By the time Kojima and Sakurai reached the instructor, the sparring between the club members had already ended.
"Miyazaki, take a break. Kinoshita, you too—stop practicing; your body's about to collapse."
Teacher Ohmonto Saburo saw Kojima approaching and dismissed the others.
He glanced at Sakurai, feeling that he lacked motivation—like someone reluctantly coming because of some benefit.
"Teacher Ohmonto Saburo, this is the tough guy I told you about before. His name is Sakurai Saki—he's in charge of general affairs for the Student Council." Kojima thought of this and still felt a slight ache in his shoulder.
Previously, due to Sakurai's harsh tongue, Kojima had gotten angry after being scolded a few times and fought him with his fists. As the fight escalated, Kojima directly grabbed two wooden swords from the Kendo Club.
As for why two? Because Kojima still followed the rules—he gave Sakurai a sword. After all, he was the son of the Keishicho's Superintendent General. Even when angry, he had to uphold justice and fairness—or it would be too bullying.
In the end, Kojima landed two hits on Sakurai's shoulder, while Sakurai landed five on him.
After one round, Kojima owed him three hits.
"The one who confessed at the Sports Festival?" Ohmonto Saburo remembered this more clearly.
The Kendo Club's junior girls had been talking about it recently.
"Yes." Sakurai nodded.
It was said that the Kendo Club's instructor had a 6th dan level—considered the peak attainable by normal people. He didn't even need to use his full strength to teach high school students.
"Amazing! Even in our era, fewer than three people dared to confess like that." Ohmonto Saburo recalled the past.
That year, he was still a hot-blooded chuunibyou, fantasizing about escaping his predicament with a sword. At that time, he was managing his family's dojo. In his first year of high school, he was targeted by local yakuza—they wanted to force a purchase. His younger sister, who had just started junior high, didn't understand the yakuza's wickedness and firmly refused to sell the ancestral dojo...
Kojima interrupted him: "Teacher Ohmonto Saburo—I'm here to have Sakurai join the club."
Teacher Ohmonto Saburo was good in every way—nice personality, strong skills—but he tended to suddenly get lost in memories.
Did all masters have to have a tragic past?
"Join the club? Does he know competitive kendo?" Ohmonto Saburo asked.
"I know a little—I studied for a while at a kendo dojo." Sakurai replied.
When he was in Kyoto, there was a kendo dojo next to his house. His mother said he lacked masculinity and was too melancholic, so she made him study for a while.
"Ancient sword arts?" Kojima asked.
"It seems to be Ashina Isshin-ryu." Sakurai stroked his chin.
"That's a game, isn't it?" Teacher Ohmonto Saburo quipped.
"Teacher, you know about it?"
"When a student was sparring with me, he said a 'Danger' character seemed to appear above my head. I got curious and looked it up later—but the visuals in it are ridiculous. Ancient swordsmen wouldn't create sparks when clashing swords."
"The sword arts that could kill with one strike or allow them to live—that's what ancient swordsmen pursued."
He was actually a middle-aged man willing to move with the times. He looked almost fifty, with very short hair, and seemed to have excellent spirit and energy—even more vibrant than some high school students nearby.
"The owner of that kendo dojo had a Menkyo Kaiden in Yagyu Shinkage-ryu—but I only practiced suburi and simple kata and kamae when I was there."
Menkyo Kaiden—the highest-level certificate of a school, meaning mastering all sword techniques of the school, including its secret techniques.
Suburi—empty swings.
Kamae—stance.
Kata—for easier understanding, kendo principles and basics.
"I originally went to learn Mutodori." Sakurai recalled.
Mutodori—a secret technique of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu. Simply put: catching a drawn sword with bare hands.
Why learn it? Just because it's cool!
"Nowadays, which kendo dojo teaches ancient sword arts? They all teach competitive kendo." Kojima said.
"Your family doesn't run a dojo, does it? Don't you know it too?"
"My dad does, and my brothers do too. I was initially forced into it. Police officers from the Keishicho all like Shinto-ryu—and I later thought it was good too. That technique of raising the sword above the head, which is extremely oppressive and imposing—it's just..."
Teacher Ohmonto Saburo finished his sentence: "...it can't be used in matches."
His face was full of helplessness: "You really shouldn't use ancient sword arts in matches. I saw you trying to kick people during your last sparring session."
In actual combat, anything goes—but not in a match.
"Sakurai-kun, if you want to join the club, just sign a form." Ohmonto Saburo said, walking to get the form.
"You're from the Student Council, so it's convenient for data entry."
He hadn't walked many steps.
Kojima then spoke: "I want him to be a regular member for the Yulong Banner."
As soon as he finished speaking—
"I can't pretend I didn't hear that!"
Miyazaki Ikki—the Kendo Club member whom the teacher had just told to rest—walked over.
Let a new member be a regular? Was Kojima joking? Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you defeated your senior and took the Minister's position! The Kendo Club isn't your personal domain!
"If you want to tell jokes, find another place, Kojima."
"I think he can do it." Kojima looked at him with sharp eyes.
As the minister, he held great authority in the Kendo Club—and even among all sports clubs, he was recognized as a strong competitor.
But only one person disliked him: Miyazaki Ikki—the son of the National Police Agency's Superintendent General.
The Keishicho and the National Police Agency are not the same thing.
The former is only responsible for Tokyo, while the latter is responsible for all areas outside Tokyo. Neither can control the other—but they also dislike each other, and even plant spies.
"Let's have a match." Miyazaki waved the sword in his hand.
He didn't take Sakurai seriously.
"I have to tutor someone later." Sakurai also didn't take him seriously.
"Kendo practice—best of three." Miyazaki finished, then instructed a nearby club member: "Go get him his protective gear!! If he doesn't win against me today—he won't join the club!"
He deliberately raised his voice, making it as loud as possible.
Suddenly, all the Kendo Club members heard the news.
Although they'd had a premonition when they saw Sakurai General Affairs earlier, they didn't expect him to actually join the Kendo Club!
Last year, Sakurai had a sparring match with Minister Kojima.
Sakurai General Affairs's tsuki was amazing, and his jodan attacks felt powerful and heavy. His presence was truly extraordinary.
"He said he wants to have a kendo match with you—best of three." Kojima translated.
Sakurai rolled his eyes at him: "I can understand that much."
He originally didn't want to cause a big commotion—but there was no other way.
Sakurai reluctantly went to change into his kendo uniform.
Returning to the dojo less than a minute later, a female Kendo Club member came over with protective gear.
"Sakurai-kun! Do you want me to help you put it on?" It was the Kendo Club's female manager.
Sakurai smiled at her and said: "Yes—it's not convenient for me alone."
After putting on the protective gear, Sakurai moved a few times, then took the bamboo sword Kojima handed him.
"Help me teach him a lesson." Kojima said, then walked to the side.
Adopting a chudan kamae—pointing the tip of the bamboo sword at Miyazaki Ikki's throat—Sakurai's expression was no longer casual. He became focused.
"A newcomer should act like a newcomer. You trash—don't think that just because you hang out with Kojima you can—"
"No need for trash talk."
Sakurai interrupted, expressionless: "I just hope your sword isn't as foul as your mouth."
Just fight—why all the nonsense?