Chapter 121 The Strongest Swordsman
Gen Chisei and Ying hurried down from the Sheqiba family's helicopter. What greeted them was the cold mountain wind and the bleak pine forest. The sound of the wind was mixed with the faint sound of sirens, which seemed particularly ominous.
Yuan Zhisheng's eyes were fixed on the front. He suppressed his inner anxiety and walked quickly towards the old man who had been waiting there.
"What's going on? Did the fierce ghosts take action?" Yuan Zhisheng asked in a deep voice as he walked.
The old man standing in front of him was the head of the Fuma family, one of the five families outside the Snake Eight Families, Fuma Kotaro. He could be said to be a living fossil of the Snake Eight Families. He was nearly a hundred years old, but still vigorous, like an old pine tree that had experienced wind and frost. Fuma Kotaro had a gloomy face, and a hint of hidden anger flashed across his eyes.
"It's not the Fierce Ghost Clan." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying the majesty of years. "Our people reported that the guy only used two wooden swords to knock down all the guards in the detention center, but strangely there were no casualties. If it was the Fierce Ghost Clan, their methods would not be so gentle."
"What's more, the Fierce Ghosts have never launched a large-scale attack on our detention center. At most, they have lured a few people in secret."
Fuma Kotaro's face looked very ugly. The guards of this detention center were all from his Fuma family. This time they were all caught in one fell swoop. This was a great shame and humiliation for him.
Hearing this, Yuan Zhisheng's heart tightened. The guarding force of the Fuma family is one of the best among the Eight Snake Families. The fact that he could knock them all down single-handedly is truly frightening to have such a master.
"Our people also said that the attacker was wearing a black-patterned hakama and the family crest on his back was Sasa Ryōdan." Fuma Kotaro paused, his voice becoming heavier.
Gen Chisei's face darkened. Two wooden swords, black-patterned hakama, Sasa Ryūdou, and superb swordsmanship. It seemed that there was only one person in Tokyo who met these conditions.
"Have you in the Fuma family found out where that guy came from?" This was the biggest doubt in Gen Chisei's heart. It seemed that this Gen Yusuke did not exist in this world at all a few days ago.
Fuma Kotaro shook his head, a trace of helplessness on his face. "No. But what is certain is that he is not an ordinary person. Yesterday, I sent people to Takamagahara to meet with this Minamoto Yusuke, but just before our people arrived, I received a call ordering us not to interfere in the affairs of Takamagahara."
"What? So the family was stopped by a phone call?" Yuan Zhisheng's brows suddenly frowned, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes. He knew the family's style. How could they give up the action because of other people's words or intimidation? They were the gangsters among gangsters.
Fuma Kotaro smiled bitterly and sighed: "Young Master, I'm afraid you don't know much about some of the family's internal affairs. The person who called is called Susan, who can be regarded as a benefactor of our family."
"It's ridiculous to say that our Sheqi Eight Clan's thousand-year-old foundation was not shaken much during the war years, but during the financial bubble in the 90s, the family almost went bankrupt. It was this Susan who lent a hand to the family and provided us with a loan of billion euros over the past years. The family has gradually prospered relying on this huge loan. You can say that she is the biggest creditor of our Sheqi Eight Clan. If we offend her, many of the family's businesses will go bankrupt.
"I see..." Yuan Zhisheng's expression eased a little, but his brows were still furrowed. "So she ordered us not to get close to Takama-ga-hara?"
"Yes." Fuma Kotaro nodded, "Her request is that no one in the family should get close to Minamoto Yusuke within a week, and she will not interfere after a week."
"Young Master." At this time, Sakura handed over the phone. There was a message on the phone that Gen Yusuke would set up a ring at the Meiji Shrine in the next few days to challenge all the kendo masters in Japan. If they could not defeat Gen Yusuke in the next few days, then Gen Yusuke would be called the strongest swordsman in history.
"The strongest swordsman in history... How arrogant." Yuan Zhisheng smiled coldly, with a hint of coldness in his eyes. "Okay, I will go meet him in person in a week."
…………
Almost all the seats in Tokyo Dome were occupied, and the cheers of the audience echoed over the huge stadium like a tide, deafening.
Today is the fifth day of the Kendo Tournament and also the last day. Everyone's attention is focused on this final decisive battle.
"Today's challenger is Takeda Takashi, the representative of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, and this will be the final showdown of the Kendo Tournament!" The host's voice echoed in the Tokyo Dome, instantly triggering a heated response from the audience.
"Gen Yusuke! Gen Yusuke!" In the audience, thunderous cheers rang out one after another. In the past few days, the name Lu Mingfei has completely ignited the entire Japanese kendo world. Even people who are not interested in kendo on weekdays have become crazy about him because of his sudden appearance.
Tokyo Dome has become the focus of the entire Tokyo these days. Lu Mingze directly booked the dome for a week to host the kendo tournament, and even spent a lot of money on advertising on TV and the Internet.
At the same time, the news of Lu Mingfei's victory over the Ten Great Sword Masters of Tokyo spread to all parts of Japan after a few days of communication. Kendo masters from all over Japan went to Tokyo to participate in the Kendo Conference.
This is not only to defend the Japanese kendo, but also to take this opportunity to make their own kendo school famous throughout the world. Everyone has reached a consensus that whoever can stand on this stage to the end will be the strongest swordsman.
As the commotion grew louder and louder, the influence of this kendo tournament far exceeded that of any other sporting event.
The collision between swords makes one's blood boil. This is a duel that cannot be captured in any movie or TV series.
Tickets for the Tokyo Dome became hard to come by, and countless people spent large sums of money to buy tickets from scalpers just to catch a glimpse of the pinnacle of kendo. The Tokyo Dome, which originally had only 55,000 seats, temporarily added 20,000 seats, filling the Tokyo Dome to the brim.
Soon, amid the enthusiastic cheers of the audience, the two men slowly walked towards the ring in the middle of Tokyo Dome.
"Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, Takeda Takashi, please give me your advice!" A sturdy middle-aged man walked to the middle of the ring, stood in position.
He is Menkyo Kaiden of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu. Originally, it was his master who should have come to participate in this duel, but his master was too old, so he could only send him, the next helmsman of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu.
"Shuangtian Ichiryu, Gen Yusuke, please give me your guidance." Lu Mingfei was still wearing the black-patterned fuhaori hakama, holding a wooden sword in each hand, with a calm expression and steady steps.
He has defeated countless kendo masters in the past few days, and many people have been impressed by his strength. His votes have also been rising. Now will be his last kendo duel, and he will win this duel and take a seat in the House of Representatives in one fell swoop.
Inside the Tokyo Dome, the air seemed to freeze, the cheers gradually died down, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the ultimate showdown to begin. The atmosphere on the ring became increasingly tense, and the clash of swords was about to begin.
Takeda Takashi spread his legs slightly apart, holding the real sword firmly in front of him, his eyes as sharp as a knife, as if they could see through every move of Lu Mingfei.
He is the successor of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu and has practiced kendo for decades, but his heart is filled with pressure for this final showdown, but more of it is anticipation.
This young man named Gen Yusuke, relying on two wooden swords, has won several consecutive days and defeated countless kendo masters. His strength has already caused a sensation in the entire kendo world, but as long as he is defeated, all his accumulated reputation will be transferred to himself.
"I won't give up easily." Takeda Takashi muttered to himself, staring closely at Lu Mingfei's hands, trying to find a flaw when he was about to attack.
Lu Mingfei, who was standing opposite, had a calm expression, holding a wooden sword in each hand, his body slightly leaning forward, like a beast ready to pounce.
His eyes were deep, without any emotional fluctuations, only endless calmness. Although the battles in the past few days had made his name resound throughout Japan, his mentality remained calm, as if he was facing an ordinary training session.
"Start!" The referee's command was like a thunder, exploding across the entire ring in an instant.
Takeda Takashi took the lead and kicked his feet hard. His body was like an arrow shot from a bow. The real sword drew a sharp sword light in the air and went straight to Lu Mingfei's head.
This strike was as fast as lightning, with the ferocity and decisiveness of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu's swordsmanship, and he intended to end the battle in a lightning speed, catching Lu Mingfei off guard. However, Lu Mingfei's movements were faster.
He turned his feet slightly, and the wooden sword blocked the sword of Takeda Takashi. The moment the two weapons collided, there was a crisp sound of metal friction, and the light of swords and shadows intertwined on the ring.
Lu Mingfei's hands were as steady as a rock, and his wooden sword flexibly resolved Takeda Takashi's attack, but his indifferent expression seemed to tell the other party that your speed was not enough.
There was an uproar in the audience. People could hardly believe that Takeda Takashi's fierce attack was completely resolved in an instant.
"He actually blocked Takeda Takashi's 'Flash Slash' so easily! This is the unique skill of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu!" Someone exclaimed in the audience. They were the descendants of other schools. They knew Takeda Takashi's strength very well and naturally knew the difficulty of resisting this attack.
Takeda Takashi's brows were tightly furrowed, and his breathing became heavier. The attack just now was already the pinnacle of his kendo skills, but the opponent easily deflected it without even revealing any flaws.
The palms of his hands holding the sword began to sweat slightly, but he couldn't stop. He knew that in this arena, any hesitation would mean failure.
He launched another attack, and the sword flashed towards Lu Mingfei like a violent storm. Every move was accurate and lethal, but Lu Mingfei's reaction was as calm as flowing water. Every time he swung the wooden sword, his movements were simple and efficient, as if he was performing a perfect kendo art.
The fierce duel between the two filled the entire arena with the sound of swords clashing, and the scene of swords and sabers was dazzling. However, Lu Mingfei's calm eyes were always firmly locked on Takeda Takashi's every move, as if he had already seen through his every move and every style.
The audience below the ring had already gone crazy, with screams and shouts coming one after another, almost blowing the roof of the entire Tokyo Dome off.
Every move made by Lu Mingfei drew cheers from the audience, and every defense made by Takeda Takashi hold his breath. The kendo enthusiasts in the audience stared at this thrilling duel intently, and the passion in their hearts had already been completely ignited.
"Gen Yusuke's swordsmanship is so terrifying, he doesn't even take Takeda Ryuji seriously!"
"This is not a match on the same level at all!"
The audience was talking all the time, but Lu Mingfei remained expressionless. He was observing Takeda Takashi's rhythm, waiting for a fatal flaw.
Finally, Takeda Takashi's rhythm was temporarily unbalanced. His breathing became rapid, and the speed of the sword was slightly slower.
At this moment, Lu Mingfei's eyes suddenly changed, and his wooden sword instantly drew an arc and hit Takeda Takashi's wrist with lightning speed.
"boom!"
The real sword in Takeda Takashi's hand was hit by the wooden sword, and the whole sword flew out of his hand, drawing an arc in the air, and finally fell weakly on the ring. At the same time, Lu Mingfei's other wooden sword was already pointing steadily at Takeda Takashi's throat, less than half an inch away.
"I lost..." Takeda Takashi gasped heavily, his eyes full of helplessness and admiration. His body was trembling slightly, but he knew in his heart that the strength of the man in front of him was far beyond his imagination.
Lu Mingfei nodded slightly, put away his wooden sword, turned around and left the ring. He did not have any proud expression on his face. The battle just now was just a daily practice for him.
The whole venue fell into a brief silence, and then the audience burst into deafening cheers and applause. The shouts of "Gen Yusuke! Gen Yusuke!" once again filled the entire Tokyo Dome. At this moment, Lu Mingfei's name was not only a symbol of a kendo master, but also the pinnacle of the entire Japanese kendo world.
Lu Mingze stood backstage, watching the lively scene in front of him with satisfaction. The cheers of the audience continued to echo in the huge Tokyo Dome.
The legend of "Yusuke Gen" gradually grew as he expected, becoming a myth in the hearts of countless people. And all this was just part of his carefully woven plan.
"Boss, we booked the Tokyo Dome this time and put advertisements on major TV stations, spending tens of millions of dollars. We thought we would lose everything, but we didn't expect to make tens of millions from ticket sales alone." Su Enxi walked excitedly behind Lu Mingze, holding a bag of potato chips, with a few potato chip crumbs on the corners of her mouth.
Lu Mingze's eyes were still fixed on Lu Mingfei in the middle of the arena, with a meaningful smile on his face. "The election for the House of Representatives will be over tomorrow." His voice was gentle but with a hint of indifference.
Su Enxi nodded, with a hint of admiration in her eyes. "Well, Lu Mingfei's votes have surpassed most of his competitors, so there is almost no suspense about him winning the seat."
"Very good." Lu Mingze said in a low voice, then slowly turned around and stared at Su Enxi with a sharp light in his eyes.
"But do we really have to declare war on all the gangs in Japan at Lu Mingfei's press conference?" Su Enxi hesitated slightly. She knew what this decision meant.
Once the war is declared openly, it will not be just an ordinary political struggle, but a direct conflict with multiple forces such as the Eight Snake Families and the Fierce Ghost Clan.
Lu Mingze smiled calmly, as if everything was already under control. "Of course, your agreement with the Eight Snake Families expires tomorrow. Since they will come knocking on our door sooner or later, why don't we take the initiative?" He walked to the window and looked at the night view of Tokyo in the distance. Under the bright lights, there were countless undercurrents.
"What are the arrangements for the Meiji Shrine going with?" Lu Mingze asked. His tone remained calm, but every word carried unquestionable power.
Su Enxi immediately straightened up and reported quickly: "We have reserved the Meiji Shrine. Tomorrow, all the masters of the kendo schools will come to witness it. At the same time, we have invited major media and reporters. There will be countless spectators and media to witness this event. This is not only a press conference for Lu Mingfei to take office as a member of the House of Representatives, but also the moment to announce that he has become the 'strongest swordsman'."
Lu Mingze nodded. He was confident about the plan. "Very good. This will be a unique grand performance."
Su Enxi continued, "In addition, we have also reached an agreement with the Ghost Clan. They promised to hold back Yuan Zhisheng and several heads of the Sheqi Eight Clans tomorrow, at least to prevent them from posing a threat to us during the press conference. However, we will have to rely on ourselves to deal with some of the lower-level underworld forces."
"It doesn't matter," Lu Mingze's voice was filled with endless confidence and coldness, "These low-level underworld forces are just stepping stones to pave the way for us. If they want to resist, let them see what real power is." The corners of his mouth rose slightly, and his eyes flashed with a chilling cold light.
"Soon, all the underworld forces in Japan will submit to us, and Lu Mingfei's name will not only be the 'strongest swordsman', he will become the new ruler of this country."
Su Enxi nodded slightly. Although she was still a little uneasy, Lu Mingze's plan had never failed. Every step was carefully planned and every detail was carefully considered.
She knew that tomorrow's press conference would be an unprecedented event, and Lu Mingfei, under the gaze of countless people, would step by step move towards the pinnacle of power.
"Let these gangsters become my brother's stepping stone to the position of Prime Minister of Japan." Lu Mingze whispered to himself, with a hint of cruelty and coldness in his tone.
He looked up at the night sky. The lights of Tokyo were reflected in his deep pupils, like flames burning in the darkness. Behind these flames, there was a bigger conspiracy.
…………
"Young Master, everyone is here!"
"Then let's go and meet that guy named Gen Yusuke."
(End of this chapter)
