My Gang of Swordsmen-Chapter 112 - 80: Niō Stands Tall!

After observing carefully for a while, Aoto did indeed discover something noteworthy.

Mogami’s primary attack direction had always been Aoto’s chest, abdomen, and other vital areas that, if struck, wouldn’t immediately lead to death on the spot but would leave him with only half a life left.

However — sometimes Mogami would also lower his thrust, attacking Aoto’s lower body, trying to injure Aoto’s legs.

— The lower body...

Noticing this style of attack from Mogami, Aoto lightly contemplated the term "lower body" in his mind.

A bold strategy... suddenly emerged in Aoto’s mind.

...

...

The battle with Aoto was initially expected to be quickly decided, yet it had turned into a standoff—which made Mogami feel somewhat anxious and displeased.

Like Aoto, Mogami also used peripheral vision to watch the situation of his companions.

Although his companions had a numerical advantage, their momentum was far less than that of Oomura and others.

Oomura’s team, with momentum like a rainbow, each could take on ten, ten could take on a hundred, and had gradually suppressed his companions.

If this continued, his companions were likely to lose.

This can’t go on! Must immediately take care of Tachibana Aoto, then support the others!

Mogami, unwilling to waste valuable time on Aoto, felt his Wind Cut grow as "urgent" as his mood.

— Stay calm...

Aoto took a deep breath of cold air.

His gaze was fixed on the spear tip of Wind Cut, and with intense concentration, Aoto didn’t blink an eye.

— Stay calm... wait... wait... 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Aoto no longer attempted to approach Mogami’s defenses whenever there was a gap in his attacks.

Instead, he focused both body and mind on dodging.

Mogami did not notice that Aoto’s fighting style had changed.

Intent on quickly killing Aoto, he continually swung his Wind Cut like a whip in his hand with madness.

The continually retracting and thrusting sharp spearhead was like a venomous snake coming out of its hole, baring its fangs and claws at Aoto.

The spearhead grazed Aoto’s side, tearing the fabric of Aoto’s feathered robe at the side of his abdomen.

— Stay calm... wait a little longer...

A sweeping spear barely missed cutting a line across Aoto’s chest.

— Not yet... wait a bit longer...!

If this stalemate continued, he would undoubtedly lose.

Hence, Aoto, who decided to take a gamble, was waiting.

Waiting for the best moment to implement the strategy that had just emerged from his mind.

If this strategy could succeed, he would be able to close in on Mogami in one go!

In a flash, the moment Aoto had been waiting for... arrived!

Mogami, who had just been launching a fierce attack on Aoto’s vital points, suddenly took a step back, slightly increasing the distance between him and Aoto.

Then he lowered his body, slightly adjusted his center of gravity, while simultaneously lowering the spearhead of the Wind Cut in his hand, with the spear tip angled to the ground.

After fluidly changing the spear momentum, Mogami launched a thrust at Aoto’s right foot!

Seeing the spear tip rushing towards his ankle, Aoto’s eyes instantly glowed with a piercing light.

Just as he had observed.

Mogami would occasionally attack his lower body!

— It’s here!

Aoto narrowed his eyes slightly.

Staring intently at the rapidly thrusting spearhead!

At the instant when the spearhead of Wind Cut was about to pierce his right ankle, Aoto gritted his teeth, shifted his footing, and turned his body to the side.

In the next moment, having dodged to the left to avoid Mogami’s thrust, Aoto pinpointed the position of the spearhead of Wind Cut and then lifted his right foot high—

Bang!

A muffled sound exploded.

Aoto’s right foot stomped on the unretracted spearhead of Wind Cut, pinning it firmly to the ground!

At the lightning-fast moment of successfully stepping on the spearhead of Wind Cut, Aoto lifted his left foot to step on the spear shaft.

Aoto’s current state was as if the whole person was standing on Mogami’s Wind Cut!

In the next instant, "standing" transitioned to "running" and "leaping".

Stepping on Wind Cut, Aoto ran two steps along the slender spear shaft towards the gun-wielding Mogami!

When he reached roughly the middle of the spear shaft in one go, Aoto crouched, quickly accumulating strength in his back and abdomen, then instantly released the power gathered in his torso, springing his entire body upward like a spring!

Aoto, leaping off the spear shaft, shot straight at Mogami!

While leaping into the air and descending towards Mogami, Aoto raised the sword in his hand high.

What?! Mogami’s eyes, filled with extreme shock, opened wide, as if about to split.

Aoto’s counterattack was fast and sudden.

He never expected Aoto to be able to close in on him in this manner!

Damn it!

Mogami instinctively wanted to retract Wind Cut to intercept the oncoming Aoto.

However — it was too late to defend.

Aoto’s body and sword... had already descended!

With his sword raised in an upper rank stance, Aoto looked down at Mogami with a gaze of neither joy nor sorrow.

With a rise and fall of his hand, Aoto leveraged the gravity from his descending body to execute a slanted chop aimed strongly at Mogami’s head!

"Hm...!" Seeing this, Mogami gritted his teeth, snorting coldly, and with all his strength, jumped sideways and backward.

Blood splattered.

Mogami’s timely backward jump evaded Aoto’s fatal strike.

Aoto’s sword edge didn’t shatter Mogami’s skull but instead deeply buried itself in Mogami’s left shoulder.