A few days later.
A story about a swordsman began circulating throughout Inazuma.
At first, the version was relatively normal, simply stating that someone was challenging Inazuma's master swordsmen.
But as the tale spread, it grew increasingly exaggerated, eventually morphing into the legend of the "Swordsman Slayer."
Adults even used it to scare their children.
Outskirts of Inazuma City.
Byakko Plain.
The full moon hung high in the sky.
Silver moonlight bathed the land.
Tonight, there were no thunderstorms.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a soft, whispering sound.
At the center of the grassy field stood a white-haired youth, holding his sword.
He wore Liyue-style attire, with a jade pendant hanging at his waist.
The young man stood with his eyes closed, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Light footsteps approached.
Startled, the Crystalflies perched on his shoulders fluttered away.
He opened his eyes. "You've come."
The newcomer replied, "I have."
"At least you dared to show up."
"I had to. I will become the greatest under the heavens."
"Good."
The challenger drew his sword. "Meikyou Shisui Style, Domon, at your service."
The youth unsheathed his own blade. "Chenyu Vale, Mu Yang."
The two charged at each other simultaneously, their weapons clashing.
Clang—
A single strike echoed through the night.
In an instant, their positions had swapped.
Silence stretched for dozens of seconds.
The chilling gleam of Withering Glory: Snow Burial Over a Thousand Peaks seemed even colder under the moonlight.
The wind rustled the leaves, filling the air with a hushed murmur.
"Cough…"
Domon clutched his chest, dropping to one knee.
He barely managed to keep himself upright with his sword.
"You've lost."
Mu Yang sheathed his blade.
Without looking back, he walked away from Byakko Plain.
——————
Late that night.
Outskirts of Inazuma City.
A Fatui encampment.
Mu Yang was leisurely enjoying some grilled meat.
"Ahhh, delicious. Gotta thank Mother Nature for this bounty."
Inside the tent, a group of bound Fatui Skirmishers desperately wanted to refute that statement.
Unfortunately, they couldn't speak. "Mmph— Mmph—"
Mu Yang briefly reviewed his recent battles.
Over the past few days, he had fought his way across Inazuma.
Of course, he only challenged the strongest opponents.
The Meikyou Shisui master he had just defeated was one of the key figures in the later storyline.
Mu Yang wondered—now that he had shattered the man's dream of becoming "the greatest under the heavens," would he still lose his mind when his Vision was taken away?
After arriving on Narukami Island,
Mu Yang had sent challenge letters to every renowned swordsmanship school.
Except for the Kamisato Clan.
He wanted the Kamisato family to come to him.
"It shouldn't be long now. Will they try to recruit me… or challenge me?"
——————
Early the next morning.
Mu Yang was still meditating when a loud voice interrupted him.
"Hey, you! Wake up!"
The voice sounded familiar.
When he opened his eyes, a set of well-defined abs was practically in his face.
Mu Yang swiftly dodged backward, finally getting a clear look at the newcomer.
That muscular physique, those striking oni horns—
It was the leader of the Arataki Gang: Arataki Itto.
Not far behind him stood a masked young woman.
Kuki Shinobu, the Arataki Gang's external brain.
The only responsible member of the gang.
Wait, why are these two looking for me so early in the morning?
Shouldn't it be the Kamisato Clan sending someone?
"Hey hey hey! You trying to run away?"
"Boss, be reasonable."
"Reasonable? Shinobu, this guy clearly doesn't respect me!"
Itto was getting worked up.
Mu Yang was even more confused now.
But then again, Itto's thought process wasn't something a normal person could easily follow.
"Have we met before?" Mu Yang asked.
Itto turned his head. "Nope."
Mu Yang was speechless. If we haven't met, then why are you here?
Itto continued, "Even though I don't know you, I heard you've been challenging Inazuma's strongest fighters."
"So why haven't you challenged me yet?"
He whipped out a small comb to fix his hair.
"Don't tell me you don't know that Arataki Itto is Hanamizaka's strongest—ONI?"
Behind him, Shinobu facepalmed.
Mu Yang observed Itto closely.
Noticing the absence of a Vision at his collar, it seemed his had already been confiscated.
Time to mess with him.
"So you're Arataki Itto, the prison boss of the Arataki Gang."
"Gang leader! Can't you read?!"
Mu Yang continued, "I acknowledge your strength. I was actually planning to challenge you first."
"But then I heard you lost to the Tenryou Commission's Kujou Sara and even had your Vision taken away."
"I don't fight unfair battles."
Itto rubbed his chin.
"Tch… You've got some honor, I'll give you that…"
Then he pulled out his massive sword.
"Even without a Vision, I can still beat you! Bring it on!"
Mu Yang had no intention of fighting Itto.
Beating him wouldn't be hard.
But Itto's stubborn, never-back-down personality would make things troublesome.
He'd definitely come back every day with new challenges.
Just as Mu Yang was thinking of a way to shake him off, more people arrived.
A young man and woman, dressed in Meikyou Shisui uniforms, came running over with a tengu in tow.
Behind them were soldiers from the Tenryou Commission.
"He's right there! The Swordsman Slayer! We saw him with our own eyes last night!"
Swordsman Slayer?
Mu Yang had never heard that title before.
But there were only three people here.
Shinobu was law-abiding, and Itto didn't fit the description.
So it had to be him.
Looking closer, the two leading the charge were wearing Meikyou Shisui attire.
Seriously? The old man couldn't handle the loss and started spreading rumors?
The situation was now extremely unfavorable for Mu Yang.
In a flash, he darted over and patted Itto's shoulder.
"Boss Itto, I'll leave the rear guard to you."
With that, he vanished without a trace.
Arataki Itto: "???"
"Shinobu, what did that guy just say?"
"Boss… You just got played…"
Mu Yang had deliberately spoken loudly.
Kujou Sara immediately ordered her soldiers to surround Itto.
"Kujou Tengu! What's the meaning of this?!"
Shinobu signaled for her boss to calm down.
Then she asked, "Miss Kujou, what's going on?"
"Let them explain."
The two Meikyou Shisui disciples recounted what had happened.
Last night, their master had gone out to accept a duel.
They had secretly followed, hoping to learn a move or two.
But to their shock, their master was defeated in a single strike.
Their master was a proud man, and the two had frozen, unsure of what to do.
Then, after the white-haired youth left, he suddenly returned.
He tried to kill their master from behind!
They had shouted in alarm.
Realizing he'd been exposed, the assailant fled.
After hearing the story, Shinobu explained to Kujou Sara that they had no connection to this "Swordsman Slayer."
Sara trusted her and knew Itto wouldn't recruit someone like that into the Arataki Gang.
So she let them go without further trouble.
——————
Mu Yang had already slipped away to Chinju Forest.
"Swordsman Slayer? Couldn't handle the loss, huh…"
He pondered whether there was more to the situation.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed. "Hm?"
After swiftly navigating through the forest, he emerged from behind a tree and pressed his sword against the neck of his pursuer.
Unexpectedly, the first words from the pink-haired figure were—
"Long time no see."