Cold steel sparked flames in the dark night.
Ito Hidemi, holding half a katana, desperately struggled in the midst of a fierce torrential assault.
As for why it was only half a katana... his family heirloom blade had been severed by an axe during the very first exchange.
This was the most preposterous thing he had encountered since arriving in Tianmen from Edo Port.
The opponent was wielding an ordinary wood-cutting axe, the kind commonly seen on the street which could be bought for a couple of cents, and perhaps even discounted in bulk. It was no longer than three feet and not even well-suited for chopping people.
But the opponent's understanding and mastery of weaponry far surpassed his own, praised as a genius of Fusang swordsmanship. The man had risked taking a slash to close the distance, then, with a backhanded blow, struck the side of Ito's katana, splitting it in two right on the spot.
From then on, Ito Hidemi never again gained the upper hand.
