I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 69 and 070: I am the strongest.

The activity room was filled with steam and the aroma of tea. Matsudaira Chiyo skillfully brewed black tea and placed a steaming cup in front of Tsukimi.

Tsukimi Inaba bowed her head and said thank you, then picked up the teacup with both hands and began to sip the tea slowly.

"If you've given up on kendo, then why do you carry a bamboo sword with you all the time?" Matsudaira Chiyo's eyes turned to the long, narrow sword pouch lying across Tsukimi Inaba's lap.

"It's just for self-defense."

Matsudaira Chiyo sighed and said with a smile:

"Tsukimi-san, may I see your right hand?"

?

Tsukimi Inaba tilted her head, somewhat confused, but still obediently stretched out her right hand, her small palm as white as her skin.

Matsudaira Chiyo reached out, supporting Tsukimi's right hand with one hand, while gently pressing her knuckles a few times with the other.

When I first got my hands on it, it felt ice-cold. It seems like Tsukimi's body temperature is several degrees lower than normal.

Her hands, though seemingly boneless, were covered in thick calluses.

Matsudaira Chiyo grasped Tsukimi Sato Inaba's right hand, touched it briefly, then let go, saying with some heartache:

"I have some understanding of kendo, and I know how much hard work and sweat it took to build up the calluses on Tsukimi-san's hands. Why would Tsukimi-san say she wants to give up kendo?"

"Because I'm too strong."

Tsukimi Inaba's beautiful face has a slightly childlike quality, but her expression is aloof. Her black hair with curls at the ends falls to her waist, exuding a sense of tranquility from the inside out.

"Since the first day I held a sword, no one has been able to get a sword from me. In the junior high school kendo tournament, many people who lost to me later gave up kendo because they experienced an overwhelming gap in talent when they were in my hands."

Tsukimi Inaba's left eye looked at another girl.

This girl has short hair, almond-shaped eyes, and a spirited demeanor. She is Tsuda, the vice-captain of the kendo club in her second year.

"Tsuda-senpai, you were my opponent in middle school. Do you still have the courage to fight me?"

Tsuda-senpai's face showed an indescribable complex expression, her legs trembled, and her hands on her thighs shook slightly.

After a half-minute silence, he clenched his fist and said firmly:

"When I lost to Tsukimi-senpai, I also considered giving up kendo. But! I eventually overcame my fear and started again. One of my goals in the past two years of persistent training is to fight Tsukimi-senpai again."

Tsuda-senpai's phoenix eyes revealed a fighting spirit.

"Last year, as a freshman, I also made it into the national tournament. Now, I should be qualified to compete with Tsukimi-senpai. Moreover, I hope that Tsukimi-senpai can join the kendo club. It would be such a waste for someone as talented as you not to shine in the national tournament."

"I see..."

For the first time, Tsukimi Rihime's usually indifferent face thawed as if ice had melted, revealing a look of surprise.

"Matsudaira-senpai, please have another cup of black tea."

Tsukimi Inaba took the steaming hot black tea, but instead of drinking it, she covered the cup with both hands.

"Since that's the case, I'll give you a chance. If you want me to join the department, I have one condition."

Tsukimi Inaba asked, "How many people are in the kendo club?"

Tsuda-senpai exchanged a somewhat confused glance with Matsudaira Chiyo. Seeing Matsudaira Chiyo nod, she thought for a moment and said:

"Not counting the seniors who are already preparing for exams and not participating in club activities in their third year, there are 31 boys and 25 girls."

"Fifty people? That should be enough for a warm-up. How about this: whether you all come at me together, or it's a series of matches; whether it's a no-holds-barred game or a Kendo League tournament, as long as one member of the Kendo Club can hit me and get an Ippo, I'll join the club. How about that?"

Upon hearing this, Tsuda-senpai was first stunned, and then an uncontrollable anger surged into her heart.

It's not that the conditions in Tsukimi are harsh, but rather that they are excessively simple!

Tsukimi Inaba's implication was that she wanted to take down the kendo club by herself.

"Tsukimi, do you think you're Miyamoto Musashi?"

Miyamoto Musashi was the founder of the Niten Ichi-ryu style and the author of the Book of Five Rings. He fought more than sixty battles in his life without being defeated. Through the continuous deification in later legends, he has become synonymous with sword saint and the greatest swordsman in the world.

Tsuda-senpai didn't even use a title, clearly indicating she was somewhat angry.

"Of course I am not Miyamoto Musashi."

Tsukimi Inaba said calmly and matter-of-factly, "Even Miyamoto Musashi couldn't be as strong as me."

I am the strongest!

Although her tone remained as calm as ever, the absolute self-confidence she conveyed was as unwavering as Tsukimi Rion's icy aura.

"Don't be so arrogant..."

"Smack."

Matsudaira Chiyo clapped her hands, the crisp sound ending their argument, and laughed:

"In that case, how about we compromise? Using the Jade Dragon Flag tournament format as a standard, the Jade Dragon Flag's Fighting Spirit Award is one against five, so let's limit it to five people. As long as any one of the five can obtain a book from Tsukimi-san, the Kendo Club will win. Is that alright, Tsukimi-san?"

"Five? That's so unfair to the kendo club, whether it's ten or twenty..."

"Just five!" Senior Tsuda decided immediately.

"Let's do it today then. I might not have time to play with you tomorrow. I'll go downstairs and wait for you."

Tsukimi Inaba lightly picked up her sword pouch, slung it over her shoulder, and turned to walk out of the activity room.

"Tsuda, how's it going? One against five, still not confident enough to get a copy from Tsukimi-san?" Matsudaira-senpai asked, noticing the slightly melancholy look on Tsuda-senpai's face.

The Jade Dragon Flag tournament format is best-of-three, where the first player to score two valid hits wins. In contrast, in Tsukimi, if a player loses an ace, the player loses. It's also a 1 vs. 5 tiebreaker, which is like one life against ten lives.

"Miss, to be honest, I'm not very confident. After all, our opponent is a real monster."

Tsuda-senpai smiled bitterly.

Although it is very rare, there have been instances in the Yulongqi women's competition where a female contestant has won the "Fighting Spirit Award" for taking on ten opponents at once.

"Is it really possible for a doll-like petite girl like Tsukimi to be this strong? I'm really interested."

Matsudaira Chiyo paced around the activity room with great interest, as if she had found a new and interesting toy.

"I'll be even stronger than you imagine, Miss! But please, I must have one of the five spots."

"Understood, I'll choose the remaining three."

Matsudaira Chiyo nodded, having already noticed Uchiha Naruto, and took out an activity log from her desk, saying:

"Uchiha-kun, you can leave early if you sign here."

Matsudaira Chiyo waved her hand, about to send the Uchiha away.

"What happened just now? Was it a new commission?" Uchiha Naruto asked.

"Hmm, does Uchiha-kun also know kendo?"

"A little bit."

Naruto Uchiha put his right index finger and thumb together.

He wasn't making things up. There are kendo courses in junior high school, and even in high school, physical education classes are often combined into large groups of several classes. Uchiha Naruto had kendo class with two other classes this week.

I have a basic understanding of the rules of Kendo.

"This club activity looks interesting; please allow me to watch."

(End of this chapter)