Chapter 532

"Hmm."

The feeling of being bound by the rough hemp rope at his ankles returned.

Horie Kenichi had already put on his protective gear.

Under the face mask, his gaze was a mixture of contempt, excitement, and anger at being slighted.

He flexed his wrists, the bamboo sword making a faint sound of breaking wind, his posture relaxed but ready to strike.

Kojima Yoshinobu walked between the two, his expression solemn.

"This is an instructional actual combat, aimed at letting A-kun experience distance, pressure, and the rhythm of attack and defense."

He looked at Horie Kenichi.

"Kenichi, keep a good sense of proportion."

He looked at Natsume Chikage again.

"A-kun, pay attention to maintaining distance, avoid fouls, and don't let your stance fall apart. Attacks should be aimed at effective scoring areas. Do you understand?"

"Understood." Natsume Chikage's voice came through the mask, steady and calm.

Horie Kenichi bowed slightly, his voice deliberately raised:

"Yes, Master. I will 'guide' A-kun well."

The two retreated to the starting line, separated by one foot and one sword.

Konoe Hitomi sat upright on a chair in the distance, her hands folded, watching calmly.

She did not think highly of this lopsided contest.

As for whether Natsume Chikage could win the Tamaryu Flag championship within two weeks, that was actually impossible.

Even the Young Lady did not expect him to be able to do it.

Of course, the requirement for him to win the championship was real.

It just wasn't the Tamaryu Flag in two weeks, but rather just needing to win a championship once during his three years of high school.

So Konoe Hitomi had prepared early on for the idea of letting Natsume Chikage continue kendo training throughout these three years.

"Start!" Kojima Yoshinobu swung his arm down.

Before the words had even faded, Horie Kenichi had already launched the first move!

His feet crossed quickly, sliding forward to the left front with a smooth "opening step," attempting to disrupt Natsume Chikage's sense of distance and line of sight.

At the same time, the bamboo sword was quietly gathering momentum, waiting only for the opponent to reveal a flaw before delivering a precise frontal strike (men).

However, at the very moment Horie Kenichi's feet moved and his center of gravity shifted.

In Natsume Chikage's perception, the opponent's intent became clearly distinguishable.

The angle of force from the toes during the slide, the subtle tension in the shoulder muscles, the hidden trajectory of the bamboo sword... every detail was inescapable.

Natsume Chikage had no obsession with kendo and just wanted to end the training efficiently.

For this reason, he did not intend to hold back.

Except when facing his cute younger sister, his principle when facing others had always been: when a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses its full strength!

Besides—only by showing overwhelming strength could he convince Konoe Hitomi and avoid being endlessly forced to train.

He did not hesitate, his intent moved slightly, and he equipped the "Hot-Blooded Baseball Bat."

Equipment effect activated: Strength increased by 10%, accuracy increased by 20%.

The bamboo sword in his hand gave a feeling of being as easy to use as an arm, as if it had become an extension of his body.

Horie Kenichi's slide was about to be completed; the end of the feint was the starting point of the real attack.

But Natsume Chikage moved earlier than he had anticipated.

He did not imitate complex footwork.

He simply leaned his center of gravity forward at the most precise moment, and his bound feet completed an almost silent "sending step" with minimal amplitude.

It jammed perfectly into the tiny gap where Horie Kenichi's feint ended and his real move was about to be launched.

The distance was instantly erased!

"What?!" Alarm bells rang in Horie Kenichi's heart.

In his haste, he instinctively forced the planned attack, his bamboo sword whistling as it turned, attempting to counter.

But in Natsume Chikage's eyes, the trajectory of this hasty counterattack had huge flaws.

He didn't need to think; his body followed the momentum of the forward charge, and the strength of his whole body, along with that extra 10% boost, rose from the soles of his feet, flowed through his waist and abdomen, and surged into his arms—

"Men!"

A clear shout.

The bamboo sword drew a simple, straight, and impossibly fast trajectory, slashing down head-on!

"Clack—!!!"

A crisp, solid striking sound exploded!

The tip of the bamboo sword hit the metal bar in the center of Horie Kenichi's face mask precisely!

The force traveled through the protective gear; Horie Kenichi's head tilted back, his upper body swayed, and he retreated several steps before barely stabilizing.

He froze in place.

Under the face mask, his eyes were wide, filled with bewilderment and shock.

Did he hit?

Was I hit?

By this pure novice who had ropes tied to his ankles and was holding a bamboo sword for the first time today... was I hit head-on in the "men"?

Kojima Yoshinobu and Arai Kotaro stood stunned on the sidelines, their faces full of disbelief.

Kenichi's exquisite opening move was actually completely seen through and broken by A-kun?

That timing of the cut, the speed and precision of the sword swing... definitely not what a novice should have!

Especially with his feet still restricted by ropes!

Horie Kenichi was a solid four-dan swordsman and a Tamaryu Flag champion!

Even if he underestimated the enemy, he shouldn't have been hit so cleanly by a novice in the first encounter!

It's unreasonable!

Could it be... that Kenichi went easy on him?

Right, it must be that he went easy.

After all, it was just instruction, so it was understandable to hold back out of consideration for his background.

But even so, Kenichi's strength was far above A-kun's; there must never be a second time!

"One point!" Arai Kotaro announced the result, while casting a stern look at Horie Kenichi—next round, you must use full strength!

Horie Kenichi shook his head violently, dispelling the trance.

Humiliation!

The scalding sense of humiliation almost burned away his reason.

Just now must have been an accident!

It was caused by underestimating the enemy!

"Continue!" Kojima Yoshinobu shouted in a deep voice, also giving an unquestionable look—bring out your real skills!

Horie Kenichi received the pressure and warning.

He nodded, as if silently swearing: this time, I will definitely not hold back!

The two confronted each other again.

This time, Horie Kenichi discarded all flashiness, his eyes fierce and focused, like a hawk locking onto its prey.

He stared fixedly at Natsume Chikage, his whole body exuding the true pressure of a Tamaryu Flag champion.

He slowly lowered his center of gravity, the tip of his bamboo sword raised slightly, pointing at the throat position of Natsume Chikage's protective gear.

This was a highly intimidating preparatory posture for a "thrust."

And attacking the throat is prohibited in Tamaryu Flag competitions, but allowed in adult competitions.

Since this is not the Tamaryu Flag, there is naturally no need to comply.

So he intended to use this as psychological pressure.

Horie Kenichi glanced at Konoe Hitomi out of the corner of his eye.

The impulse to perform, mixed with humiliation, gave him a dangerous thought: perhaps he could teach A-kun a "lesson" and save his image.

Natsume Chikage's expression remained calm.

In his special field of vision, the opponent's intent was clearly distinguishable.