Chương 10: Determination
Biên tập viên: Atlas Studios
Kazuma's Upper Combo Slash looked ordinary.
He was not familiar with the Rishin Style, so he did not know why it was the first skill of this style.
The two-strike combo was very fast. The aim was to catch the opponent off guard. Most people might not be able to defend against the second strike after blocking the first.
Normal people would think that attacking the opponent's upper body was stupid.
It was quite stupid indeed. The attack was simple, and there was no way to defend against the enemy while executing the move.
However, if one could fully master it, the power of an upper-body attack was astonishing. This was because it was one of the most suitable positions for exerting force.
The Jigen Style was a school that specialized in attacking the opponent's upper body. The top experts of the Jigen Style could even cut their opponent's sword into halves. Of course, this was relatively rare nowadays because the improved smelting technology made modern swords extremely difficult to break.
Even normal Jigen experts could break long weapons like bamboo spears effortlessly.
All in all, as long as the down slash was powerful enough, it could defeat anyone in one shot.
However, Kazuma had never learned the Jigen Style before. If he had, he would probably be able to execute the down slash.
Right now, he could only perform the Upper Combo Slash.
Although there was nothing too special about this technique, Kazuma's cheat made him extremely fast in its execution. As someone who had practiced kendo before, Kazuma believed that if he were to be attacked by this move, he would not know how to react other than foolishly standing still with his sword held high.
It would be even worse if the opponent had decided to switch to another attack stance after he had blocked the first strike, such as by sweeping his feet off the ground with a kick.
The modern kendo forbade the players to attack with their feet, but Kazuma was not a competitive kendo fighter. He and the other members in his group only practiced it for interest and fun, so they did not pay much attention to that rule. As a traditional style that focused on actual combat, the Shinto Style actually involved some footwork techniques.
All in all, Kazuma chose this Combo Slash as his counterattack after dodging his sister's attack.
To his surprise, Chiyoko managed to block two attacks in a row, followed by a sudden thrust forward before Kazuma could readjust his posture.
Martial arts combat was different from those fighting games on the Internet. One had to withdraw their sword before launching the next attack. Otherwise, the second attack would not be able to deal much damage. If one was wielding a real sword, they would still be able to hurt the opponent with the sharp blade. But if it was a bamboo sword, the second attack would be totally useless.
Chiyoko rushed forward directly and thrust the tip of her bamboo sword toward Kazuma's face.
Kazuma immediately raised his hands and used the protective ring near the handle of his bamboo sword to push Chiyoko's sword away.
That was what the ring was for.
Some Japanese swords did not have the ring because it was easier to hide the sword that way. However, during actual combats, a sword without a protective ring would be at a huge disadvantage compared to normal ones.
As soon as Kazuma had blocked Chiyoko's attack, he stepped forward at almost the same instant.
With the current position of his sword, it was no longer possible to poke Chiyoko with his leather cap. Instead, he stepped forward, preparing to use his legs for the next move.
To him, it was natural to use legs after deflecting the opponent's weapon.
Out of habit, Kazuma adopted the same response technique that he had studied in his previous life. He had forgotten that it was not allowed to use footwork attacks in kendo.
However, Chiyoko retreated quickly and kept her distance from Kazuma.
In close combat, those with a larger build usually had a greater advantage.
Chiyoko retreated as Kazuma charged forward. Just like that, Chiyoko moved more than ten steps backward.
Kazuma could clearly feel that his hands had increasingly been exerting strength on his sword.
Suddenly, Chiyoko shouted, "Face!"
Kazuma was startled. In the next second, his bamboo sword was lifted upwards. In fact, Chiyoko had suddenly stopped retreating and used Kazuma's own strength to push his sword upwards.
Subsequently, Chiyoko twisted her wrists. Japanese swords had long handles, and they had to be held with both hands. Therefore, there were many moves that could be executed by just using wrists.
Such tricks were not powerful, but they were fast and flexible.
Kazuma could not think too much and immediately stepped back.
That made him vulnerable to further strikes because it was impossible for him to retract his sword to block any attack. Besides, his wrists were not as flexible as Chiyoko's, so he could not knock off Chiyoko's sword by just twisting his wrists. At this moment, both of his hands were raised high, so it was hard to move his wrists anyway.
He could only move away.
Chiyoko slashed her bamboo sword horizontally before Kazuma's eyes.
Kazuma took a few steps back. Chiyoko did not follow him. Instead, she stayed where she was and adjusted her posture.
Her gaze was sharp enough to kill.
Kazuma took a deep breath as well.
'She's strong.'
From an amateur's point of view, it was just a few ordinary moves. If the fighting scenes in Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master" could be rated 10 points, then the fight between the siblings just now would only be two points.
This was how amateurs felt when they watched an actual kendo duel.
However, Kazuma had practiced serious Shinto Style Kendo with Hasegawa Masato for several years. He was not an amateur.
Chiyoko's response was impressive.
If it were a fight between real blades, Kazuma would have been on the brink of death several times by now.
Judging from the numbers given by the cheat, Kazuma should be the stronger one. But now, Kazuma was no longer certain.
At this moment, the line of words above Chiyoko's head, "Solitude and Determination," was burning.
'This buff is really good.'
Suddenly, Chiyoko spoke. "Brother, I knew you've forgotten about this move. Back then, when Dad taught it to us, you couldn't master it. I pretended to not be able to do it too and practiced with you…"
Kazuma could recall the relevant memories after Chiyoko said that.
This Rishin Style technique, which involved a sudden forward dash followed by lifting the opponent's sword and a horizontal slash, was something that Kiryuu Kazuma had never been able to master despite plenty of practice.
At that time, Chiyoko had been training with him, and she even cried because she could not do it properly.
At least, that was the memory he'd inherited from the original Kazuma.
Chiyoko explained, "At that time, I saw that you were having a hard time learning it. So I cried and threw a tantrum on purpose, forcing Dad to end the practice."
Kazuma finally understood.
"Those memories are invaluable and irreplaceable to me," Chiyoko said, her eyes sparkling.
"Well… Don't cry…"
However, as soon as Kazuma spoke, Chiyoko dashed forward.
She used the Tsuki technique that Kazuma had taught her.
However, compared to the fully automatic Tsuki from Kazuma's cheat, Chiyoko was still slower.
Kazuma dodged sideways and stepped forward, aiming his bamboo sword at Chiyoko's head.
However, in the blink of an eye, Chiyoko managed to block Kazuma's attack. She was so fast that even an experienced kendo fighter like Kazuma could not see the details of her moves clearly.
However, it was not over yet!
Kazuma turned his wrists and drew a circle with his bamboo sword. Through that, he forced Chiyoko's sword beneath his and attacked her right hand, which was holding the sword.
However, Chiyoko suddenly withdrew her right hand and pushed her sword forward with her left hand. She was holding the end of the handle with her left hand.
This was also one of the many ways to use a Japanese sword. This move could extend one's reach in an instant.
The leather cap of her bamboo sword was firmly pressed against Kazuma's chest.
She did not hold back her strength.
If it were a real sword, Kazuma's lungs would have been pierced.
At the same time, Kazuma's bamboo sword also hit Chiyoko's left hand. He did not hold back his strength either.
He thought that Chiyoko would drop her sword, but she did not.
Even though Kazuma's bamboo sword had left an obvious red mark between her left thumb and index finger, which made her clench her teeth in pain at that instant, she was still holding on tightly to her sword.
Her determination was clear.
Kazuma did not say anything. He immediately pulled away and got into his stance.
Chiyoko did the same thing.
"When Sumitomo Construction first came, I thought you would reject them without any hesitation." Chiyoko spoke again. "But you didn't. And when you saw the amount on their calculator screen, you smiled. You looked like a complete stranger."
'Because I am indeed a stranger to you.'
Kazuma naturally did not say that out loud.
"In the past few days, I have finally understood that I am alone, and no one is by my side," Chiyoko continued. As she spoke, the words "Solitude and Determination" burned brighter above her head.
"Yes, the dead chicken was disgusting, and the yakuza is scary. And now, my only ally has left me, but I can't back down."
Chiyoko's tears finally escaped her eyes, and her emotions broke down immediately.
Kazuma could see a red aura gushing out from her body. She looked like a Super Saiyan in Kazuma's eyes, wrapped in red transparent flames.
"Kendo is the only thing I have left. Kendo empowered me to escape from the bullies. Kendo helped me make friends! Kendo made me feel that Dad is always with me! No one can take kendo away from me! No one!"
Chiyoko shouted and charged forward.
Kazuma pushed his sword against hers, but her strength was astonishing. She actually managed to suppress Kazuma, a man older than her.
Kazuma had to hold the sword with all his strength. He did not dare to change his move, afraid that the sword would be sent flying from his hand.
Fortunately, he had adopted a defensive stance. Chiyoko could only force his sword toward him, which formed a barrier between them.
Chiyoko's slender body pressed forward until her face was only inches away from his.
"I'm stronger than you!" Chiyoko shouted. "I'm the assistant coach of this dojo!"
Kazuma felt suppressed by her.
However, he was still thinking calmly.
Although Chiyoko's power was astonishing, she had a fatal weakness.
Her weight did not change.
If they were to compete with brute force, one's body weight was the key.
Lightweight people would have to rely more on strategy and skills to win.
Whether it was boxing or kendo, the same logic applied.
Even modern kendo, which focused on techniques, held separate competitions for men and women.
Kazuma roared for the first time in this match.
He suddenly exerted strength and pushed Chiyoko backward.
This was pure bullying by taking advantage of their weight difference.
Chiyoko lost her balance. Kazuma took the opportunity to pull away from her. When Chiyoko's sword was pressed against his, there was no way he could swing it to attack.
Immediately after, Kazuma slashed downward. It wasn't a combo slash, just a simple and boring down slash.
There were no fancy moves, but it was powerful.
However, the starting move did not look much different from the Upper Combo Slash.
'Yes!'
Kazuma believed that it was the right move!
However, Chiyoko did not block it head-on. Instead, she retreated to a safe place.
Kazuma was impressed by her accurate judgment.
She had lost her earlier stance. There was a high chance that she would make a mistake if she tried to forcefully block his strikes. If she did not block properly, she might be hit in the arm.
The down slash was different from the previous swing of the sword. When he hit Chiyoko's hand just now, he had only used the strength of his forearm. He did not use his upper arm at all.
On the other hand, a down slash required the use of one's shoulders and both arms. It would be much more powerful.
If he could hit her hand this time, the impact would definitely make her drop her sword.
The two of them returned to their original posture. While they were at a deadlock, they circled around each other and switched positions.
Chiyoko glared at Kazuma. "Brother, this is not the Rishin Style at all. I already had my suspicions when you performed Tsuki yesterday. When did you learn the Shinto Style? How can a public school like the Northern Katsushika afford to hire a professional Shinto Style master as their kendo coach?"
'Of course they can't afford to hire one, but Goro-sensei does indeed seem to be an expert too.'
However, Kazuma could not explain it clearly.
Besides, he was a little angry now.
He would get angry whenever his body hurt.
Before he transmigrated, there was a period of time when he had a toothache. Then, he became especially irritable and almost lost his job at the foreign trade company.
Earlier, Chiyoko had stabbed him in the chest, which was now burning with pain. Kazuma believed that the injury must have left bruises on his chest.
The pain made Kazuma furious.
Besides, he had many comments to make about what Chiyoko just said.
After the passionate fight with Chiyoko, he had recalled more memories about the host.
The host—the real Kiryuu Kazuma had known for a long time that Chiyoko was better than him.
That was why he worked extra hard to practice kendo.
He knew that his sister should be the one to inherit the dojo and become the assistant coach, yet she had given the honor to him. The original Kiryuu Kazuma had not wanted to disappoint her.
He had wanted to help their family dojo business thrive.
However, he did not have the talent.
The anxiety and frustration that the real Kiryuu Kazuma had experienced flooded into the heart of the 21st-century Chinese man Wang Jian.
But strangely, Wang Jian could fully understand his feelings.
That was because he came from a stressful era.
He wanted to sell the dojo so that he could make use of the growing Japanese economy to go up the social ladder, which he had not been able to achieve in his previous life.
If he failed to grasp the opportunity, the Japanese economy would become stagnant, and there would be no more opportunity for growth.
"You said that kendo is the only thing you have left. What a joke," Kazuma said. "You actually turned a blind eye to your real wealth, and here you are spouting nonsense!
"Look at you, you don't even have a crease on your face. You clearly have the most precious thing! That is time! The possibilities!
"This country is thriving. You could have taken the opportunity to improve your social standing, yet you refuse to move on and cloud your judgment with self-pity!"
Chiyoko frowned and was about to speak, but Kazuma did not give her a chance to.
"It's true that I'm using the Shinto Style techniques, but so what? I've practiced the Rishin Style for so long, but I still can't beat you. Do you think I can't tell?
"I am fully aware that my younger sister is stronger than me, yet she couldn't inherit the dojo. You pretended to be weak and gladly handed me the position of the assistant coach. Do you think that makes me happy?
"That's why I practiced the Shinto Style, because it suits me better and it is stronger! As long as I can win, does it really matter what style I am using? What about all the martial arts experts in history who founded their own styles, did they not seek inspiration and combine the strengths of other styles too?"
Kazuma did not know if his surging emotions had added a buff to himself. He did not have time to look at it, and he just wanted to spit his thoughts all out.
"You've been making a fuss all day, refusing to sell the dojo, but did you come up with any solutions that could solve our financial difficulties? No!
"You keep saying that I should take in students, but this dojo doesn't even have a licensed master to be the main coach. By right, we don't even have the right to open a dojo! Fortunately for us, the Kendo Association has stopped enforcing those rules since long ago!"
Chiyoko finally managed to come up with a rebuttal. "You can get the license from other Rishin Style masters…"
"How long will it take, then? Before we get the license, even if the yakuza don't come to find trouble with us, what if someone falls sick? Who will pay for it?"
"Well…"
"Of course, there are plenty of well-paid part-time jobs. But if I work, I will not have the time and energy for Kendo Club activities. So, in order to protect your precious kendo, I should give up on kendo and work, is that what you are saying?"
Chiyoko hesitated a few times. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for oxygen after being thrown ashore.
Kazuma saw the note above her head rapidly dim, and even the flame effect had gradually disappeared.
Then, under Kazuma's gaze, the words changed.
The color of the note changed from fiery red to dark blue. It was the same color as the negative status seen on the heads of the frightened hooligans in the afternoon.
The content of the note also changed to "Worldly Confusion."
Kazuma paid further attention to the note. Then, he saw the description.
Previously, the explanation of "Solitude and Determination" was "Determined to show all her abilities, no longer hiding her strength. Even if it means embarrassing her brother, she wants to protect those precious memories." Now, the explanation of "Worldly Confusion" was "Falling into self-doubt under her brother's questioning."
'I get it now. To become stronger, you have to have the courage to put everything on the line and give up some things.'
After all, Kiryuu Chiyoko's determination was not that strong.
Kazuma took a deep breath.
'Alright, Chiyoko, let me show you my determination to sell the dojo to embrace the great era ahead!'
-- Nhận quà