Chapter 101: The Hurt of Comparison Is All Too Obvious [Requesting Tips]

"This is a secret."

Tang Shen gave a mysterious smile, the kind that made you want to hit him.

Mm, there was someone hiding in the shadows who wanted to rush out, draw his big blade, and chop him!

That smile was just too punchable, too infuriating.

You left for seven years, your own daughter waited seven years, and he'd been angry for seven years too, and after all that, you just say it's a secret? How could that not make people angry?!

Don't mess with people like that!

"Let's start morning training!" Tang Shen said.

Since it was hard to explain, then don't explain—that was Tang Shen's thinking. Tell one lie, and you need countless lies to cover it up.

In that case, better to just not lie from the start.

"Okay!" Kuina nodded her little head.

For her, as long as her master was back, that was enough. Why bother with explanations?

The two of them began morning training on the wooden posts, just like seven years ago.

In an instant, it felt like they were back in those days.

A big figure and a small figure, not far apart, both entering their standing stance.

And soon enough, a figure wearing a green hat appeared. Compared to seven years ago when he was short and small, he'd grown quite tall now. Seeing the extra figure on the wooden posts, the sleepy look on his face immediately turned blank, and then he was fully awake.

His eyes held disbelief, along with a hint of excitement.

But he didn't say anything—he just jumped onto a wooden post and quickly entered his standing stance as well.

Koshiro, watching from afar, curled his lips, then found it a bit amusing. Why was he reacting so strongly?

He should be the calmest one of all.

He also faced the east, squatting down, his breathing slowly becoming steady and rhythmic.

Three days, yet it felt like a lifetime.

Tang Shen quietly opened his eyes, looking at Kuina, who stood as still as a sculpture, her breathing as steady as a mountain. Compared to seven years ago, she had improved immensely.

And beside her, this cheap little brother of his!

He'd sensed Zoro the moment he arrived.

Completely different from the reckless kid he'd been seven years ago—sharp and bold, he'd grown a lot, refined a lot, and his presence was far stronger.

Tang Shen felt a vague pain in his balls. Damn it, he wasn't going to end up as the weakest, was he?

But he quickly suppressed that uncomfortable feeling and entered his stance. He'd done this in the real world too, but it felt very different here.

The biggest difference came from the pressure his disciples gave him.

It was like that feeling he'd had when he first entered the game two months ago.

The sun rose in the east, and the moment the first ray of light broke through the dawn.

"ROAR!"

"ROAR!"

"ROAR!"

Three long shouts rose together, shattering the morning calm of Isshin Dojo.

Koshiro also opened his eyes on schedule, a trace of nostalgia in them, followed by deep frustration.

Damn it!

Why could those three all let out that shout, but he didn't have the urge?

Bathed in morning light, the three of them expelled a mouthful of turbid air from nose and mouth simultaneously. The turbid air didn't dissipate in the atmosphere but condensed into a long, thin white thread—Kuina's and Tang Shen's were about the same thickness, while Zoro's was a bit thinner—shooting upward, merging into the light, vanishing without a trace.

Then, in the rising sun, the three opened their eyes.

Koshiro had studied it for seven years, and he still didn't understand what that turbid air was.

Sword energy? He had no idea!

Because he simply didn't have the urge to let out that shout.

Kuina had persisted for seven years before reaching the level Tang Shen had at year one. Zoro had also unknowingly persisted for seven years and succeeded.

Only he couldn't!

How frustrating—and he was clearly the strongest.

Hm?

This kid didn't seem to have improved at all?

Wait—this kid hadn't changed one bit!

The sun rose, and the world grew brighter.

It was only then that Koshiro noticed Tang Shen's appearance hadn't changed at all. His aura still hadn't settled, exactly the same as seven years ago.

No matter what, seven years had passed. Even if you didn't train, you'd still change with time. But Tang Shen now was like the man he'd met seven years ago, as if he'd only been gone a few days.

What the hell! His mind was spinning.

After the long shout, his whole body felt wonderfully relaxed, an indescribable sensation filling him from head to toe.

"Master, welcome back." Kuina opened her bright eyes, a gentle smile spreading across her face as she looked at Tang Shen and spoke softly.

"Mm." Tang Shen acknowledged.

"Big brother, you're back?" Zoro finally said happily.

"No shit, didn't you just see me?" Tang Shen replied.

Zoro: "..."

What a huge difference in responses.

Disciples are treasures, little brothers have no rights—that was made perfectly clear right now.

Even if he didn't expect a warm hug, at least give an enthusiastic reply!

But Zoro didn't take it to heart. Instead, he asked curiously, "Big brother, you don't seem to have changed at all?"

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart.

Kuina was startled too. She stared intently at Tang Shen's chiseled face—just as she remembered it, not a single change, as if their last meeting had been yesterday.

"Is it still how handsome I am?" Tang Shen said with a serious face. "Promise me you won't tell anyone how ridiculously good-looking I am."

Kuina: "..."

Zoro: "..."

Sure enough, it was still the same flavor, still the same person from their memories. Not a single thing had changed.

"Oh, right, my master's planning to send me out to sea. He said I need to gain experience." Zoro immediately chose to change the subject. He couldn't keep dwelling on that topic, or the next second, he'd regret it.

He'd learned that lesson seven years ago.

As he spoke, Zoro glanced at Kuina beside him. Actually, two years ago, he'd overheard his master telling Kuina she was ready to head out to sea, but she'd never left—she kept persisting, waiting for someone.

And now, that someone had returned.

"Oh." Tang Shen responded dismissively.

Zoro: "..."

He had the urge to flip a table! That was way too perfunctory!

I'm your little brother, damn it! Can you not be so sexist about this?

Give me some reaction, some praise!

Wasn't the whole point of him saying that to get some recognition from Tang Shen?

Look, I'm ready to head out to sea now—way stronger than before.

Would it kill you to say a couple of nice words?

But he never expected Tang Shen's reaction to be like this, and he felt like an arrow had just pierced his knee.

To be honest, Zoro's respect for Tang Shen was no less than his respect for his own master, Koshiro. Of course, it wasn't because of Tang Shen's mockery back when they first met, or because he'd beaten him—it was because Tang Shen had taught him so generously later on.

Koshiro had also told him that much of what he practiced was stuff Tang Shen had taught Kuina, and he'd just piggybacked on it.

He wasn't blind, so of course he understood.

They weren't family, nor master and disciple—it was just that casual "big brother" from years ago that made the man willing to pass on so much to him.

Wasn't that enough?

Earning Tang Shen's approval was no less meaningful than Koshiro acknowledging his progress.

Mm, and there was also a little bit of showing off mixed in.