(50 Power Stone Bonus)
The second player from Kyono High stepped onto the arena.
This ti, Hachiman didn't hesitate for a single second. He lunged forward instantly, executing a sequence of a slash, a pull, and a horizontal sweep that shattered the opponent's defense before striking directly at the face guard.
"n!"
The sharp cry rang out alongside the dull thud of the strike. Thunderous cheers erupted from the Sobu High seating area.
In the second round, Hachiman scored the point in almost the exact sa fashion.
Kyono's center and vice-captain were taken down by Hachiman in succession with ease. He barely needed any complex techniques; he simply relied on sheer speed and raw power to leave his opponents with zero ti to react.
However, the matches following that wouldn't be quite so simple. The subsequent opponents were now fully aware of his monstrous strength and had begun to adopt a much more cautious stance.
Case in point: his match against the captain of Kyono High.
This was a person whose physique was even sturdier than Tani Sanjuro's—one had to wonder if it was a school tradition, but every player from Kyono High seed to be built like a tank.
His na was Okuda Seiji. This na appeared in Mizukawa Masaru's scouting data. He ca from a family of kendo practitioners, and his teacher was a renowned master of the Hokushin Itto-ryu style. He was also the one who had led Kyono High to a top-four finish the previous year.
Supposedly, last year was his first ti competing as a first-year. Now a second-year and the captain, he was aiming for nothing less than the championship.
Okuda Seiji stood on the mats. He looked at Hachiman through his face guard and spoke in a heavy, low voice. "Hikigaya-kun, I apologize for underestimating you earlier. You are truly formidable. Chishima-sensei is also incredible..."
The two exchanged bows. Okuda raised his bamboo sword. "My teacher lost to Chishima-sensei in the kendo championships. I didn't think I'd ever get to fight you, but to think that in just a few months, you've beco this strong!"
"What are you even talking about?"
Hachiman raised his own shinai, his brow furrowing slightly.
"There are clips of your training on the internet. At first, I thought it was just so haphazard practice, but I was wrong. It was amazing, and what's even more impressive is that you actually endured it... I truly admire that. Because of that, I'm going to use everything I have to defeat you."
Hearing this rather odd praise, Hachiman hesitated for a mont before giving a flat reply. "Thanks."
The mont the words left his mouth, the referee announced the start of the match.
Okuda Seiji let out a thunderous roar and charged. The sheer volu made Hachiman's ears feel montarily numb. Okuda swung downward with a heavy strike. Hachiman sidestepped and swung his sword horizontally toward Okuda's side.
Okuda Seiji leaped back a single step to evade the bamboo blade, then imdiately slashed downward again. Hachiman raised his sword to et the blow. The two bamboo swords collided with a sharp crack.
Screech—!
The two of them drew close, pressing their bamboo swords against each other in a test of strength. A grinding 'ka-ka-ka' sound echoed from the friction of the bamboo. Their handguards locked together, and they glared at each other through the grids of their masks.
Hikigaya was about half a head shorter than his opponent and had to look up, yet his aura didn't yield in the slightest. His strength was even faintly overpowering the other boy.
Okuda Seiji was the real deal. He was significantly stronger than his teammates. The data suggesting the team's overall strength was uniform turned out to be inaccurate.
Maybe that had been true last year, but after a year of growth, Okuda Seiji had clearly left his teammates in the dust.
Tak!
Both of them exerted a final burst of strength, using the recoil of their swords to push off and reset their distance before diving back into the fray. Bamboo swords continuously struck, separated, and struck again... The intense rhythm of the clash drew the eyes of almost everyone in the arena.
Looking across the entire venue, out of the sixteen match zones, zone number three was easily the most captivating.
Yui and the others felt their hearts in their throats.
Other teams were also watching the fight closely, discussing it with serious expressions. "Okuda Seiji? From Kyono High? He feels way stronger than he was a year ago. And the other guy is from Chiba, Hikigaya Hachiman... Chishima-sensei's student. Didn't they say he's only been practicing kendo for a few months?"
"It's true he's only been at it for a few months. That data shouldn't be wrong... But it seems we all made a major miscalculation."
Whispers began to ripple through the various teams.
"Can anyone tell what style they're using?"
"Okuda Seiji is Hokushin Itto-ryu; everyone knows that. As for that Hikigaya... I can't tell."
"How can you not tell? Is it so incredibly obscure school?"
"No, I don't think so. It looks like he's fighting entirely based on speed and power. In other words, he only has combat techniques?"
"Huh?"
"I'm not sure either. Let check the data—though this stuff usually isn't accurate... Oh, found it. Kendo Style: Self-Taught Style?"
"Then what style is Chishima-sensei?"
"...Also Self-Taught Style."
"..."
Over at the Daifuku Private High match zone, those who hadn't been called up yet were also staring at zone three. The team leader, Shikishima Yo, felt a wave of disappointnt. "Both of them are monsters. With opponents like that, it feels like we don't stand a chance."
He knew his own team's strength. Setting aside Kitahara, who had just joined—and who he assud wouldn't be that great anyway—he knew the rest of the mbers; they definitely wouldn't be able to win against soone like that.
Several others on the team shared that sinking feeling of defeat.
Just by watching the fight between those two, they already felt like victory was impossible.
A short girl standing next to Shikishima Yo turned to look at the youth nad Kitahara Shuji, who was sitting in the upper row of seats, and muttered softly, "That's not necessarily true." Then she asked in a loud voice, "Who do you think is going to win?"
"Asking ? I think the player with the black protector is going to win. Don't be fooled by the fact that they look evenly matched right now; it looks like he's still holding back and hasn't used his full ability yet."
"Still holding back? He's a total monster, and it's only been a few months. Is a kendo champion not just great at fighting, but also a genius at teaching? But that doesn't make sense. What about those other two?"
The short girl looked over at zone seven. There was another student of a kendo champion there, but he had already lost a point to his opponent, and before long—no, he had already lost.
Both were students of champions; why was the difference so massive?
Kitahara Shuji was slightly taken aback. "You're saying he's the student of that Chishima-sensei." He couldn't help but look toward Chishima Akishin's position once more. He didn't linger too long to avoid being noticed, which might cause awkwardness.
However, this explanation made sense.
"Yeah!" The short girl asked, "Could you win?"
Kitahara Shuji went silent for a mont, then shook his head. "I won't know that until we actually fight."
...
Back to the main event.
Okuda Seiji kept launching attacks with the intention of disrupting Hachiman's footwork. However, he slowly began to realize that Hachiman was simply maintaining a perfect defense. His attacks were completely useless, rely wasting his stamina for nothing, as every single one was being parried.
—Compared to Sensei's strikes that can shatter a bamboo sword in an instant, your attacks are far too light!
Hachiman was indeed holding back. He wanted to observe soone else's sword techniques and make comparisons. The different kind of pressure from practicing with Sensei provided a great learning experience for him.
He was using this chance to refine his own swordsmanship.
After exchanging blows for several more rounds, as the clock neared the two-minute mark, Hachiman suddenly lunged forward and struck with full force against Okuda Seiji's bamboo sword.
Tak!
A heavy, resounding crack echoed. Okuda Seiji's shinai was knocked clean out of his hands and clattered onto the floor—the sheer volu of attacks had already left his hands numb, and under the impact of Hachiman's full strength, he couldn't even maintain a stable grip.
"n!"
Hachiman's bamboo sword struck Okuda Seiji's face guard.
The referee decisively raised a small red flag, awarding the point (ippon) to Hachiman.
It was an incredibly gripping match.
Okuda Seiji retrieved his bamboo sword with so difficulty and returned to the starting line with Hachiman. His face behind the mask was a bit pale...
The referee gave the signal, and the match resud.
This ti, Okuda Seiji still chose to attack first. He already understood that he was no match for Hachiman; playing defensively would only lead to a faster defeat.
Facing a downward slash for the umpteenth ti, Hachiman took a single step back. The mont he evaded the strike, he stepped forward again. His bamboo sword spun in his grip, and an upward slash caught Okuda Seiji's wrist.
The fight ended instantly, executed with such fluidity that it possessed a strange, harmonious beauty.
As the first player in the boys' division to achieve the 'five-man sweep,' most of the spectators erupted into applause as the match concluded.
Yuigahama Yui and Yukinoshita Yukino hugged each other in excitent. Zaimokuza literally jumped out of his seat. Totsuka Saika smiled while wiping a tear of joy from the corner of his eye.
Kawasaki Saki's hands were clenched tight, only slowly relaxing. Shiroguri guri and Isshiki Iroha were faces of pure shock before they joined the cheering...
Hachiman and Okuda Seiji removed their face guards. Many girls looked at Hachiman with sparkling eyes and slightly flushed cheeks.
To be honest, Hachiman was actually quite handso. If you ignored those dead-fish eyes or changed his hairstyle, his looks would definitely surpass most people;
Moreover, right now, having just finished his match, sweat dampened a few strands of his hair, his expression was serious yet carried a soft smile, and in terms of aura, he was truly flawless.
The giant screen imdiately showed a close-up of Hachiman. Yuigahama Yui, Yukinoshita Yukino, and the others who frequently interacted with him were stunned by the sight.
Their faces reddened as they shared a collective thought of 'is that really the sa Hikigaya?'.
Far away in Chiba, the Hikigaya parents looked at each other, both almost unable to believe that this was their son who usually muttered such strange things.
"...It seems Hachiman really has changed a lot. When he cos ho, let's have a proper celebration."
"We definitely should. That boy has had his own way of thinking since he was little; we just need to support him from the sidelines."
...
Back in the arena, Hachiman and the buzz-cut Okuda Seiji perford their closing bow. Okuda Seiji opened his mouth as if he wanted to say sothing, but in the end, he just shook his head and gave Hachiman a serious nod.
Hachiman stepped down from the stage. He watched as Okuda Seiji returned to his team. The five of them hugged and comforted each other. It looked like soone was crying, and Okuda Seiji was shouting words of encouragent.
Though, with that loud voice of his, it sounded more like he was getting ready for a brawl than offering comfort.
Kyono High's team strength was genuinely impressive. Not just Okuda Seiji—Tani Sanjuro and the others were well above the average skill level.
If they hadn't run into Hachiman, they likely would have made it into the top sixteen and had a shot at the championship.
Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the first round. You could say they were just unlucky. Then again, if Hachiman had been weaker than Okuda Seiji, it would have been Hachiman and his team who suffered that fate.
The first-round matches continued.
Daifuku Private High also took to the arena.
The player with 'Kitahara' written on his waist protector moved with sharp, decisive motions. He completed his own 'five-man sweep' even faster than Hachiman. For another newcor to do this caused quite a stir.
Chishima Akishin looked over at zone four to see just how skilled this Kitahara Shuji kid—the one with the bloodlust—actually was!
Imdiately, Akishin's brow furrowed. He saw that Kitahara Shuji was using genuine killing sword techniques!
Just like his own, except Kitahara Shuji's techniques bore the shadows of several different styles.
The most obvious giveaway was the way he gripped the sword. Soone accustod to using a real blade will subconsciously protect the edge.
The way he held and attacked with the sword was unique, and it was entirely different from soone who had practiced with bamboo swords since childhood.
A bamboo sword has no edge, so there's no need to protect it. Ordinary kendo students wouldn't have that ingrained mindset.
In real sword combat, you don't use the edge to parry. The edge is incredibly fragile; even slashing through human bone can chip or dull it, let alone clashing against another real sword.
In ancient tis, swords were incredibly expensive. For a true swordsman, the blade at their hip was practically half their life, so it was treated with imnse care.
Akishin had originally suffered because of this. After a single battle, the longsword in his hand would either be snapped or turned into an ugly saw. For that reason, he had died many tis.
Therefore, actual sword clashing uses the 'ridge' of the blade—the angled side between the edge and the spine—or the flat of the blade itself.
Only when actually cutting the enemy is the edge utilized.
Which ant...
Thinking about this, Akishin shook his head, clearing the stray thoughts from his mind. He hated trouble, especially now that there were people he cared about. In this new life, he just wanted to spend his remaining days in peace.
This Kitahara Shuji had nothing to do with him. No matter what his identity was, it wasn't his business.
Don't go digging!
The first round ended. Including Hachiman, a total of twenty-three people had achieved the feat of defeating five opponents in a row.
Out of more than five hundred competing teams, twenty-three was a very small number.
In the second round, Hachiman t an opponent from Gunma Prefecture and defeated all five at a blistering pace. The sa thing happened with Kitahara Shuji in zone four. Eventually, four people reached the milestone of ten consecutive wins.
By the third round, only Hachiman and Kitahara Shuji achieved the feat of defeating fifteen people in a row...
The fourth round...
Hachiman fought one match after another as if he didn't know the aning of fatigue. The subsequent opponents beca increasingly strong, yet none were as formidable as the Kyono High team.
On the other side, Kitahara Shuji from Daifuku Private High was doing the exact sa thing.
Throughout the tournant, opponents fell rapidly under their blades. Both reached twenty consecutive wins, simultaneously breaking historical records, and it looked very likely they would hit twenty-five.
The entire audience's attention was fixed on the two of them. Watching them win ti after ti and break record after record, the crowd had initially cheered, but eventually, they barely dared to applaud for fear of breaking the duo's concentration.
The other participants had beco re background characters for these two.
They were frustrated, sure, but what could anger do? They could only sigh in resignation. These were two monsters. How could a re human defeat a monster?
The dia and reporters were losing their minds. They sward around zones three and four, snapping photos of the two wildly—this was massive news.
One was a genius who had only been training for a few months, and the other was a dark horse who had appeared out of nowhere. Both had shattered records. If they finally t, what kind of sparks would fly?
The fifth round began.
Hachiman and Kitahara Shuji stepped onto the arena simultaneously. For the first ti, they were in the sa arena space, with only a few ters separating them.
A single white line in the middle separated the two match zones.
The two stared at each other through their face guards for a brief mont before facing their respective opponents. As for those opponents, they could only offer bitter smiles amidst the tension.
eting these two was both an honor and a tragedy for them.
The fifth round ended. As everyone expected, both reached the feat of defeating twenty-five people.
Their teammates hadn't even had to step onto the mats once; they had won the entire first day without lifting a finger.
Now, all that was left was tomorrow's finals!
Under thunderous applause and cara flashes that sounded like Gatling guns, the two stepped down from the arena. Each removed their face guard, revealing faces drenched in sweat.
A large group of girls began to scream. Middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students, and even young working won stared at them with sparkling eyes—Oh man, what do I do, they're both so amazing and handso. Kitahara is definitely the more handso one, but Hikigaya isn't bad either. Wow, what if I just like both of them...
Hachiman let out a long sigh, then locked eyes with Kitahara Shuji from dozens of ters away. They shared a mutual nod as a form of greeting.
—Both already knew that the other was their strongest enemy.
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50 Power Stone = 1 Bonus Chapter (Up to 5 bonus chapters per week).
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