Tetsu Tsubasa stared at Shimizu Koji standing across from her.
Before coming here, she had been genuinely looking forward to this encounter.
Yet after single-handedly sweeping through Teitan High's kendo club with nothing but a sword, that anticipation quickly turned into disappointment… then boredom… and finally into a strange, unfamiliar emotion.
It was that emotion that had driven her to speak with such open provocation.
A few days earlier, as a special "core" member of the Beika High School kendo club, she had accompanied the club captain to register for the Kanto Kendo Tournament.
It was there that she first noticed Nohara Naoto—and Teitan High's kendo club, which had been virtually invisible in past competitions.
She clearly remembered what Nohara had said while chatting excitedly with another school's kendo captain.
"Yo, Muto-san. Didn't expect to run into you here."
"Nohara? You actually showed up? The Kanto Tournament isn't something a soft school like Teitan can handle. What, did you luck your way through qualifiers and decide to give it a try?"
"Haha, I knew you'd say that. You're not wrong—but this time, Teitan's kendo club has produced an incredible genius swordsman. His talent might rival the legendary Tetsu Kenjuro… maybe even surpass him."
"You must've had too much beer."
"No. I'm dead serious."
Tetsu Kenjuro.
The legendary swordsman—and the man who had killed her father.
Looking at things now, talk of rivaling or surpassing him seemed… highly questionable.
The memory flashed by like a galloping horse. In reality, it lasted no more than a heartbeat.
Tetsu Tsubasa had always been an aggressive fighter. That wasn't just her personality—it was also because most male opponents tended to be arrogant, overly confident, or stubbornly proud, always waiting for her to make the first move.
"Ha!"
Her sharp shout marked the start of this rule-less duel.
She thrust forward in a fierce, unstoppable straight attack. The pressure was so intense that even Koji didn't dare block it head-on—he twisted his body and narrowly avoided the blade.
To each other, their movements were perfectly clear.
To everyone else watching, it was pure disbelief.
"T-That was fast!"
"Even faster than before! She crossed the distance in an instant—she almost stabbed Shimizu!"
"And did you notice? That was the first time Shimizu didn't block directly with his sword!"
Nohara Naoto, despite lacking raw strength, had sharp eyes befitting a captain.
Watching the brief exchange, he wiped sweat from his forehead again.
At least fifth-dan level… both of them.
Which meant these two—both under eighteen—possessed skill equivalent to swordsmen who had devoted themselves to kendo for decades.
(Detective-science bonus applied.)
Seeing Koji evade her thrust so easily shocked Tsubasa. That strike had already used nearly eighty percent of her speed.
Her eyes sharpened.
She became serious.
A breath later, she slashed downward toward Koji's left side.
Clack.
Koji reversed his grip and blocked the attack. The force transmitted through the bamboo sword made him falter for an instant—but Tsubasa didn't stop.
One strike blocked only meant there were countless more to come.
Neither of them shouted. This wasn't a formal match.
The hall was eerily quiet—broken only by the harsh, skin-crawling sound of bamboo swords colliding again and again.
From cautious probing to full engagement, both fighters silently agreed to reveal their true strength.
They were fully focused.
This was still a spar—not a fight to injure—but neither was holding back.
The stalemate didn't mean Koji was weak.
It meant the girl before him was strong.
This was the first time in this world Koji had encountered someone who could fight him evenly.
Facing Tetsu Tsubasa felt like a door to an entirely new world was slowly opening.
Normally, this was his full strength.
Though his power technically had a higher ceiling, his Sharingan remained uncontrollable.
He vaguely remembered something about chakra being required—but that knowledge stopped there.
He didn't even know what chakra truly was.
Only that this world likely wouldn't allow such energy to exist.
It was just intuition.
Clack.
Another violent exchange.
Even with bamboo swords, a blow like that could easily break bones—or kill if it struck a vital point.
Tsubasa's stamina began to drop faster. And watching Koji continue to block and evade without counterattacking—
Even someone as cool and proud as her began to feel irritation flare.
"Won't you fight back?!" she snapped."Or are you looking down on me?!"
Koji looked completely at ease.
She felt pressure—but not the suffocating sense of being crushed.
It was a sensation she had never experienced before.
Like Koji, she was also a kendo prodigy. But due to various reasons, she rarely appeared in competitions and never gained fame.
Yet among Japanese high school students nationwide, her strength was unquestionably top-tier.
"I'm not looking down on you," Koji said quietly, stepping back two paces."I'm just… not good at attacking."
Since awakening the Sharingan, even without using it, his dynamic vision had improved drastically.
He could faintly read her intent and movement.
But if she were any faster—he wouldn't be able to keep up.
Through this fight, Koji realized a clear weakness.
He truly wasn't good at offense.
Compared to her sharp, disciplined attack rhythm, his style had always been brute force—overwhelming power.
This time, though, power alone wasn't enough.
Tsubasa froze for a moment at his words. Watching his movements more closely, she seemed to understand.
After a brief hesitation, she slowly lowered her sword.
"I see. Then we'll end it here."
"What?!""Hey, are you running because you're about to lose?!"
The kendo club members exploded in outrage.
Being defeated by their own junior was one thing.
Being humiliated by an outsider was another entirely.
Tsubasa ignored them.
She casually brushed aside her sweat-damp hair and looked back at Koji.
Then she frowned.
What is this guy staring at?
Koji had been momentarily drawn to that small gesture.
She was beautiful—and there was an unspoken grace to it.
He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Being drawn to beauty was normal.
"I'm sorry."
He smiled lightly in apology.
Tsubasa shook her head. She didn't say anything.
His gaze felt different from the others—more admiration than desire—but she was already immune to such looks.
More importantly, the onlookers weren't wrong.
If the fight continued, even without Koji attacking, she would eventually lose due to stamina.
But that was a physical difference—not a defeat.
"Beika High School. Tetsu Tsubasa."
"Teitan High School. Shimizu Koji."
Just as Koji thought she would leave, she surprised him.
"You really are a rare genius."
"If you want to learn real kendo—come find me."
A card flicked through the air like a playing card and landed neatly in Koji's hand.
Tsubasa turned and walked away.
Everyone—including Koji—was left confused by her sudden visit.
But since Koji said nothing, no one dared stop her.
Real kendo…?
Koji glanced at the card. It held only an address.
After a moment of thought, he pocketed it.
After exchanging a few words with the enthusiastic club members, Koji returned to the corner and quietly resumed his daily practice.