2673 The Glory of One Sho
Most warriors in the universe were like candles, but to be silkworms of the Very High were like blazing bonfires.
Han Sen had planned to spend more time observing Gru’s sword skills, but now he had to fight.
Han Sen’s fingers twitched, and Spell’s twin pistols roared madly, rapidly spitting out bullets.
The steel greatsword in Gru’s hands flashed like the wind, cutting each bullet in half. Not a single bullet could escape the wondrous sword lights.
A heavy steel greatsword spun around Gru like a bolt of pure lightning.
“Those are some good sword skills,” Han Sen complimented his opponent.
Gru’s skills were inferior to Lone Bamboo’s talents, but Han Sen appreciated the fact that these techniques were incredibly stable. Every movement was rigorously practiced and could be used with a solid stance. The man was unleas.h.i.+ng the max potential of his skills.
This was the way one should always practice their sword skills. It was a way to beat someone stronger when you were weaker, or take on an opponent who had the high ground. These were the strategies that weaker people should always employ. Being solid and using real strength to crush enemies, disabling opponents to deny them the chance to fight back… That was the real way to use a sword.
“These aren’t good sword skills,” Gru said. “I began practicing with a blade when I was five years old. When I reached thirty, my sword skills still weren’t very good. People always thought I was dumb and unsuitable for swordcraft. But I have a sword king body. It would be wasted if I didn’t practice with a sword. And so, I kept on training. It has now been 46 years, and my sword skills still aren’t good. All I know is that I am better than my ancestors. But still, that doesn’t make me good.”
“If you are using what you have learned, believe me when I tell you that you are already quite good. Not many people can perform this well.” Han Sen knew that using a sword skill to its max potential was a harder feat than making a brand-new sword skill.
New sword skills could sometimes be created in moments of inspiration, but making perfect use of an existing sword skill—regardless of the environment—would take countless hours of practice and training. It required a lot of effort.
As the two of them spoke, their hands never stopped moving. Swords flashes and gunfire rang out. They kept collided against each other time after time, with Han Sen’s bullets falling and Gru’s sword lights unable to touch his opponent.
“I cannot believe this Gru is so good. His sword skills are excellent. Even amongst the Very High, these sword skills have to be amongst the best.” Li Xue Cheng chuckled.
“Gru was a late bloomer,” Liyu Zhen said, nodding. “Even though he doesn’t have the speed of Pegasus, he is so stable that it’s like he has weathered all the dangers of the world. If his opponent isn’t considerably stronger than him, there is no way to break his sword. If the Extreme King used him as a guard, their bases would be as strong as stone.”
“It’s lucky for us that Han Sen ran into Gru first. With Gru’s stability, he should be able to squeeze Han Sen out of every ounce of his power. Even if Gru loses, other silkworms will know what to expect from Han Sen. They’ll know his powers, and he’ll be worn out.” Li Xue Cheng felt at ease now.
Some distance away stood a man with the head of a lion and the body of a human. He was staring at Han Sen and Gru as they conducted their battle.
“It looks like Han Sen isn’t as talented as the legends proclaim. Without treasure, that guy is pretty much worthless.” A Fox woman laughed as she walked up next to Shale.
Shale looked serious as he said, “Gru’s sword skill is King Path Sword, yet Han Sen is fighting him without exposing his moves. That alone proves how strong he is. Even my ninth-tier King body might expose my movements to the half-deified Gru.”
The Fox woman laughed and said, “You’ve only fallen to King cla.s.s. Did your b.a.l.l.s shrink, as well? Where did the fearless Shale go, hmm? Have you seen him? Even Han Sen, who is just a ninth-tier King, can make you react this seriously?”
“I embody the destiny of the lionheart. I do everything I can with the utmost precision and care. I might lose, but I will not fail due to my own negligence,” Shale said in a hard voice.
The Fox woman rolled her eyes. She looked at Shale and said, “Anyway, what do you make of Han Sen’s power? Can he defeat Gru?”
“Gru is strong, but Han Sen can beat him,” Shale answered.
“If Gru is strong, why would Han Sen win?” Fox woman asked, looking interested.
“He might win or he might lose.” Shale spoke those six words and stopped talking.
“What about you? Which of you is stronger? You or Han Sen?” The Fox woman looked at Shale, trying to see through his thoughts.
Shale didn’t move. “We have never fought before. So, who can tell what will happen?”
On the battlefield, Han Sen and Gru had performed a thousand moves against each other. But still, Han Sen had yet to find a way to beat Gru.
Han Sen had to admit that Gru was too stable for him. Han Sen started to think that if he kept fighting like this, he would die of old age before he found the man’s flaws. It seemed impossible to beat Gru through skill.
“If agility doesn’t seem to work against him, then it looks like I’ll have to approach this more directly.” Han Sen teleported away, establis.h.i.+ng some distance between him and Gru.
“Gru, I really admire your sword skills. But we have to determine a winner between us. Therefore, I am sorry.” Han Sen lifted Spell’s guns and took aim at Gru.
“Use all the moves you are able to.” Gru gripped his steel greatsword tightly. His face looked placid. It was as if even the sky breaking or the earth shattering would not move him.
Han Sen and the Extreme King were enemies, but Han Sen still admired his foe. Gru was a strong character, and if he became a leader among the Extreme King, their race would gain a great deal.
“What a shame. The Extreme King are controlled by King Bai. Gru will have no chance,” Han Sen thought to himself. He aimed Spell at Gru and pulled the trigger.
Pang!
A bullet tore out of the gun with a shriek that sounded like s.p.a.ce itself beginning to tear. The bullet was headed straight for Gru, and Gru was frozen. He had held the sword with one hand previously, but now he carefully gripped it with two. He shouted and brought the steel greatsword above his head to swing it down on the bullet.
A sword light glared with blinding intensity as it hit the bullet. The sword strike found its target, but the bullet didn’t split in half. Instead, it exploded.
Boom!
It was like a hydrogen bomb detonating. Looking at it was like staring straight into the sun. It covered Gru and most of the land.
When the explosion finally faded, a huge hole had been torn into the mountain. Gru was lying in the crater, soaked in blood. His limbs were all gone, and wounds covered every inch of his body that remained.
“What frightening power.” The audience was shocked. A ninth-tier King had used his pure power to defeat the half-deified Gru. That was astonis.h.i.+ng.