Su Chen was dumbfounded.
Wasn't Aoi Kanzaki the referee? Why had you made the first move?!
Caught off guard, Su Chen's eyes widened. Thanks to the physical coordination he had learned yesterday, his body reacted before his brain did.
With astonishing flexibility, he actually twisted out of the way of the medicinal broth flying through the air!
"Amazing!" Kiyo watched from the side, her eyes wide.
"Amazing, amazing! That's our big brother Su Chen!" the other two little girls said admiringly.
Even Aoi Kanzaki looked surprised.
She hadn't expected Su Chen to react despite Kanao Tsuyuri getting a head start. His reflexes were already almost on par with Kanao's!
Sure enough, Lady Shinobu must have intended to train Su Chen as her Tsuguko. He was another downright freak of talent!
That was what Aoi Kanzaki thought.
While everyone was marveling, Kanao Tsuyuri's second round of attacks came!
Su Chen repeated the maneuver, but a little medicinal broth still soaked his collar.
Their contest heated up!
Their hands were already leaving afterimages, and the people beside them couldn't make out their movements at all.
Kanao Tsuyuri was fast. Although Su Chen had dodged her first attack, she still seized opportunities afterward to splash several cups of medicinal broth over him.
Everyone had thought Su Chen would lose then, but something unexpected happened.
A black auspicious-cloud pattern appeared on Su Chen's neck.
The next moment, Su Chen sped up too.
He soon caught up with Kanao Tsuyuri!
His speed was almost equal to Kanao Tsuyuri's!
[You observed Kanao Tsuyuri's attacking movements, gained an impression, and imitated them. Your speed increased.] [You observed Kanao Tsuyuri's cup-pressing movements, gained an insight, and imitated them. Your reflexes improved.] [Marveling at Kanao Tsuyuri's method of attack, you copied her movements through extensive repetition. You comprehended the quick-hand skill-Shadowless Hand.]
Afterimages of their arms crisscrossed over the table as they took turns pressing down the medicine cups, moving so fast it was dizzying.
"This... this is incredible!"
Aoi Kanzaki clenched her fists, her eyes fixed on their movements for fear of missing even a single instant.
To be honest, she could no longer keep track of the score.
Their exchanges were simply too fast. By the fifth cup, she could no longer follow them.
"Go, big brother Su Chen! Go, big sister Kanao Tsuyuri!"
At some point, Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho had brought out pom-poms and begun cheering them on.
Slap, slap, slap!
The sounds of cups colliding with the table rang out.
Su Chen once again pressed down a medicine cup Kanao Tsuyuri had lifted.
He had to admit that he was gradually getting used to Kanao Tsuyuri's movement patterns.
Kanao Tsuyuri would instinctively press down the medicine cup on the left first, then the one on the right.
When Su Chen pressed down both cups, Kanao Tsuyuri would lift the cup in the middle to attack.
So Su Chen had already figured out how to beat Kanao Tsuyuri!
Whoosh!
Kanao Tsuyuri attacked once again.
Only this time, her movements looked incredibly slow to Su Chen!
Almost instantly, Su Chen raised his left hand.
He moved before Kanao Tsuyuri did!
Slap!
Su Chen pressed down Kanao Tsuyuri's hand for the first time!
Slap!
Su Chen pressed down Kanao Tsuyuri's hand for the second time!
And just as Kanao Tsuyuri reached for the third medicine cup...
Su Chen suddenly burst into action!
His other clenched hand was like a beast that had long been lying in wait, suddenly baring its fangs at that moment.
Across from him, Kanao Tsuyuri was a step too slow. Her hand hadn't even touched the medicine cup!
Kanao Tsuyuri's chest was wide open!
This would work!
Delight crossed Su Chen's face as he activated his skill-Shadowless Hand!
He picked up a medicine cup with lightning speed!
In Kanao Tsuyuri's eyes, Su Chen's hand suddenly seemed to turn into three hands of varying shades.
The next moment, it was right in front of her!
Su Chen did not splash the medicinal broth in his hand at Kanao Tsuyuri.
That movement alone was enough. There was no need to throw it.
Su Chen had won this battle!
But then something unexpected happened.
Su Chen had moved so fast that, although Kanao Tsuyuri's eyes told her she had lost, her body hadn't caught up.
The instant Su Chen reached out, she still splashed her medicinal broth!
Splash!
The warm, slightly hot medicinal broth splashed straight onto Su Chen's face.
Kanao Tsuyuri's small mouth moved, and for the first time, her expression changed.
He instinctively wanted to apologize, but couldn't get the words out.
Just as she was struggling with herself, Su Chen stopped her in time.
"I'm fine." Su Chen wiped his face and looked at Aoi Kanzaki, who was still standing there in a daze. "I won this match, right?"
"Oh... huh?" Aoi Kanzaki froze, still not having recovered from the match.
It was over already?
Hadn't she just seen Su Chen get splashed in the face?
Aoi Kanzaki glanced at Kanao Tsuyuri.
But Kanao Tsuyuri obediently nodded.
Now it was Aoi Kanzaki's turn to be shocked!
Su Chen had actually beaten Lady Shinobu's Tsuguko in reflexes!
Even as Aoi Kanzaki announced Su Chen's victory, her mind still hadn't quite processed that fact.
The three little girls hurried over.
"Big brother Su Chen, you're amazing!"
"You actually beat Miss Kanao Tsuyuri! She's Lady Shinobu's Tsuguko!"
"Are you Lady Shinobu's Tsuguko too, big brother Su Chen?"
The three girls chattered away, asking question after question.
Even Kanao Tsuyuri, opposite him, kept blinking as she stared straight at Su Chen.
Her large eyes were full of questions.
Su Chen reached out, unable to resist ruffling the three little girls' hair.
"I'm not Shinobu's Tsuguko. I'm just staying here for a while."
"Oh..." At that, the three little girls immediately looked disappointed.
They had seen Lady Shinobu bring Su Chen here personally and had thought he would stay for good.
In this short time, the three little girls had already grown fond of Su Chen.
Now that they knew Su Chen would still leave someday, each of them looked reluctant to part with him.
Su Chen affectionately pinched their little cheeks and said with a smile, "Why so disappointed? It's not like I'm leaving right now."
The three little girls said nothing. It seemed they wouldn't be able to digest the news anytime soon.
Su Chen raised his hand, feeling out the skill he had just obtained.
Shadowless Hand.
He had used that very move to defeat Kanao Tsuyuri just now.
He had to admit that even he had been somewhat amazed by that speed. It was simply too fast!
What would happen if he paired this skill with a Nichirin Blade?
Before Su Chen could finish considering it, Aoi Kanzaki's voice interrupted him.
"Mr. Su Chen, you've passed the second stage. Let's begin the third!"
Aoi Kanzaki stood in the middle of the room.
She was just about to explain the rules when Kanao Tsuyuri suddenly got up and left.
She said nothing and didn't even leave them a facial expression.
Soon, a figure was practicing swordsmanship vigorously in the courtyard.
Everyone was dumbfounded. Only Su Chen raised his eyebrows, understanding what Kanao Tsuyuri meant.
Aoi Kanzaki said a little apologetically, "Sorry, Mr. Su Chen. I'll go get Kanao Tsuyuri right away."
"It's fine. I'll go take a look."
Su Chen waved a hand, indicating that it was all right.
Then he grabbed a wooden sword from inside the room and walked straight toward Kanao Tsuyuri as she practiced.
Before you continue