My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 399: Chapter 148: The Release of Momentum! Astonishing the Whole Arena! [5300]_2

Countless people spontaneously cheered and celebrated for Aoto’s victory in the tournament.

Listening to the tide-like cheers coming from all directions, Aoto exhaled deeply. As he relaxed his muscles still tense from battle, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, revealing a smile of relief.

After two days of combat, he finally secured the championship crown in this tournament!

Even with Aoto’s humble nature, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy and pride for this small achievement.

He turned his gaze, instinctively looking at his companions in the observation seats.

Aoto initially thought that by this time, Zhouzhu, Kondo, Chokata, and others should be full of joy.

But when he looked over, he saw that they had expressions that Aoto... did not understand.

Indeed, Zhouzhu and the others did show joy on their faces.

However, their eyes were mixed with a deep sense of shock.

Aoto looked carefully and discovered that it wasn’t just Zhouzhu and the others. Chiba Dingji, Chiba Shigetarou, and others who led Xuanwu Hall and Little Chiba Sword Dojo and were seated next to Shiwei Hall, also displayed such strange expressions.

—Hm? Was my victory over Niitsuma Kan in the tournament so shocking?

Aoto frowned in confusion.

If the surrounding cheers were sweet candies that made Aoto involuntarily smile with joy... then to Niitsuma Kan, who was still lying on the ground, these cheers were like sharp knives, piercing his ears and his heart.

I... lost...?

Niitsuma Kan’s unfocused eyes stared blankly at the sky bright with sunlight.

Today was a sunny day, the sunlight was quite warm, yet Niitsuma Kan felt his body was extremely cold, unable to sense any warmth from the sunlight on him.

What... was that just now?

As his eyes slowly refocused, Niitsuma Kan fearfully recalled that moment when Aoto suddenly seemed to become another person—

Being face to face with Aoto and in close proximity, Niitsuma Kan sensed very clearly—at that moment when the strange Qi field radiated from Aoto, under the enhancement of this Qi field, Aoto’s aura dramatically changed!

In that instant, Niitsuma Kan felt as if a towering mountain, piercing the sky, appeared before him!

And he, Niitsuma Kan, stood small and humble at the foot of this giant mountain.

While Aoto stood at the highest peak of this mountain, looking down like a Monarch on him, stranded at its base...

The height and enormity of the mountain caused Niitsuma Kan to be momentarily stunned and hit so hard that his heart seemed to skip a beat.

Niitsuma Kan had been taught by "Powerful Saito" Saito Mijuro, and long ago, he had heard about various high-level concepts in martial arts from him.

Could it be?!

A terrifying hypothesis emerged in Niitsuma Kan’s mind.

Impossible! Impossible!

In his mind, Niitsuma Kan roared louder and louder in madness.

At his age and with his current level, he shouldn’t have reached that realm yet!

With his breath becoming rapid and heavy, Niitsuma Kan scrambled to get up from the ground using both hands and feet.

"Wait, wait! Please wait a moment!"

Despite wearing a protective helmet, the powerful impact from Aoto’s previous strike had left Niitsuma Kan’s head spinning, with waves of nausea rising continuously to his throat.

Even so, Niitsuma Kan endured this discomfort, gripping his bamboo sword tightly to stabilize himself.

"What are you doing?" a referee frowned, casting an unfavorable glance at Niitsuma Kan.

Niitsuma Kan now resembled a gambler on the brink of desperation, with bloodshot eyes, continuing to shout in a hoarse voice:

"Please allow me to have another match with Tachibana Aoto! I was careless earlier! If we fight again, I will definitely not lose!"

"Young man, you have already lost," another referee said calmly, "Calm down a bit. Acting like this after losing is truly disgraceful. As a samurai, have the basic sense of shame."

However, in the face of this referee’s well-intentioned advice, Niitsuma Kan persisted: "Please give me another chance! I..."

"Enough!" The referee who had cast an unfriendly glance at Niitsuma Kan after his initial plea to "wait a moment" interrupted impatiently, "I advise you one last time: stop making a fuss!"

Niitsuma Kan clenched his naturally hanging left hand into a fist, and his right hand gripped the hilt of his bamboo sword tightly.

Unwilling to give up, he still wanted to say more.

But at this moment, the corner of his eye suddenly caught the sight of the vassals from the Aizu Domain, responsible for maintaining order around the competition grounds, turning their vigilant gaze toward him due to the commotion he was causing.

Some even raised their left hands to the hilt of the tachi at their waist, taking a half-step toward the arena, as if preparing to intervene at any moment.

Niitsuma Kan lifted his gaze, scanning the faces of over twenty vassals from the Aizu Domain surrounding the arena.

Hesitation and unwillingness tugged at his cheeks repeatedly.

The knuckles of his clenched left hand and his right hand gripping the sword had turned white from exertion.