Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week-Chapter 441 - 439

There’s no direct train from Tokyo to Fukuoka. You need to take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Osaka and then transfer to the Sanyo Line to reach Fukuoka.

This transfer alone consumed most of the morning, which was why the group had to depart for Fukuoka a day in advance. If they traveled on the day of the competition, they would miss the Jade Dragon Flag entirely.

Inside the Shinkansen coach, the boys’ enthusiasm remained undiminished as they continued their lively banter and chat. Some even produced snacks to share, reminiscent of elementary school students on a spring outing. When a group of adolescent boys gathers, their collective IQ tends to plummet to that of grade schoolers. This refers to typical boys, not high school delinquents.

Their conversation topics jumped erratically. One moment they were discussing what a Different World might look like, and the next, they’d switch to a YouTuber’s dance video. One commented on a dancer’s fair legs, another suggested stockings would look even better, while someone else proudly presented their treasured collection of idol photos for everyone’s appreciation and critique.

Aozawa didn’t feign aloofness. He admitted that the idol photos, with a bit of editing, could indeed be called pretty. He was, after all, a sixteen-year-old boy and naturally wanted to participate wholeheartedly in such discussions.

Time slipped by amidst this lighthearted chatter until they arrived in Fukuoka, disembarking at the station in the Hakata area. The surroundings were bustling with activity.

The venue for this year’s Jade Dragon Flag was the Marlin Mercer in Fukuoka’s Hakata district.

Kenji Kojima had already booked their accommodations in advance and, smirking with pride, said, "The hostel I booked is just a two-minute walk from the Marlin Mercer. It’s thanks to my quick hands that I managed to snag three rooms in this urgent situation."

"Alright, Captain, we get it, you’re amazing. Lead the way." Aozawa slapped him on the shoulder and, rubbing his stomach, said, "I’m starving after sitting for so long. Let’s drop our bags at the hostel and find a place to eat."

"The school’s budget is limited, so don’t order anything too expensive," Kenji Kojima retorted. He had been forced to plead extensively with the student council president to secure the funds for participating in the Jade Dragon Flag competition. Without money, they wouldn’t even be able to compete.

Close to noon, the sunlight in the Hakata area felt even more intense than in Tokyo. The scorching sun seemed to roast the cicadas on the trees into silence. Aozawa and his companions were soon drenched in sweat.

"Captain, aren’t we there yet?"

"How long have we been walking?" Kenji Kojima replied to the first-year’s question, wiping sweat from his forehead. The heat was truly excessive. They had barely walked a few hundred meters from the station, yet it felt like more than ten minutes had passed.

He glanced ahead and said, "Look, that’s our hostel up there."

"Wow!"

The first-year club members’ faces lit up with astonishment. They clearly hadn’t expected to stay in such a luxurious hotel. The second and third-year seniors, however, were much more composed.

With a hint of embarrassment, Kenji Kojima said, "Don’t get your hopes up for luxuries we can’t afford. The grand hotel isn’t for us. Our hostel is further on, the one at the end of the street."

Following his pointed finger, the first-years’ gazes shifted to a modest, three-story hostel at the street’s end. It looked perfectly fine on its own, but when contrasted with the luxurious hotel, the difference was like night and day. Disappointment clouded the first-year members’ faces.

"Haha, aren’t you guys from Brilliant High School? I didn’t see you yesterday. I thought you’d given up on this year’s Jade Dragon Flag."

Laughter erupted nearby. Aozawa turned his head to see a youth with spiky hair and, his expression somewhat puzzled, asked, "Who is this guy?"

"A nobody." The voice of agreement came not from his own group, but from within the opposing team.

"Hey, Kumakura, whose side are you on? Shut it!" Masato Mogi bellowed, then turned and declared, "I am the great Masato Mogi, vanguard of Aohana Vine! The championship of this Jade Dragon Flag will undoubtedly be ours, Aohana Vine’s!" With his hands on his hips, he wore an arrogant expression, perfectly embodying a third-rate villain from a novel.

This pose lasted less than two seconds before their club president, Chestnut Mountain, brought a hand down on his head in a chopping motion.

"Ouch." Masato Mogi instantly deflated from a third-rate villain into a comically pitiful figure, making it clear to everyone that he was just a fool.

"My sincere apologies," Chestnut Mountain said. "Our Masato Mogi was terribly rude."

"No, it’s no problem at all," Kenji Kojima replied, then declared, "But we at Brilliant High School are also determined to win this Jade Dragon Flag championship!"

Kenji Kojima rarely uttered such defiant words. Having Aozawa as their trump card bolstered him, making him feel he could stand tall and make such a claim. If it had been before, he would never have dared to tell anyone he aimed to win the championship.

Chestnut Mountain straightened up, observing Kenji Kojima. It had been some time, and it seemed Kojima had developed a bit of a captain’s presence. A gentle smile touched Chestnut Mountain’s lips as he said, "The feeling is mutual."

Yutaro Shidori blended in among the seniors. His handsome features and less-than-burly figure made him appear especially delicate when silent.

"Have you ever faced Sunaga Takashi in a match?" Aozawa asked him.

Aozawa had some recollection of Sunaga Takashi. Although he couldn’t remember the name, the youth’s handsome appearance and fierce Sword Dao had left a strong impression. At that time, without using Time stop, he simply couldn’t have won.

Yutaro Shidori shook his head. "I didn’t face Sunaga-senpai in the national competition."

"It couldn’t be helped," Chestnut Mountain added regretfully. "Our coach wanted to reclaim the championship, so he had us place Yutaro Shidori among the first three positions. Their coach anticipated this and had Sunaga Takashi fight as the vanguard."

"Masato Mogi got thrashed," a boy named Kumakura remarked with a sigh.

Masato Mogi’s face turned bright red. "What do you mean, thrashed? I at least lasted one move!"

This was an embarrassing topic. After Masato Mogi finished speaking, he quickly changed the subject and inquired, "Are you guys also staying at the Horita Hotel?"

Kenji Kojima’s expression immediately turned awkward. Booking a low-priced hostel wasn’t shameful in itself; the shame came from the comparison. People they knew were staying in a luxurious hotel, while they had reserved a modest inn. The contrast made the Brilliant High School Kendo Club seem particularly impoverished.

"A mountain need not be high; it is renowned if there’s an immortal," Aozawa quoted. "Sword Dao has never been about flashy displays," he continued, referencing the ancient wisdom. "As long as you have strength, it doesn’t matter where you stay."

"You’re right, Aozawa-senpai." Yutaro Shidori looked at him with admiration; he also didn’t particularly care about accommodations. However, Aohana Vine, unlike Brilliant High School, was considered a Sword Dao powerhouse and had ample funding for its Kendo club.

Brilliant High School, on the other hand, had only secured funding for participation after Kenji Kojima spent a long time begging and groveling before the student council president, solemnly promising a championship win to finally obtain the budget. Yet, Kenji Kojima believed that such a dire financial situation would soon be a thing of the past for Brilliant High School. The baseball club received ample funds, all because Furusawa Kyoichiro had led them to Koshien. As long as Aozawa could lead them to victory in the Jade Dragon Flag, Brilliant High School’s Kendo club funding would undoubtedly be different next time.

However, Kenji Kojima wouldn’t see that day. This year marked his last summer in high school.

"Aozawa, can we win this year?" Kenji Kojima watched as the Aohana Vine team entered the Horita Hotel. He then withdrew his gaze, his expression somewhat anxious.

Aozawa patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Rather than worrying about that, think about this: when we return, should we hang the Jade Dragon Flag on the Kendo club’s wall, or get a table to display it on?"

"I think hanging it up would look better, with the trophy displayed."

"We should pool our money to buy a display cabinet for the trophy, so future Kendo club members can see the pinnacle of the Brilliant High School Kendo Club!"

"Haha, and we’ll put our group photo with it!"

Discussing their aspirations for the future, they entered the modest hostel.

「Afternoon.」

Ruriko Yokoo completed her rounds. Having gathered the necessary information, she returned to the hotel where Kamiya High School was staying. She went straight to room 301 on the third floor. This was a single room the coach had specially arranged for Sunaga Takashi, considering his unique needs. The others had gone to the Marlin Mercer to watch the Kamiya High School girls’ team compete. As a Sword Dao powerhouse, Kamiya High School naturally had separate Sword Dao teams for men and women. But Sunaga Takashi had no interest in those matches.

Ruriko Yokoo swiped her card to open the door. Upon entering, she saw Sunaga Takashi in the living room. He had already sheathed his sword, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, his face calm.

"Takashi, there are 536 men’s teams participating in this Jade Dragon Flag tournament. I just went out for a look, and Brilliant High School is indeed competing."

"Oh."

Sunaga Takashi’s expression was calm. The Jade Dragon Flag competition was tomorrow, yet he felt no stir of excitement in his heart. Or rather, it had been a long time since he’d felt any anticipation before a competition. Each time, he would set out with a tranquil mind, defeat his enemies, and claim the championship. His only failure had been at last year’s Jade Dragon Flag, where exhaustion from facing too many opponents led to his defeat. But that loss was merely due to insufficient stamina. Having addressed that, he felt that no one among his peers was his match. This wasn’t arrogance, but a conclusion Sunaga Takashi had reached after a calm self-assessment.

Ruriko Yokoo placed the takeout food on the table. "To be safe, you still shouldn’t fight as the vanguard."

"It doesn’t matter." Sunaga Takashi shook his head. "I intend to defeat every team single-handedly." While he often heeded Ruriko Yokoo’s advice in many matters, when it came to Sword Dao, he was extremely opinionated; not even the coach could change his mind.

Ruriko Yokoo frowned slightly. Sunaga Takashi had always possessed a loner personality, which explained why he didn’t get along well with the rest of the Kendo club. Or rather, apart from her, he had no friends to speak of. But considering his strength, he didn’t need to maintain good relationships with those people anyway.

"As long as you’re happy," Ruriko Yokoo said, not pressing the issue further. With Sunaga Takashi’s current stamina, he truly could defeat all opponents single-handedly.