Volume 5
Chapter 1 Part
3
Martial Arts
Compete, Behind the Whispers of the Open Sea 3
Translator : PolterGlast
—Going back a little in time, during the junior
division of the Imperial Tournament, in the final match.
Amidst the roaring
cheers, the clash of swords between two boys echoed.
With each step, Nakiri
Jin's spirit power created a whirlwind.
Jinroin-style Spirit
Technique, Shoden, ―Kamaitachi.
"Zei~ria~a~!"
"Tch!"
An invisible blade
extended sharply from the tip of the wooden sword.
Afraid of the
invisible slash, Kuga Ryota's offensive was inevitably slowed.
Relying on
Aragamioroshi, he jumped back.
As the violent wind
swept away the gravel, Jin's attack range was revealed.
Sharpening his spirit
power, Ryota stepped into his opponent's range again.
Controlling the immediate
area meant directly controlling the battle.
To succeed in advance.
As the name suggests, it was a poor strategy to try to create distance against
the Jinrouin-school, which excelled in long-range attacks.
For other factional
schools to have a chance against the Jinrouin-school, close combat was an
absolute prerequisite.
Tsukinomiya-style
Spirit Technique, Chuden, ―Amanerobu.
"Haaa!"
Ryota stepped into
range, his voice trailing off.
His wooden sword,
wrapped in scorching heat, held a determination to win.
Tsukinomiya-style
Spirit Technique, Shoden―
"Moyukari!"
At close range.
Furthermore, considering that the Jinrouin-school was the second slowest after
the Gioin-school in using spirit techniques. Ryota was convinced of victory
when he saw red flames trailing toward the opponent's torso.
Clash. A flash of fire
came just a hair's breadth away.
—However, the scorching heat was entangled with Jin's
slash and was deflected.
Swallowing his curse,
Ryota took another step forward. Aiming for the moment when his opponent
stepped in, Ryota drew out a talisman.
Jin had two talismans
left.
With a blue-white
flash of excitation, a roaring flame erupted.
"One point!"
A white flag from the
referee appeared at the edge of his vision, and Ryota swung his sword
horizontally.
Speed was necessary.
He didn't even spare a moment to gather his spirit power and continued to
strike.
As if unwilling to
compete, Jin showed signs of retreating.
"Sei~eriaa~a~a~!"
Not wanting to let him
escape, Ryota stepped into the space between them with a determined shout.
Although his slash was
blocked, his advantage hadn't disappeared.
As he was about to
deliver a final blow by drawing a talisman from his pocket―
"Toraochifue"
In an instant, a cold
slash pierced through Ryota's body.
Before he could savor
the humiliation of being defeated, Jin's talisman appeared in his vision.
As the tip of the
opponent's sword brushed away the remnants of the blue-white flame,
Swallowed by the shock
of the wooden strike, Ryota realized his defeat.
◇
Jin and Ryota bowed
politely to each other.
Akira watched the
entire scene from the audience seats as the two turned their backs and left the
stage.
As the heat of the
match subsided after a while, someone sat down beside him.
"Hey, junior. I
thought you'd be more disappointed."
"...Congratulations
on winning, Nakiri-senpai."
Akira didn't seem too
disappointed. Jin patted his shoulder comfortingly.
"Well, even if
it's a mere junior division, the Imperial Tournament isn't easy.
—And that's why you and Kuga lost."
"Experience?"
Jin wondered how to
explain to Akira, who only replied with a single word.
The inferiority
complex of always being shown only the superior ones ahead.
Jin had also
experienced that feeling until last year.
But one can't move
forward by only looking ahead.
"You're strong,
junior."
"...I lost,
though."
"Don't be
discouraged."
Jin shrugged at
Akira's dissatisfied reply.
Although his words
were meant to be comforting, they were not lies.
With his talent for
imitating and mastering spirit techniques, and his unprecedented ability to
switch between the five elements, Akira's abilities were undoubtedly among the
top guardians, including those of the Eight Families.
"Kuga, on the
other hand, seemed to only understand the theory.
In an Imperial
Tournament where spirit power is limited, the number of moves is more important
than anything else."
Akira nodded, seeming
unsatisfied.
Jin smiled wryly.
He pulled the last
talisman from his chest.
"How many talismans
do you have left?"
"Six."
"At the end of
the final match, Kuga had five."
Since the power of the
spirit techniques wouldn't be the deciding factor in the match, the talismans,
which could easily increase the number of moves, could be the key to turning
the tables.
The number of
talismans used in each match was an indicator of how efficiently the match was
carried out.
"I know you're
skilled, junior, but you still base your strategy on spirit techniques.
If your opponent
increases the number of moves, you'll unconsciously stick to your spirit
techniques."
"That's..."
Akira couldn't argue
with Jin's point.
It was true that when
he was pushed to his limits in a match, he hesitated to focus on the talismans.
"Talismans are a
drain on resources, and their power is only so-so. So it's natural to rely on
spirit techniques."
"That's true.
Most of my experience is in one-on-one battles.
I'm not very good at
area-control spirit techniques like the Jinrouin-school and
Tsukinomiya-school."
"And Kuga is a glutton
for power. He has a habit of relying on power when it comes down to it."
Smiling at Akira's
agreement, Jin got up.
The stage was being
cleaned up, and the main event of the Imperial Tournament was about to begin.
"Well, the
festival is over for us. Let's just relax and enjoy Masters' festival."
"I heard that it
was Yuge-sama's consecutive victory. Before I left Shumon Province, everyone
was betting on him."
"Since Hojo Izana
wasn't participating, most people were leaning towards Master. ―Naturally, I
bet on him too."
"You bet on him?
If Yuge-sama finds out about it, you'll be in big trouble."
Akira exclaimed in
astonishment, seeing the corner of a white betting slip peeking out from Jin's
hand.
Jin laughed in
response, and they went behind the stage together.
They bumped into Kuga
Ryota, who was walking dejectedly, helping to clean up.
"Kuga, aren't you
going to help us?"
"What do you want
to do with us joining hands?
...Besides, I have
something else to do later, so I don't want to go through any unnecessary
trouble."
"Something to
do?"
"It's an ambush.
I'm waiting for an opportunity to beat them up, but they're having fun with
someone else."
Ryota grumbled,
sounding dissatisfied.
Tilting his head, Jin
replied quietly to Akira.
"It's a yearly tradition
for youngsters to challenge experienced fighters after the match.
—I'm not so arrogant as to take a shot at the Eight
Families, who were the runners-up in the first year of the festival. It's a
festival Kuga has no business being a part of."
"What a letdown.
You guys have no spirit."
Ryota replied
disdainfully and, together with Akira, watched the Imperial Tournament stage.
The gravel-covered
stage had returned to being a simple white stage.
"Speaking of
which, what about Saki?"
"She's discussing
it with Tsuguhō-sama. We have to prepare for at least half a year for the round
trip to Bharatush."
Saki had also wanted
to participate in the Imperial Tournament, but she had to give up.
"It takes a long
time because we have to go against the tide.
I think it would take
several months just to get to Bharatush."
"...I see. So
that's why."
"What?"
"At the beginning
of December, a high-speed warship from Vansuir docked at the Kamotsu anchorage,
using the alliance as an excuse.
I've also confirmed
that Benedetta Casalini is there, and it seems that she has a secret agreement
with the Kihoin family."
"That's probably
it. Tsuguhō-sama also asked me to go there soon."
"I see."
Ryota nodded, seeming
to understand what Jin was saying.
Although not as
intelligent as Akira, Ryota was also quite talented in both martial arts and
academics.
With the fresh
information he had received from his hometown, he had a vague idea of the
content of the secret agreement.
As their conversation
came to an end, Akira and the others stopped in their tracks upon sensing a
presence.
—In the direction of their gaze, the shadow of a boy
with long hair and unfamiliar clothing stood.
"What do you
want?"
"The first and
second place winners of the Imperial Tournament. And there's also a small fry
mixed in.
I watched the final
match, but it was quite a boring fight."
Akira and Ryota
exchanged glances at the condescending attitude that didn't seem friendly at
all.
Ambush. Ryota could
only respond with a question to the words that came to his mind.
"You're obviously
aiming for the first and second-place winners.
—You're from Tsonma, aren't you? What are you doing at
the Imperial Tournament?"
There was no reply.
Instead, the boy, who had been standing there, suddenly disappeared, leaving
only a laugh behind.
""!?""
"—I'm here"
Before they had time
to be surprised, a voice called out from behind them.
Before they could even
think, Akira and Ryota drew their wooden swords from their waists.
""Sei~ri~a~!""
In a split second,
their breaths synchronized as their blades arced in different directions, one
aimed at the neck, the other at the torso.
The boy's palm strike
met the two converging strikes. The attack was gently deflected, and in that
instant, realizing their strike had missed, Akira and the others kicked off the
ground, retreating.
The tent fluttered in
the wind as the figures of the boys leaped onto the center of the stage.
♢
The sudden commotion
brought bewildered cries from the audience, who were taking a break.
The place, which had
been quiet while waiting for the main event, gradually became heated by the
unexpected performance.
Jin bit his lip in
frustration as he was surrounded by the crowd that had gathered.
"Damn it. This is
getting out of hand."
"—Indeed, it's
definitely our fault."
A voice responded from
an unexpected direction.
A girl's shadow
appeared gracefully from behind the fluttering tent.
Her long, dark hair
danced in the wind, and the hem of her qipao fluttered gently.
Without any
hesitation, she walked calmly to stand beside the boy.
"—Senior Sister,
I can handle this."
"If you're just
going to pat them on the back, you should respect their reputations.
If we win by a
landslide, three against one, even they would refuse the negotiation."
"These
guys..."
Ryota's forehead
twitched upon hearing their arrogant words, implying that they were certain of
victory even against three opponents.
Patting him on the
shoulder to calm him down, Nakiri Jin turned around.
"...I'll leave
the rest to you."
"What about you,
senior?"
"I'm going to get
the regeneration talisman."
"—Are you running
away?"
The girl's sharp
rebuke was directed at Jin, who had turned his back.
Jin replied, no longer
interested.
"If we're just
playing, we should have a fair number of people.
By the time I come
back, it will be over anyway."
Leaving those words
behind, he left the stage.
"Senior Sister,
should you let him go?"
"It can't be
helped. If it's just a matter of rank and other things, we could make it so that
even if we win, the matter can be left vague.
—Let's do this."
Without lingering on
Jin, who had disappeared behind the tent, the girl bowed to Akira and Ryota.
As expected, it would
be rude for the boy not to bow after his senior sister had bowed.
Reluctantly, the boy
bowed to Akira and Ryota.
Loudly, so that
everyone in the audience could hear, the girl's voice echoed.
"My name is Dai
Tian Lingying. This boy is Li Fengjun, my guard.
Having heard about the
Imperial Tournament, we were moved by the desire to compete with our Tsonma's
skills.
—We apologize for interrupting your festival, but we
would like to ask for your guidance on this festive occasion."
"...Are you
serious?"
"Yes."
Lingying nodded in
response to Akira's question.
She didn't hesitate at
all, even though she had never met them before.
—That means they truly knew nothing about Akira and the
others.
"It's alright,
Akira. Since fools have challenged us in a foolish way, let's teach them a
lesson.
If we're going to turn
this into a sideshow for a festival, crushing them would be a mercy."
"...Got it. Let's
get this over with."
Kuga Ryota patted
Akira, who was unsure of what to do, on the back without hesitation.
Akira made up his mind
and—in an instant—kicked off the ground straight towards the girl.
◇
—Swish.
Lingying looked up in
amazement as Akira's wooden sword was struck down by a diagonal slash.
There was no
hesitation in the roaring slash, and the tip of the blade went straight for
Lingying's shoulder.
The most frightening thing
was the fact that this attack wasn't accompanied by spirit light.
It was certain that he
was using physical enhancement, but there was no sign of him forcing his spirit
to rage.
Unlike the mental
derangement or loss of control she had seen on the way, the boy in front of her
had complete control over his spirit power.
—As expected of an Imperial Tournament, even their
youngsters have considerable martial arts skills.
With admiration
flashed through her mind, Lingying accelerated the spirit power in her dantian.
What came to mind was
a true jade bead that would not allow even a single scratch.
Akira's slash dug into
Lingying's shoulder,
—and bounced off, leaving behind the sound of metal
clashing.
"—Phew!"
"Tch."
With an exhalation and
a click of tongue crossed, Akira jumped back, checking his numb wrist.
The girl stood there
calmly, showing no signs of being shaken by the previous attack.
Be aware that those
who cloak themselves in a spirit technique are like a fortress in a human form.
Akira was familiar
with the girl's technique.
It was a spirit
technique called Gokōnanakamado. A type of spirit technique that belonged to
the external arts.
The fact that a
seemingly unarmed girl was using external techniques had significant
implications.
"Ryota, they can
use spirit techniques without weapons!"
"—Yeah! I
realized that just now!"
An angry voice mixed
with irritation responded to Akira's warning.
Seeing sparks flying
from Ryota's slash and Fengjun's palm strike at the edge of his vision, Akira
quietly refined his spiritual power.
Lingying offered
comfort to Akira, who was carefully measuring his distance.
"That's a
wonderful Ingōngfū1. Honestly, I've never seen a martial artist
reach this level in Takamagahara. I guarantee that you're on the verge of
mastering one of the Six Steps."
"Thanks.
...The crowd is
starting to realize that this is getting out of hand. Let's end this."
"Indeed,
let's."
1 Ingōngfū (陰功夫): a Chinese martial
art style that emphasizes internal energy and soft techniques.
With those words,
Akira exhaled sharply.
Akira could sense
Fengjun and Ryota's battle behind him was about to end. If it was the same
technique as Gokōnanakamado, then they must possess spirits related to wood elements.
In that case, Ryota, a
user of earth-element spirits (wood overcomes earth), would have little chance
of winning.
In that case, Akira
has no choice but to win on his own.
—Even if it meant using a special technique that he
hadn't used in the tournament.
Akira exhaled all the
air that was pent up in his lungs.
He discarded
unnecessary spirit power and sublimated the pure spirit power that remained in
his dantian.
—His wooden sword swayed, imbued with infinite
pressure.
Noticing the change in
his atmosphere, the girl strengthened her defenses, her eyes fixed on the
spirit power surging through his wooden sword.
"Wait! That
technique is..."
Ignoring Lingying's
words, Akira assumed an overhead stance.
The moment his foot
left the ground, he stepped into the girl's range.
The trajectory of the
descending wooden sword grazed the girl's defense and passed by her side.
—At the same time, as if it had exceeded the limit of
the spirit power, the wooden sword shattered into pieces.
Boom. The girl's defense
was shattered, and a talisman fell in front of her stunned eyes.
It was a low-power
metal offensive talisman given for the match.
"I won. —So, can
we call it a draw?"
"Yes. You won. I
apologize for underestimating you."
As the storm subsided,
Lingying nodded in agreement with the boy.
The crowd, who had
been watching the match as an amusement, applauded for the four's good fight.
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