"…So fast!"
Kase Masafumi, closest to the action, gasped first.
Too fast.
He'd barely shouted "Start!" before slacking off, missing Satoru's steps and swing entirely.
Kato Go was floored.
Because… it hurt.
Satoru's bokken hadn't touched him, yet his throat stung with a phantom cut.
…Sword pressure?!
No way… What the hell?!
Kato's back hairs stood on end.
If that was a real blade, he'd be dead.
Satoru sighed. "…That's not how you do it."
"Huh?"
Kato blinked, confused.
Satoru sheathed his bokken—or so it seemed. In a flash, he struck again.
His sword whipped like a lash.
Crack! It smacked Kato's hand.
Kato yelped, his grip loosening, bokken clattering to the floor.
Then—
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Satoru's blade danced, striking Kato's forearm, shoulder, chest, thigh, calf.
A lightning-fast five-hit combo.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Kato stumbled back, wailing.
"Sloppy forehand, weak backhand, loose footwork, slow reactions," Satoru critiqued, monotone. He nearly added, "What's this level? You think you can face me?" but held back—too savage. As Kato retreated, Satoru crouched, sweeping his bokken low.
It clipped Kato's shins.
Kato tripped, crashing butt-first to the floor.
"The foundation's everything," Satoru said. "Any martial art, any fight—power comes from the ground up. Unsteady base? You're eighty percent done."
"…Guh…"
Critiqued by a junior, Kato couldn't retort. He swallowed hard, pupils shaking, pure dread.
What is this guy?! I'm no match!
Satoru, losing interest, spun his bokken around his wrist, turning to… Kase Masafumi.
"…H-Huh?" Masafumi flinched.
What's he want?!
A first-year, Masafumi saw the gap between Kato-senpai and this Kobayashi-senpai clear as day. He trained hard but couldn't match a third-year, let alone… Why was he coming for him? To school him too? Damn it…
Masafumi patted himself, realizing he had no bokken to defend with.
Satoru strode up, raising his sword.
Masafumi squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for a devastating strike.
But—
The bokken tapped his head lightly.
"Get it?" Satoru asked.
"Huh?" Masafumi opened his eyes, staring at his senpai.
Satoru let the bokken slip. Masafumi caught it reflexively.
"Understood? Practice. Didn't get it? Ask me," Satoru said, turning away. "Train hard. Get strong."
…And protect who you need to. Crush every NTR. Satoru thought.
"…Y-Yes!" Masafumi stammered, dazed, then realized—Senpai's teaching me!
Those words were for him? Power from the ground up, strong base…
Masafumi gripped Satoru's bokken tightly.
That lazy back of his senpai felt… cool. I'll train to catch up!
Another round done.
Kato's crushing defeat was no surprise, lightning-fast. As the crowd reeled, clapping started—Miyajima Sakura stood, leading the applause.
"Wonderful match," she said, bowing slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, Kobayashi-kun. Your words inspire not just Kase-kun but the entire kendo club."
Satoru hadn't meant to be profound. He just wanted Masafumi to step up, get tougher.
He'd handle the hypnosis mess, but Masafumi needed to hold his own later.
Masafumi seemed… a bit more reliable than Matsubara.
Speaking of Matsubara, Satoru needed to speed things up there too.
"…My drink, senpai?" Satoru asked.
"Oh, over there!" Sakura hurried him to the side.
The kendo club fell silent, awed by Satoru's skill. Then—
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
"I thought Miyajima-senpai was unbeatable! Who's this guy?!"
"Did you hear? Yesterday, some alley fight—ten punks taken down by a bokken-wielding beast…"
"The Sword Demon of Tokyo!"
"No way—!"
Satoru, on the verge of legend, frowned at the drinks. Sakura had bought five or six bottles, all Coca-Cola.
Classic, vanilla, cherry, lime…
"…So many," he said.
Sakura tucked a stray lock behind her ear, her refined face breaking into a sweet, innocent smile. "You said Coca-Cola, but I didn't know which flavor you liked, so I got them all… If you can't finish, take them home."
"Classic only!" Satoru declared. "The rest are heresy!"
"Yes, sir!" Sakura straightened, as if he'd spoken gospel. If she had a notebook, she'd probably jot it down.
"Kase!" Satoru tossed a cherry-flavored cola to Masafumi.
"Thanks, senpai!" Masafumi caught it, eyeing the unfamiliar flavor.
Thirsty, he took a sip.
…Ugh! It was like herbal medicine—the only difference was medicine might be covered by insurance! What was this taste?!
He nearly tossed it but paused. Senpai, who taught me so much, wouldn't prank me…
Got it! Training started here. If he couldn't stomach this, how could he handle hardship?
Masafumi chugged it—glug glug glug.
Satoru stared, dumbfounded. He'd meant it as a joke… Was there really someone who liked cherry cola?!
"Um…" Sakura pulled out her phone, all business. "Kobayashi-kun, for easier contact, let's exchange numbers and emails."
"Oh, I don't have a phone," Satoru said, turning back.
…
…