"I'm in the Dragon Clan, what the heck is the Naruto Counterattack System?"

[Option 1: Refuse (Reward: Ninjutsu Branch - Rank B - Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, which involves spitting water from the mouth or using the water environment to condense water from a lake into a water dragon to attack the enemy.)]

[Option 2: Accept the Challenge (Reward: Taijutsu Branch - Rank B - Konoha-ryu Swordsmanship: Willow, a hand seal-less technique combining illusion and swordsmanship, disappearing into the leaves dancing in the wind while binding the enemy; a deadly move capable of killing in one strike.)]

This was the first time Qi Xiuyuan had seen a system for the mentally challenged that didn't waste words, simply offering two choices: "refuse" and "accept the challenge."

"Why?" He looked at the serious-looking old man in front of him, still smiling jokingly, and said, "Does the teacher have some kind of grudge against me?"

"No." The old man simply shook his head. "You can refuse, but..."

I hope you can accept this.

The old man's tone even carried a hint of pleading, and Qi Xiuyuan couldn't help but recall what the old man had said before.

Qi Xiuyuan first met Chu Zihang in this kendo class, but he actually came to the Children's Palace intending to enroll in the vocal music class.

He didn't expect to arrive too late. Popular classes like vocal music and martial arts were already full, leaving only the least popular kendo class. In the end, to avoid making a wasted trip, Qi Xiuyuan had no choice but to reluctantly enroll in the kendo class.

Who would have thought that this old man speaking with a thick local accent would be Japanese?

Moreover, he is a miserly person who is extremely stingy and unwilling to part with a single penny.

Even the graduation gift for the kendo class was a bootleg Jedi lightsaber from Star Wars, with two AA batteries in the hilt. When you pressed a button, it would light up and play the Star Wars theme song.

Although he always joked around and seemed to never consider himself their teacher, Qi Xiuyuan had to admit that his teaching ability was actually outstanding.

Moreover, not only him and Chu Zihang, but also anyone who signed up for the kendo class, Old Man Yuan taught them everything he knew.

Unfortunately, he didn't teach fancy moves, but real swordsmanship. Learning this kind of swordsmanship requires perseverance and determination, but most importantly, it requires talent.

As Mr. Yuan once said, he had learned almost all the sword styles of Japan today. He spent ten years in China to learn ancient Chinese swordsmanship. In a sense, he should be considered a "swordsmanship expert".

During these ten years, he not only studied, but also tried to find talented students.

"My teacher was a sword saint at the time, but he lost to a Chinese swordsman. So he stubbornly believed that Japanese ancient swordsmanship was inferior to Chinese ancient swordsmanship, and that he was just a so-called mediocre person."

"He even broke his own sword and vowed never to touch a sword again in his life."

"I was too young to understand his words, and even presumptuously said that I would avenge my teacher."

"But my teacher said that I have very poor talent in kendo, and that I am destined not to go far on this path. Even if I dedicate my whole life to learning, I will still end up like him, defeated by those who are born with talent."

"So, I came to find the person he spoke of as a born genius."

Qi Xiuyuan and Chu Zihang are the students with the most talent for swordsmanship that he has discovered so far, they are like two uncut gems.

When he heard this, Qi Xiuyuan thought he was joking again.

But now, I hear him talking about "the battle between the mediocre and the born."

Thinking back, when the old man was teaching swordsmanship to himself and Chu Zihang, he would intentionally or unintentionally impart some Chinese and Japanese swordsmanship concepts separately...

Qi Xiuyuan finally understood what the old man's purpose was.

He taught him ancient Chinese swordsmanship, and Chu Zihang ancient Japanese swordsmanship, just to see who was stronger between the two born individuals who possessed different swordsmanship philosophies.

If Chu Zihang wins, he will be free from his obsession; if Qi Xiuyuan wins, he will step forward and challenge him to a duel.

This is simply to verify whether the efforts of mediocre people are truly no match for talent.

"..."

Looking at the old man's face, etched with the marks of time, the deep wrinkles resembling unmarked monuments, Qi Xiuyuan suddenly felt a pang of pity for him.

The outcome of his single match with Chu Zihang cannot represent the winner between Chinese and Japanese ancient swordsmanship; in fact, both of them are only novice practitioners.

It was only because he had mastered both body and mind, and greatly enhanced his strength and mental abilities, that he was able to defeat him so easily.

Or perhaps the old man knew it in his heart, but as he himself said.

On the path of kendo, the cruel passage of time will not stop for anyone.

As he progressed, his companions gradually drifted away. Some had to drop out due to a lack of talent, some were forced to leave due to family reasons, and some realized they lacked the talent to become teachers...

He could no longer remember how many companions he had personally seen off. Only when he stopped and looked back did he realize that he was all alone on this road, and even the teacher who had once rejected him had passed away.

One by one, his companions bid him farewell with tears streaming down their faces, including his deceased teacher. They all said the same thing to him:

"Yuan-kun, please, include mine as well."

The entrustment and expectations of countless people are like shoulder straps. They may seem weightless, but the countless hopes wrapped around them feel heavier than Mount Tai.

In the quiet of every night, those heavy entrustments, carrying the weight of the past half of his life, would press down on him, making it hard for him to breathe, like a curse, almost blinding him, binding him tightly so that he could not move.

Therefore, he left his hometown for more than ten years, took up his teacher's obsession, and lived for it.

He has waited too long.

He is old.

He could even sense that his time was coming to an end.

If I cannot let go of my obsession today, I will only be able to die with regrets in a foreign land.

"..."

Qi Xiuyuan slowly closed his eyes, the smile on his face gradually fading away. He sighed and then opened his eyes.

"I understand, teacher."

[You have met Maruboshi Kosuke's expectations. Reward: Taijutsu Branch - Rank B - Konoha-ryu Swordsmanship: Willow.]

Qi Xiuyuan didn't even glance at the light screen, because he didn't intend to respond to the old man's obsession with external objects.

Old Man Yuan smiled, picked up the two weapons from the orchid beside him, and tossed one of them to Qi Xiuyuan in front of him.

"I know you always say I'm stingy, but if you can beat me, consider this weapon a graduation gift for you."

Crack...

Grasping the black hilt and silver guard, Qi Xiuyuan slowly drew the blade out.

The blade was sharpened to a gleaming cold light, appearing incredibly sharp under the warm glow, reflecting Qi Xiuyuan's face.

This weapon is different from most longswords; its blade and edge are straight and upright, while its spine is thicker than that of a normal sword.

The knife moves with a heavy, muscular motion, while the sword moves with a light, agile one.

But this weapon possesses both the regal air of a sword and the domineering aura of a knife.

The Tang Liudian, Volume 16, Weiwei Zongzheng Temple, mentions that "there are four types of knives: the first is the ceremonial knife, the second is the zhang knife, the third is the horizontal knife, and the fourth is the mo knife."

—This is a horizontal sword.