Volume 2
Chapter 1 Part
1
Distant
Reverberations, Desire to Set the Field Ablaze 1
Translator : PolterGlast
―July 28, 3999, at Karen, the capital city in Southern
Shumon Province.
"Haa, haa,
haa."
The depths of his
throat writhed in pain as he sought oxygen.
Akira suppressed it
with his guts and increased his speed with one step further.
At the foot of Mt.
Myokaku, there is a wilderness where only short weeds have been intentionally
adjusted so that the defiled beasts that come down from the mountain will not
directly attack residential houses.
The main activity of
the 8th garrison, to which Akira belongs, is to exterminate the defiled beasts
that have wandered into this wilderness.
Right now, Akira is in
the midst of being chased by "dog" defiled beasts.
―Ku, ru, ru~u~u~u~!!
Several dogs, emitting
the stench of miasma, sprinted alongside Akira.
―My speed is inferior after all......!!
Inwardly, he gritted
his teeth and honestly acknowledged the difference between himself and the
dogs, but it was not enough to break through the current situation.
He knew.
Even though he has
learned the spiritual technique for strengthening his body, Aragamioroshi, it has only been a month
since he started using it.
The scale of his
proficiency is not so different from that of a newborn baby who has finally
begun to stand up on his own feet.
In terms of build-up
and concentration, he is not even close to Kuga Ryota and Rindo Saki, not to
mention Asogi Genji.
*Grind*. He gritted
his teeth and ignored the prideful cub that cried out in his heart.
"―Kansuke!!"
"Ouyo~o!"
The Tate team led by
Kansuke, who had been hiding on the right side of the pathway, stood up at once
at Akira's signal.
Without a pause, the
members of the Seko team standing behind the Tate group raised the hanging bell
in their hands high in the air.
"Ring it!!"
―Chime, chime……
With Kansuke's signal,
the hanging bells were rung in unison to ward off the beasts.
The incantation to
ward off beasts, which was engraved in the bell, shook the atmosphere as the
chime of the bells rang out.
Once, twice. The speed
of the dogs was slightly slowed down by the waves of incantations that were
repeatedly thrown at them.
A momentary opening
was created. Without missing it, Akira adjusted the katana in his hand to a
ready stance and charged the blade with the power of the spiritual energy that
circulated in his body.
The blade, which was a
darker color than deep red, was now glowing with a gorgeous vermillion glow
that belied its unusual nature, and it roared out.
Without stopping his
momentum, Akira made a horizontal slash with his katana.
The technique was the
first of the Kihoin-style spirit techniques that were taught at the beginning
of the Kihoin style.
Kihoin-style
Spirit Technique, First Transmission―
"―Enga!!"
The somewhat excessive
amount of spiritual power that was poured into this technique, which was not
fully converged, turned into a whirlpool of flames that burned the area
surrounding Akira.
[Enga] was released as
if to slash the whirlpool away, and two dogs that had stopped moving after
being caught in the flames, had their upper and lower halves split into two.
―Two left.
His stance was
disoriented by his forced posture as he launched the slashing motion across his
back, but he did not hesitate to make a semi-rotation by stepping further
forward.
He poured his
spiritual power into the blade, which had lost its spiritual power.
As if in adoration of
Akira, flames swirled around his body once again.
The katana's blade
clad in a vermilion-gold radiance was swung at the two surviving dogs.
Despite his collapsed
posture, the trajectory of the flames drew a beautiful vertical arc.
It was the sixth
spirit technique that Akira had finally learned.
Kihoin-style
Spirit Technique, Linked Move―
"―Shigure Ryugo!!"
From top to bottom.
The vortex of flame
engulfed the remaining dogs with a force that was more like a flood than a
rainstorm.
The vermillion-gold
fire left neither flesh nor bone, let alone screams, as evidence that the
defiled beasts had ever existed, leaving only the blackened ground in its
place, signaling the end of the battle.
"――......
~!!"
Of course, the strain
from his previously reckless movements was not something that could be pretended
to have never happened.
Still in his
completely collapsed stance, Akira plunged face-first into the ground.
"Akira~!! Didn't
I tell you to hold back your firepower a little more!?"
"S-Sorry!!"
As Akira writhed in
shock and intense pain, a cry of anger, both joyous and bitter, followed.
Akira, whose nose was
bleeding and covered in dirt, apologized to the owner of the voice, Asogi
Genji, in an apologetic manner that had become a habit over the past month.
"I've told you
many times. If you want to show off your stupid spiritual power, do it
somewhere else. Don't just spin your flames around and try to burn everything
around you!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"You are not a
monkey! Don't rely on the spirit techniques you've just learned. The battle is
over, but as punishment, you'll have to run all the way back to the camp.
Kansuke, gather your squad and go with him!"
"―U-Understood!!"
Although it was not as
bad as the mountain hunt, the instruction was still a whipping blow to his
exhausted body, and with a cramped expression on his face, Kansuke replied in
desperation.
Beside him, Akira
staggered to his feet and sheathed the dark red blade spirit vessel in his hand
in the vermillion-lacquered sheath fastened to his side.
The members of the
squad, who agreed to run along with Akira, followed him with resentful glances.
Nevertheless, they
began to run with tottering steps, without anyone speaking out their
resentment.
―It has been a month since the Hyakki Yagyo,
This increasingly
harsh routine was becoming the daily routine of Akira and his fellow trainee
soldiers.
"............Asogi
oji-sama."
A girl's voice came
from behind Genji, who had just seen Akira and his squad running off.
"Saki-ojou, how
are things at your end?"
Rindo Saki, who had
completely deviated from her original plan and ended up staying in the 8th garrison,
appeared from the darkness.
Saki had been hunting
down the defiled beasts in the vicinity and making adjustments so that no extra
defiled beasts would go toward Akira, since Genji had been assigned to teach
Akira the spirit techniques.
"Un. I killed
about eight of them. Since I only used Aragamioroshi,
I am sure I didn't stir Mt. Myokaku more than necessary."
"It was a
success, huh? Let's leave the cleanup to the men of the daytime shift."
Although it is not
widely understood, natural beasts, as well as miasma-tainted beasts, are part
of nature.
Because of the
existence of spiritual power and the dragon veins through which it flows,
miasma can spring up anywhere, and there is no end to the number of defiled
beasts that descend from above the mountain range.
Even if the number of
defiled beasts has decreased after a successful mountain hunt, if they use their
spiritual power to stir up the mountains unnecessarily, they may provoke hidden
defiled beasts.
For the most part, the
garrison's daily routine consisted of killing minor defiled beasts that strayed
out of the mountainous areas, which were uninhabitable to people, at night, and
cleaning up the area during the day when the defiled beasts would be less
likely to be active.
"Yes, understood.
―What about Akira-kun?"
"He's in the
middle of a run to the camp right now. Running is essential for the current
Akira after all. I have no complaints about his physical condition as a trainee
soldier, but if he were to be evaluated as a protector, he is still way too
inexperienced."
As expected, Genji's
evaluation was quite harsh.
Saki's brow furrowed
and she sank into thought, which was unusual for a woman who is known for her
quick judgment.
The standard for
evaluating the difference in physical ability between a soldier and a defender
is simple. It is whether or not they have mastered the spiritual techniques to
strengthen their bodies.
The reason for this is
that although [Aragamioroshi], which boosts one's innate physical abilities,
could be used even if one has not trained one's innate physical abilities, the
magnification of the physical enhancement would be drastically reduced.
To put it simply,
Akira's physical ability is so inferior to the extent that if Saki, despite her
slender female physique, were to compete in a physical strength match with
Akira at this point, Saki would still be able to pull off a victory.
"...... There is
not enough time after all."
"It's the amount
of time it takes to train that makes the difference, and there's nothing we can
do about it."
However, conversely,
it was also a problem that could be solved with time.
The two of them were
aware of this reality, so even though they might be reluctant to talk about it,
there was no impatience in their conversation.
"So, uncle, what
is your evaluation of him?"
Genji couldn't help
but glance sideways at Saki in response to the repeated question.
The way she looked at
him seemed hard to describe, it was as if the girl he had known so well for a
long time had become a different person.
However, since he
fully understood the meaning behind her question, he did not immediately answer
it and started to walk toward the campsite.
"...... Well, he
has a frightening talent. As for his swordsmanship, I had taught him the
basics, so it was as I expected, but his speed in mastering spirit techniques
is outstanding, at least four times faster than normal.
He mastered
[Aragamioroshi] on the first day of training, and [Enga] the day after that. In
less than a month, he had mastered two first transmission techniques and two
linked techniques of Kihoin-style. If I were to add more――"
Genji's voice was
filled with an uneasy tone that was in stark contrast to his earlier rant, in
which he described Akira as a "prodigy" or "genius".
The reason is that
Akira's talent is not only limited to the speed at which he can master a
technique.
"So far, he has
mastered all of the spirit techniques I have taught him without even using any
incantations. ...... It's as if the spirits are exercising the spirit
techniques on behalf of Akira."
Saki's expression
involuntarily tensed up upon hearing Genji's evaluation.
It might sound like an
intuitive evaluation, but Saki knew, Genji's evaluation was quite close to the
truth.
But fortunately,
Saki's inner thoughts were never revealed to Genji, who was walking ahead of
her.
"...... Akira-kun
is also able to create a recovery talisman, isn't he? Perhaps since he
understood the fundamentals of incantations, he could have gotten used to
constructing spirit techniques without the use of incantations."
In an attempt to
divert Genji's thoughts away from the fact, she deliberately voiced an opinion
that was out of the truth.
And perhaps because
her words had a certain persuasive power, Genji groaned and didn't immediately
deny it.
Incantations are a
kind of poetry that is composed as an aid to spirit techniques.
Although it has no
meaning as a spell itself, there are formulas throughout the poetry to assist
in the construction of spirit techniques, so by reciting it in tandem with the
activation of spirit techniques, it becomes possible to use the spirit
techniques more reliably.
Therefore, this method
is mainly used by newbies who have just learned spirit techniques.
That's why, if it were
said that the simplest [Aragamioroshi] and [Enga] did not require an
incantation to master, it would still be considered outstanding within the
realm of common sense.
But even excluding
that, the fact that Akira could master two first transmission techniques and
two linked techniques, whose difficulty level jumped, in such a short period of
time is beyond outstanding, it is nothing short of extraordinary.
"It might be
true, but did you see his [Enga]? Although it was a poorly delivered blow, it
still managed to cut down two dogs at once. In terms of the quality and
quantity of his spiritual power, he may be even stronger than the eight families."
" ...... It's
nothing short of exceptional."
"It is exactly
because he is this talented that he is so suspicious. To be frank, if the
Princess of Kihoin were not his guardian, I would suspect him of being a spy
from another province, just as Commander-in-Chief Banda had stated, and I would
consider imprisoning him as well."
Banda, the
commander-in-chief of the garrisons, is in the midst of a very difficult
situation because he is being held responsible for arbitrarily intervening in
the arrangement of the formation at the time of the Hyakki Yagyo.
The one who was chosen
as a sacrifice for escaping responsibility was Akira, who had defeated and
eliminated the Kutsunagahara apparition that was the leader of the Hyakki
Yagyo.
It was a command from Tsuguho,
the next head of Kihoin, that deterred Banda, who tried to capture Akira with
military police on suspicion of being a spy.
The commotion was
momentarily subsided by the shout of the girl who stood at the highest position
in the province, but it was well known that Banda, who had put himself in an
even worse position and was unable to retreat, kept sending a request to Kihoin
for Akira's detention.
"It will be all
right. The reason why Tsuguho-sama takes guardianship is because she trusts
Akira-kun that much. Besides, the suspicion of him being a spy has been
cleared, hasn't it?"
"It was by force,
though."
Although it was how it
was on paper, Genji was still not convinced. He implicitly stated so.
As if to express his
feelings, Genji's steps quicken slightly.
His mouth opened and
closed in a frustrated manner, but in the end, Saki had no desire to criticize
him.
Yes. The reason was
that Saki herself, who was dealing with Genji's doubts, did not have a complete
grasp of the situation.
Because of her
assignment as Akira's instructor, she was permitted to have access to some of
the matters related to the term Kanna-no-Mikura but it was only enough for her
to hold her surroundings in check.
Haa~.
After letting out a
mild sigh, she staggered along behind Genji, who did not stop walking.
It's already been a
month since then, but the people around Akira, including Genji, don't seem to
have calmed down.
―It can't be helped, huh?
She inwardly said so
with a hint of resignation.
Regardless of whether
there is nothing wrong with Akira or whether Kihoin is backing him, in the end,
it isn't so easy to change humans' perspectives.
Rather, the fact that
they appear to be spending their days without any problems on the surface is
something that deserves to be commended.
In the first place,
the end of Hyakki Yagyo was riddled with so many problems.
Saki recalled the very
moment of the Hyakki Yagyo one month ago.
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