Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Seeing that the atmosphere in the living room had become somber because of Lin Xiuyi's words, everyone's faces showed varying degrees of worry and contemplation.

Kawada Yuko's eyes darted around, clearly disliking the heavy atmosphere.

She clapped her hands, the crisp sound breaking the silence:

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about these unhappy things anymore!"

The girl stood up, trying to steer the conversation in a lighter direction.

"Now that everyone has gathered at the Ikebane house today, shouldn't we keep our promise from last time?"

Ikeba Shizuka was refilling tea for everyone when she heard this, and looked up, somewhat puzzled.
"What agreement?"

Everyone else looked like they didn't understand either.

Kawada Yuko walked to the center of the living room, put her hands on her hips, and gave a look that said, "How could you all forget?"

"It's about the kendo match you and Hattori made! After the kendo tournament last time, didn't Hattori keep saying he regretted not being able to spar with you?"

"We all made a pact to find an opportunity to have a competition!"

The girl turned to Hattori Heizo and blinked.
"Right, Hattori? Today is the perfect opportunity for you to fulfill this wish!"

Upon hearing her say that, Yukiko remembered that there was indeed such a thing.

Always eager to join in the fun, she immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! I remember too!"

The two girls sang in harmony, and the atmosphere in the living room became much more relaxed.

Everyone else also turned their attention to Hattori Heizo and Ikenami Shizuka, their eyes filled with anticipation.

After a heavy morning of conversation, a kendo match is indeed a good way to distract oneself.

Ikeba Shizuka frowned deeply; she really wasn't in the mood for a swordsmanship competition today.

Upon learning of the massacre of the Shimazu family in the morning, and witnessing the horrific scene, the bloody images still lingered in her mind.

Moreover, Lin Xiuyi's analysis of the police's "pacification" rather than pursuing the truth made her feel powerless.

Under these circumstances, she simply couldn't muster the energy to participate in any kendo matches.

Hattori Heizo, on the other side, seemed to feel the same way.

"How about we reschedule for another day? I'm not feeling well today, and besides..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ono Kayoko gently interrupted him.

Kayoko Ono sat quietly in the corner, observing everyone's emotional changes.

She could see Hattori Heizo's inner conflict and understood the heaviness that Hayashi Hideichi's words had brought to everyone, but appropriately shifting their attention and doing something that required concentration would actually help them clear their minds.

“Hako is right,” Ono Kayoko said softly, her voice not loud but clear enough to reach everyone’s ears. “The police have already made a decision on Shimazu Katsu’s case, so there’s no point in you thinking about it any further.”

"Instead of getting caught up in this, why not take this opportunity to try swordsmanship and temporarily forget about all these worries? Besides..."

The girl paused, then looked at Hattori Heizo.

"Kendo requires complete concentration, observation of the opponent, and instantaneous judgment."

"This state might help you temporarily escape from complicated thoughts."

"Sometimes, when we focus too much on a problem, we are more likely to lose our way."

"Proper relaxation and distraction may allow the answer to emerge unexpectedly."

These words are both psychologically grounded and full of wisdom.

Hattori Heizo listened and fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

Indeed, his mind was currently filled with the case, the evidence, the police's choices... These thoughts were like a tangled mess, getting more chaotic the more he tried to untangle them. Perhaps a kendo match that required complete concentration could truly clear his mind temporarily and give him a new perspective.

“…Alright,” Hattori Heizo nodded helplessly, finally giving in. “Since everyone wants to see it, let’s have a match. But let’s make it clear first, it’s just a friendly match, nothing more.”

Upon hearing his agreement, Kawada Hako and Yukiko immediately cheered, and the atmosphere in the living room became completely lively.

Ikenami Shizuka here has considerable confidence in her swordsmanship.

As the daughter of the Ikenami family, she received rigorous kendo training from a young age, studied under famous masters, and won numerous awards in various competitions.

Faced with the competition, she was naturally not afraid of fighting; on the contrary, she was somewhat looking forward to it.

Being able to spar with a swordsman like Hattori Heizo is an exciting experience in itself.

In addition, Ono Yoshiko's words made her want to concentrate and forget all the unpleasant images she had seen that morning.

“The venue is right in the courtyard,” Ikeba Shizuka stood up and pointed to the spacious courtyard outside. “There’s enough space there, the ground is flat, it’s perfect for the competition. As for the referees…”

“I’ll do it!” Midori Orikasa volunteered and raised her hand.

As a kendo enthusiast, she had long been looking forward to seeing Hattori Heizo and Ikenami Shizuka, two masters, compete.

Once the referees are confirmed, the next step is preparation.

Ikenami Shizuka is a master of swordsmanship, so her family naturally has no shortage of equipment.

She led everyone to a room on the side of the mansion, which was a dedicated kendo practice room.

The interior is simple and traditional, with polished wooden floors, several bamboo swords and unsharpened real swords hanging on the walls, and a protective gear rack in the corner.

The room was filled with a faint scent of wood mixed with the smell of sweat, a trace left by long-term practice.

Hattori Heizo picked up a bamboo sword from the wall, held it in his hand to test its feel, and adjusted his grip.

The texture, weight, and balance of a bamboo sword need to be adapted to, and even the slightest difference can affect performance in a duel between experts.

He tried swinging the sword a few times to make sure he was comfortable with the bamboo sword, then went to the courtyard to wait.

On the other hand, Shizuka Ikenami needs to change her clothes.

She returned to her room, changed into her formal kendo uniform, and neatly tied her long hair back to ensure it wouldn't obstruct her vision or movements.

After changing her clothes, she took her personal bamboo sword and came to the courtyard.

The courtyard had been set up as a temporary kendo dojo.

Midori Orikasa drew a line in the center of the court as the dividing line between the two sides.

Audience areas were set up on both sides, with Lin Xiuyi and others sitting on one side and members of Kyoto University sitting on the other side.

Sunlight filters through the trees in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows, while a gentle breeze brings a touch of coolness.

Once everyone was in place, Midori Orikasa announced the start of the competition.

Compared to the somewhat casual match between Shizuka Ikenami and Hideaki Hayashi in the past, today's match was between two experts in kendo, and it was as formal and ceremonial as a real competition.

The two sides stood facing each other in the center of the field, about three meters apart.

After the two exchanged greetings, the competition officially began.

Both of them took a step back and assumed a standard kendo stance.

Their eyes were sharp and focused, locked on each other, their muscles tense, ready to attack or defend at any moment.

Then came a long standoff... (End of Chapter)