I'm kinda glad Aoba lost. its more interesting that way. he isn't a once-in-a-lifetime-genius like Kenshin with big dreams. he's a physically weak person who was happy to enjoy everyday without any dream at all. his weapons are his brain and his tenacity. Kenshin may have the strength to keep winning, but I believe Aoba has the resolve to lose. in the same way that learning grappling requires you to get grappled often, you need to lose to get stronger. Even if its not the shortest path to Kenshin, Aoba has the persistence to make it there the long way round.
thank you for the updates!! what a fantastic manga