章 9: Chapter 9:Type-Moon, the Heroic Spirit I Summoned is Myself
Seeing that the text this time was different from before, Lucian paused for a moment.
But he quickly realized: Anchor Point 2 was essentially a save point from the last simulation.
The system had granted him one chance to reload the save before his death!
The time was just after Lucian had arrived in Kyoto, which had been ravaged by fire, and before he had to choose whether to go to Edo to face Shishio Makoto, the final evil of this world, in a real battle.
Such a save point had both pros and cons.
The benefit was obvious—he would start at a high level, already a swordmaster, saving him 18 years of training.
Plus, his reputation at the time wasn't low. He could have chosen not to return to Edo to confront Shishio and instead continued to build his fame in his small town.
At the same time, he could have honed his skills.
After all, at the end of the first simulation, his projection was only 18 years old, and there was plenty of room for further development.
But the downside was equally clear.
His past experiences had now become fixed events, unchangeable.
His mentor, Kondo Shusuke, and even Okita Souji would die in Edo during that incident.
Although today Lucian had specifically asked Shinji Matou to bring him a history book, confirming that Shishio would eventually be killed by the great swordmaster Kenshin Himura...
Still...
"That guy... he chopped off my head and killed my teacher right in front of me, then destroyed the Watanabe family!"
"In real life, I might choose to endure, but this is a simulation!"
"Besides, even if I choose not to go to Edo, this will surely affect Kenshin's path.
Even though the 18-year-old projection is still young, if Kenshin is influenced, I won't be able to advance any further!"
As Lucian spoke calmly, his expression became more determined.
He smiled slightly and said, "And besides, since I can restart the game, I'd be wasting my golden finger if I didn't aim for a perfect start.
System, choose Anchor Point 1. Begin the simulation.
As for the birthplace... let's go with the Watanabe family, known for their swordsmanship. I owe them many favors from the first run, and I'm not someone who doesn't repay kindness."
With those words, the simulation officially began.
[Late Edo Period, nearing the end of the shogunate.]
[Amidst the chaos of war and national unrest, human lives are as insignificant as ants.]
[You are born again, once more in the famous Kyoto swordsmanship family, the Watanabe clan, under the name Watanabe Lucian.]
[Reborn with your memories of the past life, you quickly adapt to your current identity. Your goal remains to leave behind legendary deeds and become a heroic spirit, so in this life, you choose to be even more high-profile than in the previous one.]
[You are born a prodigy—at the age of one, you know a thousand characters and recite poetry, becoming a famous child genius in Kyoto.]
[At age two, you appear at the family's sword dojo, critiquing techniques. Even the swordmasters who spar with you are left in awe.]
[At age three, you begin wielding a sword.]
[At age four, you defeat swordmasters in battle, your swordsmanship surpassing even theirs. The family's admiration for you soon turns to fear, and they call upon the Kyoto Onmyoji clan, seeking the help of the greatest onmyoji of the era.]
[Due to your unnatural talent, your family nearly throws you into prison out of fear. But the swordmaster who had been protecting you decides to shelter you, saving you from that fate.]
[The next month, the great onmyoji arrives. After examining you, he confirms you are not a reincarnated soul and declares that you possess a demonic sword heart. Your lowest possible achievement will be that of a swordmaster, and you even have the potential to become a sword saint, a figure not seen in hundreds of years.]
[Your name soon spreads throughout the land of the rising sun.]
[As the undercurrents of swordsmanship stir, in just a few days, the greatest swordmasters of Japan gather at the Watanabe residence, all eager to become your master.]
[You choose...]
Lucian: ....
What the heck is this?!
Looking at the text that had appeared before him, Lucian absentmindedly placed his hand over the projection, receiving the transmitted information. At the same time, he glanced up at the scene in front of him, where the heads of various martial arts schools had gathered at the Watanabe residence, all looking at him with hopeful expressions.
His brain couldn't help but feel a little foggy.
This simulation... has a second run?
Restarting the event means... rebirth?
Holy crap!
----
---
Lucian was stunned for a moment, and then couldn't hold back his laughter.
This was truly an unexpected surprise for him.
Originally, Lucian had thought that the second simulation would simply be a chance to start over—optimizing and adjusting his choices from the previous simulation to find the perfect opening.
But he never expected that all the memories and knowledge from the first playthrough could carry over into the second!
With this advantage, Lucian essentially began the game with the foundation of a sword master, already possessing all the techniques of the Tennen Rishin-ryu swordsmanship taught by Kondo Shusuke.
With such a solid foundation, this time, Lucian could reach peak combat power even faster.
This opened up a real possibility of facing and defeating the malevolent Shishio Makoto head-on.
"With this in mind, it seems I can reconsider my original plan," Lucian thought as he gradually recovered from the surprise.
That afternoon, Lucian had asked Matou Shinji to gather historical records for him, specifically regarding Shishio Makoto.
After all, in that last simulation, Lucian had personally intervened in the battle. He clearly remembered the massive gap in power between him and Shishio at the end.
Lucian had originally planned to use the advantage of multiple simulations to slay Shishio while he was still weak or before he became a great demon.
But to his dismay, historical records indicated that by the time Lucian was born in the simulation, Shishio already had the power of a great sword master.
Moreover, Shishio became a demon by first being shot and burned alive by a firing squad, only to crawl out from a pile of corpses.
"At first, I thought about following the story, seeking the help of the fellow sword master, Himura Kenshin, to change fate. But now..."
Lucian narrowed his eyes slightly.
Seeking help from others was an act of helplessness. After all, a true swordsman must wield a sword with clarity of mind and purpose—only then can the blade remain untarnished and strike forward with unstoppable force. Reality is another matter.
In reality, Lucian would gladly accept help.
But in this simulation, Lucian felt that Shishio, this major antagonist, should only be slain by his own hands.
Especially since Shishio had once decapitated him—how could Lucian not seek revenge?
Initially, Lucian thought it would be extremely difficult, but now... it was as if he could already see the scene years later, where he would strike down Shishio and sever his head with a single blow!
As Lucian came back to his senses, he looked at Kondo Shusuke, one of the sword masters projected before him, and recalled the dazzling woman who had once trained with him.
A smile crept across his face. "Sorry, Sōji. In this life, it seems you won't have the chance to catch up to me."
Just as Lucian was about to choose Kondo Shusuke as his mentor, his hand suddenly stopped.
Then his brow furrowed again.
"Wait, there's no need for me to choose Kondo Shusuke-sensei in this life... In the last simulation, I chose him because I knew that Sōji became famous by learning his swordsmanship.
And I inherited Sōji's talent, so to make sure that talent would be useful, I chose Kondo Shusuke-sensei."
"In the last simulation, although I didn't receive the final license to teach from Kondo Shusuke-sensei due to my focus on sword intent, I eventually found my own sword intent and became a sword master. I just never got the chance to visit my teacher again before I encountered Shishio..."
With these thoughts, Lucian fell silent, hesitating as he looked at Kondo Shusuke.
To be honest, Lucian really wanted to choose him again.
Even though it was just a simulation, a projection of memories, the ten-plus years spent training in that dojo still left a deep impression on Lucian's mind.
Especially those moments when he and Sōji trained together, pushing each other to improve.
If he hadn't developed feelings, Lucian would never have interfered so recklessly, knowing it was akin to suicide—choosing to bite a chunk out of Shishio, even if it meant certain death!
But...
"System, I choose... to intervene personally this time."
Lucian was not someone who wavered in his decisions. After a brief moment of contemplation, he made up his mind.
...
Kyoto.
In the prestigious Watanabe Sword School, a four-year-old child opened his eyes.
Sitting before him were several elderly masters from various sword schools.
He scanned the room, pausing briefly when his gaze met Kondo Shusuke's, before speaking in a soft but clear voice:
"I've decided to go to the Bokuden Ryu dojo in Edo for my training."
Yes, after much consideration, Lucian chose the Bokuden Ryu school, one of Edo's three great dojos.
From the last simulation, it became clear that Lucian's sword style differed greatly from that of the Tennen Rishin-ryu, which excelled in various sword techniques, especially suited to Sōji's flexibility as a woman.
Lucian, however, pursued the ideal of ending the fight with a single, decisive strike—one blow to end it all!
In fact, even Kondo Shusuke had once suggested that Lucian might benefit from guidance at the Bokuden Ryu dojo, which emphasized channeling all energy into a single, explosive attack. This matched Lucian's fighting style perfectly.
When Lucian finally made his decision, everyone present sighed—except for the master of the Bokuden Ryu, who was delighted.
After all, Lucian was already recognized as possessing the heart of a swordsman, someone who could aspire to become the next Sword Saint—a title unseen for centuries.
Terrifying indeed.
With this decision made, most of the attendees left in disappointment. Even Kondo Shusuke shook his head as he walked out the door.
But before he could go far, a servant hurriedly chased after him, inviting him back into the estate.
Puzzled, Kondo Shusuke returned to find the four-year-old Watanabe Lucian waiting for him, alone in the room.
As soon as Kondo Shusuke entered and the servant left, Lucian stood up and solemnly bowed deeply to him.
"What is this for...?"
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