The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

But this belongs to the mental world of someone with a dull blade.

The two exchanged blows, using the threshold as a boundary, until Viner finally stepped back, ending the exchange.

"Hmm...not bad."

Even though he was slashing at his opponent without holding back, he still looked half-asleep and sleepy.

"But isn't that right?"

"You already know, that's all."

Wiener lowered his knees, bent over, and tilted his upper body slightly, assuming a running posture, placing his hands on the hilt of his knife.

The length, width, and weight of the blunt blade were all imprinted in his mind.

Therefore, Wiener was able to accurately determine Zero Flash's attack range.

The answer is the whole room.

There are no blind spots, and no shortcuts; the only option is a direct attack.

Forcing a breakthrough by brute force is not an option to break through Zero Flash, which involves drawing and sheathing the sword simultaneously.

Both characters have the same weapon and the same attack range.

If you want to hit your opponent, you must also bear the risk of being hit by them.

Only by being faster than your opponent can you kill them first.

The moment Wiener crossed the threshold was the moment the outcome was decided.

The two drew their swords simultaneously.

If he continues to use Zero Flash as before, it will probably force Viner to retreat once again.

He could retreat one or two more times, but once his stamina starts to lag behind his body's consumption and his speed of drawing his sword slows down, that will be his death.

In terms of skill in "Zero Flash," Viner was far inferior to this long-haired man; he only managed to defend against the opponent's slashes thanks to the man's nonchalant attitude.

To think that one could catch up with the opponent's lifelong skill in iaido within just a few attempts is clearly wishful thinking.

But Wiener had one last card to play.

Although they are both blunt blades, there are still some slight differences when you look closely.

After all, once Venus handed the blunt blade to Felix, he was no longer fighting alone.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang!"

The sound of swords being sheathed rang out repeatedly.

To sheathe the sword, you must first draw it.

If you can't keep up with the attack speed, then just surpass it in attack frequency.

There were five starts and five stops, five unseen trajectories. The first and second strikes compensated for the difference in power with frequency, colliding with the man's lightning-fast strike.

The remaining three blows all landed on the man.

Only his right hand, which was holding the sword, remained; the rest of his limbs were severed.

If Felix hadn't shown mercy when the dormitory wall was torn down that day, this would probably have been the fate of Wiener.

But it was during Felix's relentless pursuit and attacks that Venere learned this sword technique.

Judging from the severity of the injuries, there should have been spurting blood, but not a single drop appeared.

Instead, the mutilated limbs turned into black smoke and dissipated.

The reason is that the man's life had long since vanished into the annals of history, and what remains here is naturally not a human body.

"Zero-Flash Formation - Five Machines, I didn't expect you to have already mastered it."

Despite being severely injured, barely managing to stay upright by relying on the scabbard in his hand, the man's tone became somewhat resentful.

"...I haven't even demonstrated it yet."

"I learned it from a friend."

"Is this so..."

Chapter 116 The Swordsman Who Lives Alone in One City

Zero Flash is a sword technique specifically created to complement the bluntness of the slashing blade.

The advanced Zero Flash formation can only unleash its full power when combined with the sharpness of the Cleaver, which can cut through everything.

Using other weapons would only result in a half-hearted attempt.

After all, while pursuing the ultimate speed of attack, the strength will naturally be greatly reduced.

When Vina and the man both used Zero Flash, they were only forced back a step. However, the Zero Flash formation needed two strikes to offset the power of one strike from the opponent.

Those who can master Zero Flash formation must be swordsmen who have used the blunt sword for a long time.

"You've found someone to entrust your life to... That's good."

Weapons are a warrior's last resort; the person to whom one entrusts their personal weapon is the one to whom one can entrust their life.

Wiener really wanted to tell the man that he was a blacksmith first and foremost, not a warrior.

He couldn't even remember how many weapons he had given away before.

"Unlike me, who clearly wanted to protect something, but all I managed to protect while I was alive was this little bit."

"Cherish it."

With his last ounce of strength, the man threw the blunt cleaver at Vina, a double entendre.

After losing support, the body slowly leaned backward.

After Viner took them, the two cleavers became one in his hands, shining with a dazzling light.

Like a newly born, dull blade, a beam of light appeared out of nowhere, pulling Venus's body upwards.

Wiener knew that if he didn't ask the questions now, it would be too late to say them.

"I am Vena, what is your name?"

Give your opponent the final respect.

The man opened his mouth slightly a few times, and remained peacefully asleep until he finally fell into a deep sleep.

"I can finally... get a good night's sleep."

It is relief, and also liberation.

As Viner watched herself about to hit the ceiling, she used her free hand to protect her head, only to find that her body passed right through it without any obstruction.

The higher he climbed, the clearer the view became.

From the tatami room where the cleaver was dulled to the lifeless mansion.

From dilapidated castles to deserted cities.

Finally, there was an endless desert.

The swordsman Yu Lianyinge, who would rather defend his homeland to the last man and the last city than leave his homeland.

I remember.

-----------------

Felix, who was completely absorbed in his work, didn't notice what was happening to Viner until he had finished maintaining the Magnetic Shadow Axe.

"Wake up, Venus, go back to bed and sleep!"

First, they gently pushed her, but Wiener didn't react at all.

His breathing was steady, as if he were asleep.

"Then don't blame me for being rude."

Felix extended two fingers toward Vina, preparing to pinch his nose.

He didn't believe that someone could fall asleep like that.

"...What are you doing?"

Just as Felix was about to succeed, Venere's consciousness returned.

"You were pretending to be asleep, weren't you?"

Felix didn't believe that it could be such a coincidence every time.

"you guess."

Wiener remained silent, his attention returning to the newly refurbished blunt blade in his hand.

"Slaying Blade - Dull: "

Weapon type: Sword

Weapon grade: B+

Sharpness: EX

Durability: D- (35/35)

Usage Restriction: Swordsmanship Level: Advanced (B)

characteristic:

Sharp: A knife that pursues sharpness to the extreme, capable of cutting through anything.

Swiftness: The best sword for Iaijutsu, its attack speed increases with the number of strikes.

Sharpness Revealed: When wielding the blade, an invisible layer of sharp energy will briefly condense, which can extend the range of the blade's aura.

Blade Path: When swung at extremely high speeds, this blade can slice through barriers of space, concealing its sharpness within and releasing it with a delayed burst.

Previously, due to limitations in materials, it was slightly inferior to the Lionheart. But the reborn Cleaver is completely transformed.

The decrease in the upper limit of durability is an unavoidable consequence of sharpening swords.

The reduced usage requirements and previous negative characteristics have all been transformed into highly valuable attack effects.

The only drawback is—

"...Felix, come and see if it works well?" Vena handed the blunt cleaver to Felix.

He's a treasure.

Viner had finally improved his swordsmanship to the point where he could use the blunt blade with ease, but then this happened, and the characteristic of reducing the need for swords was washed away.

The cleaver had become dull again, reverting to a state where it could be seen but not used.

This is a requirement for someone who has reached the highest level of expertise. Not to mention now, he might not be able to reach this level of swordsmanship even in a few years.

If we can't even use Felix, then we've really lost out.

"What the hell are you doing again?"

Felix was unaware of what had happened and simply assumed that Venere had finished dulling the cleaver, so he casually took the sword.

I noticed something was wrong as soon as I got my hands on it.

"...Vina, are you still going to do magic tricks?"

Felix doesn't understand.

Even though it looked exactly like his own dull blade from every angle, it was completely different from before.

Is this something that grinding can achieve?

"Just tell me if it works or not." Viner didn't know how to explain it either.

"You have to give me a goal to try, right?"

"Then this."

Wiener picked up the whetstone that had been cut off earlier and reused it.

Just as he was about to throw the whetstone, Felix suddenly said, "Throw it piece by piece."

"Row."