I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Qingdeng looked at the number of people in front of him in surprise.

Even though there were still about 40 minutes before the match started, the area around the venue was already packed with spectators, three or four layers deep, numbering at least 200, and that number was still growing…

Although Qing Deng knew that such a rare event as "samurai fighting" would surely attract the interest of many people, the number of spectators presented to him was still beyond his expectations.

Okita and Saito were clearly taken aback by the sheer number of people, and they both stared in astonishment at the ever-growing crowd surrounding the competition venue, just like Aoto…

Just then, Kondo's voice suddenly came from beside Aoto and the others:

"Oh, Tachibana-kun, Souji, Saito-kun, you're back."

"Kondo-kun," Okita asked, somewhat bewildered, as Kondo strode towards them, "Aren't there too many spectators...?"

“Ah…” Kondo smiled helplessly, “I heard my father say that the shrine priest of Yushima Tenmangu Shrine has been tirelessly promoting today’s match these past few days.”

"Thanks to his vigorous publicity, a lot of people know that we will be holding a competition with the Chiba Kendo Club."

"Alright, everyone, come with me. It's about time to warm up."

The competition venue provided by Yushima Tenmangu Shrine for Shieikan and Ochiba Kenkan is very large, about the size of three basketball courts.

The main camp of the Shieikan is located on the east side of the venue, while the main camp of the Kochiba Kenkan is located on the west side of the venue.

After arriving at the east side of the field with Kondo's guidance, Aoto spotted Chiba Jutaro and Sanako, whom he had just parted ways with, on the west side of the field.

Not all the people from the Chiba Sword Hall have arrived yet.

On the west side of the field, a small group of people, led by Chiba Jutaro and Sanako, were inspecting their bamboo swords.

After noticing that Qing Deng had arrived and was looking in their direction, the brother and sister both looked up and nodded to him.

"Kondo-kun, are Mr. Kiryu and Ms. Kinoshita still not here?" Aoto looked around at the "audience seats" and found that Mr. Kiryu and the others were nowhere to be seen.

But I did see my teacher's wife, Ah Bi.

Until the very end, Abi was strongly opposed to holding the "Red and White Battle" with Chiba Kenkyuu during the "Plum Blossom Festival".

Despite her initial opposition, she eventually reluctantly came to watch the game.

She was sitting side by side with Shusuke in the best seats on the north side of the venue, seats reserved for those with close ties to the Shieikan and Kochiba Kenkan.

His face was so sour that he didn't look like he was there to watch the game; he looked more like he was there to pick a fight...

“Kiryu-sensei is usually very busy,” Kondo said. “And he doesn’t really like coming to noisy places like this, so he probably won’t be watching the match. Here, Tachibana-kun, this is your bamboo sword.”

"Can't Mr. Kiryu and Ms. Kinoshita come...?" Aoto felt a little disappointed.

After all, these two were already considered his acquaintances and friends.

Aoto still felt a little disappointed that he didn't see him and the friends that Okita had so kindly invited a few days ago in the "audience seats".

Aoto took the bamboo sword from Kondo's hand and then began to stretch his muscles and warm up with Okita and the others.

Time passed slowly, and more and more spectators gathered around.

Suddenly, out of the blue, the surrounding audience erupted in chaos.

"Ah..." Standing next to Aoto, Okita, who was warming up with Aoto, muttered as he looked across at the other side, "The 'main force' of the Little Chiba Sword Hall is here..."

Aoto looked up and followed Okita toward the opposite side of the field... to the west.

A dozen or so young men, all in the prime of their lives, filed in through a corner of the "audience area" and strode toward the main camp of the Chiba Sword Hall.

They should be the participants representing the Chiba Kendo Academy today.

The commotion in the "audience seats" just now was caused by them.

Many people craned their necks, curiously observing the participants from the Chiba Kendo Hall who had finally arrived.

Chiba Jutaro grinned and strode towards the "large group," chatting and laughing happily with them.

Aoto scanned the main camp of the Little Chiba Sword Hall, then looked at the VIP area, but still couldn't spot the person who appeared to be the current head of the Little Chiba Sword Hall, Chiba Sadakichi. He couldn't help but ask Okita beside him:

"Has Mr. Chiba Sadakichi not arrived yet?"

Qing Deng was still quite curious about this legendary swordsman who helped his brother promote the Hokushin Ittō-ryū style, and he really wanted to see what this legendary swordsman looked like.

“It seems that Mr. Chiba Sadakichi has not arrived yet.” Okita looked around. “We should have to wait a little longer before we can see him.”

After saying that, Okita turned his gaze back to the now bustling main camp of the Chiba Kenkan, and to the audience who were still restless and curiously observing the participants of the Chiba Kenkan.

"...The famous Chiba Sword Hall is indeed more popular than us." Okita chuckled at Aoto, then continued jokingly, "When we showed up just now, not many people were watching us."

"Compared to the Chiba Sword Hall, we really do have a long way to go..."

Okita laughed, speaking in a carefree, joking tone.

However, after saying this, a barely perceptible hint of melancholy flashed in his eyes, one that Qing Deng failed to notice...

Just then, suddenly—

"Ju, it's been a long time."

A gentle male voice came from beside Qingdeng.

Upon hearing the male voice, Qing Deng was startled at first, and then quickly looked in the direction of the sound—the source of the sound was a young man with a rather handsome face and an elegant demeanor.

"South of the mountain?" Qingdeng asked in surprise.

The owner of this male voice was none other than Aoto's old friend, Yamanami Keisuke, whom he hadn't seen for some time.

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I originally wanted to write a whopping 1 words, but I just can't write anymore (crying face).

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Chapter 96 Qing Deng: "Let me be the commander-in-chief!"

"Shannan." Qingdeng lowered the bamboo sword he was holding and grinned at Shannan. "It has indeed been a long time since I've seen you."

Qing Deng thought back carefully—ever since the day after he transmigrated to this era, when he asked Yamanami Keisuke, who happened to be studying at the Chiba Sword Academy, whether the Shieikan was really closely related to the Genbukan and the Chiba Sword Academy, he had not had the opportunity to see Yamanami again due to being too busy and other reasons.

“Yes,” Shan Nan replied, “that’s why I came all this way to see you and say hello.”

As always, Yamanami wore a refined smile. When he walked up to Aoto, he noticed Okita standing to the side and behind Aoto.

As a member of the Chiba Sword Hall who often deals with the Shieikan, Yamanami naturally recognizes Okita, one of the famous figures of the Shieikan.

"Okita-kun." Yamanami Kiyoshi gracefully bowed slightly to Okita, greeting him with a polite greeting.

Yamanami's elegant movements involuntarily reminded Aoto of Sanako, whose manners were equally elegant.

But the elegance of these two men is completely different.

Sanako possesses the elegance of a "young lady," and her demeanor immediately leads one to conclude that she must have received a very strict "Yamato Nadeshiko" education.

The elegance of Shannan is the kind of elegance that comes from "a mind enriched by poetry and literature, naturally exuding elegance."

To put it simply and bluntly, Shannan is the kind of person who looks very knowledgeable and cultured.

Okita looked at Aoto in surprise, then at Yamanami, before finally realizing what was happening.

“Oh right… I almost forgot, Tachibana-kun, you told me before that you and Yamanami Keisuke of the Chiba Kenkan are friends.”

I forget the exact date, but it was during a casual chat with Kondo and Okita that Aoto mentioned his relationship with Yamanami.

A friend he hadn't seen in a long time came to greet him, and Qingdeng couldn't be too impolite.

He took the initiative to exchange pleasantries with Shannan.

After the two exchanged a few simple pleasantries, Shan Nan suddenly let out a sigh of helplessness and surprise towards Qing Deng.

"Tachibana-kun... you've truly made me understand what it means to 'look at someone with new eyes after three days'."

"In less than two months, you've become so different that I hardly recognize you."

"When I heard that the person who solved the murder case in a very short time and defeated more than two hundred 'radical anti-foreign' thugs with a small force was named Tachibana Seito, I could hardly believe my ears."

Shannan's praise of Qingdeng was devoid of any negative emotions such as hatred or jealousy.

Yes, there was only pure joy and congratulations.

Faced with Shannan's praise, Qingdeng smiled and said a few words of humility before asking in return:

"Shannan, since you've shown up here... are you also going to participate in the competition?"

"Yes." Shan Nan nodded. "It's a great honor to be chosen by my master to participate in today's competition."

"Ha." Qingdeng chuckled. "So that means... we're about to 'face each other' soon."

Shan Nan chuckled a few times, then changed to a half-joking tone: "Later, I won't hold back."

Shannan, after all, is also a "player" who will be playing in the competition later, and needs to set aside some time to check his bamboo sword and other equipment and warm up. He doesn't have much time to stay here and chat with Qingdeng.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yamanami quickly left and returned to their main camp at the Chiba Sword Hall.

As soon as Yamanami left, Okita slung his bamboo sword over his shoulder, watching Yamanami Keisuke's retreating figure, and murmured:

"So, Yamanami Keisuke is also participating in today's match. All three of the top fighters from the Chiba Kendo Academy are here today..."

"The three top masters of the Chiba Sword Hall?" Qing Deng turned his head and cast a questioning look at Okita, who suddenly uttered a name he had never heard of before.

"Ah, that's a title I made up myself." Okita chuckled. "As a friend of Yamanami Keisuke, you should know that Yamanami Keisuke is very skilled in swordsmanship, right?"

Qingdeng nodded. He knew that Shannan's swordsmanship was very good, but he didn't know exactly how good it was, since he had never sparred with Shannan.

"Although many people, including Kondo, believe that apart from Mr. Jutaro and Ms. Sanako, there are still some people in the Chiba Sword Hall whose swordsmanship is above that of Yamanami Keisuke."

"But I personally believe that, looking at all the apprentices in the entire Chiba Kendo Academy, Yamanami Keisuke's strength is second only to Mr. Jutaro and Ms. Sanako."

"So I refer to Mr. Jutaro, Ms. Sanako, and Keisuke Yamanami as the 'Three Great Masters of the Chiba Sword Hall'... Hmm?"

Okita had only spoken halfway when, as if he had seen something extraordinary, his eyes suddenly widened, and he raised his hand and pointed to the northwest.

"Tachibana-kun, weren't you looking for Mr. Chiba Sadakichi? That's Mr. Chiba Sadakichi!"

Hearing Okita say this, Aoto paused for a moment, then quickly looked in the direction Okita was pointing—

If someone who has never met Chiba Sadakichi but has only heard of his name were standing here, they would be very surprised when they see Chiba Sadakichi's face.

Qingdeng is a good example.

He is very surprised now.