Chapter Thirty-One: Sparring

Cold moonlight spilled onto the nighttime streets. Yue Longze muttered nonsense while Kirino sang an off-key, unknown tune. Passersby cast looks of disdain at the two young men sprawled drunkenly across benches. The chill of the night wind brushed over them, sobering them slightly.

“Well then… until next time!” Yue Longze staggered to his feet and gave Kirino’s shoulder a heavy slap, his breath thick with alcohol, tainting the air around him.

“Good… goodbye,” Kirino managed, pulling himself upright with the help of the bench. He grinned, revealing teeth stained from years of smoking, waved at Yue Longze, and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

Carrying the scent of liquor, Yue Longze returned to his grandmother’s house. The ceiling light was still on, illuminating the whole room. His grandmother was slumped over the table, seemingly asleep. On the table sat a full cup of tea. Yue Longze paused, picked it up, and took a sip, only to find the tea had gone cold.

“Grandma…” Yue Longze’s heart soured as he saw his grandmother waiting for him to return. He downed the cold tea in one gulp, then gently carried her to her room and tucked her in.

“Kirino, will I really find a job tomorrow?” Standing before the window, Yue Longze gazed at the moon, lost in thought.

Kirino, still making his way down the street, seemed to sense something, a faint smile curling on his lips.

“My ability to foresee things has never failed!” Kirino’s voice sounded directly in Yue Longze’s ear.

“I almost forgot you had telepathy…” Yue Longze replied, a little embarrassed.

…

The next day, the weather was gloomy, clouds drifting overhead.

Yue Longze rose early and washed up. Thanks to his exceptional constitution, the previous night’s drinking hadn’t affected him physically. He straightened his clothes, ate a piece of bread, prepared breakfast for his grandmother, and left a note explaining he was heading out again to look for work.

After hours of searching, Yue Longze still hadn’t found a job. Wandering the streets, he began to doubt Kirino’s so-called superpowers.

“Is Kirino reliable at all… Maybe I should check on Taio.” With a sigh, Yue Longze headed toward the Chiba Taio family’s Ichiryu Dojo.

The Hokushin Ichiryu Dojo stood just across from the Nitoryu Dojo, barely a hundred meters separating the two sword schools.

The signboard of the Ichiryu Dojo was grander than its counterpart, exuding a sense of uprightness and authority. Yue Longze strode inside and immediately spotted Chiba Taio among the few scattered students.

Taio, small of stature, was practicing sword techniques with the others, wielding a wooden sword. At the front stood a burly, middle-aged man who looked like a coach. His hair was cropped neatly, giving him a spirited appearance. Dressed in a gi with arms crossed, his tiger-like eyes sternly surveyed the students. He spoke in a deep voice, “You are people of unwavering will. I admit, I’m not stronger than that Miyamoto Tetsuo fellow! But Ichiryu is never inferior to Nitoryu!”

“So, do you have the confidence and perseverance to keep going?” he continued in a commanding tone.

“Yes!” the remaining students replied loudly and in unison.

“Taio.” Yue Longze smiled at Chiba Taio.

“Mr. Azé!” Taio’s face lit up with joy as he looked in surprise at Yue Longze standing at the door.

“Oh?” The burly man turned.

“Mr. Chiba, greetings!” From the earlier speech, it was clear the burly man was Taio’s father—Chiba Masao.

With a warm smile, Yue Longze approached Chiba Masao.

“You’re Taio’s father, aren’t you?” Yue Longze glanced at Taio, who was excited by his arrival.

“That’s right. You must be Mr. Azé, the one Taio kept talking about after returning home yesterday!” Chiba Masao’s gaze burned with fervor, making Yue Longze a bit uneasy.

“Uh, yes!” Yue Longze nodded.

“My son says you defeated Miyamoto Tetsuo while he was wielding a single sword?” Chiba Masao’s eyes were filled with doubt. This young man seemed hardly old enough to possess such advanced swordsmanship; even Miyamoto Tetsuo, using only one sword, was formidable.

“Uh, that’s true! But I still lost to his dual-wielding technique,” Yue Longze added, his face showing both respect and admiration for the master.

“Then let’s have a match!” Chiba Masao said solemnly, his eyes alight with a passion for combat.

Yue Longze was momentarily surprised, then smiled, “It would be an honor!”

It had always been Yue Longze’s wish to spar with a master like Chiba Masao; after all, Hokushin Ichiryu was a renowned school of swordsmanship.

The few remaining students were stunned, never expecting this twenty-year-old to have defeated Miyamoto Tetsuo with a single sword.

“He must be lying!” One tall, attractive girl stared in disbelief.

“Heh, Sonoko, if you want to know, why not see for yourself?” mocked a handsome young man in his twenties, the senior disciple and the best swordsman among them. The students all turned their gaze to Yue Longze.

Yue Longze ignored their comments. Led by Miyamoto Tetsuo, he went to collect a set of protective gear. This time, Yue Longze did not refuse; going without gear felt unnecessarily arrogant.

Having never worn armor before, Yue Longze was unsure how to put it on. In the end, with Chiba Masao’s guidance, he managed to suit up. Chiba Masao was puzzled, “Does this kid really know kendo?”

Inside the dojo, Yue Longze and Chiba Masao faced each other. Yue Longze stretched his limbs, warming up, still not used to the armor.

“Sonoko, look at him, always acting so high and mighty!” a short, stout male student pointed his chin at Yue Longze, his eyes full of disdain.

“Don’t speak badly about Mr. Azé!” Taio finally couldn’t hold back; he knew better than anyone how strong Yue Longze was.

The stout student shut his mouth; after all, Taio was the director’s son—who would dare provoke him?

Sonoko Aoki glanced at Taio. Though she rarely saw the director’s son, she knew Chiba Taio was always honest.

Sonoko Aoki’s gaze returned to Yue Longze, now finished with his warm-up. Her eyes shone with a peculiar light. “He really does make you curious—and excited.”