To Become a King and a Magician 656-660

Title: Still Unaware of Arthur’s Unwavering Loyalty

—Someone is trying to breach the city gates.

Staring at the golden meteor, Gawain and the other two immediately understood.

“Intruders from outside? Coming straight here really saves us the effort of searching for them.”

Looking at Lancelot, Gawain said, “Regarding what you said earlier, let me confirm it myself now, Sir Lancelot.”

“Yes, I have no objections.”

The golden meteor charging toward them was undoubtedly the group Naoki had just met. Lancelot was very clear about this. They had intended to come here from the start, so she wasn’t surprised they’d attack in this manner.

However—

(Even if he’s the Holy Sword wielder acknowledged by His Majesty, we can’t let you break into the castle like this—it’s better to subdue him first, have him repeat what he said, and gain Sir Gawain and Sir Tristan’s approval.)

With the collective request of the three Knights of the Round Table, the city gates would surely be opened. If Merlin, who was responsible for opening the gates, refused to do so, it would prove that something was indeed wrong with His Majesty’s condition.

That’s what Lancelot thought.

(But for now, let’s see if you can withstand Sir Gawain’s hand, Sir Natsukawa.)

It was morning, the time when Gawain’s Numeral of the Saint was in effect. With her power amplified threefold, Gawain was the strongest among the Round Table.

Standing in front of Tristan and Lancelot, Gawain faced the high-speed meteor head-on, raising the Holy Sword in her hand. “This sword is the incarnation of the sun. It is a mirage of the sun that burns all that is impure—”

Releasing her Noble Phantasm outright!

(If you’re truly the Holy Sword wielder who inherited from His Majesty, let’s see you withstand this attack!)

Staring at the meteor, Gawain shouted the true name of the weapon in her hand, but before she could—

*BOOM!*

Abruptly, a radiant beam of light shot out from within the White Dragon Nation. The dazzling light cannon, shining like the sun, pierced the sky, striking the meteor before Gawain could swing her Holy Sword!

(An attack from inside the city?!)

(Was that His Majesty?!)

Gawain and Lancelot’s faces lit up with joy, while only Tristan frowned. “An attack launched from the rooftop of the throne room… it must be Magecraft.”

“Magecraft? Then it’s Merlin?”

“Tch!”

The joy on Gawain’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold sneer. If it had been an attack from His Majesty, it would have proven His Majesty was still alive, but since it was from that witch…

“What’s the meaning of this, Merlin?” Gawain asked into the air. “The front gate is guarded by me, so your magical assistance isn’t needed. Do you not trust me, Gawain?”

[No, it’s not that. I trust Sir Gawain’s strength 100%, but even for you, it’d be tough to face an opponent whose power far exceeds yours.]

Power far exceeding hers?

Gawain narrowed her eyes, looking toward the meteor’s crash site. “You’re saying I’d lose to this group of intruders of unknown origin?”

[If the opponent attacks at full strength—by the way, that attack just now didn’t cause them any damage. At best, it only slowed their advance. The next Magecraft attack will come in one minute.]

“No need!”

Gawain swung her Holy Sword, forming a wall of flames around her, completely isolating the city wall behind her.

*DONG!*

Standing with her sword outside the wall of flames, Gawain said coldly, “With Gawain here, no one will pass through the front gate! I swear on the name of the Knights of the Round Table, I won’t let anyone disturb His Majesty’s rest!”

*SHUA!*

As Gawain’s words fell, within the meteor crater filled with smoke and dust, a fierce gust of wind suddenly blew, instantly clearing away the thick dust.

The figures of Naoki, Jeanne Alter, and Artoria became visible to the Knights of the Round Table.

Brushing the dust off himself, Naoki waved his hand helplessly. “Attacked head-on like that again. Last time I managed to dodge, but this time I was itching to test it, and I didn’t expect the power to be that strong. My hand’s numb.”

“If you hadn’t tried to block it, we’d already be in the city by now. Why were you itching to do that?” Jeanne Alter glared at him, annoyed. “My cloak’s covered in dust because of it, even my hair.”

“I’ll clean it for you when we rest later. How about you, Lia?”

“No, I’m fine. That impact was no issue. I’m used to it.” Artoria said, looking at the towering walls of the White Dragon Nation, which rose hundreds of meters high.

This was the White Dragon Nation. Though she had sensed it from afar, observing it up close…

(It’s remarkably similar to Camelot.)

If the ruler of this city was King Arthur, it was only natural. But rather than resembling Camelot, it was more accurate to say its exterior mimicked Camelot. Its original structure should differ from Camelot’s.

Of course, right now, more pressing than that was the massive wall of flames blocking the front gate outside the city wall.

Seeing the blonde female knight standing in the center with a familiar Holy Sword in hand, despite this being their first meeting, Artoria knew who she was.

“Sir Gawain from the other world.”

“Yes, just as Gawain said, she’s… large in every sense. It really would be hard to know where to look during a fight.” Naoki said, eyeing Gawain—at a glance, she seemed like the type suited for childbirth, and if she had kids, she definitely wouldn’t need to spend money on formula.

As for the red-haired girl on the other side, there was no doubt she was Tristan.

In stark contrast to Gawain, she was… lacking in every aspect.

(No wonder Tristan was so melancholic. In a certain sense, it’s indeed quite a pitiful thing.)

With that thought, Naoki reached out to hold Artoria and Jeanne Alter back. “Wait here for now. I’ll handle this.”

“You sure you’re fine on your own?”

Jeanne Alter, unaware of Naoki’s true strength, asked with a frown. “If you’re too cocky and die, I’m not burying you. I’ll just help burn you.”

“Can’t you show your concern a bit more honestly?” Naoki gave a wry smile. “Don’t worry, it’s just three Knights of the Round Table. Even with the Holy Grail, it’ll just take a bit more effort. I’ll adjust and suppress all three of them.”

After all, they were knights under Arthur. Naoki didn’t feel right attacking them too harshly, as it would be hard to explain when that guy returned to normal.

(Just tying up the three of them should be enough.)

-

Title: Naoki: One Against Three? Don’t I Do That Every Day?

A Servant’s hearing is exceptionally sharp. The three knights clearly heard everything Naoki said.

Not only did he plan to take on all three at once, but he also claimed he could deliberately control his strength to suppress them precisely?

Utterly arrogant.

Seeing Naoki approach not far ahead, Gawain was about to say something, but the strikingly familiar face before her left her stunned in place. Tristan’s eyes also widened in disbelief.

Both turned to Lancelot with accusing glares.

Why does the intruder have His Majesty’s face?!—their eyes seemed to convey that meaning.

Lancelot gave an awkward smile. “Well… according to their side, during the Holy Grail War twenty years ago, His Majesty gave him his Spirit Origin to save his life after he died, and they lived in symbiosis for ten years. That’s why his face is so similar to His Majesty’s.”

“Oh… s-so that’s it…”

“How enviable, interacting with His Majesty constantly for ten years? That’s probably something even Merlin never did.”

Tristan’s hands, plucking the harp strings, visibly faltered.

“Sir Gawain, will you find this a bit difficult now?”

“No, precisely because of this, I must be even more serious and pour my heart into the upcoming battle.”

Taking several deep breaths to calm her emotions, Gawain looked at Naoki with utmost seriousness. “You look awfully relaxed, sir. I’ve heard about this from Sir Lancelot, but I’m sorry, I, Gawain, will never let you pass through the front gate.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I came to face you, right?” Naoki laughed. “Though I could just fly straight in, this time I’m here as a guest, so it’s better to enter through the front gate for courtesy’s sake. Sir Gawain, gatekeeper, logically, after I defeat you, you won’t keep blocking me from entering the city, will you?”

*VROOM!*

Answering Naoki wasn’t Gawain but the Holy Sword in her hand. The sun’s flames roared to life.

Calmly raising her Holy Sword, Gawain said coldly, “Even if you bear a face similar to His Majesty’s, don’t think I’ll hold back because of it—you and your empty talk will turn to ashes along with this mirage of the sun!”

“Bring it on!”

The sandy ground beneath Gawain’s feet instantly formed a crater as she finished speaking. Gawain, who appeared as a robust warrior, displayed speed in no way inferior to Okita Souji, known for her agility. In the blink of an eye, she was already in front of Naoki!

The sun’s Holy Sword slashed down from above!

With Numeral of the Saint and the Holy Grail’s enhancement, even Lancelot wouldn’t dare take Gawain’s full-force attack head-on. Seeing Naoki standing still without dodging, anyone’s heart would tense.

Except for Artoria and Naoki himself.

As the slashing sword rapidly grew larger in his view, Naoki reached out and caught the blazing Holy Sword with his hand!

“What—!?”

The unexpected defense left others unable to suppress their shock.

That was Gawain’s full-force attack! He caught it with just one hand?!

Feeling the pressure on his fingers, Naoki smiled. “Really heavy. Truly Sir Gawain with tripled strength, plus the Holy Grail’s blessing. No wonder my side’s Gawain was overwhelmed by you in a direct fight.”

“Fool.”

Gawain pressed her Holy Sword down harder.

“Catching my attack with bare hands—such courage and strength are indeed admirable, but you’ll soon be burned to ashes by this solar mirage. This is the price of your arrogance!”

“Is that so? It is a bit hot. I don’t want to get blisters, so… sorry, let me cool it down first.”

As Naoki spoke, Gawain, standing close, suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold rushing toward her!

It was midday, and with the Holy Sword in her hand still blazing, the only sensation she should feel was heat. Cold should be impossible, yet—

*CRACK!*

A faint sound rang out.

*CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!*

Under the incredulous gazes of the Knights of the Round Table, the blazing Holy Sword in Gawain’s hand, along with its flames, visibly froze into a massive block of ice!

Holding the ice block, Naoki laughed. “There, much better. It’s easy to have issues in hot weather like this near flames. Cooling it down is much nicer—doesn’t the cold feel refreshing?”

“What do you think, Sir Gawain?”

As his words fell, Naoki suddenly moved. His empty right fist struck Gawain’s abdomen. The chilling aura around his fist instantly froze her midsection into ice!

The impact that followed pushed Gawain back dozens of meters!

Holding her sword, with her abdomen frozen, Gawain looked at the still-uncracked Holy Sword in her hand.

“The sun’s Holy Sword, frozen… This intense cold, is it Magecraft?”

“You could say that, but it’s really just temperature control.” Naoki said, raising both hands. “Absolute zero—my body is in that state now, including the atmosphere around me.”

Imaginary Manifestation · Absolute Zero Field.

“Even if it’s just a theoretical value, as long as I can imagine it, I can manifest it in reality. That’s what fairies can do.”

Fairies.

For Gawain and the others, who lived at the end of the Age of Gods in Britain, these beings were not unfamiliar. Arthur’s Holy Sword was bestowed by the Lady of the Lake, and Lancelot also bore a fairy’s blessing.

“You… a fairy?”

“I only fully became a fairy a few years ago—anyway, I don’t plan to give you time to thaw your Holy Sword. Though it’s a bit rude, please stay put for a while.”

After speaking, Naoki stepped forward, and as if teleporting, he instantly appeared beside Gawain!

(So fast… Damn, my body can’t move!)

Within the absolute zero field, both mind and body slowed due to the extreme cold. For Naoki, even if Gawain was delayed by just half a second, that was enough for him to subdue her.

*SWOOSH!*

Dozens of thick chains appeared around Gawain, swiftly coiling around her body and limbs like a group of giant snakes!

Each chain weighed as much as a ten-story building. Even with Gawain’s tripled strength and the Holy Grail’s power, once entangled, she could only kneel on the ground, unable to move!

*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*

But just as the chains were about to fully bind Gawain, a lake-like light swiftly struck, repelling some of them, giving her enough time to escape.

At the same time, a barrage of vacuum blades attacked Naoki from all directions.

*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*

Standing still and redirecting all the vacuum blades with Displacement Magecraft, Naoki looked at Gawain, Lancelot, and Tristan standing together. “So, now we’re entering the second phase of the boss fight?”

“Might as well—come at me, all three of you at once. It’ll save time.”

-

Title: Gray: Why Does This Situation Feel So Familiar?

Unexpectedly powerful.

Neither Lancelot, Gawain, nor Tristan underestimated Naoki in the slightest.

After all, he was a warrior acknowledged by their King, the third Holy Sword wielder capable of saving the world. As knights, failing to exert their full strength would be the height of foolishness.

Thus, in the earlier confrontation, despite it being just one attack, Gawain had struck with full force, holding nothing back.

Yet, even so, Naoki’s strength exceeded their expectations.

A fairy and, at the same time, the wielder of the Star’s Holy Sword.

Imaginary Manifestation that reshapes the world.

The Star’s Holy Sword that saves the world.

For these two qualities to converge in one person was something entirely unprecedented.

“Are you alright, Sir Gawain?”

Shielding Gawain from the front, Lancelot asked with her back to her. “Can the frostbite be healed?”

“No problem. An injury like this can easily be healed with the Holy Grail’s power. No need to worry about me—but thank you for helping me earlier. If I’d been restrained like that, I might have had to give up.”

“In fact, you already lost.”

Tristan, holding a longbow resembling a harp, laughed. “I don’t mean to mock you, but the opponent’s strength is indeed beyond our expectations… So, are we just going to hand over the city gate like that?”

“Absolutely not.”

After using the Holy Grail within her to heal the frostbite and thaw her Holy Sword, Gawain stepped back in front of Naoki. “His Majesty’s order was for me to guard the city gate, so no matter how many times I fall, as long as I, Gawain, can still move, I won’t let anyone pass through the front gate!”

“Even if this could be called an annoying and unfair stance.”

Gawain and Naoki had agreed that if she was defeated, she wouldn’t block his entry into the city, but she had only been pushed back, not defeated, so the condition wasn’t met.

Seeing Gawain’s resolve, Lancelot and Tristan exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of helplessness in each other’s eyes. Then, they stood on either side of Gawain.

“If that’s the case, let us assist you, Sir Gawain.”

“Though I’m concerned for His Majesty’s safety, before that, I have no intention of disobeying His Majesty’s orders—my apologies, Sir Natsukawa. If you want to enter the city, you’ll have to defeat all three of us first.”

Gawain, Lancelot, Tristan.

Though each had their own thoughts, the Knights of the Round Table were always united in obeying Arthur’s orders.

“[Invoke the Holy Grail]”

“[Knights of the Round Table, Gawain/Lancelot/Tristan, hereby request the blessing of victory!]”

As the three shouted in unison, three dazzling lights erupted from their chests simultaneously, and an immense surge of magical energy exploded within their bodies!

It even triggered a raging gust of wind!

(This Mana intensity… though slightly lacking, it’s undoubtedly the Holy Grail.)

Raising his hand to shield against the fierce wind and dust storm, Naoki sensed the three waves of Mana and sighed slightly.

(That guy really is followed by an extraordinary group of knights… Using the Holy Grail so decisively for his sake. If this Mana is injected into their Spirit Origins, there’s no way it won’t cause issues.)

It’s not that using the Holy Grail inherently causes problems. Normally, the Holy Grail’s enhancement of a Servant is genuine and error-free. But if the Holy Grail is misused or overused, problems are bound to arise.

Judging by the Mana intensity he could sense now, the three had pushed their enhancement to the limit of what they could endure. It wouldn’t be an issue for a short time, but the problem was that Naoki wasn’t someone who could be defeated quickly—plus, he had no intention of holding back.

(It’ll have to be like this. Though it’s my first time, if I cause them internal injuries, I’m not responsible.)

*VROOM!*

The dust storm stopped at that moment.

Within the storm, as if they had undergone multiple Ascensions at once, the three Knights of the Round Table, their power enhanced to the limit by the Holy Grail, appeared before Naoki.

(This Mana intensity… If the three combined, they might be able to take down three or four Demon God Pillars. They’re really giving it their all.)

“Come on!”

Raising her blazing Holy Sword, Gawain led the charge.

But she couldn’t take a single step forward.

Chains.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of thick chains appeared in the previously empty space, instantly locking every inch of movement around the three! Then, they tightly bound their limbs and bodies, pulling them into a ‘大’ shape and suspending them in the air!

“This is a chain barrier with a fifty-meter radius.”

Standing outside the chains, Naoki said in a low voice, “Each chain weighs five hundred tons, and their weight increases with your own strength. They also block Mana flow—I don’t intend to trample on your resolve to stop me, but sorry, I don’t want that guy to have no knights to welcome him when he returns to normal.”

“So, my apologies, please hand over your Holy Grails.”

Approaching the three bound knights, under Gawain’s embarrassed and angry expression, Naoki plunged his hand into her chest!

“You—huh?”

Gawain, who was about to scold Naoki for his sudden and shameless action, was stunned the next moment—she felt no violation of her body, but she distinctly felt the Holy Grail within her being grasped.

Looking down, she saw a strange gate of light, composed of countless prism-shaped light fragments, at the point where Naoki’s hand met her chest.

“This is Displacement Magecraft.” Naoki explained. “Sorry, it’s the only way to take the Holy Grail without hurting you three. This is my first time, so it might cause some discomfort. Please bear with it, Sir Gawain.”

“Uh… ah… eh…”

As if something was forcibly pulled from her body, Gawain couldn’t help but groan. Soon after, the golden-glowing Holy Grail was extracted from her body by Naoki.

At the same time, the powerful Mana filling Gawain’s body receded like a tide. As the chains binding her vanished, she collapsed to the ground limply.

Storing the Holy Grail, Naoki turned to Lancelot and Tristan.

“Alright, now it’s your turn. Please bear with it.”

“Ugh—!”

“Ah—!”

As Naoki’s hands entered their chests, Lancelot and Tristan each let out an ambiguous groan.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Watching this scene from not far behind, Jeanne Alter suddenly felt Gray, within her body, displaying a mix of dissatisfaction and helplessness.

(What’s wrong with you, kid?)

[Nothing, just… I’m getting some weird deja vu… It feels like I’m back a few years ago when Big Sister and I were out solving problems.]

-

Title: The Holy Sword is a Bond, Strangling Generation After Generation

The extraction of the Holy Grails went smoothly.

Though it was Naoki’s first time using Displacement Magecraft for this, having seen Angelica use it multiple times, he managed to mimic it well. The Holy Grails held by the three knights now floated in his palm.

Meanwhile, in front of him, the three who had suddenly gained immense power and then had it abruptly taken away were left extremely weakened, unable to muster any strength. Bound by chains at their hands and feet, they hung in the air, their faces pale and gasping for breath.

Approaching Naoki’s side and seeing the three bound knights and the Holy Grails in his hand, Artoria said, “Master is as strong as ever, able to quickly defeat three Knights of the Round Table working together.”

“It’s just relying on the cheat-like nature of this ability. If we fought with actual swords, it wouldn’t be this easy.”

In the end, Imaginary Manifestation was just too overpowered.

“A win is a win, no matter how you do it.” Jeanne Alter said, glancing at the city wall not far ahead. “So, what’s left is opening the city gate, right?”

“Yeah, but before that, there are some things I want to know. After all, half the reason I came to the front gate was for this.”

If his goal was simply to enter the city and defeat Arthur, that would be easy. Naoki wouldn’t even need to enter the city; he could stand on a distant mountain and hurl hundreds or thousands of moons at the White Dragon Nation. Let’s see if the other side could withstand it. He could blast it thousands of meters underground.

But that way, he wouldn’t learn much. There were too many strange things in this Singularity. Naoki’s instincts told him that rushing to resolve everything without clarifying all his doubts could lead to a very serious situation in the end.

So—

“Can you three answer some questions for me? Sir Gawain, Sir Tristan, Sir Lancelot.” Naoki asked, looking at them. “Though we just fought, I don’t consider us enemies. For Arthur’s safety, can you tell me what you know?”

“What exactly are the dragon calamities, and what happened with that beam of light half a year ago… I hope you can tell me about these things.”

The cause of everything in this Singularity was undoubtedly that beam of light from half a year ago.

The three Knights of the Round Table fell silent for a moment. After exchanging glances, as if sharing their thoughts, Gawain sighed softly. “I understand. Since we’ve been so easily defeated by you twice and are now your captives, I won’t resist further. Moreover, you’re the successor acknowledged by His Majesty… We’ll place our trust in you this time.”

“As for the things you want to know, we’ll explain everything, but before that, could you release our bindings? This position is a bit… improper…”

As she said this, Gawain’s cheeks flushed slightly, and Tristan and Lancelot were in a similar state. Being bound hand and foot in a ‘大’ shape like this was, for women, truly pushing their limits.

In various senses.

“Yeah, I’ll release you. Sorry, at the time, I was only thinking of subduing you as quickly as possible, so I didn’t think much about how to bind you and just used the easiest method.”

Naoki said as he snapped his fingers. The chains binding Gawain and the others vanished instantly. The three fell to the ground, landing on their rears.

Rubbing her backside and standing up, Gawain stretched her hands and feet slightly. “Phew… Thank you for your understanding. Please, come this way. It’s not proper to talk here. Let’s go to my tent. We’ll explain everything you want to know one by one.”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Inside Gawain’s camp, not far from the city gate.

Removing her armor as if shedding a burden, Gawain sighed, turned, and sat on the edge of her bed. “So, what you want to know is about half a year ago?”

“Yeah… um… sort of…”

Naoki answered, his gaze wandering.

(Sir Gawain in the camp, I think I understand how you feel now. I really don’t know where to rest my eyes…)

Seeing Naoki’s wandering gaze, Tristan and Lancelot, accustomed to such situations, both chuckled. It seemed even the Holy Sword wielder was no different from ordinary people in this regard.

As for Jeanne Alter and Artoria, they froze as if turned to stone when Gawain removed her armor.

The overwhelming gap in stature threw their minds into disarray.

As for Gawain herself… she seemed oblivious to the awkward situation she caused and began explaining with utmost seriousness.

“Actually, the truth about half a year ago is quite simple. That beam of light was caused by our battle, the Knights of the Round Table, against an enemy within this Singularity trying to destroy the Human Order and alter history.”

“No, it’s not entirely accurate to say it was caused by our battle. It was triggered by the enemy, and we, along with this Singularity, were affected by that beam of light.”

The Knights of the Round Table, led by Arthur, fought an enemy within this Singularity, and as a result, the beam of light caused by that enemy led to the current state of the Singularity?

As Gawain said this, Naoki shifted his previously wandering gaze and looked at her directly, asking, “Who was the enemy you fought?”

“It was a calamity we once eradicated.”

After a brief pause, Gawain spoke with a heavy tone. “I’m sure you know as well, in the past, to bring peace to a war-torn Britain, His Majesty led us, the Knights of the Round Table, through countless battles.”

“And among those countless battles, only one nearly wiped out our forces. Countless comrades fell, and the knights who accompanied us were constantly defeated. In the end, only His Majesty and I reached the final enemy.”

Naoki might know who Gawain was referring to.

“—Vortigern.”

“Just like His Majesty, he represented the white dragon of the island of Britain. He was the demon who once tried to destroy Britain in the past.”

-

Title: The National Championship Begins

Given that this was a dual national competition, by nine in the morning, Kyoto University’s gymnasium was already bustling. The sound of chatter filled every corner.

Not to mention the participants, there were also plenty of young people who came to spectate, mostly students from nearby schools or universities. They stood on the second-floor platform, looking down at the competitors preparing to fight. They pointed and talked loudly.

Meanwhile, the participants didn’t have to jostle with the curious onlookers.

Guided by staff, they entered the gymnasium through a dedicated entrance.

Of course, only registered kendo club members were allowed in the first-floor competition area. The three girls had to head to the second floor to watch.

The massive gymnasium was divided into several zones. To save time, multiple matches would be held simultaneously. The format was a brutal single-elimination system.

Once a winner was determined, the loser was immediately eliminated. There were no rematches for redemption—so the defeated team would either head home or enjoy Kyoto until the championship ended, to make the trip worthwhile.

Amid the growing commotion, the venue was packed. Many people stood, leaning against the railings, waiting for the matches to begin.

There were also numerous cameras set up around the area, preparing for live broadcasts and interviews, which would be directly linked to TV stations, ensuring the national championship received the attention it deserved.

Yuu thought that at this moment, Sora was probably turning on the TV, munching on chips, and eagerly awaiting her brother’s gallant performance.

…Hopefully.

Sora had stayed up late gaming last night and wouldn’t wake up without him dragging her out of bed. Even if she missed the live broadcast, he’d set the video recorder to capture the match, so it wasn’t a big deal—that’s the kind of thing his otaku little sister would do.

While thinking about trivial matters, under the staff’s guidance, Yuu and the other kendo club members entered the rest area. After swiftly putting on their kendo gear, they lined up and entered the competition zone.

Sobu High’s match area was number 5. The space was well-prepared, the 9x9-meter square so clean it could reflect light.

After winning a match, they could return to the rest area to recover. Once winners from other areas were determined, they’d be drawn to compete in different zones.

Today, they’d fight up to the quarterfinals. Tomorrow was the semifinals. The day after, in the morning, they’d determine the champion alongside the fencing matches. After the award ceremony, they could return by bullet train—the reason they weren’t taking the bus back was because Yuu considered Yukino and the others. It was the result of his special negotiations with the coach.

Honestly, it wasn’t about the budget. For a trip that could be done in two hours, there was no need to spend eight hours practicing endurance.

“I’ve told you about our opponents this time. They’re the best in Hyogo Prefecture, Toyodai Himeji High School… They’re very strong. This first match will be tough. Don’t underestimate them.”

Amid the coach’s serious instructions, everyone looked toward the opposing team, also led by staff. Deep breaths sounded one after another. Then, except for Yuu, everyone nodded earnestly.

“Osu! We’ll give it our all!”

Not every team that made it to the nationals was the best in their prefecture. There were also many second-tier teams that capitalized on luck, letting stronger teams fight each other while they slowly climbed up.

But clearly, the team from Toyodai Himeji exuded a strong aura, their steps steady. They didn’t flinch under scrutiny. Their leader even raised his chin as if challenging them, his eyes brimming with confidence.

If they underestimated them, even though Sobu High was a top team in Chiba Prefecture, they could lose here.

More participants entered.

The atmosphere on the first floor was tense and serious. Meanwhile, the second-floor platform grew noisier. Many eyes scanned each area. Some focused on teams they supported, while others glanced left and right flirtatiously, laughing and discussing how shiny a participant’s bald head was or how bad their buzz-cut hairstyle looked.

As both sides removed their face guards and sat calmly on opposite sides of the area, waiting for the match to begin, the coach quietly approached Yuu and whispered:

“Tenkuji-kun, Himura-kun predicts the first four matches will end in a draw. We’ll have to rely on you to win in the end.”

Yuu raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Why? Does he have a power-level detector?”

“No…” The coach gave a wry smile. “Himura-kun said it’s a samurai’s intuition. Even though he hasn’t seen footage of the opponents, his insight and intuition are always spot-on. He’s almost never wrong.”

“I see.” Yuu looked past the coach at Himura, sitting with the vice-captain.

Himura smiled and nodded at him. His hopeful and enthusiastic gaze gave Yuu goosebumps. Yuu quickly turned back to the coach. “Got it. Leave it to me.”

The coach patted his shoulder, as if placing the responsibility on him. As he turned to leave, he muttered, “If Himura-kun could compete too, with two aces on our side, this national championship would be a breeze…”

Though a bit rude, Yuu couldn’t help but sigh. “These guys’ confidence is oddly high. Aren’t they afraid there’s a participant stronger than Captain Himura?”

All of Japan didn’t just have his kendo dojo. Weren’t there also schools like Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu, Keishicho-ryu, Yakumaru Jigen-ryu, and others?

This was a national championship. Who knew if an unknown high schooler might appear, crushing every match with their family’s inherited swordsmanship.

Maybe they’d been beaten too often in practice and genuinely thought no one was stronger than Himura?

So, for Yuu, who’d defeated him twice, they had unshakable confidence that they wouldn’t lose.

Looking at the competition area, Yuu slowly exhaled. His eyes gradually sharpened. His expression turned serious.

(Beyond a person, there’s another person; beyond the sky, there’s another sky. I can’t be too careless either… If I can lose to someone else, even with the system’s cheat, I might as well drop out of school and go back to the countryside to raise kids.)

His girlfriend was watching from above too. As a man, he had to show his best side.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Time passed slowly.

The head referee entered the arena. He raised his hand, signaling the match was about to start. Representatives from Sobu High and Toyodai Himeji also entered the competition area. They bowed to each other and crouched.

Their bamboo swords pointed directly at their opponents. The tips trembled slightly.

“Begin!”

As the flag was raised, both sides stood with their swords. As the tips swung, it marked the start of the national kendo championship.