Chapter 36

"Then I'll leave my Tendou Tofu Shop to you, Tendou Nisuke." Shinomori put the bag on his back and looked at the people seeing him off. After the battle with Shishio, the group returned to Tokyo, and Shinomori expressed his decision to leave. Although Kenshin and the others were very reluctant to see Shinomori go, he had to leave because within ten days, Shinomori needed to complete one last task.

"Kenshin, take good care of Kaoru, understand? And remember, only by living can you atone for your past sins; if you die, you can't do anything." As he spoke, Shinomori handed a reverse-blade sword to Kenshin. "This reverse-blade sword is for your future child. Consider it a wedding gift from your master." Hearing this, Kaoru puffed up and punched Shinomori a couple of times.

"Tendou-san, really..."

"Hehehe... Well, then, everyone, take care. I'll see you again if fate allows it..."

Shinomori turned and left, leaving a light blue figure that would forever remain in the hearts of Kenshin and the others...

Three days later, at the residence of Seta Seizan in the outskirts of Kyoto.

"Hmm... (^_^) Seta, your hidden wine is still quite good..." Shinomori and Seta sat on the tatami, drinking Seta's prized wine. From the pained look on Seta's face, it was clear how precious these wines were.

"(...) Shinomori, drink a little less... o(≧口≦)o" Seta finally couldn't bear to watch Shinomori drink bottle after bottle of his remaining good wine.

"You're so stingy, Seta." Shinomori put down the wine. "Even when an old friend is leaving, you can't spare a little wine..."

"Anyway, you're a big spender, so wine isn't a valuable item to you, but for a genius potter like me, wine is very expensive..."

"Alright... This time, I've come to fulfill our previous agreement. Are you ready? The 13th successor of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, Seta Seizan."

"Of course, I'm always in top form. How about you, the former successor of Gekkiken-ryu, Tendou Shinomori?"

"Let's settle it at the place where we first faced off, Seta. This time, I'll give it my all."

"Can't wait..."

The next day, Shinomori and Seta Seizan arrived at the place where they first fought. It hadn't changed much; the marks left by their previous battle were still visible, with broken trees and sword marks on the rocks serving as witnesses to their power.

"Twenty-eight years have passed, time really flies..." Thinking about the unimaginable power he gained from the Infinite Heart and the unforgettable experiences, Shinomori's eyes were filled with melancholy.

"Yes, it was here that you were defeated by me back then." Seta took off his cloak and threw it behind him.

"This time, I won't lose, Seta." Shinomori took off his windbreaker and threw it behind him. Both of them got into their sword-drawing stances.

"Come on, Shinomori, let me see how much you've improved over the years."

Both of them moved simultaneously. With the burden of their clothes removed, their speed was beyond superhuman, far beyond what ordinary human eyes could see. If there were an ordinary person watching, they would only see the two suddenly disappear from their original positions and reappear dozens of meters away. The ground they stepped on shattered from the impact, sending up large amounts of debris and dust. This was the highest level of combat in the Rurouni Kenshin world, where Seta Seizan, when giving it his all, was virtually unbeatable.

Their fighting styles were the Ryūsei and Kairyū, blade against blade, sheath against sheath, each touching and retreating. Shinomori, using his ability to control ki, continuously launched ki blade attacks. This time, Shinomori's ki blade attacks were much faster than any of his previous attempts. This was not only because he was using the Kikyōsen Sangetsu but also because his current strength far exceeded his former self. To put it bluntly, the current Shinomori could easily defeat his past self in three moves. However, his opponent was Seta Seizan, the undisputed first in the Rurouni Kenshin world. Although Shinomori's ki blade attacks were astonishingly fast, they posed no real threat to Seta. He dodged the dense ki blade attacks and deflected the ones he couldn't avoid with a single strike. Seta then countered with a ki blade attack, which Shinomori barely dodged, but a strand of his hair was cut off.

"Seta, when did you..."

"I was listening when you taught Kenshin. I, the genius, also learned how to control ki." Seta smoothed his hair, looking smugly at Shinomori.

Realizing that his long-range strategy was no longer effective, Shinomori decisively chose close combat. He took a back stance, raised the Kikyōsen Sangetsu over his head, and, with a burst of power from his legs, shot towards Seta like an arrow. His sword was enveloped in a sharp ki aura, the Kikyōsen Sangetsu. The best way to counter a straight, high-speed attack was the Tatsu no Hana, and Seta deflected the Kikyōsen Sangetsu with a spin, then slashed at Shinomori's neck. Shinomori quickly crouched, and the Kikyōsen Fuyuki grazed over his head. Taking advantage of the moment when Seta's sword hadn't returned, Shinomori launched a Kikyōsen Kū from below, aiming for Seta's throat. In a critical moment, Seta quickly brought his sword to his chest and pressed it down to block the Kikyōsen Kū, but Shinomori's strength was astonishing, and even Seta was sent flying. With his feet off the ground, he couldn't move freely in the air. Shinomori swung his long sword, launching over a dozen small ki blade attacks from various angles. Even with Seta's fast sword, he would surely be injured by the barrage of ki blade attacks. Unexpectedly, Seta suddenly burst with a strong ki aura to the left, and his body moved at high speed in the opposite direction, dodging all of Shinomori's ki blade attacks.

"This is a new technique I developed from controlling ki, allowing me to change direction continuously in the air to avoid attacks. What do you think, isn't my genius idea great?" Seta landed and held his sword in front of his chest.

"Indeed, it's a great idea to burst with ki continuously in the air to change direction. However..."

Shinomori jumped into the air, and a pair of ki wings formed on his body. Using the power of these wings, he dove from the sky. He held the Kikyōsen Sangetsu with both hands. Seeing Shinomori's move, Seta got into the starting stance of the Karyū Sen.

"Gekkiken-ryu Kikyōsen Kyūshin."

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu Karyū Sen."

Twenty-seven streaks of light collided in the air, and the sound of clashing swords rang out like a single note. Their figures crossed and stopped.

"It seems I still fall short in strength, Seta. Even with the advantage of the air and ki, I can only match you." Shinomori turned his head, slightly disappointed.

"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu focuses on the body and the sword, while Gekkiken-ryu focuses on ki and the sword. In terms of physical ability, you still have a gap compared to me. However, even though I learned to control ki, I am far inferior to you in that aspect, so even if your strength is slightly less, it's not a problem." Seta sheathed his sword and got into a sword-drawing stance.

"If we really want to determine a winner, we would probably need to fight for a day. So, let's decide the winner with our ultimate techniques."

Hearing Seta's words, Shinomori sheathed the Kikyōsen Sangetsu. The Tenshōryū Sen and the Tenshin no Ki Shin, two ultimate techniques, faced off again. At this moment, Shinomori and Seta were about fifty meters apart. The moment they activated their ultimate techniques, the ground beneath their feet was instantly crushed into a one-meter radius pit, and the scattered earth and surging ki tore through everything around them. The fifty meters between them was nothing but a moment. With a determined step, their swords reached their maximum speed. The swords clashed, and the burst of ki snapped the trees around them. The first strike was a draw. Using the suction force from the clash, the second strike came, even more powerful. If someone were watching from the sidelines, they would feel the ground trembling. The second strike was still within their tolerance. The third strike was so fast that even with the protection of ki, Shinomori and Seta's bodies, unprotected by clothing, were cut with small wounds.

The fourth strike came, and this time, Shinomori felt the pressure on his arm was almost unbearable. Learning from the previous lesson, Shinomori tried to use a disarming technique to deflect the strike. He succeeded in part; although Seta's sword was deflected by the Kikyōsen Sangetsu, Shinomori's Kikyōsen Sangetsu was also knocked away by the fourth strike of the Tenshōryū Sen. The fifth strike of the Tenshōryū Sen, a technique never before seen in the history of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, was of unknown power. Now Shinomori understood that even with the special clothing, the impact of this Tenshōryū Sen could crush his chest and kill him instantly. At this point, the Tenshōryū Sen was beyond Seta's control, and even if he wanted to stop, he couldn't.

'Am I going to die so easily...? Although I don't want to, I don't have a sword in my hand... Sword? ' Shinomori suddenly thought of the ultimate technique of Gekkiken-ryu that he had never fully grasped, the true ultimate technique of Gekkiken-ryu. Even without a sword, Gekkiken-ryu wouldn't be affected. Ki is intangible, and while a physical sword is easier to use and more powerful with ki, the greatest strength of ki lies in its ability to be used freely, without constraints, embodying the essence of the sword.

"Gekkiken-ryu ultimate technique, Tenshin no Ki Shin." A spiral column of ki shot out from Shinomori's hand, like a ki shockwave, blasting towards Seta Seizan. The speed of the ki was astonishing, and at this distance, it was impossible to miss. This was the maximum amount of ki Shinomori could unleash in one strike. The spiral torrent of ki hit Seta's right rib, sending him flying. The Tenshōryū Sen couldn't stop it, so the person using the Tenshōryū Sen was knocked out of range. This time, Seta's sword was knocked out of his hand, and the Kikyōsen Fuyuki spun through the air and landed in the same position as the Kikyōsen Sangetsu. The two were still evenly matched, but although Seta was hit by the Tenshin no Ki Shin, the ki wasn't solid enough, and with the protection of his clothing, Seta could withstand it. After looking at each other, they both ran towards their swords. In the end, Shinomori was faster and reached the swords first, winning the match...

'Contractor completed the final hidden task in the Rurouni Kenshin world, "The Name of the Strongest." Earned 2000 Heart Coins and received one Infinite-level draw opportunity.'

Tendou Shinomori, the successor of Gekkiken-ryu, the undisputed strongest of his time, took Himura Kenshin as a disciple with Seta Seizan in October 1859 (Ansei 6). He founded the Tendou Tofu Shop, which later became a famous chain of old-established restaurants. After stopping Shishio's rebellion, he defeated the 13th successor of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu and earned the title of the strongest. He then disappeared, reportedly traveling to various countries but never returning to the Tendou Tofu Shop in Tokyo...

Physical condition:

Heart Coins: 5075

Rurouni Kenshin World

Name: Tendou Shinomori

Gender: Male

Physical Attributes:

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

Detailed Attributes:

Strength 93 (10) - Affects burst strength, pure strength, and strength beyond limits.

Agility 104 (10) - Affects speed, reaction time, and intuition.

Stamina 98 (10) - Affects endurance, recovery speed, and the ability to withstand certain techniques.

Skills: Swordsmanship - Gekkiken-ryu

No-sword style: Can handle various weapons without a sword.

Mastery of all cold weapons.

Mastery of all firearms.

Martial arts master: Proficient in various unarmed combat techniques.

Mechanical mastery: Can quickly master most high-tech devices within ten seconds.

Heart Powers Acquired:

Killing Heart LV2: Does not waver in most situations when killing others, has resistance to certain illusions, and gains a small amount of recovery from killing.

Compassion Heart LV2: Compassion is a necessary heart for a strong person, has resistance to certain illusions, and gains a small amount of recovery from helping others.

Ordinary Heart LV1: Daily life can cultivate one's character, has resistance to certain illusions, and can gain the favor of ordinary people.

Equipment:

Kikyōsen Sangetsu: A long sword condensed by the power of the Infinite Heart, surpassing the limits of human craftsmanship in the Rurouni Kenshin world. It comes with the principles of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, allowing the user to perform ultimate techniques without the need for a life-or-death decision.

Special Items:

Broken Reverse-Blade Sword: The broken sword from Kenshin's battle in the New Moon Village, a divine sword crafted by Arai Shakku. Can be repaired for 5 Heart Coins.

Infinite Blade: Shishio's sword, a supreme killing weapon crafted by Arai Shakku. Although its sharpness is the same as a regular sword, it is extremely durable and can be used to perform the Flame Spirit Secret Sword by scraping the oil from the blade.

PS: Finally, the Rurouni Kenshin world has ended. Next, I will begin explaining the power levels in this book. The title of this book is "Apostles of the Infinite," not "Apostle of the Infinite," so there will be more characters from various worlds. Finally, I request recommendations, favorites, and non-advertising reviews.

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