"Don’t worry."

The referee blew the whistle, and Uesugi Sakura stood up from the waiting area. At the same time, Naito Genichiro, who was sitting cross-legged opposite, also stood up.

This match is the final General match of the semi-finals and also the most entertaining match of the semi-finals.

————————

Audience stands.

"Why did Dad come today?"

"I took a break and took the chance to come watch," Hanamaru Hiroki answered Hanamaru Hanabi, "After all, he is my prospective son-in-law."

Hanamaru Hiroki looked at his daughter, somewhat puzzled about how she could like that boy so much.

His daughter was about to get married, and he felt nothing but heartache.

Wasn’t this something that had been decided a long time ago?

But when he thought about the day his daughter gets married... he still felt a bit sad.

"Dad... what are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about the days after you were just born," Hanamaru Hiroki thought for a moment and sighed, "Hanabi, I’ll tell him later to treat you well. He shouldn’t let you do all the housework and cooking; he should help out more with these things."

"But... Dad, you’ve said those things to Sakura many times already..."

"Does he ever bully you? Does he suddenly become irritable and get impatient with you? If so, you must tell me."

Am I being bullied...?

Hanamaru Hanabi thought about how Uesugi Sakura would always insist on a good morning kiss every day, and her actions became a bit hurried.

"No, no..."

"That’s good, that’s good."

Hanamaru Hiroki repeated the words as if he didn’t notice Hanamaru Hanabi’s unusual demeanor.

After a moment of silence, Hanamaru Hiroki asked again:

"Have you decided where the wedding will be held? Is it the previously arranged Meiji Shrine? Or somewhere else?"

"Dad... aren’t we watching Sakura’s match right now...? Why ask this now..."

"It’s because I care."

Talking about the wedding topic made Hanamaru Hanabi a bit uneasy, her gaze falling on her hands on her skirt:

"Still... haven’t decided yet..."

"Your mom should be preparing these things. Dad has been busy with work and hasn’t had time to look after you much."

"It’s okay... Hanabi is almost starting her own family..."

Starting her own family...

This reminded Hanamaru Hiroki of the time when little Hanabi was hanging on his back laughing.

In the blink of an eye, the little girl was about to start her own family...

Starting a family...

The words ’starting a family’ were like a spiritual blow.

Time continued to pass, and his work got busier.

The daughter who used to run out to greet him with "Dad, Dad!" whenever he came home was going to another home.

Hanamaru Hiroki turned back to watch the match, but he couldn’t focus on analyzing the match situation anymore. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

His mind was filled with images of Hanamaru Hanabi from kindergarten to elementary school, and then to middle and high school...

But as he recalled, he couldn’t help but notice that in these images, there was always the shadow of Uesugi Sakura.

Going to school, coming from school...

His daughter was like a little follower, always behind him.

Yet that boy had always been very mature.

It made young Hanamaru Hanabi like him more and more.

As Hanamaru Hiroki pondered over this, he thought, good boy, so you had ulterior motives from the beginning, set on my daughter from a young age!

But... it’s too late to be angry... it’s fine this way now...

His daughter has loved him all her life.

Now, because of his love for his daughter, he too cannot escape.

It’s a happy ending...

Suddenly, applause erupted from the audience, signaling that the battle had reached a conclusion.

Hanamaru Hiroki’s attention was drawn back to the rectangular competition area surrounded by three referees.

The referee raised the white flag.

"Did Naito score the first point?" he murmured.

Currently, both sides had the same number of victories, each winning two matches.

However, the number of points (scores) differed.

The semi-final was a five-point match.

In a five-point match, the first player to achieve three points wins the match directly.

If only one player scores a point and the match time ends, that player wins;

If the scores are the same or no points are scored during the regular time, an extra match is held, and the first to score wins;

If no points are scored in the extra match, the winner is decided by referee judgment or drawing lots.

2 0 2

3 1 1

After four matches.

The Katori Shinto Style had a total of 7 points.

Uesugi Sakura’s side had only 4 points.

This means that if Uesugi Sakura can win directly in this fifth round, they can advance to the finals from the semi-finals. If there is a draw, with the same number of victories but fewer points, it will lead to the same outcome as losing elimination.

They just lost another point.

The opponent now has eight points.

Uesugi Sakura acknowledged that the Katori Shinto Style Vice Master on the opposite side was exceptionally challenging.

His techniques were mature, and he defended well against Sakura’s probing and sword movements, maintaining a solid middle stance.

The middle stance allowed him to defend against attacks from almost any angle. After five minutes of stalemate, he instead found Sakura’s flaws.

"Katori Shinto Style..."

Uesugi Sakura muttered the name, realizing that Naito Genichiro was not much weaker than his own affordable Master. Becoming a Vice Master must mean he has gained access to the Shindo Style’s catalog, not far from achieving a full transmission authorized to found a new sect.

In the second round, after mutual salutes and squatting, both started with a middle stance.

Reporter Miyata Kazuhiko was curious about what new moves this youngest competitor ever could produce after losing the first match.

Uesugi Sakura held the wooden sword, still unsure of what attack method to use as an opening, while Naito Genichiro seemed uninterested in launching a first attack, continuously swinging the bamboo sword to test him.

You are over forty years old, why be so cautious against an eighteen-year-old like me?

Despite these thoughts, Uesugi Sakura didn’t dare to relax his vigilance.

Although Genichiro Naito appeared not to have any intention of attacking, his true self seemed to be shrouded in an impenetrable veil, ready to unleash an attack at any moment if vigilance was lowered.

Katori Shinto Style...

Uesugi Sakura recalled the demonstrations Sakihara Yishin had shown him of the Shindo Style’s techniques.

Outer Tachi—

Five Crossings Tachi.

Seven Crossings Tachi.

Divine Gathering Tachi.

Eight Gods Tachi.

Five Elements Tachi—

Three Crossings Tachi.

Four Crossings Tachi.

Yin’s Tachi.

Sacrifice Tachi.

Fa Tachi.

Two Swords—Eternal Moon, Water Moon, Ishinami, Muraun.

Outer Iaido—Kusanagi, Ba Fu, Ba Tao, Left, Right, Eight Directions.

Finally, there’s the Five Elements Sword Drawing Skill.

Sakihara Yishin, seeing Sakura’s lack of practical experience, demonstrated each of these techniques.

...

Although not fully understanding why his affordable Master knew so many Katori Shinto Style techniques,

after seeing Sakihara Yishin demonstrate them once, Sakura had a rough memory of them.

Each move had its own characteristics, belonging to ancient swordsmanship, and responding to its modern Kendo evolutions was still fraught with difficulties.

Seeing Naito Genichiro still not attacking, Uesugi Sakura was unwilling to wait any longer and stepped forward directly.

Switching from middle to upper stance, he swung the sword in a series of slashes. Even a Katori Shinto Style Vice Master had to retreat to respond to this unexpected change of tactics.

Crack! Crack!

The simultaneous clashing of bamboo swords resounded with rhythm and power, erupting almost abruptly.

However, the Vice Master’s experience ultimately gave his defense an extraordinary factor.

Naito, the Vice Master, first swung his sword to strike the center of Sakura’s bamboo sword, creating a jarring sensation during Sakura’s consecutive slashes.

This was known as Kabujutsu, the technique of Five Crossings, Seven Crossings, Divine Gathering, and Eight Gods under the Outer Tachi.

The principle lies in the combination of defense and attack.

Normal defense usually involves retreating to ward off the opponent’s attack, waiting for the opponent’s post-attack opening before striking back.

But the Shindo Style strives to minimize the counterattack step.

That is, omitting the defense step, directly attacking the opponent’s sword, thus achieving both defense and attack simultaneously.

This technology is now masterfully employed by Naito Genichiro, a man in his forties.