#541Chapter 513 Skills vs. ValuesAI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chapter 513: Skill VS. Stats
The clang of swords echoed continuously in the rain and mist. Sasaki Kojirō's movements were nimble, his footwork agile, and his astonishingly long Ōdachi forced Saber back again and again from various incredible angles.
Saber frowned, finding it difficult to adapt to his swordsmanship.
Logically, after witnessing such sword movements and techniques once or twice, she should have been able to discern them, but this nameless swordsman always gave her a sense of danger.
Buzz!
A flash of sword light burst forth, scattering the rain and mist. Sasaki Kojirō retreated a few steps, widening the distance. He slowly drew his long sword back, gripping it with both hands, and a concentrated aura began to gather.
He slowly closed his eyes.
"Saber, you can't use your Noble Phantasm, can you?"
"What a pity…"
Sasaki Kojirō sighed. The next moment, his long sword vibrated slightly, and Artoria suddenly shuddered. She felt a chill at her throat, and a vision of her throat being severed by a single sword appeared before her eyes.
Crack, crack.
Saber instinctively retreated a few steps.
Sasaki Kojirō did not open his eyes, but a smile appeared on his lips.
"As expected of Saber, even in an incomplete state, she is still so perceptive."
Emiya Shirou didn't understand what happened, but Chrollo knew very well that although Sasaki Kojirō was not a normal Servant, he was merely a pseudo-Assassin summoned by Medea, who was a Caster.
However, he was a swordsman who had cultivated his skill to perfection. With mere technique, he could exert a certain degree of suppression over Saber, who was currently unable to use her Noble Phantasm or other powers.
If not for Saber's full body armor, she would have likely sustained many injuries by now.
At this moment, he knew it was his turn to act. This purely technical swordsman Servant was the best match for him, an ice mage.
Creak, creak~
A chill spread from his feet. Chrollo temporarily set aside his inner turmoil and was about to step out, but he suddenly felt a strong palpitation.
It was as if his heart instantly began to sink uncontrollably, that oppressive, suffocating feeling, as if he would die the next second.
He clutched his chest, breathing heavily without realizing it.
The world before his eyes had turned black and white, as if countless lines were falling.
This feeling is… Spirit Pressure?!
Chrollo had dealt with the [Black Man-Eating Flower] team many times, and naturally, he had also fought Chi Zha, who had obtained a rare Zanpakutō enhancement, and experienced the oppression of Spirit Pressure on ordinary people.
But even when Chi Zha released his Zanpakutō, he had never given him such a terrifying feeling.
Emiya already had his twin swords, Kanshou and Bakuya, in hand. His muscles were taut, and he stood with his back to Tosaka Rin and the others, protecting them.
He looked seriously at the dangerous man at the very end of the team.
The power that emanated in that instant… was the oppressive feeling of a soul!
"What… what exactly are you?!"
Sasaki Kojirō also opened his eyes. Tsubame Gaeshi had not been unleashed, and neither had Saber. All of them looked behind them.
Bai Cangshu opened his eyes, his consciousness returning from that space. The lingering silver-white glow in his eyes slowly dimmed. He clearly felt the body's restraint and suppression on the soul.
It was like a cage, firmly trapping the power of the spirit.
Bai Cangshu was not in a good mood about this brief experience of gaining and losing power. Therefore, when he saw Emiya's vigilance and questioning of him, he simply couldn't be bothered to respond.
He merely looked indifferently at Sasaki Kojirō, who was still blocking the temple gate, and at Saber, who couldn't even display her full "performance" due to the lack of magical energy supply from her Master, and took a step forward.
Crack.
Cracks instantly appeared on the stone slab where Bai Cangshu's foot landed. The cracks, like grayish-black snakes, quickly snaked forward, passing under everyone's feet in an instant.
Chrollo instinctively retreated a few steps.
The next moment.
Boom!
A violent force erupted beneath the ground. The stone slabs exploded, and a trench tens of meters long had formed underground, its end precisely where Sasaki Kojirō stood.
Emiya instantly pulled Tosaka Rin and Emiya Shirou away. The danger of this Assassin·Tao Pai Pai was constantly increasing in his eyes.
Capricious and incredibly violent, this kind of guy is extremely dangerous!
Bai Cangshu's gaze indifferently swept over Emiya Shirou, who couldn't provide magical energy, and Saber, who couldn't fight at full strength, then landed on the face of the swordsman in the purple samurai uniform.
"Come, let me witness your secret sword."
A powerful aura continuously emanated. As Bai Cangshu walked step by step, he pondered whether Sasaki Kojirō, as a pseudo-Servant, would enter the small grail if he were killed.
A faint killing intent brushed past Sasaki Kojirō's cheek. He felt a completely different kind of stimulation than before.
Saber still wanted to fight, but Chrollo and Emiya Shirou both dissuaded her. Both of them were somewhat uneasy about Tao Pai Pai and did not want a conflict to occur.
Bai Cangshu's hands hung at his sides, his black long hair fluttering in the air. His eyes were half-open, half-closed, and his figure seemed to merge into the rain and mist.
Sasaki Kojirō's mind sharpened. He knew that the newcomer must be a Martial Arts Grandmaster. He subtly stepped half a pace forward, raising his hands.
The next moment, a powerful sword momentum suddenly surged.
His physical body, which was by no means strong, seemed to instantly merge into a certain imagery and rhythm.
The sword was raised, and Monohoshizao was naturally drawn, its trajectory profound, its arc like a swallow returning to its nest.
Chirp!
With a sword cry, three sword lights simultaneously lit up.
One from top to bottom, two slashing diagonally from the sides. Three sword lights struck out at the same time, but Bai Cangshu, under the passive activation of Heart Vortex, saw everything with incredible clarity.
There was no magic mixed in, no special abilities like clones, and no time acceleration or deceleration effects.
This was pure technique, the understanding of the way of the sword by a sword Martial Arts Grandmaster.
That was the secret sword condensed from 'Technique'.
Clang, clang, clang!
Three extremely fast sounds of metal clashing appeared. Bai Cangshu's figure seemed to tremble like an illusion.
The next moment, Sasaki Kojirō's stance was broken, and he retreated two steps, the tiger's mouth on both hands gripping Monohoshizao already cracked.
He looked at Bai Cangshu, his eyes filled with shock and anger.
If he utilized perfected technique, then Bai Cangshu's method of breaking this exquisite swordsmanship was the most unadorned "stats".
He activated Instant, using pure, extreme speed to strike first, blocking all three swords completely.
"It is indeed a beautiful swordsmanship, but unfortunately, you are too weak."
Buzz!
Bai Cangshu stepped out, his afterimage remaining in place, his figure appearing in front of Sasaki Kojirō from the wind.
His right hand slowly retracted like a long sword, and a powerful aura condensed as one.
At this instant, Sasaki Kojirō's pupils dilated. He saw a familiar imagery appear.
The next moment.
Chirp!
It was clearly an arm as black as ink, yet it emitted a powerful sword cry.
One from top to bottom, two slashing diagonally from the left and right sides.
It was precisely his Tsubame Gaeshi, which he had poured his life's talent into cultivating!
Pfft!
The sound of flesh being torn open appeared, but three wounds simultaneously appeared on Sasaki Kojirō's front.
Sasaki Kojirō seemed to feel no pain from being cut. He merely looked at Bai Cangshu's right arm with lifeless eyes.
How could someone master his secret sword after only seeing it once…
As Sasaki Kojirō fell backward, Bai Cangshu had already passed by his side.
"Chrollo, take him, don't let him die."
As Bai Cangshu passed through the temple gate, he immediately felt himself crossing a magical barrier.
He looked up and indeed saw the witch in a purple magic robe already waiting in front of Ryudoji Temple's stone plaza, while a man in a black suit silently appeared a dozen meters to Bai Cangshu's side.
Ch. 541 / 787