CHAPTER 494: CHAPTER 340 BROTHERS OF ONE-MIND ONE-SWORD STYLE_2

About half an hour later, more and more disciples started to fill the dojo, catching Uesugi Sakura’s attention. One person, in particular, stood out—dressed in Sword Dao’s white and black attire, with bright eyes and a tall, elegant build.

A natural charisma.

Judging by first impressions, he should be the senior disciple of the dojo.

After he greeted everyone, he walked over to Sakihara Matsue, bowed slightly, and said, "Vice Master."

Sakihara Matsue gestured for Uesugi Sakura to come over from the other side of the dojo.

"Ahem," Sakihara Matsue cleared his throat, "Kagami, let me introduce you. This is your junior, Uesugi Sakura. Sakura, this is the second brother, Koshin Kagami."

Uesugi Sakura greeted him with a call of "Senior Brother."

Koshin Kagami didn’t put on airs but patted his shoulder and laughed, "I’ve always heard your name but never seen you. If Vice Master hadn’t mentioned you, I would’ve doubted your existence."

"I’m usually quite busy."

This smile of the senior brother... Uesugi Sakura couldn’t understand his attitude towards him.

Didn’t Sakihara Matsue say that the senior brothers were all very proud?

From the current attitude, things seem fine.

"I wonder, Junior Brother, how long have you been practicing Sword Dao?"

Uesugi Sakura thought carefully and answered, "About two years."

"Two years, huh."

Uesugi Sakura said nothing, guessing his current attitude.

Koshin Kagami was the type of man whose demeanor naturally attracted people from the first glance.

And Uesugi Sakura? Well, he was just handsome.

It’s a pity.

Recently, he hadn’t practiced Kyudo, so his charisma had faded away.

"I wonder, Junior Brother, if you’d be interested in a little spar?"

"Kagami," Sakihara Matsue suddenly shouted.

With the Vice Master calling out, Uesugi Sakura had a fleeting thought—could this senior brother have the character of smiling with a hidden agenda?

Deliberately sparring to embarrass him.

But he didn’t mind either way.

"No problem, it’s just a spar," Uesugi Sakura calmly agreed.

"Haha, that’s good." Koshin Kagami laughed generously.

"Master Uncle!"

Just then, a loud shout came from somewhere.

Sakihara Matsue turned his gaze in the direction of the voice.

Then, a short, darkly-clad figure anxiously walked in from the dojo entrance.

"Where’s Master?"

Koshin Kagami stepped forward to block him and said, "Kubomaru, don’t be so hasty. The Master isn’t here."

The person named Kubomaru paused significantly and glanced at Sakihara Matsue behind him, asking, "Does Master Uncle know where the Master is?"

Sakihara Matsue responded lazily, "You already know Yishin likes to roam around, so no one can find him."

"Ah, seriously!" Kubomaru scratched his head, clearly dejected, then turned to notice Uesugi Sakura standing with Koshin Kagami, "A new disciple?"

Koshin Kagami replied, "He is the little junior brother we mentioned before."

Upon hearing this, Kubomaru turned his head and started circling Uesugi Sakura, reacting noticeably, "So it’s you."

Uesugi Sakura greeted him in turn, "Senior Brother Kubomaru."

"No need! Just call me Senior Brother Kusunoki. No need for the name; we’re not that close."

"Kubomaru," Sakihara Matsue called out, "What do you want with your Master? Why so frantic?"

Kusunoki Kubomaru visibly settled down, "I just wanted to ask him a few questions. Mainly, why he chose to have the little junior brother replace one of us in a competition."

He continued to circle Uesugi Sakura while speaking.

"Hmm, you’re quite handsome. Want to have a match? If I win, you have to admit I’m more handsome."

"Senior Brother is already more handsome than me."

Kusunoki Kubomaru laughed, "Afraid to lose, are you?"

Koshin Kagami stood in front of Uesugi Sakura, "Stop saying things like that that annoy people."

The second senior brother was much taller than Kusunoki Kubomaru, but Kusunoki showed no signs of fear.

"Koshin, I wasn’t talking about letting you win."

"There’s always a process of first come, first served." Koshin Kagami said calmly.

"Then why don’t we have a match first?"

"Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t come here to find you for a match."

Their eyes locked tight, faces calm, neither willing to back down first.

The scene was a bit odd, like they were facing off over an opportunity to spar.

But Uesugi Sakura didn’t feel like he was a catch in some martial arts contest. They likely had some past grudge, hence the tension.

Sakihara Matsue, on the other hand, enjoyed watching the spectacle from behind.

One would think that as a Master Uncle, he should stop the internal strife between the senior brothers and maintain the dignity of a mentor.

As expected, the situation escalated.

Although there were no disrespectful words, Uesugi Sakura could see the word "pride" in their movements as they donned their armor.

Sakihara Matsue was right; they refused to submit to each other.

Uesugi Sakura’s only ideal was to "live an ordinary life," so he chose to step back and watch the scene unfold.

"Vice Master, won’t you intervene?"

"Even if they really start fighting, it’s not my responsibility as Master Uncle," Sakihara Matsue told Uesugi Sakura, "Even if it’s a normal spar, they’ve never liked each other."

They made their way to the middle of the Kendo Dojo, and all the disciples consciously made room for them.

"I’m going to fetch some sake, don’t tell anyone else. If other disciples have any questions, just let them find you. From what I’ve seen these past days, you indeed have the experience to be Vice Master and can handle them easily." With that, Sakihara Matsue waved and sneaked away.

***

The two senior brothers were already changing into their armor, showing signs of starting the match.

Uesugi Sakura chose to sit in the resting area, where Miyahara Yuji and a few other dojo disciples gathered around him.

"Senior Brother Uesugi, why are they about to fight?"

"It’s just a match."

"This... doesn’t seem like it..." another person said.

Kusunoki Kubomaru finished changing into his armor, holding the bamboo sword in hand.

"No rehearsal, I’ll count to three, and then we start."

"As you wish."

He stepped forward.

Uesugi Sakura knew this senior brother wouldn’t follow the rules and would likely shout "three" directly.

But as he slammed the wooden floorboards, he didn’t even shout "three," directly going for the attack.

Soon, the bamboo sword even made a whistling noise through the air.

Maybe it was a delusion, but Uesugi Sakura felt he saw a momentum in him.

In Senior Brother Koshin’s pupils, Senior Brother Kusunoki’s mask suddenly enlarged, and he grinned inside, his silhouette carrying a mighty gust, and his upper body exuded an inexplicable strong pressure.

—Upper stage stance.

"Using sneak attacks in a spar, how barbaric."

**

The few young disciples beside Uesugi Sakura were dumbfounded, and in their perception, Koshin Kagami easily blocked the fierce strike with a simple raise of his hand.

"So fast—"

"Is this your first time watching the senior brothers spar?" Uesugi Sakura took one look and asked.

"Yes, the first time."

From what Uesugi Sakura could see, they were just playing around with their first move.

Just when he was preparing to further observe the national champion’s younger generation’s prowess, they stopped after exchanging two moves.

"Stopped fighting?"

Miyahara Yuji also poked his head in, "Seems like it."

Sakihara Shion unexpectedly stood at the dojo’s entrance.

She glanced at the gathered crowd in the dojo and said to the two in the center:

"Stop messing around, you two just got back, and you’re already starting a fight?"

Kusunoki Kubomaru was the first to remove his helmet, smiling as he spoke to Sakihara Shion:

"Senior Sister, we’re just playing around."

"Alright, as if I don’t know your situation, cut the excuses. I’m here to find the Vice Master, where’s Master Uncle Matsue?" Ms. Sakihara looked around.

Her gaze gradually converged to the resting area where Uesugi Sakura was.

He had to answer, "The Vice Master seemed to have gone looking for sake."

"Drinking again?" Sakihara Shion muttered to herself, "His hand isn’t fully healed, and he’s already looking for sake again."

...

The commotion couldn’t continue any longer.

After chatting a bit more with the two senior brothers, Uesugi Sakura discovered that they really didn’t get along, and his presence had sparked the conflict.

Senior Brother Koshin told him that Kusunoki is a brute and acts without thinking.

Senior Brother Kusunoki, on the other hand, said Koshin is a hypocrite and can’t be a friend.

They indeed had conflicts.

Nevertheless, Uesugi Sakura also had an issue with them, since he might replace one of them in their team.

But how strong could these two-time national Kendo champions be?

Uesugi Sakura didn’t want to stand out; he just wanted to make money.