After Bai Luo left, Sangonomiya Kokomi, who had been tense the whole time, finally relaxed.
She slumped onto the table without a care for her image, her face full of exhaustion.
Quietly taking out her notebook, Kokomi flipped to the latest page.
This was her little journal for recording changes in her "energy levels," documenting not only fluctuations in her "energy" but also the ups and downs of her mood.
Whenever it was late at night or when no one was around, she would open the notebook and jot down the joys and sorrows of the day.
"Reunited with Mr. Kazuha and Captain Beidou, energy +10.
Though they are guests, they are also friends. It's always happy when friends visit."
"Had to talk a lot at the banquet, energy -3.
I still can't handle these kinds of occasions. Deciding on my own to avoid discussing politics or business was a good excuse after all."
"Old Li went out with the Fatui and Mr. Battousai, energy -5.
All three of them have overly special identities. I really don't know if this is a good thing or not."
"Found an unwanted Sunsettia, energy +3.
Usually, things I like become popular, and things I dislike get shunned, so I rarely show my preferences in front of others. Never thought I'd luck out and find a Sunsettia today. I'll eat it when no one's around."
"Ate a sour Sunsettia, energy -10 (crossed out) -20.
...Do Sunsettias even come in sour flavors?"
Looking at what she had written in the previous entry, Kokomi shuddered involuntarily.
That taste had been terrifying—so much so that her handwriting had even changed.
After taking a deep breath, Kokomi wrote a new entry.
"Old Li witnessed Mr. Battousai speaking with the Fatui, energy -10.
Battousai might be with the Fatui—that's terrifying. Thankfully, it was just a misunderstanding, but this confrontation was exhausting."
After thinking for a while, she bent down and added another line.
"Gained the upper hand in the exchange with Mr. Battousai, energy +10.
As expected, the title of Divine Priestess still outshines his 'Battousai' reputation!"
After writing that last line, Kokomi's mood improved slightly. But when she saw the stack of administrative documents she had tucked under the table, her expression fell again.
So tired...
...
Was Teppei suited for swordsmanship?
It was hard to say.
As Bai Luo had mentioned earlier, Himura Kenshin was originally named "Shinta," but the name was deemed too gentle, so his master later changed it to "Kenshin."
The name "Teppei" was also gentle.
"平" (hei/pei)—level, without tilt or unevenness, like still water.
Gentle and calm.
Whether such a name suited the sword was truly hard to say.
Because a heart as still as water could sometimes be a necessary condition for mastering peerless swordsmanship.
After leaving Sangonomiya, Bai Luo headed to the place where he had agreed to meet Teppei.
No matter what, he had promised to teach him swordsmanship, and he would never go back on his word.
To the south of Bourou Village was an open field—a training ground where people practiced martial arts, and occasionally, bonfire parties were held.
Practicing swordsmanship here was quite fitting.
Originally, they had agreed to meet in the afternoon, but since Bai Luo had nothing to do in Bourou Village and didn't want to be gawked at like a circus act, he decided to come early.
Unexpectedly, Teppei had arrived even earlier and was already swinging a wooden sword with practiced motions.
"Master Battousai!"
When he saw Bai Luo approaching, Teppei immediately stopped and ran over excitedly.
Master? That was a nice title.
Hearing Teppei's words, Bai Luo suddenly recalled a small figure in his mind.
I wonder if little Collei will ever call me 'Master.'
Probably not—that little brat would probably rather punch him.
But no matter how strong you are, your dad will always be your dad.
Want to beat me? Not a chance.
"You can just call me Mr. Himura. Teaching you swordsmanship doesn't necessarily mean I have to be your master."
"Oh..."
Judging by Teppei's disappointed expression, he had clearly wanted to call him "Master."
But since Bai Luo had said so, he didn't dare to insist.
"Have you learned swordsmanship before?"
Looking at the wooden sword in Teppei's hand—his grip was quite proper—Bai Luo asked.
"Yeah, I learned a bit in the village, but just the basics."
Teppei smiled sheepishly, not mentioning how he had been kicked out.
"You've learned before?"
Hearing this, Bai Luo was slightly surprised.
Compared to the Shogunate, the resistance was in decline. Even with the influx of new recruits due to the Vision Hunt Decree, it was only a temporary surge.
From Kazuha's accounts, Bai Luo had learned some inside details.
Even someone like Teppei, who had only learned a little swordsmanship, would usually be sent to the frontlines as long as he could hold a weapon properly.
How had he ended up as a logistics soldier in Bourou Village?
"Attack me. Let me see what you've learned."
To teach someone, you first need to know their foundation.
Though Bai Luo's swordsmanship was granted by the system, to help him better utilize his class traits, the system also provided him with an understanding of swordsmanship.
Even if switching classes would strip away that understanding, his long experience as Battousai had given him unique insights into the sword.
"Okay."
Teppei wasn't worried about accidentally hurting Bai Luo—he knew his own skill level well.
If the legendary Battousai could be injured by him, it would be the joke of the century.
Taking a deep breath, Teppei gripped his wooden sword and charged at Bai Luo.
Whoosh—
The wooden sword cut through the air with each swing.
His technique was a bit rough, but his strikes were powerful—more than enough for the battlefield. So why...?
After Teppei executed three moves, Bai Luo finally realized something.
"Stop."
Pressing down on Teppei's wooden sword, Bai Luo sighed softly.
Teppei stood there like a child who had done something wrong, nervously waiting, unsure what to say.
He had tried his best to execute the moves from memory.
"When you thrust the first time, why did you aim for the shoulder?"
The thrust was one of the most fundamental sword techniques.
And also one of the deadliest.
Swordsmen like Kaedehara Kazuha and Kamisato Ayato, who had trained for years, would typically aim for the throat or heart when thrusting—only then could they achieve a one-hit kill, maximizing the technique's lethality.
Bai Luo occasionally went for the kidneys.
But Teppei? His grip was steadier than most, and his strikes were fiercer than Bai Luo had expected.
Yet he didn't aim for vital points—instead targeting non-lethal areas like the shoulder.
And it wasn't just the thrust.
Teppei had executed three moves.
None of them targeted Bai Luo's vitals—just the shoulder, arm, and palm, all unimportant spots.
And it wasn't because of Bai Luo. It was subconscious.
This Teppei... really is a gentle swordsman.