Tokyo: Starting from staying with my mother’s best friend

Chapter 46 What if I was young and promising?
The evening wind blows.

Falling cherry blossoms swept up and floated into the tea room from the eaves of the corridor.

Ionuma Isao closed his eyes slightly and adjusted his breathing.

Kato Ryota also stopped attacking and relaxed all the muscles in his body, preparing them to explode again.

then!

Boy, prepare for your failure!

Amidst the colorful falling cherry blossoms, Ionuma Isao slowly opened his eyes and stared at the other person with a slight sense of scrutiny.

He had a very strange feeling.

Although he did not have the upper hand, if he fought with all his strength, he would be seriously injured, but he would definitely be able to kill Ryota Kato.

It’s not that I don’t admit that Kato Ryota is stronger, nor that I think Kato Ryota is inexperienced.

But during the fight, Ionuma Isao could sense the idea of ​​"I can defeat this person in a life-and-death battle."

This is a mysterious and mysterious feeling.

Just like when his mother asked him to meditate, he would occasionally have sudden enlightenment.

In Ionuma Isao's view, although Kato Ryota's sword is ruthless and domineering, and although it kills decisively, there is no "heart" in the sword he wields.

In other words, Kato Ryota's sword did not resonate with his heart.

No matter how sharp the attack is, it is just a simple skill and does not contain any intention.

Defeating such an opponent will not bring you any benefits!

The mysterious and mysterious feeling lingered in Iinuma Isao's mind, so he opened up the space and prepared for a mental battle first.

First mess with his spirit, drive him crazy, and then beat his body!

"Kato-san..."

Suddenly, the young man said with pity in his eyes: "I think you are lonely!
"Ok?"

Kato Ryota was stunned.

Boy, what kind of dick are you talking about?

"How pitiful..." Ionuma Isao continued, "From your sword, I feel that there is nothing in your life so far that is worth remembering..."

Uh……

For a moment, Ryota Kato was actually asked.

When most people are asked this question, they will immediately think of whether there is anything worth remembering about themselves.

If there is, then remember it well.

If not……

That's really pitiful.

Kato Ryota thought about it carefully, with a nostalgic expression on his face.

His life so far, except for the shining point of kendo, has been all trivial things that are not worth mentioning... He doesn't know how beautiful the sunset in the Seto Inland Sea is, or how gorgeous the Yae Sakura is in Hokkaido. He I haven’t even climbed Mount Fuji.

In such a boring gray life, the only color...

The high school he attended was an ordinary public high school in Yotsuya, Shinjuku, where most of the students would not be admitted to college.

Diagonally opposite the back door of the school, there is a long ramp with sycamore trees on both sides, leading to a top private high school called "Higashi Wuhe".

Those who study there are almost all children of upper-class families or wealthy families. As long as they don't stand out, they can basically enter university directly.They all have neat teeth, clean clothes, and boring conversations.

But there is one exception.

It was a girl with long black hair.

Kato Ryota didn’t know her name, but he often saw her walking alone on the long uphill road in front of the school gate with her oboe on her back.

She looked at the daughter of a wealthy family.

She has an exquisite face, expensive school bag, and seems to have an innate elegance in her movements.

She should have grown up among flowers and applause.

But for some reason, she always comes in and out alone, rarely smiling on her face.

Seemingly helpless, yet still standing alone.

The sunset falls on her every day, making her as beautiful as ice-blue flames, so unreal and sad.

Throughout his first year of high school, Kato Ryota could only look at the ordinary world from afar at the world of power and power on the high platform opposite.

By second grade, he became a senior in the school's kendo club.

After he defeated everyone and became the head of the kendo club, he immediately led the kendo club to Higashi Maizuru Middle School for exchanges and discussions.

Didn't see her for the first time.

But it doesn’t matter, there will be a second time, a third time...

On a sunny afternoon in November, Ryota Kato led his team to Higashimaizuru for exchanges.

This time, he saw her in the atrium of the school.She held the oboe in her arms and talked to a boy on the bench, with a smile on her face that is typical of top students with all A's on their report cards.

That smile, accompanied by Haydn's Piano Sonata in G short coming from the broadcasting department's loudspeaker, became the warmest legend at the end of the twentieth century in November 1999.

Later, Kato Ryota would still watch her from a distance at the back door of the school, but he never entered Toumaizuru again.

He became more and more taciturn
Try not to show your emotions or anger, and be careful not to attract the attention of your classmates and teachers.

He knew he was not destined to go to college.

He knew that as soon as he graduated from high school, he would integrate into the adult world of fierce battles and start a lonely battle called "life".

Therefore, he must become more indestructible than anyone else.

Day after day, year after year.

His expression became increasingly stiff and numb, and his eyes glowed coldly like a lizard.

He thought he had forgotten.

I don’t think there will ever be another intersection.

Until, almost 20 years later, at a funeral by chance...

■

Under the quiet night, the cherry trees stood quietly.

The breeze blew the petals into the room, and the waxed wooden floor was covered with petals.

Kato Ryota looked nostalgic and slightly melancholy.

Ionuma Isao looked at him and said: "Yes, I admit that your swordsmanship is very good, but it is only excellent! The realm of a swordsman master cannot be achieved by practicing swordsmanship hard. A true master swordsman , you have been pursuing the integration of mind and skill all your life. Your sword only has skills and has not been integrated into your understanding of life, so your sword has no heart!"

"I have no heart..." Ryota Kato murmured softly.

Iinuma Isao went a step further and shouted loudly: "Except for the sword, there is nothing worth mentioning in your life, is there?"

"No!"

Veins popped out on Kato Ryota's forehead.

Ionuma Isao shouted back: "Stop sophistry! You are so pathetic with only sword skills and no heart!"

"..."

Anger gradually welled up in Ryota Kato's eyes.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Kyoko Hanashiro looking at Ionuma Isao with a worried look on her face, looking at her with a tenderness that others would never see.

Resentment towards the unfairness of the world welled up in him.

I hate this unreasonable world.

Hate this world that never pities the supporting characters...

If, if, if I was young and promising, I was not the son of a damn common man... Kato Ryota's eyes gradually became fierce, even with a hint of murderous intent.

He slowly raised his bamboo sword and pointed it at the boy opposite: "Then I will let you know why my sword has no heart..."

"boom!"

The originally clear night sky suddenly exploded with thunder.

The thunder seemed to echo Kato Ryota.

The electric light flashed, illuminating his entire body.

The powerful fighting spirit condensed into black mist again, squirming behind him with teeth and claws, making him look as terrifying as a demon.

In an instant, the feeling of oppression he gave people increased by a whole level.

——Master-level oppression.

He had always been a little depressed before.

Therefore, after practicing swordsmanship for 30 years, he has still not been able to reach the master level.

Now, he has turned his grief into resentment and integrated the injustice he has learned from life into his sword skills.

He finally entered the realm of master.

His sword became more murderous.

Perhaps, from now on, he is no longer a swordsman of the new underworld.

What he wants to cultivate is the Shura Dao...

"...Gan! It's too big!"

Looking at Ryota Kato who suddenly had an epiphany and turned from a swordsman into an evil spirit, Ionuma Isao cursed himself secretly.

but……

This is the effect I want!

Then, without fear, he raised his knife and took the lead in attacking.

Things like memory killing really have buff bonuses, so you, a new master, hurry up and let me get a buff to play with!
——Kato-san, become my bearer on the road to becoming a master!
(End of this chapter)