Chapter 136: Kendo's Practice

The shaking stopped after about twenty seconds.

It was shorter than the first one but they noticed that it was a bit stronger.

"It's weird… It has been many years since the last earthquake in this region…" 

One of the Hunters said as he steadied himself…

"Is this perhaps due to a huge battle happening right now?"

"Haha… You have a good imagination. There's no way an earthquake of this magnitude would happen in a battle."

"Who knows?"

"Uhmm… Lord Castillo, is it possible to have an Arcane Magic that could create this kind of strong earthquake?" Misha asked.

"Mhmm… I have never heard of one…  I've studied a lot of epic weapons but none of them could possess such a tremendous skill… However, those legendary or perhaps mythic rank Arcana may have something similar, I'm not sure."

The noble Arcanist answered as he glanced at everyone. After confirming that everyone was alright, he signaled to Hendrick to proceed with their mission.

The passage seems to become hotter and hotter every time they moved forward.

'We're getting close to them. Ready your weapons everyone."

Stella said after noticing that her Life Detection skill detected multiple life's presences ahead.

Finally, the group encountered the elite tamers after entering the secret passage… There were ten Beast Tamers, five Inferno Wolves, ten Three-Eyed Vipers, and two Armored Bears…

Some of them were still missing but they should be near and perhaps waiting for the right time to ambush.

This part of the cave was quite similar to the first wide space they have been but the pillars were not present…

"Hoo~ So you guys really followed us here…"

"Tsk… Those newbies didn't even manage to report back to us… Did you kill them all?"

"Haha… It doesn't matter. I hope that you'll entertain us while we're waiting here…"

"Do you guys really think you can win against us is in this kind of environment?"

One of the tamers said as let the Inferno Wolves prepare for a fire breath…

Hendrick heard their mocking words as the Knights position for a battle formation. 

As expected of the trained Chaos Knights, their movements were swift and calculated. 

Stella formed her sword stance, Zangetsu no Kamae. However, she remembered something so she quickly looked at Lord Castillo…

The latter noticed her glance and explained…

"I can't use it yet. It's on cooldown, young lady." The gentleman said as if he can read her mind. 

He's referring to his Energy Blast that he used before so that the tamers and beast alike can be easily affected by the Knight's Chaotic Heart skill.

"I understand…"

"Alright… Let's just do our best to at least weaken them if in case we can't defeat them easily. If that happens, the Knight's Chaotic Heart should be more than enough to deal with them."

Sir Castillo said. It seems that he has a clear grasp of their current situation.

"That makes sense…" 

Stella nodded as she focused on the enemies in front. The tamers were also equipped with blades, short swords, daggers, and leather armors. 

Now that the tamers have removed their cloaks, Stella and the group also noticed that they have markings or tattoos on their arms confirming their identity as beast tamers…

If that was the case, it seems that they do not plan to have anyone escape this place.

"Hunters, Stella, and all Arcanists, we'll leave all the beasts to you guys and we'll fight the tamers as planned."

"Understood…"

"Alright, be careful. These tamers were unlike the first group we fought with… Their Spiritual Energy is higher and firmer…"

"Hmph!… Let's see what they can do to us…" Hendrick said as he leads the knights to clash with the beast tamers.

All the beasts also started their attack. 

The wolves howled,  the vipers hissed, the bears roared as they attacked whoever got closer to them.

"I'll take one or two of the Inferno Wolves…"

Stella announced as she blocked two wolves who were about to pounce on the armored Knights…

Thud! Thud!

Their fur was tough as steel. The shinai in her hands only bounced off from their bodies.

However, Stella expected that much considering that she didn't pour a considerable amount of Spiritual Energy into that attack. 

Huuu~~

She took a deep breath and started to take this seriously. She then slowly remembered her master's teachings as she treated her shinai as a sharp single-edged sword…

Her aura changed and it was felt by everyone in the cave.

Her master said that kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of Katana…

Stella had never heard of Katana until her master explained it to her. It seems that the shinai was meant to be used as a Katana, a type of single-edged sword, that can only be found in the world where her master had come from.

Stella stepped forward and suddenly changed her stance to Jodan no Kamae as she raised both of her shinais before she struck down!

Boom!

Her sword slash was met by the Inferno Wolve's tough skull… However, they don't look like they were hurt as they angrily continued their pounce towards her.

She even noticed that they're about to cast another one of their fire breath…

"Hmph!"

Stella used the third form, or side to side form, of Okuri-Ashi to avoid being easily targeted. 

This particular Ashisabaki has three forms that she can use depending on the situation. 

"Haaa!"

She suddenly attacked the wolves with consecutive sword strikes! 

All the strikes were aimed at their head or face and it seems that it didn't matter to her whether they have a tough skull to ignore most of the sword strikes she's dealing.

This is similar to Renzoku Waza!

Although this will consume a lot of stamina, she didn't mind it for now as she executed her sword skills…

Bang!

The tough hide of the Inferno wolf finally gave in as it was wounded by one of Stella's sword strikes…

"Arrgghh! Help! This guy is too strong!"

While Stella was busy with two wolves, she heard the people behind her as they struggle to fight one of the beasts.

"This Armored Bear is drugged!"

"Tsk! These tamers really went overboard! Be careful!"

One of the hunters said as not only the beast tamers of the dukedom restricted the freedom of their beasts, they also injected them with some drugs to increase their pain tolerance and boost their power.

"Ahh… Stella… Behind you!"

The girl was already aware of the danger but she didn't act hastily… 

There were two wolves in front of her and an Armored Bear behind.

The Hunters hurried to follow the bear since they were the ones assigned to it.

"Careful!"

They shouted at Stella as they rushed behind the bear.

"Haa!"

"Take this!"

Thud! Thud!

However, their blade failed to penetrate the bear's fur… The bear only swiped their hands to throw away the Hunters who were annoying him…

Rooaar!

Stella realized that it was time to finish them off.

She side-stepped using Suri-Ashi, or gliding foot technique, to avoid the bear's claws. As if the beasts were coordinating with each other, the Inferno Wolves timed their fire breath when she avoided the bear's attack…

Boom!

The arcane magic used by the wolves missed and hit the ground… Finally, Stella found an opening as the wolves steadied themselves…

She suddenly changed her form to Enkyoku no Kamae… A cross stance that is pointing the tip of the sword, towards their opponent…

Haa!

It was just a double sword thrust but it wasn't as easy as it seems. She perfectly hit the wolves' mouth and dealt a critical blow…

Although she had to quickly move away due to the bear's attack, she still landed her sword strikes perfectly and she just needs to deal a final blow to the two and be done with it.

Bang! Bang!

The bear's attack suddenly got stronger as if it was angry from being ignored… The bear just destroyed the ground from where she was standing a while ago. 

Roar!!

Stella had a serious expression on her face as she felt that her arm would break if she tried parrying even one of the bear's strikes.

She even felt a bit nervous about this… The Armored Bear had reddened eyes like those cultists who attacked her village and were drugged by unknown medicine to increase their strength.

'Are you scared?'

'I just hesitated a little, master! Just look at the difference in our size… I'm too small!'

Stella replied to Reiji. That was indeed the case… Especially after realizing that even Lord Castillo, who was handling the other Armored Bear, was also fighting it on equal terms.

'Don't give up… Just remember your training. Remember the purpose of learning Kendo!'

Reiji encouraged her a little but he was already preparing to use Take Over if something bad was about to happen. 

'The purpose of Kendo?'

Stella immediately calmed down after hearing her master…

'That's right… I can't get distracted by this beast!'

Stella said as she firmly held her shinai and faced the armored bear.

The purpose of practicing Kendo is:

To mold the mind and body,

To cultivate a vigorous spirit,

And through correct and rigid training,

To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo,

To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor,

To associate with others with sincerity,

And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.

This will make one be able:

To love his/her country and society,

To contribute to the development of culture

And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.

'I won't be stopped by something like this!' Stella shouted in her mind as she regained her confidence in this battle.