Volume 5
Chapter 1 Part
1
Martial Arts
Compete, Behind the Whispers of the Open Sea 1
Translator : PolterGlast
—Central Capital, Central Province, Santenryō Outer
Stage.
The first day of
January.
Under the clear blue
sky of winter, young boys were shouting loudly on the stage with vigor.
"Seeii~"
"Chieryaahh!"
The offense and
defense alternated in an instant, and then, with a dry sound, the wooden sword
whirled around.
The tense exchange
fell silent, and cheers surged up at the referee's raised flag.
As the match came to a
close, Nakiri Jin sat down beside Akira, who was gulping down water.
"Hey, junior.
Long time no see. Since last October, right?"
"Yeah. We've both
been busy, so it's been about that long.
—Is it alright to talk to your next opponent? You might
get glared at by the Hakudō Province guys."
"Officially, the
Imperial Tournament is strictly individual.
Besides, you're a guy
who hasn't even been to the provincial qualifying rounds and is suddenly in the
main competition. Just saying that I'm doing reconnaissance will shut them
up."
Since Akira's matches
had gone smoothly, Akira's next opponent was Nakiri Jin.
Dismissing Akira's
objection that it was inappropriate to talk, Jin took a bite of his barley rice
ball.
Picking at the salted
radish that was offered to him, Akira also tilted her chin thoughtfully.
"Come to think of
it", he murmured to himself, a voice carried away by the wind.
"The Imperial
Tournament is always a hot topic, but I heard that this year, the junior
division is getting more attention."
"Master's (the
strongest in Takamagahara) unparalleled record of victory is coming to an end.
—The elders of the Yuge family are foaming at the mouth
and shouting orders."
"It's the same in
the South and North. Especially the issue of which faction one belongs to is
causing a big commotion."
"I don't feel
sorry for them. It's only natural for warriors to compete for supremacy."
Jin shrugged in
response to Akira's complaint.
Officially, Akira
belonged to the Eight Families of Kokuten Province, affiliated with the Kihoin
family.
Even though the Kihoin
family and the Gioin family had strong intentions, Akira's affiliation was
extremely unstable.
There was no precedent
of a noble family being allowed to belong to a different clan across a
different province.
However, as long as it
was the truth that people were tied to their land, Akira's position was
inherently contradictory.
"In the end, it
was decided that I would belong to Shumon Province, which has a long history of
protectors.
To be honest, either
way it's still uncomfortable."
"Well, that's to
be expected."
It's not so common for
someone's position to change so drastically before factions and standings
solidify.
No matter who it is,
the fact remains that Akira is a newcomer.
"―It can't be
helped. The protector they heard was only transferring temporarily has somehow
become one of the Eight Families in Kokuten Province. Even the people around us
cannot catch up with the situation better than them."
A disgruntled voice
interrupted Akira and Jin's conversation, which seemed somewhat detached.
They turned around to
see Kuga Ryouta standing there and sat down beside Akira in a rough manner.
"More
importantly, why are you meddling in the junior division? As the head of the
Eight Families, shouldn't you be participating in the main tournament?"
"The instructor's
association of Kokuten Province strongly opposed it.
They said that even if
one is the head of the Eight Families, it's unacceptable for a 13-year-old to
participate in the main tournament."
"...They must
have been panicking because if you, by some chance, won the tournament, it
would ruin their reputation.
The only thing that
will make them better is their petty calculations, and that shows a lot about
their characters."
Although he was able
to push for his entry into the tournament itself, he had countless side issues
that he had to deal with along the way.
Since the instructor's
association's argument, using Akira's age as an excuse, had a shred of
legitimacy, the Gioin family had no choice but to give in.
"Well, the
Imperial Tournament, which places restrictions on spirit power, is not
compatible with your tactics, which rely heavily on spirit power.
You'll have to give up
on winning this year."
"I'm offended by
you saying that I rely on spirit power.
—I don't plan to just sit back and watch this year's
tournament go either."
Akira nodded in
response to Ryota, who had gotten up from his seat and made a dismissive
remark.
Kuga Ryota's point
wasn't wrong. The essence of the Imperial Tournament was for protectors and
above to compete in martial arts.
Since the martial
prowess of protectors depended on their spirit rank, unrestricted matches would
simply become a competition of spirit ranks.
To prevent accidents,
the Imperial Tournament imposed restrictions on spirit power as a rule.
Wooden swords (Class D
spirit tools) used for practice, heavy protective clothing, and a limited
number of talismans allowed to be used during the match.
"After all,
protectors who only rely on spirit power will end up being eliminated in the
tournament."
"Yeah. This
year's contestants probably learned their lesson during the Hyakki Yagyo, and
it's probably their first time competing without spirit's blessing."
Jin replied lightly to
Akira, who was watching Ryota leave.
"Blessing, huh?
...I don't really feel it."
"You'll feel it
when you start learning spirit techniques. It's natural.
—It's not about your ability, it's simply that it makes
it easier for you to win."
"Easier to
win?"
"It's more like
being lucky if you're in the territory of a local deity.
The more blessings you
have, the better the results you'll get when dealing with Kegare."
The blessings of the
local deities granted by the parishioner lottery varied depending on the spirit
rank.
The unconditional
luck, which was realized when leaving the land, was the biggest reason why
people were tied to their land.
"That's how the
Imperial Tournament should be.
...So, junior, are you
leaving for Bharatush in the spring?"
"No, that's a bit
complicated."
"I heard from
Master that it couldn't be postponed."
"It's the
opposite. Apparently, I'll be leaving soon after the New Year."
Jin's eyes widened
slightly at the casual reply.
Takamagahara, isolated
from the outside world by the tides, had limited physical exchanges with
foreign countries.
Even with the
development of steam engines and deep-draft ships, it was costly to cross the
tides. That was one of the reasons why trade was only permitted in Kamotsu,
which was close to the tidal boundary.
"According to the
investigation by Hakudō Province, the naval equipment they're counting on won't
be finished until spring."
"That's part of
what the Three Imperial Families and the Four Sovereigns are discussing.
Apparently, the situation in Bharatush has changed.
—To be honest, I agree with that."
The reason for going
to Bharatush was due to the contract between Rindou Saki and the Great Divine
Pillar of Salvation, Sita.
Ravana, who has been
involved in many hidden activities over the last year, was to be returned to
his hometown, Lanka. Although he had some thoughts about Ravana, it was also
true that the contract with the divine pillar had to be hurried.
"I see. When it
comes to you, junior, Master often keeps secrets.
—How long is the expedition expected to take?"
"Apparently the
peninsula called Lanka is our immediate destination.
If everything goes
well, we're scheduled to return in early June, round trip."
Not only is it far
from Bharatush, but it is also a subordinate territory of Ron Country. A
faraway place cut off from Takamagahara in every sense, and it's where Akira
and the others had to head for in a hurry.
◇
The small dining room
was bustling with people coming and going, and the wooden chairs creaked as
people got up and left.
In a small restaurant
in the Central Capital, a waitress was serving customers right and left.
"Despite being
advertised as authentic Tsonma cuisine, the food is quite bland."
"Oh, it's light,
but it's quite delicious. If you think about it, the food along the way is also
adapted to Takamagahara's tastes.
"Just be honest
and admit that it's not flavorful enough, Senior Sister. It's embarrassing to
call this authentic."
"Maybe it's
because there's no star anise? It's a southern product, so it doesn't go well
with Takamagahara.
—Fengjun, stop complaining. It's not good to upset the
other party before the negotiations."
Lingying, a young
girl, gently scolded Fengjun, the boy who was nibbling on the burnt bean paste.
It was doubtful how
much of the flowing Tsonma conversation was understood by those who were busy
eating.
Nevertheless, the boy
reluctantly nodded in response to the admonition from his superior.
"I've seen
protectors fight several times on the way, but their control over their spirits
is terrible.
I can't believe they're
able to repel the invasion of the Western Continent with that."
"Yes. Even from a
distance, I could see that they were almost exclusively using the metal
element.
It's a miracle that
they haven't fallen into zōhōrumo1 before they even reach the stage
of spiritual ascension."
1走火入魔 (zōhōrumo): This is a
Chinese term that refers to a state of mental derangement or loss of control,
often associated with martial arts or spiritual practices.
She followed the boy
and took a piece of burnt food.
With a pleasant
chewing sound, Lingying shook her chin.
The sweet and sour
sauce coated the mushrooms and wild vegetables, pleasantly burning her stomach.
It was a dish she had
never tasted before, but the Eastern Continent was vast. Naturally, there were
many dishes she didn't know, and this was probably one of them.
As long as it wasn't
bad, she was satisfied. And if she could taste the cuisine of her homeland, she
would even be more satisfied.
"I heard that
Takamagahara is ruled by the divine pillars of the Five Elements, but why don't
they harmonize the Five Elements?"
"They connect the
dragon dens of Takamagahara to achieve harmony on a national level. That pretty
much explains it."
She called over the
busy waitress and ordered a new dish from the menu. As she watched the waitress
leave, Lingying lowered her voice.
"Originally, the
great divine pillar of this land was supposed to be a divine pillar that
controlled harmony by symbolizing the five elements.
By the will of the Heavenly
Emperor, the five elements were separated and it reappeared anew as a divine
pillar of the earth element.
—It's a clever means"
"Why? Why would
they give up a stable position of the five elements and stay in an unstable
corner?"
"Just as a flame
burns brightest when a pinch of incense is about to run out, true value burns
brightest when it's unstable. By making one corner unstable, they hone their
true value and maintain harmony throughout Takamagahara.
—That's how this country has been built."
It was a rough but
solid method, unique to Takamagahara, where five dragon dens were crowded
together.
It was the optimal
solution, where each element could be honed while aiming for greater heights
together.
"But that doesn't
mean that martial artists should neglect their training.
I heard there are many
spirit users, but I understand why they think they're martial artists."
"Still, it's
undeniable that they've protected peace for four thousand years, unlike in
Tsonma.
I think there must be
some rational reason."
"I hope so.
—Otherwise, there would be no point in bringing it
here."
Fengjun shifted his
gaze to the box peeking out from the girl's chest and stopped talking when he
noticed the waitress.
Nodding solemnly, the
girl returned the box to the depths of her chest.
A steamed bun filled
with steam was placed in the center of the table.
Fengjun's eyes lit up
at the last dish and he grabbed it and took a bite.
The unexpected
sweetness that suddenly spread across his mouth made him frown in dismay.
"What's
wrong?"
"It's sweet. I
thought it was meat, why are they categorized together?"
"It's written in
the corner of the menu. It's perfect for a light meal after a heavy meal."
"―Now, now. First
up is the junior division. It seems like Hakudō Province is going to sweep the
tournament."
"Nonsense. Shumon
Province is still in the race, and you're getting ahead of yourself before the
preliminaries are even over."
A loud cheer erupted
from the surroundings, interrupting their peaceful conversation.
The two turned their
gazes towards the source of the voices, and found there was a radio broadcast
about the latest developments of the Imperial Tournament.
"What's all the
noise about?"
"—It seems
there's a martial arts tournament being held for all to see."
"A radio, huh?
The one that's spreading in Qingdao.
It's a real pain that
we lost the trading port."
"And we have to
go through a mediator to go overseas. It was a painful miscalculation.
...Let's go. To
prevent the arrogance of Ron Country, we need to make this negotiation a
success."
Without saying a word,
the girl got up and left the table.
She left a few coins
on the table as payment, and as the waitress hurried to find change, Lingying
and Fengjun disappeared into the crowd.
"The negotiation
is fine, but how are we going to make connections?
Haven't we been out of
contact with the country for a long time? And we're smugglers without a
permit."
"If we go through
Qingdao, it will be recorded in Ron Country's records, so there's nothing we
can do about it. Considering the way we did things in Bharatush, we can't let
them know our intentions.
But it's true, it's
troublesome that we don't have any connections."
"Right. ...No,
wait a minute."
Lingying sighed at
Fengjun's reasonable point.
The weight of their
luggage felt burdensome, and they headed toward Santenryō without any clues
about how to start the negotiations.
Cheers erupted again
from the public radio outside. It was a lively festive atmosphere.
"—You said there
was a tournament for all to see, didn't you, Senior Sister?"
"No, Fengjun. If
you disrupt their tournament, you'll only make them unhappy."
"I won't disrupt
the festival.
—I'll just pat the
inexperienced winner on the back and ask him to be our liaison for
negotiations."
Since entering Takamagahara,
they had been moving in hiding.
It seemed that they
had been pent up for a long time. Lingying sighed and nodded at her junior
brother, who was grinning crudely.
They had been hiding
completely to make a secret agreement.
To negotiate with someone
with whom you have no connections, it is necessary to do a little gamble.
Changing her thoughts,
Lingying stopped in front of Santenryō.
The cheers she had
heard over the radio sounded particularly vivid.
"Don't injure
anyone.
Show them the martial
arts of the Dai Tian family and let them know our worth."
"I'll just pat
them on the head. I won't bring shame to martial arts."
"Very well.
First, let's see who the winner will be."
Casting an
invisibility spell, they passed through the curtain that surrounded the stage.
The moment they stood
in the back row where they could see the entire stage, the waves of cheers
surged.
—At that very moment, the junior division of the
Imperial Tournament was about to end.
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