Book 5: Chapter 140: Honda Yahatarou versus Minamoto no Tsukawa

Minamoto no Tsukawa was only half the height of Honda, the two opponents stood ten meters apart like a small sapling facing a mountain.

Despite the physique difference, Tsukawa’s eyes burned with fighting spirit.

“So you’re Honda Yahatarou? I hear you’re also a member of the Genji clan, there’s no need for us Genji members to slaughter each other. You cannot win, surrender, I would prefer not to accidentally harm a brother.” Tsukawa’s eyes shone with light and confidence as he looked at Honda.

“This guy… he’s strong!” Lily muttered, the strong willpower increasing her vigilance towards him.

“As a child of the Genji, do not be so arrogant. As a samurai, there is no retreat in the face of battle! I will win this battle! You are still young, be careful! I would not want to ruin your life!” Honda’s five meter long spear started glowing with a golden aura.

“Hmph! You’re as stiff as those old Genji grandpas! Your era is over!” The flags around the reinforced arena started flapping from the terrifying aura Tsukawa started releasing.

“Ha!” With a roar, Tsukawa rushed toward the huge black armored samurai.

“So fast!” Lily was shocked, Tsukawa’s speed could compete with her at her fastest.

Honda’s eyes widened with shock, but as a battlefield general he reacted fast and decisively. Spinning his spear around, a powerful golden aura surrounded the spear as he stabbed out at Tsukawa.

The speed of the stab was immensely fast, and the power even greater. Multiple disks of cyclones were created by the piercing of the spear.

Eager for victory, Honda stabbed out with his full power!

Minamoto no Tsukawa’s eyes glinted sharply, his hand reached back and unsheathed a sickle in a golden streak.

“Bang!!!”

The spear and sickle collided in an explosion of spiritual aura.

Honda was shocked, his five meter long spear was blocked by a tiny sickle held in one hand.

“What!???” The audience was shocked at the result.

Even the Tokugawa and Sakai sitting in the back row had their jaws dropped in shock.

Only the Genji members had calm eyes as if they expected this result all along.

“So this is Genji’s foremost genius, Minamoto no Tsukawa? As expected.” Besides Ayaka, the elder Taira no Kiyomori involuntarily nodded his head.

“Seiwa Genji’s Minamoto no Tsukawa? I’ve heard of him.” Ayaka responded in a gentle voice.

A Taira samurai beside Kiyomori added “Minamoto no Tsukawa, Genji’s foremost genius. Although he uses a different weapon compared to Yos.h.i.tsune, his bravery is no less than Yos.h.i.tsune’s. He is known as the successor of Yos.h.i.tsune1! Though, he might not have an advantage against my family’s young lady, Taira no Shizuru2.

Kiyomori shook his head, “No, looking at that young man, not only is he brave but skilled at combat. Little Shizuru is probably not his opponent.”

“Ah……” Hearing the opinion of the leader of the Tairas, the other Taira samurais could not say anything.

“Since elder Kiyomori has said so, then is Minamoto no Tsukawa not the number one genius of Heian-kyo?” Taira no Kagemori asked.

Ayaka listened on the side, only smiled without saying anything.

Back on the stage, Honda couldn’t believe his full powered stab was stopped by a single hand, with a roar, a phantom Hachimon Bodhisattva appeared behind him increasing his momentum to the peak!

“That’s the Honda Yahatarou’s Buddhist Attendant! He’s going all out!” Someone from the audience shouted.

Honda slammed his big spear down, but Tsukawa countered with a single sickle strike once again, blocking with a single hand and actually knocking the spear to the side. Honda spun his spear with the momentum, spinning the spear in a big circle and slashed again, leading with the cross blade of his spear. Tsukawa leaped over the spear and suddenly the sickle flew out, connected to a chain.

Unable to respond, Honda took the blow on his left shoulder. The black armor shattered and Honda’s strong shoulder took a deep wound, blood spurting out.

But as Mikawa’s strongest samurai general, such a small injury did not affect him. Honda pulled back and immediately stabbed at the airborne Tsukawa.

Letting out an arrogant smirk, Tsukawa lifted a leg high and stomped down at the incoming spear.

“Bang!” That small foot stomped Honda’s spear into the ground.

Pulling back hard, Honda withdrew his spear as Tsukawa pulled back his sickle. Manipulating the chain, Tsukawa sent the sickle back out in a gleam of golden aura, weaving left and right, the sickle slashed toward Honda.

Honda brandished his spear in a defensive stance.

“Clink! Clang! Clank!” Each collision created heavy shockwaves and caused internal injuries to Honda, he retreated with each collision before finally vomiting out blood.

“B̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!” Honda stabbed forward ignoring the sickle, but Tsukawa was too fast, easily slipping past and knocking the spear away with a left kick while slashing toward Honda’s head.

Honda ducked to dodge, but was unable to avoid.

“Thump!!!”

Honda’s antler helm was knocked flying. From the resolute stoic face of the Mikawa’s strongest samurai general, blood flowed down.

Spinning around, Tsukawa flung out the other end of the sickle, the counterweight.

Lifting an arm to defend, the counterweight struck Honda’s st.u.r.dy wrist pad. Honda’s wrist was deformed and his arm was obviously broken! The impact had flung him back and two furrows were created as Honda’s feet slid back.

As the counterweight rebounded Tsukawa swung the chain. With an ear piercing hum, the treasured orb on the counterweight released several golden shockwaves.

“Bam!!” The ground all around Honda was shattered by the shockwave, as rubble and dirt flew up into the air.

Even Honda’s black armor shook as cracks appeared!

“Pfft——!” Honda spat out another mouthful of blood and his huge body collapsed down onto one knee.

“Lord Honda!” Lily couldn’t help but be worried, she could feel a hint of Tsukawa’s prowess. Though he was not a peak permanence adept, that explosive power was edging close to the power of an early-stage throne expert.

“Hahahaha!” Even in front of so many lords, Minamoto no Tsukawa still arrogantly laughed, “Honda Yahatarou, we don’t need to slaughter each other, you should know you’re not my match! Surrender! I would prefer not to harm such a heroic Genji general! Ahahahaha!”

Though his body bled and shook, Honda’s eyes were filled with steel will, his huge body seemed as hard and immovable as a mountain.

“I…Honda Yahatarou must win this battle! I will be the victor!!!”

Regardless of his wounds, Honda stood back up clenching his spear, and stepped towards Tsukawa.

Looking at Honda impatiently, Tsukawa was about to attack.

“Nn?” Turning his head towards the central viewing platform, he discovered the long haired, white dressed Ayaka.

“Wow! This, isn’t this Lady Ayaka!” Ignoring the approaching Honda, he walked towards the central viewing platform.

“This man dares directly call out Lady Ayaka’s name?” Lily frowned in disapproval.

“What are you doing! Minamoto no Tsukawa! Face me!!!” Honda roared through the blood in his mouth.

But Tsukawa had lost interest in Honda, he looked up at Ayaka with undisguised interest, his gaze wandering over her form.

This behavior during a compet.i.tion shocked the audience.

“Rude!” The Left Imperial Guards’ Commander Taira no Mori rebuked, “Minamoto no Tsukawa, how dare you speak the Lord Chief Advisor’s name! Kneel and salute!”

Looking down at Tsukawa, Ayaka remained indifferent and silent.

“Lord Chief Advisor, I have heard that the Lord Chief Advisor is the world’s most beautiful woman! I’ve only seen you from afar a few times, but to think I can appreciate Lord Chief Advisor’s G.o.ddess-like face so closely today. I am smitten!” Tsukawa stared at Ayaka recklessly, his gaze somewhat disrespectful.

“Outrageous! This is Heian-kyo’s main dojo! You dare be disrespectful toward Lord Chief Advisor?” Taira no Mori stood up and a powerful suppression pressed down on Tsukawa.

But even under the powerful suppression, Tsukawa resisted and continued to stare at Ayaka.

“Lord Taira no Mori!” Minamoto no Yos.h.i.tada stood up, “The Yos.h.i.tsune Memorial tournament is still ongoing, are you planning on interfering with my Genji clan’s candidate?”

“Hahahahahaha! Ahahahahaha!” Tsukawa continued to resist the suppression and wildly laughed. “Chief Advisor sister, I really can’t kneel now. If I kneel and pay my respects during a battle, what if the stupid big lunkhead sends a spear at me? Right? Ahahaha!”

Hearing the young man’s laughter and seeing his rampant behavior in front of the Lord Chief Advisor, the audience could only admit that the number one Genji genius was really heroic.

Who would dare be so rampant before the Lord Chief Advisor? Though it could be said he was disrespectful, there was no disrespect in his words, and this was the tournament stage, how could this young man be so fearless?

Though they had some dislike towards this sort of behavior, they were still somewhat surprised.

Down below, for some reason, Lily clenched her fists.

“B̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲!!! You dare ignore me!” Honda was infuriated, he felt his samurai pride had been humiliated. His aura flared wildly and the phantom of Hachimon Bodhisattva once again rose behind him as a hurricane of golden aura surrounded his spear.

However, as a true samurai, he would never stab at an opponent’s back, he swung hard with the shaft of his spear.

Tsukawa continued to stare at Ayaka, “Chief Advisor sister, the number one beauty, and I——”

He jumped as if he had eyes on the back of his head, avoiding the spear and stomped the spear into the ground with one foot, “Tell me——!”

He turned and kicked out!

“Pow!” Sending the giant samurai flying!

Honda was sent crashing into the other side of the arena, the impact cratering a big pit in the ground.

Standing on that big spear, Tsukawa continued to stare at Ayaka, his eyes filled with frivolity, his voice continued loudly, “Tell me!!!”

His aura spiked, wind blew, the flags flapped in the wind, the tournament arena trembled and the audience’s clothes were blown into disarray.

“Who, is the world’s future greatest hero!??” He shouted at Ayaka.

But Ayaka and Mori did not respond, their surroundings calm and unaffected by the wind of Tsukawa’s roar.

Ayaka’s eyes remained calm and indifferent, with her ident.i.ty, she would not argue with a child.

“Say it!” Seeing no response, Tsukawa arrogantly roared, looking at the audience, before turning back to Ayaka, watching her, “Who? Who will be the world’s greatest hero!??”

“Though I don’t know who it will be, it won’t be you3.” A soft female voice sounded from beside the stands.

1. Robinxen: But Lily…
2. Robinxen: Bold statement.
3. Robinxen: Need some aloe vera?