The Twelve Trials Starting from Zero

And so the matter was decided. As for Muto Ishii, even if he was slow to react, he had already sensed something was wrong. Recalling Miss Ruri's instructions before she left, his mind was in a mess, and he was somewhat out of sorts.

……

Late at night, only the reception room in the entire house was still lit.

All three had practiced breathing techniques and visualization methods, and their energy far exceeded that of ordinary people. So they stayed up until late at night without feeling sleepy at all. They just sat quietly on the tatami, either practicing on their own, thinking, or resting with their eyes closed. The atmosphere was a bit strange.

Suddenly, Yamada Yasuhiro, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. The other two followed suit and looked over.

"Something's up?" Su Qi asked softly.

"No, I just went to use the restroom."

After saying that, he stood up and walked outside.

As she passed by the door, she glanced at the two people out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that they were not acting strangely and continued doing their own thing, a subtle smile appeared on her lips.

A moment later, Yamada Yasuhiro, who was supposed to go to the toilet, sneaked into the kitchen instead.

With keen insight, the darkness itself could not hinder his actions.

In the pitch black, Yamada Yasuhiro took an irregularly shaped object, about the size of a potato, from his pocket, placed it in a small dish, and then lit it. Instantly, a very faint, exotic fragrance rose and spread outwards.

"Heh, it's starting. Soon a large group of monsters will be attracted here, and by then it will be too late even if you realize something's wrong..."

Watching the sparks slowly spreading on the incense burner, he gave a cold smile, turned and left the kitchen. He casually found a corner in the courtyard where he wouldn't be seen, put down the plate, and was about to leave.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from behind, "You traitor, you really were planning to cause trouble behind our backs!"

Chapter Twenty-Eight: I'm Not Human Anymore!

Discovered?

Yamada Yasuhiro's body stiffened, and he turned his head to look. He saw Su Qi and Ishii watching him from a distance in the corridor behind him.

The reason they were so far apart was that both were powerful martial artists who had opened their inner eyes and cultivated spiritual power. Because their senses were too sharp, they could not track each other if they were too close.

Fortunately, in addition to their keen senses, they also have sharp minds and excellent eyesight, so even if they are far away and surrounded by darkness, they can still see each other's movements clearly.

"You shouldn't have come."

When his actions were discovered, Yamada Yasuhiro showed neither fear nor anger. Instead, he sneered, "Wouldn't it be better to die ignorant and foolish? Why do I have to do it myself? After all, we are brothers in the same martial arts school. If I could, I wouldn't want to end your lives with my own hands."

"Senior Taihong, why did you do that!?"

Ishii descended the corridor and stepped into the courtyard, shouting as he approached Yamada Yasuhiro, "I have never been disrespectful to you, senior, and Kenshin has only recently arrived at the dojo. Why are you so determined to kill us?!"

Because there was no evidence, when they came out, Ruri only told him to be careful of Yamada Yasuhiro, and didn't say anything more. As for him, being slow-witted and honest, and influenced by Yamada Yasuhiro's usual gentle senior persona, he had always thought there might be some misunderstanding. It wasn't until the other party admitted it himself that he realized the other party's true colors, but he still found it hard to believe.

"Ishii, you would never understand, would you? To see something you've always dreamed of easily obtained by someone else, and yet remain indifferent... you would never understand the feeling of jealousy gnawing at your soul like a venomous snake."

Yamada Yasuhiro's face was full of disgust and sarcasm. "You, whose brain is as rigid as a block of wood, who only talks about reviving the family name all day long but never actually takes any action, how could you possibly understand my ideals?"

Ishii stopped, his brow furrowed, and asked with a puzzled look, "Senior, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Yamada Yasuhiro gazed up at the boundless night sky, a look of deep emotion on his face, and said, "Ishii, human abilities have limits... I've learned one thing from my short life... The more you scheme and plot, the more you'll discover that human abilities have limits... Unless you transcend humanity!"

"So, Ishii, I'm not going to be human anymore!!"

Upon hearing this, both Ishii and Yamada Yasuhiro, who were in the middle of their conversation, paused, and then looked at Su Qi in unison. Because the words spoken earlier weren't from Yamada Yasuhiro, but from him.

"Ahem, sorry..." Su Qi said with a "I'm just a bystander" expression, without any remorse, "I accidentally said it for you. You guys continue, continue."

Of course, it couldn't continue. The pleasant atmosphere was interrupted, and Yamada Yasuhiro couldn't continue his chuunibyou phase.

"Never mind..." He glanced at the still-burning, unidentified incense sticks behind him, a cruel smile slowly creeping onto his lips. "The time is almost up. I'll just send you to hell now."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of exclamations and screams suddenly came from outside the house, and one could vaguely hear someone shouting something like, "A monster is coming! Run!"

"What's going on!?"

Shi Jin was taken aback at first, then looked at Yamada Taihiro, and then at the burning incense sticks behind him. He immediately understood and angrily asked, "Senior Taihiro, what are those things? What did you do?!"

"Hehe, that's Cold Soul Incense, made from the blood, flesh, bones, and souls of the dead. It's a good stuff I bought from a wild sorcerer." Seeing Ishii's angry expression, Yamada Yasuhiro said with a look of pleasure, "This fragrance can attract all the monsters in the vicinity. Soon, this village will become a monster's dinner table."

"You bastard!! How could you do such a thing!?"

"Why can't I do such a thing?" he smiled. "They're just lowly commoners, no different from roadside weeds in my eyes. They're just unlucky to have been chosen by me as props."

Aren't you afraid that you'll also be eaten by a monster?

Su suddenly spoke, staring at Yamada Taihiro, lost in thought.

Although they have all awakened their spiritual power and are theoretically capable of fighting ordinary demons, it would still be difficult to deal with too many of them. The other side clearly knows this, yet dares to stand here, appearing fearless, so they must have something to rely on.

"Of course I won't be eaten by monsters. Only you will be eaten. As for me... I will fight my way out and bring back news of your deaths."

"I see. Even if you wanted to scheme against us, you wouldn't put yourself in such a desperate situation... You're trying to use this to exonerate yourself and get the survivors to testify for you, thus clearing yourself of suspicion for killing us, right?"

“You’re quite clever…” Yamada Yasuhiro glanced at Su Qi, slowly drew his straight sword from his waist, and sneered, “But unfortunately, your life will only last until tonight.”

As they spoke, flames were already raging outside the house, screams were erupting everywhere, and there were also a lot of strange cries from unknown creatures, the sounds of houses collapsing, collisions, and fighting. Even inside the house, flames quickly lit up... Clearly, the commotion in the village had awakened everyone.

"hateful!"

Hearing the chaotic noises coming from all directions, Ishii's face turned extremely ugly. He immediately drew his sword and looked at Su Qi, "Kenshin, let's attack together! Let's take this guy down first, then go out and help."

He finally stopped calling Yamada Yasuhiro "senpai".

"Heh, if you can do it, then give it a try."

The other party, however, remained unfazed, gripping his straight sword at an angle and pressing forward. "Monkeys can never surpass humans, Ishii! And right now, to me, you're nothing more than two monkeys!"

"You bastard!!"

Enraged, Ishii was about to rush forward when Su Qi stopped him. "Wait! Ishii, go out and help first. I'll handle him by myself."

"Why?" the former asked, looking bewildered.

"Have you forgotten the essence of our Immovable Mind School? In battle, you must never let anything shake your mind; you must wield your sword with a clear and still mind! Fighting him now is nothing more than suicide."

He was startled, and cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.

Su Qi looked at Yamada Yasuhiro and said, "Maybe he deliberately provoked you just now so that you would reveal a weakness. He knows you too well; you are not suitable to be his opponent."

"But you..."

"It's alright, don't worry, I'm confident." His gaze was firm, and his face was sincere. "Do I look like someone who's courting death? Trust me, go!"

Ishii was eventually persuaded to leave by Su Qi, leaving only Su Qi and Yamada Yasuhiro in the backyard.

What are you thinking?

Yamada Yasuhiro stopped three steps in front of Su Qi, staring at him with a furrowed brow.

He suddenly realized that he couldn't see through this person's thoughts at all. First, he deliberately entered the game, and then he deliberately sent his helpers away, as if he wanted to stay here and fight him to the death, but the other party should also understand that... Compared to him who was well prepared, the other party had no chance of winning at all.

So the question is, what is the reason for the other party's unusual behavior?

As for Ishii, he didn't care at all. He knew Ishii well and knew that the pedantic fellow wouldn't abandon the villagers to their deaths. As long as they didn't escape, facing multiple monsters would only lead to their demise, which wouldn't affect his plans at all.

"I just want to die." Su Qi drew his katana, got into a fighting stance, and finally revealed the truth. "Experience pack Yamada-senpai, are you ready? We're about to start killing each other, but I'm sorry, you'll be the one who dies."

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Mentally Challenged Villain's Operations

"Hmph, that's alarmist!"

Seeing Su Qi's certainty, Yamada Yasuhiro felt a strange sense of unease. However, his side was in a very favorable position; victory was assured as long as they attacked. How could he give up just because of a few words from the enemy? Besides, even if the opponent had a trump card, they would only know the outcome after testing it!

"Enough talk, let's get started."

Before he finished speaking, the ground beneath his feet shattered, and Su Qi's figure shot out like an arrow, his long sword transforming into a streak of light, stabbing directly into Yamada Taihiro's heart.

Wow, so fast! I knew he had already learned the breathing technique, but... how could he be this fast!?

The latter's pupils contracted, and his reaction speed was a beat slower due to the unexpectedly swift attack. Although he managed to dodge to the side at the last moment, his clothes were cut open in front of his chest, and a bloody gash appeared on his chest.

Su Qi pressed his advantage relentlessly, twisting his wrist to create a flash of light as he slashed at his opponent's neck.

The latter dared not be negligent in the slightest. He slashed his long sword into the sky, sparks flying, and with a clang, he cleaved the blade aimed at his neck. Then, he turned and thrust his hand forward, aiming a slash at the opponent's chin.

As Su Qi took a half step back, he reversed his sword stance, slashing diagonally upwards to the right. The blade flashed an arc in the night, and in the blink of an eye, it reached the opponent's chin.

The blade was incredibly difficult to see, and Yamada Yasuhiro didn't react until it was almost upon him. His hair stood on end, and he instinctively turned his head to the side. The next instant, the cold blade grazed his face, severing a lock of his hair in a flash.

Damn it! His swordsmanship! How could he have reached this level after only two months of training!

This startled Yamada Taihiro quite a bit. He immediately pushed off with his foot and retreated rapidly, stopping only a dozen feet away, staring at Su Qi with suspicion and uncertainty.

"What happened?" he finally couldn't help but ask. "How could your swordsmanship have reached such a level?"

"It's just that your swordplay is too rigid." Su Qi didn't want his rare opponent to die easily, so he took the initiative to explain like a villain who had lost his mind: "Your swordplay is all based on the existing techniques of the Fudo Meishin-ryu swordsmanship. It might not be a problem against other enemies, but against someone like me who is familiar with this school of swordsmanship, using the sword like this will only lead to death."

"I see."

Yamada Yasuhiro suddenly realized, then frowned. Habits for using a sword are not so easily changed; haphazardly altering sword techniques would only create openings and hasten death. Therefore, even knowing the difficulty of the problem, he couldn't change it in a short time.

This is where the difference between mediocre people and geniuses is revealed.

Like Yamada Yasuhiro, who memorized everything by rote, practiced sword moves and routines until they became second nature and used them against enemies; while Su Qi, on the other hand, learned first and then forgot later. He not only turned various moves and routines into instincts, but also controlled his instincts, adapting flexibly and combining moves as needed, even innovating and constantly growing.

When dealing with ordinary enemies, the former's method is not problematic. As long as the routines and moves have few flaws, one can make up for it with basic skills and on-the-spot reactions. However, once the fixed routines and moves are seen through, those who cannot make the correct response will be cut down by the opponent, because the upper limit of the routines is their upper limit.

Of course, Su Qi is still inexperienced. Although he is flexible in his thinking and has his own insights into the combination of moves, he is still far from the level of a master who can innovate and establish a school. Even so, with his familiarity with the Fudo Meishin-ryu swordsmanship and the stronger thinking ability after awakening his spiritual power, he has already gained the upper hand in swordsmanship when fighting against the mediocre Yamada Taihiro.

“Indeed, sword-wielding habits cannot be changed in a short time, so you need to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses.” Su Qi saw through Yamada Taihiro’s predicament at a glance, and then gave him further guidance, “Actually, you have been training for longer than me. Although your talent is far inferior to mine, through long-term accumulation, your foundation is still a notch above mine. So if I were you, I would choose to fight in a way that allows me to make better use of my strengths, namely speed and power.”

That's right, I need to launch a fierce attack! Don't compete with him in swordsmanship, compete with him in speed and strength! I need to crush him in one fell swoop, leaving him no time to react, even if it means resorting to mutually destructive tactics... Anyway, if it's a mutually destructive battle, I'll be the one who benefits...

With Su Qi's reminder, Yamada Yasuhiro finally realized what was happening, but then an even deeper question arose: "Why? Why are you helping my enemy?"

"So that I can die in a more meaningful way."

After saying this, Su Qi ignored the other party's words and lunged forward, slashing down with his sword.

In an instant, the two were locked in combat once again.

However, this time, thanks to Su Qi's advice, Yamada Yasuhiro learned his lesson and stopped trying to outmaneuver the former with swordsmanship. Instead, he maintained distance and relentlessly attacked with his sword, even if it meant using a mutually destructive fighting style.

Soon, Su Qi was suppressed by Yamada Yasuhiro.

This time, the battle between the two was much more intense than before. The entire courtyard was filled with the glint of swords, the flashing of figures, the breaking of vegetation, the snapping of stone lanterns, the flying of sand and stones, and the spray of sparks.

The two then fought their way up the corridor, broke into the mansion, smashed the floorboards, broke through the paper doors, even cut through the walls and chopped down the pillars. Several rooms collapsed on the spot, raising clouds of dust.