Following the address provided by Busujima Murasaki, Kamiyā Yuu took a taxi to the Yagyū Dojo.
The dojo was enormous.
Although it was only three stories tall, its total floor area was equivalent to several basketball courts combined, large enough to accommodate hundreds of people training simultaneously.
The architecture was highly modernized, resembling a simplified sports arena.
Compared to it, the office building of Yosuganosora Animation Studio looked rather shabby.
Not long after entering, Kamiyā Yuu noticed several attractive female receptionists welcoming guests at the front desk.
After a moment's thought, he walked over and asked,
"Excuse me, is there a woman named Busujima Murasaki here?"
The receptionist froze for a moment, stood up, and discreetly examined Kamiyā Yuu before asking in surprise,
"Are you Mr. Kamiyā Yuu?"
"Yes."
"Then please come with me, Mr. Kamiyā. Mr. Yagyū and Miss Busujima have been waiting for you for quite some time."
The receptionist bowed and stepped out from behind the counter, leading Kamiyā Yuu deeper into the dojo.
Before he even entered the main training area, Kamiyā Yuu heard ear-piercing screams that sounded like pigs being slaughtered.
He knew these were the famous kendo shouts used to "overwhelm opponents with spirit," but he still couldn't help wearing a strange expression as he struggled to suppress his laughter.
Did these screams really intimidate opponents?
Wouldn't people just mistake them for cries of fear?
At least, he couldn't tell the difference.
After removing his shoes and entering the building proper, Kamiyā Yuu quickly found Busujima Murasaki.
Dressed in thick kendo armor, she sat kneeling in a corner of the dojo.
Her posture was rock-solid and dignified.
A bamboo sword rested at her right side.
Kamiyā Yuu also noticed a middle-aged man with long hair.
Unlike Shindō Tsukasa, this man radiated steadiness and sharpness.
He wore a traditional blue kendo uniform without armor, and his long hair was tied high behind his head.
He looked exactly like a powerful swordsman who had stepped straight out of a historical drama.
The words **"Swordsman"** might as well have been written across his body.
Sensing Kamiyā Yuu's arrival, Busujima Murasaki stood up.
She nodded toward Yagyū Emon before walking over and bowing deeply.
Her cool, mature voice carried a trace of apology.
"Mr. Kamiyā, thank you very much for agreeing to my unreasonable request."
The dojo, which had previously been filled only with shrill shouts, suddenly erupted into murmurs upon Kamiyā Yuu's arrival.
"So he finally came! That's Miss Busujima's opponent? His height is decent, but he's dressed far too casually. He doesn't have the aura of a swordsman at all!"
"Look at his right hand. Forget his skill—I doubt he's even held a sword before!"
"What the heck? He looks like someone they pulled off the street!"
"Someone from the street? Forget Senior Hirai. Why don't you qualify for the youth division first? Miss Busujima is a swordswoman even Senior Hirai admits he's inferior to. Or do you think your eyesight is better than Senior Hirai's? Better than Sensei's? Better than Miss Busujima's?"
"I understand all that, but he really doesn't look impressive!"
Unable to contain their curiosity, the students throughout the dojo stopped practicing and turned to look.
From recent rumors, most of them knew at least a little about Busujima Murasaki's identity and abilities.
Naturally, they were extremely interested in this match.
A swordswoman whose skill could be compared to Yagyū Emon—the master of the Yagyū Dojo and one of Japan's publicly recognized top three swordsmen—was facing an unknown opponent.
What practitioner of kendo wouldn't be interested?
The noisy commotion caused Hirai Ueto's face to darken.
Looking at the students stretching their necks like baby birds waiting to be fed, he barked coldly,
"Quiet! What are you all doing?"
"You want to slack off during free practice?"
"One thousand sword swings today. Anyone who doesn't finish them will carry the remainder over to tomorrow!"
"Aaaaah!?"
"Senior Hirai, that's cheating!"
"Exactly! Why are you allowed to watch while we aren't?!"
The students protested quietly.
Hirai Ueto flashed a bright smile and rolled his shoulders threateningly.
"That's perfectly fair."
"If any of you can beat me in a kendo match, you'll earn the same privilege."
"Of course, we'll do it without armor."
The moment those words fell, the dojo filled with groans of despair.
"This is Mr. Yagyū Emon, the master of Yagyū Dojo and the referee for today's match."
Busujima Murasaki extended a hand as she introduced the middle-aged man.
Yagyū Emon didn't follow the kendo custom of bowing as a greeting.
Instead, he extended his right hand and smiled.
"Hello."
"This is Mr. Kamiyā Yuu, the president of my company and also an exceptionally skilled swordsman."
Busujima Murasaki then introduced Kamiyā Yuu.
When she described him as a highly skilled swordsman, Yagyū Emon and the nearby Hirai Ueto both wore slightly strange expressions.
The fact that Kamiyā Yuu was indeed today's opponent only made the students' earlier skepticism seem even more justified.
Kamiyā Yuu naturally accepted the handshake.
"Hello. Thank you for serving as referee today, Mr. Yagyū."
"Mr. Kamiyā, please come with me. Your kendo equipment has already been prepared."
Busujima Murasaki nodded and led him toward a private changing room inside the dojo.
After they departed, Yagyū Emon stared thoughtfully at his own hand.
The handshake had been deliberate.
He had wanted to assess the condition of Kamiyā Yuu's hands.
Aside from a few isolated calluses, most of his palms were smooth and soft.
There was nothing about them that resembled a swordsman's hands.
Anyone who practiced with a sword for more than three months would inevitably develop blisters and thick calluses.
Was this really a skilled swordsman?
Or merely a young man trying to impress Busujima Murasaki, whose boasting had spiraled out of control?
Yagyū Emon folded his arms and pondered.
Whether Busujima Murasaki's chosen opponent was genuine or not would become clear soon enough during the match.
"Sensei, what do you think?"
Hirai Ueto stepped over and asked.
Yagyū Emon shook his head.
"I can't see through him."
"Miss Busujima's judgment isn't so poor that she'd make a mistake like this."
"There must be something about Mr. Kamiyā that interests her."
"Hmm. Looks like we'll have to wait for the match."
Hirai Ueto nodded.
Looking at Kamiyā Yuu, he felt not only surprise but disbelief.
Kamiyā Yuu appeared younger than he was.
If someone like that could stand on equal footing with Busujima Murasaki, then wouldn't his own National Youth Kendo Championship be a complete joke?
...
Inside the changing room, Kamiyā Yuu discovered an awkward problem while changing into the specially prepared kendo uniform.
He had absolutely no idea how to wear this bizarre traditional outfit.
The armor was especially troublesome.
Even figuring out how to secure the straps was difficult.
Japanese kendo uniforms also had their own customs.
They were generally either entirely blue or entirely white.
White tops with black bottoms were usually considered beginner uniforms—or Korean kendo attire.
After barely managing to put on the traditional indigo-dyed uniform, Kamiyā Yuu finally had no choice but to ask Busujima Murasaki for help with the armor.
"Is this your first time wearing kendo armor, Mr. Kamiyā?"
Busujima Murasaki asked in surprise.
Standing behind him, she adjusted the armor and skillfully tied the cords into place with her slender fingers.
Kamiyā Yuu shrugged.
"Forget wearing this kind of outfit. This is my first official kendo match, too."
"So today, please go easy on me, Murasaki."
Behind her kendo mask, Busujima Murasaki smiled gently.
She said nothing.
After confirming that his armor was properly secured, she bowed slightly.
"Today, Mr. Kamiyā, I look forward to your guidance."