Tokyo's Most Affectionate - Chapter 103

Something Men Swear to Defend

“If I have an appointment, I’ll definitely come.”

Holding her hand, Kurosawa was in a good mood. Although he had committed three days of his summer vacation, he had fulfilled his promise.

“You’ll be late, but definitely come?”

This statement sounded like an assurance, bringing some joy to Shiromiya.

Promises made after actually accomplishing something are more convincing.

“Yes.”

“Hurry up and let go; it wouldn’t be good if we get reported to the teacher.”

Realizing he nodded in agreement, Shiromiya suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. She shook her arm and withdrew her hand.

“Kurosawa, come and meet Master Sato, a national treasure in the Neon archery world.”

At that moment, Uesugi called out from the side.

Regarding the interaction between the two, they naturally noticed.

At this moment, Uesugi understood why Kurosawa was in such a hurry. 

It turned out he was eager to meet this girl who was indeed quite beautiful and had a unique charm.

“Nice to meet you for the first time. I’m Kurosawa Hikaru.”

Kurosawa turned around and walked over, extending his hand for a greeting.

“I heard you want to visit and learn?”

Sato glanced down at the outstretched hand but did not shake it. Instead, he spoke.

In terms of seniority, this junior was not qualified to shake hands with him. Meeting him required a bow and lowering of the head.

For a moment, the atmosphere became a bit tense.

Because one extended a hand, and the other remained unmoved.

“Yes.”

Perceiving his pride, Kurosawa wasn’t embarrassed. He withdrew his hand and replied.

On the way inside, he had already heard from Uesugi about this old man. 

The person in front of him was a renowned archery master in the neon archery world, holding a prominent position in terms of both skill and reputation.

“You’re the student brought by Uesugi, today I’ll make an exception and let you observe, but in the future, I hope you come in on your own, not relying on others to lead the way.”

Sato didn’t chase him away, but his unwelcoming attitude was evident, and his tone was indifferent.

Feeling his attitude, Kurosawa’s thoughts couldn’t help but sink. 

Did this old guy target him because of his interaction with Shiromiya just now? 

He didn’t do anything, he only shook hands and said hello.

With this attitude, if he didn’t do something, he probably wouldn’t touch any bows and arrows today, and it would be impossible to complete the mission.

“Do I have the chance today to see how strong the pinnacle of the archery world is?” After some thought, Kurosawa asked.

“Do you want to see me take action?” Sato stood with arms crossed, quite arrogant.

“Not just seeing you take action, in fact, I came to the dojo this time to experience the greatness of Master Sato.” Kurosawa shook his head slightly, his eyes becoming sharp.

“Do you really dare to say that? Can I understand this as a challenge?” 

With these words, the eyes of Sato suddenly sharpened, resembling the eyes of an eagle, containing a certain momentum.

For a moment, people shooting bows and arrows nearby all turned their attention towards them.

Nationwide, the number of people daring to compete with Sato was few.

Everyone capable of challenging him was a figure of national renown.

This young man really didn’t know his place.

“This is a challenge.”

Perhaps feeling pressured by the onlookers, Kurosawa did not show any weakness.

“Since it’s a competition, there’s a winner and a loser, right? The loser should give something up, don’t you think?” 

Seeing him confrontational, Sato took a step forward, speaking in a deep voice.

“Yes,” Kurosawa nodded.

“If I win, you should stay away from Mirai in the future. She’s not someone a nobody like you can match with.”

With his affirmation, Sato lowered his voice and said with a slight tone.

“Using people as a bet is not a good decision.” Kurosawa wasn’t very satisfied with this proposal.

Betting to leave a girl if he won – such a bet was too foolish.

Whether he watched it on TV or in anime, he always thought it was stupid.

“In that case, apologize to me in front of Mirai. Say that you didn’t know your place, were arrogant and conceited, and swear never to step into this dojo again.”

Sato thought about it and agreed. Using his little disciple as a bet wasn’t a good idea. Instead, he opted for a different punishment.

Making this young man lose face in front of Shiromiya could be considered a different kind of penalty.

“If I win, I can come to the Windchaser Dojo whenever I want, and you must treat me as an honored guest.” Kurosawa nodded, having no objection to this punishment, and also voiced his own requirement.

The content of their punishments was known only to them; the others didn’t hear it.

“Go change into a hakama. When you’re ready, we’ll decide how to proceed with the match.” With the matters settled, Sato said.

“Where is the changing room?”

“Over there.”

Their actions and words were decisive, not giving others a chance to intervene.

Having clarified the direction, Kurosawa took strides, carrying his bag, and walked away.

As the two separated, Uesugi came back to his senses and immediately followed.

The two of them, one after the other, entered the changing room.

Closing the door, Kurosawa set down his bag, preparing to change clothes.

“Kurosawa, what’s going on? Even if your archery talent is excellent, and you hit all twenty arrows, archery is not just about accuracy. It also involves posture, character, attitude, details. You can’t really compare to him.” Uesugi couldn’t help but speak up when he saw him changing clothes, offering a reminder.

Uesugi was well aware of Kurosawa’s skill level, having tested him before. 

The young man’s talent was nothing short of terrifying. While he might not know much about archery, Kurosawa excelled in stance, mindset, visual acuity, and precision.

Not to exaggerate, but with a few years of dedicated practice, refining his fundamentals, Kurosawa could easily enter the professional realm and potentially make a significant name for himself in the future.

“Uesugi-sensei, a man has three things he must swear to defend to the death.”

Taking out his clothes and laying them down, Kurosawa glanced at him while unbuttoning his shirt.

“What are those three things?” Curious to see his serious expression, Uesugi asked.

“His life, his dignity, and his face in front of the girl he likes.” 

Kurosawa took off his shirt, revealing the well-toned muscles on his upper body, brimming with strength due to the movements.

“Indeed.” Uesugi pondered for a moment, finding some truth in his words, and nodded in agreement.

These things are indeed worth giving everything to fight for.

“But even so, defending yourself to the death and throwing your life away are not the same. You have no chance against Master Sato.” However, in the next moment, Uesugi quickly realized the situation, vigorously shaking his head and urgently saying,

The strength of Sato, how high it truly was, might be incomprehensible to outsiders, but he was well aware. 

Even if he were to exhaust his entire life, he feared he couldn’t reach the heights where Sato stood.

In the world of Neon Archery, there was a system of ranks and grades, with titles above the grades. 

Beginners progressed through the ranks step by step, and experienced archers were known as “dan-holders,” while teachers must hold the titles of “Refiner, Instructor, Exemplar.”

Advancing through the ranks became more challenging as one went higher. 

Achieving the legendary eighth dan status was no small feat. 

The ninth dan represented the pinnacle of archery, and Sato held this rank.

As for the elusive tenth dan, individuals holding this rank were extremely rare throughout history.

Although Sato was older, now at seventy, and his competitive state was no longer what it used to be, his experience brought its own strengths. 

His level of skill was astonishing and went beyond imagination.