I'm Ornn, and I'm about to be beaten to my knees by the Man-eating Horse Girl!

Orn nodded and praised, "To persist on one's own path even knowing that such a move would offend the upper class, I have great respect for such a person."

Hearing his praise, the driver smiled, skillfully brought the car to a smooth stop, and said, "Alright, we're here. Have a great time."

After getting off the bus, the dojo in front of me was indeed as the driver had described—bustling yet somewhat deserted.

The uneven steps testify to the high volume of visitors to this martial arts dojo, while the two clean and tidy stone lions at the main entrance prove that the dojo is currently well-run, even having a surplus to repaint the exterior walls.

Ornn, wearing a chestnut hat, entered the dojo. Soon, a young man in training clothes came out to greet him.

The disciple sized up the young man before him. Since the man had brought a horse, he was probably a tourist visiting the area.

He asked with a smile, "Have you two come to visit the Yae Dojo for sightseeing?"

Orn shook his head slightly, took out a talisman made of clashing swords from his pocket, and handed it to the disciple, saying, "No, a monk sent me here. He said that a friend of his should be inside the dojo right now."

monk?

The disciple solemnly accepted the talisman, then looked the young man up and down.

Solid lower body, strong physique, bright eyes...

Oh no!! It's that monk who sent them to cause trouble!!

The disciple's expression suddenly changed. He then grabbed the talisman and immediately turned and ran towards the depths of the main hall.

As he ran, he shouted, "Uncle-Master!!! Senior Brother!! Master!!! That monk has sent people to challenge us!! Everyone, attack quickly!!!"

Chapter 64 Discussion

"Kicking gym?"

Ornn and Little Chestnut Hat were both stunned. It took him a while to realize that he had been tricked by that bald monk!

He slapped his thigh, exclaimed that something was wrong, and then prepared to grab the little chestnut-hatted man beside him and leave.

But as soon as Ornn turned around, several burly figures emerged from the shadows.

A wooden sword suddenly slashed towards his side! It was a basic sword technique, one of the Nine Forms and Thirteen Strike Techniques, the Direct Strike!

Although it was a basic sword technique, the newcomer was clearly not an apprentice, but a master!

Although Orn knew nothing about swordsmanship, the chilling killing intent emanating from Orn sent shivers down his spine.

He pulled a hammer from his waist with his right hand and smashed it straight at the sword's edge!

At the same time, he hooked the chestnut hat beside him with his left hand and used his body to shield her behind him.

The man was taken aback, clearly not expecting Ornn to use such a strange weapon as a hammer, and for a moment his movements became somewhat flustered.

The hammer struck the wooden sword with a crisp sound, and the wooden sword snapped in two! The person who had drawn the sword was also struck by Orn's immense force and staggered back four steps before finally regaining his balance.

"Big Brother!!"

"You bastard! How dare you hurt my senior brother!"

The middle-aged man, addressed as the eldest disciple, gestured to the angry disciples around him to calm them down. He looked at Ornn, who was holding a hammer, and said in a low voice, "As expected of the expert invited by Master Gucha! Such powerful hammer techniques!"

"May I ask which school of martial arts you belong to? I would be grateful if you could tell me!"

Orn was silent for a moment, then said, "I studied martial arts at the Children's Palace for a period of time, and later I followed a blacksmith to learn blacksmithing. If I had to say that I am a master of all styles without a license... I think I should be a master of all styles of martial arts in the Youth Martial Arts Class."

Children's Palace? Youth Martial Arts Class?

The eldest brother frowned. "Is there such a school of martial arts in Japan that uses hammers?"

The only thing related to using a hammer is in the [Hokushin Itto-ryu] style, where certain moves can replace the sword with a blunt weapon like a hammer. But as for a style that uses only hammers... I can't think of one at all!

But no matter what, since the other party was a former candidate for president of the Martial Virtue Association and was recommended by Master Gusha, he must have something extraordinary about him!

As a priest of the Yae Dojo, I cannot let go of such a good sparring opponent!

The eldest brother waved his hand and stared at Orn with excited eyes, saying, "Bring me the knife!"

The disciple beside him quickly presented a new bronze sword. Compared to the bamboo sword that was only used for practice, this sword was more geared towards actual combat!

Ornn was surprised that his opponent wanted to continue sparring, so he quickly waved his hand and said, "Brother, I think our sparring should end here. I didn't come here to challenge you! I came to see your master! I have important business to discuss!"

"Hmph! Enough said! Since you were recommended by Master Gu Sha and you even have the token for the martial arts tournament, you must be a martial arts master!"

"Take this! I won't hold back this time!"

The middle-aged man held the bronze sword upright in front of him, then bowed slightly. He then lightly gripped the long sword in his hand and began to slowly pace around Orn.

"No, brother, I'm just a blacksmith, I really don't know how to fight!"

"I'm fine with blacksmithing, but I'd rather not fight with people!"

Ornn continued to try to explain, but the middle-aged man's ready-to-attack stance made him unconsciously grip the hammer tightly in his hand.

To deal with a martial arts fanatic, it seems the only way to continue communication is through a fight first!

The middle-aged man stared at Orn, who seemed to be riddled with weaknesses, his bronze knife trembling incessantly.

'Should I not move if the enemy doesn't move?'

'Since that's the case, let's strike first!'

He leaned slightly forward, slowly stepping back with his right foot, his bronze knife gripping tightly at his waist.

The middle-aged man's posture is "Iai," also known as drawing the sword, a lightning-fast slash in Japanese swordsmanship.

Through years of training, the use of Iaijutsu allows the longsword to reach speeds invisible to the naked eye the instant it leaves its sheath. Often, the opponent doesn't even understand what happened after being struck.

This is the ultimate blade, abandoning the user's defense to overwhelm the enemy with an all-out offensive.

The middle-aged man was five meters away from Ornn, but as soon as he drew his sword, the blade was already right in front of Ornn!

"Ding--!!"

Unlike the sound before the bamboo knife broke, this time it was a crisper, clearer sound of the blade snapping.

As the blade drew near, Ornn instinctively pressed the hammer down in front of him, smashing the brass-forged longsword into the wooden floor beneath them!

The middle-aged man's expression changed. He instinctively tried to pull out the long knife embedded in the floor, but even with all his strength and the veins on his arms bulging, he couldn't pull the blade out in a short time!

Ornn, however, was not about to let this opportunity slip by. He raised the hammer and pressed it against the middle-aged man's nose before he could pick up the knife!

The disciple watching from the sidelines swallowed hard, stammering, "The...the outcome is decided!!"

"Big...Senior Brother!! He....."

The middle-aged man gestured to stop his fellow disciples who were watching, then sighed and said, "My skills are inferior; I have lost."

He straightened up, bowed to Orn, and smiled, saying, "I was very rude just now, please forgive me, Master."

"It's okay, but I really didn't come here to fight you."

Orn also put away his hammer, easily pulled the brass sword from the ground, and handed it to the middle-aged man, saying, "Here, take this."

"Thank you."

The middle-aged man took the sword, thanked him, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Since you didn't come here to challenge us, why do you have a challenge badge from the Great Japan Martial Virtue Association?"

Orn shrugged helplessly and said with a wry smile, "This was sold to me by that ancient temple master you mentioned. Of course, I also paid for a game console as a reward."

“My purpose is not to challenge the dojo, after all, I have a female horse companion, right? I’m here to ask your master about trainers.”

The middle-aged man suddenly realized what was happening. He looked apologetic and scratched his head, saying, "I see. I'm sorry, because so many people have been coming to challenge us lately, I just assumed you were one of them. I'm so sorry."

"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Asuka Izumi, and I am one of the master's two last disciples."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand.

Orn smiled and shook his hand, saying, "I am Orn, it's a pleasure to meet you. I just don't know if your master is...?"

"No,"

"That guy Gu Sha has already told me, young man, it seems... you've become a trainer?"

A somewhat hoarse voice came from behind the two. Orn quickly looked over and saw a robust old man with a full head of white hair walking out from the depths of the hall.

The old man was dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe, with a red cloth belt around his waist. His beard was neatly trimmed on both sides of his face, resembling the sharp edges of two swords.

Her white hair was tied into a braid at the back of her head. Her aged face had thin, sculpted features, and beneath her loose clothing lay muscles as muscular as a tiger.

The old man's mere presence exuded an invisible pressure that sent chills down people's spines; you could tell from his posture alone... This guy was terrifyingly strong!

Ornn's eye twitched. He thought to himself, "This is completely out of style! Did this guy step out of the set of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure or Baki?! He could probably run the match himself!"

When asked by the old man, he honestly replied, "Yes, I am already a trainer."

To be honest, if this guy in front of me grabbed any knife and said he knew Bankai Ornn, I'd believe it!

"Hmph...Is he already a trainer?"

The old man looked closely at Orn's face, then turned around and said, "Come with me directly, and bring your responsibilities with you."

"I also have some questions I'd like to ask you."

Chapter 65 Nagoya Swordsman and Ancient Temple Master

Little Chestnut Hat followed closely behind Orn, the two of them walking deeper into the dojo as the old man with a bushy beard and hair.

She asked softly, "Torena, are you a swordsman hidden in the mountains?"

"How could that be? I'm just an ordinary person, at most I know how to forge horseshoes, how could I possibly be some reclusive hero?"

Orn immediately retorted, but the girl in the chestnut hat still looked at him with suspicion.

From her perspective, the fight just now was indeed far too exaggerated.

The moment her trainer clashed with the senior disciple of the Yae Dojo, Oguri Hat could only feel a gentle breeze blowing against her face. Then, just a moment after she narrowed her eyes, the senior disciple had already conceded defeat!

'Torena is really amazing! I can't fall behind!'

Little Chestnut Hat let out a few soft hums, and its ears twitched, as if its enthusiasm had increased.

The dojo was much larger inside than it appeared from the outside. The three of them walked past the bustling training room, through the corridor adjacent to the pond, and then up the stairs to a huge and spacious room.

The old man opened the wooden door, and a delicate fragrance of sandalwood wafted out.

"Come in, it's been a long time since I've had any guests here."

Orn entered the quiet room somewhat nervously. The old man before him was completely different from anyone else he had met before. Rather than a frail old man, he was more like a sharp sword with its edge fully revealed.

Could someone like that really be a trainer? Orn was worried about what kind of person that horse girl would become under this person's tutelage; she would probably become a strongman who could easily smash rocks and shatter stones!

The old man sat down by the window and then took three teacups from the cabinet next to him.

He pulled over the teapot on the table and skillfully poured the prepared boiling water into the teapot and teacups to rinse them. Then he took out tea leaves and put them into the teapot.

He held the kettle high, letting the boiling water fall from a height, dispersing all the tea leaves in the teapot. The fragrant aroma of the fine tea leaves then wafted out of the teapot.

Little Chestnut Hat's nose twitched. She stared with great interest at the tea leaves bobbing up and down as they were washed by the water, and licked her lips.

"Cough, Xiao Li, that doesn't taste good."

Having already fed Little Chestnut Hat before, he naturally knew that this was Big Chestnut King's way of stimulating her appetite. To prevent her from later devouring tea leaves, Orn had no choice but to give her a heads-up.

Upon hearing Orn's comment that the food wasn't good, Lu Mao's ears trembled with sadness, and she whispered, "Oh—I see."

The old man smiled slightly as he watched this harmonious scene.

He placed two cups of boiling tea in front of them and said, "It seems you've done a good job; at least you've escaped the predicament of being a rookie trainer."

"You haven't formally introduced yourself yet. My name is Miyazaki Hidetoshi, the head of the Yae Dojo, and also the honorary president of the Martial Arts Association. I have some connections with the ancient temple master of Ryusenji."

"At the same time, I am also a trainer in Central Treson, so I can be considered your... senior."

The old man raised his chin and said in a kind tone, "Don't be so nervous. I won't make things difficult for such a talented junior."

Orn nodded and asked, "Miyazaki-senpai, it seems your confidant isn't currently by your side?"

"Yes, she's still in the central government."

The old man smiled and shook his head, saying, "She's been overdoing her cultivation lately, and her academic studies have fallen behind. So, I've been telling her to pay attention to balancing work and rest, and also to make time for herself to go back to the dojo to manage things."

"Speaking of which, the ancient master of Longquan Temple is actually qualified to be a trainer. It is said that he and Shenzan have a complicated relationship; she was the second Triple Crown horse girl."

"I don't know what the other party did to make him hide in the ancient temple. He was never this scared when I encountered the roving criminal gang back then."

"A divine blessing?!"

Orn, recalling the old man at Longquan Temple who had extorted money from him to buy a game console, asked suspiciously, "That monk... is he really that powerful?"

The old man said with a sigh, "He was very powerful, and his disciple was also very powerful. I remember he was also a trainer at Central Treson, but I don't know if he's still considered a monk now."

"I heard that about six months ago, in order to avoid breaking his vow, he took all his belongings and ran away to Alaska, but that didn't escape his beloved horse's pursuit, and he was eventually caught and brought back. He's probably on administrative leave now,"