Ch.119Afterparty (1)

After the tournament ended.

Saito Kana was reorganizing her armor.

“This… I’ll have to throw it away. Buy a new one.”

Tetsu said with a smile.

“You’re right.”

Kana looked at the shoulder armor extending from the helmet part of her gear. The left shoulder part was completely shattered.

Honestly, it had been dangerous.

If this had been a real sword match… Kana found herself thinking such thoughts unconsciously.

Clearly, Kana was the winner. Kana’s sword had cut Shota’s waist first. However, Shota had also slashed Kana’s shoulder just a few seconds later.

Even though she won, Kana would have suffered a shoulder injury or lost an arm. It truly was a victory by the narrowest of margins.

“He was a strong opponent.”

Tetsu remarked.

“Yes. He was strong.”

Kana acknowledged it.

“It’s not just his sword skill. His mental strength is also formidable. That boy… he never gave in to despair. He was solely focused on landing a hit on you.”

Tetsu said.

That was true. His fighting spirit could have easily been broken. But Shota had stood in Kana’s way with the single-minded determination to cut her. And in the end, he actually managed to land a hit.

“You look like you enjoyed it.”

Tetsu said.

“N-not particularly…”

About to give a typical tsundere response, Kana changed her words. She felt the desire to clearly express what she was feeling.

“Yes… I enjoyed it. He was a strong opponent. And… he’ll only get stronger from now on.”

Kana said.

“For the first time, someone matched you equally. Treasure that experience.”

Tetsu looked at his granddaughter with nostalgic eyes, as if reminiscing about his own youth.

———

In his younger days, Saito Tetsu was known as the family troublemaker. There was only one reason he caused trouble and engaged in eccentric behavior: he was bored.

Born with the greatest talent in the Saito family’s history, he had no worthy opponents and always lived in a state of ennui.

That day was no different. He had rented out an entire inn and was partying with women. He had long since abandoned sword training. After all, he was the strongest even without practice.

That’s when a foolish fellow appeared.

“Didn’t you hear? There’s no way Lord Saito would spar with the likes of you!”

“Get lost.”

An argument broke out outside the inn.

A swordsman was insisting on having a match with Saito Tetsu. He was a strange fellow with spiky, unkempt hair. That was Gonzaemon.

“Tell him to let me in. Any other response will be considered hostile.”

Gonzaemon stated flatly.

“No… darling. That kind of forceful approach won’t work.”

The beautiful woman who appeared to be his lover laughed awkwardly as she tried to restrain him.

Though seemingly exasperated by her lover’s forceful behavior, she was looking at the man with eyes dripping with honey.

‘Hmph. What a sickeningly sweet couple.’

Saito Tetsu decided to just watch the scene unfold.

“You bastard… how many times do I have to say no?!”

The disciple acting as gatekeeper immediately lost his temper.

“Okay!! That’s a hostile signal!!!”

Gonzaemon immediately drew his bamboo sword.

WHACK-!!

Without further discussion, he knocked down the two gatekeepers with a single strike.

“This bastard…!!! To make an enemy of the Saito family… you don’t seem to have any desire to live wisely!!!”

All of the Saito family disciples drew their bamboo swords.

“Say it clearly!! Will you let me in!!!! Or not?!!”

Gonzaemon shouted as he began personally smashing the heads of the swordsmen who charged at him.

“Argh!! This guy is insane?!!!”

“But he’s strong!!! Aaaaargh!!!”

The disciples at the entrance were defeated one after another.

Despite being surrounded by an enormous number of swordsmen, Gonzaemon burst into laughter as if he was enjoying himself.

“Uhahahahaha!!! If I keep beating you guys up, Tetsu will show his face eventually!!!”

Gonzaemon raised his sword.

“You’ll make good entertainment before I face Tetsu!!!! Come at me!!!!!!!”

Right after that, Gonzaemon began to go berserk.

“Sigh… he’s impossible.”

Asuna, Gonzaemon’s girlfriend, sighed and began to follow behind him.

That day, 56 disciples of the Saito family were defeated by Gonzaemon alone. It was a historic disruption against the Saito family.

Eventually, Gonzaemon forced his way into the inn and confronted Tetsu.

“You’re drinking with such a bored expression. Boring, isn’t it?”

Gonzaemon said just one thing when he saw Tetsu. Though it sounded foolish, it was a statement that pierced through Tetsu’s deficiency.

“Pick up your sword. Then you won’t be bored.”

Gonzaemon said as he raised his sword.

There… Tetsu had the fight of his life. For the first time, he met an opponent who pushed him to his limits, and he rediscovered the joy of swordsmanship that he had forgotten.

And that fight ended in a ridiculously abrupt way.

SLAP-!

Asuna, she intervened between the two and firmly grabbed the bamboo sword with her bare hand.

“Gonzaemon. We were supposed to have a date.”

Asuna said with a pouty expression.

“Ah… that’s right!! I made restaurant and hotel reservations!!”

Gonzaemon immediately began to panic, forgetting all about the match.

“Sorry!! Tetsu! I had plans with Asuna!! Let’s fight again next time!!”

And just like that, Gonzaemon disappeared, leaving behind an incredible impact like a storm.

‘Has Kana… found such an opponent too?’

Tetsu somehow suppressed his reddening eyes. In life, there are magical encounters, and it seemed that such an encounter had come to Kana as well.

“Grandfather. Why are you crying?”

Kana tilted her head in confusion.

“No. When you get old, reminiscing takes longer. Hahah. Age is not something to be desired….”

Tetsu laughed heartily.

“Anyway, let’s go to the after-party.”

Tetsu said.

“With the family members? I don’t want to….”

Kana clicked her tongue.

Kana was the heir to the Saito family, and consequently, even her relatives were full of people who flattered her. Honestly, it wasn’t fun.

“What are you talking about? Let’s go, just the two of us. At the restaurant where Gonzaemon’s group is going… we might ‘coincidentally’ have our after-party together.”

Tetsu winked at Kana.

“Ah…!”

Kana’s face turned red. She had been seen through by Tetsu. At this moment, Kana wanted to be with Shota.

“Shall we go?”

Tetsu smiled.

“Well… since there’s only one good meat restaurant nearby… I guess we have no choice.”

Kana muttered, turning her head away primly.

‘Really… such an honest kid.’

Tetsu smiled at Kana. She was a granddaughter who required a lot of attention.

———

On the way to the after-party, Kana was absentmindedly thinking only about Shota.

What remained in Kana’s mind was Shota’s gaze. Despite being at an overwhelming disadvantage, Shota had been scanning Kana with eyes full of fighting spirit.

Shiver-!

Recalling that gaze, Kana felt her body tremble.

Strangely… the feeling of her lower abdomen tightening was an added bonus.

“I like…”

Kana inadvertently muttered such words before suddenly coming to her senses.

‘W-what am I saying…!’

Kana hastily shook her head.

———

Back to Shota’s perspective.

We headed to a high-end beef restaurant nearby. It was a place with a sign that said “Korean-style BBQ.” It was a Korean restaurant selling Korean-style ribs.

Though I had been in this Japanese world for quite some time, my inner content was Korean. So coming to a Korean restaurant like this was quite refreshing.

“Alright!!! Order as much as you want!!! It’s on me!! Who would have thought you’d be the runner-up!! Uhahaha! As expected of my disciple!! Plus, all the other kids made it to the finals too!!! This will boost my reputation!!!”

Gonzaemon laughed heartily.

“Wooooooh!!!!”

“Meat!! Meat!!!”

“I… I’ve been waiting 3 hours for this moment!!”

My classmates were already holding their chopsticks in a combative stance.

Actually… Gonzaemon hadn’t planned on treating my classmates to meat.

He had assumed they would have been eliminated from the finals and gone home. That was his assumption.

However, the desire for meat in young boys at their prime was ‘real.’

They had waited at the entrance of the arena until the end of the competition. And our group was caught on the spot.

“Shota!!! Congratulations on being the runner-up!!!”

“Wow!!!! We’re seeing the benefits of being Shota’s friends!!”

“Meeeeat!!! Meat!!!!”

My classmates immediately congratulated me.

Normally, jealousy or envy might sprout… but these guys were only thinking about meat. That’s what made them even more awesome guys. Seriously, this dojo only has good people. I should play tag with them again when I go back to the dojo. I naturally felt a strong bond of friendship towards my classmates.

“Master! I’ll grill the meat!!”

I immediately picked up the tongs.

Social life tip: When you’re the one, you just grab the tongs.

“No!! Shota, you’re today’s hero! I’ll grill it!”

Gonzaemon immediately tried to take the tongs from me.

“Master, I’m really good at grilling meat! Trust me!”

I expressed my intention to serve without making Gonzaemon and his group feel guilty.

“Uhahaha! Then go ahead and grill!”

Gonzaemon laughed heartily, seeming pleased.

“Shota… is kind of like he’s living his second life. He’s good at social interactions.”

Umi said.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. It’s like he has a well-organized mind… there’s a gap between his usual eccentric behavior.”

Eri agreed.

“Really… how should I put it? He seems like an idiot but is surprisingly cool.”

Taiga also agreed.

“As expected… of my hero… heeeeung❤”

Tina was just staring at me with a silly grin. This girl… she’s too infatuated with me.

Anyway, I started grilling the meat right away.

Though it was beef, there were limits to Gonzaemon’s finances. We only ordered the cheapest cuts, top blade and chuck flap.

I had hoped for cuts like jowl meat, tenderloin, or sirloin… but meat was meat.

“Asuna, want to have a drink? I can’t drink since I have to drive…”

Gonzaemon said, licking his lips.

“Honey, I’m pregnant.”

Asuna took Gonzaemon’s hand and placed it on her belly.

“Ah, right.”

Gonzaemon immediately looked at Asuna with a honey-dripping expression. After that, the two began to engage in displays of affection.

Hmm. The third child will be coming soon, I guessed.

“Shota, need any help?”

Eri asked me.

“Then… sit on my lap. It might make grilling meat less tiring.”

I said to Eri.

“Yes, my lord❤”

Eri immediately sat on my left knee. Leaving my right knee empty was a bonus.

“A seat for me!!!”

Umi immediately occupied my right knee. Two gyaru totems appeared on my lap. I naturally felt a buff. It was energizing. Like becoming a shaman.

“Ah… there’s no seat for me.”

Taiga said, looking disappointed.

“Taiga, let’s massage Shota’s shoulders together.”

At that moment, Tina said with a smile.

“Sure.”

Taiga joined Tina behind me.

The two began to massage my shoulders while brushing their voluptuous breasts against my back.

This… feels damn good, but it was a bit embarrassing to show to my classmates. I glanced at them discreetly.

“When will this meat be cooked…!!”

“Damn… I can’t wait any longer… I feel dizzy…!!”

“Let’s just eat it!! Huh? Do I care about parasites?”

Really… they were only interested in meat. Such consistent guys… that’s what made them awesome guys…!

Anyway, the after-party continued in a warm and friendly atmosphere.