Footsteps agile, darting left and right, the sword's shadow flickers.
The three battle into a tangled mess, striking back and forth, unable to gain an advantage.
Realizing that pure aggression alone cannot defeat the two remaining opponents, Chiba Daisaburo sweeps his blade, forcing Aoto and Toshisuke to dodge, and uses this moment to retreat.
He retreats a dozen or so steps before finally steadying his pace.
Faced with Chiba Daisaburo's deliberate withdrawal, Aoto and Toshisuke do not pursue — instead, they seize the moment to catch their breath and carefully consider how to defeat Chiba Daisaburo.
"Huff... huff... huff... huff... huff..." Aoto's breathing is rapid.
Even before fighting Chiba Daisaburo, he had already expended much stamina battling the swordsmen of Xuanwu Hall in succession.
Facing a master of Chiba Daisaburo's caliber, both psychological pressure and physical endurance are greatly tested.
