Chapter 153: Kiai

"Winner, Sakura Kyu High School, Kimura Kazuki."

The three referees held up red flags, announcing that Kimura Kazuki's attack on the face position was valid. Of course, one of the referees who was influenced by Kageyama Saburo's Kiai fell on the floor. It was only a moment after that did the referee regain consciousness. Therefore, he did not see Kimura Kazuki's attack on the opponent's face.

However, even though he did not witness Kimura Kazuki's attack, but he saw that Kageyama Saburo had dropped his bamboo sword on the floor. The player was considered defeated if the bamboo sword left the player's hand.

This was the reason why Kimura Kazuki had done that. He was worried that the referees had gotten dumb from the outcry... and they would proceed to announce that they did not see the outcome, and they needed a rematch. Thinking about that, he simply decided to let the bamboo sword slip from Kageyama Saburo's hands.

Even so, the three referees still looked at Kageyama Saburo with fear. They did not expect this player's Kiai to be so terrifying. They nearly passed out from the loud roar just now.

Especially the referee who was in his forties. He observed Kageyama Saburo alarmingly. He had been a referee for at least 10 years, but this was the first time he encountered such a situation... He previously heard that some swordsmen from the Ancient Kendo Community were exceedingly powerful. Could it be that Kageyama Saburo was the successor of the Ancient Kendo Community?

As he thought of this, he then turned his gaze toward Kimura Kazuki, who was quietly standing on the stage. This player did not seem to have any abnormality... Could it possibly mean that this player was even stronger than Kageyama Saburo?

This made him murmur silently. What is happening in this season's Jade Dragon Flag? He had never heard of Yuki Gyo High School. According to the data he had previously checked, this was the first time that they had taken part in the Jade Dragon Flag. On the other hand, Sakura Kyu High School was already involved in the tournament, but they were always disqualified at the early stages. They never had the qualifications to go to the main stadium of the Tachibana Budo Gym. This year they even had Kimura Kazuki.

The audience were shocked as they applauded. They could feel that there was something different in the match between Sakura Kyu High School and Yuki Gyo High School. Though the match ended quickly, the audience could tell that something was going on.

Kageyama Saburo heard the roaring applause from the audience as he left the stage gloomily. His hands were balled into fists. He did not know where it went wrong. No matter how strong the opponent was, the ears were one of the weakest parts of a human body. He had struck a sharp blow to the eardrums, but his opponent was not affected at all?

"Your 'Kikyo' is still not perfect." When Kageyama Saburo got off the stage, he heard Kageyama Goro's angry voice, "The key to 'Kikyo' is to focus sound on one point. Yet, everyone in the stadium could hear you. One of the referees even collapsed. You have humiliated the teacher."

Hearing this, Kageyama Saburo lowered his head, shamefully, "I'm sorry."

"Enough. Goro, get on stage." Kageyama Kuro, who was at the back, spoke mildly, "And, Ichiro, Saburo, go and get Shichiro. The match had started, and he wasn't even here? Where are his manners? We'll get scolded by the teacher again when we get back."

Kageyama Goro clenched his fist, his discontent was not with Kuro. Kuro was indeed the strongest one in the team. He was just not happy that Kuro did not believe in him.

Wasn't Kuro implying that he would lose to Kimura Kazuki by getting Kageyama Shichiro here?

With this dissatisfied thought, Kageyama Goro went on stage.

Kimura Kazuki curiously observed his opponent. This must be Kageyama Goro. He did not know what type of Kendo would his opponent adopt... or should he say, Kiai?

Based on what Kageyama Ichiro had said, his opponent practiced Kageyama Kiai Style. Kiai, if he was right, was a style that involved the usage of sound and airflow.

After the referee announced for the match to begin, all three of the referee backed away. They were worried that Kageyama Goro would use the same technique as what Saburo did just now.

Seeing this, Goro sneered silently. His 'Kikyo' would not be the same as Saburo's.

As the two players bowed, Goro took a deep breath... Immediately after finishing the greeting...

Ah! A sharp and piercing sound exploded beside Kimura Kazuki's ears. He frowned at the noise. The sound was louder and more piercing than what Saburo did previously. Even though the effect was not much, but to him, these were just noises that were mentally effective against humans.

As he heard the noise, he slightly turned to look at the referees. He noticed that the three referees were still standing, unaltered by the noise. He then realized that Goro was indeed much stronger than Saburo. The Kiai that Goro had used was directed at him, and by focusing his attack on just one point, it had amplified and doubled the power of the move.

If an average human were to encounter this... One would have probably lost balance and succumbed to the floor upon hearing the noise.

"This fellow!" Kageyama Goro noticed that Kimura Kazuki had turned to look at the referees during their match. He was enraged, but at the same time, fear crept over him. His opponent did not seem to be affected by his attack. Kageyama Goro, on the other hand, after letting out the 'Kiai,' his breathing got uneven. However, his movement did not slow down. He slashed horizontally at his opponent. This was a fake move. As soon as his opponent tried to stop it, he would immediately change direction.

"Men. " Yet, Kageyama Goro, who was midway of making a horizontal slash, felt a tremor in his protective guard. The next moment, his horizontal slash was blocked too.

"Winner, Sakura Kyu High School, Kimura Kazuki!"

Kimura Kazuki's speed was just right. His attack on Goro's face was swift, but it was still observable by the naked eye. Yet, the move that blocked Goro's horizontal slash was unbelievably quick that even the referees could not identify it. Since Kimura Kazuki managed to block the attack, it meant that he did not go down together with Kageyama Goro. That meant that Kimura Kazuki had won the match.

Did he lose?

Kageyama Goro could not even react. He knew that Kimura Kazuki excelled in speed, so he was on guard all these while. Even so, he still could not make out how fast his opponent's speed was.

Following the referee's announcement, roaring applause erupted.

The audience clapped so hard that their palms had turned red. They were overly excited. Could it be that the Taishou of Sakura Kyu High School was going to counter five opponents from Yuki Gyo High School all by himself? Everyone was expecting Yuki Gyo High School to be the champion for District A, but could there be a twist? Of course, there was one thing that made them curious... They had thought that Kageyama Goro was stronger than Ichiro and Saburo, yet it did not seem like it?

If Kageyama Goro were to know what the audience was thinking, he would probably be furious.

"Kimura-san, do you need a break?" At the same time, a referee came up and reminded kindly. Usually, there would be a few minutes of break after each match. If one were to lose because of their stamina in competitive Kendo, that would be an issue.

"No need, just continue."

The referee nodded and asked for Kageyama Shichiro to come on stage. It was not until two notifications later that a teenage boy in Kendo attire came rushing onto the stage clumsily.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry for being late." Kageyama Shichiro giggled and looked at Kimura

Kazuki in admiration before continuing, "Such a worthy successor of the Yagyu Flying Sword Style. I knew Saburo and the gang couldn't beat you."

If Saburo and the rest could hear him, they would probably have rolled their eyes... This fellow was slacking off somewhere since the beginning of the competition because he was so sure that he did not need to go on stage. Did he not feel ashamed for saying that now?

The three referees frowned, but they did not speak. Yet, all three of them had their own thoughts. Yagyu Flying Sword Style... So this Taishou of Sakura Kyu High School is the heatedly discussed successor of the Yagyu Flying Sword Style lately?

Following the announcement of the referee, the match began once again.