Senzaemon took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Let's go, Erina. Don't speak out of turn."
"Yes."
Entering the kendo hall, he immediately spotted the three people fighting in the center, and then Koken sitting serenely on the periphery.
He led Erina towards that side.
"Koken, old friend."
A smile appeared on Senzaemon's face. Seeing it was him, Koken also smiled.
"Welcome, welcome. Thank you for making the trip. Please, have a seat, Senzaemon."
"Being able to come to your place and observe such profound swordsmanship is an honor. How could it be a hardship?"
Koken smiled but didn't respond, instead looking towards the golden-haired girl standing nervously behind Senzaemon.
"And this is...?"
This was Erina's first time meeting the head of the Shinomiya Family, so it was natural for her to be nervous. After all, Shinomiya Family's influence among Japan's great families was formidable.
She knew the Nakiri Family was nothing compared to the Shinomiya Family.
Senzaemon slapped his forehead, "I forgot to introduce her. This is my granddaughter, Nakiri Erina. Erina, greet Grandfather Koken."
Erina stepped forward, very proper, "Hello, Grandfather Koken."
"Haha, hello! Seeing you reminds me of my own granddaughter. You are both about the same age."
Senzaemon knew of Kaguya. He looked towards the figures fighting in the arena and sighed with admiration, "Kaguya's swordsmanship has become even more refined."
Koken waved his hand, "She still has a long way to go."
He then looked at Erina, who was still standing awkwardly to the side, and said kindly, "Please, sit. Watching their fight will be greatly beneficial for your mental state."
"Yes. Thank you, Grandfather Koken."
Erina let out a deep breath and sat down very obediently and politely beside her grandfather.
Today, she was completely devoid of her usual haughtiness. However, as she watched the fight in the arena, she felt a slight confusion.
'Is that... two against one?'
Yusei had naturally noticed the newcomers to the Kendo hall, but he didn't pay it much mind, recognizing Senzaemon's distinctive appearance at a glance.
'The [God of Cookery] is here. A treat for my taste buds is guaranteed.'
For a moment, Yusei wanted to finish the fight quickly. But at the same time, he understood that if he just 'fooled around', Koken would not let it rest.
Moreover, during today's match, he had sensed that the sword techniques of the two girls opposite him seemed fierce on the surface, but held no killing intent whatsoever.
The sword is a weapon for killing, and the way of the sword is the same. Without the resolve to kill, one cannot display their true strength.
Right now, Yusei felt that Kaguya and Souji's swordsmanship towards him was soft and weak, completely lacking any sharp, sword-like intent.
Thinking for a moment, Yusei spoke to the two of them.
"Show me your true abilities... You're too weak."
Taunting, provocation. It was the same method Koken had just used. He was using it again.
Unfortunately, the two girls opposite seemed completely unfazed by being called weak, remaining just as devoid of Sword Intent as before.
Yusei smiled wryly. He was out of ideas. But just then, Koken from the periphery of the hall suddenly shouted.
"Brat! If you don't start showing your real skill, I'll show Kaguya and the others those photos of you drooling in your sleep!"
Yusei froze.
He then remembered that he had indeed slept here before.
'But I was photographed?'
That damn old bastard.
Kaguya, who originally hadn't wanted to attack Yusei fiercely, was slightly taken aback, but felt a stir of interest in her heart.
'A photo of Yusei-kun drooling in his sleep... That must be really cute, right?'
Souji also felt somewhat hesitant, though not as obviously as Kaguya.
Yusei was helpless. He couldn't possibly let those photos actually be seen by Kaguya and Okita Souji, could he? His image would be completely ruined!
The Mangekyo in his right eye subtly shifted, switching to the [Genius] skill.
Yusei's memory rapidly scanned backwards, searching for something that could stimulate Kaguya and Souji.
In an instant, he found the solution.
"Kaguya, if you don't use your full strength, I'll go picking up girls using the Shinomiya Family's name."
"Souji-san, if you don't use your full strength, I won't help you the next time you enter your demonized state."
These were the two points he remembered Kaguya and Souji cared about from their records.
Kaguya had just 'warned' him about this yesterday, so he felt she must care about the family's reputation.
As for Okita Souji, it went without saying… she had just brought it up.
The effect was indeed immediate. After Yusei finished speaking, he felt the aura of the two girls suddenly change.
Kaguya's mind was no longer on the photos, but on the 'picking up girls' part...
'If he went picking up more girls, wouldn't I just gain more rivals? No, this absolutely cannot happen!'
As this urgent thought arose, Kaguya actually felt her body suddenly become lighter, as if more agile.
'I had actually broken through?'
Souji, meanwhile, was stunned. The words 'I won't save you if you demonize' echoed in her mind.
'If my sheath... will no longer contain my rampaging blade, then my next time will certainly mean death, right?'
She gave a bitter smile, her gaze towards Yusei turning somewhat chilly, as if she had entered her cold, merciless side.
"Sheath... I am going to use my full power. I hope you can receive it."
A bloody, ominous aura began to spread. Yusei's right eyelid twitched, and a bad premonition rose within him.
To the side, Kaguya also looked coldly at Yusei, 'Rivals in love... absolutely cannot be allowed to appear.'
A white Sword Intent surged around her, and her swordsmanship and Sword Intent sublimated once more at this moment.
Koken, watching from outside the arena, laughed heartily, 'Just as I thought! This brat's tempering effect on these two girls was remarkably obvious.'
Senzaemon also looked on in astonishment at the two girls manifesting tangible Sword Intent within the arena, 'This was incredible. If I wasn't mistaken, the Shinomiya young lady was only in her teens.'
'Such solidified Sword Intent already taking form... The Shinomiya Family need not worry about lacking a successor for the next several decades.'
Erina, however, was completely bewildered, 'What is that? What are those red and white auras? Is this a manga or reality?'
Yusei looked at the two opponents brimming with fighting spirit, feeling just about to relax, when he saw a red sword aura slash directly towards him without the slightest restraint.
He hurriedly dodged sideways. Just as he was about to ask them, 'Are you trying to kill me?', he saw they were already charging towards him at high speed.
Yusei was slightly taken aback, then smiled. He could feel the girls' Sword Intent, which had suddenly surged forward by leaps and bounds.
"Since that's the case... I'll get serious too. The development of my [Yusei Style] just happened to hit a bottleneck."