Volume 4
Chapter 4 Part
1
To Part From
the Water Mirror's surface, as if Severing It Cleanly 1
Translator : PolterGlast
Led by Takamikura,
everyone left the Raden Room.
Following everyone's
backs swaying with each step, Saki quickened her pace slightly.
She couldn't find
Akira, who was at the head of the Shumon Province, hidden among the many
people.
Giving up on searching
for the boy's shadow, she turned to her companion, Sonomi, who was walking
nearby.
They were from
different provinces and had even had a dispute. Pretending to be casual, she
hesitantly approached her.
"Sonomi-san."
"...What is
it?"
Perhaps reading the
situation, or perhaps feeling the same emotions as Saki, she responded with a
stiff tone after a moment of hesitation.
"To what extent
can Akira fight now?"
"I don't
know."
She had probably
already anticipated what she was going to be asked. Saki's question was bounced
back as it was.
In the end, the
question remained suspended in the air. Saki's expression changed to one of
dismay.
"You don't
know?"
"He simply uses
the spirit techniques he has seen. I understand Akira-san's special ability,
but...
Ugetsu Sōma... No,
even against the Ugetsu family, who has abandoned their arrogance, it won't be
easy to win, even if he can."
Saki and the others
had also expected this Imperial Match.
The behavior of
Utanomiya Aya, shown in their meeting, was the evidence.
The Imperial
Tournament, held once every few years, is scheduled for the beginning of the
year, two months from now.
If there was another
intention behind the subtle interest in the recent Imperial Tournament, it was
not difficult to read deeper into it.
The original Imperial
Tournament, in which a noble challenges the Eight Families, which are at the
forefront of the warrior clans.
That was the real
reason why Sonomi had come to visit Akira and urged him to learn the
Giōin-school.
However, it has only
been a few days since Akira started learning the Giōin-school. —Even with his
extraordinary talent for understanding spirit techniques, it is too short a
time to master all of them both mentally and physically.
Compared to the
Kihōin-school, which had three years to master the basic levels, it is a
different matter to discuss.
Still, if she had to
evaluate Akira's abilities,
"—In terms of
skill, he has probably reached the level of Chūden.
I've taught him all
the Chūden-level spirit techniques, but I'm not sure whether or not he can make
full use of those improvements."
The evaluation, which
was placed on her tongue out of desperation, was a forced teaching, even to an
untrained eye.
It was clear that she
had prioritized teaching over training, ignoring the process of honing one's
skills.
"What about
Ugetsu Souma?"
"I heard that he
achieved Kaiden about six months ago.
Besides, we can't
underestimate the first-ranked of the Eight Families. Clans that have mastered
both spirit techniques and onmyoujutsu, and... the Ugetsu family has
that..."
"I suppose
so."
Saki responded
bitterly to Sonomi's words.
She caught a glimpse
of Akira, who was walking ahead. There was no way to tell how he was feeling
from his swaying shoulders as he walked calmly.
Despite his unchanged
back, Saki was bitterly certain.
"...It won't be
easy. This would give the Ugetsu family an opportunity to take advantage
of."
"………………"
Only a silent
agreement came from Sonomi.
She had no idea what
the Three Imperial Families or anyone else was plotting. Without being able to
read a shred of their intentions, Saki and the others's vision suddenly opened
up.
♢
At the end of the
seemingly endless corridor of the sacred precinct, a courtyard paved with white
cobblestone was the stage prepared for their one-on-one Imperial Match.
Akira and Souma faced
each other, leaving trampling sounds on the gravel.
There was no starting
line.
As far as Akira knew,
a training hall had a standard width of about 1.5 meters, but that was not the
case in an Imperial Match where spirit techniques flew around.
If they closed the
distance, they would become prey for the Hariin-school and Kihōin-school, which
were quick to use their techniques. Conversely, if they kept their distance, it
would become a one-sided battle for the Jinrōin-school, which excelled at
long-range attacks.
Without exchanging a
word, the two stood facing each other at a distance of about three meters.
It was a delicate
distance where hesitation arose in choosing between offense and defense.
A silent confrontation
passed between them, and Souma's penetrating gaze shot directly at Akira.
A pressure of hatred passed
through the air.
—Unconsciously, the sound of gravel crunching under
Akira's heels echoed.
"Now, both of
you. This is your first Imperial Match, right?"
"Yeah."
"—Yes."
Fujinomorimiya Kaoruko
turned her gaze to the two.
Souma and Akira
responded affirmatively to her confirming words.
"This is the
original Imperial Match, where one challenges the Eight Families. Since the
target is the head of the Eight Families who possesses a divine artifact, in
order to seek fairness, we need to eliminate all factors apart from one own
strength."
Raising three fingers,
Kaoruko counted them one by one.
Limit spirit weapons
to the same type. Use up to ten talismans, with different combinations.
"And it will be
held on the Santen-ryō of the Central Capital's Sacred Precinct, away from
blessings and spirits.
If we cut it down to
this extent, the only difference between you will be the amount of your
spiritual power."
Akira looked down at
the brand-new wooden sword (a type of spirit weapon) in his hand.
With its core iron
made of low-purity spirit steel, its power is greatly restricted, although it
could still be used for spirit techniques
With such
restrictions, the only way to win would be to compete based on each other's
skills.
"Fujinomorimiya-sama"
"What is it,
Ugetsu?"
Unable to bear it any
longer, Tenzan, who had been relegated to the lowest side, interjected.
"I would like to
request that the restriction on spirit weapons be raised from Class D to Class
A.
That way, they can compare
each other's abilities better."
"—Denied."
Before Kaoruko could
respond, Takamikura dismissed Tensan's ulterior motives.
Her golden eyes,
squinted in a slight sneer, pierced Tenzan without a word.
"If we were to
allow Class A spirit weapons, it would no longer be fair.
That would be
boring."
"On the
contrary," Tenzan, perhaps perceiving Takamikura's response as an
opportunity to take advantage of, retorted.
"That incompetent
is also the Kanna-no-Mikura. Therefore, in order to seek even greater fairness,
I humbly suggest that we should provide him with a suitable spirit
weapon."
—He still doesn't understand Kanna-no-Mikura.
Having become
convinced of the manipulation she had been carrying out, Takamikura pitied
Tenzan, who was being manipulated.
"Don't
misunderstand.
If I were to allow up
to Class A, it would completely eliminate any chance of victory for your
side."
"That's too much
of an insult—"
"Takamikura-sama.
This man is throwing away his dignity and begging for it."
Giōin Shizumi mocked Tenzan's
outraged ugliness with a sneer.
"—Why don't you
grant his wish?"
"Regardless of
the outcome, the long-awaited Imperial Match will soon come to an end.
After all these
arrangements, it would be quite boring if it ended like that."
"That's too
bad."
Without leaving any
emotion behind, Shizumi lowered her eyes.
"That is what
happens when one talks about Kanna-no-Mikura with superficial knowledge.
Even as a
Kanna-no-Mikura, Akira has achieved the Celestial Throne. If we give him a
Class A spirit weapon, he will begin to interfere with the spirits without
limit."
The Celestial Throne.
Takamikura casually mentioned this information, and there was an uncontrollable
commotion from the Hariin and Jinroin sides, who were probably unaware of this
information.
—So, the decision had been made, huh?
Tenzan, who didn't
even understand Takamikura's conclusion, eventually slumped down dejectedly.
Ignoring Tenzan's
struggles, Takamikura urged Kaoruko with her gaze.
In return, she nodded,
signaling the start of the match, and Akira and Souma each readied their spirit
weapons.
The gravel crunched
under their feet as their blades pointed toward the sky.
"—Begin."
Kaoruko's flat
declaration echoed through the space between the two.
Akira carefully held
his wooden sword at the upper stance and lowered his gaze slightly to his feet.
—It's shaking.
He finally realized
that his knees were trembling and the tip of his wooden sword was shaking.
—I'm scared.
Without questioning
himself, Akira simply understood.
That was only natural.
His opponent had been unfairly crushing Akira since before he could remember.
Such defeat, etched into his subconscious, lingered deep within his emotions,
unable to be erased.
—Akira fixed his gaze on Souma.
Akira felt a sense of
out-of-place envy at the way he stood with the lower stance without any
emotional turmoil. The way they stood opposite each other was just like a
mirrored reflection
Indulging in his
inferiority complex, Akira had been carried along by the intentions of others,
never needing to assert his own will until now. It had been so easy, so utterly
pathetic.
—But that was over. He had to end it. He had to leave
his trembling self behind from this moment onward.
"Shi!" he
exclaimed, a short, final farewell. His left heel, along with his cowardice,
left a distorted ripple in the gravel as he stepped forward.
—In the next instant, deep within Souma's reach,
Akira's right leg trembled straight. His offensive step gouged into the ground,
creating a perfect circle without hesitation.
Akira executed the
upper stance of the Kihōin-school, which he had mastered best. It was a purely
simple strike, executed without hesitation.
—Akira must show his own voice from now on.
♢
It has begun. As she
gazed upon the scene, Takamikura was lost in thought.
Whether it was due to
their calculations or simply coincidence?
She looked at her
opponent, whom she could not see until the very end, and still, the girl's
mouth was filled with the certainty of victory. Her interest was merely to fill
the boredom of waiting.
—It didn't matter which it was. The purpose of inducing
the Imperial Match had been largely achieved for both parties.
In the corner of her
vision, Utanomiya Aya nodded to Takamikura. Was she about to leave? As everyone
was glued to the match, her swaying back quickly disappeared from view.
♢
Right now, Akira is
completely imbued with Genrei's divine energy.
While his spirit
techniques were limited to water elements, the Giōin-school would be ultimately
the best choice for him at this moment.
—However, it would be a mistake to think that the
martial arts he learned and practiced at Karen have all been lost.
For the past three
years since coming to Karen, the teachings Akira had received from Asōgi Genji
were alive and well in his body.
Even now, they were
undeniably so. With each swing of his wooden sword, drenched in sweat and
blood, the memories were etched vividly into his body.
An upper stance right
after an offensive step. The wooden sword, without even a hint of spirit power,
cleaved the air with heavy pressure. The foundation of the Kihōin-school, known
for its speed, aimed at Souma.
"Seeryaaa!"
A fighting spirit
gushed out from his throat.
Souma, on the other
hand, remained calm, matching his own wooden sword with the approaching strike.
A heavy but dull response, unlike the ring of metal on the blade.
Spotting the azure
spiritual light on his opponent's wooden sword, Akira forcefully bounced his
own wooden sword. Their spirit powers converged, producing a clear roar.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Shoden―
"Engetsu!"
"Gekka!"
Clash. Spiritual light
scattered, and the azure flying slash was swallowed up by the black shockwave.
Souma, overwhelmed by the momentum, stomps his foot against his collapsed
stance.
With the protection of
Genrei as his backing, Akira's spirit power had drowned out Souma's. A golden
opportunity. Akira's eyes sharpened, and he slammed his upper stance down as
his spirit power converged.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Chuden, ―Kagetsuotoshi.
The heavy pressure of
the water turned into a waterfall.
Even though he was
drenched in the splashing black water, no spiritual light could be seen from
Souma's body.
Even though the attack
was landing on him, there was not even a sign that he was kneading the spirit
light.
—The black torrent swallowed Souma whole.
♢
"Excellent."
"Yes. He's not
inferior to Ugetsu Souma's martial prowess."
Leaving her body to be
washed away by the black aftermath, praise slipped from Saki's lips.
Sonomi simply nodded
in agreement.
As far as Saki knew,
Souma had only competed in a few matches at the academy.
Even so, Souma's
skills were so outstanding that he was allowed to participate in the second
division (junior division) of the Imperial Tournament as soon as he enrolled.
—On the other hand, Akira, despite having trained in
the Kihōin-school for three years, was still a novice when it came to using
spirit power.
But what about the
slashes they had just exchanged?
Akira's slash, which
was comparable to Souma's, inevitably drew everyone's attention.
If it had been an
ordinary guardian, they would probably have been overwhelmed by Akira's first
strike.
Akira's training speed
was almost like a unique ability. —But even with his extraordinary talent,
"...As expected,
he brought it out, huh?"
"Ugetsu is on the
brink of destruction, so there's no reason to hold back."
Deep within the vision
obscured by the black water, a streak of azure sparkled.
It was no surprise. No
one thought it would just end there.
The azure glow,
swirling gently, was stopping Akira's Kagetsuotoshi. —It was the ultimate
forbidden technique in the Giōin-school.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Variant―
"―Kagetsu
Koukou."
Currently, Akira is
severely restricted in almost all of his abilities as the Kanna-no-Mikura.
Under these
circumstances, surpassing Kagetsu Koukou was the absolute condition for Akira's
victory.
♢
"I've heard of
it, but this is the first time I've seen it. So that's Kagetsu Koukou."
"Be proud, Akira.
With this Ugetsu's tradition, we'll erase every disgrace associated with
you."
Souma's wooden sword,
which was furiously charged with spirit power, easily deflected Akira's
Kagetsuotoshi. The tip of the blade, shimmering with azure, sent a warning down
Akira's spine as he accelerated his black spirit power.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Shoden―
"Tsukihana."
Souma's refined
explosive force clashed head-on with Akira's spirit power once more.
A violent collision, a
deafening roar.
The accelerating black
glow neutralized the explosive force of Tsukihana and then obliterated Souma's
spirit power once again.
—Neutralized. No, it was overpowered.
Akira simply accepted
this fact bitterly and accelerated his spirit power again.
Genrei's divine
energy, the pinnacle of the water element, boasts the greatest mass among all
the others.
Akira had only won
this moment by sheer mass.
—Which meant, in other words, that it wouldn't work
next time.
The gravel scattered,
and the two left footprints in the ground beneath them.
With a clod of earth
hitting his cheek, Akira continued to concentrate his still insufficient spirit
power into his wooden sword.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Chuden―
"Yumihari-..."
"Too slow."
Akira's toes chose to
evade upon hearing the sound of Souma's short, piercing voice.
Ignoring even the
black spirit power, Souma's Yumiharidzuki struck Akira's shoulder.
—It was a well-known technique of the Ugetsu.
Whether it was a
special ability or just a technique like Dogyou's, it was a spirit technique
whose name and effects were known but whose details were completely unknown.
Its effect was simple.
It simply accelerated spirit power almost instantly.
Mass is power.
Although the water Qi,
which boasts of its heavy mass, is slow to fire, its power alone is comparable
to that of the fire element.
What would happen if
the drawback of slow activation speed could be temporarily mitigated?
—The conclusion was shown before Akira's eyes.
"You've tarnished
Ugetsu's history, you fool. I'll teach you your place."
"—It's not even a
laughing matter since you are unaware of it. So let me hammer it into that
thick skull of yours which one of us is the one who tarnished it."
They exchanged short
insults, both accelerating their spirit power.
—Shadows fell in the middle of the bright day.
As the clear sky began
to cloud over, their feet kicked the ground, seeking a decisive blow.
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