In the next moment, a streak of white, like a comet, shot straight toward the katana raised by the armored figure.

Clang!

The brilliance dispersed as Kiichi Hougen emerged from the "comet," both hands on her sword, frozen mid-thrust.

Though her strike had been parried, her grin only widened.

Clang!

Another sharp metallic ring echoed as her blade met the armored figure's weapon once more.

The hands gripping the katana trembled slightly, as if the weapon would slip free at any moment.

And then…

Clang!

A third strike.

The force coursing through her sword surged like a triple wave. Even the armored figure couldn't withstand the onslaught, and its body was flung backward uncontrollably.

"Ha! Looks like it's a draw now!"

Seeing the armored figure driven back, Kiichi Hougen smirked with satisfaction.

A single strike containing the power of three blows.

It wasn't the secret sword technique of Okita Souji, Mumyou, Sandanzuki, but it did employ a similar principle.

Although the armored figure had been forced back, it appeared to sustain no real damage.

"Immovable like a mountain, flowing like water, swift as the wind, and aggressive as fire…"

Kiichi Hougen assumed a stance—Okita Souji's trademark Heijo Eyes.

"You… just how many sword techniques do you know?"

To fight Kiichi Hougen to this extent, the skills demonstrated by the armored figure clearly weren't half-baked—they were fully mastered.

But mastering four, or perhaps even more, completely distinct sword styles? That was far more difficult than learning to wield multiple weapons.

After all, different weapons often shared commonalities, like Baji Quan and Liuhe Spear, or Wing Chun and Butterfly Swords.

However, the habits and instincts ingrained by one martial art could become obstacles when learning another. Even if someone managed to learn a second style, they might risk forgetting parts of the first.

It was like learning languages: mastering English after Chinese was harder than starting with English alone. Worse, acquiring proficiency in one language could cause one to forget nuances of the other.

Yet, the armored figure before her had seemingly mastered at least four distinct sword styles, transitioning between them with astonishing fluidity.

It reminded Kiichi Hougen of herself—a practitioner of many arts, some interconnected, others completely unrelated or even contradictory.

But Kiichi Hougen had her longevity to thank for such versatility. After all, she was a thousand-year-old immortal.

For most, learning meant choosing—absorbing only what suited them best while discarding what was difficult or uninteresting.

Was this not what people called "retaining the essence while discarding the dross"?

Her musings ended abruptly.

Feeling her opponent's aura locking onto her again, Kiichi Hougen's gaze sharpened.

This opponent… it seemed like she would need to take them seriously.

Of course, only within the realm of swordsmanship.

After all, Kiichi Hougen prided herself on her Eternally-Peerless Blade A+. To resort to anything other than swordplay would admit inferiority—an insult to her name and pride.

The bold and carefree tengu Kiichi Hougen was strangely fixated on such matters.

---

"Chika! Are you ready?"

"Mhm! I'm ready, Sister Sara!"

Under the tree, Chika held a basket in both hands, struggling to lift her head high.

Above, Sara crouched on a branch, reaching for a dangling lavender melon.

Before long, Chika's basket was brimming with the fruits.

But now it was too heavy for her to carry.

"...Let me take it."

With a slightly helpless expression, Sara took the basket. The one Chika couldn't lift despite straining until her face turned red was easily hoisted by Sara without breaking a sweat.

"Sister Sara, you're amazing!"

"Uh… it's nothing, really."

Sara's cheeks flushed. Having little experience with genuine praise, she seemed unprepared for such earnest compliments.

"Well… if you were to learn martial arts like me, you'd be able to handle things like this with ease."

Sara suddenly recalled how Kiichi Hougen had once taught Chika to sing.

So perhaps she could teach Chika some martial arts too? At the very least, it would help Chika protect herself better.

After all, Chika was Sara's first friend, and she wanted her friend to live a better life.

Come to think of it… maybe Sara could ask her master if Chika could become a disciple as well.

Though she didn't know what had happened to Chika's parents, Sara had already decided: once her master broke the seal, she would bring Chika back to her master's home.

She couldn't just leave Chika alone.

"Martial arts…?"

To Sara's surprise, Chika's expression turned hesitant—almost resistant—when the topic came up.

"Chika… do you not want to learn martial arts?" Sara asked, puzzled. "If you learned, you could fight off those monsters outside, or climb tall trees to pick fruits on your own, and…"

Though she wanted to list more benefits, Sara's mind went blank.

"Do you want to learn?"

---

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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-With love, Nahida 🌱