CHAPTER 483: CHAPTER 335: CITY NIGHT BREEZE, SWEPT IN WITH THE LIGHTS

Police Station Interrogation Room.

Uesugi Sakura finished explaining all the details he knew and walked out.

"Vice Master Uesugi."

Uesugi Sakura turned towards the voice and saw the group from Yamanaka Budokan he had encountered on the train earlier.

Their white hakama had lost its shape.

"What’s the matter?"

Sakuraya Hotaru straightened his body, nodded slightly, and said, "Thank you for your timely intervention just now."

Uesugi Sakura replied, "It’s nothing really, didn’t you all do most of the work? You should be thanking yourselves."

"Without Vice Master Uesugi’s timely help, we would still be in a standoff with that guy."

"But, in reality, you guys did the majority of the work. Tonight’s incident caused quite a stir; I suppose the government will give you some sort of bravery award." Uesugi Sakura chuckled as he spoke.

Sakuraya Hotaru added, "Awards don’t matter much to us; saving people is what counts. What moves us is that out of so many people in the carriage, only you, Vice Master Uesugi, were willing to help in that situation."

"Who says it was just me? Didn’t you guys also help?" Uesugi Sakura glanced at the man standing behind Sakuraya Hotaru, whose arm had a cut and was now bandaged, "Also, no need to call me ’Vice Master,’ I’m just acting in that position, and you guys are a few years older than me, just call me by my name."

"Uesugi-san?"

"Yes, that’s right."

Sakuraya Hotaru smiled, perhaps due to experiencing such an event together on the train, their relationship seemed to have gotten a bit closer.

The title of Vice Master at Bushin Hall is equivalent to that of a Master who teaches kendo.

Sakuraya Hotaru tried to align his own status with his, but there was still some awkwardness when he first spoke:

"Uesugi-san, I heard... you are also participating in the national qualifiers in two weeks."

"Yes."

"Then... we will surely be opponents."

"I have high hopes for you guys."

Uesugi Sakura took a closer look and found that the man who once said he would meet him at Bushin Hall’s dojo was not there.

Sakuraya Hotaru is a modest person and did not find anything inappropriate about his words.

During previous exchanges and sparring at Bushin Hall, he had secretly inquired about the young disciple referred to as Vice Master by the others.

The conclusion was—very skilled.

It’s said he can easily snap a wooden sword.

This was his current impression of Uesugi Sakura’s ability.

"Anyway, thank you for your assistance at the critical moment." Another person said.

"Indeed." Sakuraya Hotaru echoed.

"It was really nothing," Uesugi Sakura waved his hand indifferently, then took the opportunity to ask, "That handsome guy who was with you that day, isn’t he with you now?"

The group looked at each other.

A rather shorter guy said to him, "Do you mean Fuya-kun, Uesugi-san?"

Fuya?

Uesugi Sakura felt like he had heard this surname somewhere before.

He thought carefully.

Ah—

Indeed, he had forgotten.

"It should be him," Uesugi Sakura said to the group, recalling some details, "It seems you all really respect him?"

"Yes," Sakuraya Hotaru nodded, "Fuya-kun is our senior, and he’s the General representing us in the Kenji Style competition."

A General of a school, huh.

He should have some skill.

Uesugi Sakura didn’t understand one thing:

"He seemed to have some animosity towards me."

Sakuraya Hotaru explained, "Uesugi-san, don’t worry about it. Fuya-senpai is probably just interested in you. He’s always like that."

"Interested in me? Why?"

"Uesugi-san doesn’t know? The disciples at Bushin Hall are a bit afraid of you."

Sakuraya Hotaru observed Uesugi Sakura’s expressionless face.

Actually, he was also curious about why everyone feared him.

"I don’t know."

As soon as Uesugi Sakura said that, he noticed Hanamaru Hiroki standing at the entrance of the police station waiting for him.

He said to the people from Yamanaka Budokan, "My uncle is waiting for me, let’s chat some other time, sorry for leaving first."

"Ah, no... no problem."

Uesugi Sakura turned and walked towards the entrance.

Sakuraya Hotaru and the injured person exchanged a few words and also prepared to leave the police station with the group.

"Hey, Sakuraya."

A companion nudged him while talking.

"Ah, what is it?"

"Look, isn’t the person in front of Uesugi-san Hanamaru Kenshi!?"

The man’s tone held a kind of inexplicable excitement as if encountering an idol.

Sakuraya Hotaru squinted his eyes and observed the face carefully:

"It seems, it really is."

...

"Uncle."

"Yes."

Hanamaru Hiroki was obviously done with his work and was standing at the entrance waiting for Uesugi Sakura.

In fact, once the job was handed over, it was none of his business.

After all, this was not his jurisdiction.

"Kid, you really don’t give one peace of mind, daring to directly hit a thrown-burning can with a wooden sword, weren’t you afraid it would explode?"

"The guy had already opened the can, it wasn’t sealed, so it was unlikely to explode." Uesugi Sakura explained.

However, to Hanamaru Hiroki, this seemed like youthful stubbornness; there was danger no matter what.

Could such a scene be so easily explained?

"Forget it, just get in my car, I’ll take you back."

"Didn’t you come by train earlier, Uncle?"

"No," Hanamaru Hiroki said, "I happened to be driving by, saw many people running out of the station, and went in to check the situation. This area isn’t under my jurisdiction."

"I see."

"Let’s go then."

"Alright."

Uesugi Sakura followed Hanamaru Hiroki out of the police station lobby.

The sky was already dark, the night casting a bluish hue under the many city lights.

Vehicles flowed continuously on the avenue, the glass reflecting the various shop lights on the street, flickering like a riot of colors, accompanied by the sound of car horns.