A Masamune (2nd seed last time)
B Second
C. Cambei.
D. Cats
E Thistle
F pit viper (seeded 4th last time) (no Urashima, 3rd place last time)

{A vs (B vs C)} vs {(D vs E) vs F}

(In the absence of Kensin Bishamon, the tournament winner gets Bishamon.)


　　◇ ◇ ◇



　In the morning, he enters the venue with Nova hanging from his right arm.

　Nova is said to be staying in King's Landing until the entire title fight is over. 'I'll be with you for a while yet! She said with a smile like a sunflower, which made me smile too, but that was last night. Since I woke up this morning, the intensity of the skin-to-skin relationship has only gotten worse.

　To be more specific, I didn't eat breakfast with my hands. Everywhere I move, he clings to my arm. When he even tried to follow me to the bathroom, I refused to be a stone. Nova said in agreement, "Yes - quicksilver," but her expression was exactly that of an abandoned puppy.

　Nova was twenty-six years old this year. It seems that she has never known any kind of love in her life. The reason for this is that her grandfather and father imprinted on her from a young age that she should not be given a son-in-law unless he was stronger than her.

'First and last chance,' ...... said Lt. Col. Davidoff.

　It would be. I don't think there's going to be a man in this world who can beat her with [bodily skill] alone, with a status similar to that of Nevad Barthélémon, the old man of the physical body.

　Is that why she has become such a gruff type, or is it a reaction to the twenty-six years, or both? Either way, her deliriousness was unstoppable, and it wasn't at the level of softness where she was afraid to be seen.


''Second~. Aren't you tired from yesterday's game?　Is your arm okay?　I'll give you a masseuse if you want!
No problem.
'Right!　Second is awesome!　I love you~
............

　I can't get used to it.

　Even that muggy fairy tale maiden Sylvia is not like this, even when we are alone. I'm sure you'll be able to find it in the crowded corridor of the arena, rubbing and smearing my arms.

　And since we're both famous, and since we're both big and beautiful, it's even more noticeable.


"Ah.

　From the end of the corridor, I heard a man's voice coming from the end of the corridor, a man who was very careless.
　And he was coming slowly toward me. I recognized the man in the hakama.

"Kanbei?
Master Left. I believe you are the second first test, sir.
Bingo.

　He was a kumbae of the Daikoku style. I had heard that there would be one from each school in the Bishamon fight. So the representative of the Daikoku style was Kanbae, as I had expected.

'It's been six months. How are you doing?
If you're wondering what I'm talking about, ...... I've been to hell and back, and you know why. You know why.
Yeah, it's tactless to put it into words.

　That's how you beat me.

　As I recall, Kanbei liked Akaneko. The fact that she was only glancing at Akaneko's thighs, and that Akaneko and I were holding hands in a rage, made her attack me out of the blue. In other words, I'd been trounced by me in front of the woman I liked. That loss definitely hurts (...).

　I'll get my name back. You were willing to climb up the cliff for six months and bet everything you had on this Bishamon fight, right?

　When I grinned and silently asked her a question, Kanbei frowned, then looked next to me and opened her mouth with a huff.

''Ki, the woman from yesterday?''
"Nova Barthélémon, General of the Army of the Orangi Kingdom. But she's a second woman now.
...... I won't say anything bad. Don't do that man.
It's funny. Why would anyone tell you that?
He's just a trash who enjoys being pampered and turning girls over to the side.
You said Cambei. That's not true. The Second doesn't play around irresponsibly with all women. He's responsible for all women and places them under his own thumb, it seems to me.
Even pockmarks are dimples. I cannot save her any longer.
No need. This is a conversation that will never happen to this Cambeian.
"......-......!

　As I thought, Nova's tongue warfare is strong. It's not just the general, but also politicians and aristocrats at home and abroad that he has dealt with.


It's a good idea to have a second first test ...... Why are you so pampered? Why are you the only one.
Maybe it's because he has a good face.
"Kuh-haha!　The quintessential my man. Funny joke.

　...... I didn't mean it as a joke, but oh well.


'Huh, don't be silly!　While there is something called Akaneko-san, he is also rumored to be a demon piercing general, a servant of the dark elves, and Lord Masamune is in love with him!　After all, he was the former God of War.　How many women do I have to seduce to make you feel better!

　Okay, so Cambei's anger is due to the red cat thing. I have to tell him that he's mistaken.


I'm not in love with Akaneko, she's just a teacher and student, not a love interest. I've been dating Sylvia and Yukari. I've got a good feeling about Masamune. It's just the beginning with Nova. I'm not trying to seduce them. I didn't want to refuse their favors, so I didn't, and this is what happened.

　When I told him the truth honestly, Kanbei's face turned red and he mouthed it with fury.


"How dare you talk like that after taking away Akaneko-san from the Kabuto style!　And you'll be happy to collect all the women.　You are not in this fight for the title if you are going to collect chicks, are you?　Lick the samurai to a tee, you transgressor!


　Kanbei, he is pissed off.
　Well, if you've been humiliated in front of the girl you love and robbed of your hometown, then this is what you'll have to do.

　I'm just going to have to correct you on the ...... wrong side of the line.


"Cambae. Do you think the number one person in the world is going to be popular?
Don't play dumb with me!　Actually, you're taking advantage of that popularity!
'You'll be popular. You will be popular, but you will not be popular with women. I'm asking if you know the difference.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Don't you get it?


　What a miracle of someone who knows what it's like to be number one in the world and still love me.


　Come to think of it, today is the first time I've played PvP with Kanbei in a formal setting.

'I'll tell you later. I'm sick of it.


　I hope we have a good game.



　　* * * *



　The first match of the Bishamon deciding tournament, Second Firth Test vs. Cambehe.
　The arena was in an unusual state of excitement.

　The reasons are complicated. Until now, the Bishamon Tournament had been "just taking place," so to speak. This was because all the contestants ignored the spectators and played their matches in a nonchalant manner for the sole purpose of deciding the Bishamon, and then went home without participating in the award ceremony. The fact that [Battoujutsu], a skill unique to Touhachino Kuni, is so unknown is another reason why it's not very exciting. Many of the masses weren't interested in a title fight where unknown people were doing unknown things with unknown skills.

　That's what's been surprisingly exciting this time around. Perhaps at the behest of the Second, there was a struggle by Toukichirou, a member of the Daikoku school of karate. He advertised extensively that the Bishamon fight would change from this summer title fight. The method of making swords was also sold to the Castal Kingdom, and the number of ships traveling to the Eight Nations was increased tenfold. Through such activities, little by little, there were those who were interested in the [Battoujutsu] and even the Bishamon Warfare.

　And - now that the Second First Seventh Crown is participating, it's a completely different story.

　Nowadays, the ability of the second one to attract visitors was unbelievable. The crowd at the Bishamon Tournament, which had been conspicuously empty, was full, even to the point of standing room only because the second bout was going to be held.


...... What a crowd!

　Having spent six months training on the island, Cambei could not have anticipated this situation.

　He walked out into the arena, looked around at the packed crowd, and involuntarily turned his eyes around.
　People, people, people, people as far as the eye could see. Never before had Kambae ever fought in front of such a large crowd.

　A tension of a kind he had never experienced before made Cambeier's hands tremble quietly.

　But this was the one thing he couldn't afford to lose.
　Cambei clenched his hands tightly and forced himself to stop shaking.


'You're so popular,'

　The relative man, Second First Test, muttered absently.

　With that unnaturally spare expression, Cambei realized. That this unmistakable man had invited so many guests. That this was the immense popularity of the man who called himself 'number one in the world'.


You're sarcastic. You're arrogant.

　Cambaye still doesn't get it.

　He believes that it is because he is so popular that he is popular with women.

　A man who has lived only on the sword should not be outdone by a man who is smitten by women.

　Otherwise, he would have lost sight of what he is.


If you're a samurai, you can only talk to each other with the sword ......!

　If you can beat the man who is feeling good about being pampered, I'm sure Akaneko will wake up. Kanbei had always believed that.


'You're so adolescent.'

　In front of Kanbei, Second speaks as if it were someone else's business.

　The place you are looking at is different. For some reason, Kanbei felt this way.


''--Reijie to each other!　Ready!

　A command by the referee.

　Cambei's beloved sword was already in his waistband, so he walked straight into position and slowly looked back at the second.


''......?''


　A moment - skin frothing, a fright that can't be described by the word "skin frothing" - struck Kanbehe.


　That gaze was focused on the sword that the second was currently holding at his waist. No, his eyes were glued to it as if he was fascinated, and he couldn't look away from it even for an inch.

　It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can get your hands on it. What is so eerie (...) about that nondescript sword is completely incomprehensible to Kanbehe. But his body begins to tremble with an inexplicable chill.


''What ...... is that, what is that, what do you have ......!
What's this?　Oh, do you still care about it?

　When questioned by Kanbei, Second replied with a grin.

''Nanayo Rekan. It's the sword left to me by the founder of Hiruko-ryu, Leikan.
Oh, come on!　As you can see, it was a long time ago, and it should be long gone by now.
I had Yukari fix it, over the course of six months. Which means, well, rest assured, I'm serious.
"Nah, .......

　Another woman.

　Her boastful face, her proud appearance, her licking attitude, all of it was an annoyance to Kanbei.

　Kah, blood rises to my head.

　A moment later, it was so easy to forget the existence of that creepy sword.


''--Beginning!


　Cue the start of the game.




　...... Cambeier will never forget the scene immediately afterwards for the rest of his life.






　I'm raptured.


　The man who bent down and cut the carp's mouth prepares the 《Ryuoh Battoujutsu》, a ranged attack powerful enough to accumulate.

　The problem is not the skill.


　The problem is not the skill, but the eyes.


　It is the eyes of the Prajna. The dark eyes that looked like they were painted out with paint were staring at Kanbei.

　It seemed to be staring at him sharply, but you could tell that he wasn't looking at you out of anger or hatred.


　This is the kind of unthinking eyes that can only be found in people who have gone into the bottomless abyss and never returned, beyond their extremely sharpened concentration.



'd*mn it ......!

　This is no time to be timid.

　Kanbei instantly regained his sanity and began to prepare the 《Silver General Battoujutsu》 in front of Second's Dragon King while hurriedly closing the gap between them.

　The Second immediately cancelled the Dragon King, waited 0.2 seconds, and then began to prepare the counterattack-effecting "Golden General Battoujutsu" to show how to deal with the Silver General.

　If he slashed at the countered Gold General with the Silver General as it was, he would be badly beaten back. Hence, Kanbei is required to convert his skills. But he doesn't know what to convert to, and he doesn't know the right answer.


　He's desperate. Kanbei forgot even to breathe and thought for a moment.

　Here, the fact that he was able to cancel the Silver General and prepare the [Incense Car Battoujutsu] was truly a miracle.

　Maybe it was because of the unprecedented number of guests, or maybe it was because of the match he absolutely did not want to lose, or maybe it was the result of half a year's effort, but at this time, he had twisted a response that was beyond his abilities. His brain accelerated dozens and hundreds of thoughts in less than a few tenths of a second, sending incessant instructions to his entire body, forcing him to draw his sword.


　--after all. The moment he was about to pull out, Kanbei realized.

　The second 《King General Battoujutsu》 was slightly out of time.

　The 《 Incense Car Battoujutsu》 is a skill that involves moving and pulling out a sword at the same time. Hence, if there was some distance open, he could make the blow reach him faster than the infantry or silver general.


　If he had been delayed by even 0.1 seconds, this incense carriage would not have been established.

　It is truly a momentary glimmer.


　This is why [Battoujutsu] is so interesting ...... Which is why I think so.



''I got it ......?


　A moment after the movement by the incense car started and Kanbei was confident of victory - the second's skills switched from the Gold General to the Silver General.


　Impossible!　Cambaye screams aloud, but not aloud.


　He is too quick to judge.

　No matter how good the second's reflexes are, there is a limit to what a human being can do. It's impossible to start preparing the silver general after seeing Kanbei's incense car. It was clearly beyond humanity (・・・・・・・・).


　Yes, it's as if they knew the incense car was coming at this moment long ago.



'......ssh ......'


　The "Incense Car Battoujutsu" that was in motion could no longer be stopped. All that remains is to stab the Second's Tamezu silver general and stab him in the face.


　Kanbei looked at the Second's heartless eyes and saw the red-black sword blade manifesting from the white and silver scabbard, and for the first time--


　-- Scary (...), I felt deep down.



　There's no better way to describe it than to say .......

　We are all afraid of things beyond human knowledge.


'Ah,' Cambei conceded dumbly.

　The world's number one is popular, but not popular.
　He finally understood why Second had said that.


''Do you understand?''

　The last word is just that.

　Cambaye affirms it in his mind. Yes, I'm sick of it, I've learned.


　I'm ...... afraid. I'm afraid of the man in front of me. I'm scared, scared, scared, helplessly, scared.

　Is he popular?　It's nonsense. No matter how popular you are on the surface, even the slightest glimpse of this fear will make anyone turn blue in the face and leave immediately.

　The Second Firth Test is a bogeyman. It's so scary that we have no choice but to dismiss it as such. If you don't say so and exclude them from the human race, there is no way to protect yourself.



'--That's it!　Winner, second first test!

　The Silver General struck, Kanbei's arm was blown off, and the second sword was decided by the Kakugyo Battoujutsu.


　It was only two moves and a brilliant decision.

　The audience got excited. They clapped their hands with a smile and cheered, but they had no way of knowing the fear that Kanbei felt just now.