Tokyo: My Superpower Refreshes Every Week-Chapter 444 - 442: Birth of a Sword Dao Legend_1

Inside Marlin Mercer was anything but quiet. Sword Dao competitions weren’t like ballet performances—they never prohibited the audience from making noise.

However, unlike usual, the crowd was chanting a single name in unison.

"Sunaga Takashi!" "Sunaga Takashi!"

Amidst the roar of thousands, the cheers from the Brilliant High School Kendo Club for Aozawa were easily drowned out.

Even when they strained their voices and shouted with all their might, the sound couldn’t carry more than half a meter.

Some student reporters from the school newspaper were already preparing headlines for after the match. Genius Swordsman Sunaga Takashi? Or perhaps High School Sword Saint? The strongest swordsman in the history of the Jade Dragon Flag? A series of such titles flashed through their minds. The defeated teams didn’t leave; they stood at the back of the spectator seats or near the exits.

They watched the match in silence, wanting to witness the birth of a legend.

"It’s really pitiful. Everyone is cheering for Sunaga Takashi."

"I think Aozawa-senpai won’t care about those voices."

After accepting the reality of his defeat, Yutaro Shidori’s mindset had slightly improved.

Sword Dao is like that; if your strength is inferior, there’s nothing more to say.

Kumakura, who usually opposed Masato Mogi, offered a rare agreement, "External factors can also influence what happens in the arena. That’s why home-field advantage is so beneficial. When everyone around is cheering for your opponent, and Aozawa is facing an enemy like Sunaga Takashi, it’s inevitable that he’ll feel burdened. He isn’t a god, after all."

Yutaro Shidori didn’t continue to argue with his seniors, instead focusing his gaze on the arena.

He firmly believed that Aozawa-senpai wasn’t someone easily shaken.

The vanguards from both sides stepped forward—or rather, it was a direct showdown between the captains.

Aozawa adopted the common mid-level stance with his Bamboo sword.

As he settled into his stance, a flicker of surprise crossed Sunaga Takashi’s eyes. The deafening cheers around him seemed to peel away.

In his world, only Aozawa stood before him.

No, it was more accurate to say a Tyrannosaurus stood there, baring its teeth.

From the stance alone, Sunaga Takashi understood that competing in strength against his opponent was utterly impossible. The other’s power far surpassed his own.

Sunaga Takashi was surprised. In the short span of a year, he thought his own transformation had been significant. He hadn’t expected his opponent’s power to have increased even more than his own—a leap so great it was like a race car unable to even see the taillights of the car ahead.

To win, skill is the only way, the thought flashed through Sunaga Takashi’s mind, and he, too, adopted the mid-level stance with his Bamboo sword.

"Begin the match!" the referee commanded.

The audience didn’t witness the swift defeats they had seen earlier. Sunaga Takashi stood motionless, and Aozawa didn’t move either.

"What are they doing?" Masato Mogi asked, a puzzled expression on his face. "Are they tired from fighting so many opponents?"

"No." Yutaro Shidori quickly shook his head, denying his senior’s words. With a grave look in his eyes, he said, "They are already clashing. It’s just that we can’t see it. The minute movements of their Bamboo swords represent countless exchanges of techniques."

Takeru Jiro nodded in agreement. "That’s right. This is a battle only master swordsmen can perceive. It’s surprising to see two monsters in the same generation. Is Japan’s Sword Dao about to experience a revival?"

"?!" Masato Mogi wore an expression that clearly said, I may be weak, but don’t try to fool me.

...

Only those who had reached a certain level in Sword Dao could discern what was happening, though only the participants themselves truly felt it.

Aozawa was under immense pressure. His physical fitness had improved by leaps and bounds, and his Sword Dao techniques were also stronger than before.

But to deal with a Sword Dao monster like Sunaga Takashi, that level of skill was clearly insufficient.

This guy is just too monstrous, Aozawa thought.

The subtle changes in the Bamboo sword represented repeated attacks. If not for his powerful dynamic vision, he wouldn’t even be able to perceive his opponent’s strikes.

Even so, he was still struggling.

After fifty exchanges, he failed to adapt quickly enough to Sunaga Takashi’s change in tactics. In that very instant, Sunaga Takashi seized the opening. "Men!"

With a powerful kiai, he seemed to cross the distance between them in a single step.

Still as a pine, yet swift as a falcon pouncing on its prey.

The Bamboo sword in his hand was like a deadly talon striking for his quarry, cleaving towards Aozawa’s faceguard with extreme speed.

A greyscale filter instantly covered the entire venue.

All sounds ceased; even that swift strike seemed frozen, like a statue.

Aozawa exhaled. The disparity in strength isn’t enough to close the gap in Sword Dao techniques between me and Sunaga Takashi, he thought, but my superpower is more than capable.

He watched Sunaga Takashi’s movements, mentally calculating how to dodge and counterattack, searching for the perfect angle.

As the eight seconds of his Time stop ended, he deactivated the ability. His body then naturally evaded Sunaga Takashi’s attack.

Gripping his Bamboo sword with both hands, he swung forward. "Do!"

In a flash, Sunaga Takashi still managed to react, pulling back his Bamboo sword to block Aozawa’s attack.

SMACK!

The Bamboo swords collided. The powerful force surging from the impact made Sunaga Takashi instinctively retreat to dissipate the momentum.

THUMP, THUMP—after a few steps back, he was out of bounds.

The cheers in Marlin Mercer died abruptly, as if invisible hands were choking the audience, leaving them wide-eyed and staring at the arena.

Even the three referees wore expressions of astonishment. Professionalism quickly snapped them back to reality, and they raised their flags, shouting, "Point!"

The entire venue erupted.

"Hey, did you see that?! Aozawa actually knocked Sunaga Takashi out of bounds to take the first point!" Masato Mogi yelled excitedly, his face a mask of disbelief.

"As expected of Aozawa-senpai." A smile touched Yutaro Shidori’s handsome face. Between the two, he definitely leaned towards Aozawa winning.

If asked why, it was because Aozawa, compared to Sunaga Takashi, seemed more human. Sunaga Takashi, who showed no interest in anything besides Sword Dao, was more like a deity obsessed with the sword.

"Impossible! That Sunaga Takashi was actually forced out of bounds!"

"Aozawa is incredible!"

"Speaking of which, for him to fight his way here, he must have won quite a few fighting spirit awards."

"It’s still uncertain who will claim this year’s Jade Dragon Flag."

"Go for it, Aozawa!"

"Sunaga, don’t lose!"

The cheers within the venue gradually began to shift. The casual spectators didn’t care which school won; they only wanted to cheer for the strongest.

Sunaga Takashi walked back within bounds, his heart a tempest. His calm expression was broken by disbelief, which was quickly replaced by a surge of fighting spirit.

He returned to his starting position but didn’t resume the previous high-level, cautious duel. Instead, he lunged forward in an instant.

"AAARGH!" Sunaga Takashi unleashed a furious barrage of attacks.

Aozawa’s Time stop hadn’t finished its cooldown, and the fierce Bamboo sword was already jabbing at his face.

He hurriedly parried, but Sunaga Takashi instantly changed his attack in the next second. Without even making contact with Aozawa’s Bamboo sword, he thrust from another angle.

Within inches, killing intent flared. Sunaga Takashi directly leveraged his superior skill and agile footwork, adopting a rapid-attack strategy to probe Aozawa’s defenses for weaknesses.

In just a fleeting moment, he forced an opening, and his Bamboo sword struck Aozawa’s faceguard heavily.

"Men!" Sunaga Takashi’s shout declared the victor of the second exchange.

"Point!" The three referees raised their flags, confirming the call.

"Wow, did you see that? Sunaga Takashi is still the strongest, after all!"

"I’ve never seen such a ferocious onslaught!"

Yutaro Shidori’s face paled. His own aggressive attacks were like a mere drizzle compared to Sunaga Takashi’s storm.

The mood in the spectator stands shifted once again.

Sweat beaded on Aozawa’s forehead, quickly absorbed by the towel wrapped there. He gasped for breath. The exchange, lasting less than a minute, had subjected him to an unprecedented level of pressure.

His heart pounded in his chest, yet it filled him with an incomparable joy.

It could be said that in Sword Dao competitions, if Aozawa used abilities other than Time stop, his opponent would easily detect something amiss. Time stop, combined with his physical conditioning and the Sword Dao techniques honed through relentless training, constituted his full strength in these matches.

This feeling of being evenly matched thrilled Aozawa.

Sunaga Takashi retreated to his starting position. He felt his eardrums throb, his heartbeat racing uncontrollably.

It was a peculiar sensation. His body seethed with a fiery fighting spirit, yet his mind remained utterly calm, devoid of emotion, as if his soul and body had separated.

The tense atmosphere caused beads of sweat to form on the referees’ foreheads. They didn’t dare blink, terrified of missing a crucial, match-deciding moment.

...

Both combatants took their stances.

Sunaga Takashi launched another fierce assault. His Bamboo sword moved like a flash of lightning, seemingly intangible, allowing it to change direction at will.

From the very outset, Sunaga Takashi pressed Aozawa.

After dozens of exchanges, Sunaga Takashi once again found an opening in Aozawa’s defense. "Do!" he shouted.

His kiai, sword, and body moved as one—a flawless strike.

I’ve won, the thought flickered through Sunaga Takashi’s mind, only to be replaced by a sense of crisis the very next second.

Aozawa, seemingly anticipating this, dodged clockwise and then brought his Bamboo sword down towards Sunaga Takashi. "Men!"

Sunaga Takashi had never imagined he would be fooled by the same technique twice. Is my skill insufficient? Or is his feint too strong? he wondered.

He managed to adjust in time, parrying Aozawa’s attack with his Bamboo sword.

CRACK!

The overwhelming force that surged through the Bamboo sword made Sunaga Takashi’s hand go numb. He had to retreat; standing his ground would mean being knocked down. And dissipating such force would undoubtedly push him out of bounds.

If it had been like the previous exchange, that would have been the outcome.

But Sunaga Takashi was prepared this time. He retreated several steps, his eyes flicking to the boundary line. Twisting his ankle, he attempted to use the force of Aozawa’s blow to power his own counterattack.

"Do!" Aozawa flicked his wrist, unleashing a second burst of power in a downward chop. He knew that repeating the previous feint wouldn’t be effective; he had to use a new tactic.

Immense force struck again. Sunaga Takashi, unable to adapt in time, was knocked completely out of bounds.

"Point! The winner is the vanguard of the Brilliant High School Kendo Club, Aozawa!" The three referees raised their flags, announcing the verdict.

The entire venue erupted into an uproar. Countless camera flashes lit up in an instant, capturing the birth of a Jade Dragon Flag legend.