Shinji Matou at Your Service-Chapter 973: Senji Muramasa

"The 27th-generation Senji Muramasa, Shirou!"

Shirou declared, causing Ryougi Shiki to show clear surprise.

Of course, Shiki had heard the name Senji Muramasa before. He was a legendary swordsmith from the Sengoku period, hailing from a renowned swordsmith family in Ise Province. The most famous cursed sword in Japanese history, the Muramasa, was personally forged by him. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him Japan's greatest swordsmith.

The red-haired boy before her claimed to be the 27th-generation Senji Muramasa. It seemed that after the original Muramasa became famous, his name was passed down through generations of swordsmiths, which wasn't uncommon in Japan. And the sword in the boy's hand was certainly worthy of the Muramasa name.

The Ryougi family had a long-standing tradition of collecting swords, so Shiki had become quite proficient in this area over time. With her trained eye, she could immediately tell that the sword Shirou held was newly forged. However, the divine aura it exuded was no less potent than that of ancient blades that had been tempered by centuries. It had already reached the level where it could cut through supernatural phenomena—something she had never heard of before.

But forging a great sword was one thing. Being able to wield it properly was another—could this boy truly harness the full power of the blade?

Harboring these doubts, Shiki subtly moved closer to the wooden tub filled with various blades. She was ready to pick a suitable sword. If Shirou couldn't hold his ground, she would be ready to assist. Shiki was more skilled with long swords than with daggers, and these were all high-quality blades. If she had had one of these earlier, she wouldn't have been in such a dire situation.

As Shiki began selecting a sword, the pack of beasts drew closer. The first to charge were three black wolves. While wolves weren't as individually powerful as tigers, leopards, or bears, they were pack animals, often attacking in groups. They were tenacious and vengeful, and once they set their sights on a target, they wouldn't stop, even if it meant chasing it for dozens of kilometers. They had caused the mother and daughter no end of trouble during their flight.

"Starting with the most annoying ones, huh?"

Shiki muttered under her breath, quickening her pace as she selected a weapon.

Meanwhile, Mana, still full of energy, waved her hands excitedly and cheered, "Go, Shirou! Beat them! Beat them all!"

Shirou turned his head and gave Mana a confident smile. Then, with a swift motion, he swung his sword. The fastest black wolf was instantly cut in half, the entire process so smooth it was as if he were slicing through tofu rather than a ferocious beast.

With one clean cut, the wolf was down. Shirou flicked his wrist, and the blood slid off the blade without leaving a single stain. Immediately, he swung again, this time with a broader arc, cutting down the other two wolves in a single motion.

"Test cutting?"

By this point, Shiki had recognized his technique. It wasn't a specific martial arts style or traditional swordsmanship passed down through generations. It wasn't even really a combat technique—it was simply test cutting, something every swordsmith learned.

Though it seemed like a basic action, in Shirou's hands, it had a powerful, exhilarating fluidity to it. It was the result of countless repetitions, a reaction ingrained into his very instincts, a level of mastery that could only be achieved through relentless practice.

He must have spent his entire life honing his skills, day in and day out. He wasn't just forging swords—he was forging himself. Every sword that passed through his hands was merely a test subject, and the beasts before him were simply the targets for his test.

One slash, two slashes, three slashes.

Shirou stood at the gate, entirely focused, using the monsters as practice for his sword.

All the while, he muttered to himself.

"The balance feels good, the sharpness and durability are on point. Why did Master call this a failure?"

At this point, Shiki started to relax. It seemed there was no need to worry—until, in the next moment, the situation changed. A dense swarm of black shadows descended from above—it was a flock of crows.

Under the control of the unseen mastermind, the crows launched relentless suicide attacks. Their speed in diving from the sky, combined with their sharp beaks, made them just as dangerous as the wolves' claws and teeth.

In some ways, they were even more troublesome than the wolves, because while only a few wolves could charge at once, dozens of crows could swoop down at the same time. This was beyond what a single sword could manage.

However, Shirou didn't panic. Just before the crows reached him, he took a deep breath, then shouted and slashed downward with all his might—a simple, straightforward test cut, just like before.

Compared to the massive number of crows, Shirou's single slash seemed insignificant, as though he would be swallowed by the overwhelming flock in the next moment. But the result was the exact opposite. It wasn't Shirou who was swallowed, but the crows themselves.

With one slash—just one—the crows seemed to explode from the inside as if someone had stuffed them with explosives. Their blood and flesh splattered across the ground, covering the earth in a gory mess.

"Amazing!"

Mana exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

"But it looks like the sword can't take it anymore."

As Mana had observed, at the same time the flock of crows burst apart, a deep, terrifying crack appeared in Shirou's sword. It was no longer usable.

Shirou tapped the center of the crack with his finger, and the once-bright blade instantly dulled and shattered into fragments.

"So the problem was in the design after all. Master's specifications require the entire blade to disintegrate to maximize its power. Hm, I still have much to learn."

The destruction of the crows didn't cause the beasts to retreat. On the contrary, it only made them more ferocious as they continued to surge forward. Yet, Shirou seemed completely oblivious, lost in his thoughts.

"Watch out!!"

Shiki shouted, sensing the danger and trying to warn him.

"Ah!"

Shirou snapped back to reality, instinctively drawing his wakizashi and swinging it in rapid succession.

However, the wakizashi was much shorter than the katana. Lacking the reach and the explosive effect that had shattered the crow flock, Shirou quickly found himself at a disadvantage.

"Mom, throw a long sword to Shirou!"

Mana's eyes darted around as she called out to her mother.

Shiki was already thinking the same thing. Before Mana even finished her sentence, Shiki had drawn a nodachi and hurled it toward Shirou.

"Catch!"

The nodachi arced through the air, spinning as it flew over Shirou's head—only to be swatted away by a bear's massive paw. Their plan had been good, but the one controlling the beasts wasn't going to give them any opportunity.

Yes, their enemies weren't just the beasts—the mastermind behind them had also set their sights on Shiki and Mana.

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As Shirou was surrounded, the remaining beasts began battering the bamboo fence, intent on wiping out the mother and daughter inside the yard.

Shiki pushed Mana behind her with one hand while gripping the long sword she had chosen with the other. She shouted toward the house.

"Bring it on! The old man inside, you better run—these beasts are breaking in."

"Ugh, so noisy. Don't you know quenching is the most critical step?"

Grumbling in irritation, the man inside finally stepped out of the house.