Chapter 78: The Kendo Tournament Ends
At 2:00 PM, the matches resumed.
The massive arena was packed to the rafters with spectators. Occasionally, staff could be seen weaving through the crowd selling snacks and beer—at rather steep prices, 500 yen for a single glass.
However, as soon as the participants stepped onto the arena, the vendors stopped their rounds.
Akishin finished changing back into his kendo gear with Shizuka's help, and the three of them returned to the competition area.
"Chishima-kun, do your best!"
"Good luck, Sensei!"
Shizuka and Hachiman offered their encouragement. Akishin nodded. "Of course. Just wait, I'll be handing that trophy over to you soon enough."
Akishin returned to the participants' bench. Suzuki Tsuyoshi and Yunomoto Shinichi were already in their seats.
"By the way, Chishima-san," Suzuki said, glancing toward Shizuka in her brown trench coat. He smiled. "Is that Ms. Hiratsuka your girlfriend?"
"Is Suzuki-san a gossip too?" Akishin countered.
"Of course! I'm curious. I feel like any woman who could be with someone like you must be extraordinary."
"You're right about that." Akishin straightened the hem of his kendo uniform and sat down beside Suzuki, watching the staff busy themselves on the arena floor. "Shizuka-chan is amazing. She's the most incredible woman I've ever met, in every possible aspect. As for whether she's my girlfriend..."
Akishin patted Suzuki on the shoulder and gave a faint smile. "Don't go spreading rumors, Suzuki-san. We're just colleagues. I invited her here to have some fun. At least for now, she isn't my girlfriend..."
Suzuki Tsuyoshi blinked. When Akishin had spoken with such a serious tone a moment ago, Suzuki thought he'd overstepped and made him angry. It was only after hearing the rest that he realized this young man was actually "planning something."
"Hahaha..."
Suzuki laughed. "Alright, alright, I won't say another word. Don't be mad, Chishima-san. If things work out for you later, don't forget to send me an invitation."
"We'll talk about that later. The matches are about to start."
Akishin pointed toward the arena, though his eyes drifted toward Hiratsuka Shizuka for a brief moment.
The participants for the first match of the second round stepped up. Both sides bowed, the chatter died down, and everyone focused on the fight.
The first match ended after an overtime round. Then came the second, the third, the fourth...
In the seventh match, Yunomoto Shinichi took to the arena but lost to a participant from Kagoshima, forced to withdraw with a look of regret.
In the ninth match, Akishin entered the arena, defeated Chikiki Takumi, and advanced. In the twelfth match, Suzuki Tsuyoshi went up, defeated an opponent from Fukuoka Prefecture, and moved on.
By the end of the second round, 30 participants had been whittled down to 15. Akishin and Suzuki had both passed, while Yunomoto was out.
The third round began.
Akishin went up in the third match, defeated an opponent from Miyazaki Prefecture, and moved forward.
Suzuki Tsuyoshi went up in the sixth match and ran into the defending champion, Takanabe Susumu.
The two giants of the Itto-ryu style engaged in a fierce exchange of strikes. It didn't look like a kendo match so much as two bulls locking horns. It made several people wonder if they were going to throw their shinai aside and start wrestling.
In the end, Suzuki was one step behind. He lost two points early and was defeated by Takanabe Susumu.
Third round: 15 participants became 8. One person received a bye. Akishin passed; Suzuki was out.
The fourth round—8 down to 4—began. It was already 3:30 PM.
Akishin went up as the second participant, once again defeating Ando Kaigyu from Aichi Prefecture. With that, all representatives from Aichi had been eliminated.
A twenty-minute break followed.
The fifth round—the semifinals—began.
Akishin went up first against Harada Satoru from Tokyo, the 53rd champion. He secured a place in the finals with absolute dominance after taking the first two points.
By this point, everyone had witnessed Chishima Akishin's prowess. He had become the center of attention for the entire hall, with countless cameras aimed in his direction.
In the other semifinal match, last year's champion Takanabe Susumu won by a narrow margin and advanced to the finals.
The entire audience was buzzing with excitement, as were those watching the live broadcast on TV. Would the mysterious new star of the kendo world, Chishima Akishin, take the crown? Or would last year's champion, Takanabe Susumu, continue his legend and defend his title?
Speculation was rampant.
The most excited of all were the Chiba Kendo Federation and Sobu High School. Three board members and the Principal were huddled in front of a projector to watch the final round. Director Okazawa sent a message stating that Akishin had a high probability of winning.
Another thirty-minute break. During this time, medical staff checked both finalists to ensure they were physically fit for the final showdown.
Amidst the anticipation of the crowd, the finals began. Akishin and Takanabe Susumu, both in full gear, stepped into the arena. Thunderous applause erupted from the stands.
After bowing to each other and then to the audience, both men simultaneously drew their shinai and settled into a crouched starting position.
The applause died down. Hachiman's arm was once again caught in a vice grip. The giant screens above the hall displayed the names of the two participants with a flaming "VS" between them.
The referee announced the start of the match.
"Ah!"
Takanabe Susumu let out a fierce kiai. Without any preliminary testing or feints, he charged directly at Akishin.
After watching so many of Akishin's matches, the only thing Takanabe felt was a sense of "strangeness."
Akishin's attacks were bizarre!
Except for the match against Uchimura Ryoichi, his other opponents seemed to lose points in ways that didn't make sense.
From the stands, it looked as if Akishin knew exactly what every opponent's weakness was and was able to launch a precise counterattack based on that flaw.
It was very odd.
After careful consideration, Takanabe Susumu decided to use his physical advantage to snatch a quick point, after which he would simply play a solid defense until time ran out.
As Takanabe charged, the corners of Akishin's mouth twitched upward behind his mask.
He gripped his sword with both hands, meeting the incoming downward strike with an upward parry.
Clack!
The two bamboo blades collided. For a moment, it felt as though the swords might shatter. This was a pure contest of physical strength. And in that department, Akishin still held the edge over Takanabe.
After successfully parrying, Akishin's hands performed a swift twisting and pulling motion, causing Takanabe's body to pitch forward.
Takanabe stepped forward to stabilize himself, but Akishin's shinai was already flying like an arrow released from a bow, thrusting straight toward his throat.
"Hou!"
Akishin's characteristic throat-shout rang out. He immediately retreated to maintain his zanshin.
This was the second time Akishin had used this technique. Precisely because it was effective, he used it again!
This was a fight, not a performance. As long as it could defeat the enemy, a move could be used as many times as necessary.
All three judges raised their red flags simultaneously. The stands exploded in applause. Suzuki Tsuyoshi and Director Okazawa slapped their thighs in excitement.
Three seconds later.
Akishin faced Takanabe Susumu once more. The referee signaled the start. Again, Takanabe charged head-on.
Akishin chose the exact same way to greet him.
Clack!
Snap!
Takanabe Susumu's shinai shattered into pieces. The entire arena fell into an uproar. Uchimura Ryoichi, who had been staring intently at Akishin, suddenly leaned forward as if he wanted to bolt out onto the floor.
There it is... that terrifying power, and even more terrifying control over it...
Even the referees were stunned, unsure of how to proceed. Nothing like this had ever happened before. At a national-level tournament, the shinai were of the highest quality and brand new; it was impossible for them to be defective.
How much power would it take to smash one to smithereens?
The leadership of the Kendo Federation on the left side of the arena discussed the matter briefly. They decided to replace both shinai and continue the match. However, when the proposal was made, Takanabe Susumu declined.
"There is no need, gentlemen. Even with a new shinai, I am still no match for Chishima-san! You are truly impressive, Chishima-san." Takanabe Susumu let out a long sigh and gave Akishin a deep, respectful bow. "As a swordsman, a broken sword is an unforgivable failure. In a real battle, I would have already lost decisively..."
Takanabe's words left the arena in a stunned silence. The Federation leaders looked at each other and conferred again. After five minutes, they decided to honor Takanabe's admission.
Finally, the Chairman of the Kendo Federation stepped up to the podium and announced in a booming voice that the grand champion was Chishima Akishin of Chiba.
Clap clap clap clap clap...
The hall roared with unprecedented applause. Every spectator, every participant, and every leader... everyone stood from their seats to give a standing ovation.
Camera flashes went off incessantly. Various media outlets enthusiastically recorded the moment—an event that had never occurred in kendo history and might never happen again.
This was a moment destined for the history books.
Akishin and Takanabe Susumu finished the formal bows. Takanabe descended from the arena carrying his broken sword, while Akishin remained in the center, bathed in honor and the focus of every eye in the building.
After most of the post-match formalities were finished—or rather, handed off to Vice Chairman Kiyohara and Director Okazawa, both of whom were more than happy to handle them—Akishin finally pushed through the dense crowd and entered the locker room.
He placed the silver Emperor's Trophy into Shizuka's hands and said with a smile, "I told you I'd put this trophy in your hands. Now it's a reality."
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