Chapter 171: Tournament
"Student Noah, your talent is truly impressive," Yamamoto said simply, pausing for a second to evaluate Noah before continuing. "Your student shows remarkable development, Tanaka-san."
"He’s exceeded my every expectation, which brings us to why you’re here today," Tanaka replied with obvious pride.
Master Yamamoto studied Noah with a calculating gaze. "Tell me, young man. How do you feel about testing your abilities against opponents beyond this dojo’s walls?"
Noah raised an eyebrow, sensing something significant approaching. "What kind of testing?"
"A tournament, but not the public competitions you might expect," Tanaka explained.
Master Yamamoto stepped forward, his expression growing more serious. "We’re talking about a private tournament. Invitation only. The kind of event where extraordinary talent meets extraordinary people."
Noah paused for a second, evaluating the man in front of him carefully. The master’s bearing suggested someone connected to martial arts circles far beyond anything he’d previously encountered.
A private tournament with extraordinary people. It seems like Earth isn’t as...normal as I thought it was. It might have some hidden masters, although I doubt it’s anything above the apprentice rank at best.
Then he nodded after making his decision. He wanted to see what this tournament was about, and it would undoubtedly be beneficial for advancing his swordsmanship skills further.
"Alright, I accept," Noah declared without hesitation.
Whatever this tournament involves, it represents an opportunity to test my abilities against serious opponents.
Master Yamamoto nodded with obvious satisfaction, his expression suggesting he’d expected exactly that response. "Anyone with a true passion for swordsmanship would accept such an offer. Your enthusiasm confirms our assessment of your character."