Chapter 1

The collision of swords, the clash of strength and technique, in a kendo hall in Tokyo, one can feel the seriousness and concentration of the students even through their masks.

"Take steady steps, don't hesitate when thrusting, and raise your blocking hand a little higher..." Sanada instructed every group of students who passed by.

The kendo instructor quietly listened to Sanada's instructions, following behind like a student being led. After inspecting the last group of students, the kendo instructor offered them white water. "Thank you for your hard work, Sanada-kun. You've made such a special trip."

"It's okay, this was agreed upon long ago. Sasuke needs help and asked me to come over." Sanada was invited to fulfill his promise to his nephew Sasuke Sanada to instruct the students at his friend's kendo gym.

Only after watching the kendo teacher and the instructor walk away did the students in the kendo hall relax.

"That's the heir to the famous Sanada Kendokan in Kanagawa Prefecture. I never thought the teacher could actually invite such a person~"

"So imposing! I was so scared when we first met that I couldn't breathe."

"But it's really amazing. His usual habits were seen through at a glance. This is the strength of a sword master!"

...The kendo teacher was surprised at how well behaved the kids were today. He had just walked Sanada to the door when he heard a flurry of discussion inside the dojo. "I'm so sorry, these kids are so naughty."

"As long as you don't slack off in kendo, it'll be fine." Sanada didn't bother with the kid.

Sasuke had said he had to go to Osaka for something urgent and that his family would help him, but he hadn't expected the head of the Sanada family to come. It was like seeing his kendo teacher. The kendo teacher bowed and said goodbye, "Thank you for all your hard work today."

After completing what he promised his nephew, Sanada returned from Tokyo.

In fact, it was his nephew Sasuke who asked his elder brother Shinichiro to help with this matter. For some reason, Sanada wanted to come to Tokyo at that time. Since his grandfather took over the position of the head of the kendo gym, the responsibility of the head of the family also fell on Sanada's shoulders. The tasks of staying in the family gym to study kendo and participating in exchanges with various kendo families were all on the shoulders of the new head of the family. After the handover period between the old and the new, Sanada also got used to the daily life in the kendo gym.

"Sports Channel reports: During the Australian Open semi-finals, our tennis player Yukimura-kun is being rushed to the hospital due to illness..."

Sanada looked up and saw Yukimura's face. "How long ago was it that you started playing tennis? My former teammates, except for Yukimura and Akaya, hardly play tennis anymore."

"Hey~ buddy, stop daydreaming. Are you here to fulfill a wish?" Ichihara Yuko picked up her pipe and blew a puff of smoke.

Sanada instinctively became wary, his hand resting on his sword. As the family's kendo master, he was carrying a precious sword passed down through generations of the Sanada family. "No."

Even if there are regrets about the choices I have made, I will never regret it. No matter how you look at it now, every decision made by Sanada must have been the most suitable one for him at the time.

"There are no coincidences in the world, only inevitability. Since you are here, it proves that you are pursuing something in your heart. Do you want to try it? Exchange your wishes and see if you have them. If you really don't have them, you can't come in here~" Ichihara Yuuko tilted her head. Only people with special conditions can enter her store, and Sanada meets all the conditions.

The stranger's words reminded Sanada of the news about Yukimura that he had seen on the big screen in the street, and then he thought of the Kanto Tournament in his third year of junior high school. This was something that had always weighed on Sanada's mind, so he hesitated for a moment.

Ichihara Yuuko stood up and handed the choice to the newcomer. "You can call me Yuuko. My profession is a witch, a bit more fantasy-y. I run a wish-granting shop. If you don't want to, you can clearly refuse. You only get one chance to choose."

Sanada was no longer in the age of hot-blooded impulsiveness. After regaining his composure, he calmly asked, "Sanada Genichirō, what price did you mention?"

"Sanada-kun, the sword on you is the price. And now, after all, you no longer have it, so this fact needs to be erased. How about it?" Ichihara Yuko leaned against the door and waited confidently for Sanada's reply.

When I came to the witch's shop, I was already longing for an opportunity to change. I could only come to this shop with the necessary things and my own strong desire. Otherwise, how could Sanada-kun just happen to enter the shop?

Sanada felt his rationality overwhelmed by a sudden surge of passion. Thinking of his former Rikkai University teammates, who rarely get together these days, each busy with their own careers, and only learning about their current situation through newspapers and other sources, a distant memory awoke in his heart. It would have been great if he had just given it his all back in his third year of junior high. He hesitated, and he would have been defeated. "Okay."

With a response, the contract came into effect. Ichihara Yuko didn't care at all that a living person disappeared from her shop. She reached out and picked up the knife on the ground and threw it high into the air. The energy in the knife was integrated into the shop.

Kanagawa, inside the Sanada Kendo Hall.

Feeling his hands were empty, Sanada reached for his sword.

Shinichirō, the eldest brother of the Sanada family, stared blankly at the ceiling with a look of despair, then shouted a little late. "Genichirō!! Sword!"

The voice of the eldest brother Shinichiro not only woke up Sanada, but also called the grandfather and father at home.

After opening the inner door of the kendo room, Sanada's grandfather breathed rapidly, only to see that the heirloom sword had broken in the hands of his grandson Genichirō.

The father who arrived later felt dizzy and almost fainted.

Sanada only then noticed the changes in his much younger family members, but he didn't have time to think about it.

It was the first time that Sanada, the pride of the family, accepted the treatment of being beaten by his grandfather and father together, and his eldest brother Shinichiro had no idea how to dissuade him.

After being lectured by his family, Sanada, completely sober, knelt down in front of the knife block, reflecting and thinking. "I didn't expect it to be true."

At that time, the sword that represented the identity of the head of the family had been exchanged by Sanada to the shop owner, Miss Ikuko. The family's reaction was relatively good when the family token was broken by a child, but it was another matter when the head of the family's sword was broken by the head of the family.

Sanada slowly gathered his thoughts. Over a decade later, Yukimura was a regular at world tennis tournaments, but unfortunately, due to health issues, he could never reach the championship. Akaya was even slower. Yanagi didn't play tennis much in high school, concentrating on studies and research. Yagyu went on to study medicine and was the last to graduate. Bunta opened a cake shop, turning his hobby into a job. Kuwabara inherited his father's ramen shop. And that frivolous fellow, Niou, went into showbiz and thrived...

Going back further, I remember the first time I went to see our family's precious sword with my elder brother Shinichiro was after the Rikkai University team won the national championship for the second time. At that time, Yukimura had not yet fallen.

At this time? Sanada didn't know why he had to think about what had happened recently at this point. The memories of the championship that August that year clearly emerged in his mind.

At night, Sanada, who had been kneeling for more than half a day, was taken away by his elder brother Shinichiro to apply medicine.

"Genichirō, you are so stubborn. Even when you were punished, you could still slack off. Now your leg is injured like this." Shinichirō carefully applied medicine to his brother. If he hadn't been frightened, he wouldn't have been caught on the spot.

Sanada knew that was the price he had to pay. "It broke in my hands."

"Don't think too much, it's okay now that your grandfather and father have punished you." Shinichiro comforted his brother, worried that Sanada would always remember it. Sometimes Sanada is just like this. Shinichiro can only take good care of his younger brother.

The next day, after getting ready, Sanada got up at four in the morning to meditate as usual. A habit formed over a long period of time is not so easy to change.

He easily integrated into his previous life trajectory. Besides appearing more mature and steady, giving people a more experienced feeling, Sanada stood straight with trembling legs and headed to the Rikkai University campus to perform his duties as the head of the Discipline Committee.

Lihai University Affiliated Middle School, at the school gate.

Because of his leg problem, Sanada left for school early and stood at the school gate to take notes as usual.

Yanagi Renji walked closer to the school, then took two steps back and asked, "Sanada, are you okay?"

Sanada spat out three words. "No impact."

"That's fine. If you have any questions, tell us in advance. The tennis club will not have any training after the championship celebration. A new training menu will be sorted out after the school trip." Yanagi Renji swept across Sanada's legs again. Under normal circumstances, even if Sanada was guarding the school gate to check discipline, the time would not be too long. By this time, Sanada should have been inspecting other places. The main reason for not moving is not known for the time being. The probability of injury is 65.5%, the probability of illness is 28.7%, and other reasons... As for the reasons, they will be revealed soon.

Niou Masaharu staggered on his way to school, gasping at the shadow at the school gate. "Did the sun rise in the west today? No, that's not the case. Why is Sanada guarding the gate?"

As a fraudster who does whatever he wants and doesn't cause trouble to others, Niou Masaharu can safely escape inspection with his small props, except for Sanada, who is usually not encountered at this point. For the personal safety of the small props, Niou Masaharu tries to get away with it.

"Stop, Niou, tie your bow tie, there is also a contraband inspection." Sanada believed that he was fair and just, but for some reason, he felt something was wrong with Niou Masaharu and the aura was not harmonious.

Niou Masaharu fiddled with his tie slowly, cooperating verbally but taking time with his actions.

The moment he discovered Sanada, Niou Masaharu had a strong sense of crisis and immediately called for help.

Niou Masaharu, who likes to cheat, usually switches roles with his partner Yagyu Hiroshi. Yagyu Hiroshi is a good student who comes at irregular times but never late, and is rarely randomly checked when passing the school gate. Niou wants to save trouble so he just pretends to be his partner and easily passes the inspection. But things have been different recently because of the school trip, all the people related to the student union are busy, and Yagyu Hiroshi naturally cannot escape.

Due to their mutual dislike for each other, Sanada always managed to find Niou Masaharu's well-hidden secret tools, causing Niou to suffer heavy losses. With an insider, Niou was free for nearly a year, but unexpectedly, Sanada suddenly caught up with the school gate inspection near the end of the year. "Pfft~ Biru should have said it earlier."

Yagyu Hiroshi received Niou's call for help and rushed to the school gate. "Sanada, is your leg injured? Why don't you go see a doctor?"

This morning at the student council, Yagyu had sensed something was amiss. Normally, Sanada was quick and decisive, but today, he'd arrived early and stayed longer, which was a sign of something amiss. Furthermore, given their family connections, Yagyu Hiroshi had a rough idea of ​​what Sanada could do. They'd only known each other for a short time, but Yagyu Hiroshi, through their time together in the tennis club, believed Sanada could handle it on his own. "I didn't intend to intervene, but I can't ignore Niou's request for help. Who knows what he might do if he pretended to be me."

As he asked, Yagyu Hiroshi took over Niou's bag.

"Oh~ Deputy Minister Sanada is injured? Who can hurt you, the new student in the family?" Niwang was really curious now, who could hurt Sanada.

You know, today Sanada looked more serious than usual, scaring the surrounding students who were entering the school so much that they checked themselves before entering the school gate, for fear of becoming a target of being called out.

Yukimura said hello to Sanada and was about to leave when he heard Yagyu's words. "Ahem! If you're injured, take a good rest, Sanada. There will be a school ranking competition later~"

Hearing Yukimura's cough, Sanada suddenly came back to his senses and noticed what he had been ignoring. There were actually many signs before Yukimura suddenly collapsed.

"Okay, it'd be best if the tennis club gets a check-up together. Bunta got his hand scratched by Akaya's explosive shot while playing with Akaya, but he didn't even get a check-up." Sanada didn't bother to check Niou, as seeing a doctor was more important.

Yagyu Hiroshi suggested taking a look at it at that time, but Marui Bunta was afraid that Akagi would mind so he didn't go.

Arriving just in time, Marui Bunta and Kuwabara saw so many tennis club regulars at the school gate and thought something was up. "Is this a regulars reunion?"

"No, Bunta. Let's talk about going to the hospital. It seems that many people in the team are not in good condition. What about you?" Niwang stayed in a safe area with his bag.

Bunta waved his hand nonchalantly. "I'll cover it with my wrist guard first, to avoid irritating Akaya. It's just a minor injury~"

"I was planning to go with Bunta, but I didn't go because it was Bunta's brother's birthday that day," Kuwabara explained.

The regulars from the tennis club were about to gather at the school gates. The elusive Yanagi Renji was holding a file. "If that's the case, let's go check it out. It'll be plenty of time before the school trip."

Yanagi Renji arranged the itinerary and also took away the tennis club members who were gathered at the school gate.

The bell rang, and it was time for class to start.

"Sorry, Vice Minister! I'm late." Kirihara Akaya jogged towards the school with a cigarette in his hand, but suddenly he braked suddenly and bowed 360 degrees as he passed by Sanada's legs.

Kirihara Akaya always felt that Vice Minister Sanada's face was darker today than usual. Although he wanted to defeat the Big Three of Rikkai University in tennis, Kirihara Akaya actually didn't want to challenge Vice Minister Sanada's other abilities at all.

Sanada frowned. Aka didn't even stand still and touched the leg that had been kneeling for more than half a day yesterday. "Hurry back to class and don't waste any more time."

"Yes, Vice Minister Sanada!" Kirihara Akaya answered loudly, then decided on a direction and was about to raise his foot.

Sanada sighed. "It's the left."

"Oh, I see." Kirihara quickly changed direction, with a look of joy at having survived. "Vice-Director Sanada didn't kick me just now~"

Normally, Sanada would have been carried to the classroom by Akaya, but the situation is special now.

After checking the checklist, Sanada returned to his class.