Is It Too Harsh On Him [Seeking Readership]

In a remote, sparsely populated alley, two figures stood several meters apart under a black streetlamp. They each drew their bamboo swords and assumed a ready stance.

"Hajime!"

Junyi's low shout shattered the silence. He moved in an instant, his bamboo sword darting out like a viper. The attack was sharp and swift, accompanied by a whistling sound.

Snap!

The next moment, Junyi stared blankly at the bamboo sword lying on the ground.

When did that happen?

"Want to try again?"

"Again!" Junyi gritted his teeth, picking up his sword and gripping it tightly.

He had held back earlier, intending to test his opponent. If he had gone all out, he surely wouldn't have...

Snap!

The bamboo sword fell from his hand again.

After a few tumbles, it stopped right at Junyi's feet. He stared at it, bewildered for a long time, his knees gradually bending until he was kneeling on the ground, looking at his sword with a lost expression.

How... how is this possible?

At the Isshin Dojo, he was the strongest of the last two tournaments, practically holding the position of senior disciple. He even sometimes took on the role of assistant instructor, helping Koshiro teach the younger children.

If that weren't the case...

He wouldn't have been so confident, sailing out alone to Asagiri Island, aiming to win the Kendo Tournament and restore the Sakuraba family's prestige.

But...

The burly young man opposite him was clearly two years younger than him.

Yet, his mastery of swordsmanship had reached a level he couldn't fathom or grasp, like an insurmountable mountain.

One move. He only needed one move.

He was utterly defeated, not even having the chance to see the trajectory of the opponent's blade, let alone parry it.

At this moment.

He felt his confidence in swordsmanship shatter like broken glass, crumbling bit by bit.

On the other side.

Xianuo sheathed his bamboo sword, his gaze sweeping over Junyi, taking in his reaction.

Tsk, is this a bit too harsh?

However, telling him the truth now, that he didn't know any swordsmanship at all, would probably hurt even more.

It would be better to wait until after the tournament, and if there's an opportunity, explain it then.

"Let's go."

Xianuo gently patted Junyi's shoulder in consolation and then led the way towards the inn.

On the road.

Junyi remained lost in the shock, his head bowed dejectedly. Xianuo, meanwhile, focused his attention on the system panel he had just opened, a thoughtful expression on his face.

[Name: Xianuo (Siano)]
[Age: 13]
[Height: 176cm]
[Strength: 2.2]
[Agility: 2.0]
[Stamina: 2.1]
[Spirit: 1.4]

This was the first time he had checked his status panel since finishing his closed-door training that afternoon.

All his basic attributes had significantly increased compared to before his breakthrough.

"2.0 seems to be a crucial threshold. Those who can cross it are no longer comparable to ordinary people on this sea; they're like a different species."

Xianuo made this deduction.

Putting aside the biggest difference in Strength compared to Junyi, Just the speed of muscle response and the capture speed of his dynamic vision were already on completely different levels.

To him, all of Junyi's movements, from drawing his sword to thrusting it, appeared to be in slow motion.

Frame by frame, he could find the most opportune moment to pause, switch from defense to offense, and break his opponent's assault.

It was somewhat similar to the battle between Zoro and Mihawk at the Baratie restaurant in the manga.

Before Mihawk took out the Black Blade Night to show respect, his spar with Zoro using a small knife couldn't even be considered a duel between swordsmen.

In Zoro's eyes, Mihawk's swordsmanship was too superb; he could easily defeat him even with a small knife.

But in Mihawk's eyes, it was the same perspective as Xianuo defeating Junyi now—it had nothing to do with swordsmanship at all, but rather a higher-level being's overwhelming advantage against ordinary humans.

It didn't matter if the small knife was replaced with a toothpick or his own fingers.

When the gap is too large, brute force can overcome all techniques.

Xianuo closed the system panel and glanced at the thin teenager behind him, who looked as if he'd been passed by Perona's ghost. He mused inwardly.

"Although Junyi has been immersed in kendo since childhood and is a bit simple-minded, he's not someone who's clueless."

"When he said he was going to compete for the championship, it wasn't just talk; he genuinely has the confidence."

He himself could easily defeat the opponent with one sword due to the massive physical difference.

Therefore, the gap between him and the other contestants was likely just as immense.

The East Blue, after all, was the weakest sea.

There wasn't even a true swordsman among those remaining here.

No matter what dark horse emerged in this Kendo Tournament, he should be able to handle it easily without his clumsy swordsmanship being exposed.

It would only take one day to earn five million Belly for free and help Junyi in the process. It was a win-win situation no matter how you looked at it.

A day and two nights passed in the blink of an eye.

In a flash, it was the day of the competition.

At seven in the morning, Junyi finished getting dressed. As he walked out of his room, he found a figure already practicing in the empty courtyard below the inn.

"Three hundred, three hundred and one... Huh, you're awake."

Xianuo brought his legs together and landed with a snap, turning around to stand firmly. He picked up a towel to wipe his sweat and smiled, saying, "I've got my things ready too. Shall we go?"

"Yeah!" Junyi nodded vigorously.

From the night before last until now, his mindset had gradually recovered quite a bit.

Especially yesterday, when Xianuo went to the seaside to practice at the crack of dawn and didn't return until midnight, his diligence even made Junyi's eyes widen.

If the other party had lived his life like this since childhood and possessed swordsmanship talent, then being defeated in one move might not be so difficult to accept.

Junyi took a deep breath, his eyes shining as he looked at the faintly visible giant banner in the distance.

He couldn't compete with Mr. Xianuo for the championship, but today was a day he had longed for. He had his own battle to fight!

Asagiri Island was high in the north and low in the south. The Seven Great Dojos were all in the northern part of the city, arranged in a line descending with the terrain. At the convergence point was the spacious, crescent-shaped plaza in the city center.

At this moment, the plaza was already bustling with people, a lively scene.

Nearly a hundred temporary wooden stages were scattered about, the registration area was filled with long queues, and staff in dojo uniforms bustled about.

Giant banners hung from the four corners, ubiquitous pale pink decorations, and cherry blossoms falling with the wind created a strong festive atmosphere.

On the second floor of a nearby coffee shop, two cups of Cappuccino steamed on the table.

"Boss, that kid is here." On the right side of the round table, a tall swordsman wearing a White Fox mask looked at Junyi, who was walking into the plaza closely following Xianuo, and spoke in a low voice.

"Mm, I see."

The middle-aged man sitting opposite him was dressed luxuriously. He glanced over and then withdrew his gaze.

He tapped his index finger rhythmically on the table and said lightly, "That muscle man accompanying him doesn't look old. Have you found out his identity?"