Chapter 17
The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, casting a hazy veil over the ancient Hiyoshi Dojo. The air was permeated with the tranquil aroma of wood, moss, and the passage of time. The occasional crisp bird calls from the distant mountains and forests added to the profoundness of the atmosphere.
Hiyoshi Wakaba, wearing traditional kendo uniform, knelt meticulously at the edge of the dojo's main hall, waiting for the agreed visitor.
Misty mountains.
He thought it was just an ordinary visit showing interest in martial arts.
However, the ancient and heavy door of the dojo was gently pushed open, but the person who walked in was not the expected figure.
Atobe Keigo.
The emperor of Hyotei was dressed in a dark kimono of expensive texture and perfect tailoring. His noble and elegant temperament formed a wonderful collision with this ancient dojo, but it did not seem abrupt at all.
The morning light outlined his tall figure, his hair brushing against his delicate features in the breeze. He walked with a calm demeanor, as if he were entering not a martial arts arena but his own backyard.
"Hiyoshi," Atobe said with his usual flourish, his reasoning high and mighty, "As the club leader, it is my duty to care about the assets of my members."
His gaze seemed to casually sweep across the interior of the dojo, passing over the solemn weapon racks and the mirror-like floor, with a barely perceptible trace of inquiry hidden deep in his eyes.
Almost immediately after Atobe finished speaking, another slender figure appeared at the door, looking somewhat lazy and full of curiosity. Oshitari's eyes shifted between Atobe and Hiyoshi with interest, a knowing smile playing on his lips:
"Ah, how can I be absent from such an interesting event? Hiyoshi, excuse me for bothering you, I've also heard of your dojo for a long time."
Hiyoshiwaka was obviously stunned. He had never expected that Atobe and Oshitari would appear at this time.
He remained kneeling, but his body was slightly tense, like a young leopard that had noticed an unexpected situation. His eyes were filled with surprise and a subtle hint of vigilance: "Minister Atobe? Senior Oshitari? You..."
At this moment, the light at the entrance of the dojo was once again blocked by a slender figure.
We have arrived at Wushan.
She was wearing plain casual clothes, which matched the rustic atmosphere of the dojo.
When she looked up and saw that Hiyoshi was not the only one in the dojo, especially when she saw Atobe Keigo, who was wearing a kimono and was as dazzling as the morning light itself, and Oshitari Yuushi who was standing next to him with a look of anticipation, her steps obviously paused.
There was a clear trace of surprise in his clear eyes, and he was obviously unprepared for this sudden "luxury lineup".
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Atobe's gaze caught Kiriyama's attention the moment she appeared. When those clear eyes, filled with surprise, looked over at him, Atobe felt as if a small stone had been dropped into the lake of his heart.
The ripples were incredibly subtle, yet remarkably clear, bringing with them a strange throbbing sensation. Beneath his glamorous exterior, a wave of emotion, one he hadn't anticipated, swept through him. Pure and direct, like the first ray of sunlight piercing the morning mist, it struck him without warning.
The lenses of Oshitari's glasses reflected a ray of light just right, and he accurately captured the subtle, almost imperceptible change on Atobe's face and the pure surprise in Kiriyama's eyes.
The playful smile on his lips deepened, and he silently pushed his glasses up, as if to say, "See, it's really interesting."
Hiyoshi's gaze shifted rapidly between Kirishima and the two uninvited seniors, his brows furrowed slightly. He was acutely aware of the subtle tension building in the air.
Although brief, it was by no means ordinary. He instinctively straightened his back, the warrior descendant's alertness quietly rising.
I paused, not because I was nervous, but because I assessed the situation in a split second.
Compared to Hyotei's uniform skirt or long skirt, I deliberately chose an outfit that is most convenient for movement today.
The black tight T-shirt wraps around the upper body, outlining the smooth lines of the shoulders and arms, and making it convenient to exert force at any angle; the trousers of the same color are not burdensome at all, and on the feet are light training shoes.
The most eye-catching thing is the thin silver waist chain around the waist. The cold metal buckle gently collides with my steps, making a subtle, almost inaudible crisp sound, like some kind of dormant whisper.
I meticulously braided her long hair into a tight centipede braid, which hung behind her head, revealing her entire neck and smooth forehead. She felt as neat as Lara who was ready to jump into an ancient tomb to explore at any time.
Why are they here?
I thought about it, but the next moment I put aside the doubt.
unimportant.
The goal of my trip has never changed.
Suppressing the surprise in my heart, I walked straight forward.
The wooden floor beneath my feet made a steady sound. My gaze passed through the inquiry behind Oshitari's lenses, and swept across Atobe's bottomless eyes. He seemed to linger on my outfit for half a second longer, and something in his eyes passed by so quickly that it was impossible to grasp.
Finally, I stopped steadily a few steps in front of Hiyoshiwaka.
"Good morning, Hiyoshi-san." My voice was calm and clear in the empty dojo.
Then, he turned sideways and nodded politely to the other two: "Atobe-san, Oshitari-san, good morning. I didn't expect to meet you two here."
The tone was flat and without any question, as if their presence was just an insignificant color on the background.
The greetings are over.
Without any prelude, I locked eyes with Hiyoshi's slightly widened eyes in surprise, and spoke clearly and enunciatedly about my true purpose:
"My visit today isn't to observe the dojo. I'm here to spar with you, Hiyoshi-kun."
The air seemed to be sucked out in an instant.
Time froze for a second.
“——?!”
I could clearly see that Hiyoshi's pupils suddenly contracted, and his kneeling body suddenly tensed up like a bow that was instantly drawn, with the four big words "unbelievable" written all over his face.
He probably thought I was just an ordinary student with some interest in ancient martial arts. This contrast obviously exceeded his expectations.
Oshitari's hand, which was pushing up his glasses, froze in mid-air. The playful smile on the corner of his mouth completely disappeared, and his blue eyes behind the lenses widened with pure, undisguised shock.
He quickly glanced at Tebe, then suddenly turned back to stare at me, his eyes sweeping over my neat pigtails and tights, and finally landing on the silver chain around my waist that rose and fell slightly with my breathing. His eyes looked as if he had discovered a new world.
And the trace...
I felt his gaze on me suddenly become sharp and deep. The elusive emotion just now disappeared, replaced by a scrutinizing and intensely oppressive inquiry.
His unparalleled handsome face still maintained its usual reserved demeanor, but his brows were barely perceptible in a tiny frown. A hint of tension, perhaps even unconscious, etched itself in his gorgeous voice: "Training?"
He repeated the two words, his tone rising slightly, carrying undisguised doubt and a hint of indescribable shock. His gaze pressed down heavily, as if to penetrate my skin and see clearly what was going on in my mind.
A transfer girl dressed like this, ran to the ancient martial arts dojo, and wanted to challenge the heir of the Hiyoshi family who was famous for "overcoming the strong with the weak"?
I met his gaze without flinching. My fingertips unconsciously brushed against the silver chain around my waist, the cool touch of the metal calming the turmoil in my heart.
That's what I'm here for.
"Yes, let's spar." My voice was calmer and more determined than before, echoing clearly in the silent dojo, hitting the wooden walls around me and bouncing back.
"I've long heard of the Hiyoshi family's famed ancient martial arts, 'overcoming the strong with the weak,' and I'd like to experience it myself." I looked at Hiyoshi Wakashi, the shock in his eyes giving way to a fiery, warrior-like glow. "I wonder if Mr. Hiyoshi would be willing to teach me?"
Hiyoshiwaka stood up slowly and solemnly.
He was much taller than me, and his figure in the kendo uniform was upright and powerful, with the sharp aura of a descendant of a samurai instantly spreading out.
He stared at me closely, his eyes no longer looking at a classmate, but as if he was evaluating a real opponent, full of scrutiny, solemnity, and a hint of the ignited excitement of meeting a worthy opponent.
"...Interesting." His voice deepened, carrying a trembling anticipation. His gaze swept across Atobe and Oshima beside him, finally returning to me, his lips curled up in an almost sharp arc.
"Please."
As the last two words fell, the atmosphere in the dojo completely changed. No longer the quiet of early morning or the unexpected surprise, but an extremely tense, taut atmosphere, ready to explode.
I could feel Atobe's gaze on my back, like a physical object. Oshitari held his breath, his sharp gaze fixed on us. The mirror-like wooden floor beneath my feet seemed to silently yearn for the coming footsteps and collisions.
I took a deep breath, the morning breeze carrying the scent of forest and wood rushing into my chest. The silver chain around my waist tinkled softly as I moved. I bent my knees slightly, lowering my center of gravity, and assumed a basic defensive stance, my gaze blazing across at Hiyoshi Wakaba.
The will to fight rose in the silent confrontation.
"Please."
The moment Hiyoshi's deep, bellicose voice rang out, the air in the dojo ignited. His eyes flashed, the samurai's valor unreserved, and he launched himself like an arrow from a bow!
Without any fancy attempts, I flicked my right hand to my waist, and a dark shadow tore through the air. It was a simple, heavy wooden short spear, which slashed through my left shoulder with a sharp sound of breaking wind.
So fast.
The explosive power of his muscles was displayed to the fullest, and the wooden floor under his feet made a dull thud. Almost in the blink of an eye, the spear blade with a thousand pounds of force was in front of him.
My pupils shrank slightly, and my body's instincts were faster than my thoughts.
My center of gravity dropped instantly, and I tapped my toes. Like a willow catkin in the wind, I slid a half-step to the right. The cold blade of the spear, carrying a strong wind, barely brushed my shoulder, lifting a few strands of hair.
So fast!
A flash of light suddenly flashed through Oshitari's spectacles, and he subconsciously leaned forward slightly, his lazy, spectator-watching demeanor gone. He stared intently at Hiyoshi's sudden burst of speed and power, whispering through his teeth, "Is this the Hiyoshi family tradition of 'overcoming the strong with the weak'? The explosive power is simply..."
Atobe didn't say anything, he still stood tall and straight, but a storm was gathering in the depths of his eyes.
When he saw Higina's inhuman speed, his heart sank, following the trajectory of the spear blade. When he saw Kirishanin slid past him with a hair's breadth, like a phantom, his tightly pursed lips barely loosened, but his eyes sharpened, locked onto the slender yet incredibly agile figure in the field.
"Hmph!" The attack missed, and the fighting spirit in Hiyoshi's eyes became even more intense.
He kept walking, like a hunting beast, suddenly lowering his body center of gravity, and spun swiftly close to the ground. His left leg swept towards my lower body like a steel whip with a whistling sound.
At the same time, the short spear in my right hand drew a tricky arc, slashing from bottom to top, blocking all my possible retreat routes.
Attack from above and below, fierce and swift!
There is no way to retreat.
My eyes sharpened, and the silver chain around my waist made a sharp, crisp sound as I moved. Instead of retreating, I advanced, swooping down like a snake, almost cutting through Hiyoshi's sweeping leg.
My hands were as fast as lightning, precisely grabbing his wrist and elbow joints holding the spear, using the twist lock that I am most proficient in. The fingertips were infused with strength, and once the grip was solid, it was enough to remove his weapon in an instant.
Oshitari gasped: "Close combat?!"
He had never expected Kiriyamagakure to choose such a dangerous and direct counterattack. Atobe's breath caught in his throat as he watched the slender figure rush unhesitatingly towards Hiyoshi's fierce attack, like a moth to a flame. His heart felt as if it were being gripped by an invisible hand. Beneath that glamorous exterior was a tension he wasn't even aware of.
Hiyoshi reacted very quickly.
He obviously also realized the intention of strangling me. The muscles in the arm holding the spear suddenly expanded, and he shook it forcefully with a terrifying force, and forcibly shook off the fingers that were about to be strangled.
At the same time, I kicked the ground with my sweeping leg, using the force to quickly retreat backwards, trying to increase the distance and regain control of the rhythm. The advantage of the short spear lies in the mid-range, and he will never let me get close to him easily.
But how could I let him have his wish?
I had expected his retreat!
The moment he pushed off the ground and retreated, I was like a thorn in my flesh, tapping the ground with my toes and clinging to him like a weightless shadow. My steps were nimble and swift, circling Hiyoshi, my hands like a butterfly flitting through flowers, constantly searching for the flaws in his spear-wielding arm, the wind from my fingertips scraping across his joints.
Hiyoshi roared angrily, waving his short spear into an impenetrable black light. With his powerful explosive power and swift movement, he forced open my lock again and again. Every time he blocked it, there was a dull thud, which made my arm numb.
Sweat soaked his temples and also slid down my braids.
"This... this is not the skill of an ordinary girl at all!" Oshitari was stunned, his eyes behind the lenses widened, and he was completely shocked by this extraordinary attack and defense.
Atobe's eyes followed the black figure that shuttled through the shadows of the spear. Every thrilling dodge she made and every fierce attempt to strangle her were like a heavy hammer hitting his heart.
The silver chain around her waist drew a cold arc of light as it moved at high speed, carrying a breathtaking beauty. For the first time, he felt so clearly what a completely different, wild and dangerous power lay within the body of this girl named Kirishan Yin.
The fight was fierce!
Hiyoshi's explosive power was astonishing, and every slash of his short spear was powerful and devastating. Although I relied primarily on nimble dodging, it also consumed a great deal of my energy. A dangerous sweep of the spear blade, I dodged it with my back, instantly exerting power in my core, and with a smooth backflip I created some distance.
Riji seized the opportunity, growled, and like a tiger pouncing on its prey, he was full of indomitable momentum, with the short spear raised high above his head, and with the force of a mountain pressing down on me, who had just stood firm, he chopped down with all his strength. This was a blow that condensed all his strength and the will to "overcome the strong with the weak"!
"Danger!" Oshitari cried out in shock. Atobe's pupils suddenly contracted, and his body almost took a step forward uncontrollably!
Now is the time!
Facing this thunderous blow, a cold light flashed in my eyes, and I advanced instead of retreating.
The body made an incredible twist in a very small range, like a flexible vine twisting in the wind, sliding dangerously along the side of the spear blade.
The icy wind stung my cheeks. In the split second between me and Hiyoshi, my right leg, poised for attack, suddenly shot up like a dormant scorpion!
Astonishing power erupted from the waist and abdomen, driving the entire leg to draw an extremely sharp and explosive arc. The toes were stretched straight, like the deadly sting of a scorpion, aiming directly at the open goal in the back half that was exposed due to Hiyoshi's full-strength chop.
"Bang!"
A heavy muffled sound!
Scorpion tail swing!
Precise, ruthless and merciless!
The fierceness on Hijiroka's face froze instantly, replaced by a huge impact.
His forward momentum was abruptly interrupted, and he felt like he was hit by a sledgehammer. With a muffled groan, his body stumbled forward uncontrollably, and the short spear in his hand flew out of his hand, hitting the wooden floor in the distance with a clang.
He tried to steady himself, but the sharp pain in his back and the momentary loss of balance made it impossible for him to hold on any longer, and he fell heavily to the ground.
The dojo was dead silent.
The only sounds were Hiyoshi's heavy breathing and my slightly rapid breathing.
I remained sideways, legs drawn in. The silver chain around my waist swung violently from that all-out burst, emitting a harsh, continuous metallic jingle that was especially clear in the silent dojo. Sweat trickled down my forehead, dripping onto the polished wooden floor.
Oshitari opened his mouth, completely petrified, forgetting even to push up his glasses.
Atobe stood there, his eyes filled with unprecedented intense emotions.
He looked at the upright figure in the field. The black tights outlined her smooth and powerful lines. The swaying silver chain seemed to carry some kind of mysterious magic. The centipede braid had scattered a few strands during the intense movement just now, sticking to the sweaty side of her neck, with a wild and thrilling beauty.
He had never seen her like this before, and he had never imagined that a girl could burst out with such fierce and deadly power.
Hiyoshiwaka struggled to stand up, his face full of resentment and humiliation.
At this moment when the outcome was decided and the atmosphere was at its most tense—
"stop."
A powerful voice exploded at the entrance of the dojo like thunder.
A middle-aged man wearing traditional kendo uniform, with a serious face and somewhat similar to Hiyoshi, appeared there at some point.
His sharp eyes did not look at his son lying on the ground, but were fixed on me. To be more precise, they were fixed on my right leg that I had just used to perform the "scorpion tail" move, and on the silver chain around my waist that was still swinging and making a slight echo.
His eyes were filled with a complex mixture of disbelief, shock, and surprise.
The competition was forcibly terminated.
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