"!【5100】

As soon as Chiba Eijiro finished speaking, the eyes of everyone in the hall were instantly focused on Qingto.

Qingto opened his eyes wide in surprise, stared at Chiba Eijiro with doubtful eyes, and softly repeated what Chiba Eijiro just said: "Come for me...?"

So far, the only interaction between Aonto and Chiba Eijiro was that they had met once at a previous swordsmanship competition and exchanged a few words with each other.

Judging from their friendship with each other... Aoto and Chiba Eijiro can barely be considered "acquaintances", not even friends.

Is there anything that would make Eijiro Chiba come to the imperial examination hall to visit me? Aintō was puzzled.

As if he wanted to observe Aoto's surprised and confused expression for a while, Chiba Eijiro looked at Aoto with a smile for a moment, and then said slowly as if chewing every word:

"Ever since the swordsmanship competition with Lord Aizu ended, I have been wanting to have a good talk with you."

"Mr. Ju, I'll get straight to the point and keep the story short."

"In the finals of the swordsmanship competition not long ago, there was a moment when you showed your 'power'."

"Although the 'momentum' you suddenly released is fleeting, I still vaguely sense that your 'momentum' is slightly different from other people's 'momentum'..."

"...different?" A shadow of doubt immediately appeared between Qingdeng's straight eyebrows, and his face showed an expression of confusion and suspicion.

The gazes of everyone in the hall suddenly turned around 180 degrees. Everyone... including Shusuke, turned their doubtful gaze from Aomori to Chiba Eijiro.

Apparently, even Shusuke didn't understand what Chiba Eijiro meant by what he just said.

Even though he was oppressed by the attention of everyone, Chiba Eijiro remained calm and calm.

He half-closed his eyes and pondered for a while:

"Hmm...how to explain..."

Chiba Eijiro was thinking about it in his mind, thinking about his words, and said with a smile:

"This thing like 'power'... to put it bluntly, it's just an aura that warriors have developed bit by bit over many years of practice to intimidate their opponents."

"Although each person's 'power' will be slightly different based on their personality, past experience, and martial arts style, the difference is basically the same."

"The difference between each other... is the same as the difference between the mountain spring water of Mount Fuji and the mountain spring water of Mount Hakone - there may be slight differences in the impurities in the water, but overall there is no difference between the two.

, all are mountain spring water.”

"However - Mr. Tachibana, your 'power' is different."

Chiba Eijiro's eyes, which were originally half-closed, were now narrowed even more narrowly. He was looking at Ayoto, with a deep light bursting out from under his eyelids.

"Because the 'shi' you released in the swordsmanship competition only appeared for a moment, so I didn't have time to understand your 'shi' more, so I don't know how to use words to describe your 'shi' and

What is the difference between ordinary people's 'power'?"

"But what I can be sure of is that your 'power' is indeed different from others."

"The reason why I want to come to you is to ask you: Can you freely control your 'potential' now? I want to feel your 'potential' better and see what your 'potential' has.

What are the abnormalities?"

After the words fell, Chiba Eijiro stopped talking. He looked straight at Aoto, waiting for Aoto's response.

Ever since Eijiro Chiba began to explain why he felt that Aoto's "power" was different from other people's "power", the look of astonishment on Aoto's face never faded.

His "power" is different... This is the first time Qingdeng has heard of this kind of thing.

It wasn't just Qingdeng who looked shocked.

Shusuke, Kondo, Okita... In short, everyone in the hall except Chiba Eijiro had a look of surprise on their faces at this time.

"Master." Okita tilted his head in confusion at this time and looked at Shusuke who was sitting in front of him, "Is what Eijirou said true? Tachibana-kun's 'power' is really the same as that of ordinary people.

Is it different?"

"Uh, well..." Zhouzhu laughed a few times with an embarrassed look on his face, "I really don't know... Like you, I didn't find anything special about Qingdeng's power...

…”

At the moment when Chiba Eijiro was staring at Aoto, waiting for Aoto's response, Aoto once again became the focus of everyone in the hall.

Qingdeng slowly came back to his senses, pursed his lips, and shook his head with a wry smile:

"I am still far from the state where I can freely control my power."

"The 'power' I showed in the swordsmanship competition before... was purely coincidental."

"Not to mention freely releasing and releasing the 'momentum', I still don't understand how I released the 'momentum' at that time."

Zhou Zhu has recently gained a lot of knowledge related to "potential" with Qingdeng.

In practicing "shi", all warriors will go through the following three stages.

The first stage is the stage that most warriors are in: they cannot reach the threshold of practicing "shi" at all, and they cannot release even a trace of "shi".

In the second stage, you can already release "power" from time to time, but you cannot control it freely at all.

The third stage is the state that people like Zhou Zhu and others have reached, where they can control and release their "power" as they please.

Regarding how to freely expand and contract "momentum", Zhou Zhu once explained this - this is a skill that can be mastered naturally.

After your strength has been tempered to a certain level, you will suddenly be able to master how to freely expand and contract "momentum", just like you can naturally learn how to open and close your eyes even if no one comes to teach you.

Qingden feels that he is currently stuck between the first stage and the second stage, and there is no sign of reaching the level of Zhou Zhu and the others yet.

Chiba Eijiro seemed not surprised by Aomori's answer.

He said softly, "That's it." Then he raised his hand and pinched his chin, as if thinking: "... Mr. Ju, are you free now?"

"Huh?" Although he didn't understand why Chiba Eijiro suddenly asked him this, Qingto still nodded honestly. He was on vacation today and had a lot of time all day long.

Seeing Aoto nod, Chiba Eijiro's lips slowly raised in a meaningful arc: "Since you happen to be free now...can you compete with me now?"

As soon as Chiba Eijiro said these words, the hall was instantly surrounded by silence that could hear a needle drop.

Shusuke, Kondo, Okita... all of them, especially Aoto, all looked shocked now.

Everyone stared blankly at Eijiro Chiba who suddenly invited Aoto for a sparring match.

Everyone's surprised eyes once again focused on Chiba Eijiro, who was as calm as ever.

He said leisurely:

"It's rare to come here to try out the defense hall. I want to try my best not to have any regrets."

"I don't have much time left in Edo."

"I have already served as an official in the Mito Domain and have become a member of the Mito Domain. I took a long leave from the domain government on the pretext of 'visiting relatives' so that I could have time to return to Edo."

"I will have to return to Mito Domain by the middle of this month at most."

"Therefore, I really want to find out what is unusual about your 'power' today."

"Since the 'power' you released in the previous swordsmanship competition was released unconsciously when you were fighting with others... Then, maybe there will be another equally fierce or more fierce battle.

It allows you to unleash your 'power' unconsciously again."

"A large part of the reason why I failed to recognize your 'power' clearly in the swordsmanship competition not long ago was because I was sitting in a distant spectator seat, instead of standing right in front of you."

"This time, I stand directly in front of you and bear your "power" face to face. Then I should be able to figure out what makes your "power" different."

"So, Tachibana-kun, what do you... think?"

A scene similar to the one just now reappeared - after finishing speaking, Chiba Eijiro stopped talking and looked at Aoto, quietly waiting for Aoto's response.

Qingden's eyes flickered slightly.

It is obvious that the man in front of him is a famous swordsman. In terms of status and fame, it is far beyond what Aoto, who is only famous in a corner of Edo, can compare with him. However, whether he is talking to this man or not,

Looking into the eyes of this man, Qingden didn't feel timid at all, neither humble nor overbearing.

Mixed emotions surged on Aoto's cheeks with his twinkling eyes. After a short moment, Aoto half-closed his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and then gave Chiba Eijiro a very polite smile.

Leaning:

"Then...please enlighten me!"

Qingdeng's words were every word, sonorous and powerful.

Chiba Eijiro showed a peaceful smile.

…

…

Trial Guard Hall, Dojo——

Aoto accepted Chiba Eijiro's invitation to fight and moved with everyone from the hall to the dojo of the Imperial Guard Hall.

"Edo's Strongest Swordsman" Chiba Eijiro competes with others... This is something that can only be encountered in ordinary times!

Faced with such a rare competition, Nagakura and the others stood at the edge of the dojo with great interest, waiting excitedly and anxiously for the start of the competition. Even Saito, who was usually expressionless, rarely showed his expression.

Serious look.

Aoto and Chiba Eijiro are now standing in a corner of the dojo.

"Okita-kun, can you keep my sword for me?" Chiba Eijiro took off the two swords hanging on his left waist, one long and one short, and handed them to Okita who was standing beside him.
To be continued...