"Let's not compete in reactions; let's compete in strength instead!"
Kiyokawa Izumi quickly picked up the cups on the table and placed them all on the ground to the side.
Without giving the person in front of him time to refuse, his lips curled up slightly as he rested his right arm on the table, striking an arm-wrestling pose.
In terms of reaction speed, he was indeed far inferior to the one before him.
Therefore, he chose to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
Not only that, but he also wore a signature smile, looking at Kochou Shinobu with an expectant and eager gaze.
Veins throbbed slightly on Kochou Shinobu's fair forehead, and her warm, sun-like smile was on the verge of cracking.
She truly hadn't expected Kiyokawa Izumi to be so shameless.
This man was different from ordinary swordsmen; he wasn't as stiff or respectful in front of her, a Hashira.
He appeared much more brazen.
"Can't we do strength training first?"
Kiyokawa Izumi feigned confusion, speaking in a puzzled tone.
"Without enough strength, one cannot decapitate a demon... I suffered because of that during the Final Selection."
What ill intentions could a lowly swordsman like me have?
He simply felt from the bottom of his heart that his strength was indeed insufficient.
Kochou Shinobu glanced toward Kanao, but before she could speak, Kiyokawa Izumi hurriedly interrupted.
"Insect Hashira-sama?"
Though the title was respectful, his tone carried a hidden sense of urgency.
Kiyokawa Izumi wasn't stupid; although Kanao was female, her strength was by no means small.
If they actually arm-wrestled, he really wouldn't be confident in winning.
Faced with Kiyokawa Izumi's persistence, Kochou Shinobu hesitated for a moment before extending her right hand.
Her arm was very slender and her hand small, making one wonder if she could even grip the hilt of a nichirin blade.
Beneath her delicate, pearly-white skin, faint blue veins were visible; her knuckles were not prominent, and her rounded nails were trimmed short and neat, showing a healthy pink hue.
Kiyokawa Izumi grasped her right hand, feeling a slight chill.
Before he could think further, the girl exerted her strength; her muscles tensed, her breathing remained steady, and the veins beneath her fair skin became increasingly apparent.
"!!"
At the same time, Kiyokawa Izumi also entered the Total Concentration state of Water Breathing.
If he were to lose like this, it would be incredibly embarrassing.
Ample oxygen was inhaled into his abdomen, spreading throughout his body with the flow of blood.
The foundation laid by the original owner's years of hard training wasn't bad; the calluses on his palms from years of swinging a blade were proof of that.
After a moment of stalemate, Kiyokawa Izumi could see that the person before him was using her full strength.
Hesitating slightly, he feigned exhaustion, letting his right arm slowly tilt toward his left side.
"I give up!"
Kiyokawa Izumi hurriedly shouted.
To him, winning or losing didn't actually matter.
"It's truly enviable."
After a moment of silence, Kochou Shinobu suddenly spoke softly.
"Among all the Hashira, my strength is the weakest—so weak that I can't even decapitate a demon."
The hand hidden beneath her sleeve clenched slightly, and her signature smile gradually faded.
What was she envious of?
And what was she resentful about?
"So what if it's not enough to decapitate a demon? Even the sharpest blade has things it cannot cut.
Is it because of the blade's weakness?
I believe it's just a matter of not using the right method."
"Let's continue with the reaction training!"
Kochou Shinobu said softly.
"?"
Kiyokawa Izumi had a bad feeling.
It seemed he was doomed.
The brief display of genuine emotion was triggered by him.
But that didn't mean Kochou Shinobu had opened her heart to him.
He had made two mistakes.
The first mistake was a lack of respect.
During the arm-wrestling match, he hadn't given it his all—something Kiyokawa Izumi only realized afterward.
The woman sitting opposite him wasn't an ordinary woman who needed pity or sympathy, and hollow platitudes were utterly useless.
Because those weren't what she needed.
The second mistake was that he had somewhat underestimated her vengefulness.
Fortunately, he hadn't touched upon any absolute taboos.
"Start!"
"Start!"
As Kanzaki Aoi's voice rang out again and again, Kiyokawa Izumi endured the girl's petty revenge.
The medicinal broth, which had already gone cold, was splashed onto his face repeatedly.
He couldn't react in time, nor could he predict the moves; he could only reach out blindly and press down on any cup.
Perhaps because his movements were too obvious, he always chose the wrong answer.
"Towel!"
In a daze, a clean towel was handed to him.
Kiyokawa Izumi took the towel with a bitter smile and wiped the remaining medicine from his face.
"People need a reason to sustain them, whether it's for fighting or training."
"What are you talking about?"
Kanzaki Aoi looked at him strangely as he muttered to himself.
"Nothing."
Kiyokawa Izumi brushed it off; he actually knew very well what problem he was facing.
After developing thoughts of quitting, he lacked a reason to fight and a reason to train.
Without these reasons to sustain him, it was difficult to fully commit himself, lacking that mindset of giving his all.
Having a way out, he could no longer find the "sink or swim" resolve he had during the Final Selection.
With no retreat possible, one could only draw their blade and fight to the death...
After resting for several days, his strength might even be inferior to what it was before.