A swordsman can be gentle.
But a soldier cannot.
As a warrior of Watatsumi Island, if Teppei dared to do this on the battlefield, it wouldn't just harm him—it would endanger the entire group. If Bai Luo were a qualified commander and noticed this, he would never allow someone like this on the battlefield.
He was more dangerous than those raw recruits who only knew how to scream.
At least those recruits would gradually adapt after their fear and eventually transform into true soldiers.
Someone like Teppei... might be better suited as a medic in the logistics corps.
"Attack again."
Bai Luo glanced at Teppei, standing calmly in place and signaling for him to strike once more.
"Yes!"
Teppei responded, raising his wooden sword high and slashing toward Bai Luo.
Perhaps because Bai Luo had criticized him for holding back earlier, this time, he aimed squarely for Bai Luo's head.
Even if it was just a wooden sword, a solid hit like that could still be fatal.
But Bai Luo seized the moment, crouching low and stepping forward with his right foot. As he dodged Teppei's attack, his palm shot upward in a counter.
The strike landed squarely under Teppei's chin. With a crack, Teppei was sent flying, crashing hard onto the ground.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū: Ryūshōsen."
Retracting his arm, Bai Luo recited the name of the technique.
On the surface, it looked like Bai Luo was bullying Teppei with skills.
But in reality... Bai Luo hadn't used any system-granted abilities. He had executed this Ryūshōsen purely through his own understanding, adapting it into a palm strike.
In short, the one who performed this move wasn't "Himura Kenshin"—it was Bai Luo himself.
Just Bai Luo, with years of combat and assassination experience. A novice swordsman, at best. That didn't count as bullying, right?
Teppei grimaced as he stood up, but he didn't complain. Instead, he looked ashamed.
Because he realized—he had messed up again.
Though he had aimed for Bai Luo's vitals this time, he had hesitated mid-swing.
And that hesitation had given Bai Luo the opening to counter.
It wasn't just Bai Luo—anyone with decent combat experience would have seized that opportunity.
"I think I know how to teach you now."
Looking at the ashamed Teppei, Bai Luo sighed softly.
He understood—someone like Teppei couldn't be taught through conventional methods. He needed a different approach.
"To learn swordsmanship, you must have the resolve to kill. A sword is a weapon; swordsmanship is the art of killing. No matter how you dress it up, that's the truth."
As he spoke, Bai Luo slowly drew his reverse-blade sword.
Under the sunlight, the blade gleamed brilliantly—but the light wasn't warm. It carried a chilling edge.
If not for the reversed blade, Teppei might not have had the courage to even stand before it.
"In that case... how about experiencing death?"
Gazing at Teppei, Bai Luo offered a gentle smile.
A flash of red—
Before Teppei could react, Bai Luo was already in front of him.
The same stance. The same speed. The same technique.
Mimicking Teppei's earlier thrust, Bai Luo drove his sword straight into Teppei's heart.
Crimson blood tried to stain the gleaming blade, but it slid off without a trace.
Scarlet droplets fell onto the golden sand, leaving vivid splashes of red.
"This is the art of killing."
Those were the last words Teppei heard before losing consciousness.
...
Watatsumi Island was humid, its landscape dominated by water. Jellyfish-like creatures floated in the air, and bubbles rose from the coral, evoking images of the legendary Dragon Palace.
Novel at first, but after a while... it was just scenery.
The cart creaked along the road paved by Watatsumi's ancestors. Besides the loaded cargo, there was a young man covered by a coat—Teppei.
"Lord Battousai, would you like some water?"
The resistance soldier driving the cart was a youth not much older than Teppei.
But unlike Teppei, he carried a faint aura of bloodlust—likely a veteran of the battlefield, his hands already stained with blood.
If things went well, a few more kills might even earn him a squad leader position, granting him a life he'd never dared dream of before.
His return this time wasn't just to escort these supplies—it was also to visit his little sister.
"No need. I'm not thirsty."
Bai Luo shook his head politely.
He was mildly disappointed that the resistance's cart was actually pulled by a horse. He missed the Anemo Slime that had accompanied him from Mondstadt to Liyue—he wondered how Qiqi was taking care of it.
"But Lord Battousai, you're really strict. When we first saw Teppei, we thought he was dead."
Glancing nervously at the unconscious Teppei, the young man spoke.
A wound like that on the chest would've been a death sentence on the battlefield. Yet Teppei was still breathing.
As expected of Lord Battousai.
Hm? Why praise Lord Battousai? Well, who else? Praise Teppei's tenacity?
It was obvious Lord Battousai had held back.
"To grow, one must use unconventional methods. If he can't endure it... then I have no obligation to keep teaching him."
Bai Luo wasn't joking. If this strike made Teppei back down, he'd have to give up on him.
Come to think of it... what could drive such a gentle person to wring out the last drops of his life? Was it the Delusion's horror? The Shogunate's cruelty?
Or... the Fatui's ruthlessness?
Hiss— Wait, I'm Fatui.
Never mind, then.
"Being strict is good, but don't overdo it. Whenever I scold my little sister, seeing her pitiful face makes me soften right away."
Though the young man complained, the smile at his lips was unmistakable.
A certified siscon.
"You have a sister?"
Bai Luo looked at him in surprise.
After the Vision Hunt Decree, many had joined the resistance.
But most came alone—only a handful brought family.
This youth wasn't much older than a child himself, so his "little sister" was likely just a kid. It seemed he wasn't like the other resistance members—he was a true native of Watatsumi.
"Yeah. Her name is Mirai—given by Lady Sangonomiya herself. She said it's so Mirai can see the bright future of Watatsumi in place of those who can't walk forward anymore."
Chest puffed with pride, the young man spoke.
On Watatsumi Island, having your name bestowed by the Divine Priestess was no less honorable than receiving swordsmanship guidance from Battousai.
Both were things to boast about for generations.