Chapter 196

‘What if she catches a cold doing that... I’ll have to take good care of her next year.’

Anyway, it wasn't a fateful encounter at all, so I felt a little let down.

If you asked me whether it fit a romantic comedy... well, it was the kind of scene that often played out when a heroine made her first appearance, so I had nothing to say.

Still, I decided to look on the bright side.

I could consider it confirmation that she was no different from the Hiyori I knew, and right now, the correct move was to focus on Renka.

I rationalized it like that, but the pleasant pounding of my heart wouldn't calm down so easily.

The situation had been just that absurd.

True to her free-spirited nature, even her entrance packed quite an impact.

I never, ever expected her to appear with timing like that.

I had a strong feeling that the Academy was going to get incredibly noisy next year.

As I got off the bus, I felt the stares of several girls.

Their gazes were absolutely not directed at me. The girls looking our way had their eyes locked entirely on Renka.

They were eyes filled with admiration and wariness.

It wasn't easy for a student to have their name and face so well-known... She must have been famous not only for her skill but also for her beauty.

I knew Renka was promising, but seeing people react to her like this in person was fascinating.

There were also quite a few people sneaking glances at Chinami beside her.

I wasn't sure if it was because she was cute or if she was famous like Renka.

Given that she used a non-mainstream posture like the Upper Stance despite her small frame, and that her skills were excellent, it was probably the latter...

“Inoo, you take charge and lead the girls' division.”

“Yes, Director.”

Lost in these thoughts, I snapped back to reality upon hearing Goro and Renka's conversation.

I turned to Yamazaki, the Third Year senior participating as the anchor, and asked a question.

“Do the girls' and boys' divisions compete separately?”

“Huh? Of course. It's not a mixed-gender tournament...”

Didn't that mean even if I pulled off an amazing play, Renka and Chinami wouldn't see it?

If this had been before I started dating Miyuki, I would have just accepted it, but in this situation, who was supposed to fall for me?

Bread Girl? The Vice Representative?

Fuck, I knew it was a trash game, but couldn't it compromise even a little on this?

So heartless. Typical of Doki-Aka.

While I was having these thoughts, Yamazaki spoke up. “The girls' division will probably start first, though. They have fewer applicants than the boys, so their preparations finish faster.”

At his words, I cheered inwardly.

Exactly. It was a romantic comedy; you couldn't have the heroine miss the protagonist's cool moments.

Still, she wouldn't be able to watch my early matches. That was a bit of a shame.

“I see.”

“But why are you asking?”

“Nothing. The director told the President to lead the girls' division on her own, so I got curious.”

“Did you not read the tournament guidelines?”

“I didn't.”

“...That sounds like you.”

“How far do we have to make it to qualify for the next tournament?”

“Our boys' division's goal is 4th place, right?”

“Yes.”

“Up to there.”

So we just needed to reach the semifinals.

But if we advanced to the next tournament in exactly 4th place, they would definitely match us up against the 1st or 2nd place team from another regional tournament.

Rewarding the top two teams with a solid advantage was a hallmark of preliminary tournaments.

Preparing for the future, it was unconditionally better to secure a higher rank and earn an easier bracket in the next tournament.

However, due to the nature of Kendo team matches where one person from each position stepped up to fight in turn, the players' average skill level needed to be high.

Looking at it that way, the boys' Kendo Club's goal was unrealistic.

Unlike the girls' division, we had never achieved any notable results until now, and the team included Tetsuya and me, who had zero experience.

They said the goal was 4th place, but honestly, they probably weren't holding out much hope.

Otherwise, why would they include Tetsuya and me? It would have been far better to form a team with more experienced second-years and above.

If this current tournament had been the regional preliminaries for the national championship, our team's atmosphere would have felt like a funeral right now.

It was only natural; we were already a weak team, but with two beginners joining, we had become the absolute weakest.

But since today's event was a regional tournament where simply participating was meaningful enough, the team's atmosphere wasn't bad.

Still, there was a slight tension. The boys' division hoped to achieve good results here, at the very least.

Anyway, just as I'd thought before, I was half-forced into this tournament, but I couldn't be a nuisance to the team, so I had to work hard.

The interior of the tournament venue I entered with Goro couldn't be considered large.

The facilities were quite good, though. There were plenty of spectator seats for the venue's size.

Given the local passion for Kendo in this district, even a small regional tournament boasted decent facilities.

While Goro talked with the officials, I looked around the venue and gave a light tap on the shoulder of Tetsuya, who was already tense.

“There are quite a few people here.”

“Even if it's a simple regional tournament, it starts from the round of 32... It's bound to be crowded. You're the vanguard; aren't you nervous?”

“I'm... managing alright. Let's do our best together.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

If it had been an individual match, I would have teased him a bit, but I couldn't do that in a team match.

He might crumble once the match started.

Every single point was crucial, and since he was up right after me, it was better to coax him and steady his mentality to increase our chances of winning.

Before long, Goro finished his conversation with the officials, retrieved our inspected gear, and led us to sit in a corner.

Then he told the club members to put on their gear and started helping Tetsuya and me.

“Only the opening matches will be held simultaneously. As I said on the bus, unlike friendly bouts among club members, the tournament itself will flow frantically. You can assume there's no break time. The moment you hear the starting signal and stand up, the match begins immediately, so you need to concentrate right from the start.”

His tone was softer than usual.

It was obvious he wanted us to do our best.

As we were putting on our gear with Goro's help, I felt mocking gazes from the students of other academies around us.

We probably looked ridiculous, unable to even put on our Bogu by ourselves.

Opponents looking down on the protagonist's team... It was a standard cliché, but it still made me feel pretty crappy.

Whether they stared or not, Goro meticulously helped Tetsuya and me put on our Kare. He securely fitted our Men on last, tied the white strings over the crossed Do cords on our backs, and spoke.

“Just do exactly as you learned. That will be enough to win.”

That encouragement was very much like Goro.

Thinking that, I looked at the bracket board set up where the referees were seated.

Our first opponent was an academy called Kaisei.

I didn't know if they were a strong or weak team, but judging from the fact that Goro didn't share any information about them and that the second-year seniors' expressions stiffened slightly upon seeing the bracket, it seemed to be the former.

It looked like it would be tough right from the start. Although, as a weak team, there was no such thing as an easy match for us anyway.

Normally, the protagonist's team being the underdog and causing an upset to draw out amazing reactions was the unwritten rule of sports genres.

At the very least, I had to unconditionally beat the opponent facing me.

As the match time approached, the air in the Gymnasium grew heavy.

When a brief speech from the organizers started over the speakers in the Gymnasium, the slight commotion quickly died down into silence.

“Then, each team to your positions.”

A solemn voice rang out the moment the speech ended.

At that, five players lined up neatly on the outer edge of the Arena.

Then, following instructions, we bowed to the opposing team, the referees, and finally toward the spectator seats positioned high above.

Taking advantage of that moment, I scanned the stands.

I could see parents and students. With thirty-two academies coming to compete, a considerable number of people had come to cheer.

Quickly sweeping my gaze across the seats, I spotted Miyuki, Bread Girl, the Vice Representative, and a few other classmates sitting there.

They must have come right after classes ended... I didn't know where she got them, but Miyuki was holding inflatable cheering sticks.

It looked like they had a baseball team's logo on them. Was it a club Miyuki's family supported?

Glancing around, Miyuki placed the cheering sticks down by her feet.

The venue itself had a quiet atmosphere, so she must have judged it inappropriate to use them.

Miyuki wildly waved both hands at Tetsuya and me.

Chuckling at that cute gesture, I heard clapping as Yamazaki and the other team members told me to do my best, and I bumped fists with them.

Afterward, as our team and the opponents stepped to the outer edges, I bounced lightly on my feet to warm up.

Soon, among the three referees, the two assistant referees on either side crossed the Arena to position themselves in opposite directions.

Seeing the head referee unfurl the flags, I exchanged a light bow with the opposing vanguard.

Then, waiting for the starting signal to come from the speakers, I mentally reviewed everything I had learned.

‘Unity of spirit, sword, and body... unity of spirit, sword, and body...’

To score points, the unity of spirit, sword, and body was crucial.

Especially the kiai. The kiai I had been half-assing out of embarrassment until now had to be shouted passionately to appeal during a strike.

Also, a vanguard's virtue was guts.

I shouldn't be intimidated, no matter who the opponent was.

Not to mention, my skills had to be good.

In that sense, my opponent was an excellent adversary.

Despite the fundamental difference in our physiques, he showed no signs of shrinking back.

His skills were naturally outstanding, given he had stepped up as the vanguard.

Wasn't it an unwritten rule in these sports events for the first opponent to be overly arrogant?

No, maybe he was acting like that because of the underlying perception that the Yeboni Academy boys' Kendo Club was a weak team.

The best approach was to end it quickly so the next fighter could inherit my momentum and shrink the opponent's morale.

The opponent must have had the same thought.

I was anxious since Tetsuya was right behind me, but I'd stick to the basics.

It wasn't like I knew any other methods anyway.

“Match...”

The voice rang out while I was controlling my breathing.

Taking one last deep breath, I—

“Begin!”

As the starting signal pierced my ears, I stepped up to the boundary line inside the Arena.

I then drew the Shinai resting at my waist, pointed it at my opponent, sat down at the boundary line, and stood back up.

“Do your best!”

“Good luck!”

At the same time, the second-year seniors and Yamazaki sitting on the outskirts shouted vigorously.

The opposing team was no different. They passionately cheered for their vanguard.

I thought the matches would be conducted solemnly from start to finish, but that wasn't the case.

Immediately taking the Upper Stance, I spread my elbows wide just as Goro had taught, and I could see the opponent's eyebrows twitch through the gaps of his Men.

Did he feel a bit intimidated because my frame seemed even larger? Or was he flustered at facing the unfamiliar Sangdanse?

The opponent's right hand supporting the hilt of his Sword twitched.

Was he planning to execute a throat thrust if I approached? Well, the representative weakness of the Upper Stance was indeed the throat thrust extending straight from a middle stance.

I shouldn't think for too long.

Just as Chinami advised, I would charge in as soon as it started.

Making that judgment, the moment I saw the rear foot of the opponent in the middle stance slightly retreat, I instantly stamped my foot.

Thud!

Taking advantage of the massive step forward, I checked the opponent's face and saw him looking bewildered.

My momentum must have been fiercer than he expected.

Swish!

Pushing with my right hand and snapping my left to the absolute limit, I realized that striking like this would land a successful head strike, but it wouldn't score an Ippon.

The distance was a bit overshot, so it would hit the center of the Shinai, failing to register as an Ippon.

What should I do in this case?

I just had to relax the power in my left hand slightly and pull my back foot in less than usual, shortening my range.

Finishing my situational assessment in a split second, I immediately put my thoughts into action.

“Haaah!”

I let out a kiai loud enough to make the relatively small Gymnasium ring.

Smack!

The crisp sound echoed simultaneously.

Quickly stepping back, I retook the Sangdanse, showing my zanshin.

I perfectly hit his exact striking area with my own striking area.

Furthermore, there was power behind it. Enough that the sound of the impact resonated widely across the surroundings.

My zanshin was a bit clumsy, but... shouldn't this be enough to earn a point?

The moment I thought that, Snap!

The referees raised their white flags with sharp precision.

It meant it was a near-perfect Ippon, clear enough for all three referees to be certain I had scored.

Feeling my chest burn with excitement, I grinned as the thunderous voices of our club members echoed from the sidelines.

“Nice!”

“Well done, Matsuda!”

Seeing them cheer so passionately wasn't bad at all.

I also liked exchanging psychological warfare by observing the opponent's every move in the brief moment right before the match started.

The electrifying feedback rushing through my fingertips after landing a solid blow felt great, too...

Honestly, I used to be indifferent about Kendo, but maybe it was because my intended attack had worked—I felt like Kendo was starting to get fun.

Returning to the center according to the head referee's guidance, I cast a glance at the stands and saw Miyuki clapping frantically like a seal.

I couldn't see well because of the distance and the Men I wore, but she looked surprised and delighted at the same time.

The opponent's utterly soured expression was visible through the mengane.

Chuckling soundlessly at the sight, I caught my breath and crouched at the boundary line.

The moment I stood up, the opponent charged at me; I dashed forward to meet him and swung my arms.

Smack!

Crack!

Another blow landed squarely on his head.

This time, two referees raised their white flags.

“To your positions.”

Having won the first opening match by scoring two consecutive points, I went to the boundary at the head referee's command and exchanged a bow with the opponent.

I then exchanged a brief word with Tetsuya, who was taking deep breaths on the sidelines.

“Congratulations.”

“You win too.”

“I have to.”

His voice had lowered significantly. His eyes were also serious.

Seeing my play must have ignited his competitive spirit.

Patting him on the back in encouragement, I approached where the club members were and took off my Men.

The club members were staring at me with eyes full of admiration.

They clearly hadn't expected me to perform this well.

“Good job. You did great out there.”

Raising a thumb to Yamazaki's praise, I turned to watch Tetsuya's match against his opponent.

After finishing the bow, Tetsuya took the middle stance, only slightly twitching the tip of his Shinai.

Suddenly drained of enthusiasm, I let out a soft, hollow laugh.

I couldn't understand it. It made sense for the opponent to play cautiously since his teammate was just helplessly defeated... but why was Tetsuya acting like that?

Since the vanguard had seized a fiery victory, shouldn't he inherit that momentum and push forward aggressively?

The opponent clearly looked intimidated, so he should have charged...

As expected, I just didn't get along with that bastard.

Clack!

After a long feeling-out process, the two lightly clashed.

Even objectively speaking, compared to the preceding opening match, it was a boring bout that made me want to yawn.

Hoping the match would end quickly, I looked up at the stands where Miyuki was sitting.

She was still clapping, watching Tetsuya's match.

Her energy seemed to have dipped a little. Did Tetsuya's cowardly display drain her enthusiasm, just like it did mine?

Probably not. Miyuki was too kind for that.

“Hey, wipe the sweat off your hands.”

Lost in these random thoughts, I checked my hands when a second-year senior handed me a towel and said that.

They were completely covered in cold sweat.

I hadn't realized it, but I must have been unconsciously nervous.

Taking the towel, I wiped my hands and watched Tetsuya and his opponent, who were finally starting to exchange blows in earnest.

Clack! Clack-clack!

Tetsuya's sticky playstyle was slowly coming out.

Clinging tenaciously to yield no distance, he threw light attacks the moment a gap opened in the opponent's striking area, clearly aiming to drag him slowly into a quagmire.