Satoru might be tall, but his lanky frame and slender arms screamed delicate—no way he packed real strength.
Yet…
He'd just crushed Kato-senpai!?
And, judging by his look…
Satoru was staring at his right hand, muttering to himself.
No one caught his words, but they could guess: "I didn't even try, and you went down."
"Damn it—!"
Kato Go, a kendo club veteran with monstrous arm strength and polished swordsmanship, was practically the club's big brother. Even Captain Miyajima Sakura respected him. When had he ever been humiliated like this in public!?
As he burned with shame, scrambling for a face-saving retort, Satoru snapped out of it. "Kato-senpai, you okay?"
"Fine!" Kato barked, hiding his flushed face. He forced a seasoned air, cool as a breeze. "Not bad, kid. Beating me, Kato Go, by a hair? Sure, I've slacked off training lately, but that's something to brag about."
Slacked off? Please.
He'd been crushing the grip trainer just earlier.
Talk about shameless.
But as a senior, they'd let him save face.
The crowd's eyes spoke volumes, exchanging silent he's full of it glances.
"But!" Kato's tone shifted, sharp. "In the kendo club, raw strength is just a bonus. It's swordsmanship that matters. Got the guts to spar with me?"
Satoru wasn't interested.
But he glanced at Kase Masafumi.
Masafumi, a first-year, had sharp eyes that belied his reserved nature. He'd been sizing Satoru up, puzzled how this scrawnier senpai had such power.
When their eyes met again, Masafumi nodded awkwardly, then looked away, uneasy.
This Kobayashi-senpai… he's got a thing for Miyajima-senpai, doesn't he? Masafumi thought. He, too, admired Sakura—hell, the whole club did. She trained him privately lately, and rumors called him the "likeliest to pluck the untouchable flower." But to Masafumi, it was just a normal senpai-kouhai bond.
Was Kobayashi-senpai staring because he misunderstood something?
"No sword," Satoru said.
"Easy fix! Masafumi!" Kato barked. Masafumi scurried over with two bokken.
Kato grabbed one, tossing the other to Satoru. "Borrow this."
"Kato-senpai, no kendo gear?" Masafumi asked. Rules demanded protective gear—kendo-gi, men, do, kote, tare—to prevent injuries.
"Nah," Kato waved off. "Just messing around. Don't worry, Kobayashi, I won't hurt you."
Satoru nodded. He wasn't keen on the heavy gear anyway—too clunky, too much hassle.
"Masafumi, ref again," Kato said, gripping his bokken.
He stepped forward, raising his sword in a textbook stance.
Satoru, meanwhile, held his bokken loosely, looking lost. Total amateur vibes.
"Kato-senpai's bullying again?"
"This is straight-up hazing!"
"Haha, maybe not. Kobayashi won the arm-wrestle, right? He might…"
"Nah, strength's one thing. Swordsmanship's another. Gym muscles don't cut it."
Sparring needed space.
Members cleared out, giving them room.
Someone bumped something in the shuffle—clank! A bottle hit the floor.
They spun around. "Sorry… Wait, Miyajima-senpai, you're back?"
Sakura had returned, arms full of drinks, which spilled when bumped.
A member rushed to help pick them up.
"What's going on?" Sakura asked.
"Kobayashi-kun's sparring with Kato-senpai!" the member said, tactfully avoiding "Kato's challenging him" to spare Kato's pride.
"Captain's back…"
"Oh no, bad timing."
"Kato-senpai's gonna get chewed out."
As members whispered, Sakura marched toward the center, face stern. The crowd parted like the Red Sea.
The spar hadn't started.
Kato glanced over, spotting the Captain, and panicked. Crap! He'd forgotten she was just grabbing drinks. Not only was he picking on a newbie, but sparring without gear was a club sin—and Sakura was a stickler for rules.
He braced to drop his sword and slide into an apology kneel when Sakura's violet eyes blinked.
She said nothing, looking at Satoru, then Kato.
"Please go easy," she said, almost pleading.
Kato lit up. The Captain was being lenient today?! He waved his bokken. "Don't worry, Captain!"
"Everyone, sit and observe closely," Sakura ordered.
She knelt first, gaze fixed on the "arena" with solemn focus.
The members, confused but obedient, sat in unison—a striking sight.
Kato froze. The Captain's taking this seriously… Does she want to see my progress? Fine, I'll blow her away!
"Start!!" Masafumi shouted.
The spar began—or would have.
A second before, Satoru still looked like a clueless rookie, sword dangling, stance off.
One strike, and it's over!
Kato roared inwardly, "Hah!!"
Then—
The boy before him moved like lightning!
His bokken sliced the air, a dragon unleashed!!
Kato's vision blurred.
When he blinked, Satoru's sword tip hovered three inches from his throat.
Victory in a flash.
Life and death, a hair's breadth apart.
…
…