Chapter 188: Patch, You've Really... Overestimated Me! (Long Chapter)
"Soichi, I want to see too, let me see...!"
Once she realized there was something good to look at, Kaiko instantly became energized. She put down her teacup and lunged forward to wrestle the camera from Soichi.
"Kaiko-nee, don't fight, don't fight, we'll look together, we'll look together...!"
Ignoring the two of them as they scuffled over the camera, Akishin looked at the others and brought out another, larger bundle. "I brought gifts for all of you."
Yuika and Mitsuha's movements as they sipped their tea froze. They instinctively turned their heads toward him. On this subject, they couldn't maintain their composure.
Seeing the excited expressions on the children's faces, Akishin didn't waste time and began distributing the gifts. For the most part, the gifts were dominated by Kyoto's signature snacks.
[Gion Koishi: Traditional, colorful Kyoto crystal candies. Very popular in both workplaces and schools. Everyone received a bag with a generous portion.]
[Nama-cha Jelly: A highly popular Matcha dessert, bought inside Kyoto Station.]
[Nama-yatsuhashi: Kyoto's famous product. Bought at the Yatsuhashi confectionery shop around Kiyomizu-dera. Available in chestnut, Matcha, and cinnamon flavors for the autumn variant; there was also a limited edition package from the Kiyomizu shop in front of the temple.]
[Sencha Tea Bags: A combination of tea bags from the venerable Ippodo shop. The packaging design was very attractive with a retro feel.]
[Cha no Ka: The most popular souvenir in Kyoto. The main shop is in Kyoto Kitayama, but it can be bought at Isetan in Kyoto Station, underground malls, and Shinkansen areas.]
[Kuro Shichimi (Octagonal Tube): An excellent seasoning based on chili mixed with seven types of spices. This was a gift for the neighbors who owned food shops.]
[Kaki-imo: Sweet potato buns made using mountain yams from Tanba, available in large, medium, and small sizes. A solid flavor with the natural sweetness of the potato, loved by adults and children alike.]
[Kaza-guruma-to: A very nostalgic shape, bought at the Yotsubaya shop in Kyoto. They also sell items related to four-leaf clovers, cute and nostalgic Kyoto hair accessories, small handbags, and more—all of which were bought.]
[Tofu Manju: Tofu sweets handmade since the Meiji era, incredibly delicious, available in yuzu, sesame, and shiso flavors.]
[Matcha Chestnut Chocolate: A century-old shop selling sugar-roasted chestnuts, bought at Hayashi Manshodo, using Belgian chocolate to coat the chestnuts.]
[Wani Sansho Chirimen: Seasoned whitebait that goes perfectly with rice, another of Kyoto's famous products. It's delicious even when just sprinkled over plain white rice.]
[...]
In addition, there were several handcrafted items characteristic of Kyoto.
Akishin didn't quite know the "right" way to give gifts, and Shizuka wasn't too sure either, so they had just bought everything at random. Each person received several items, with slight variations depending on the recipient.
For the girls like Kondo Yuika, they mostly got a mix of snacks and handicrafts; for Mrs. Miyako, fewer snacks but more tea leaves; for Daiki-san, added seasonings; Soichi received two robot toys; and special candies for little Hotaru...
Seeing everyone's cheerful faces as they received their gifts, Akishin nodded in satisfaction. Giving gifts really did make people happy. He made a mental note to try this again in the future. Thinking this way, the exhaustion from the Kyoto trip felt worthwhile.
As he finished distributing the gifts, he glanced at the time and saw it was already approaching five in the evening.
Akishin spoke up, "Shizuka, go call Mrs. Miyako to come over for dinner. I'll cook. Yuika, Soichi, come help me."
Shizuka, who was busy eating a piece of Tofu Manju while drinking tea, put her food down and immediately went to call Mrs. Miyako.
—Now that we're back, no matter what, let's gather and have a delicious dinner.
"Sensei, I'm coming! Hmph! Kaiko-nee, I'm leaving this to you for now...!"
Soichi was forced to let go of the camera and hand it to Kaiko with a sense of dejection. Kaiko immediately let out a mischievous laugh. "Little Soichi, go and cook obediently~. You can't win against Chishima-sensei, hehe."
Kondo Soichi was not about to take that lying down. He clenched his fists and stomped his foot, shouting, "Just you wait, Kaiko-nee! One day I'll go to Kyoto myself and visit the whole city. When that happens, I'll take so many photos that you'll be super jealous...!"
Kaiko scoffed, "Hahaha, Soichi, you still think you're going to Kyoto to take photos for me? I'm already a high schooler. I'll get there long before you do...!"
"Ha! What did you say! I'll definitely be first. Next time I'll ask Sensei to take me."
"Ha! You can only ask Sensei to take you? I'll go by myself."
"Ha! You stupid high school girl, aren't you afraid of getting lost? Careful you don't get kidnapped because you don't know the way home."
Within a single sentence, the two of them were fighting again. Kondo Yuika gritted her teeth slightly, put down her teacup, stood up, and gave each of them a sharp knock on the head.
"Idiots, be quiet. This is Sensei's house..."
"Uugh~"
Kaiko and Soichi both clutched their heads and crouched down simultaneously. Mitsuha pulled her head in, sipping her tea in silence... It was clear who the leader of this small group was.
Akishin laughed and said, "Now, now. Next time I go to Kyoto, we'll all go together. Everyone. We could also go to Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido..."
...
They enjoyed a lavish dinner—meat, chicken, seafood... all the elements of land, sea, and air gathered there. The aroma filled the room as if they were in a sea of culinary delights.
Akishin and Shizuka sat at the head of the table. On the right were Kaiko and Soichi; on the left were Yuika and Mitsuha; and the foot of the table was occupied by Mrs. Miyako and Miyako Hotaru.
"Cheers! Welcome back, Chishima-sensei and Hiratsuka-sensei."
Led by Kaiko, everyone raised their glasses for a toast. Fruit juice splashed, smiling faces were reflected in the light, and the atmosphere felt like a holiday celebration. After drinking their juice, everyone picked up their chopsticks and reached for the dishes they liked...
In the middle of the meal, Soichi suddenly said, "Sensei, tomorrow... do you have time?" He stopped his chopsticks, looking at Akishin with a hesitation he couldn't hide.
"Soichi..."
Kondo Yuika turned, looking as if she wanted to say something but held back.
The others also stopped their chopsticks and turned to look. Only Hotaru was still busy trying to finish a sakura shrimp.
Akishin put down his chopsticks and said, "Tell me what it is first, then I'll decide if I have time. Tomorrow I'm supposed to go to school. But if it's important, I can take a day off. Missing one day of lessons is no big deal—especially since I'm a PE teacher..."
Speaking of which, the school wanted to promote him and had offered several times, but he had refused. What position in a school was better than a PE teacher? (Laughs)
Hearing Akishin's words, Soichi's eyes lit up. He spoke happily, "Sensei, tomorrow my school is holding a parent-teacher meeting. Mom had to go back to Itomori Town to handle some things, so I wanted to... ask Sensei to come."
After speaking, Soichi looked at Akishin with hope but also anxiety. Noticing his sister's warning look, he quickly added, "Ah! I mean... Sensei doesn't actually have to go. I-I just, usually Mom doesn't come to the meetings anyway. It's fine, I'm used to it..."
His speech became erratic; he was nervous and confused, his face flushing red. A flash of surprise appeared in Akishin's eyes. This was the first time he had seen Soichi act like this.
Yuika spoke up, "Sensei, I can go to Soichi's meeting. There's no need to trouble you..."
"That's enough. Soichi, I agree. Tomorrow I will accompany you to the parent-teacher meeting." Before Yuika could finish, Akishin cut her off.
He turned to look at Soichi and said softly, "What time tomorrow? I'll definitely be there on time. I can even help boost your reputation."
He then looked at Yuika, who had a complicated expression. "Yuika, you're Soichi's sister, so you certainly could go. But you're still a student yourself, not an adult. Your persuasive power would be lower."
"Besides, have you all forgotten one thing?" Akishin looked around at everyone. "I am Soichi's Master. I am fully qualified to attend a parent-teacher meeting for him!"
Hearing this, tears welled in Soichi's eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. He nodded firmly with a smile. "Yes, that's right. Chishima-sensei is my Master. He can come for me."
He was incredibly happy and moved. He had actually given up on the idea, but seeing Akishin return, he couldn't help but ask. In the past, his mother almost never came because she had to keep the shop open. Soichi's academic grades were outstanding; he even helped the teachers manage the other students. He could handle everything himself, so the teachers tended to overlook him. And as a leader in the school, no one dared to mock him.
Soichi thought he was used to it. But now that he was in a new school—and a school in a big city at that—he realized he still cared. He wanted to push those emotions away, but the more he cared, the more trapped he felt, leaving his mind restless.
Finally, he had thought of Akishin. After discussing it with his sister, she hadn't said anything, but the hesitation in her eyes had betrayed her...
"It's fine. From now on, if there's anything like this, you can call me. As long as it's not something as big as my own wedding, I'll be there."
Akishin reached out and patted Soichi's head. His expression was soft yet serious, making one instinctively believe his words.
Yuika let out a long breath and picked up her rice bowl again. Her gaze went vacant for a split second, but she quickly smiled again. Sakurai Kaiko nodded happily. Mrs. Miyako said to Soichi, "Congratulations, Soichi-kun," with a warm, sincere smile.
Hotaru chimed in, "Congratulations, Soichi-nii~!" She probably didn't know what she was congratulating him for, just following her mother's lead. Mitsuha also offered her congratulations.
Although this seemed like a very simple and small matter, receiving so many blessings made Soichi truly emotional.
"But, Soichi... have you been skipping your Kendo practice these last few days?"
"Ah! That, um... actually, I... every day... I practice..."
"Really?"
"Of course... of course it's true... why would I lie to you, Sensei? Haha..."
"We'll see about that. There's no need to open the Izakaya today. After dinner, come to the Dojo. I'll spar with you. If you haven't practiced until ten tonight, you aren't allowed to leave..."
"You can't do that, I still have school tomorrow~!"
Instantly, the activity room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
...
Late at night, after finishing his bath and helping dry Shizuka's hair, Akishin returned to his own room. Today, Shizuka hadn't asked to sleep together.
The dim room felt slightly cold and quiet. A bit of light seeped in through the window, preventing the space from being pitch black. Outside, the sound of summer crickets had faded, replaced by the rustle of falling dry leaves.
Lying on the bed, he calmed himself, relaxed his mind, and listened intently. What could be heard, must be heard.
Akishin, wearing his pajamas and ignoring the room temperature of only 11°C, sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate.
Three hours later, a pair of eyes snapped open in the darkness. Akishin spoke softly, "Patch, take me in."
Patch: [...]
In the next second, Akishin vanished from his spot.
The White Space. This place seemed eternal and unchanging—no direction, no time. White mist flowed slowly within it... This was a remnant of the powerful system from before.
Akishin looked at himself; he was still in his pajamas. With a single thought, the clothes on his body transformed into a set of rough Kendo gear—a trophy from the training room. Akishin praised it from the bottom of his heart. No matter how many times he stood here, he always felt it was extraordinary, as if he were glimpsing a wider world.
He reached out his hand, and [Rebirth], which hadn't appeared for a long time, materialized. The scabbard was a deep crimson, with a hilt of black and red.
Hiss—Clang!
Akishin instantly unsheathed [Rebirth]. The blade was as pitch black as an abyss, the edge a deep purple, with strange black patterns that seemed to flow along the steel.
[Rebirth] was a strange sword, without a doubt. But it was Akishin's sword—the weapon he trusted most, or rather, his partner. [Rebirth] might betray anyone else, but it would never betray Akishin. Akishin was its creator; it was Akishin.
Holding [Rebirth], Akishin's entire aura shifted. Sharp, indifferent, fearless. He could feel a surge of "joy" emanating from the blade.
A voice tinged with a hint of fanaticism echoed in the white space: "Patch, give me the specifics for this Kendo training."
Patch: [Akishin must defeat five Kendo masters in a row. Kill them all to complete the trial. You cannot leave until it is finished.]
"Five people... huh?"
A heavy feeling settled in Akishin's eyes. He had a bad premonition. He could roughly guess who those five masters would be. Without another word, he let out a long breath. Akishin's gaze returned to its calm, indifferent state. He spoke: "Patch, begin!"
Akishin vanished, leaving only the white mist flowing slowly. Where he had just been standing, a red Lycoris flower bloomed slowly. It was the only color in this space.
...
A vast field of pampas grass stretched as far as the eye could see. The grass, standing waist-high, didn't grow as lushly as it would by the water. It felt as if the souls of the departed were resting peacefully here. A wind that wasn't quite a breeze but wasn't quite a storm blew through the snow-white grass...
The sky was dim, as if thunder were hidden within. It wouldn't be strange if a thunderstorm broke out in the next second. There was a sense of withered destruction...
This was an entirely new landscape.
Looking at the grass swaying gently around him, Akishin had a vague sense of familiarity, though he couldn't remember where he had seen such a scene before. But that wasn't the point.
Akishin looked ahead at the five sword-wielding figures appearing out of nothingness.
Sanada Nobushige. Yagyu Jubei. Ito Ittosai. Sasaki Kojiro. Miyamoto Musashi.
Five men. Five different individuals—some dressed extravagantly, others looking worn down. Their only commonality was that they just stood there simply, yet they exerted the greatest pressure Akishin had ever felt in his life. It was as if five long blades were simultaneously slashing toward him. There was no dodging, no escaping; he could only parry with the sword in his hand.
"Patch, you've really... overestimated me!"
Akishin actually laughed. The scabbard of [Rebirth] in his hand slowly turned into points of light and vanished. He raised [Rebirth], his killing intent spreading wide. He gripped the sword and stepped forward, moving to clash against the two O-dachi blades of Sanada Nobushige.
Clang!
—Doing this isn't for the sake of gaining anything. It's just... I don't want to back down.
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