Chapter 8, I am still stronger

And what does it have to do with oneself? Is it because being mixed up with oneself means getting beaten up?

Fortunately, Fukuzawa Fuyumi's thrust was accurate. The armor had a drooping extension, and a thick resin plate protected the throat area. However, even so, Uchida Yuma still lost consciousness, primarily due to the fall. Yet, the fact that a single sword could impale a man weighing over fifty kilograms is already quite astonishing

At this moment, Uchida Yuma clearly did not take Fukuzawa Fuyumi seriously, believing that even though the latter had practiced for a longer time, he had advantages in height, arm length, and strength, making it impossible for her to turn the tide. He was likely thinking of defeating Fukuzawa Fuyumi with a single blow to gain significant attention. Meanwhile, there was a senior girl nearby who looked quite good, barely qualifying as a kendo beauty, and she was watching the match.

Both parties exchanged bows, and Daizengori called out once more: "Prepare!"

Soon, Yuma Uchida changed into his clothes and protective gear, came out, swung the bamboo sword a few times to find his feel, and then crouched down at the starting line of the competition. On the other side of the starting line, Fuzawa Fuyumi had already been seated and waiting for some time.

As for the rib-waist style, it conceals the blade behind the body, making it difficult for the opponent to determine the direction of the strike and the length of the sword, thus achieving an element of surprise. However, in modern kendo competitions, the length of the bamboo sword is standardized, so ... ...

Uchida Yuma was momentarily taken aback, even hesitating with the foot he was about to step forward with. Meanwhile, Fukuzawa Fuyumi's gaze narrowed, and just as Uchida Yuma's foot was about to land, her body sprang up like a tightly wound spring, taking a heavy step forward, thrusting her sword straight ahead, and roaring once more: "Tutu Tutu!"

Only such attacks count as scoring, and in a competition, whether a single strike determines victory or a best-of-three format depends on the rules of the competition

Shidao Lu frowned and muttered softly, "This guy!"

The following stance positions the tip of the sword towards the ground, prioritizing defense. The offensive actions are limited to parries and deflections, making it primarily suitable for counterattacks or as an initial move in a war of attrition. However, after years of development in the sport of kendo, the subsequent variations became too monotonous, resulting in a low win rate, and this stance has gradually been phased out.

Fuze Dongmei satisfiedly swung her bamboo sword, feeling that although she had studied hard for a year without much practice, her swordsmanship, honed since childhood, had not regressed much. She took small steps to approach Uchida Yuma, glanced at him still in a daze, and regardless of whether he could hear her, she proudly mocked, "Oh dear, does it hurt? Don't blame me; if you must blame someone, blame yourself for hanging out with Kitahara! This is a lesson for you; in the future, mind your words! Otherwise, every time I see you, I will hit you!"

The arena fell into a momentary silence, even the referee, Daizengpo, seemed lost in thought. A thrust requires considerable strength, speed, keen eyesight, and the ability to seize opportunities. It is rarely employed by adult female fencers, let alone high school girls. Such a move can only be seen occasionally in national competitions, and using such techniques in practice matches seems a bit excessive, doesn't it

Fuze Dongmei's gaze immediately shifted to him, sizing him up from head to toe, her smile not reaching her eyes: "Beiyuan classmate? Are you angry? Haha, don't rush, it's your turn soon! Ah, you probably wouldn't dare, what a pity... your lackey took the hit for you!" Her voice was filled with a mix of disdain and cheerfulness, as if she relished the thought of Beiyuan Xiuci being humiliated, even if it was just to annoy him, it brought her immense satisfaction, as if she had released a great deal of pent-up resentment. "I can understand if you don't dare... hey, even if you beat me in an exam once, so what? Overall, I'm still stronger!"

Hidetaka Kitahara and Ritsuko Nishikawa suddenly stood up, but in the blink of an eye, before they could even scream, they hurriedly rushed towards Yuma Uchida

Shidao seemed quite dissatisfied, "He is too arrogant!" he said, casting a glance at Kitahara Hidetaka, who wore a look of confusion on his face. Realizing that he had not practiced kendo, Shidao elaborated, "There are generally five types of starting positions in kendo: upper stance, middle stance, lower stance, eight variations stance, and side waist stance...

Hidetaka Kitahara turned his head slightly upon hearing the voice and asked, "What is it, Shikishima-kun?"

This could be considered a sign of Yuma Uchida's lack of composure, and Hidetaka Kitahara did not have a particularly good solution. He then softly asked, "How is the winner determined in this kind of competition? Is knocking down the opponent considered a win?"

He stood in front of Yuma Uchida and asked in a deep voice, "Fukuzawa, what do you mean by this?"

The upper segment style is advantageous for offense, but exposes the chest and abdomen, leaving the gates wide open and resulting in a relatively weak defense

For example, practicing swordsmanship generally involves the use of wooden swords, and even sharpened wooden swords—do not underestimate the potential of a wooden sword to inflict harm, as high-quality wood can be as heavy as a real sword. In kendo competitions, hollow bamboo swords are used, which, even if they accidentally strike an unprotected area, will not cause significant injury

With a loud "bang," Yuma Uchida was sent flying, rolling directly out of the ring—he had attempted to show off with a high stance, but was caught off guard by Fukuze Fuyumi's roar, leaving him unable to respond and ultimately defeated without any ability to fight back

Although Kendo originated from swordsmanship and inherits many traditions of the latter, it differs from the combat techniques of swordsmanship, which aim to defeat the enemy through cutting. Kendo is a sport with strict rules regarding equipment, scoring, timing, and other requirements

"No, Kitahara-kun!" Shikishima Ritsu observed the scene and noticed that Uchida Yuma's waist sash was not tied properly and had come loose. Taisho Bori Masakazu, with a face full of anger, instructed him to retie it tightly and began to explain roughly.

The term "spirit" refers to calling out the striking position with a spirited voice to avoid the situation of a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse; the term "body" refers to striking effective areas with a proper posture, specifically areas protected by gear such as the face, throat, torso, and hands. If an attack lands on an unprotected area, such as maliciously striking the opponent's legs or arms, resulting in injury, the attacker will be directly disqualified. The term "sword" refers to striking with the bamboo sword's blade and the portion at the front that occupies approximately one-fourth of the total length. If a real blade were used, it would be the most lethal part.

The mid-range style emphasizes a balance between offense and defense, allowing for both aggressive attacks and defensive retreats. It is one of the most commonly used techniques, and one advantage is that the tip of the sword is directed at the opponent. Even if the opponent is extremely fast, if they strike directly at the forehead with a sword at the very beginning of the match, it is still easy for the tip of the sword to make contact. The essence of kendo is to seek to defeat the enemy rather than to perish together with them. Therefore, in such cases, the opponent's strike is generally ruled as invalid—killing the enemy while also dying yourself is meaningless; this is not about training assassins or mercenaries. The essence of kendo is to seek to defeat the enemy rather than to perish together with them. Therefore, in such cases, the opponent's strike is generally ruled as invalid—killing the enemy while also dying yourself is meaningless; this is not about training assassins or mercenaries

Ah ah ah ah! With a command from Daishōbori, Fukuzawa Fuyumi maintained a middle stance, but her body suddenly tensed up, as if she had shrunk a size. At the same time, she let out a shocking, enormous roar—it's hard to imagine that such a small person could produce such a sound, and within that roar was a compelling momentum filled with an unwavering determination to fight to the death!

Essentially, there are these five basic starting techniques, such as the one-handed upper right starting technique, which is an alternative that is also derived from these five fundamental frameworks and does not stray too far from them

For example, it is necessary to deliver effective strikes, that is, to maintain the "consistency of the gas sword"

Shida Ritsu spoke very briefly, but Kitahara Hidetoshi had a good understanding ability and grasped the meaning after listening for a moment

In the Taisho period, a referee was appointed, and typically, three referees are required for official matches; however, for practice matches within the club, this arrangement is generally sufficient.

The Eight Directions Strategy is applicable in group battles, emphasizing the ability to observe six directions and listen to eight sounds. However, in modern kendo, which is a one-on-one sport, its utility is limited, and it is seldom employed.

With the command, Fuzawa Fuyumi slowly rose with her sword in both hands, standing in a proper middle stance, while Uchida Yuma raised his sword high above his head, appearing exceptionally formidable—he was nearly 30 centimeters taller than Fuzawa Fuyumi, resembling an adult facing a child, which naturally made him exude an extraordinary aura of dominance

Thrusting and hacking are different; thrusting is less precise in targeting. For instance, if one thrusts to an unarmored area, it can easily lead to injury

Hidetaka Kitahara couldn't help but glance at Fuzawa Fuyumi, raising an eyebrow. You won, and that's that; there's nothing more to say. It's just that Uchida Yuma is simply outmatched. However, isn't it a bit excessive for you to come over and mock him? Moreover, even if Uchida Yuma was a bit arrogant, he hasn't really offended you, has he

Taisho Hori took his position and shouted: "Salute!"

The explanation of the rules was completed, and then he focused intently on the arena. There, Daizeng Bo had finished inspecting Yuma Uchida's protective gear, ensuring that the risk of injury was minimized. Only then did he leave the center white cross point, vigorously waved his hand downwards, and shouted: "Start"

There are many other rules as well, such as using language to confuse or insult opponents during the competition, which will result in an immediate loss; actions like deliberately extending a foot to trip an opponent, grabbing the opponent's bamboo sword with one's hand, or hitting someone with a fist are also considered fouls, resulting in point deductions or direct disqualification. Even loudly celebrating after a victory is deemed disrespectful to the opponent and will similarly result in a loss

In addition to achieving the above three points, it is also essential to maintain a "residual heart," which means remaining sufficiently vigilant and maintaining momentum after an attack to prevent the opponent from launching a desperate counterattack. For instance, this can be accomplished by quickly exiting the opponent's counterattack range or by directly adopting a posture for a follow-up strike.