Chapter 1220: Chapter 696: Reversal

“Bad news, Lord Yagyū Jubei has been killed by Battosai.”

“Battosai is a natural-born killer, she is not a hero at all.”

“Lord Yagyū was such a good person, how could Battosai bring herself to do it…..”

“An executioner is an executioner. Her previous methods of killing were so cruel. I told you there’s no way she’s a hero…..”

……

The next day, as new announcements were posted throughout Heian-kyo, the city became lively again. Just days ago, Battosai was praised by tens of thousands, almost hailed directly as the savior of Japan, but this time, she remained the topic of discussion, though the perception of her completely reversed.

And all of this was solely because of the death of Yagyū Jubei.

Unlike Battosai, who had just ventured out in recent days, Yagyū Jubei was an established Sword Master, and one with a very high reputation.

In her early years, she traveled around the island, performing acts of righteousness, and countless people have benefited from her kindness. Now, with their benefactor killed, many people were immediately in an uproar.

As for Battosai, they really were not familiar with her, and the title of hero was proclaimed in announcements by the Chinese Clan, which ordinary Japanese Witches already were not keen on, thinking perhaps it was just hype.

The more the patriarchs praised, the more they disliked it.

And now, a truly recognized good Sword Master was dead at the hands of someone who was forcefully exalted, causing many to think of various conspiracy theories.

Therefore, in an instant, the Battosai, who had been lifted to the heavens just days ago, fell into the gutter, becoming a rat chased by all.

“Hehehe, my lady, your hero experience card has expired.”

Next to a notice board outside a village, in the midst of indignant villagers, Wenwen turned and teasingly said to the lady beside her.

In response, Dorothy didn’t feel much; she had long anticipated such a day would come.

“There’s nothing to care about, let’s go.”

The Homebody Witch just shook her head, then wrapped her black robe tightly and turned to leave.

Seeing her leaving like this, another figure similarly wrapped in a black robe quickly followed.

“Sorry, Lord Tsukimi Kuro, it’s my fault for dragging you into this.”

After the three left the crowd, the hooded black robe person finally raised her head and apologized to Dorothy.

This was none other than the rumored-to-be-dead Yagyū Jubei.

……..

Time returned to yesterday.

When Dorothy swung her sword, Yagyū Jubei froze.

The so-called Taking without a Sword is, in simple terms, fending off a blade with bare hands by inserting into the opponent’s Sword Technique at the right timing to seize their weapon.

The principle is just that, not complicated; the real difficulty is in how to find and grasp the opponent’s flaw.

But it’s not so easy to catch flaws in opponents of the same level; in a real duel between masters, no one dares to make a mistake, for a mistake often means death.

Thus, Taking without a Sword is not actually a Technique for opponents of the same level but a technique used against much weaker foes.

To put it bluntly, it was because she was much stronger than her opponent, and their attacks seemed like child’s play to her, which she could manipulate at will.

What truly was strong wasn’t the Sword Move of Taking without a Sword but the Swordsman using it.

The secret of Taking without a Sword lies in your swordsmanship needing to be several levels higher than your opponent’s.

But others did not understand this. They just saw the swordfighters from the Yagyū clan easily handling opponents with Taking without a Sword, so it was passed down as a secret technique of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū.

However, Yagyū Jubei’s Taking without a Sword was different from the others in that it was not merely for defeating weaklings; it had real practical value, capable of handling opponents of the same level or even slightly stronger foes.

For her, this move was truly a Secret Sword.

And the secret of it…

Well, the secret actually had nothing to do with swordsmanship but with her eyes.

Yagyū Jubei was a one-eyed Sword Master, a well-known fact with many rumors about why she was like this.

Some said she was injured onto one eye when ambushed by villains during an act of chivalry.

Others said it was during a match with her mother, where her innate talent was so high it frightened her mother into accidentally using full strength, resulting in the injury of one eye.

In any case, opinions varied.

But the truth was she awakened a Magic Eye later in life, the right eye under her eyepatch being a Magic Eye, and a very powerful Shining Diamond Level Demon Eye at that.

Magic Eye of Perception was the name of her Magic Eye.

And the ability of the Magic Eye is quite simple; she can see through others’ flaws at a glance.

As long as the gap between her and the target is not too vast, then relying on the ability of this Magic Eye, others’ attacks appear full of loopholes to her.

This Magic Eye and the technique of Taking without a Sword are a perfect match, as someone attacked her, she directly perceives it, and counterattacks through the opponent’s flaw.

This Magic Eye wasn’t innate, but awakened later. She was quite young at the time, undergoing Cultivation with Teacher Tsukahara in the mountains, accidentally encountering the mountain lord, a Winged Tiger Demon.