My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 669: Chapter 11: ”What Do You Think About Aoto and Sazanoko Getting Married?

Aoto had not yet shown his full potential today.

Under the silent gaze of everyone, Aoto slowly straightened up, concluded his polite bow, held his mask, carried his bamboo sword, turned around, and walked straight towards Sazanoko and Chiba Shigetarou, the siblings.

”Clap, clap, clap clap clap...”

At this moment, someone suddenly started clapping.

The solitary applause sounded exceptionally clear and bright in the extremely quiet dojo.

The person applauding was Amen Jotaro, who had just competed against Aoto.

He smiled and looked at Aoto with unadulterated appreciation and admiration, undeterred by any strange looks from the people present, and persistently clapped for Aoto.

Once Yamen started, in the blink of an eye, another person began clapping like Yamen.

Soon after, more and more people began clapping.

One spread to two, two spread to four, four to eight... In an instant, the once silent dojo became incredibly noisy and bustling.

Aoto’s skills earned the respect and admiration of many present.

They all genuinely believed that this young swordsman deserved such applause—Amen Jotaro and the others were sincerely convinced of this.

Sazanoko, Chiba Shigetarou, and Chiba Domon Shiro all looked around at the overwhelming applause with surprise.

The trio of siblings displayed distinctly different expressions at the scene.

Chiba Shigetarou wore an excited and proud smile as if a dear relative had earned such honor.

Chiba Domon Shiro, who had earlier forced Shigetarou to stop Aoto’s streak to ”save face for the Little Chiba Sword Dojo,” had a complex expression.

As for Sazanoko... she showed a peculiarly meaningful and strange expression.

She first looked around with surprise, then turned her gaze directly at Aoto, who was walking towards them.

Her eyes flickered.

In the blink of her beautiful eyes, she sent Aoto a long, shimmering glance filled with a faint hint of envy.

Aoto did not notice Sazanoko’s unusual gaze.

Because his attention was entirely captured by Chiba Shigetarou.

”Hahaha.”

As soon as Aoto returned to Sazanoko and her company, Chiba Shigetarou let out a hearty laugh.

”Mr. Tachibana, you look as if you’ve just crawled out of a river.”

Upon hearing this, Aoto smiled wryly and looked down at his clothes, drenched by sweat streaming down like a waterfall.

”Wearing gear for such a long time in summer might be fatal,” Aoto half-jokingly said.

Chiba Shigetarou smiled meaningfully:

”Mr. Tachibana, you should rest for a bit and wipe off your sweat. All right, Sazanoko, take Mr. Tachibana to the inner courtyard now.”

”The inner courtyard?” Aoto was taken aback.

Being a regular at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, Aoto knew well what the inner courtyard was.

Going to such a private place alone with Sazanoko, and especially to undress and wipe off sweat there... Aoto instinctively wanted to refuse with ”wouldn’t this be inappropriate?”

But Chiba Shigetarou seemed to foresee the situation and, before Aoto could speak, urged Sazanoko as if sealing the way out:

”Sazanoko, the dojo is a mess right now, I need to restore order, so I’m leaving Mr. Tachibana to you.”

”...” Sazanoko pursed her lips and shot her elder brother a profound and complex glance.

”Got it...”

After murmuring in a tone similar to a sigh, Sazanoko gracefully turned and elegantly walked out of the dojo.

”Mr. Tachibana, please follow me.”

”Uh...” Aoto looked dazedly at Chiba Shigetarou and then at Sazanoko, who was almost out of sight.

At this point, he was in no position to say more.

Thus, Aoto had no choice but to steel himself and follow Sazanoko’s departing figure.

Sazanoko and Aoto left the dojo one after the other... This scene once again dealt a harsh blow to the already deeply dejected ”Sazanoko Pursuer Corps” present.

Some people cast envious glances in the direction Aoto had left.

Some continued to hang their heads—they no longer had the spirit or resolve to contend with Aoto...

...

...

A moment later—

The Little Chiba Sword Dojo, inner courtyard—

Splash!

Kneeling by the well, Aoto scooped up a handful of freshly drawn well water from a basin and splashed it onto his face.

The cool sensation spread from his face to his entire body, making Aoto feel so refreshed that every pore in his body seemed to open up.

After a simple face wash, Aoto slipped his arms into the wide sleeves of his kimono, pulled his hands out through the front of his kimono, and with a forceful tug, revealed his well-toned upper body, still covered in beads of sweat.

The sticky feeling from sweating was indeed uncomfortable.

Wearing the hot and stuffy full swordsmanship gear in the heat of summer was sheer torture.

Even standing there idle would make one sweat all over, let alone Aoto, who wore it for eighteen intense duels.

When he finally removed all the gear, Aoto’s clothes were practically soaked through by his sweat, making him look as if he’d been fished out of the water.

Aoto took out a hand towel he carried from the back of his waist and dipped it into the water basin.

At this moment, Sazanoko’s voice came from behind.