Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 132: Mizuki, The Tense Match Between First and Third【Second Update】

Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Mizuki, The Tense Match Between First and Third【Second Update】

In the following week, Hanabi avoided eye contact with him.

When approached, she only gave minimal reactions.

To his inquiries, she either nodded or didn’t nod.

It seemed like shyness, yet also like fear.

During these days, all the meals were instant noodles and convenience store bentos.

Fortunately, Hanamaru Hiroki didn’t notice, maintaining his strict Kendo training as always.

But every time the bamboo swords clashed, Uesugi Sakura felt that Hiroki’s gaze turned increasingly unfriendly.

——————

June, known as "Minazuki."

Japan began entering the rainy season, starting today, the rainfall increased.

Unlike the delicate spring rains, the intermittent monsoon rain left the air filled with a damp and stifling humidity.

Uesugi Sakura glanced at the clock face.

10:24:13

Facing upward, she looked at the sky densely packed with clouds.

"It won’t rain, right?" Sakurai Fumiko said worriedly.

"The weather forecast said it wouldn’t." Chitose Mai looked at the empty corridor’s eaves.

"Let’s head to the spectator seats, Mizuki’s match is about to start, and it looks like... the rain won’t come for a while." Seisuke Yooya said.

Perhaps due to the high humidity, everyone’s string sounds had changed slightly.

Mizuki High School’s match began.

Their opponent was Sagami High School, ranked third in the qualifiers.

——Just one target short of Kamigoe High School’s Kyudo Club.

The second round of the elimination started with the first against the third in seeding competition.

The atmosphere, in the rather dim light, gradually heated up.

The first round.

The main position of Sagami High School was a young man seemingly frail, but contrary to his slight build, his eyes behind glasses were as sharp and conspicuous as a hawk’s.

A gaze that could be called "cruel," tightly locked onto the distant target.

Between readying the bow and drawing to the full stance, the bamboo bow was lifted at an angle.

Unlike Uesugi Sakura and the others’ slow-drawing movement, he took large strides, pulling the bamboo bow to the fullest.

The taut string seemed almost unable to bear the evenly pushed and pulled force of both his hands.

Swoosh!

The "kai" barely lasted long before the black arrow feathers shot off the string, the sharp string sound more piercing than anyone else’s.

Then followed a loud "bang."

A resounding collision struck directly at the bullseye.

Anyone could tell, this person’s skill was not weak.

Almost simultaneously, Shimokawa Binro from Mizuki High School also hit the bullseye with an equally impressive form.

——Both were rare Martial Archery styles in Kyudo.

What followed was a series of string sounds in quick succession.

The first arrow of the first round, hit by all members from both Sagami and Mizuki.

"Who is he?" Uesugi asked almost instinctively.

"Yukawa Reisei, the ace of Sagami High School." Sugita Shuhei sat in his original spot, not surprised by the unique string sound.

"His school belongs to one of the rarest ancient styles, Hidesato-ryu."

"Shooting technique passed down from the Heian period?"

Having visited the Ise Shrine and seen the swords offered above, Uesugi knew the name Fujiwara Hidesato.

"Yes, Hidesato-ryu emphasizes strength, so their bow strength is half again higher than ours."

Hirata Masanobu watched the shooting range, "Didn’t expect two powerful schools to meet so soon, it’s completely different from the high schools we’ve faced before."

"Feels like... that person is really intimidating..." Chitose Mai whispered sitting with Sakurai Fumiko.

Expansive applause accompanied the conclusion of the first round contest between the two high school teams.

Sagami trailed Mizuki by two arrows.

The members of Kamigoe’s Kyudo Club could see from the spectator seats, Yukawa Reisei sitting back quietly in his seat.

"Mizuki’s overall strength is much higher than Sagami," Kanai Hideyoshi said in a low voice, Reisei’s expression reminding him of many past instances, "The entire Sagami Kyudo Club relies on that guy for momentum."

His gaze swept across the five members of Mizuki High School.

"Shimokawa Binro, Yagi Ruijin, Hakogoe Yuusuke, Fuchigami Atsushi, Fuya Nanori... all difficult opponents."

The second round’s arrow shooting began.

The first arrow was simultaneously shot by the main positions of both high schools, Yukawa Reisei and Shimokawa Binro.

The common trait of Martial Archery is fast arrows and loud strings, but their strong momentum sets the rhythm for the entire team.

Main position, second position, middle position, pre-fall, fall position.

Arrows flew off the string from the highly lifted bamboo bows of the youths, and the Shooting Technique Eight Steps was already well practiced by them.

Waves of cheers rose continuously, and the dark clouds in the sky seemed to gather further under the youths’ momentum.

Fall position — the person in the fall position must possess the assurance and capacity to comfort teammates.

They need to shoulder the layered pressure from teammates, maintaining the best mindset to shoot the finest arrow, even if all hit nothing.

So, Kamigoe and Mizuki’s fall positions were Sugita Shuhei and Fuya Nanori.

Nanori gracefully raised the bamboo bow, the sound of the opponent’s string in his ears was as light as the wind.

Whether it was pleasant, dull, loud... all quietly dissipated in his mind.

His string sound was so light that it felt ethereal.

But to his opponent, it felt as heavy as lead.

At the same position, Nakama Yukihiko heard the soft call of Nanori’s arrow in mid-air and couldn’t help but feel downhearted.

The second arrow earlier, he missed.

With this arrow, he must make up for it.

But against his will, he raised the bow only to have his left hand shake weakly like an illness.

Sweaty hands almost couldn’t grip the bow, he didn’t know why but tried hard to shoot this arrow well, yet the opponent’s main position’s string sound had already sounded from the side, and the expected cheers from the crowd followed.

These combined into an invisible pressure urging him to quickly release the arrow.

Mizuki fired two more swift arrows, both hit the target.

Under increasing anxiety, his heart pounded out of rhythm, his breathing became erratic.

His unresponsive hand, under the chaotic string sounds, saw the arrow land before the target.

"How could this be!"

Nakama watched the arrow fly towards the back of the target, continually questioning himself in his heart.

Meanwhile, he hastily prepared his next move.

In a Kyudo competition, one must not show too much "disappointment" or "excitement" toward the results - this is a crucial competition etiquette.

Yukawa Reisei remained silent about his mistake, swiftly nocking another arrow, drawing the bow, and after a brief yet rare "kai," released another hit on the target.

Despite feeling dissatisfied inside.

——————

The broadcast voice: "Now announcing the results, First Shooting Range, Mizuki High School.

First round, three, four, three, three, four, totaling 17 hits.

Second round, four, three, four, four, four, totaling 19 hits.

Total 36 hits.

Second Shooting Range, Sagami High School.

First round, four, three, two, three, three, totaling 15 hits.

Second round, four, three, four, two, one, totaling 14 hits.

Total 29 hits.

"What a shame."

Sugita Shuhei saw Sagami High School leave the field disappointedly and couldn’t help sighing.

"Originally, they were at least the third-place school."

"Next, it’s our turn, right?" Uesugi Sakura stood up.

Sugita softly nodded, "Kaijo Affiliated High School is not weak."

"Understood."

Kanai Hideyoshi also stood up, looking towards Mizuki High School walking off the field amid applause, "In the next round’s draw, hopefully, it’s not them."

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