Demon Capital Slayer

Chapter 61 Swordplay and Heart-to-Heart Confession
The vast majority of people present thought, "This is going to be interesting."

However, neither Mikami Akira nor Ame no Suzune had any intention of performing martial arts in public.

He temporarily entrusted the disciplinary work to the other students on duty, who then strode towards the kendo club with the two of them.

As a prestigious and long-established school with strong academic background, Shinkiin High School has prepared a dojo specifically for its kendo club, which is a modern gymnasium-style building with complete functions.

There was still some time before class started, and the first to hear the news and rush over were the other members of the Kendo Club.

While outsiders are not allowed to watch, they can brazenly come to watch the spectacle under the guise of observing the club president's skills.

As soon as Yujian stepped into the modern dojo designed like a gymnasium, he saw a group of tall, strong boys rushing towards him with strange shouts.

He was prepared to be antagonized or even get into a fight, but instead, the other party all looked at him with admiration.

"That freshman is brave! He actually dared to challenge President Tenyu!"

"Yeah, yeah, ever since that guy was sent to the hospital by the club president, no one has dared to do that for a long time!"

"I heard that person was sent straight to the cemetery?"

"Really? If it's the president, well, it's not impossible."

Is this what you meant by the idea that in the clash of swords, people can understand each other and resolve conflicts?

Miken looked at Ame-no-Rin with a strange expression. The girl didn't say anything at the moment, but her flushed face and clenched fists said it all.

Thump! Tianyu Lingyin stomped her foot hard on the ground, making a loud sound, and held a bamboo knife that she had taken out at some point.

"You guys, are you done with your morning exercise? Get back to training!"

"Yes~" At the president's angry shout, the members ran away laughing.

"Oh~ Suzune-chan is so bold. If she were a boy, she would definitely be the most popular prince in school." Yurika patted the back of her hand lightly, like the most polite audience member in an opera house.

"Lily Fragrance, you're kidding me." Tenyu Rinne turned her head away, refusing to look at that beautiful smiling face.

"Are you two very familiar with each other?" Yu Jian asked curiously.

"She's my childhood friend, I've known Suzune-chan since we were little. In a sense, she's a veteran customer of our Cat's Paw Company, and the favors I owe her are almost up to date, even without interest..."

"Ah!!!" Amane Suzune shouted loudly, forcefully drowning out Aizen Yurika's words.

"It's time for the match! Hey, freshman, if you don't want to get hurt, hurry up and change your protective gear. I'll be waiting for you in the dojo." With that, the kendo beauty with the high ponytail disappeared into the women's changing room as if she were running away.

The next second, she peeked out again and asked earnestly:
"New student, do you know kendo? I don't bully ordinary people."

"I know a little," Yu Jian replied frankly.

"So, what's your name? Don't misunderstand, remembering your opponent's name is just a matter of courtesy." Tenyu Suzune looked over warily.

Yu Jian suddenly felt that she should have a pair of cat ears standing up on her head, along with a panting motion.

"Ming, Yujian Ming."

"Akira? I'll remember that!"

After saying that, Tianyu Lingyin retreated back into the room and slammed the door shut.

Seeing that the other party had disappeared, Yujian did not immediately go to get any protective gear, but turned to look at Aizen Yurika.

"Oh~ Such an eager gaze, Your Majesty is so bold." The girl drew out her words and slowly backed away, raising her recovered fan to cover half her face.

Snapped!
A wall slam, the most standard wall slam ever.

With one hand pressed against the wall, Yujian leaned over to look at Yurika, who was maintaining an elegant posture with her face covered by a fan. The girl was clearly suppressing a laugh.

"Won't you explain it?"

He had a feeling earlier that Yurika was deliberately trying to provoke Amane Suzune into a duel with him.

"Well, I guess I have a little selfish reason." Aizen Yurika lowered her folding fan, revealing a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes that met Mitsuki's gaze.

"Rin-chan, I met her at the orphanage, and we've been friends since we were little. Well, although she might have a slightly different opinion."

He took a half step back on his sword, as if he had heard some terrible news.

"Rinne-chan is too serious; she always wants everything to be perfect. Since becoming student council president in high school, she's become very impatient. I'm worried something's wrong, but she's started avoiding me, so..."

Lily sighed, her face showing worry; she looked utterly pitiful.

This was a disguise; Yu Jian knew that at least 90% of it was an act.

However, surprisingly, one in ten people were genuinely worried about the other.

It seems that Yurika does indeed consider that girl named Amami Suzune a friend, or perhaps it's because the sunk costs are too high. After all, for banks, owing a certain amount of money will turn them from being subservient to being treated like royalty.

"Therefore, we need a chivalrous swordsman with superb swordsmanship to wake up Suzune-chan and let her know that it is okay to rely on friends sometimes, instead of pretending not to know them when we meet them on the street."

"Is this chivalrous cheese guy eight feet tall, skilled with a sword, and extremely idle?"

Yujian glanced sideways at him, and he seriously suspected that Yurika was worried because Amamiya Rinne dared to pretend not to know him, so he decided to have someone beat (emphasis) the girl awake.

"Isn't this just a coincidence..." Yuri smiled, her meaning crystal clear.

"that is it?"

Yujian suddenly realized that the two of them were a little too close, so he subtly took two steps back and looked out the window. This time, it was Lily who moved closer.

"Angry?"

"A little."

"Because I acted on my own initiative?"

"Correct."

"Actually, I overheard Akira and Nogizaka talking about 'yin yi' before." Yurika continued to approach, and Mitsurugi turned his head away from her, but his ears involuntarily perked up.

"Lingyin-chan has used similar terms."

"What?" Yujian immediately looked at Yurika, only to find that the two of them were already very close, far less than the social distance between ordinary friends.

“Rin-chan might be from over there, and the wager in the Kendo Club’s sword-fighting ceremony is that the loser has to grant the winner a reasonable request. Given Rin-chan’s overly serious personality, she’ll definitely answer your question,” Yurika said with a smile.

Yu Jian fell silent, but the girl walked around to his front and looked at him askance.

"Are you still angry?"

"No road race."

Miken sighed, looked up at the ceiling, and tried his best not to let Yurika see his expression.

In a way, she's a truly terrifying woman.

"Sigh, you actually find me annoying when you're so considerate of me." Lily opened her folding fan again to cover her face from the side, her voice slightly choked up. But who can help but laugh when they're crying?

"I'm going to change my protective gear." Yu Jian hurriedly ran off.

A silvery laugh came from behind him, and he ran even faster.

As I entered the men's changing room, a tall, muscular young man was already waiting. A subtle sense of déjà vu washed over me, but thankfully, he didn't say, "Boy, next door."

"You must be Mikken-kun? I'm Vice President Daisuke Yamauchi. President Tenyu just mentioned the duel. You can choose any of these spare protective gear." Then, he suddenly added.

"Please keep up the good work!"

"Are you all so eager for someone to challenge your own club president?" Yujian couldn't help but ask.

“Ah, the president, she…” The tall, strong boy who called himself Daisuke Yamauchi’s expression turned serious.

"I feel a bit lost."

"How so?" Yu Jian frowned. Although he was gradually getting used to the Japanese people's chuunibyou-esque way of speaking, he still hoped that the other party could be more straightforward.

"She was clearly anxious but also extremely responsible, always demanding the highest standards of herself and those around her. Well, I can't quite explain it, but I always felt that the president's health wouldn't be able to keep up like this," Daisuke Yamauchi explained the reason.

"I see." Yu Jian pondered for a moment.

Connecting this to what Yurika just said, it became clear that Amayu Suzune had most likely become a stress monster. If this continued, the atmosphere within the club would be completely destroyed, along with her network of connections.

"Was she like this before?"

“No, it only started this week.” Daisuke Yamauchi shook his head and continued:

"In the past, the club president was just ordinary and conscientious, and everyone respected her for that. After all, not every club president would handle all club affairs seriously. Starting in the second year of high school, she also took on the role of student council president, which made her even more admirable."

"Are there any other changes?"

“I haven’t heard of anything particularly serious happening at school. But the club president has started taking frequent leave this week, supposedly because a family member is unwell and needs to be taken to the hospital often to take care of them.” After saying this, Daisuke Yamauchi opened the cabinet and took out protective gear.

Yu Jian wrinkled his nose and took a step back.

Kendo protective gear used year-round often develops an odor that cannot be completely eliminated no matter how much it is cleaned.

For Yujian, whose five senses were enhanced, that smell was as noticeable as a fart in an elevator.

"Please do your best," Daisuke Yamauchi said sincerely.

"You seem to have a lot of faith in me," Yu Jian said with some curiosity.

“Anyone who can stand next to Aizen-kun must be no ordinary person.” Daisuke Yamauchi smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth.

"It's actually thanks to the fragrance of lilies." Yu Jian pursed his lips, not at all surprised.

Then, he walked directly out of the locker room.

"Wait, don't you need the protective gear anymore?" Daisuke Yamauchi exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah, the smell is a bit strong, no need." Yu Jian waved his hand with his back to him.

"You'll get hurt!" Daisuke Yamauchi hurriedly chased after them, carrying a set of protective gear.

Then, he saw the white-haired junior casually pull out a bamboo knife.

"You've got one thing wrong." Yu Jian swung his bamboo sword to the side.

The sound of wind instantly filled the entire corridor.

"She is the challenger."

(End of this chapter)