Laid-Back Life in Tokyo: I Really Didn't Want to Work Hard
Chapter 183 - 170 Sword Dao and Technique_2

Chapter 183: Chapter 170 Sword Dao and Technique_2

The air conditioning was efficient, and he, sitting still, put his casual jacket back on.

The reason Uesugi Shio brought everyone here was to let the Kendo Department recognize their own strengths.

The competition was imminent; how could they manage without some combat experience with opponents?

She herself wasn’t keen on exercising today.

"I need to go up?" Uesugi Shio pointed at herself; in fact, she hadn’t even brought her pure white Kendo clothes today.

"It’s all about learning and exchange, everyone should go up and try," said Hanamaru Yugetsu, "As a consultant, I am confident in your abilities."

"I didn’t bring any protective gear," Uesugi Shio tried to decline.

"We have spares in the equipment room," Higashiyama Chizu said with a smile, her voice sweet like a young girl’s.

"Sakura," Uesugi Shio glanced at him, implying he should go instead.

Uesugi Sakura was about to refuse, but Hanamaru Yugetsu quickly answered for him:

"Little Sakura, as the general, you’ll have to go up later as well. Let’s start with the captain’s match."

Higashiyama Chizu looked at Uesugi Shio and bowed to her as an opponent courtesy.

"Alright, alright," Uesugi Shio sighed, as if resigned, "How about ending with just one ippon?"

"No problem."

Higashiyama Chizu’s light smile made it hard to relate her to a powerful Kendo girl.

Her appearance obviously gave the impression of a sporty young girl character.

She was the captain of the Waseda Affiliated High School Kendo Department, a fifth rank with no style.

Fifth rank was impressive; some people still struggle at it in their seventies or eighties.

Clan swordsmanship and modern Kendo are actually two different things; the former leans more towards combat, the latter has evolved into a sports competition.

Compared to defeating the opponent, Kendo focuses more on breaking the opponent’s defense, hitting the scoring position continuously probing.

Of course, having clan swordsmanship provides a significant experience advantage in Kendo competitions, with more variations and characteristics.

Swordsmanship like the Jigen Style, simple and clean yet exuding a powerful pressure, is its characteristic on the field.

Kendo matches are psychological battles, judging or predicting which part of oneself the opponent will attack based on the initial stance and attack direction.

Thus, in Kendo matches, you often see both sides holding bamboo swords swaying at the opponent’s tip.

To an outsider who doesn’t understand Kendo, this is frustrating: ’Are you going to fight or not?’

But this is the duel between people, each sway of the sword tip is a probe.

In a medium stance, a flick, thrust, or cut... all these moves might happen in the next moment.

Every probe seeks the opponent’s upcoming flaw, the choice of cut or thrust is determined by the flaw exposed.

As long as you seize that moment, it’s the sure win scoring time.

Higashiyama Chizu knew this well.

The movement of the sword tip reflects the opponent’s psychological intent and technical characteristics.

But Uesugi Shio’s bamboo sword was almost still.

Higashiyama Chizu tried several times to tap Uesugi Shio’s bamboo sword with the back of her own to probe, yet she showed no intention of defending, her gaze as lazy as ever.

Movement... hard to judge the direction, eyes... also hard to judge the direction.

Higashiyama Chizu had never encountered an opponent like this.

"Oh~ Your cousin is impressive," Hanamaru Yugetsu said to Uesugi Sakura.

"Uncle Yugetsu noticed?"

"I’m very perceptive," he repeated what he had just said, "Your cousin seems ordinary, but she’s full of details."

The Kamigoe Kendo Department’s members didn’t quite understand what was impressive about just standing still?

Hanamaru Yugetsu: "Just watch, the outcome is already clear."

Starting from a medium stance, Higashiyama Chizu took the initiative to attack, her feet gliding forward with a light touch on the ground, both hands swinging the bamboo sword downward.

A direct sword strike.

With a sound of collision, this strike was naturally blocked.

This duel between the captains was clearly not going to end that easily.

Previously, when Higashiyama Chizu raised her sword, Uesugi Shio had already been on guard, her body preemptively sliding to the left.

The two bamboo swords collided, the blocking blade forming an angle.

Uesugi Shio’s left hand held firm while the right hand was loosely gripped, two fingers pressing the hilt, pushing the sword and simultaneously shifting her body to exert force.

Her response was exceptionally quick, instantly counter-striking Higashiyama Chizu’s incoming bamboo sword.

The rear foot retracted simultaneously, taking the center line.

With a loud "clap!", the two bamboo swords clashed again, the bamboo strips resonating with an empty sound.

The clash of attacks disappeared, and the two returned to a stalemate.

Several actions completed the first round of exchange in just two seconds.

It was a blink of an eye, the sound of clash followed instantly, the mind couldn’t keep pace with what the ears and eyes perceived.

Everyone was dazed; without strength, they couldn’t see what was happening.

To accommodate the Kamigoe Kendo Department, Hanamaru Yugetsu explained:

"This is called block and counter. Higashiyama’s attack was directed at the face; according to her attack position, Uesugi moved to the left, using a slant press sword technique to counter-press the opponent, preparing to directly counterattack her wrist.

"And Higashiyama predicted she’d counter-press, preventing her wrist from being hit, deliberately pulling back her sword to increase the force against the opponent’s upcoming counter press.

"The increased force of the collision would certainly produce a time for the arms to absorb the shock, creating a gap for both sides and returning to the probing standoff."

"..."

Well, nobody understood.

"Ahem..." Hanamaru Yugetsu saw everyone was confused and coughed twice before continuing, "Let me summarize the key points of block and counter.

"In retreat, there is advancement; preemptive reaction, nimble wrists, and seamless counterattack.

"Especially note the importance of footwork in securing position during counterattack; failing to secure a position advantageous to oneself in the counter leaves one vulnerable, rendering such a counter futile."

The group evolved from confused to somewhat understanding.

Kumazawa Onijiro couldn’t help but smile: "Kendo really has to be practiced to understand what theory explains.

"But Mr. Hanamaru, being able to deconstruct and explain so many movements in just two seconds, even a seasoned judge might not have your insight."

Hanamaru Yugetsu shook his head, not speaking.

While they talked, Higashiyama Chizu and Uesugi Shio exchanged several more times, each appearing to stop at the right moment, evenly matched.

Unlike Kamigoe’s complete newcomers, a few capable swordsmen from Zao High saw some nuances.

It seemed their own captain couldn’t beat the opponent.

The other side had been on defense.

The next second,

Uesugi Shio seized the gap when Higashiyama Chizu transitioned from attack to defense, instantly stepping forward to take the center line, both hands pressing down with the base of the thumbs, twisting inward.

All-Hand Thrust.

"Thrust."

The bamboo sword tip reached the throat, the tremendous twisting force smashing onto the protector of the mask, causing Higashiyama Chizu to stagger back several steps.

The lazy voice sounded, Uesugi Shio swiftly retracting the bamboo sword, maintaining the Residual Heart state.

This time, even the most untrained eye could see that the captain of Waseda High School Kendo Department had been ipponed.

Goto was the first to react, clapping his hands in one go.

The Kamigoe Kendo Department members, a beat behind, then followed in applause, which gradually subsided after several seconds, leaving silence.

The captain... actually lost?

This was the thought in most Waseda High School Kendo Department members’ minds, that sweet-voiced, powerful beauty of a captain had lost to the captain from the neighboring school.

The energetic, sunny beauty captain, who practiced Kanji (empty swing practice) with them, lost!!

Too bad it wasn’t during the national tournament, otherwise, everyone would have cried their hearts out.

After the match, Uesugi Shio and Higashiyama Chizu saluted each other.

"Not unexpected," Kumazawa Onijiro shook his head helplessly.

"The lead before time, having achieved one eye two feet, there’s no reason not to win."

Hanamaru Yugetsu’s mouth uttered two Kendo World terminologies again as he turned to look at the Kamigoe Kendo Department group, "There are actually many details to discuss, would you like to hear and learn something?"

Everyone shook their heads in unison.

"Uncle Yugetsu is very reliable," Uesugi Sakura said.

"Of course." Hanamaru Yugetsu patted his shoulder, smiling, "Well, I’ve seen your cousin’s strength; now it’s your turn, General."

"I have a stomachache."

"Is it that time of the month?"

"Yes." Uesugi Sakura said with a serious face.

Everyone looked at him, their heads full of black lines.

Hanamaru Yugetsu patted him on the back: "You didn’t have it last month, and it’s just the beginning of the month now, what ’time of the month’ are you talking about, kid? Go ahead, stop stalling."

Uesugi Sakura was forcibly called to the changing room to switch to the communal protective gear.

"Where’s your general?"

Kumazawa Onijiro glanced around the Kendo Department members and said, "It seems he’s not here yet."

"Could he just happen to be absent today?"

"No, he said he’d come today."

"What’s his name?"

Upon hearing this, Kumazawa Onijiro eyed him with a peculiar look:

"Hanamaru Shinetsu."

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