Published: July 4, 2025
However, the first action taken by Marie Cloche was quite peculiar.
She sheathed the sword she called "Kotetsu" once again.
Then she placed it back at her waist.
With the koi mouth cut, she bent her knees and lowered her waist, adopting a forward-leaning stance.
Holding the sheath with her left hand, her right hand barely touched the hilt...
"Could it be... the sword drawing technique?"
Ryo muttered.
The sword drawing technique, or iaido.
Even when looking at the whole world, it is a technique that almost exclusively exists with Japanese swords.
"There are people who say that iaido isn't fast, but that's only because they don't understand the structure of folded arms and the mobility of the wrist, which leads to such statements."
To put it bluntly, it's fast.
Ryo was surprised but quickly calmed his mind.
As usual, he assumed the seigan stance.
Under no circumstances would Ryo adopt the stance of sword drawing technique.
Engaging in sword drawing with a tachi would be reckless... or rather, impossible with Murakumo...
Ryo noticed that Marie's aura began to change once she took the stance of iaido.
It felt like it was gradually becoming deeper and more intense.
The atmosphere around them shifted...
Zashu.
Ryo's abdomen was slashed in a single stroke.
He jumped back in a hurry, but it was too late.
However, this was not the end!
The sword drawing technique consists of a set that includes the next attack.
Kakin.
Ryo received Marie's downward slash.
That was a reaction possible because he knew the coordination of the second strike from the sword drawing technique.
However...
Kakin kakin kakin kakin...
Marie unleashed a series of consecutive strikes.
Contrary to the single slash of sword drawing, she aggressively pressed on with power and speed.
Ryo endured.
(A series of consecutive strikes combining power and speed, not to mention the characteristics of a Japanese sword!)
The characteristics of a Japanese sword lie in cutting and thrusting.
It cannot cut by merely pressing the sword; it has to either pull or push.
Each of Marie's strikes was capable of executing that.
And there was the thrust from a slightly retracted position after the crosswise cut.
This thrust incorporated into the consecutive strikes was surprisingly troublesome.
However, this was Ryo.
Unlike the initial sword drawing, he began to show an impenetrable defense.
After blocking all her consecutive strikes, Marie jumped back to create some distance.
"Impressive, Ryo."
Marie praised him.
But Ryo couldn't respond.
He had no leisure to answer.
It had only been five minutes since the sword fight began.
Despite only having crossed swords about twenty times.
The wound on his abdomen from the initial sword drawing had stopped bleeding.
He had formed an ice membrane to halt the blood flow.
Of course, he couldn't sustain a long fight.
He exhaled deeply.
As a result, he ended up inhaling deeply.
An involuntary establishment of deep breathing.
"Alright. Let's speak with our swords, shall we?"
Marie said as she once again sheathed "Kotetsu".
It would have been nice if Ryo could have taken the opportunity to strike, but... that was, of course, impossible.
The severity of his physical damage wasn't that great.
The reason it was impossible was that Marie had already set up her counterattack stance.
If he were to jump into Marie's range, he would literally be cut down in this situation.
The way she bent her knees and lowered her waist was merely a transition from defense to offense.
There was no opening there.
Ryo once again assumed the seigan stance.
His half-open eyes were now fully closed.
Marie executed a godspeed step, the sound of slicing air became delayed.
The ultra-fast sword drawing was impossible to catch with the eye.
Kakin.
But Ryo's Murakumo received it.
He stepped forward as if to fall forward and countered with a crosswise slice.
That ensured Marie would not give him a second strike.
Marie jumped back once again to create distance.
"I can't believe you can even react to iaido."
That was a reaction that surpassed mere admiration and entered the realm of astonishment.