Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort. - Chapter 64.

Episode 64: Inter-High Main Tournament – First Part.

Early August morning.

The same familiar morning arrived once again. A groggy awakening, the faint sensation of sweat clinging to my skin.

The air conditioner I had set on a timer had already switched off. Ever since I started staying at the Isshiki house, this scene had repeated itself several times. Sleep still lingered behind my eyelids as I rubbed them. Even though it was early morning, the cicadas outside were already singing noisily. It was the usual morning that signaled the start of another ordinary day. But today was just a little bit special.

“…Alright, time to get up.”

I checked my phone on the pillow. The time read 5:30 a.m.

Today, Shiina would finally step onto the main stage of the Inter-High. Every club practice, every memory from the intense summer training camp—all of it had been for this day. This was the grand stage where she would display the culmination of her daily efforts.

Moe and I, as managers of the kendo club, had spent this short period supporting her with everything we had.

I pushed myself up from the futon. From the living room downstairs, I could already sense signs of life. It seemed Moe and Midori-san were already up and preparing.

I slipped out of the futon and quickly changed into my uniform. After washing my face and fixing my hair, I opened the living room door. It had been a little over two weeks since I began staying here, and I had grown quite accustomed to the morning air and the smell of the kitchen.

“Good morning.”

“Morning~, Ryuuji-kun. Did you sleep well?”

Moe turned around while packing plastic bottles into the cooler box in the kitchen. Seeing her in her school uniform after so long gave me a small jolt.

“Yeah. I was a bit nervous and couldn’t fall asleep easily last night, but I’m feeling good.”

“It’s a really special day for Shii-chan, after all. Of course you’d be nervous~”

Moe also looked slightly sleepy. She probably hadn’t slept well either, just like me. The cooler box she was preparing was packed tightly with ice packs, drinks, and chilled towels—all so Shiina could use them immediately during the match. It felt a little overprotective, but it was better to be overprepared than caught off guard.

“Where’s Midori-san?”

“She’s getting the car ready~. Ryuuji-kun, here—eat this.”

I quickly ate the sandwich that had been prepared for me. When I glanced at the living room clock, it was just before 6 a.m. It was almost time to leave.

***

Stepping outside the entrance, the white minivan gleamed brightly under the morning sun. Midori-san was already cleaning the interior—probably because Shiina would be riding in it. The engine was running, and the inside was pleasantly cool.

“Good morning, Midori-san.”

“Good morning, Ryuuji-kun.”

Moe and I loaded the cooler box and luggage into the car.

“Moe, is everything packed?”

“Yup, perfect. All that’s left is to pick up Shii-chan.”

“Alright, let’s head out.”

Once we got in, the car immediately pulled away. Inside, there was a faint scent of sunscreen mixed with the low hum of the air conditioner. Moe sat in the passenger seat, checking the tournament schedule. I sat in the back, idly gazing out the window.

My eyes followed the salarymen heading to work even during summer break. Everyone seemed to be living their own morning.

***

When we arrived at Shiina’s house, she was already waiting in front of the entrance. She was in her usual school uniform, yet today she looked somehow different. The age-appropriate expression she had shown during her confession was gone. Instead, she stood with her back slightly straighter, clearly tense.

“Good morning, Midori-san.”

“Morning, Ryuuji and Moe.”

“Good morning, Shiina-chan.”

“Morning~”

“Morning, Shiina. You’re early.”

“I just couldn’t sleep from nerves.”

Shiina gave a slightly uneasy smile.

She loaded her bag into the trunk and climbed into the back seat, sitting right beside me. The moment she sat down, she tightly gripped my left hand. Even though it was a hot summer morning, her hand felt a little cold. All I could do was gently squeeze hers back.

***

The expressway we had been worried about wasn’t as congested as we feared. Outside the window stretched a clear, deep blue sky. Under that perfect weather, the distant cluster of skyscrapers slowly drew closer. Moe checked the schedule from the passenger seat and spoke to Shiina.

“Shii-chan’s first match is on Court 2. It’s right after the opening ceremony.”

“Yeah…”

“It’s going to be hot, so don’t forget to stay hydrated, okay~?”

“Yeah…”

I squeezed Shiina’s hand a little more firmly. She kept staring out the window but returned the grip with a faint strength of her own. She was probably fighting her nerves. Her expression was more serious than I had ever seen it.

***

We arrived at the venue a little after 8:30 a.m.

The buzzing of cicadas, lush green roadside trees, and a single white cumulonimbus cloud floating in the blue sky. Perhaps because of the sunlight reflecting off the asphalt, the perceived temperature felt slightly higher than back home. In front of the venue entrance, fierce competitors from all over the country gathered by school, and the unique tension of a major tournament hung thick in the air.

We met up with our club advisor, Kawaguchi-sensei, and the other kendo club members who had come to cheer. After carrying our luggage to the waiting room, Midori-san parked the car and headed toward the spectator seats. She would apparently meet up with Shiina’s mother there.

Once preparations in the waiting room were complete, Shiina—now changed into her kendogi—sat on the bench and stared up at the ceiling.

When it was time for the venue to open, Shiina took a small, deep breath. Her hands seemed to tremble slightly. She turned around.

“Ryuuji.”

She called my name and gently placed her hand over mine.

“…Alright. I’m off.”

“Yeah. Do your best.”

We exchanged those short words and slowly released each other’s hands. As Shiina walked toward the arena, her back no longer looked like it was shaking.

***

The inside of the venue was already packed with people.

Kendo practitioners from all across the country stood in orderly lines, rows of white kendogi stretching into the distance. The high-ceilinged arena carried the mingled scent of old wood and bamboo swords.

“The National High School Comprehensive Athletic Meet – Kendo Competition will now commence.”

The announcement echoed, and everyone bowed at once. Shiina stood in the second row of the girls’ individual division. With her back straight and chin slightly tucked, she looked like the very picture of a dignified Kendo Princess.

Once the opening ceremony ended, the boys’ matches began immediately. Our kendo club gathered in the waiting room once more. The members who had come to cheer surrounded Shiina, offering words of encouragement.

I watched the scene from the side while doing my own job—checking the player roster and marking the entry list.

“Shiina, you’re the third match on Court 2. Let’s start warm-up early.”

“Got it.”

Hearing that, the surrounding members moved toward the spectator seats. Moe and I helped Shiina prepare—laying out her armor, checking the tip of her shinai, and adjusting the knots on her men-himo.

“Shiina, isn’t your men-himo a little short?”

“Yeah, I cut it a bit yesterday. But it’s fine—I can still tie it.”

“Alright. Then let’s do it like always.”

Shiina gave a small laugh and readjusted her grip on the shinai. It seemed her tension had eased just a little.

“Go enjoy it out there.”

“I’ll win and come back, so watch me, Ryuuji.”

With a bright smile, Shiina headed into the arena.

***

The sharp sound of shinai striking the floor echoed through the warm-up area.

“Men!” “Dou!”

Dry impact sounds and spirited kiai filled the air. The entire venue was already steeped in the atmosphere of battle.

After finishing her stretches, Shiina took her stance and began light practice swings. There was no wasted movement in her form. Every time she exhaled and sharply cut through the air with her shinai, it produced a sound like the air itself was being sliced.

“Her concentration is incredible…”

When I muttered that, Moe nodded beside me.

“Yeah. Shii-chan is the type who gets really strong once the real match starts. When she focuses, she stops seeing anything around her.”

The final match of the boys’ individual division was already underway in the arena. The moment the referee shouted “Begin!”, the clash of shinai rang out, accompanied by the murmur of the spectator seats. Shiina’s match was almost here.

***

“Court 2, third match—players, enter!”

At the staff member’s call, Shiina quietly stood up.

She bowed deeply and put on her men. From here, I couldn’t see her expression behind the metal grille, but I knew her eyes were staring straight at her opponent.

Her opponent was a player from a strong school in Kyushu. She had a slight advantage in physique and carried herself with confidence. Yet Shiina didn’t retreat even a single step.

“Begin!”

At the referee’s signal, both stepped forward. The floorboards creaked as their shinai clashed for an instant. Shiina measured the distance, subtly shifting her body to the left. The moment she stepped forward, luring the opponent’s kote—

“Men!!”

With a sharp kiai, her shinai flashed. The strike landed perfectly on the opponent’s men. The crisp impact echoed through the gymnasium, and all three flags rose at once.

“Men—point!”

The spectator seats stirred. She had taken the lead in less than ten seconds. I swallowed hard and unconsciously clenched my fists.

But it wasn’t over yet. The opponent launched a fierce counterattack. Shinai clashed violently, footwork intertwining. One misstep and the match could flip in an instant.

Shiina closed the distance again, narrowly dodging the opponent’s tsuki. It looked almost like an unconscious reaction born from flow.

“Dou!”

Her shinai swept low and struck the opponent’s dou cleanly. With another sharp sound, the referee’s flags rose once more.

“Dou—point! Match over!”

Silence. The next moment, the entire venue erupted. As Shiina left the court, I had the feeling she was looking straight at me.

“Shiina, congratulations.”

When I called out to her as she returned, she gave a small nod.

“Thank you. But… it’s only just begun.”

At those words, Moe and I exchanged glances and smiled wryly. It was true—this was only the first round. Still, I knew just how heavy that single victory truly was.

***

Back in the waiting room, Shiina removed her armor and sat down heavily on the bench.

The moment she took off her men, her hair spilled out softly. The way she wiped the sweat from her glistening cheeks with a towel mixed relief and exhaustion from the battle.

“Shiina, that first point was amazing.”

When I spoke, she answered with a bitter smile, still breathing heavily.

“I got lucky. The timing on the first engagement just worked out perfectly.”

“Landing that cleanly isn’t easy. Even if you call it luck, you still needed the skill to make it happen.”

I opened the cooler bag and handed her a bottle of water.

“Here, drink. And cool your neck with the towel.”

“Thanks, Ryuuji.”

Shiina accepted the bottle and drank it down in one go. I could see her throat moving, her body still buzzing with excitement. As I handed her the chilled towel, I continued.

“That second dou strike was perfect. You lured out her tsuki and hit it in the flow, right?”

“Yeah. It was one of the patterns we practiced together. I didn’t expect it to work that well though.”

“Practice never betrays you, huh~”

Moe, who had been standing quietly behind us, smiled gently. Shiina returned a small nod and smile. A brief silence fell. From outside the waiting room, the distant cheers of the arena could be heard. While wiping her face with the towel, Shiina murmured softly.

“…The nationals really are different. The air feels heavier… the weight of a single point is completely different.”

There was a hint of anxiety in her voice.

“But you still won properly.”

I smiled.

“Your sword reached her. You proved that your kendo works even on the national stage.”

Shiina lowered her gaze slightly and let out a breath.

“Thanks. But I can’t let my guard down. The moment I do, I’ll get hit.”

I hurriedly searched for the right words. I wanted to support her, but simply saying “do your best” didn’t feel enough. As if she had seen through my hesitation, Moe gently interjected.

“I only joined the kendo club recently, and I’m still a total amateur, but… I’ve been watching you properly every day, Shii-chan. All your hard work.”

“…Moe.”

“Hard work never betrays you. Even if the results don’t come immediately, the final difference will surely… probably…?”

Moe’s uncertain tone at the end made the three of us share a small laugh. That laughter softly melted away the lingering tension in the air. After laughing for a while, Moe checked the clock.

“We have forty minutes until the next match. Shall we do some light stretching? Ryuuji-kun, could you refill the water?”

“Got it.”

I stood up and checked the bottles in the cooler box. Since we were running a bit low, I was about to head out to buy more when Shiina called my name softly.

“Ryuuji.”

“Hm?”

“…Thank you. Having my beloved Ryuuji supporting me makes me feel like I have a hundred times more strength.”

My heart skipped a beat. Her voice was quiet, but the trust behind it came through clearly.

“Of course. I’m your boyfriend and your manager, after all.”

“Fufu, that’s right. I’m counting on you, boyfriend-and-manager.”

Her tone was playfully teasing, and her smile was calm. There was no longer any tension or hesitation in her. After securing her first victory in the main tournament, Shiina had finally put on her true fighting face.

Shiina’s battle—and our time together—had only just begun in earnest.