Transcending Paragon

Tokugawa was unable to respond to the words the young boy had spoken. He only called the boy and asked about his health along with the progress of his skill yet unexpectedly asked something that he should know. 

The news about Miyamoto Musashi had circulated in Japan and it was not surprising for him to be a legendary swordsman, however, it was how he was brought back to life that shocked Tokugawa.

Caelum had seen the news every day envisioning his movement for 10,000 years, memorizing how skillful his movements were. He was able to vaguely gauge his strength and skills from the clips of defeating multiple policemen simultaneously. 

It was the third most beautiful thing he has ever seen as first and second are his wife and children. He may be able to perform devastating power when training in the Jade Pagoda but when he is in the real world tends to have different effects.

His strength is not capable of slicing through mountains nor decimating an entire town with a single attack. The environment in the Jade Pagoda and the real world is vastly different.

Regardless, it may be his skills that determine how he would be fair to such a man named Miyamoto Musashi.

A man who let his opponent decide the rules of their duel which meant if it was only knocking someone then he shall do it but if it's through death then he is well capable.

It meant that his skill reached the point where he could decide if his opponent would die or live. Caelum is unable to know if he is capable of such control and ability with a mortal body. 

Furthermore, he had met Doppo recently who had fought with Miyamoto, and it had a tremendous impact on his warrior's pride. Caelum would feel the same after maturing in Martial art. To place such consideration was devastating to a warrior like Doppo.

"I've heard about him from Doppo and though it is partially my gratitude to the man that I wish for revenge, it is outweighed by my desire to fight him and perfect my skill."

Caelum greatly benefits from Doppo who had helped him when he first arrived in the world he is but it would only ruin his pride if he were to interfere. 

Tokugawa inhaled his pup before exhaling a puff of smoke. He stood up from where he was sitting down before gesturing for Caelum to follow.

"Come, he is in the courtyard."

He followed him behind sweating bullets already feeling the intense atmosphere coming into the courtyard. Caelum had been a person who practiced the Dao of Slaughter who is a merciless individual killing everything and soaking themselves in the blood of their enemy but.

The person in the courtyard is beyond human, Beyond a Great Grandmaster. His blood boils and his two-blade excited to taste the man known as the Legendary Master.

"I've been curious but why are you carrying a wooden sword? Are you planning to fight him with a sword technique? But I thought you were an unarmed Martial art?"

"I am both, there are two arts I've been practicing and my Firmament Paragon art is my unarmed technique while this...well I'll just show you."

Tokugawa heard him grow excited, thankful that he had been given a longer life by this young man and to see fighters until he could finally rest satisfied. 

The two arrived witnessing a tall well-built man with scars on his body and extremely thick wrists for a man his size. He has wild black shoulder-length hair. His eyes look nearly feline-like and he has facial hair. 

His face looks like a cross between a lion and a human. He has a constant dead-eyed look and donning a blue Gi and leather sandals while around his ways was a katana. 

He only stood before flawlessly slicing through leaves falling from the tree. It was an impossible feat for a normal human as a leaf would not have any resistance for it to be cut yet the man did it not once but twice cutting the leaf in four sections.

The man then notices his arrival and immediately Caelum's blood boils, wishing to cross the blade with the man. He can see an illusion of a path that was full of thorns and debris while at the end was a throne dressed in gold and extravagant structure.

"Tokugawa-san, what kind of creature did you bring? Is he human?"

It was the first thing he thought as Miyamoto experienced a similar illusion seeing the young boy before him that was indescribable as it was an accumulation of endless darkness and boundless light.

"Amazing. Truly the work of a monster, boy are you a yokai?"

He approached them then his eyes flinched for a moment when he released his essence to cut only for it I was parried by another blade. It was precise yet still had a more potential and unusual way of using blades. 

Caelum meanwhile barely reacted to deflect his attack and even felt his hand go numb his skills. He had fought planet-destroying creatures and even reality wrappers but not could compare to the man before him. 

Only if he had lived in that world would his skill be the apex of the blade. A monster beyond monster. Every cell in his body was in constant alert to deflect any attack.

"Did you cut him!?"

"Yes but this strange creature deflected them perfectly. Perhaps you reach similar enlightenment as I have?"

"...I have tried countless times to fight you but yet...the gap is vastly different."

Caelum muttered, acknowledging that he was leagues beyond the phantom that he had kept fighting over and over again. It did have the same feeling like the man before him. 

In a blink of an eye evaded the incoming slash and parried his blade with Miyamoto who grew excited from the level of skills displayed by the young boy.  

"Wow, Young boy, state your name."

"I am Caelum Mercer but that would be difficult to pronounce then call me Tian."

"Tian, show me more of your skill."

"Gladly, Tokugawa, please bear witness of our match."

"Wait, are you two fighting with swords!? You will die, young man!?"

"I won't die that easily and it would be an honor to receive a scar or two from you. A man who surpasses any others."

Tokugawa wanted to stop it before he could get killed but at this moment none is capable of fighting them. The two had already distance themselves and only waiting to see who will be the first to move. 

"State the rules of our duel, young boy."

"Until one of us dies. I wish to see even if I die how amazing your skills are. Ever since I have acquired enlightenment I have taken my time fighting an illusion of you but it always ends in defeat."

"Is that how it is? Then come to me and show me your skills, young boy."

Both of them took a stance with Miyamoto having a ferocious stances while Caelum more relaxed hiding its primal instinct. They had yet to move and only had been doing a mental battle where their blade had already crossed with another. 

Cling!

The earth quake as their feet planted into the ground flowing the forces around their body before parrying the first slashed causing Miyamoto to have playful expression.

"It's been a while for someone to parry my blade. Young boy-No, I should call you by your name, Tian. Let's see how many you could parry." 

Miyamoto took it more seriously and began to execute multiple slashes that Caelum barely parried, receiving small cuts but every time he fought his opponent the more proficient he became in clashing with him.

Tokugawa dumbfounded seeing the youth evenly fighting the legendary swordsman parrying his blade. Even though he received smaller wounds did not mean he was unskilled, rather the monster before him is overwhelming him.

To parry a person who is capable of deciding which to cut and not. Miyamoto right now had the desire to cut him and yet his blade was able to parry with his own.

Meanwhile, Caelum enjoyed himself finally testing his sword without holding back, slashing, cleaving and cutting along with redirecting and parrying. 

He finally decided it was time and created a distance between each other, surprising Miyamoto when he wielded two blades at the same time.

"You know how to wield two blades at once, interesting but boy if we continue you'll certainly die."

"Heh dying? I alone decide that!"

Caelum demeanor changed softly wielding his blade yet his posture grew larger and more untamed than before while Miyamoto understood the situation and increased his essence to fight the young man.

Tokugawa wondered what the young man next would be as Miyamoto prepared to end their fight in a single swing. The world seems to disappear for the two fighters prepared to strike at any moment.

"Yin-Yang Three Slashes."

The endless darkness and boundless light churnes within the young boy seeing the diagram of ultimate power. A Yin Yang symbol presented itself to Miyamoto before grateful returned the favor by slicing it in half. 

In a fraction of a second the two move at light speed with Caelum executing 18 slashes with 9 for Yin and 9 for Yang. He performed Both Yang in reverse along with Yin.

After that moment where the world return Miyamoto faces receive a few minor cuts dripping from the wounds before smiling in shock.

"Tian, you are truly an interesting creature."

"Gaaaah!!"