The Land of Iron's Leader held Kitada Asuka tenderly, concern etched on his face—but Asuka pushed him away defiantly:
"If you still call me your daughter, then you shouldn't have stopped me! I could've won just now."
It was in that moment that Gekkō Hoshiyomi realized the two before him were father and daughter—and he froze in astonishment.
Not only him, but the entire crowd gasped. They'd wondered why such a talented kenjutsu prodigy had gone unnoticed—but now they discovered she was the Leader's only child. Even at nearly sixty, no one expected him to have a daughter barely out of her teens.
"Stop deceiving yourself," the Leader said, voice trembling. "Your body was pushed past its limit in that battle. You couldn't have completed the Divine Bird's Three-Stage Thrust. Had I not intervened, you'd have died on that third strike."
Tears rolled down his weathered cheeks. "Asuka, must you make your father watch you die? Your mother left too early. If you go too… how can I go on?"
His words, and the memory of her mother, broke something inside Asuka. Her eyes glistened, but she pressed on:
"Father… fate is fate. I know how little time I have left. I don't want a slow decline—you deserve better than to watch me fade away. I'd rather die on that stage. That way, at least… I'd be your pride."
He broke—sobbing, he clutched her close.
"No matter what, you are always your father's pride. Why must you suffer like this?"
"No matter what happens, you are and always will be my pride. Why push yourself this far?"
Hoshiyomi stood silently, watching the two sobbing in each other's arms, a heavy feeling rising in his chest. Who wouldn't be moved by such sorrowful father-daughter affection? He had already felt reluctant to deal a fatal blow to someone as gifted and dignified as Asuka. And now, he wanted to help them even more.
He had planned to speak with her only after defeating her. But seeing this, he dropped that thought entirely and spoke up:
"Um, have you considered that the reason her condition can't be treated might be... the Land of Iron's limited medical capability?"
The leader wiped his tears. "I've sought doctors from every nation. I've met many medical-nin. But the result was still... nothing."
Hoshiyomi said no more. He reached into his pouch and, after a moment of fumbling, produced a small vial—its contents precious.
It was a pill crafted by Tsunade, made from rare Senju medicinal recipes specifically for internal organ damage. Before Hoshiyomi had left for the Land of Iron, Tsunade had made only three—true lifesavers, given the rare ingredients involved.
If Asuka wasn't dying from internal injuries, she wouldn't have claimed she had only a year or two left. In this case, even if it couldn't cure her, it might help.
With that in mind, Hoshiyomi stepped forward and handed the vial to the leader.
"This was prepared by a medical-nin friend I met in the Land of Fire. It's most effective for internal damage. Even if it can't cure her condition, it might ease the damage from that final technique. Please, let her try it."
The leader hesitated, then uncorked the bottle and gave it a cautious sniff. He trusted the boy wouldn't dare poison his daughter before his eyes—but didn't expect much from some offhand remedy. Still, he'd seen enough medicine over the years—countless doctors, long battles, old wounds. His senses were sharp.
Smelling nothing suspicious, he gave her one pill. As Hoshiyomi said, it should at least help with the strain of that last move.
Asuka took it without protest.
The pill melted instantly on her tongue, sending a cool stream through her body. The turmoil inside—stirred by the Three-Stage Thrust—gradually eased. That long-absent coolness brought genuine comfort. Her expression softened. Even her tense brows relaxed.
The leader lit up at the sight.
Seeing this, Hoshiyomi added, "I think your daughter should visit my friend in the Land of Fire. She might find hope there."
The leader nodded. "Kenshin, was it? Thank you for your medicine and the lead. This match is your win. Now, please complete the finals with Mifune. After the finals, please come to my general's mansion in the Land of Iron. I will certainly reward you handsomely."
His daughter, Asuka, hesitated in his arms. Seeing her father's pained expression had finally broken her resolve. Everyone instinctively clings to life. Now that there was even a glimmer of hope, she couldn't bear to make him suffer any longer.
She no longer expected complete healing—just a few more years to fulfill her duty as his daughter would be enough.
And so, a battle that started with a bang ended with a whimper. Hoshiyomi successfully advanced to the finals and was set to face Mifune.
The father and daughter, Asuka and the leader, didn't leave immediately to rest. Asuka was a fervent Kenjutsu enthusiast; even with her weak body, she didn't want to miss the exciting final showdown between the two.
Hoshiyomi was given about half an hour to recover his stamina, and then it was time for the Kenjutsu Tournament finals.
After the host's energetic warm-up, the audience also emerged from the emotional father-daughter scene, cheering loudly, anticipating the final battle between Hoshiyomi and Mifune.
Amidst the cheers, Hoshiyomi and Mifune slowly ascended the platform. The two exchanged a very solemn bow.
Mifune spoke to Hoshiyomi with some joy, "Thank you for helping my junior disciple, Asuka. Mifune is deeply grateful." Although Mifune and Asuka didn't interact much on a daily basis, they shared over a decade of camaraderie as fellow disciples. He was quite happy to learn that Asuka now had hope.
Hoshiyomi waved his hand, saying something like "it's nothing," and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, their battle officially began.
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