"I have a question, why is the old man so hostile towards me?"
Feeling locked onto by the Sword Saint's sharp, hawk-like gaze, Chun Hei's scalp tingled.
It seemed that softening him with love and responsibility, or even his favorite浊酒 (zhuó jiǔ - turbid wine), was impossible.
"I must make Ashina great again."
Blood-red steam fiercely billowed from Genichiro's neck, and Isshin, in his prime, radiating battle aura, gradually revealed his true might.
"Therefore, Wolf..."
Isshin, wielding his sword with one hand, swung it through the air and coldly declared, "I will cut you down."
The aura of the strong was utterly oppressive, an invisible pressure that made Chun Hei unable to open his eyes.
Compared to the reserved and steady Isshin in his old age, Isshin in his prime was sharp and flamboyant. The hideous scar on his left eye, not yet weathered by time, added a touch of ferocity.
Hiss!
Chun Hei couldn't help but gasp.
To be honest, it was the first time he had faced a powerful enemy and, from the bottom of his heart, felt incapable of victory, even entertaining thoughts of retreating.
This pressure was indescribable, as if the very air around him was being compressed to the point of non-existence, causing his breathing to become rapid.
Even when facing the awe-inspiring Divine Dragon at the beginning of the game, he hadn't felt this way.
His blood boiled uncontrollably, his heart rate suddenly accelerated, and the surge of adrenaline even caused his fingers to tremble slightly.
The psychological pressure had even produced physiological reactions; what kind of absurd thing was this?
The viewers in the first-person perspective couldn't see Chun Hei's pale face, but they could feel his nervousness from his rapid breathing.
'Such strong pressure!'
'The Sword Saint's muscles are slowly condensing, getting stronger and stronger!'
'My impression of Isshin in his prime is still stuck on the scene where he stepped on toes.'
'Isshin in his prime's understanding of swordsmanship is very... how to put it? As long as it can take the enemy's life, any move is the most deadly sword technique. Perhaps he has more tricks than the Armored Warrior.'
'Regarding the streamer's question, this is how I understand it: the Prince wants to sever immortality, Genichiro wants to save Ashina, and Isshin in his prime was summoned through immortality. Therefore, if Wolf wants to continue severing immortality, he must fight Isshin in his prime. Only the survivor has the right to fulfill their respective missions.'
'Yes, this explanation is quite reasonable.'
...
Through the explanations from various viewers, Chun Hei's doubts were mostly answered.
Isshin in his prime was summoned by Genichiro through a blood sacrifice with the mortal blade. To completely sever immortality, Isshin had to return to where he belonged.
Dong dong dong!!!
The violent drumbeats shook the heavens and earth, and the fervent atmosphere in the battlefield gradually surged.
"Come, Wolf!"
Without giving Chun Hei much time to think, Isshin, having recovered his prime state, immediately launched an attack on Wolf, his desire to attack at an unprecedented high.
Clang clang!!
Simple collision sounds echoed, and Chun Hei was forced to retreat step by step by the immense power of Isshin in his prime, which was like a deep abyss and a soaring rainbow.
This power!
It was the same kind of power disparity he faced when he first encountered Genichiro as a beginner.
"Continue, Wolf!"
Isshin barely retreated half a step. After sheathing his sword, he immediately struck, giving Chun Hei no chance to counterattack.
Clang clang clang!!!
Chun Hei could only barely parry with his sword, and more and more cuts appeared on his body.
Each swing of the Sword Saint's blade was accompanied by visible waves of energy. The intersecting arcs of sword qi cleaved the reeds several yards behind Chun Hei into two, with clean and smooth cuts.
Unknowingly, a battle area with ample space had been cleared.
"Come on!"
"I'm not afraid of you!!"
Chun Hei roared, veins bulging on his neck.
Although intimidated by the Sword Saint's sharp sword qi, this man who dared to challenge the strong never lost his fighting spirit.
"Yahahaaaa!!!"
As if to bolster his courage or gather his strength, Chun Hei shouted at the top of his lungs, charging at Isshin as if heading to his doom.
Clang clang—*pth*—Clang!!
*Pth*!!
Clang—!!
The sounds of clashing steel were interspersed with the sounds of swords piercing flesh, forming a strangely harmonious rhythm in the dark night.
[Scum]
Amidst this one-sided, peculiar rhythm, Chun Hei met his first defeat.
"Hoo~~"
He let out a long sigh, as if death was the only true release.
Once engaged in combat with the Sword Saint, the sword qi relentlessly climbed onto Chun Hei's body like a maggot, and that torment was agonizing.
Only now did he begin to understand the pressure endured by players in the Shura path.
This pressure, to be honest, was nothing like the "designer's pity" setting that was so evident in the Armored Warrior.
When fighting Isshin, if his guard was maxed out, he would immediately execute a finishing move; this was his sword dao.
He would not let any opportunity to kill his enemy pass during combat.
Such a person was terrifying, especially when you were his enemy.
If such a person seized an opportunity, survival was almost impossible.
This was the terror of Isshin in his prime.
The most absurd thing was that this wasn't the most terrifying part.
Clang clang clang!!!
As the battle intensified, the sounds of clashing steel echoing through the reeds became more frequent, resonating especially profoundly and soulfully under the lightning-streaked night sky!
With each death, Chun Hei's understanding of the Sword Saint and the Ashina style of swordsmanship deepened.
The Sword Saint with three health bars symbolized three different stages.
The first stage was no different from Isshin in his old age; he only used the mortal blade, and his moves were standard Ashina techniques.
However, the swordsmanship displayed by Isshin in his prime was entirely different from that of Chun Hei himself.
Isshin in his prime's movements were exceptionally elegant and refined, swift as the wind, and his momentum was overwhelming.
Each move was condensed and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
It was the embodiment of the true philosophy, "Hesitation leads to defeat," taken to its deepest essence, shedding the mundane to reveal the fundamental.
Chun Hei had watched many strategy videos in his free time, and he had some insights into Isshin's old age combat style.
But lacking the experience of the Shura path, it was mostly theoretical.
In actual combat, Isshin in his prime, with his perfected swordsmanship, truly taught him a lesson.
The rapid deaths in a short period made even the viewers feel a pang of pain, with gifts pouring in and comments skyrocketing.
'Isshin at his peak, nothing less!'
'If you can't win, call your parents, Genichiro.'
'Isshin in his prime doesn't look as immortal and refined as Isshin in his old age; he lacks the Sword Saint's charm.'
'But he seems to have many more ways to torment players than Isshin in his old age.'
...
(It's time, uploading first. I'll add the remaining few hundred words while uploading, please refresh.)
(Although these three chapters were also completed within three hours, I felt particularly inspired today. The battle scenes made me feel a surge of excitement!)