Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week-Chapter 443 - 441 The World’s Strongest Swordsman_1
To ensure ample lighting inside the venue, even during the day, rows of lights were always on inside Marlin Mercer.
Cold lights fell from various angles onto the venue’s interior, minimizing people’s shadows as much as possible.
The three referees, gradually appearing more robotic, mechanically raised their flags and announced, "One point. Winner: Sunaga Takashi of Kamiya High School."
The spectators outside the competition area erupted. Thunderous applause rang out, so loud that the victory of another competitor on the sidelines was overshadowed by this one’s brilliance.
"It’s truly unexpected. Facing the second-best team in the country, Sunaga Takashi actually managed to easily defeat his opponents all the way to the end."
"Looking at it this way, Aohana Vine probably won’t be able to stop him."
"Not necessarily. Aohana Vine’s captain, Yutaro Shidori, is also a freshman known as a monster. The four members who competed earlier all adopted tactics to wear down Sunaga Takashi’s stamina."
"Next will be a fierce battle between dragon and tiger!"
A group of student journalists from the school newspaper exchanged information, looking forward to the battle ahead.
Chestnut Mountain stood up, bowed slightly, and then turned and walked towards the sidelines.
His mind was a bit dazed. For a year, he thought he could close the gap with Sunaga Takashi.
But reality told him that in the same amount of time, Sunaga Takashi only became stronger.
The gap between them was even wider.
Nothing was more despairing than a genius who also worked hard.
With a heavy heart, he stepped out of the boundary and couldn’t help but say, "Yuutarou, don’t put too much pressure on yourself."
"Captain Chestnut Mountain..."
Yutaro Shidori glanced at his respected senior, whose hands were trembling.
Even through the faceguard, Yutaro Shidori could feel his captain’s frustration and sense of despair.
"I will win this match!"
Yutaro Shidori patted his captain’s shoulder. Inside his faceguard, his handsome face was filled with determination as he stepped forward, assuming a standard mid-level sword stance.
The simple stance caused a slight change in Sunaga Takashi’s eyes, and a look of surprise appeared on his calm face.
Among those he had faced so far, this one definitely possessed the greatest ability.
But, a grown duckling among ducklings is still no match for an adult tiger.
Sunaga Takashi only needed to see an opponent’s stance to deduce their ability and how much strength and skill to use to defeat them.
"Begin the match!"
The referee shouted, and Sunaga Takashi immediately took a step forward.
In an extremely focused state, Yutaro Shidori heightened his senses to their peak.
This was his innate talent, which shaped his Sword Dao style to be more ferocious than anyone else’s.
Normally, just a slight movement from his opponent allowed him to perceive, through his extraordinary senses, where the attack was coming from so he could counter it.
The principle of striking first had no effect on him.
His style was that of reacting and then countering.
However, this was the first time his style encountered something incomprehensible.
As Sunaga Takashi took a step, Yutaro Shidori’s pupils constricted sharply, feeling as if a multitude of shadows were closing in on him.
For the first time in his life, he perceived nearly infinite attack trajectories from one person.
What is this?!
He broke out in a cold sweat instantly, hastily retreating in an attempt to buy enough time to see through his opponent’s complex changes.
"MEN!"
A roar like a thunderclap.
Sunaga Takashi, like a hawk swooping on a rabbit, suddenly rushed toward Yutaro Shidori, his bamboo sword seeming to magnify instantly in Yutaro’s vision.
THUD!
Yutaro Shidori fell backward onto the ground, staring through the gaps in his faceguard at the rows of lights above.
He was completely astonished.
Marlin Mercer fell instantly silent.
Then, the venue erupted into noise again.
The overwhelming noise fell upon the ears of the Aohana Vine team members, piercingly sharp.
Chestnut Mountain turned his head away in pain, unable to bear watching any longer.
"Don’t look away! Yuutarou is fighting hard up there! Regardless of winning or losing, we have to watch until the end!"
Masato Mogi shouted, then yelled towards the competition area, "Yuutarou, what are you still lying there for?
Have you forgotten what Coach Takeru said?
Get up, keep swinging your sword!"
Yutaro Shidori’s vacant gaze focused, and he gripped the bamboo sword in his hand.
"Yes!"
He responded loudly to his senior and stood up once again.
Friendship, huh?
Sunaga Takashi murmured to himself. He had no friends and couldn’t understand how mere words of encouragement could revive someone’s fighting spirit.
From a young age, Sunaga Takashi had fought his way here alone. He diligently practiced Sword Dao because he loved it, not because he was fighting for someone.
Even though he didn’t understand, he didn’t mock those people.
He respected everyone’s efforts and dreams. Likewise, he would mercilessly crush the opponent before him.
There could only be one champion.
"MEN!"
The second round began. Yutaro Shidori decided to discard his reliance on his senses and strike forward proactively.
Sunaga Takashi just swayed his body.
In the eyes of onlookers, it was such a simple movement.
To Yutaro Shidori’s senses, however, in that instant Sunaga Takashi seemed to split into countless figures, their attack trajectories darting around and overlapping.
This threw Yutaro Shidori into a brief moment of hesitation. For the first time, he cursed his overly keen senses, yet he also knew it wasn’t just their sharpness; the disparity in their abilities was simply too vast.
So vast he couldn’t predict Sunaga Takashi’s attack trajectories. Every visible path of attack was unreal, a mere illusion Sunaga Takashi could alter at any moment.
This was the first time he felt such despair, even greater than when he had faced Aozawa.
"MEN!"
Sunaga Takashi struck again, taking down the stunned Yutaro Shidori.
"Yuutarou..." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
Masato Mogi clenched his fists. He couldn’t understand why Yuutarou’s movements were so sluggish; he knew it wasn’t intentional. "What on earth did that guy do?"
"Probably, due to his keen senses, Yuutarou has a more direct understanding of Sunaga Takashi than the rest of us," said Chestnut Mountain, his voice filled with bitterness.
Listening to the surrounding cheers, Masato Mogi silently lowered his head. "Damn it," he muttered.
Sunaga Takashi turned and walked towards the Kamiya High School side.
Yutaro Shidori sat there, momentarily unable to snap back to reality. His vision swam with afterimages, as if his head were about to burst.
Voices seemed to come from afar, then again, maybe not. He remained dazed for a while before suddenly snapping out of it, asking, "Where’s Sunaga?"
"Yuutarou, we’ve already lost."
Chestnut Mountain patted his shoulder, saying, "It can’t be helped.
Sunaga Takashi is completely different now from last year. Nobody can stop him from taking the Jade Dragon Flag."
"Chestnut Mountain, it’s not just about stopping him from taking the flag. It’s about preventing him from making history by eliminating all teams in a single day," Takeru Jiro commented, his face full of awe. "No one has ever done that since the Jade Dragon Flag began.
We’re just unlucky to have faced him, that’s all there is to it," he said with a wry smile.
There’s a monster in every era, a fact he had long been aware of, but the monster of this era was far beyond any other.
The only ones who could rival Sunaga Takashi would likely be legendary swordsmen immortalized in history.
Now, Takeru Jiro was utterly certain: not just among high school students, but in the entire country—no, the entire world—there was likely no one who could beat Sunaga Takashi in Sword Dao.
He is the undisputed strongest master swordsman in the world.
Aohana Vine made a sorrowful exit, while another Suicide Squad pressed forward.
「...」
The outcome of the matches held no suspense.
Yet the spectators on-site still chose not to leave, their interest growing even stronger.
Everyone wanted to witness history being made at this Jade Dragon Flag tournament: not just all opposing teams eliminated in one day, but in a single morning.
To the audience’s surprise, the other high school that had made it to the final turned out to be the Brilliant High School Kendo Club.
"Strange, I’ve never heard that name before."
"Are they strong?"
"I don’t know. I’ve been too busy watching Sunaga Takashi instantly defeat everyone," members of the audience murmured among themselves.
The reserves of the Brilliant High School Kendo Club couldn’t help but enlighten those around them.
"Speaking of Brilliant High School, we know a bit about them; their captain Aozawa is very strong."
"Right, while the other members of the Kendo club aren’t much to speak of, the captain’s strength is unquestionable."
"He’ll have no trouble dealing with Sunaga Takashi."
Their explanations and praise were not taken seriously by those around them. Most merely smiled, their unspoken scorn evident, as they turned their attention back to the competition area.
Now, only two schools remained. The match venue switched to the central arena, and there was a brief five-minute intermission.
At this point, Kenji Kojima realized how close they were to the championship.
He carefully massaged Aozawa’s shoulders, his face filled with a yearning expression, much like a court lady hoping for the emperor’s favor that night. "This is the last match. Can you hold on?" he asked.
"Captain, of course I can hold on," Aozawa answered with a smile. He had been endowed with great strength, making his physical constitution quite formidable.
His stamina was beyond imagination; he had defeated sixty-seven consecutive opponents without even seeming to catch his breath.
For him, the intermission was entirely superfluous.
"That’s good."
Kenji Kojima immediately handed over a bottle of water.
Aozawa took the water and took a large gulp.
He wasn’t tired, but wearing Kendo Armor and a face mask in this weather, sweating was inevitable.
All the water he’d drunk previously had turned into sweat and poured out.
When the intermission ended, Aozawa, Kenji Kojima, and the others stepped out of the waiting area and onto the competition floor.
Kamiya High School, led by Sunaga Takashi, also stepped forward.
Both teams entered the competition area and exchanged bows.
"Sunaga, long time no see."
"Mm."
Sunaga Takashi responded with a simple "Mm," surprising his own team members. For someone with his usually aloof demeanor to respond at all was unexpected.
Aozawa smiled, bowed to the audience, and then headed to the sideline.
Kenji Kojima looked more nervous than if he were about to compete himself. He swallowed hard. "Aozawa, are you really sure about this?"
"Relax. This time, we will bring the Jade Dragon Flag and the championship trophy back to the Brilliant High School Kendo Club," Aozawa assured him.
Stepping onto the competition area, Aozawa turned and fixed his gaze on Sunaga Takashi opposite him.
The day he had been waiting for had finally come.
