When Keizo returned, he noticed something was wrong with Koyuki. After pressing her for details, he finally learned about Imura's attempt to abduct her. The color drained from Keizo's face, his brow furrowing deeply.
"That Imura boy... Didn't I tell him to stop bothering you?" A flash of fury crossed Keizo's face. He stormed out of the room and headed straight for the swordsmanship dojo.
"We'll go with you." A hand suddenly rested on his shoulder. Keizo turned to see the Librarian and Hakuji standing behind him.
"In that case, I'm in your debt," Keizo said, relieved. Remembering the Librarian's overwhelming presence, he felt there could be no better allies.
The trio set off and soon arrived at the gates of the swordsmanship dojo. Since Imura and his gang had already returned, the students knew they had been beaten up. However, out of pride, they hadn't mentioned that they were defeated by a doctor and a teenager.
Seeing Keizo arrive with only two companions, the gatekeepers, unaware of the full story, shouted, "Master Keizo, our senior Imura has already paid the price! Please go back!" They brandished their wooden swords, intending to block the way.
But Keizo, furious that his daughter had nearly been kidnapped, was operating at 120 percent. He surged forward like a pouncing tiger, diving into the group. In a flurry of movements, the four or five students guarding the gate were knocked to the ground. Keizo, on the other hand, was completely untouched, save for a slightly disheveled hairdo. The power of the Soryu style of unarmed combat was on full display.
Hakuji, watching from the side, was deeply impressed by Keizo's skill. Shortly after arriving at the dojo, Hakuji had, at the Librarian's recommendation, become the first official student of the Soryu style. He had a good guess as to why the Librarian had Keizo teach him instead of doing it himself. Hakuji preferred unarmed combat, the pursuit of the ultimate physical potential. Compared to the Librarian, whose greatest strengths were expressed through swordsmanship, Keizo and his Soryu style were indeed a better fit. Though he had learned some things from Keizo these past few days, seeing him in action today made Hakuji realize just how much more he had to learn.
After the gatekeepers were defeated, an old man's voice came from within the dojo. "Master Keizo, please stop."
Looking toward the voice, they saw Imura following meekly behind an elderly man. From the respectful, almost fearful way Imura behaved, the man's identity was clear: the master of the swordsmanship dojo, Awaga.
"Master Awaga, are you going to deny what your son has done?" Keizo's anger subsided slightly upon seeing Awaga, but his tone was still sharp and unforgiving.
"This..." Awaga glanced at his son with a look of helplessness and sorrow. He'd had his son late in life, and his wife had died young. Years of spoiling him had fostered Imura's current personality and behavior.
"Let's skip the pleasantries. I'm here to issue a formal challenge to your dojo!"
Hearing this, Awaga knew his son had truly pushed the good-natured dojo master too far this time. "Very well. I accept the challenge," he sighed, waving a hand and turning back into the dojo.
After a discussion between the two dojo masters, the terms of the match were quickly decided. Since the two dojos taught different combat systems, the competition would be divided into two parts: unarmed combat and swordsmanship. A one-to-one result would mean the matter was dropped. If one side won both matches, the other would have to formally apologize and swear never to disturb their dojo again. Of course, since Imura was clearly in the wrong, even if the Soryu Dojo lost, Awaga would only require the three of them to leave. To avoid conflicts of interest, competitors could not participate in more than one match. As dojo masters, Keizo and Awaga themselves were barred from competing.
The swordsmanship dojo had plenty of students to choose from. Keizo's side, however, only had the Librarian and Hakuji. As a member of the dojo, Hakuji was a natural choice. But the Librarian's official identity was merely that of a doctor. Still, Keizo couldn't think of a better candidate. This was part of Awaga's plan, hoping to resolve the matter peacefully.
"I know a little about swordsmanship. If you don't mind, I can help," the Librarian's voice cut in, causing Keizo's tense expression to relax. The memory of the man's power was enough to put his mind at ease.
Awaga sighed inwardly. He knew then that they were determined to see this through to the end.
"Have you chosen your representatives?"
Keizo nodded.
Awaga led them to the dojo's training ground. In the center of an open space was a large circle drawn on the ground—the arena for the unarmed combat match. Awaga was a master swordsman, but he knew that swordsmanship alone was not enough to reach the pinnacle of combat. He therefore required his students to strengthen their bodies and practice hand-to-hand combat. In his mind, his students' unarmed skills, while perhaps not superior, shouldn't be too far behind the Soryu style.
"The first match will be unarmed combat. Representing the Soryu Dojo, Hakuji."
Hakuji loosened his joints and leaped into the center of the arena. The swordsmanship dojo sent out a tall, dark-skinned brute whose bulging muscles made him look like a gorilla.
"Lethal force is forbidden. A competitor loses if they are rendered unable to fight or are forced out of the ring," Awaga recited the rules, then raised his right hand and swung it down. "Begin!"
The moment he spoke, the dark-skinned brute shot forward. His massive frame charged like a freight train, stirring up a powerful wind as he rushed Hakuji. His intention was clear: to simply ram his opponent out of the ring.
One was a muscular giant nearly two meters tall. The other was a slender fifteen-year-old boy. The physical disparity was obvious. If that charge connected, the result would be far worse than just coughing up blood.
Yet, facing the brute's charge, Hakuji showed no sign of panic. He leaped forward as well, charging to meet his opponent.
The Librarian, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow. So the kid hasn't forgotten those lessons.
The brute merely sneered at the approaching Hakuji. He drew back his right fist and aimed a heavy blow at Hakuji's face. The rules said no killing, but crippling him should be fine. The brute's lips curled into a vicious grin, already picturing Hakuji being smashed by his punch.
As the fist grew larger in his vision, Hakuji suddenly braked, twisting his body to the right. The brute's punch missed, merely grazing his clothes. With his opponent's attack having failed, it was Hakuji's turn to counter.
He delivered a sharp kick to the man's calf. The impact caused a jolt of pain, making the brute instinctively stumble. Hakuji then raised his elbow and slammed it upward, striking his opponent squarely under the chin.
A searing pain shot through the brute's jaw. His eyes rolled back into his head.
BAM!
His mind went blank. Unconscious, he crumpled to his knees and fell face-first onto the ground. In just a few seconds, the match was over.
-------
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