The Absolute Speed of a Certain Comic'

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"Shizuku, please treat this person."

Kurogane Ikki gestured towards Bishou, who lay unconscious on the ground and addressed his sister.

"Someone like him isn't worth the effort, but since Big Brother asked, I'll grudgingly let him live."

Kurogane Shizuku, though indifferent, knelt beside Bishou and began treating his wounds using her water-based magic.

Shizuku was a Hydromancer, a class renowned for its healing and protective abilities. Her A-Rank magic power allowed her exceptional control over water, making her incredibly effective at healing human bodies, primarily composed of water.

With her abilities, Shizuku could achieve healing results comparable to advanced medical capsules. Reconnecting Bishou's severed arm wouldn't be impossible, but it would only increase the risk of him causing further trouble. For now, she focused on stopping the bleeding.

Arisuin Nagi stood guard over the defeated terrorists.

Finally, the chaos had subsided.

Kurogane Ikki let out a relieved sigh. Though he hadn't participated in the battle at the plaza, he'd been deeply concerned for Stella and Ryoji.

However, he couldn't help but exclaim, "That sword strike earlier was truly magnificent!"

His gaze turned towards Ryoji, his mind captivated by the sword that had defeated Bishou.

"Oh? Can little brother Kurogane discern the mystery behind Junior Brother's sword strike?"

Saikyou Nene, ever curious, leaned in.

"I wouldn't say I can fully decipher it, but I can speculate on the principle behind it," Kurogane Ikki replied, his eyes gleaming with interest at the mention of swordsmanship.

"If I'm not mistaken, it's based on the God of War's signature technique, 'Trackless Step'. Ryoji has integrated the profound truth of 'Trackless Step' into his own swordsmanship, creating the devastating strike we witnessed," he explained.

Despite his modesty, Kurogane Ikki's confidence in his assessment was evident. His ability to instantly grasp the principle behind 'Flickering Light and Passing Shadows' was truly impressive.

The 'Trackless Step' is the signature technique of Nangou Torajirou, the God of War. It combines ancient martial arts breathing techniques with intricate footwork.

The profound truth of this technique lay in its ability to infiltrate an opponent's subconscious through specialized breathing and footwork, making them overlook the user's presence even if they saw them.

The human brain possesses limitations. It cannot process every sensory input in detail like a machine. While the brain perceives and hears various stimuli, the mind cannot consciously categorize and process all information simultaneously. Attempting to do so would overload the brain.

Consequently, the brain prioritizes certain information, relegating less crucial details to the subconscious.

For instance, when confronted by a gunman, would you notice their earrings?

In this scenario, the gunman and the gun are prioritized by the conscious mind, while details like their attire or accessories are relegated to the subconscious.

'Trackless Step' exploits this limitation. Through masterful footwork, the user slips into the opponent's subconscious, making them perceive the user as insignificant and thus ignore them.

Only when the user suddenly appears before them, posing an imminent threat, does the brain regain full consciousness, recognizing the user as a significant threat. However, by this point, it's significantly more difficult to counter the attack.

This is the essence of 'Trackless Step'.

Ryoji, with his exceptional insight, had grasped and memorized the principle of this technique when his master first demonstrated it. Through relentless experimentation and practice, he had developed 'Flickering Light and Passing Shadows'.

Similar to 'Trackless Step', 'Flickering Light and Passing Shadows' manipulates the opponent's subconscious. 

It allows the user's blade to slip into the opponent's subconscious, blurring their perception and making them subconsciously dismiss the blade as a threat. Only when the blade nears their throat do they realize the danger, but by then, it's too late.

To an outsider, it appeared as though Ryoji simply approached Bishou and, seizing a moment of distraction, struck and severed his left hand.

However, in reality, Bishou's consciousness had been misled, causing him to misjudge the timing of Ryoji's strike while momentarily distracted. He was unable to activate his reflection ability in time, resulting in the loss of his wrist.

Despite having practiced swordsmanship for less than a year, Ryoji had dedicated a significant portion of his time to physical training and exploring his special abilities. Within this limited timeframe, he had already developed several sword skills, including 'Flickering Light and Passing Shadows'.

Given more time, his swordsmanship would undoubtedly become even more refined, and his mastery would reach greater heights.

"Indeed, my instincts were not wrong," Kurogane Ikki affirmed, his gaze intensifying.

From their first encounter, he had recognized Ryoji as a kindred spirit. Both were passionate swordsmen, pursuing the same path with shared goals.

He yearned to duel with Ryoji, to understand his swordsmanship, comprehend the principles behind his techniques, and test his own knowledge.

However, this was clearly not the appropriate time, so he suppressed the urge.

"But why didn't you simply use 'Trackless Step'?" Kurogane Ikki suddenly questioned, a lingering doubt in his mind.

Initially, Ryoji beamed with pleasure at Kurogane Ikki's praise, his smile conveying a sense of modest pride.

However, as soon as Kurogane Ikki posed that question, Ryoji's smile vanished, replaced by a cold expression, as if the remark had angered him.

"Right, Junior Brother, I was wondering the same thing. Since you were able to create 'Flickering Light and Passing Shadows' based on 'Trackless Step', why not simply utilize 'Trackless Step'? Or perhaps a combination of both would be more effective?" The legal loli echoed his question.

"Heh," Ryoji sneered coldly.

"I'm a very magnanimous person."

"?"

Both Kurogane Ikki and Saikyou Nene were utterly bewildered.

What did refraining from using 'Trackless Step' have to do with magnanimity?

"My feet simply refuse to cooperate. I can't force them to move," Ryoji explained.

"…?"

"…!"

Both of them exchanged confused glances, then paused to contemplate his words.

Kurogane Ikki suddenly recalled Ryoji's performance during judo class. No matter how diligently the instructor taught, Ryoji's hands and feet seemed to be in constant conflict, and after half a day, he still couldn't even assume a basic stance.

Kurogane Ikki finally understood.

"I see, you simply can't—"

"—Vrring~!"

(End of chapter)