Chen Yu and Kohaku's Match

Is that so?

Kohaku lowered her guard at that thought. "Kinro, Ginro, keep an eye on this one." She signaled for them to leave Chen Yu alone and watch Gen instead.

Ginro obeyed Kohaku and went to keep watch on Gen, but Kinro remained wary. His instincts told him that Chen Yu was incredibly powerful. Still, both Kohaku and Senku, a friendly man who posed no danger, considered him a good person. He would just have to stay on his guard.

With that in mind, Kinro glanced at Chen Yu before turning his attention to Gen, though he still looked back at Chen Yu from time to time.

Seeing this, Chen Yu shook his head helplessly. Kinro's peculiar instincts really were impressive.

After all, he had sensed that Ginro was in danger the moment he revived. Perhaps that was the bond between brothers.

"Hey, come on. You can't treat me like this, can you?" Gen said with a bewildered smile.

"But could you put down your weapons? My hands are shaking!" Gen said, trembling.

Ginro noticed and looked at the ramen in Gen's hands. Unable to bear the thought of it going to waste, he hurried over with a grin. "I-I-I'll hold that for you."

Watching Gen seize on Ginro's weakness with a single remark, Kohaku marveled at how formidable he was.

"All right, Senku, have you made what I asked for?" Chen Yu interrupted their thoughts and looked at Senku.

"What you asked for? Come on, that stuff isn't easy to make. I've spent the past few days making medicine and working on iron. I'm exhausted. When would I have time to make your stuff? Still, if you don't need much tensile strength, this thread should work." Senku took out the unwanted thread he had asked Kohaku to fetch from the village a few days earlier and handed it to Chen Yu.

Chen Yu examined the thread, wound it around the simple tool he had made earlier, and tested it. "It'll just about do, but I'd still like stronger thread as soon as possible."

With that, Chen Yu flicked his right hand. The end of the thread shot toward Senku's wrist, and he gave it a tug.

Kohaku, Kinro, and Ginro were startled by Chen Yu's move.

None of them had expected such light, flimsy thread to move so fast.

Even Gen was astonished.

"Hey, hey, hey! Do you distrust me that much?" Senku asked, looking at Chen Yu speechlessly.

"Who knows? Someone takes science much more seriously than I do, after all. I'd better give you a thorough checkup... Hmm, there's some strain on your lungs and muscles. It isn't much, but in your case, it makes you even weaker," Chen Yu said as he felt Senku's pulse.

"Wh-what? What is this...?" Gen leaned closer, studying the thread around Senku's wrist.

"Suspended Thread Pulse Diagnosis. It's a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique," Chen Yu explained.

"Suspended Thread Pulse Diagnosis?" Kohaku, Kinro, and Ginro were all curious about the unfamiliar term.

"You attach a thread to the patient's wrist and use it to gather information about their condition. It's a very difficult technique to learn. An ordinary person would need decades." Slowly winding the thread back in, Chen Yu looked at Senku. "I need my specialized tools. Only then can I really be myself."

Senku was speechless. "How could I possibly make those things right now? We don't even have iron, let alone the means to make instruments that precise!"

"Then what am I supposed to do? Without this technique, my combat ability takes a serious hit. Still, throwing knives on chains would work too, if you can make them. I wouldn't even be interested if they didn't handle so similarly to this," Chen Yu said casually.

"Chen Yu, are you a fighter too?" Kohaku asked, picking up on the mention of knives.

"No, I'm a medic. I handle support," Chen Yu denied, waving a hand.

"Oh, I see." Kohaku deflated. She had thought Chen Yu was a fighter, but then why did he feel so dangerous?

"Still, I practice some martial arts in my spare time. I suppose I can fight a little," Chen Yu added after a moment's thought.

"Really? Then could we have a match?" Kohaku asked excitedly.

"Sure." Chen Yu agreed.

Watching it all from the sidelines, Gen was utterly speechless. What did we come down here for again?

They set up a fighting area, with the group gathering at the entrance to Ishigami Village and leaving a wide, open space for the two of them.

Interested villagers came to watch. Kohaku was the strongest person in their village, and they had complete confidence in her.

Senku, however, felt mentally exhausted as he watched the pair.

"Senku, what's wrong?" Gen asked, noticing something off about his expression.

"Kohaku's probably going to lose," Senku said.

"Why? Isn't Chen Yu a medic? No matter how you look at it, he doesn't stand a chance against that girl." Gen was puzzled. Chen Yu seemed like an ordinary teenage boy to him, and with his medical background, he didn't seem to have much offensive power.

"Just watch." Senku gave a mysterious smile.

At that, Gen turned to watch them with interest.

In the fighting area, Chen Yu stretched. "It's been a long time since I fought. After being petrified for thirty-seven hundred years, it's about time I got some exercise."

Seeing that Chen Yu was ready, Kohaku charged straight at him with her wooden sword.

Her speed startled Gen so badly that his face turned into a reaction meme.

Gen: "━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━"

He was suddenly very grateful. It really was wonderful to be alive.

Just as the wooden sword was about to reach him, Chen Yu pulled a wooden-framed fan from his sleeve. It was made with animal hide, and thanks to Yuzuriha's skillful handiwork, it took up little space when folded.

Chen Yu lightly blocked the blow with the fan.

The sight stunned everyone watching.

Besides the villagers, Gen was stunned too. He stared at Chen Yu, who had blocked Kohaku's attack.

Xiao Yu was this strong?

Kohaku stared in surprise as her attack was blocked. With the momentum of her strike gone, she could no longer remain airborne. She tried to retreat and find another opening, but Chen Yu reached out, caught her ankle, and pulled her straight behind him.

Kohaku hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Chen Yu opened his wooden fan, covered his nose and mouth, and closed his eyes.

So cool.

Seeing this, Senku inwardly grumbled that he was showing off.

He's so strong.

That was what Kinro and Ginro were thinking.

The onlookers recognized it too, and their interest surged.

After all, they had already met someone with cracks like Senku's. From the earlier commotion, they knew this was Senku's friend, and since Senku wasn't an enemy either, they decided to enjoy the match.

One of Ishigami Village's Three Sisters watched Chen Yu with sparkling eyes.

After all, someone both handsome and this powerful was a rare sight.

Kohaku rose and looked at Chen Yu gravely.

She had barely managed to react to that last move.

This man really was strong.

The two resumed their bout.

Throughout it, Chen Yu dissipated her force and turned it back against her, never initiating an attack himself.

Kohaku's attacks grew fiercer and fiercer, but often, she felt as though she had hit nothing at all before being thrown away instead.

Watching Chen Yu's footwork and movements, Kinro murmured, "What's going on? Kohaku can't hit him at all. Even when she lands a hit, it's like she hasn't."

"That? He called it Tai Chi," Senku said after a moment's thought.

"Tai Chi?" Kinro murmured to himself.

Gen, too, watched Chen Yu's movements with great interest.

Chen Yu, Chen Yu, you've given me quite a surprise.

Finally, Kohaku could hold out no longer and collapsed.

Lying on the ground, she admitted defeat.

Everyone from Ishigami Village stared in disbelief at her surrender.

After all, Kohaku was their strongest fighter. If even she admitted defeat, just how strong was Chen Yu?

Chen Yu walked over to Kohaku and offered his hand, pulling her to her feet.

"After strenuous exercise and an adrenaline rush, it's best to walk around a little to ease yourself out of it," Chen Yu explained.

"Adrenaline?" Kohaku repeated the unfamiliar word.

"It's a substance that makes your body more powerful. It lets you temporarily ignore pain while also increasing your attacking power," Chen Yu explained.

(That's all I know about it. Anything beyond that is beyond me.)

"Oh, so that's it? When I fought people as a child, I'd somehow find the strength to chase them off. The same thing happened when I hunted later," Kohaku said, recalling her past experiences.

"All right, that's settled. Now, how about telling us why you came here?" Senku interrupted them.

(Trying hard to reach twenty-five hundred words. I'm resting at home today to let my bone heal. It should have healed after two months, but it started hurting again today. I'm doing my best to update. A lot of this chapter doesn't connect smoothly; I'll revise it later if I get the chance.)