Chapter 149 I Shall Be the Referee

“How can you call it invalid? Aoki’s posture, spirit, breathing, striking point and force—even his final zanshin—were all flawless. Your competitor, Saeki, didn’t put enough force into his strike, and after being hit, he even forgot to maintain his zanshin. How can you declare the point invalid as a draw?” the judge from Muyang High School argued indignantly.

Kawamura Jo wore a dark expression as he explained, “But the two of them clearly struck their opponents at exactly the same time. Without high-definition cameras, it’s difficult to determine who landed the first hit. Besides, although the red side struck his opponent, he made no defensive move against the white side’s earlier attack. An attack in which both sides take each other out should naturally be ruled invalid.”

“If the white side hadn’t been dazed by the final blow and failed to maintain his zanshin, I would have wanted to award the point to him.”

Everything Kawamura Jo said seemed perfectly reasonable. When he finished, he even gave a mocking smile.

“I suggest you watch a few more kendo matches.”

“You!” The judge from Muyang High School immediately flew into a rage. “As a judge, I question whether you still possess the integrity required to make a fair ruling.”

Kawamura Jo merely tilted his head, unconcerned. “Even if you brought in a professional judge, most would still rule this exchange a draw.”

“Don’t push it!” The judge from Muyang High School pointed furiously at his face. “Our previous rulings weren’t nearly as biased as yours.”

“That’s because there wasn’t a shred of suspense in the previous matches, wasn’t there?” Kawamura Jo sneered. “I don’t know where you found such a skilled fighter, but at Muyang High School, only he and Saeko Busujima are any good.”

The spectators began arguing noisily as well.

“That judge really has no shame!”

“I think he has a point.”

“What point? Aoki Tsukasa clearly won! He just can’t accept losing!”

Listening to the comments, even Kokomi Teruhashi, who had been standing with her hands clasped before her, couldn’t help murmuring, “That judge is awful.”

Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and her eyes seemed hazy. As she gazed at the sturdy body beneath Aoki Tsukasa’s protective armor and the powerful forearm barely visible beneath his sleeve, she felt her heart pounding faster and faster.

Quite a few people around them let out startled cries when they saw her expression, only to fall into dejection afterward. How could such an extraordinary goddess possibly favor someone like Aoki Tsukasa—a... brute like him?

They had wanted to use even harsher words to describe Aoki Tsukasa, but seeing him standing there with his bamboo sword, radiating such imposing power, they felt ashamed of themselves and did not dare say them aloud.

The voices outside the court grew louder and louder until the entire kendo hall was engulfed in an uproar. Kawamura Jo, however, stubbornly held to his ruling, insisting that neither side had earned a point in that exchange.

“Enough!”

Aoki Tsukasa’s roar came from beneath his mask, and the entire hall fell silent.

He moved his bamboo sword once, then pointed it at Saeki, his expression focused.

“Continue!”

Kawamura Jo unconsciously tugged at the corner of his mouth, a trace of apprehension flashing through his eyes. He had indeed been quibbling, but not because he truly cared about that point. He had done it to disrupt Aoki Tsukasa’s state of mind.

Unfortunately, the man was calm.

Kawamura Jo narrowed his eyes.

“How about this? I’ll take one of the judging positions myself.”

Suddenly, a cool female voice came from the edge of the court.

Kawamura Jo’s heart began beating faster before he could stop it. He turned around, his eyes flustered.

“Saeko Busujima?”

Busujima Saeko parted the crowd and walked toward Kawamura Jo. She wore a pure black kendo uniform, a bamboo sword hanging at her waist, and her expression was serene. The black uniform fit her perfectly. Beneath its skirt, white socks disappeared into wooden sandals that clicked softly against the floor.

Her tall, slender figure seemed made to wear clothes. She was statuesque and beautifully curvaceous, with an aloof yet mature air.

Her right hand, resting on the sword hilt, was still wrapped in bandages. Her violet hair was slightly disheveled, and a trace of sweat slid from the corner of her brow down her fair cheek. She appeared to have hurried here.

Yet her eyes beneath that violet hair remained as tranquil as still water, and her breathing was perfectly steady. She even had enough composure to nod to the members of the kendo club around her. Her presence was overwhelming.

“Senior Saeko?” Aoki Tsukasa removed his mask, surprise showing on his face. “What brings you here?”

Busujima Saeko smiled warmly at him. “I heard someone had come to visit the kendo club. As its host, I ought to come and meet them.”

Kawamura Jo said nothing, his expression awkward. But when he noticed the bandages around Busujima Saeko’s right hand, a glimmer of delight appeared in his eyes.

“Really?” Aoki Tsukasa smiled back at her and waved his bamboo sword. “I was thinking of sending you a message once this was over.”

“Wouldn’t seeing Tsukasa’s heroic performance with my own eyes be far better than hearing about it secondhand?”

Busujima Saeko and Aoki Tsukasa began chatting as though no one else were there. Nearby, Kokomi Teruhashi secretly clenched her fists.

Damn it. When had they become so close?

Hearing Aoki Tsukasa and Busujima Saeko address each other as Tsukasa and Senior Saeko, Kokomi Teruhashi felt as though flames were about to shoot from her eyes.

How much effort had I put into getting Tsukasa to call me by my first name? When did this woman...

Busujima Saeko seemed to sense something. She suddenly turned around and saw Kokomi Teruhashi staring fixedly at her from the edge of the court. She paused for a moment, then smiled gently and gave her a polite nod.

Only then did Kokomi Teruhashi realize that she had been far too obvious. She hurriedly gave Busujima Saeko an extraordinarily bright, sunny smile and returned the nod. As someone whose goal was to become the ultimate perfect beautiful girl, she absolutely refused to lose to anyone when it came to etiquette.

This girl’s name is Kokomi Teruhashi, isn’t it?

Busujima Saeko thoughtfully turned her head and glanced at Aoki Tsukasa, the corners of her lips lifting meaningfully.

It seems Tsukasa is even more popular than I imagined. This girl is considerably more popular at school than I am.

Kokomi Teruhashi watched Busujima Saeko turn away. Only then did the smile on her face gradually fade, while the flames in her eyes burned ever more fiercely.

Busujima Saeko gave the matter no further thought. She turned toward Kawamura Jo.

“What do you say? Would you agree to letting me take one of the judging positions?”

“Of course.” Kawamura Jo forced a smile. “Your skill is extraordinary, Miss Busujima. Having you serve as a judge would certainly make things fairer.”

Busujima Saeko smiled faintly. “Good. Then let’s continue the match.”

As for whether Busujima Saeko felt anger toward these people who had come to take advantage of her absence, the answer was obviously yes. Having a good temper did not mean she had no temper at all. She had invited these people to a practice match several times, yet they had always refused. Now they had chosen to challenge the club while she was away, even making such a grand spectacle of it that everyone knew. How could she not understand what they were after?

But now that Aoki Tsukasa had stepped forward on her behalf, she no longer felt irritated in the slightest.

Instead, seeing him raise his bamboo sword once more and stand on the court, Busujima Saeko felt a warm sense of being valued. Aoki Tsukasa had already stopped coming to the kendo club for training. The fact that he had chosen to stand up for the club must surely have something to do with her.

Whether it was friendship or some other emotion, being valued and cared for like this...

It felt wonderful.

Busujima Saeko glanced at Aoki Tsukasa, who was smiling at her from the court, then accepted the two small flags and stood seriously at the edge of the match area.

“Then let’s continue.”

“Very well!”

Kawamura Jo drew a deep breath. Looking at Saeki, who seemed to have recovered somewhat, he sharpened his gaze.

Busujima Saeko’s arrival had completely destroyed the atmosphere I worked so hard to create. From here on, you’re on your own, Saeki.

* * *

Author’s Note:

The author was strolling through his author group, looking at the cheerful, prosperous scene before him, when a smile unconsciously appeared at the corners of his mouth.

“Has everyone cast their votes?”

“Village Chief, look!” A pretty young woman waved at the village chief with a smile. “Village Chief, are you planning to add another chapter today in exchange for votes, or would you like me to...”

“Where are the blades in your hand?”

Seeing the blades in his readers’ hands, the author’s smile gradually stiffened.

“T-These votes...”

“Can I just wait until the book goes on sale?”

The author died, leaving behind a final message: beginning tomorrow, there would be three updates a day until the book went on sale.