The afternoon matches continued. Only around twenty schools remained after eliminations. The Kendo Club kept advancing with impressive victories, winning two more rounds in a row.
Instructor Omura was thrilled; it was the first time their Kendo Club had reached the top eight. Choosing Rumi, a freshman, as the vice-captain had indeed been a brilliant decision, and the middle-aged man was deeply pleased with his foresight.
While everyone else was celebrating, Ogata was furious. He couldn't understand why someone as beautiful as Rumi would be interested in such a plain, unremarkable guy. In every way, Ogata considered himself far superior, yet Rumi barely spared him a glance.
From the moment Rumi joined the Kendo Club, Ogata had been captivated by her beauty and had resolved to win her heart. But despite his efforts over the past month, Rumi seemed indifferent. Though she was always humble and polite, she kept everyone at a distance. Now, her admiration and respect for that guy were obvious to everyone. Every break, before or after matches, she was by his side, looking delighted and attentive in a way Ogata had never seen within the club.
Ogata's anger surged as he looked at Masashi, wishing he could pummel this guy who didn't seem to appreciate what he had.
At the same time, club manager Mafang Junko was intrigued by this boy named Masashi. In the club, Rumi would only listen attentively to instructors, but with Masashi, it was different. She had never seen Rumi show such respect toward anyone. At other times, she would casually chat and laugh with him, but after a match, her expression was one of sincere reverence as she asked him questions.
"Watch out for those two, Hondo and Hiroe. If there's anyone here who can defeat you, it would be one of them."
"I've seen Hiroe's matches; his attacks are fierce and powerful. He'll be tough to face. But Hondo doesn't look very strong; why should I be careful of him?" Rumi looked at Masashi, puzzled.
"Can't you tell? Hondo's been hiding his strength."
"What? He's been holding back through all his matches?" Rumi looked in surprise at the opponent named Hondo.
"Yes. No matter who he faces, he only wins by a narrow margin. If I'm correct, he won't reveal his true strength until the individual tournament. His aim isn't the team event but the individual competition. People like him are more dangerous than Hiroe. Hiroe's power is obvious, so opponents approach him with caution, making him harder to defeat. But Hondo is different. He'll likely go all out in the finals. It's rare to see such a calculating player even among high school students," Masashi commented with an amused smile.
"Isn't that a bit devious?" Rumi said, disapprovingly.
"Really? I don't think so. You believe kendo should be fought with honor, but he's using the matches to his advantage. It's a personal choice with no right or wrong."
"I don't quite understand," Rumi admitted, shaking her head.
"Let me put it this way: you like soda, Kazumi likes coffee, and I like beer. Everyone has different preferences. Is there anything wrong with that? You might find his approach dishonorable, but that's his decision. You should follow your own approach. Does that make sense?"
"I understand, Senpai."
"Good. Now that you know he's hiding his strength, be careful when you face him; don't underestimate him."
"I'll do my best, Senpai," Rumi said, her eyes filled with determination.
Masashi smiled. What a simple and adorable girl.
In the quarterfinals, the Kendo Club faced Kyoucho Private High School, a renowned team in the region, often in the top ranks in past tournaments. The match was intense, but as expected, the Kendo Club finished with two losses and one win.
Although they lost, Omura and the other instructors were pleased, as this was the best result the Kendo Club had achieved in recent years. That evening, Omura took the team out to celebrate.
The next day was the individual tournament, the highlight for every competitor. Being high school students, almost everyone wanted to stand out. A high ranking would make a splash at school, so all the participants were visibly charged up.
The individual tournament was also a knockout format, with Rumi drawing the fifth match. Ogata and another teammate, Iida, drew the eighth and third matches, respectively. Unfortunately, Iida's opponent was Hiroe, who was the current favorite. Iida looked distraught when he saw the match-ups.
"Iida looks pretty upset."
"Rumi, you're smirking! You little rascal," Masashi teased.
"Senpai, that's not true!" Rumi protested.
"I swear on my grandfather's name—I saw you smirk."
"What, you think you're Kindaichi? Senpai, you're so mean."
Kazumi giggled nearby.
Since Iida's match was third, he went up first in the initial round. As expected, Hiroe defeated him quickly, striking him down in the first bout.
Seeing Iida's dejected expression, Rumi looked uneasy.
Masashi gently tapped her on the head and said, "Silly, don't waste your sympathy. Losing might be good for him; he needs to train harder, don't you think?"
"Thank you, Senpai," Rumi replied softly, squeezing his hand.
"Alright, it's your turn. Get ready."
"Senpai, Kazumi, I'm going. Please wait for me." She headed to the preparation area.
When Rumi, with her gear and shinai, entered the ring, nearly every male spectator turned to look at her. As the only female competitor and blessed with charming looks, she attracted quite a bit of attention. Her record of flawless victories so far went mostly unnoticed; many assumed her opponents were simply weak.
After both fighters were geared up and exchanged kendo bows, the match officially began.
Rumi's opponent was a third-year student named Masao Zaiya, a tall, intimidating figure who opened with a high guard stance, looking imposing. Rumi remained calm, taking up a standard mid-level stance.
Masao charged like a tiger, striking down fiercely at Rumi's head.
Just as everyone held their breath, Rumi deftly shifted to the left and deflected his powerful strike, instantly countering with a cut toward his chest.
Masao, shocked by her swift maneuver, stumbled back a step to dodge.
The entire sequence happened within a second or two, and the crowd gasped, captivated by Rumi's swift, butterfly-like movements.
Before anyone could blink, Rumi launched a relentless offensive, forcing Masao to retreat. The crowd, energized, cheered loudly, and spectators from other matches turned their attention to her.
"Hit! Valid point!" The referee waved the red flag and called the point.
Finally, Rumi struck Masao's wrist, winning the first round. The audience erupted in applause.
"Brother, Rumi's amazing! She won!" Kazumi excitedly grabbed Masashi's hand.
"Out of all her matches, this opponent is finally somewhat decent," Masashi smiled.
In the second round, Masao attacked Rumi with a barrage of fierce strikes as soon as the referee called "begin."
Seeing the intensity, everyone was again worried for Rumi.
"Brother, do you think Rumi will be okay?" Kazumi asked Masashi anxiously.
"Don't worry. She should be able to withstand this level of assault. Once she endures his initial offense, he'll lose his chance."
Kazumi looked at Rumi in the ring and saw that she wasn't panicking. While she didn't fully understand the techniques, she could see that Rumi defended each strike calmly, moving fluidly.
"Rumi was trained rigorously by her grandfather, Nagakawa Kyuujirou. Despite the physical limits of being female, her speed and skill match any adult. The level of training she's gone through is hard to imagine, especially for a girl," Masashi sighed.
Kazumi watched Rumi with admiration.
The momentum in the ring shifted; Masao's attacks slowed, and Rumi seized the gaps to counterattack. Soon, like the first round, the battle turned one-sided. Rumi's relentless assault backed Masao into a corner until she finally struck a valid point, winning the match.
With two rounds won, Rumi emerged victorious. The crowd gave her a warm applause.
From that moment, Rumi's skill as a kendoka was finally recognized; no one saw her as just a pretty face anymore.
After her match, Kazumi handed Rumi a bottle of water and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.
Masashi smiled, seeing that Kazumi truly saw Rumi as a sister.
"You did well, kiddo. Great job," Masashi said, patting her on the head.
Blushing, Rumi looked like a shy child receiving unexpected praise.
Kazumi, finding her adorable, couldn't resist hugging her, causing Rumi's face to turn even redder.
Meanwhile, Ogata returned from his own victory in another ring. He was annoyed to find that most people had focused on Rumi's match instead of his. Used to being the center of attention, he was irritated, though he let it slide since Rumi was the one in question. However, the sight of that guy standing next to her increasingly annoyed him.