Chapter 565: Chapter 371 National Sword Dao Competition_3
The reporter’s excellent quality made him quickly raise his camera, capturing a rather handsome photo of Uesugi Sakura.
Looking at Uesugi Sakura’s calm and composed expression in the camera, he said with some excitement:
"There are very few young people this impressive!"
In fact, it wasn’t just those two who noticed this; many experienced people in the audience, including martial artists, had seen it too.
Uesugi Sakura seemed passive, but in reality, he was the smarter one among the two fighting.
"Junior brother can do it!" Kusunoki Kubomaru seemed extremely excited; he was most annoyed by the Police Style. Police who practiced that style were like stones in a latrine, stinky and hard, terribly difficult to deal with.
"Yes, the Sticky Blade Skill is great, but... how to win?" Higuchi Yoshiaki analyzed.
"This..."
While it’s true that sticking can hold someone, it doesn’t mean sticking to someone can score a victory.
Like many experienced people, several senior brothers were lost in thought.
How to break the stalemate?
...
Compared to their contemplation, Hongo Taikou in the match was far more frustrated.
The attack method he judged using experience was stuck by the opponent’s defense and counterattack for a full two minutes.
Remember, a round is only up to three minutes long.
When time’s up, the referee would blow the whistle to forcibly separate them.
He even felt like the experience of nearly ten years as a criminal police officer was being used to capture lost cats and dogs for citizens.
Police helping citizens find cats — a helpless and feeble feeling like this.
Close to two and a half minutes of sustained sword engagement was quite intense.
Even though outsiders couldn’t see through it, they were enjoying it immensely.
The strikes of bamboo sword against bamboo sword, and the suppressive shouts surged into their ears like a tidal wave.
Hongo Taikou’s voice was already deep and his appearance quite heroic.
They could feel the sense of power in his voice and actions.
This level of excitement exceeded watching a martial arts movie by several times.
Because, they were part of it.
Uesugi Sakura’s eyes moved inside the mask, fixing on the drifting bamboo sword and movements of Hongo Taikou.
Uesugi Sakura could precisely discern Hongo Taikou’s rhythmic movements.
He belonged to the "fast" style.
Most likely one of the Police Style.
Uesugi Sakura didn’t find it difficult to notice that initially fine, but by now, Hongo Taikou had become somewhat disordered.
— His sword drawing speed was getting faster and faster.
From an outsider’s perspective, his suppressive power seemed stronger because of his increased speed.
But in Uesugi Sakura’s eyes, he had lost his rhythm.
Mere pursuit of sword speed is not the right way.
In anything, only because there is a deviation from the original rhythm can there be the concept of speed variation.
And in Sword Dao, what the average person perceives as "fast", in Uesugi Sakura’s eyes, and in the eyes of masters with decades of experience, it isn’t so.
For example,
Take a car.
A car traveling at 120 kilometers/hour.
Including human routines, it can drive about 1000 kilometers a day on the road.
But what about a tractor?
A tractor with a speed of 40 kilometers/hour.
At best, it can’t cover 1000 kilometers in a day, even if the wheels run off.
Not to mention accounting for the driver’s rest time.
And if the tractor’s wheels break down, can it still cover 1000 kilometers?
But if it drives a little slower, might it reach after a few days?
"Haste makes waste."
Running too fast makes it easy to stumble and disrupt the pace.
In Uesugi Sakura’s eyes, Hongo Taikou’s attack was just like this.
He lost the rhythm, now breaking his own wheels and exposing countless flaws.
Everything has its time of decline.
Uesugi Sakura seized the gap revealed by Hongo Taikou, and with a burst of energy, fiercely countered the descending bamboo sword.
Snap—!
The air resonated with sound.
This strike came with considerable force.
This countering strike made Hongo Taikou’s bamboo sword slightly sluggish.
Uesugi Sakura seized the moment, made no hesitation, advanced in step, and pursued relentlessly.
Keeping the fingers holding the bamboo sword in a natural state, gripping with the ring and little fingers, both hands simultaneously twisted inward.
This was the standard sword grip posture.
Then... in an instant, thrust forward!
"Men!"
The Sticky Blade Skill, like a bicycle chain without oil, making each step laborious.
The counterattack seizing the gap, as though breaking the chain of the bicycle when it lost speed, nullifying its rhythm completely.
The final stab, like the snapped chain jamming the wheel, bringing the bicycle to a complete halt.
Now, Uesugi Sakura’s bamboo sword went first, directly aiming at Hongo Taikou’s mask, hitting perfectly.
The sound of the bamboo sword abruptly ceased.
Hongo Taikou’s motion to continue attacking froze in the air.
Three referees simultaneously raised red flags, declaring the attack valid.
"Men! Ippon! Uesugi wins!"
"Brilliant." A master from the ancient Sword Dao school in the audience was the first to smile and applaud.
Clap, clap...
The applause gradually widened.
No doubt about it.
Whether for outsiders or those within the field, it was a brilliant duel.
Lost... so quickly...?
Hongo Taikou was somewhat puzzled, but indeed, the opponent had struck him.
He didn’t like underestimating opponents; his profession and experience had taught him that underestimating brings only pain and regret.
But why... still lose?
Hard to comprehend, even a suffocating frustration lingered in his chest.
Listening to the warm applause enveloping his whole body, these claps weren’t his, and the surrounding audience discussions calmed him a lot.
Initially, he had a great chance, an absolute advantage, but why did he lose?
Thinking it over, he put away his bamboo sword and offered a sincere ritual to the young man in front of him.
Uesugi Sakura placed his bamboo sword at his waist and nodded in return.
Hongo Taikou watched his turning back; although he lost this round... as a criminal police officer losing to a young man with over ten years less sword experience... but somehow, the stifled mood from before was gone.
After a brief rest, in the second round, gripping the bamboo sword and adjusting his mindset, he looked at Uesugi Sakura holding the sword to meet him and began to try to find a strategy to defeat the opponent.