The air inside the Gifu coliseum didn't just carry the scent of ozone and sweat; it carried the literal weight of thousands of screaming voices. High above the arena floor, the chief announcer stood atop a floating mechanical stone dais, utilized a wind domain that projected his voice across the stands.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! MARTIAL ARTISTS OF THE CONTINENT!" The announcer's voice boomed. "The moment has arrived! The culmination of the Martial Squire bracket at the Steel Convergence tournament! On the eastern gate, representing the independent heart of Gifu... the prince of the Kinzoku Clan! Wielding the fabled Dragonfang Naginata... HIDEYOSHI TOYOTOMI!"
The crowd erupted into a deafening wall of sound as Hideyoshi stepped out of the darkness of the eastern tunnel. He carried the massive weapon casually across his broad shoulders, his long hair fluttering in the updraft of the arena.
As he caught the sun, he gave the weapon a flamboyant flash, drawing collective gasps from the audience. The heavy, curved blade of the Dragonfang looked far more like a sweeping greatsword than a traditional spear, gleaming with a dangerous, draconic edge. Hideyoshi simply offered the crowd a bright, easy smile, entirely comfortable in the spotlight.
He really wanted to blow a flying kiss to Mikan but she had already threatened bad things if he did.
Scary.
"And on the western gate!" the announcer's voice soared even higher, matching the rising frenzy of the fans. "A man whose righteousness precedes him! Hailing from the borders of the Mizunori territory, wearing their proud crest alongside his iconic, sun-gleaming armor! The Warden of Sakai! The Savior of the innocent! LORD MATAZAEMON MAEDA!"
The western tunnel practically bled crimson as Maeda strode out into the light. He was covered from head to toe in full red samurai armor made of lacquered plates that gleamed brilliantly in the midday sun, topped with a matching, fierce helm. He carried a masterfully crafted yari, its blade polished to a mirror sheen and its shaft wrapped tight with silk.
But it wasn't just his armor that caught the crowd's attention. Sitting high on the Warden's armored shoulders was a small girl, waving timidly at the massive audience.
It was Saika—the very child Merun had risked his life to protect back in the slums. Her chubby cheeks, smooth porcelain skin, and wide smile showed her new happy life.
The crowd absolutely glazed him. Waves of adulation washed down from the stands as spectators recounted his legendary deeds of justice and honor.
"Look at him! Why is such a man not part of our clan?"
"Did you hear the rumors? He single-handedly tracked down and defeated a crazed, bloodthirsty psychopath that actually ate that girl's own brother!"
"Yeah! Then, he saved her! A true hero of the people!"
Behind his fierce samurai helm, Matazaemon Maeda was smiling so hard his cheeks ached. He practically fed on the applause, his chest swelling with immense pride.
Even in Gifu, I am well-known! he thought, his ego inflating to a dangerous degree. Soon, my name will be spoken in the same breath as the Martial Sages! He let out a booming laugh, waving grandly to his adoring public.
I could get used to this!
Reaching the edge of the combat square, Maeda gently lifted the little girl down from his shoulders. He gave her head a reassuring pat, and she hurriedly turned, walking down the secure side-tunnels toward the stands where she could watch safely.
Hideyoshi walked forward to meet him at the center of the ring, offering a respectful bow. "I too have heard of your exploits, Lord Maeda. They say your spear smites evil and strikes true wherever you tread."
Maeda laughed like an absolute idiot, thoroughly pleased by the Kinzoku heir's compliment. "AHAHA~! Where did you hear that? Well, whoever told you certainly wasn't wrong!"
Hideyoshi's smile turned slightly playful, a sharp glint entering his eyes. "So then... shall we start?"
Deep in the shadows of the arena wall, entirely detached from the theatrical display, Merun stood with his arms crossed. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the two figures in the center of the ring. He reached up, pressing the primary switch on his scouter.
The device beeped sharply, a series of green data strings scrolling rapidly across the lens before locking onto the targets.
[TOSHIIE MAEDA: 4,500 - HIGH TIER MARTIAL SQUIRE]
[HIDEYOSHI TOYOTOMI: 5,900 - APEX MARTIAL SQUIRE]
Merun raised an eyebrow inwardly. Four thousand five hundred. High Tier Squire. It matched what he remembered from their brief, messy encounter. But Hideyoshi... nearly six thousand. He was also an Apex like Hwayeon!
The physical gap was astronomical!
The heavy iron gong rang, its deep tone cutting through the cheers.
Maeda moved first. Eager to cement his narrative as the ultimate "Hero" before the roaring Gifu audience, he launched into a spectacular display of showmanship.
He looked down on the heir of Kinzoku, after all, how could a sheltered noble prince fare against a weathered veteran Hero such as himself? Might as well give the crowd a show!
He spun his silk-wrapped yari over his head, the mirror-polished blade catching the sunlight and casting blinding flashes across the stands. His initial thrusts were wide, sweeping, and theatrical, designed to look incredibly devastating to the untrained eye while feeding the crowd's hunger for a glorious spectacle.
YAAAAAH!
Opposite him, Hideyoshi didn't immediately swing the massive Dragonfang Naginata. Instead, he dropped into a relaxed, fluid stance, keeping himself strictly on the defensive. He moved with a light, effortless grace, his eyes locked onto Maeda's form, deliberately reading the Warden's rhythm, balance, and mechanical habits to see exactly how the man fought.
As the exchange pressed on, a strange dissonance filled the ring. To the thousands of spectators in the coliseum, it looked like a thrilling, high-stakes battle.
CLING CLING CLING CLING CLING CLING
Maeda's "crimson storm" appeared to be completely overwhelming the Kinzoku heir, forcing the young prodigy to constantly step back, parry at the last second, and duck under flashing steel. The crowd roared in approval at what looked like a dominant display by the Savior of Sakai.
But inside his lacquered helm, Maeda's confusion was quickly spiraling into unease.
As a spearmaster himself, Maeda knew something was fundamentally off. None of his strikes were actually striking true. Every time his curved, unpredictable thrusts seemed destined to pierce Hideyoshi's defenses, the naginata's shaft would just happen to be there, absorbing the impact with a soft, deflecting ring.
Then the horrifying realization hit him: Hideyoshi hadn't launched a single offensive strike! Not once! He was treating the finals of the Squire bracket like a casual sparring exercise!
How dare he?!