Chapter 24

It has been a week since the drug incident involving Takeda Kankurou, and the Kamiya Dojo and Aizuwakamatsu Tofu Shop have returned to their normal lives. Kaoru Takani now lives at the Kamiya Dojo as Dr. Hiko Seijuro's assistant, and every day, the scene of Kaoru teasing Kenshin and Kenshin being beaten by Kamiya Koshijiro's wife, Koshi, plays out. These days, Shinomori Aoshi, besides managing the tofu shop, also goes to the Kamiya Dojo every day to train Kenshin.

One morning, at the Kamiya Dojo, Aoshi held a wooden sword, while Kenshin placed his hand on the hilt of his sakabatou. "Come on, Kenshin," Aoshi said casually, resting the wooden sword on his shoulder.

"Yes, Master. I will attack now," Kenshin replied.

With that, Kenshin crouched and charged at Aoshi, using his lightning-fast sword technique from Aoshi's lower right. Aoshi blocked the sakabatou with the wooden sword and immediately thrust at Kenshin's left shoulder. Kenshin dodged the thrust by spinning away and countered with a flying kick, the Dragon Tornado Flash of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. However, Aoshi had anticipated this move and pulled back his sword, striking the edge of the sakabatou with the iron-capped end of the hilt. A clear metallic sound rang out, and taking advantage of the moment when Kenshin's sword was deflected, Aoshi lunged forward and quickly struck Kenshin's forehead with the hilt.

"Ow... +_+" Kenshin fell to the ground.

"It seems my foolish disciple still needs more training," Aoshi said, shaking his sword a few times before sheathing it. Kenshin, dazed, slowly got up. At that moment, Koshi, dressed in a kendo uniform, walked out with a bound Yahiko on her back.

"Today I'm going to teach at the Maekawa Dojo. Kenshin and Uncle Aoshi, come along too."

Koshi invited the two, and Kenshin, who had wanted to avoid it by using excuses like doing laundry, cooking, chopping wood, and cleaning the yard, was forced to go to the Maekawa Dojo after Koshi threatened to make him buy a bunch of things like firewood and groceries. Aoshi, partly to join in the fun and partly to keep the story on track, agreed to go.

The Maekawa Dojo, one of the four dojos in the town, was the most prosperous, with about thirty to forty apprentices. As soon as they arrived at the dojo, all the apprentices greeted Koshi, indicating her popularity. Then, a middle-aged man, about the same age as Aoshi, walked out.

"Training cannot be interrupted," the man said, and the apprentices immediately resumed their training.

"Ah, Master Maekawa."

Koshi clearly knew this man, and from his name, it was evident that he was the head of the Maekawa Dojo. Aoshi also knew the head of the dojo, as he had been running the tofu shop in the town for a few years and was familiar with many people in the town, including the head of the Maekawa Dojo.

After greeting Aoshi, the head of the Maekawa Dojo turned to Kenshin and said, "You must be Kenshin, whom Koshi often mentions."

Hearing this, the apprentices began to whisper among themselves.

"Is he the one Master wants to challenge?"

"He looks so frail, is he really that strong?"

"I've seen this ronin before; he's incredibly strong, almost inhuman..."

The apprentices of the Maekawa Dojo were buzzing with discussion. Koshi was flustered, as the head of the Maekawa Dojo had not previously mentioned wanting to challenge Kenshin, and she was caught off guard.

Kenshin and the head of the Maekawa Dojo stared at each other for nearly ten seconds before the head of the Maekawa Dojo sighed and said, "Welcome. Please give some guidance to my apprentices."

Kenshin smiled and declined, "No, I'm here purely to accompany Koshi today."

"Is that so? Please have a seat, and I'll have someone prepare tea and cushions for you. And Uncle Aoshi, please join us; it's been a while, and we can catch up."

"Master Maekawa, why?"

Koshi was still confused about why the head of the Maekawa Dojo, who had wanted to challenge Kenshin, had now backed down.

"No matter how much I try to intimidate him, he easily defuses it and even smiles. I've already lost without fighting. His eyes are unfathomable," the head of the Maekawa Dojo explained.

In the dojo, Koshi was instructing the apprentices with a bamboo sword, while Aoshi, Kenshin, and the head of the Maekawa Dojo sat and watched the training, sipping tea.

"What do you think of our dojo?" the head of the Maekawa Dojo asked Kenshin.

"It's very good; the apprentices are full of enthusiasm," Kenshin replied with a smile.

"Hmph, they're not even half as spirited on a normal day. They're only this enthusiastic because Koshi is here. The town's acknowledged bamboo sword beauty, sweating as she teaches, is very attractive to young people. In fact, since Koshi started coming, the number of apprentices has doubled, but only a handful are truly dedicated to learning swordsmanship. It's embarrassing, but a famous dojo has come to this. What's even more shameful is that I'm using the daughter of my old friend, Kamiya Koshijiro, to attract business."

"Please don't feel so guilty, Master Maekawa. For the Kamiya Dojo, which has few apprentices, being able to teach outside is a great help," Kenshin responded.

"This can be seen as a mutual benefit," Aoshi summarized.

"But what will the future of swordsmanship be... After the Meiji Restoration, swordsmanship has been forgotten, and it is gradually declining..."

Before the head of the Maekawa Dojo could finish, Aoshi seemed to sense something and said, "Master Maekawa, it looks like you have a problem."

A few seconds later, a tall, muscular man, about the same height as Aoshi, wearing straw sandals, walked into the dojo. Despite the attempts of the apprentices to stop him, he ignored them and walked straight to the head of the Maekawa Dojo.

"Greetings, founder of the Nakayama-ryu, Maekawa Koshijiro. May I have the honor of exchanging a few techniques with you? I am Ishido Raita, a true advocate for the future of swordsmanship. Please, let's have a match."

The apprentices of the Maekawa Dojo wanted to refuse Raita, but the head of the Maekawa Dojo stepped forward and decided to face Raita. They agreed to a best-of-three match. When the head of the Maekawa Dojo chose a bamboo sword, he was mocked by Raita's disciple, Yutaro, who had just arrived. Standing in the center of the dojo, the head of the Maekawa Dojo began to emit a strong aura.

"Kenshin, what do you think will happen?" Koshi, unable to gauge the strength of the two, asked Kenshin.

"The head of the Maekawa Dojo will find it difficult to win, at best he might score one point, but he will ultimately lose to Raita," Kenshin replied.

"Not so, Kenshin." Koshi and Kenshin turned to the source of the voice. Aoshi had put down his teacup and was now holding his cane sword.

"Unless something happens to Raita, like a sprained ankle or a twisted waist, the head of the Maekawa Dojo has no chance. Raita, though not particularly strong, is more than capable of handling the head of the Maekawa Dojo."

"I will show you that a bamboo sword is not an inappropriate weapon," the head of the Maekawa Dojo declared.

"I already know that. When you said best-of-three, I knew you were inappropriate," Raita retorted.

Raita's bamboo sword moved faster than the head of the Maekawa Dojo could react, and before he knew it, the bamboo sword had struck his right shoulder, and the sound of bones breaking could be heard. Raita then slashed at the head of the Maekawa Dojo's head, scoring a point. The head of the Maekawa Dojo knelt on one knee but refused to give up.

"I haven't lost yet. A swordsman cannot retreat without defeat," the head of the Maekawa Dojo said, struggling to stand with the bamboo sword. "Second round, let's begin." Before stepping onto the mat, he turned to Kenshin and said, "Don't stop me, Himura."

Aoshi, meanwhile, continued to drink his tea, but his mind was focused, and his left thumb was on the joint of the cane sword, ready to act.

"Who will win, we don't know yet," the head of the Maekawa Dojo said, panting but still proud as a swordsman.

"Ridiculous! You were already dead with my first strike," the head of the Maekawa Dojo's words only angered Raita. With another powerful slash, the head of the Maekawa Dojo, in his current state, could not block it and was struck on the head, knocking him unconscious. Raita did not stop there; he lifted the head of the Maekawa Dojo with his left hand. "You can't even see your own defeat, you're a waste!" He then struck the head of the Maekawa Dojo's right shoulder with the bamboo sword, clearly intending to cripple his right arm.

"Crack." A sharp sound rang out. Raita's bamboo sword was broken in half by a high-speed flying teacup, and a sakabatou appeared at his right neck.

"You've already won two points, do you want to kill him?" Kenshin's voice turned cold.

Raita, unconcerned by Kenshin's words, replied, "So what? A person only has one life; there's no such thing as a best-of-three. Since the Edo period, the development of bamboo swords has indeed made swordsmanship more prosperous, but it has also lost the superhuman strength of the old schools. Swordsmanship has become weaker. These people with bamboo swords don't deserve to hold a sword. But you are an exception."

Raita looked at Kenshin, and since Aoshi had no sword, Raita ignored him, which was fortunate for Raita, as he would have had no chance against Aoshi.

Physical condition:

Heart Coins: 1080 (200 Heart Coins obtained from Level 2 Compassion)

Rurouni Kenshin World

Name: Aizuwakamatsu Shinomori

Gender: Male

Physical Attributes:

Physical strength is about nine times that of an average person.

Detailed Attributes:

Strength: 91 (10) - Affects burst strength, pure strength, and strength beyond limits.

Agility: 100 (10) - Affects speed, reaction time, and intuitive strength.

Stamina: 95 (10) - Affects endurance, recovery speed, and the ability to withstand certain techniques.

Skills: Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu

No-sword style (10 Heart Coins)

Mastery of all cold weapons (200 Heart Coins)

Mastery of all firearms (200 Heart Coins)

Mastery of combat (10 Heart Coins)

Obtained Heart Powers:

Killing Heart Level 2: Does not waver in most situations when killing others, has resistance to certain illusions, and gains minor recovery from killing.

Compassion Heart Level 2: Compassion is a necessary heart for a strong person, has resistance to certain illusions, and gains minor recovery from helping others.

Ordinary Heart Level 1: Daily life can cultivate one's character, has resistance to certain illusions, and can attract the favor of ordinary people.

Other powers not yet activated.

ps: The King's Banquet is so hard to write... (>﹏<.)～Wah... Please recommend, please collect, please review.

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