Chapter 536: Chapter 358 Fierce Battle
After the earlier battle, Uesugi Sakura scored the first point.
At this moment, the two returned to their original positions on the court, glanced at each other through their masks, then bowed again, gripping their swords with both hands.
Prepared for a new round of the match to begin.
The referee glanced at each side, then gave the start command.
The match timing began.
In a Kendo match, it’s not just about hitting the scoring point to win.
One must shout out the corresponding position upon striking the target.
After hitting, one must quickly retreat, maintain the residual heart, making a move to prevent the opponent’s counterattack.
This is known as "Qi Sword Body."
Only when a strike includes "Qi Sword Body" will the referee award a point.
His basics are very solid... Ishibashi Kesuke’s gaze fell on Uesugi Sakura, he took a step back, holding the sword in the upper stance.
Having lost the previous match, he planned to change strategy against his opponent.
The opponent retreated, so Uesugi Sakura also stepped back, planning to observe how Ishibashi would make a move.
This round, Ishibashi again used the Police Style’s right upper stance as his initial form.
Uesugi Sakura’s initial form shifted to a middle stance posture.
— Right hand in front, left hand in back, holding the bamboo sword at an angle.
Is it the Jigen Style’s Tombo-no-kamae?
Ishibashi Kesuke recognized the technique, and was curious which rank in the Jigen Style he had practiced to.
Apart from the general Kendo ranks, the Jigen Style also has its own faction ranks.
Generally, after practicing "First Grade" and "Second Grade," a Jigen Style practitioner can hold a rank, with First Rank (Left Upper Arm Sever), Second Rank (Horizontal Finger Horizontal Sever), Third Rank (Iso Moon), Fourth Rank (Cloud Bright).
The secret technique of the Jigen Style is called the First Sword·Cloud Bright Tachi.
Ishibashi Kesuke had once sparred in Kendo with Chief of Police Hanamaru at the police bureau, but unfortunately, the result was a complete defeat.
Once the opponent attacked, the momentum, footwork, and angle of attack were hard to fend off, leading to a constant retreat.
However, Uesugi Sakura’s Jigen Style was peculiar, lacking the monkey howl.
It’s important to know that in the Jigen Style, the Qi Union of the monkey howl is exceptionally important.
Paired with the Greeting Swordsmanship technique, and the sharp roar can daze the opponent momentarily.
Returning the perspective to the match.
The two probed each other for a few seconds, sword tips rotating and swaying, mutually pressing (seme).
Finally, Uesugi Sakura made the first move.
Ishibashi Kesuke, experienced as he was, smoothly stepped back, slashing his bamboo sword downward in the right upper stance, striking the center of Uesugi Sakura’s bamboo sword.
With a crackling sound, Ishibashi gripped the sword handle tighter.
"The strength is immense."
Ishibashi Kesuke muttered inwardly, gripping the sword sideways with both hands, pushing Uesugi Sakura’s bamboo sword aside, and counterattacked with [Detect].
With a double thud, he struck Uesugi Sakura’s bamboo sword from below, and in the next second, swiftly rotated his wrist, slashing diagonally from the side.
He originally thought Uesugi Sakura would step back, causing their bamboo swords to collide, stuck in mid-air.
But he didn’t expect the opponent to take an unconventional path, jumping back a large step to widen the gap, and then using a powerful kasaya cut to charge straight ahead.
The speed was so fast that Ishibashi had no choice but to block.
With a loud crack, the bamboo sword vibrated, even causing splinters to fly off the bamboo pieces.
Ishibashi Kesuke managed to defend, but his hands were numbed by the vibration transmitted through the sword.
He gritted his teeth.
This kid’s strength is indeed potent!
Uesugi Sakura showed no mercy, seeing his retreat, quickly stepping back a bit, withdrawing the bamboo sword while exerting force upwards with his toes, lifted the bamboo sword, and executed a jump cut straight down, simultaneously shouting loudly:
"Men!!"
A crisp and clear chopping sound!
The outcome of the Kendo match is determined in a second. When the audience saw Uesugi Sakura suddenly jump, the bamboo sword in his hand descending straight down, executing a strike that echoed throughout the gymnasium, they even prepared to applaud and cheer in the next second.
But, Ishibashi Kesuke suddenly bent his left leg, pulling his right foot back, lowering his entire body’s center of gravity,
At the same time, he inverted his grip on the sword handle with both hands, in the moment Uesugi Sakura’s bamboo sword descended, raising his bamboo sword diagonally and slightly upwards.
Uesugi Sakura originally aimed at his face, but with that reverse push.
The blade slid down the diagonal, and even though the attack position was corrected, it only hit his neck.
This is a non-scoring area.
By a twist of fate, Ishibashi Kesuke rotated the bamboo sword in his hands like a toy, instantly switching from reverse grip to regular grip, the blade tracing a spiral arc in the air.
The next second, the point landed on Uesugi Sakura’s mask.
"Men!"
Ishibashi Kesuke immediately shouted decisively, quickly rising and jumping back, raising the sword with both hands, maintaining the residual heart.
All three referees raised their flags at the same time, ruling it a valid strike to the face.
Excellent.
The audience erupted in applause.
Ishibashi Kesuke exhaled a breath of hot air from a distance, beads of sweat formed on his forehead under the mask.
Uesugi Sakura always tried to fight close to his body, yet his strength was immense, making parrying quite challenging.
He even wanted to quip, studying Jigen Style of all things.
When going against the Jigen Style, if you can’t effectively score initially and fail to get close, you’ll have to endure several waves of assaults afterward.
The bamboo sword made continuous snapping sounds.
The general match, the score was now 1 to 1.
Audience seating.
Kengo Eiji watched the square arena, where the name tag bore the two characters "Uesugi":
"I didn’t expect this Kyudo champion to be so formidable, actually able to go toe-to-toe with the opposing Police Headquarters’ Fifth Rank general contestant."
Miyata Kazuhiko pondered over the notebook in his hand, considering the headline for today’s article: "Genius? It feels like the word genius holds no weight, everyone is a genius... but indeed young, not sure what rank this contestant is."