Chapter 117: A Contest of Intention Levels, The Struggle for Essence

Chapter 117: A Contest of Intention Levels, The Struggle for Essence

The pain from the shuriken wound on his back gradually calmed down Hideyoshi Tsutsui.

He suddenly realized that during their previous engagement, his mental state had reached the brink of imbalance.

Ever since winning the swordfighting championship three years ago and becoming one of the top ten swordsmen in Japan, his mental state had been stable, never faltering again.

In the art of swordsmanship, one's mental state sometimes outweighed their skill level. An unstable mindset could easily lead to defeat.

Although injured, this wound was insignificant to a psychic.

Hideyoshi Tsutsui took a deep breath, reached behind him, and pulled out the shuriken, throwing it away. He readjusted his mindset and once again raised his famous sword, "Fushimi-tora no giri."

As his mindset stabilized, his mental state soared, and the air around him seemed to change in accordance with his intention level.

Lu Heng sensed the intention level aura emanating from him and a smile crept onto his lips.

Finally, the true intention level swordsmanship was about to be unveiled.

At the intention level of swordsmanship, with each breath, one could exude an aura of unity with the sword.

This was the pressure of swordsmanship, where even without drawing the sword, the opponent could feel the sharpness of the blade.

Lu Heng also calmed down, releasing his intention level swordsmanship aura, engaging in an invisible contest.

The black-suited assassins surrounding the courtyard seemed a bit impatient. One of them stepped forward and spoke, "Mr. Kenji Kino has been attacked, and we must conclude our mission here immediately."

A murderous gleam flashed in Hideyoshi Tsutsui's eyes. He threw a shuriken, pinning the speaker's throat, causing him to choke on his own blood. Then, he roared, "Get out!"

The other black-suited assassins dared not approach but couldn't leave the courtyard, so they could only stand guard at the exit and wait.

The standoff between Lu Heng and Hideyoshi Tsutsui continued, while outside the estate, the sound of gunshots echoed.

The mutual ambush and assassination had begun.

As they hadn't received any information from the scout eagle yet, everything seemed to be proceeding according to plan.

Among Kenji Kino's entourage, the strongest psychic was Hideyoshi Tsutsui.

If anyone else faced Hideyoshi Tsutsui, they might be cut down in an instant.

Therefore, Lu Heng's target was Hideyoshi Tsutsui. By holding off this Japanese swordsmanship expert, they could gain the upper hand in their operation.

Of course, if they could quickly defeat Hideyoshi Tsutsui and support Su Muyu's team, the situation would be even more advantageous.

However, Hideyoshi Tsutsui was indeed powerful. With over twenty years of swordsmanship experience and his job class abilities, his combat strength was among the top in the world.

If this man was allowed to roam free, no one could stop him.

Both sides revealed the pressure of their intention level swordsmanship, their swords remained still, but their eyes clashed with the light of blades.

During the standoff, both sides searched for each other's weaknesses.

This was a contest of swordsmanship, and the one at a disadvantage faced the danger of having their throat sealed with a single sword strike.

After an unknown duration of the standoff, Lu Heng decided not to prolong the delay and intentionally exposed a weakness.

"Haa!" Hideyoshi Tsutsui's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he shouted, taking a large step forward and slashing at Lu Heng's exposed weakness, aiming for his right shoulder.

This strike was both swift and fierce.

Even though Lu Heng had intentionally exposed a weakness, he still felt immense pressure and immediately blocked the attack with his sword, leaping backward.

In that instant, the red light of Chosha in Hideyoshi Tsutsui's eyes intensified, and before the sword's energy was fully expended, he unleashed another consecutive strike.

Moreover, as the second strike was unleashed, it tore through space itself.

Lu Heng sensed the immense power of this strike, his pupils contracted, and he recognized what it was.

Retsuzan! The second strike by Hideyoshi Tsutsui was Retsuzan, a second job class Essence skill.

And it was the second consecutive strike after the first, a combination that caught Lu Heng off guard.

Lu Heng had just leaped backward to dodge the first strike, and his toes had barely left the ground when the second strike came.

Furthermore, the blade energy from Retsuzan extended the length of the sword, making it impossible for Lu Heng to evade even with his leap.

In this perilous moment, Lu Heng activated his Essence skill, Shadow Traverse, stepping on the shadow energy and rolling to the left to dodge.

Retsuzan tore through space with a "Bang," striking the wall of the Swordsmanship Room, shattering the wooden wall and ceiling into pieces.

Lu Heng rolled, narrowly avoiding Retsuzan.

In that instant, a look of horror appeared on Hideyoshi Tsutsui's face.

He had used his strongest second job class Essence skill.

No material in this world could withstand that strike.

However, in the moment the blade energy was unleashed, he saw Lu Heng enveloped in a layer of shadow energy, and like lightning, he rolled to the side, evading Retsuzan.

After dodging Retsuzan, Lu Heng didn't give Hideyoshi Tsutsui a chance to react. He instantly emerged from the Shadow Traverse state, and from a distance of three meters, he swung his sword horizontally, unleashing the second job class Essence skill, Retsuzan.

Clang!

A sword beam flashed, slicing through Hideyoshi Tsugawa's waist, cleaving through all matter.

Tsugawa's body split at the waist, his upper half flying away, blood spraying and staining the ground.

In the instant the sword beam appeared, he recognized it as the same sword technique he had used, the Rift Slash.

He was all too aware of the power of that sword strike, and when he realized he couldn't dodge it, he knew the duel was over.

As the sword beam reached him, he helplessly closed his eyes.

[Source Essence Dispute Completed. Source Essence Absorbed. Source Essence Fusion Rate Increased to 37%]



[Sword Technique Used in Combat, Gained Insight. Sword Skill Proficiency +1]



Two consecutive data prompts indicated that Tsugawa had not acquired the [Swordsman] class, but only the starting Source Essence of the [Swordsman] class.

In other words, the Source Essence on his body was the same as Heng Lu's, both in a free state.

Therefore, both sides were in a state of Source Essence dispute.

Heng Lu won, seizing the other's Source Essence.

...

Two Rift Slashes shattered the entire Swordsmanship Room.

The black-suited assassins surrounding the room were stunned for a full second upon witnessing Tsugawa's death before they remembered to raise their guns and fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Over a dozen pistols aimed at Heng Lu, firing frantically.

Heng Lu clenched his left fist, and the Source Essence energy burst forth, instantly entering the second stage of Shadow Traverse, exempting him from physical collisions and dodging all bullets.

Then, in a flash, he appeared behind one of the gunmen, his body like the wind as he swiftly passed by the group of assassins. With a horizontal sweep of his Aurora Blade, he created a long trail of sword light.

Wherever the sword light passed, blood splattered, and in the blink of an eye, he executed sixteen consecutive slashes.

After finishing off the assassins in Kenjiro Ono's mansion, Heng Lu picked up the famous Japanese sword "Fushimi-tora no giri" and put on his communicator to contact his team. "How's the situation?"

Su Muyu's voice immediately came through the headset, sounding somewhat joyful. "Kenjiro Ono's car crashed into the Eikan Private Hospital. He's already inside the ward, and this hospital is highly regarded locally."

"So, Kenjiro Ono has utilized official resources, and the Enforcement Squad is now guarding the hospital entrance. If not handled properly, this incident might escalate into a diplomatic issue."

After reporting the situation, Su Muyu hurriedly asked, "What about your side? Do you need help?"

"No, I've taken care of things here," Heng Lu assured her, then walked out of the mansion, took the car keys from one of the assassins, and pressed the key fob.

Beep! Beep!

A black sedan parked at the mansion's entrance responded.

Heng Lu walked over, opened the car door, got in, started the engine, and rushed towards the Eikan Private Hospital.

On the way, Zeyu Lin complained over the communication channel, "I hit Kenjiro Ono, but he had a survival skill. I couldn't kill him with one shot."

After the Abyssal Descent, people like Kenjiro Ono, who were of advanced age but held high positions, would focus on stacking defensive skills upon awakening.

They lacked the will to fight and had a large number of bodyguards and assassins at their disposal, so they didn't need to engage in combat personally.

In such situations, survival was their top priority.

Therefore, these powerful individuals would possess multiple survival skills.

In his previous life, Heng Lu had never interacted with Kenjiro Ono, so he didn't know what skills he had, but he could guess that he definitely had some survival skills.

Thus, Heng Lu knew from the start that Zeyu Lin wouldn't succeed with a single shot, but at the very least, he could send Kenjiro Ono to the hospital.

This was also the reason why they had to investigate the Eikan Private Hospital when gathering information on Kenjiro Ono.

...

Outside the Eikan Private Hospital.

As the sky darkened, an eerie atmosphere enveloped the hospital.

Zeyu Lin, along with several trusted subordinates, had already set up an ambush outside the hospital.

Su Muyu's scout eagle had circled the hospital several times, but it could only determine which building Kenjiro Ono had entered, not the specific room.

The situation was temporarily at a stalemate because the Enforcement Squad was guarding the Eikan Private Hospital's entrance.

The Enforcement Squad had received an alert and was obligated to respond, especially since Kenjiro Ono had been shot at in the hospital, making the incident highly sensitive.

By the time Heng Lu arrived at the hospital, night had fallen.

"Have you located Kenjiro Ono's position?"

"Not yet," Su Muyu replied. "There's a Sensory Ability User inside the hospital. If the scout eagle goes in to search, it might alert them, and the defense level could increase." Su Muyu had wanted to send the scout eagle inside earlier, but they had just discovered the Sensory Ability User.

Heng Lu nodded, deep in thought. The operation had progressed to this point, and it was impossible to let Kenjiro Ono live to see the next day's sun, or else there would be even bigger trouble later.

In truth, forcibly charging in and eliminating Kenjiro Ono wasn't impossible.

Hideyoshi Tsugawa was dead, and there were no other Energic Warriors capable of stopping Heng Lu by Kenjiro Ono's side.

It was just that charging in would mean engaging the Enforcement Squad head-on.

This would change the nature of the situation.

And this matter has caused quite a stir. The Ironblood team will likely arrive soon.

Just as Lu Heng was pondering how to enter and deal with Kenji Kino, Su Muyu spoke up, "The Ironblood team is here, and it's that Inspector Chen."

Lu Heng turned towards the direction Su Muyu indicated, and indeed, he spotted a sedan parked by the roadside. Inspector Chen Lianian and his apprentice, Gao Zhiting, were stepping out of the vehicle.

The Ironblood Investigation Bureau was a special department, sharing the same authority as the National Security Agency.

With the Ironblood team's involvement, the situation became even more complicated.

Lin Zeyu was well aware of this, "With both the Ironblood team and the Enforcement Squad here, we can't force our way in. We can only infiltrate, or else we'll have to give up."

He maintained a clear mind, knowing what was feasible and what wasn't.

Lu Heng's gaze fell on Inspector Chen, and suddenly, an idea came to him.

As a senior inspector of the Ironblood Investigation Bureau, Inspector Chen's presence at the scene meant he would likely visit Kenji Kino.

In other words...

As Lu Heng was contemplating his plan, a black-suited bodyguard stationed at the hospital entrance approached Inspector Chen and his apprentice, pointing at them and speaking in broken Chinese, "Your car is blocking the hospital entrance."

Gao Zhiting turned to look, saying, "It's not blocking the way. Can't we park here?"

He had been in a hurry when driving and had parked right next to the hospital entrance.

The bodyguard responded, "What if Mr. Kino encounters another attack and can't escape because you're blocking the way? Can you take responsibility for that?"

"Hey! My temper..." Gao Zhiting felt like giving this bodyguard a piece of his mind.

Inspector Chen didn't want to escalate the situation, so he said, "Never mind, just move your car to that alley over there."

With his master's words, Gao Zhiting didn't argue further. He returned to the car, started it, and backed into the alley next to the hospital.

At this moment, an idea flashed through Lu Heng's mind, and he asked, "Do you have a tranquilizer?"

"Yes," Lin Zeyu replied promptly.

"Give me a tranquilizer and make me invisible."

Lu Heng took a tranquilizer syringe and entered an invisible state, then quickly walked towards the alley.

Gao Zhiting parked the car, stepped out, and cursed the Japanese man before slamming the car door shut.

Just then, he felt someone behind him. As he turned to look, his mouth was covered, and he felt a sharp pain in his neck as a liquid was injected into his neck vein.

Under the influence of the tranquilizer, his vision darkened rapidly, and he soon lost consciousness.

Lu Heng searched Gao Zhiting's pockets, took his ID, and placed him in the back seat of the car. Then, using the Shape Transformation Orb, he transformed into Gao Zhiting's appearance and walked out of the alley.

Inspector Chen was getting impatient. He took out a cigarette, intending to light it, but he knew he couldn't smoke inside the hospital.

Instead, he sniffed it and tucked it behind his ear, then waved at his "apprentice," Gao Zhiting, urging, "Hurry up."

Lu Heng, disguised as Gao Zhiting, ran over to Inspector Chen without saying a word.

In such situations, the more one talks, the more likely they are to slip up.

Inspector Chen, eager to solve the case, didn't pay much attention to his apprentice's behavior. He turned and headed towards the hospital entrance, showing his ID to the Enforcement Squad and entering the hospital.

Lu Heng also presented his ID and followed Inspector Chen into the hospital.

Having interacted with Inspector Chen and his apprentice on multiple occasions, Lu Heng had some understanding of their relationship.

Mimicking Gao Zhiting's usual demeanor, Lu Heng walked slightly behind Inspector Chen, even matching his stride. He just spoke less.

Inspector Chen made his way into the hospital building and, following the Enforcement Squad's directions, arrived at Kenji Kino's ward.

After communicating with the Springtop Group's bodyguard at the entrance, the bodyguard went in to report the situation.

Soon after, Keina Kanada emerged and invited them in.

Kenji Kino's wounds had been bandaged, and thanks to his Substitute Puppet skill, they weren't life-threatening.

When treating the wounds, he had opted against general anesthesia, fearing he might never wake up. Instead, he insisted on local anesthesia.

For this reason, he remained conscious.

Inspector Chen began his questioning, and Lu Heng pretended to take notes.

After a few questions, Inspector Chen asked, "Do you still have the bullet that injured Mr. Kino?"

"Yes, I'll take you to see it," Keina Kanada replied, leading Inspector Chen to examine the bullet fragment.

Only Kenji Kino and Lu Heng remained in the ward.

Lu Heng had been pretending to take notes, but with Inspector Chen gone, he dropped the act and tossed the notebook onto the bed.

Kenji Kino noticed that the notebook contained no notes but a funny meme.

He immediately sensed something amiss, "Who are you?"

Lu Heng grinned, "Mr. Kino, as agreed, if I win, the Mental Resistance Ring is mine. It's not right for you to refuse to give it up when I've won."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end