Volume 8 Chapter 4 Part 1 (1/2)
The inheritance ceremony.
As the name suggests, this ceremony seeks to determine the person fit to inherit the relics pa.s.sed from generation to generation in Hinomoto.
This time, the relic to be inherited is the divine katana Black Moon, a national treasure of Hinomoto.
The challengers are the valiant warriors whose names are included in the Hinomoto Brave Ten.
Excluding the 1st seat and current owner of the katana, Kankurou, and those-such as Kuyou- who declined to partic.i.p.ate to give the opportunity to the new generations, the partic.i.p.ants are 6.
The 3rd seat, Saegusa Karin.
The 4th seat, Yaejima s.h.i.+den.
The 5th seat, Kujou Akitaka.
The 6th seat, Ichinose Juugo.
Lastly, the twin sibling swordsmen: the 7th seat s.h.i.+jou Tsugumasa and the 9th seat Tsuguho.
”The formal matches will start now. Show your prowess in battle and prove your worth as rightful successor of the divine katana!”
The partic.i.p.ants silently nodded to Kujou Tadahisa's words.
The first round was 3rd seat Saegusa Karin VS 9th seat s.h.i.+jou Tsuguho.
With black hair tied behind their head and a sharp piercing look, the two female warriors even shared a similar physique. Without a word, they headed to the center of the arena, then took their respective stances.
Both used the ”Seigan” stance, holding their swords at waist height, the blade pointed at the opponent's eyes.
Their aura, one with their weapon, exuded a certain refinement that would cause all spectators to feel chills down their spines.
”Fight!”
As the signal of the start of the battle was sounded, the two duelists' silhouettes blurred, the arcs drawn by their wooden blades in mid-air crossing each other.
Both contestants performed one single swing.
They now stood in the opponent's starting point, as if they had switched places, their backs facing each other.
A few seconds pa.s.s, then the wooden sword fell from Tsuguho's hand.
”Match finished! The winner is Saegusa Karin!”
The battle was decided in an instant.
Tsuguho's strike had barely sc.r.a.ped Karin's shoulder, while Karin's strike had cleanly hit Tsuguho's right arm.
3rd seat and 9th seat. They were respectively in the higher and lower positions in the hierarchy.
Even if they were both part of the Hinomoto Brave Ten, the difference in ability was evident.
”I could not reach you, after all.”
”You have improved again.”
Karin expressed praise for the dejected Tsuguho. The Tsuguho Karin knew wouldn't have been able to touch her shoulder.
”No, I still have much to learn. I will keep improving and temper myself again.”
Because of her youth and straightforward personality, Tsuguho showed both frustration and peace of mind at the result.
The two bowed to each other and left the arena.
The 2nd round was 5th seat Kujou Akitaka versus 7th seat s.h.i.+jou Tsugumasa.
They were both young, but in Tsugumasa's case it was more evident.
Compared to Akitaka's virile looks and well-built physique, Tsugumasa appeared very young and physically lacking.
Even without considering their difference in ability, Tsugumasa appeared childish before his opponent.
However, the two swordsmen were unconcerned about being young. Beyond the impression given by their appearances, the clas.h.i.+ng of their swords' auras was stinging the spectators' skin.
”The rumored genius swordsman, huh. This is our first bout face to face, isn't it?”
”I have often heard rumors about you too. I am eager to see how much my blade can match yours.”
After a brief exchange, they took their stances.
Akitaka used an upper stance, while Tsugumasa a lower one.
”-fight!!”
Just like the first round, their blades also pierced the air at the same time as the start signal. The difference was the loud clas.h.i.+ng sound produced by the wooden swords, which repeated 3 times.
Each fighter had drawn three arcs in mid-air. Akitaka and Tsugumasa's wooden swords were grinding against each other, sending wooden fragments dancing around.
”To be so skilled at such a young age. I'm looking forward to your future.”
”Well, thank you very much!”
In contrast to Akitaka's confident tone, Tsugumasa raised his voice loudly while charging at him again.
Akitaka parried each and every attack coming from Tsugumasa, attacks different than what was taught at the dojo.
Even though he was constantly attacking, Tsugumasa's expression gradually contorted. It was the result of both duelists understanding the extent of their respective abilities during the first exchange.
Tsugumasa's sword arm was fast, its patterns difficult to read. Despite being just over 16 years old, his sword arm was worthy of being called genius: Akitaka acknowledged it too.
However, it was not enough.
He might have been able to match an ordinary soldier or a swordsman with some skill, but to reach Akitaka, strictly trained as the Kujou family's first-born son, Tsugumasa needed experience in actual combat especially against opponents stronger than himself, which he severely lacked.
”Ssshh!!”
The connecting point between two slashes.
Akitaka did not miss the small gap in Tsugumasa's barrage created by his impatience.
Akitaka's wooden sword blew Tsugumasa's away. Tsugumasa's weapon spun in mid-air, then landed behind him.
”Match finished!! The winner is Kujou Akitaka!”
Kankurou announced the winner.
The two duelists a.s.sumed a proper stance and bowed silently.
”Good fighting style. Let us battle again one day.”
”Yes, absolutely.”
After nodding at each other, Akitaka and Tsugumasa left the field.
The 3rd round was the 4th seat, Yaejima s.h.i.+den, versus the 6th, Ichinose Juugo.
Different from Karin and Tsuguho or Akitaka and Tsugumasa, this time the spectators felt p.r.i.c.kled by the turbulent aura coming from the contestants.
While they both held wooden swords, the tension hanging in the atmosphere was as if they were using real swords.
”You're even more intense than usual.”
”I might be a servant of the Yaejima, but today I fight as a swordsman. I will not hold anything back!”
”That's all right. I too would hate to make people think that I didn't give it my all.”
As in response to the murderous intent emanated by Juugo's sword, the aura of s.h.i.+den's blade grew sharper and sharper as well.
Differently from the two previous duels, which contained a certain pure aura, the current contestants seemed to be partic.i.p.ating in a duel to the death.
They both took upper stances, sharing also the trait of holding the sword slightly bent to the right.
”-fight!!”
The signal of the start of the duel echoed throughout the surroundings.
The beginning of this match is very different from the two previous bouts.
There was no clash of swords, thought to start as soon as the signal was sounded: the two contestants did not move an inch. They both stared at each other, their bodies moving ever so slightly, searching for something in their opponent.
The Yaejima house, rulers of the west, and the Ichinose studied schools of swordplay which shared the same roots. Because of this, they could both predict what the opponent's moves would be.
The wooden sword's angle, leg motions, the position of the center of gravity, how to use s.p.a.ce in battleeverything.
They could predict the opponent's strike from looking at their movements, thus mentally preparing how to counter.
If the tip of Juugo's sword was slightly lowered, s.h.i.+den took half a step backwards.
If s.h.i.+den stepped in range, Juugo lowered his center of gravity.
Though it was not visible to the eye, the small, almost imperceptible movements comprised a formidable series of exchanges taking place between the two of them.
Those gathered for this ceremony were warriors capable of such feats.
”The contestants with the least difference in rank. Will sir Juugo match sir s.h.i.+den though I wonder?”
”Now, Tsugumasa. Don't speak out of line.”