Volume 5
Chapter 1 Part
2
Martial Arts
Compete, Behind the Whispers of the Open Sea 2
Translator : PolterGlast
—Boom.
Akira realized his
mistake as a black spirit light licked at his vision.
Following his instinct
to retreat, he kicked the gravel that covered the stage with his toes.
"Damn it!"
"—Too slow."
Nakiri Jin's calm
breath pierced the curse that escaped from the boy.
The whistling sound of
the wind was heard. A flying slash was carved through the water curtain,
sandwiching Akira from both sides.
There was no escape. Leaving
footprints in the gravel, Akira's wooden sword drew a perfect circle.
Gioin-style Spirit
Technique, Shoden―
"Tsuranemikadzuki!"
As the black spirit
light entangled the flying slash, Jin stepped sharply into Akira's chest.
Akira's wooden sword
caught up with the reverse slash, and they engaged in a clash.
—Along with the sound of a strike, a burst of spirit
light scattered across the stage like a wave.
"Switching
between fire and water, huh?
If you can use them
freely, there's almost no weakness in the five elements."
"It's not a
standard strategy for the Jinrouin style to approach."
"If we follow the
standard, we can win.
—Well, that's a cliché that even third-rate people
wouldn't say these days."
Ignoring the heat of
the match, Jin's eyes showed a sense of composure. Feeling overwhelmed by the
pressure, a black spirit power swirled in Akira's dantian.
Gioin-style Spirit
Technique, Shoden, ―Aragamioroshi.
The reinforced
strength, gained in an instant, propelled the boy's body, which was three years
younger.
The swirling spirit
power accelerated further and converged on the wooden sword.
Gioin-style Spirit
Technique, Consecutive Technique―
"Hachi-!"
"—Nagi-no-Minamikaze"
The water energy,
which had been controlled at the critical moment, raged against the impact,
swallowing up the shock of the emerging metal energy.
In an instant, Akira's
control over the water was released, and a black explosion once again obscured
both of their visions.
Should he create
distance or close in? Akira's toes hesitated slightly.
—As if seeing through his hesitation, two talismans
flew towards him, piercing the explosion.
"Ha—"
"I won't let you!"
Determined not to make
the same mistake twice, Akira forced the vermillion-gold spirit power from the
depths of his heart.
Shaking off the black
remnants, a vermillion gold trajectory cut through the void.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Shoden, ―Kyūshou.
A wave of flames
consumed the talismans before the spell could manifest.
The surging heat
continued unabated, overwhelming the swirling spirit power of the water
element.
The expanding shock
wave lifted the surrounding tent, and the audience's excitement reached a
climax.
Looking beyond the
clearing field of vision, Akira focused his spirit power on his legs.
The distance was 3.6
meters. If he could pierce Jin's body before Jin could unleash his spirit
technique, he would win.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Chuden ―Hayabusa-gake.
The moment the
lingering flames scattered on the gravel, Akira looked up at Jin from within
his attack range.
A sword finger,
holding a talisman, was swung down before his very eyes.
"Crap—"
"Haa"
Understanding that he
had been lured in, Akira twisted his body just as an impact grazed his side.
Even though it was a
mock talisman adjusted for the match, the shock that ran through his body was
too much to ignore.
A single point. Akira
noticed the white flag of the referee out of the corner of his eye and took a
step back to regain his distance.
In the Imperial
Tournament, the match would continue until three hits were scored, as long as
they didn't hit a vital point.
Akira had two points
left. Even if he lost one point, if he could get close to Jin, he could win by
overpowering him with his firepower.
As he looked ahead,
Jin's sword finger cut through the air without a sound.
Silently, before Akira
knew it, a water talisman scattered red spirit threads around his chest.
Boom.
The produced water
left a cold shock, and another white flag from the referee was added to Akira's
side.
Cornered. Realizing
that, Akira stopped where he was.
He assumed a
Gedan-no-kamae stance, lowering his waist.
With his heart
pounding, Akira exhaled deeply.
"—Being able to
freely manipulate fire and water is definitely troublesome.
Not only does it close
the gaps in your attacks and defenses, but it also simply increases the number
of moves you can make."
"Tch. You're too
relaxed! —Senior!"
Jin's calm voice
followed Akira, who was carefully measuring the distance between them.
There was no spirit
light to obstruct his vision, and the stage was limited to a square of 22
meters.
Akira lost sight of
his opponent in the space that was slightly too large for a spirit user, and
his pace slowed down.
"That's right.
It's troublesome, but —that's all."
"Tch,
...Eryaah."
Jin circled around
Akira, out of his field of vision, and attacked him from the side.
Akira shook off the
swirling battle wind and narrowly avoided the sword strike.
"The fact that
you have more moves means that you have more options each time.
In other words, it
also means that it takes more time."
"—But, as long as
our distance is this close, it doesn't matter, right?"
"That's
right."
As their wooden swords
clashed, creating a grating sound, Akira and Jin exchanged blows.
They planted their
feet firmly, refusing to retreat a single step, and the swirling spirit power carved
waves into the gravel.
The vermilion-gold
spirit light danced around their clothes, and Akira's blade drew an arc from
bottom to top.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Chuden, ―Jūji-no-Suri.
A cross-shaped flame
pierced through, brushing against Jin's shoulder, and the referee declared
Akira's point.
Breaking through the
dancing flames, Jin retreated as if being pushed back by the battle wind.
Gaining distance was a
disadvantage against Jinrouin-school, which excelled at long-range
attacks. In a split second, Akira made
his decision and closed the distance.
The distance between
them was now 5.5 meters.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Chuden―
"―Mozunuki"
"—That's a move you always rely on when things get tough."
A swirling flash of
fire extended, grazing Jin's shoulder as he was slow to evade.
"One point!"
Another flag was
raised in Akira's favor.
—Without even confirming this, Akira bit his lip and
looked upward.
Three talismans danced
in the clear blue sky.
Before he could
realize that he couldn't escape, the talismans burned in a bluish-white glow.
Exposed to the
saturated attack by waves of talismans, the final flag was raised for the other
side.
—In the year 4000, Akira's first Imperial Tournament
ended with a third-place finish, failing to reach even the finals.
◇
Ah. Both of them let
out a sigh of disappointment, almost simultaneously.
They must have had the
same thought. The two girls sitting side by side exchanged glances and wry
smiles.
"...Honestly, I
thought it would be easy for him to win."
"I'm ashamed to
admit it. Even Akira seemed to have difficulty in the Imperial
Tournament."
Shizumi and Tsuguhō
whispered to each other from behind the curtain set up on the high platform.
As if nothing had
happened, the final match began on the stage below.
As soon as the flag
was lowered, Kuga Ryota and Nakiri Jin closed the distance between them.
Each one of them swung
their swords, and the curtain swayed slightly as if stirred by their spirit
power.
"Who do you think
will win?"
"Well? If I were
to be biased towards Shumon Province, I would say Kuga, but..."
"—Nakiri, was it?
I think Yuge Kojo's direct disciple will win."
Shizumi's question
made Tsuguho ponder.
Before Tsuguhō could
finish her answer, a cheerful voice interrupted from below the high platform
where everyone was cheering.
A one-eyed woman with
a wild look glared at the two from the seat of the Eight Families.
She climbed up to the
high platform and sat down next to Homare of the Hariin family, who looked
annoyed.
Everyone who saw her
would never forget her. A woman with an incredibly well-trained body that made
the tatami mats creak.
The fourth of the
Eight Families, the Hojo family's head, Hojo Izana, poured the content from a
decanter placed beside Homare.
"—It's sweet. Do
you have anything a little more refreshing and spicy?"
"That's fruit
juice, Lord Hojo.
Since we're minors, if
you want that, you should go back to your seat in the Eight Families."
That's a pity. Leaving
behind a murmur that seemed somewhat disappointed, but not so much, she drained
the rest of her cup.
"It's a casual
day today. Please overlook it, Homare-sama.
—Oh, of course, Kihoin's favoritism is natural, but
this time, I think Kuga's young master will have to try harder in the next
three years."
"That said,
Nakiri used up most of his talismans in his fight with Akira-san.
On the other hand,
Kuga Ryota..."
"—He has five
left. I was worried about his impulsiveness, but my son seems to have become
quite adept at handling things. I can't accept being underestimated just
because we're the second rank of the Eight Families."
"I wouldn't dare
underestimate him. I was just stating the facts.
Well, let's wait for
the results."
Catching the end of
Tsuguhō's words, Kuga Hōri smiled wryly.
While he acknowledged
Hojo Izana's martial skills, he wouldn't give up the pride of being the second
rank of the Eight Families.
—As if to say so, his gentle exterior hid a sharp gaze.
The final game was
being played out below. —The outcome of the final match was a close one.
However, it seemed that Kuga Ryota was slightly on the offensive.
Yet, Izana's composure
did not waver. She shrugged and took a bite of the dried sardine that was
served as an appetizer.
In the Imperial
Tournament, there was almost no difference in spirit rank.
The wooden swords used
for mock battles limited the concentration of spirit power. The protective
clothing, which became more of a hindrance as one's rank increased.
And perhaps the most
significant feature was the limit on the number of talismans allowed to be used
throughout the Imperial Tournament.
With a total of ten
talismans allowed for the entire tournament, and the power of each talisman
being equalized by the wooden swords, the outcome of the battle depended on how
quickly one could use the talismans.
Furthermore, it was
not just offensive talismans. The number of talismans included recovery
talismans, so experience was also required to know when and where to activate
them.
"Speaking of
which, you're not going to participate, Lord Hojo?
I thought that the
main competition was all about Yuge's consecutive victories, so naturally, I
assumed that you would be participating as well."
"I gave birth to
a child last year, and my body hasn't recovered.
Unfortunately, I have
to skip this one."
Everyone present
focused their attention on Izana's body, which showed no signs of aging.
Even though it was
hidden by her clothes, the signs of her rigorous training were evident. Doubt
crept into everyone's eyes, and with a pout, Izana reached for another dried
sardine.
"I've been
scolded by my retainers.
And my husband also
begged me. —I can't win against him, after all."
"That's good to
know. When I entrust you with something, I shall be sure to ask for your
spouse's help.
"Stop it,
Homare-sama.
If I let you do that,
I won't be able to go on a demon-slaying mission."
Izana made a pitiful
plea, something Homare had never heard before. The lighthearted conversation
eased the atmosphere for a while.
As they were having a
pleasant conversation on the high platform, a loud cheer rose.
The final flag was
raised, and the junior division of the Imperial Tournament had come to an end.
The boy looked
disappointed, but he hid his emotions and returned his sword to its sheath.
He bowed. Nakiri Jin
had won the junior division, and the cheers from Hakudō Province welcomed him.
"...Nakiri Jin
won."
"Damn, I should
have bet on him. I forgot that I had asked Lord Kuga about the railway."
"—If you ask me
now, depending on the content, we might be able to help at our
discretion."
"It's a bit
complicated. As you may know, our shipbuilding schedule is a bit tight.
I want to call the
engineers in the Kamotsu concession and try to finish it with a massive
manpower operation."
Hōri changed his
expression at the rather serious request.
The shipbuilding
schedule was directly related to the date of Akira and Saki's departure for
Bharatush.
It was a matter that
Hōri could not ignore, as it would also have a deep impact on Akira and the
others's future.
"I want to help,
but even with a massive manpower operation, it's difficult.
The docks of Kamotsu
are controlled by Tsonma's trading companies. If we are about to start meddling
in Bharatush, we can't let them find out about it."
"—Although it is
unnecessary, I want to make sure Akira and the others can return.
Homare-sama, how is
the navy progressing?"
"It's absurd to
start a new military in Takamagahara, which has never had a navy.
To be honest, our military
doctrine is still trying to make use of outdated equipment from the Western
Continent.
...Has the alliance
with Vansuir been established? Can't we do something about it with the secret
agreement with Benedetta Casalini?"
Carefully considering
the words thrown at her by Homare, Tsuguhō shook her head regretfully in
response.
In terms of
understanding spells and spirits, Takamagahara was probably ahead of the
Western Continent. However, when it came to the application of technology, the
Western Continent was definitely one step ahead.
If this gap between
supply and demand were to be broken, the Western Continent would easily devour
them.
Although they had
formed an alliance with them, Benedetta Casalini was a priestess of Vansuir, a
vanguard of the Western Continent.
It was easy to imagine
that she would take advantage of any weakness she found.
"Ultimately,
their goal is to bring Akira-san into their camp.
Because Aka-sama has
outwitted the secret agreement, we can restrict their actions."
"So we can buy
some time?"
"Yes. —When
Benedetta Casalini visited the sacred realm, Aka-sama promised to send Akira to
Bharatush as soon as possible."
—As soon as winter is over, arrangements will be made
to send Akira to Bharatush as soon as possible.
That was the content
of the secret agreement between Shuka and Benedetta.
In accordance with
this agreement, Benedetta was currently preparing for an expedition by a
Vansuir warship in Kamotsu.
But there was a trap
hidden in the promise that Shuka had set.
"Although we made
a promise to send Akira to Bharatush as soon as possible, we didn't specify how
we would do it. However, she only planned to use a Vansuir warship to send
Akira there."
During the alliance
negotiations and casual conversations, Benedetta had always been curious about
Takamagahara's technological progress.
By combining the
content of those conversations, one could roughly imagine her assumptions about
Takamagahara's technology.
—She undoubtedly assumed that Takamagahara did not
possess any deep-draft ships capable of making overseas expeditions other than
the navy.
If they could arrive
in Bharatush before Benedetta, they would gain both time and a moral
justification to act without worrying about the Western Continent.
The sooner they could
do this, the better the situation would be.
There was only one
person present who could make that happen.
"Dogyou clan's
head. To what extent can the deep-draft ship owned by your family travel?"
"Well, I expected
the question to come to me.
...It is possible.
However, there's that fool from Kokuten Province. Thanks to what he did, Yuki
Country is getting cocky. We can't leave the north for too long. We can go as
far as the coast of Tsonma immediately."
Tsonma, also known as
Tsonma Daren, is a complex nation that occupies most of the Eastern Continent.
Six doctrines and six
divine pillars to which they worship are scattered throughout the vast land.
And overseeing them all is the Great Divine Pillar, Taigen Shinjo.
It is a powerful
nation in the Eastern Continent that still exists, despite losing the port city
of Qingdao to Ron Country.
"We've been
refusing negotiations with them for a long time, but we have no choice now.
Somehow, we need to
get to Tsonma, and then use it as a base to go to Bharatush—"
A gust of wind swept
through.
Silently, without a
sound, the spirits were left bewildered.
Sensing the
abnormality that the spirits were not alerting them to, everyone present looked
down at the stage.
The junior division of
the Imperial Tournament had ended, and preparations for the main tournament
were about to begin.
On the gravel-covered
stage, waiting for the preparations, stood a boy and a girl in clothes they had
never seen before.
They stood calmly in
front of Akira, Jin, and Ryota.
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