"Aozawa, Aozawa!"
Inside the Marlin rcer Stadium, the chanting of the crowd was still deafening as they shouted a different na this ti. Their voices echoed loudly within the arena.
Sunaga Takashi sat on the ground, looked up, and saw the youth standing before him.
He had lost. It was his first true defeat and the first ti he looked up at his opponent.
Is this what the perspective of a loser feels like?
Sunaga Takashi felt a sharp pain in his heart. He slowly stood up, enduring the pain, steadfastly bowed in respect, and then slowly walked toward the Kamiya High School mbers.
It was dead silent over there.
"Gao Shi..."
A worried expression covered Ruriko Yokoo’s face.
The rest of the Kamiya High School Kendo Club didn’t know what to say; the prospect of Sunaga Takashi’s defeat was sothing they had never considered. It was clear who would be the victor of this year’s Jade Dragon Flag. No one from the Kamiya High School Kendo Club was confident in their ability to beat Aozawa, the one who had defeated Sunaga Takashi.
"Don’t just stand there! Next fighter, put on your face mask!"
The Kamiya High School’s coach broke the silence. He declared that they couldn’t concede to Aozawa, as forfeiture was more shaful than defeat. When Sunaga Takashi previously crushed other high schools, not a single one of them chose to forfeit.
The next fighter took the stage.
Sunaga Takashi continued walking away, acting as though he didn’t plan to join the group photo after the tournant ended. No one tried to stop him.
Ruriko Yokoo quickly followed, asking, "Gao Shi, are you okay?"
"My heart hurts so much."
"I know you’re in pain. Defeat isn’t sothing easy to accept."
Ruriko Yokoo smiled and said, "But I believe that you can withstand it."
"I feel like I can’t."
"Gao Shi, don’t say such things!" Ruriko Yokoo shouted, her voice full of exasperation, her hands clenched tightly. "It’s just one defeat! You will surely get through it!"
"Ruriko, call an ambulance for ."
Sunaga Takashi only managed to utter these words. His body, which was still moving forward, leaned against the wall and then slid down to the floor in the corridor.
At first, I thought this heartache was rely due to defeat, but now, I realize it’s likely caused by sothing physically wrong with . The pain made him curl up instinctively.
Ruriko Yokoo, her face pale with fright, quickly took out her phone and dialed for an ambulance. After making the call, it dawned on her that it might be a side effect of the Superhuman Potion X. Otherwise, the blows he received from Aozawa alone clearly wouldn’t have caused such injuries. Kendo Armor isn’t worn for nothing.
Ruriko Yokoo hastily searched for Morimoto Chiyoda’s number in her phone contacts and dialed it.
BEEP. BEEP.
After just a couple of rings, the call was answered, and a mature voice tinged with a Hawaiian flavor ca through, "Ruriko, what’s the matter?"
"Sister Chitose, Gao Shi suddenly collapsed! It could be because of that Superhuman Potion X. I’ve called for an ambulance. What should I do next?"
"Don’t panic, and don’t touch Sunaga," Morimoto Chiyoda replied. "I’ll head over there from Tokyo imdiately with a professional dical team for a full check-up on Sunaga Takashi."
That was the only course of action Morimoto Chiyoda could take. Matters of dical science were beyond her expertise. The potential aftermath of the Superhuman Potion X was unimaginable. Even the late director hadn’t dared to guarantee that there wouldn’t be withdrawal symptoms if the use of Superhuman Potion X was discontinued. According to the original plan, Superhuman Potion X wasn’t ant for such a short treatnt period; it was part of a series of coordinated asures. However, the death of that person brought all related plans to a halt.
Will Sunaga Takashi’s body experience problems? Even Morimoto Chiyoda could no longer provide any guarantees.
She stood up and said, "Okayama, I’ll leave things here to you. I have other matters to attend to. Ito, you co with ."
"Eh, everything is left to ?"
"I believe in your ability," Morimoto Chiyoda said with a smile, beaming a look of trust.
Okayama Buji really wanted to retort, I don’t even trust myself! but he didn’t say anything and just nodded in agreent. He knew that any issue causing Morimoto Chiyoda to rush away urgently was no small matter.
「...」
"One point! The winner is the vanguard from Brilliant High School Kendo Club, Aozawa!"
The three referees raised their flags to announce the judgnt.
The final match of the Jade Dragon Flag tournant ended with the defeat of Kamiya High School’s captain. The cheering that filled the stadium seed like it would overturn the Marlin rcer.
Kenji Kojima and his teammates rushed out excitedly. First, their team bowed respectfully. Even though Kamiya High School was missing Sunaga Takashi, no one paid it much mind; at most, they might quip that he was a sore loser. Then, the mbers of the Brilliant High School Kendo Club bowed to the audience in the stands. The giant screen alternated images of the five team mbers, finally focusing on Aozawa.
"We won!"
Kenji Kojima and the others no longer needed to suppress their joy. They rushed forward and embraced Aozawa. Being held by four guys isn’t a pleasant experience. But Aozawa didn’t push them away; instead, he just raised his bamboo sword high.
"Yes, we won."
A smile adorned his face as he looked towards the Jade Dragon Flag, sothing they hadn’t managed to win the previous year. This year, it was finally in his grasp. The cheers of the audience lingered endlessly in his ears.
I haven’t even considered how to explain it to Chitose—that’s sothing to think about later. For now, I just want to imrse myself completely in the joy of winning the championship.
The unending cheers of the crowd were starkly different from the gloomy faces of the Kamiya High School mbers. The victor’s and the loser’s sentints were always different. Aside from that, however, there was a touch of concern that Sunaga Takashi had fallen and wasn’t getting up. After all, he was a powerful symbol within the Kamiya High School Kendo Club. Everyone still expected him to lead Kamiya High School to win next year’s national competition and achieve a three-peat. Or rather, looking to next year, perhaps only Sunaga Takashi could hope to stop Brilliant High School and seize the Jade Dragon Flag.
"Don’t cluster around here! Disperse!" the coach waved them off.
No one dared to move the downed Sunaga Takashi, fearing they might cause a secondary injury. They could only wait for professional dical staff to arrive. Ruriko Yokoo was so anxious she started shedding tears. The cheers from the arena still echoed continuously, as if the whole world was celebrating.
「...」
The Jade Dragon Flag was a large brocade banner with a white background, surrounded by red fla patterns. In the middle was a Giant Dragon with red scales and golden claws, and the characters for "Champion" were embroidered in black on either side. The top read: "Jade Dragon Flag High School Kendo Tournant." The bottom bore the na of the organizer: "West Japan News Agency." The flagpole was vermillion red, fitted with a shiny silver trident head, and hollow inside.
Aozawa held up the Jade Dragon Flag in one hand and the champion trophy in the other. All participants received a gold dal. His feat earned him an extra Dare to Fight Award from the organizers. It wasn’t the kind of small certificate given to elentary students, but a large one, like a scroll, and it was even stamped with a martial arts seal said to be an antique. The award ceremony was brimming with a sense of ritual.
School newspaper journalists from various high schools, as well as reporters from the West Japan News Agency, flocked to interview the champions. Aozawa’s responses naturally centered around friendship, passion, and bonds.
After finishing with the journalists, it was ti for group photos. First, there was a photo with all the high school participants, and then the dozen or so mbers of the Brilliant High School Kendo Club crowded in. Everyone asked Yutaro Shidori to help them take a group photo. They were all holding the Jade Dragon Flag and the Dare to Fight Award carefully, an obvious excitent on each face.
"Congratulations on winning the championship." Yutaro Shidori handed the cara to Kenji Kojima and then turned to Aozawa, saying, "Next year, I hope to compete against Aozawa-senpai again."
"Next year, huh? Taking back-to-back titles doesn’t sound bad."
A smile appeared on Aozawa’s face. Having defeated Sunaga Takashi and won the Jade Dragon Flag, he had fulfilled the dream he once promised Kenji Kojima. This makes my interest in participating in the Jade Dragon Flag again not so great. Maybe I’ll participate next year, maybe not. It’ll depend on my mood.
"I will continue to get stronger, and I definitely won’t lose to you next year!"
"Haha, I’ll say it again: I’ll be waiting at the peak for your challenge."
Aozawa laughed as he bid farewell to him, then turned and nudged Kenji Kojima, asking quietly, "Captain, what’s his na?"
Kenji Kojima couldn’t help rolling his eyes. "You really have the potential to be a playboy, forgetting their na yet talking so enthusiastically."
"Can’t help it. He ca over looking so familiar, I couldn’t pretend not to know him." Aozawa shrugged. If it had been soone he didn’t know at all, or even disliked, he naturally wouldn’t have bothered with them. But for this young man full of youthful vigor, I don’t mind, and I’m willing to rember his na.
"He’s Yutaro Shidori, the captain of Aohana Vine," Kenji Kojima replied. Then, unable to contain his excitent, he slung an arm around Aozawa’s neck and said, "Haha, as promised, I’m treating today! Order whatever you want!"
"Captain’s so generous!"
"Do I even need to say it? A true man never goes back on his word!" Kenji Kojima was beaming with joy, almost jumping up and dancing on the spot to vent his inner excitent.
The Jade Dragon Flag! I never dread I’d get a Jade Dragon Flag dal!
Kenji Kojima held the gold dal awarded by the tournant in his hands. He knew the dal was not pure gold, just gold-plated on the surface. But the feel of it against his fingertips made him feel honored. This was the first ti in his life he had won a gold dal. Even more thrilling than Takahashi Saeko’s touch! This excitent absolutely won’t fade unless I spend so money!
"Haha, today we’re going to make the captain splurge big ti!"
"Hey, co over here! Which cabinet should we pick?"
"Speaking of which, Aozawa, should we keep the champion trophy at your place, or in the Kendo Club’s activity room?"
"Let’s place it in the Kendo Club, for every junior who joins to admire our glory!"
Aozawa had no intention of taking the trophy ho to hide it away; he planned to place both it and the Jade Dragon Flag in the Kendo Club. This included his Dare to Fight Award, which he felt was even more precious than the trophy or the Jade Dragon Flag. His Dare to Fight Award was for defeating sixty-eight opponents.
He hadn’t broken the record for the Dare to Fight Award in the Jade Dragon Flag tournant. This was mainly because he let Kenji Kojima and the others compete in the early stages. As a result, the number of opponents he eliminated later was far fewer than Sunaga Takashi had.
If Aozawa had any regrets, they were minor. He truly enjoyed this mont of striving together with everyone to achieve glory. After all, I defeated the one who set the Dare to Fight Award record.
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