Given that this was a dual national competition, by nine in the morning, Kyoto University's gymnasium was already bustling. The sound of chatter filled every corner.
Not to mention the participants, there were also plenty of young people who came to spectate, mostly students from nearby schools or universities. They stood on the second-floor platform, looking down at the competitors preparing to fight. They pointed and talked loudly.
Meanwhile, the participants didn't have to jostle with the curious onlookers.
Guided by staff, they entered the gymnasium through a dedicated entrance.
Of course, only registered kendo club members were allowed in the first-floor competition area. The three girls had to head to the second floor to watch.
The massive gymnasium was divided into several zones. To save time, multiple matches would be held simultaneously. The format was a brutal single-elimination system.
Once a winner was determined, the loser was immediately eliminated. There were no rematches for redemption—so the defeated team would either head home or enjoy Kyoto until the championship ended, to make the trip worthwhile.
Amid the growing commotion, the venue was packed. Many people stood, leaning against the railings, waiting for the matches to begin.
There were also numerous cameras set up around the area, preparing for live broadcasts and interviews, which would be directly linked to TV stations, ensuring the national championship received the attention it deserved.
Yuu thought that at this moment, Sora was probably turning on the TV, munching on chips, and eagerly awaiting her brother's gallant performance.
…Hopefully.
Sora had stayed up late gaming last night and wouldn't wake up without him dragging her out of bed. Even if she missed the live broadcast, he'd set the video recorder to capture the match, so it wasn't a big deal—that's the kind of thing his otaku little sister would do.
While thinking about trivial matters, under the staff's guidance, Yuu and the other kendo club members entered the rest area. After swiftly putting on their kendo gear, they lined up and entered the competition zone.
Sobu High's match area was number 5. The space was well-prepared, the 9x9-meter square so clean it could reflect light.
After winning a match, they could return to the rest area to recover. Once winners from other areas were determined, they'd be drawn to compete in different zones.
Today, they'd fight up to the quarterfinals. Tomorrow was the semifinals. The day after, in the morning, they'd determine the champion alongside the fencing matches. After the award ceremony, they could return by bullet train—the reason they weren't taking the bus back was because Yuu considered Yukino and the others. It was the result of his special negotiations with the coach.
Honestly, it wasn't about the budget. For a trip that could be done in two hours, there was no need to spend eight hours practicing endurance.
"I've told you about our opponents this time. They're the best in Hyogo Prefecture, Toyodai Himeji High School… They're very strong. This first match will be tough. Don't underestimate them."
Amid the coach's serious instructions, everyone looked toward the opposing team, also led by staff. Deep breaths sounded one after another. Then, except for Yuu, everyone nodded earnestly.
"Osu! We'll give it our all!"
Not every team that made it to the nationals was the best in their prefecture. There were also many second-tier teams that capitalized on luck, letting stronger teams fight each other while they slowly climbed up.
But clearly, the team from Toyodai Himeji exuded a strong aura, their steps steady. They didn't flinch under scrutiny. Their leader even raised his chin as if challenging them, his eyes brimming with confidence.
If they underestimated them, even though Sobu High was a top team in Chiba Prefecture, they could lose here.
More participants entered.
The atmosphere on the first floor was tense and serious. Meanwhile, the second-floor platform grew noisier. Many eyes scanned each area. Some focused on teams they supported, while others glanced left and right flirtatiously, laughing and discussing how shiny a participant's bald head was or how bad their buzz-cut hairstyle looked.
As both sides removed their face guards and sat calmly on opposite sides of the area, waiting for the match to begin, the coach quietly approached Yuu and whispered:
"Tenkuji-kun, Himura-kun predicts the first four matches will end in a draw. We'll have to rely on you to win in the end."
Yuu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why? Does he have a power-level detector?"
"No…" The coach gave a wry smile. "Himura-kun said it's a samurai's intuition. Even though he hasn't seen footage of the opponents, his insight and intuition are always spot-on. He's almost never wrong."
"I see." Yuu looked past the coach at Himura, sitting with the vice-captain.
Himura smiled and nodded at him. His hopeful and enthusiastic gaze gave Yuu goosebumps. Yuu quickly turned back to the coach. "Got it. Leave it to me."
The coach patted his shoulder, as if placing the responsibility on him. As he turned to leave, he muttered, "If Himura-kun could compete too, with two aces on our side, this national championship would be a breeze…"
Though a bit rude, Yuu couldn't help but sigh. "These guys' confidence is oddly high. Aren't they afraid there's a participant stronger than Captain Himura?"
All of Japan didn't just have his kendo dojo. Weren't there also schools like Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu, Keishicho-ryu, Yakumaru Jigen-ryu, and others?
This was a national championship. Who knew if an unknown high schooler might appear, crushing every match with their family's inherited swordsmanship.
Maybe they'd been beaten too often in practice and genuinely thought no one was stronger than Himura?
So, for Yuu, who'd defeated him twice, they had unshakable confidence that they wouldn't lose.
Looking at the competition area, Yuu slowly exhaled. His eyes gradually sharpened. His expression turned serious.
(Beyond a person, there's another person; beyond the sky, there's another sky. I can't be too careless either… If I can lose to someone else, even with the system's cheat, I might as well drop out of school and go back to the countryside to raise kids.)
His girlfriend was watching from above too. As a man, he had to show his best side.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Time passed slowly.
The head referee entered the arena. He raised his hand, signaling the match was about to start. Representatives from Sobu High and Toyodai Himeji also entered the competition area. They bowed to each other and crouched.
Their bamboo swords pointed directly at their opponents. The tips trembled slightly.
"Begin!"
As the flag was raised, both sides stood with their swords. As the tips swung, it marked the start of the national kendo championship.