The same stance, the same angle of the sword, even the same degree of exertion in every muscle.
Kanao Tsuyuri's movements were perfectly replicated by Su Chen!
"Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility!"
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
Nine slashes every bit as powerful as Kanao Tsuyuri's burst from Su Chen's Wooden Katana!
Their sword techniques collided, instantly kicking up a cloud of dust.
Kanao Tsuyuri landed on the ground, unable to see Su Chen at all through the dust.
Just then, a Wooden Katana suddenly thrust out from beside her.
Kanao Tsuyuri reflexively blocked the strike with her Wooden Katana!
With a clang, the impact sent numbness straight through Su Chen's arm.
Both their Wooden Katanas flew out of their hands.
At the same time, Su Chen shot out his left hand like lightning.
Shadowless Hand activated!
A hand thrust forward so quickly it left an afterimage, reaching Kanao Tsuyuri's chin directly.
The girl's pupils instantly widened, as though she had yet to react.
"Thank you for the match."
Only when Su Chen's voice reached her ear did Kanao Tsuyuri snap out of her daze.
I lost!
And I lost in reaction speed, at that!
"Oh my gosh! Kanao Tsuyuri actually lost?!" Aoi Kanzaki's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.
The three little girls rushed straight over to Su Chen.
"Kanao Tsuyuri even used a Breathing Style just now, and she still couldn't beat you, Su Chen!"
"Are you really not Lady Shinobu's Tsuguko, Su Chen?"
"Wow! You're really amazing, Su Chen!"
Su Chen patted the girls' heads again, then looked up at Kanao Tsuyuri. "Can you tell me why you wanted to leave just now?"
Su Chen's voice was very calm; he did not deliberately raise it.
Otherwise, he would put psychological pressure on her.
Kiyo, Sumi, and Xiao Caihui's eyes sparkled with admiration. Su Chen really was so gentle!
He always considered other people's feelings.
Kanao Tsuyuri froze at his words.
She had never expected that this was the only reason Su Chen had practiced with her.
Kanao Tsuyuri habitually took out her coin again, but this time, Su Chen stopped her.
In the sunlight, Su Chen gave a smile as gentle as a spring breeze. "Actually, I'd still really like to hear the voice in your heart, Kanao Tsuyuri."
"The voice... in my heart?" Kanao Tsuyuri froze.
Without realizing it, she had already spoken.
Su Chen continued, "Yes. I used to have a friend who often flipped a coin to make decisions for herself, but it didn't turn out very well."
Kanao Tsuyuri blinked, seemingly eager for Su Chen to continue.
Instead, Su Chen spread his hands. "Her friend ended up falling in love with her coin and finally stole all her money!"
"Pfft!" Up in the loft, Aoi Kanzaki could not hold back a laugh.
Seeing everyone looking at her, she said awkwardly, "Ahem, I think I forgot to hang up the laundry. I'll be going."
Kanao Tsuyuri, however, was thoroughly puzzled. She clearly had not understood Su Chen's corny joke.
But she knew that Su Chen seemed to want to hear her speak.
What should I say?
Kanao Tsuyuri fidgeted where she stood, her little face flushed bright red with nervousness.
"I don't know how to talk..." After a long while, those words escaped her lips in a voice softer than a mosquito's buzz.
Having said that, Kanao Tsuyuri quickly lowered her little head.
It was as though that sentence had used up all her courage.
Su Chen smiled, picked up the Wooden Katana from the ground, and held it in his hand.
"Let's play a game!" he said.
At that, Kanao Tsuyuri raised her head to look at Su Chen.
"Slash at me one more time. If I block it, you'll listen to your heart and say something to me. If I don't, just pretend I never said anything."
Kanao Tsuyuri's eyes flickered, as though she were thinking.
She recalled the strength Su Chen had just displayed, then gave a small nod.
She turned to fetch her Wooden Katana.
But Su Chen called her back.
Kanao Tsuyuri turned around, and a Nichirin Blade with a flower-shaped guard was held out before her.
Su Chen's voice rang out again. "Use this."
Kanao Tsuyuri froze again.
Isn't this my Nichirin Blade?
Does Su Chen want me to fight him with my Nichirin Blade?
To be honest, Kanao Tsuyuri was a little bewildered.
She was also worried that she might accidentally slash Su Chen to death.
Su Chen smiled. "It's fine. If I can't block it, I'll dodge. I'm faster than you, after all, aren't I?"
Kanao Tsuyuri thought for a while longer, but she was not good at thinking too much in the first place.
After a moment's thought, she suddenly swung the blade down!
At that moment, the world seemed to slow in Su Chen's eyes.
This was already his third exchange with Kanao Tsuyuri, and Su Chen had improved significantly every time he fought her.
Through their previous two clashes of technique, Su Chen had already grown considerably stronger.
And he noticed that Kanao Tsuyuri's movements were getting slower with each exchange.
No!
Kanao Tsuyuri wasn't getting slower. I was getting faster.
In Su Chen's eyes, Kanao Tsuyuri's movements had slowed from the extreme speed they had possessed at the beginning.
He could even see the path of the white haori fluttering along the girl's arm.
Indeed, Su Chen had once again analyzed the trajectory of Kanao Tsuyuri's attack, even faster than before!
The next instant, Su Chen moved.
His Wooden Katana swept up horizontally to block as the muscles in his right arm exerted force!
But because the blade was made of wood, Kanao Tsuyuri's Nichirin Blade quickly cut through it!
Yet in the next instant, Su Chen extended his right hand.
Shadowless Hand!
The momentum of Kanao Tsuyuri's swing ran out at that very same moment.
His index and middle fingers shot out like lightning, and the coldly gleaming blade came to rest firmly between Su Chen's fingertips!
Su Chen had caught the strike with his bare hand!
Shing!
The blade flashed, its polished surface reflecting Su Chen's smiling face.
From start to finish, Su Chen's movements flowed like water, without the slightest pause.
It was as though Kanao Tsuyuri had been cooperating with Su Chen in a rehearsal; a single exchange had somehow turned into an exhibition match!
The visual impact of that scene was simply overwhelming.
Their surroundings even fell briefly silent.
Everyone's mouths hung open.
When the three little girls had seen Su Chen's Wooden Katana break, they had been scared out of their wits.
Aoi Kanzaki had also looked panicked.
But then, what had they seen?
Su Chen had actually caught Kanao Tsuyuri's Nichirin Blade between his fingers with his bare hand!
Kanao Tsuyuri stared blankly at it all, unable to understand how Su Chen could pinch her Nichirin Blade between his bare fingers.
The sight shattered the understanding she had built in her mind.
Su Chen smiled and said, "See? My hand did what the Wooden Katana couldn't. What does that tell us?"
Kanao Tsuyuri remained silent in a daze.
Su Chen smiled. "It tells us that a Wooden Katana is ultimately just an external object. Just like the Nichirin Blade in your own hand, it only has such great power because of you. But aren't we ourselves a treasure trove?"
"Kanao Tsuyuri, I won. According to our agreement, you should say something to me."
"Remember to listen to the voice in your own heart!"
Su Chen spoke gently, and the words reaching the girl's ears instantly brought a flush to her face.
"I..." Kanao Tsuyuri's lips moved, her heart deeply conflicted.
Su Chen continued to encourage her. "It's okay. You don't have to think so much."
Sunlight fell across Su Chen's face, making his features look especially warm.
"After all, you're very cute, Kanao Tsuyuri."
Thump... thump... thump...
Something seemed to begin beating in Kanao Tsuyuri's heart, for the first time in many years.
It was like when her parents had abused her as a child, like the sound of the cord in her heart snapping.
Yet it was different.
That cord holding her emotions had been reconnected by a boy.
Before you continue