Volume 1: Re:Zero -Starting Life as a Samurai Chapter 23: Matsudaira Gennai (Part 1)
“Hiss…ha…”
After taking several deep breaths, Ogata slowly raised his sword and assumed an upper stance.
Looking at Ogata who was in an upper position, Toyama's pupils shrank slightly, and he thought to himself:
——The upper position... What is Ogata going to do...
—Are you going to use “Waterfall” against me…
——Well then...! Then I will take his "Water Fall" head-on!
Toyama subconsciously thought that Ogata, who was in an upper stance, was about to use their Sakakibara Ittoryu's downward slashing technique - Water Fall.
Intently intending to take on Ogata's "Water Falling", Yuanshan slowly lowered the sword that he had originally raised high and assumed a mid-range stance.
Ogata moved his feet, moving closer to the distant mountains little by little.
And Toyama was constantly counting the distance between himself and Ogata.
If you want to win a competition, the most important thing is to grasp the distance between yourself and your opponent.
Most people fail because they fail to grasp the distance between themselves and their opponents.
For example - when the sword in your hand cannot hurt the opponent at all, you rashly launch an attack.
Another example is that you have already entered the opponent's attack range, but you are unaware of it and are still lying there leisurely, thinking you are safe.
Toyama stared at Ogata in front of him, counting the distance between himself and Ogata.
——Four more steps, and Ogata’s sword will hit me…
——There are… 3 more steps…
——There are still... 2 more steps...!
——One more step!
call--!
The strong sound of breaking wind came rapidly from top to bottom towards the distant mountains.
The blade of Ogata's wooden sword slashed straight towards Toyama's shoulder!
--What!
Yuanshan screamed loudly in his heart and widened his eyes.
Toyama was not prepared at all for Ogata's "Water Fall"!
Because according to Toyama's calculations - Ogata should take step forward before Ogata's sword can touch him!
Toyama had never expected that Ogata's sword could actually hit him when he was only one step away!
Yuanshan was very surprised.
But the next moment, the person who was surprised became Ogata.
Because he saw the sword in Toyama's hand moving at a speed fast enough to make Ogata dizzy.
Bang!
The dull sound of wooden swords colliding rang out.
At the critical moment, Yuanshan raised his sword to block Ogata's "Water Fall".
After Toyama blocked his sword, Ogata immediately took several steps back, putting some distance between himself and Toyama.
And Yuanshan also retreated almost at the same time as Ogata.
After stabilizing his body, Toyama immediately looked at Ogata who had also steadied his body in front of him.
To be more precise - he was looking at the hand that Ogata was holding the sword with.
After seeing how Ogata held the sword, Toyama sneered:
"Oh, I see... Ogata, is this your secret to increasing your attack range..."
Ogata's right hand was now firmly grasping the base of the wooden sword's hilt.
Just now, when he was slowly approaching Yuanshan and was only one step away from Yuanshan entering his attack range, Ogata quietly lowered his hands holding the sword a little.
Grip the sword directly at the base of the hilt with both hands.
Because he held the bottom of the hilt with both hands, Ogata's attack range when he swung the sword was nearly the length of the hilt.
This is why Ogata was able to use "Water Fall" on Toyama and attack him when Toyama was only one step away from entering Ogata's attack range.
If Toyama had not reacted quickly and raised his sword in time to block Ogata's attack , Toyama would have been defeated.
"I almost lost just now... I didn't expect you, Ogata, to be able to use such a fierce attack."
"Same here." Ogata said calmly, "I didn't expect you to be so fast."
Yuanshan was not calm at this time, because he found that the guy in front of him was much more powerful than he had imagined.
Ogata was also in a bad mood at this time, because he also found that the guy in front of him was much more powerful than he had imagined.
Originally, he had classified Yuanshan as a "powerful enemy that should not be underestimated."
Just now, Ogata was determined to win.
He thought Yuanshan would not be able to withstand his sudden attack.
But Yuanshan caught it.
"Come on." Yuanshan took a few deep breaths, his eyes became much sharper than before, "Ogata Yisei , the outcome is still undecided, let's continue."
"...Come on." Ogata moved his wrist and got into the middle stance again.
However, at this moment, a loud shout suddenly sounded from the outskirts of the "battlefield".
"Hey! You guys! What are you doing here!?"
The onlookers standing on the west side of the "battlefield" immediately split open to the left and right.
Two samurai wearing black haori followed the opening created by the crowd and quickly stepped into the "battlefield" where the atmosphere was still tense.
Ogata, Toyama, and the people who were watching the battle all looked towards the two samurai.
"Of the same mind..." Ogata muttered in a deep voice.
Tongxin - a junior official position in charge of general affairs, police and other matters.
"Private fighting between warriors is prohibited! Don't you know that?!"
The two leaders, who shared the same aspirations, shouted angrily at Ogata, Toyama and the others.
"...Master Tongxin." Looking at the two Tongxins who suddenly arrived, Yuanshan's face gradually formed a smile, "We are not fighting, we are just sparring for fun."
As Yuanshan spoke, he handed the wooden sword in his hand to a fellow apprentice beside him, and then slowly walked towards the two like-minded people.
After walking up to the two like-minded people, Yuanshan took out a handful of copper coins from his arms and quietly put them into the arms of the two like-minded people in front of him.
"Please forgive our little quarrel, sirs."
The fellow looked at the copper coins that Yuanshan stuffed into his arms.
Then he said in a much softer tone:
"Remember to practice in the dojo next time! Don't mess around in public like this!"
"Of course, of course."
After agreeing with his fellow disciple for a few words, Yuanshan turned around and called out to his fellow apprentices:
"gone back!"
After saying this, Toyama turned his head slightly and looked at Ogata with a meaningful look.
"...Ogata Issei, if I remember correctly - the person who wins the first place in the annual summer competition at your Sakakibara Sword Hall must represent Sakakibara Sword Hall in the July festival competition, right?"
"So what?"
"Nothing, just confirming. Let me tell you something. The person who will represent Ishikawa Sword Hall in the Shinto Festival this year is still me."
"Oh." Ogata responded calmly, "So what?"
"I just want to inform you of this news in advance."
"Let's save today's unfinished battle for the day of the God Sacrifice Competition."
"Humph." Ogata twitched his lips. "You make it sound like I will definitely win the first place in the museum competition."
Toyama did not respond to Ogata's words.
After looking at Ogata with a meaningful look for a few times, Toyama took a step forward and led his fellow disciples to leave quickly.
At this time, the two like-minded people had almost driven away the onlookers.
--finished……
Looking at their increasingly smaller figures in the distant mountains, Ogata said to himself.
——Money is really a good thing... He easily settled Tongxin's matter...