Chapter-09 · EP-146
Episode 146: Late-Blooming Bud
Murasakimura had defeated Numabe.
Murasakimura, at level 1, had beaten Numabe, who was level 2 and had the skill "Mighty Strength."
Everyone in the Second Swordsmanship Club erupted in joy at this fact.
Everyone was shouting in surprise, but to be honest, I had been certain Murasakimura would win.
Iori, who at level 1 had overwhelmed Hacchi, who was level 4, had proven that superior technique can transcend level differences.
And I knew that while I was exploring dungeons, Murasakimura had been continuing his plain, basic practice every day. His fundamentals were solid.
On the other hand, Numabe and Dokujima had said they were scolded by Iwakura yesterday, and whenever they had free time, they were harassing Murasakimura. In other words, they hadn't been seriously training in swordsmanship. That was obvious from their demeanor. They were all talk and weak.
If that was the case, with only a one-level difference, I knew Murasakimura would definitely win.
So I had urged him to fight to clear his name, and the outcome was as I expected. There was no surprise; it was just a natural conclusion.
While Murasakimura was being praised by his friends, Numabe, who had gotten up, shouted in frustration.
"One more time! Let's go again! That was a fluke!"
Numabe stood up and raised his wooden sword again.
"Hey, hey, the match is over, isn't it?"
As I tried to stop him, Murasakimura shook his head.
"No, it's fine, Ichinose-kun. If Numabe-kun says so, I'll accept."
Murasakimura's eyes showed no hesitation.
He was okay now. He had regained his confidence.
"Okay. Then second round, begin!"
At my signal, the two moved again.
But the result was the same.
No, this time Murasakimura even seemed at ease.
The sound of wooden swords clashing, clang, clang, echoed.
Numabe attacked with brute force, but Murasakimura blocked it all with proper posture.
Then, seeing an opening, he struck.
Bang!
"Ippon!"
Another victory for Murasakimura.
"Damn! That was a fluke! One more time!"
Numabe stood up again.
"No, it was a complete defeat, wasn't it?"
"Shut up! I'm not satisfied!"
A third round began.
And – again, Murasakimura won.
"One more time!"
And Murasakimura's next attack was a thrust that sank into Numabe's solar plexus.
It looked painful even through the protective gear.
"Uuuuu…"
Numabe crouched down, clutching his chest.
I thought in exasperation.
He never learns…
"So, what's next?"
I turned to Dokujima.
"Next is you, Dokujima, right?"
Dokujima's face twitched for a moment.
"D-don't be stupid! My 'Enhanced Dynamic Vision' is too strong; someone at level 1 like you wouldn't be a match. We need to be at the same level."
"Hey, hey, are you trying to run away?"
"I'm not running away! There's such a thing as a fair match!"
Dokujima desperately made excuses.
Watching this, Sendo quietly stepped forward.
"Then I'll be your opponent. I'm level 2."
"Huh?"
Dokujima looked surprised.
"I'm also level 2. That's a fair match, isn't it?"
Sendo's eyes were serious.
Ah, he wanted to beat Dokujima for Murasakimura's sake too.
"N-no, it's not that I…"
"What's wrong? You're the one who said it had to be the same level, right?"
When I provoked him, Dokujima couldn't back down.
"Damn! Fine! I'll fight you! You'll regret this!"
Dokujima reluctantly raised his wooden sword.
"Hey, hey, what about protective gear?"
"Don't need it!"
"Then I'll also fight like this."
Sendo raised his sword quietly.
"Begin!"
At my signal, the two moved.
But – the match was decided in an instant.
The moment Dokujima raised his wooden sword, Sendo was already inside his guard.
"Huh?"
Dokujima didn't even have time to be surprised.
Sendo's wooden sword caught Dokujima's torso.
Bang!
"Ippon!"
It was over in an instant.
Sendo had struck with such ease that Dokujima's face showed he didn't even understand what had happened.
"Wh-what was that…?"
"Want to go again?"
Sendo asked quietly.
"D-damn! One more time!"
Dokujima raised his sword again.
But – the result was the same.
Bang!
"Ippon!"
The second round was also a complete victory for Sendo.
"One more time!"
Third round.
Bang!
"Ippon!"
Fourth round.
Bang!
"Ippon!"
No matter how many times, Dokujima's sword never reached Sendo. Dokujima slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.
"Why… why doesn't my enhanced dynamic vision work…"
Dokujima muttered dazedly.
Sendo answered quietly.
"Your dynamic vision might be good. But just because you can see it doesn't mean you can dodge it. Without technique, it's meaningless. Your defeat is because you rested on the laurels of your skill and didn't train seriously in swordsmanship."
He was right.
No matter how well you could see movements, if your body couldn't keep up, it was pointless.
And Sendo had trained properly from the basics. Proper posture, proper footwork, proper way to swing a sword.
All of that had completely overwhelmed the amateur Dokujima.
"I won't say your skill represents the First Swordsmanship Club, but after seeing you, Class 1-B doesn't seem like much."
Sendo's snide verbal attacks didn't stop. He must have been very upset about what had happened.
Dokujima's face turned red with anger.
Don't bully the small fry too much.
"Well then, as promised, you have no objection to us, who are superior to you, practicing in the schoolyard, right?"
At my words, Dokujima stood up and glared at me.
"Don't be ridiculous! You made fun of me! I won't forgive you! I'll tell my daddy and have your club disbanded! Don't underestimate the power of nobles!"
Dokujima spat out his parting words.
What a sore loser. Had his brain already forgotten the agreement?
Just then.
"Oh, that would be a problem."
A cool voice rang out.
Turning around, Hikaru was standing there.
"My provisional membership club would disappear."
Hikaru smiled elegantly.
"K-Kujo-san?!"
Dokujima exclaimed in shock.
"What's up, young lady?"
When I called out to Hikaru, she turned to me.
"I came to ask your advice. I can't seem to find a club that suits me. Could you give me some advice?"
"Club?"
While Hikaru and I were chatting, Dokujima looked flustered.
He had been boasting about being the son of a baron. But Hikaru was the daughter of a Duke. Which was higher was obvious.
There was no way a mere baron could have the club where a Duke's daughter was a provisional member disbanded.
"Hmph, let's go, Numabe!"
"Y-yeah…"
Dokujima and Numabe hurriedly left.
After confirming they were gone, Hikaru laughed softly.
"They've gone."
"Yeah, thanks for the help, young lady."
"Not at all. I was entertained."
Hikaru turned to Murasakimura.
"Murasakimura-san, that was splendid. Beating a level 2 opponent while at level 1."
"Ah, thank you, Kujo-san."
Murasakimura bowed bashfully.
Then a drop of water fell from his face.
Huh?
I looked at Murasakimura's face involuntarily. Tears were spilling from his downcast eyes.
Sendo walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulder, as if to hide his tears.
"Well done, Kyoya. Thanks to you, the Second Swordsmanship Club is saved."
After a moment of silence, Murasakimura forced out the words.
"Thank you, Mamoru. And thank you, everyone. Ever since I entered this academy, nothing had been going right, and I'd lost confidence. But my efforts weren't wrong."
Having won the match, the feelings he had been carrying seemed to overflow.
Everyone silently listened to Murasakimura's words.
He wiped his tears and continued, holding them back.
"I've fallen far behind everyone. But from now on, I'll work hard again. It's a late start, but I haven't given up on my dream of becoming the world's greatest explorer."
Then Hacchi walked over to Murasakimura and spoke.
"Hold your head high, Murasakimura. You don't need to give up yet. Look at me. I'm a second-year and I have to start over from scratch."
"Haha!"
I laughed, perhaps inappropriately. Murasakimura had been worried about not reaching level 2 even after two months, but I thought Hacchi, who was starting over in the Second Swordsmanship Club as a second-year, had wasted far more time.
Hacchi smirked back at me. Then he told Murasakimura.
"Murasakimura, we are late-blooming buds."
"Late-blooming buds…?"
"Yes. Just because everyone else is blooming first doesn't mean you need to rush. Even if you haven't bloomed, you're still a flower. Someday, we'll make a magnificent flower bloom in our hearts, won't we? Hahahahaha!"
Saying that, Hacchi laughed heartily.
"Even if you haven't bloomed, you're still a flower…"
Murasakimura repeated Hacchi's words.
Indeed, the potential of Murasakimura's unique skill "Lightning Magic" and his swordsmanship, trained daily with a focus on fundamentals – he would surely make a magnificent flower bloom someday.
He would be fine now. He would definitely become stronger.
I was certain of that.
"Hachinohe-senpai, thank you. And Ichinose-kun, thank you. I feel like I've found myself again thanks to you."
"Huh? Thanks to me? That's not true, is it? It was your problem from the start. Overcoming your worries was your own strength."
Then Sendo said to me.
"Heh, are you blushing?"
"Huh? No way."
Then Murasakimura continued.
"Ichinose-kun. From now on, I'll work even harder than before. And someday, I'll catch up to you."
Murasakimura declared loudly.
Catch up to me… For now, with the level difference, I'm overwhelmingly stronger. But if Murasakimura reached the same level?
Murasakimura, with solid swordsmanship fundamentals, versus me, who fights haphazardly. Which one is stronger is obvious.
"Oh, if we're at the same level, I'd have no chance of winning. So maybe you don't need to work that hard."
"Wahahahaha!"
Laughter rose from the Second Swordsmanship Club members at my words.
No, seriously, please don't.
This concludes Chapter 9.
Thank you for following Shirou's growth so far.
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