Ch.351Year-End Stamp Rally (6)

A full hour of combat. To the uninitiated, it might not sound like much, but for a practitioner of kendo, an hour was an incredibly long time.

Even in a best-of-three match, the total time spent in combat would be at most about 15 minutes. Sword matches tend to be decided rather quickly.

“Wait… do you really need his permission?”

Kana immediately became angry. She protested because she knew how grueling a one-hour match with the man known as the War God would be. Tetsu was definitely not the type to go easy on someone during a fight.

“Kana. Your grandfather is kindly giving him a chance.”

I blocked Kana’s path.

“Giving him a chance kindly…?”

Kana looked at me with an expression of incomprehension.

“Marriage, you see, ultimately becomes unhappy if parents oppose it. A marriage needs the blessing of both families to be meaningful.”

That’s what I told her.

“Hmph. If you’ve figured it out, no need to say it aloud. It’s embarrassing.”

Tetsu scratched his head.

“I’m guessing Tetsu-san spoke with your father. He probably said he’d accept me based on the results of this one-hour match. Tetsu-san got permission with marriage as the condition.”

I roughly understood the situation.

“That’s right. But if you lose… he said he couldn’t allow you to date Kana. I opposed it, but… what can I do? Our family has its pride too.”

Tetsu scratched his head.

“Let’s do it.”

I just need to win. Or at least endure.

“Even if you end up a bloody pulp… we’ll cover the hospital bills.”

Tetsu said, facing me.

“And if I turn you into a bloody pulp, old man, I’ll pay your hospital bills, right?”

I said with a smile.

“………”

Tetsu looked at me with surprised eyes for a moment, then immediately burst into loud laughter.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”

Tetsu roared with laughter.

“You’re really something else!!”

Tetsu laughed until tears came to his eyes.

“He’s not just talking big. He’s only thinking about how to win, with victory as his sole objective!! There aren’t many men like this!! HAHAHAHAHA!!”

Tetsu laughed boisterously, clearly impressed.

“Yes. This is my star pupil. He’s quite something.”

Gonzaemon smiled contentedly.

“Follow me.”

Tetsu immediately led me toward the building. I followed behind him.

“If Shota loses… does that mean Kana retires from the harem?”

Umi seemed to finally grasp the true nature of this match.

“Grandfather! Do your best!”

Umi immediately began cheering for Tetsu.

“Hey!! Who are you cheering for?!”

Kana immediately got angry.

Anyway, our group got into the elevator. I thought we might be going up, but the elevator immediately descended.

There was a massive arena underground. It was on the scale of venues where the War God Cup was held. And all around were disciples of the Saito family.

In the most prominent seats sat a man in an immaculate suit and a young, beautiful woman. The woman’s hair was… white, though not dyed. She had a synchronicity rate that suggested Kana would grow up to look like her in ten years. I could tell this was my future mother-in-law, and the man beside her was my future father-in-law.

Tetsu and I stood facing each other in the arena.

“What are the rules, old man?”

I tilted my head.

“We don’t need to fight like a regular kendo match. There’s no scoring system. The one who shouts ‘surrender’ loses.”

Tetsu said, holding his bamboo sword.

The rules were incredibly simple. In other words, as long as I didn’t surrender, I wouldn’t lose.

“Isn’t that too easy? I absolutely won’t surrender.”

I took the basic middle stance of the swordsmanship I learned from Gonzaemon. I could have taken a high or low stance to catch him off guard, but… such tricks wouldn’t work against Tetsu anyway.

‘It’s not for nothing that he has that cringeworthy title of War God.’

I felt that keenly. Even though he was just standing there without taking a stance, he showed absolutely no openings.

Ding!

Above all, the status window was brutally honest.

‘Overwhelming Opponent: Even just enduring will convert to memories of facing a powerful foe.’

The status window didn’t even consider the possibility of winning. It was basically saying I’d lose if we fought head-on.

Click!

Our gazes crossed.

“………”

In the VIP seats, Kana was anxiously shaking her leg. Each time she shook her leg, her thighs quivered in a way that was quite turn—no. Focus on the match.

“Not using the Blazing Stance?”

Gonzaemon asked with a knowing smile.

“You wouldn’t give me time to regulate my breathing anyway, would you, old man?”

I said with a smile.

“Ah… a sharp kid isn’t as cute.”

Tetsu said with a laugh.

WHOOSH!!!

I immediately kicked off the ground and closed the distance toward Tetsu’s flank.

“Ha! Going for my side?! Good instinct!!”

Tetsu laughed and likewise aimed for my flank, circling to the side.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!!

Tetsu and I circled each other like we were playing a game of ring-around-the-rosy.

“What’s this… unlike Tetsu-sama.”

“Isn’t he going to charge right in?”

“What is this!! Going round and round?”

Some of the disciples jeered.

“Wise move.”

However, Gonzaemon seemed to see the strategy.

“Though their swords aren’t crossing… they’re fighting. Reading each other’s moves and engaging in combat.”

Thumbs-up Man seemed to notice it too.

BAM!

Eventually, as we circled toward each other’s flanks, we immediately closed the distance.

CLANG!!!

And our swords collided like lightning.

CLANG!! CLANG! CLAAANG!

A series of sword exchanges followed.

“You know the Thousand-Mind One-Heart style well!! Have you sparred a lot with Kana?!”

Tetsu smiled.

“Yeah!! Both at the dojo and in bed, we spar a lot!! I know the habits of your style!!”

I said as I twisted my sword.

“Then how about this!!”

At that moment, Tetsu took a stance unique to the Thousand-Mind One-Heart style. With his palm stretched out, he placed it on the hilt of his sword.

“You know this stance, right?”

Tetsu asked.

“Ah. A thrust, old man?”

I said with a smile.

“Yes. Always familiar but with a different taste!! Let me show you!!”

Tetsu shouted.

“You sound like a ramen shop owner!! Old man!!!”

I immediately took my stance.

WHOOOOSH!!

With a sound like the air being torn apart, Tetsu thrust his sword forward with all his might, pushing it with his palm.

Kana’s thrusts were fast too. But the speed of Tetsu’s sword strike was beyond imagination. It was almost like a bullet.

‘And after I block it… he plans to sweep my legs to break my stance and then deliver the final blow.’

I could guess that from the footwork Tetsu had taken.

So I couldn’t block it with my sword. Dodging was impossible too. It wasn’t a speed I could anticipate.

Therefore, the method I chose was simple.

WHOOSH!

I threw my face into the trajectory of the incoming sword.

“………?!”

Tetsu’s face froze at this unexpected action.

CLAAANG!!!

I immediately caught the incoming thrust with my teeth.

CRUNCH!!

I bit down on Tetsu’s bamboo sword with my mouth.

“What the…?!!”

Even Tetsu seemed taken aback.

CRUNCH!!

And I put all my strength into my jaw to crack Tetsu’s bamboo sword.

“Ptui!”

A moment’s opening was enough. I immediately spat out the bamboo sword and tried to deliver a waist-level strike with my sword.

“Hahaha. Interesting.”

But Tetsu’s expression showed amusement.

“……?!!”

Only after I had already swung for his waist did I realize I had been completely baited.

HISSSSS!!

As Tetsu’s body turned red, steam rose from it.

It was a technique I knew well. The Blazing Stance.

“She’s not quite at Kana’s level of talent… but I can roughly copy what I’ve seen. I’ve crossed swords with Gonzaemon countless times. Of course I know how to use it.”

Tetsu smiled and immediately dove under me.

WHAM!!!

The next moment, a shock that made my entire skull ring transmitted to my head.

“Ugh… gah..!!”

I was completely caught. My jaw took a direct hit from his sword strike.

WHAM WHAM WHAM!!

Right after, Tetsu’s combo rained down on my body.

“GAAAH!!!”

Without time to defend, I was sent flying to the edge of the arena.

“This… is dangerous… cough…!”

I hadn’t looked in a mirror, but I could tell the state of my body. Covered in blood, with several broken bones. One of my ribs was already gone.

“Will you surrender?”

Tetsu looked at me and asked.

“No way, old man.”

I stood up and took my stance.

“I’ve gauged your strength. The real fight starts now!! Old man!!”

I shouted loudly. Good. I bluffed well like a protagonist with guts! Even getting beaten to a pulp, my pride remained intact!!

“Shota!! Your arm joint is bent the wrong way!”

At that moment, Umi interjected from the audience.

“Shota’s… arm is hyperextended!”

Kana followed Umi’s lead.

“Umi!! Kana!!! Just pretend you didn’t see that!!”

It would have looked cooler if they had just let it slide!!

“Ugh… gah!!”

Because of their loud interruptions, pain shot through my rib area.

“Your body is already a mess. There’s no ‘real fight’ or anything left.”

Tetsu said.

“Look. Your arm is already broken and…”

Tetsu pointed at my arm swaying like a reed.

“Hmph. Don’t be mistaken. I dislocated my joint on purpose. To extend my sword’s reach.”

I smiled and waved my arm.

“He’s trying to pass off a broken arm as some technique!! Are you that desperate to save face?!!”

Umi interjected.

“Even so, that’s too much of a stretch!! Shota!! Your arm has turned purple!!”

Kana spoke as if pitying me.

Shut up!!! I tried to cover it up somehow!! A man wants to show off in front of the woman he loves!!

“Yes… I’ve heard of it. A technique where you dislocate your joint to extend your sword’s reach…!!”

Tetsu said. This old man… he’s sympathizing with my desperate bluff!!! Tetsu… you’re quite a good guy!!

“I haven’t surrendered yet, old man. The match isn’t over.”

Anyway, the match wasn’t over. I spat out the blood pooling in my mouth and took my stance.

Crack!!

I somehow reset my bones. And my spirit wasn’t broken either. The match wasn’t over.

“Right. A young man should have at least that much determination.”

Tetsu smiled and tilted his head. Then he immediately took a thrusting stance.

“……”

Maybe the match was already over? Such a weak thought crossed my mind.