Surging Waves
「Un, this is good weather」
Sonya, who had her Bird Mask on, extended her arms to the sky and said that it with a good feeling.
Slightly breathing with a blush on my face, I also looked up at the sky.
There was not one cloud in the sky, thus the sun was not blocked by anything, causing the sky to shine down on the stage.
‘Was this because the strong rain had stopped’, is what I wondered as its form became even more shining.
Anyway, that’s how it seemed.
Since the rain stopped, there was only one thing to do.
While Bird Mask was staring at a position some distance away, I slowly closed my eyes.
Inhaling a small breath, I felt a slight chill in the air as I took the small breath.
I slowly opened my closed eyes, suddenly looking to my back.
A small village was reflected under my eyes, looking smaller due to the height of the place, producing a certain aesthetic.
When seeing it up close, it was something to be impressed by──now that Natousha became part of the scenery background, it was also beautiful.
It’s something that one wouldn’t grow tired of even if they were to look at it forever. That type of illusion was created from the superb view that I was looking at, but I separated by eyes from it and fixed my eyes on Sonya again.
We went to the mountain adjacent to Natousha.
As for the altitude, it was moderately high. Maybe just a bit higher than Arubaku Mountains. We are currently here in an area halfway up the mountain.
In order for us to wholeheartedly exchange moves to our heart’s content, the village was not a choice due to the amount of eyes watching.
Was there a place where we could fight without being interrupted or seen──what Sonya showed me towards my request was this place.
Certainly, with this location, there was a lack of people watching, no hindrances.
However, it seems like I’m usually on a mountain to fight another person. Recalling Chester and my first bout in this life, a small smile floated on my face.
「But, is this place truly all right?
Though it isn’t currently excessively minded, it’s just that one can’t move the way one wants at a high altitude」
Probably because of sort of smile I gave off, due to how I didn’t know how to feel, Sonya anxiously called out to me.
At a height from which could be seen from the base of Natousha, as I said a while ago, it was at a position that was a bit chilly.
The cold of the mountain, from what I have heard, is due to the air being thinner. What Sonya felt anxious about was probably as such.
However──
「It isn’t a problem. During the short time I attended the Academy, I practiced daily on a mountain. Exercise at a high altitude is not a problem because I’m used to it.」
Okay, maybe ten years isn’t a short period of time, but I trained myself in the mountains to avoid observation.
As for the height, I can’t say precisely, but it should still be a relatively high position.
Due to the fact that I am used to it, the unexpected worry was needless. When I told so, the aura around Sonya changed.
「….I see. Then I feel relieved.」
Even without looking at her face, it was obvious due to her energetic voice.
Not wanting to discourage someone due to a difference in environment, I am the same.
Listening to Sonya, it seems like her training was also in the mountains.
It seems like our conditions are similar.
So, since it is──to attain either victory or defeat, it all comes down to degree of practice.
「Now that all the worries are gone, let’s get started──」
「──Un, I’m also aching for a fight.」
It was like hanging bait in front of one’s eyes, it should’ve been the same for the other side.
The hunger of yearning and expectation・・to the limit.
「Now, come.」
「──Match.」
Mutually, we took our stances.
I took a「Flowing Water」stance, Sonya took a stance that made one feel moderate weakness, it was a posture without an opening.
From the elbow which was bent around the chest, and the way the wrist hung relaxing in the posture was impressive. There was expected to be connections to various actions, the degree of completion of the stance was high. However──this stance, was perhaps not the firmest in「Martial Arts」. Perhaps it was self-taught, or something close to that.
──Oh, this is why it’s unbearable to have an unknown powerful opponent.
Strike, throw, and──magic.
What was going to be drawn out of that stance, it was all part of the fun.
「Martial Arts, huh」
「Sonya, your stance is pretty unusual.
──Cheryl, please give us the signal.」
「….Un, understood.」
Towards Cheryl who I brought along to allow her to observe the fight, I asked for a signal.
Then, Cheryl picked up a small stone from the roadside.
「When it hits the ground, start.」
Crossing. Delicate arms were brought closer to the ground.
It would begin once the stone hit the ground, this method was a very good way to ensure fairness. If it was this, then the mechanics of the beginning was clearly understood.
The stone wrapped around thin fingers was released gently by Cheryl’s hands.
Watching the place where the stone was whirling in the sky, it was easy for a tremendous load to be put on the imagination.
Seeing that the height was of a range within common sense, it seems like Cheryl had learned to hold back.
Having friends, taking charge of the growth of a girl from a friend from my previous existence, I changed my mentality to one of a Martial Artist. (TLN: 友人でもあり、また前世からの友人からの大切な預かり物でもある少女の成長に僅かだけ意識を向けた後、私は精神を武術家のそれに切り替えた。)
While feeling the stone fall slowly, the Bird Masked Sonya’s aura seemed to be wrapped in joy.
Though facial expressions couldn’t be seen through the Bird Mask, perhaps under that surface, it would be what I expected.
Thus I, had a smiling expression. (TLN: かくいう私も、表情を笑みに染めていた。)
──Fall quickly, come on.
Praying silently, even though there was no way that the stone’s speed would quicken.
But such a thought passed by, probably due to me being at the limits of my patience.
What was Sonya thinking about──probably the same thing I’m thinking of. (TLN: ソーニャが何を考えているのか──恐らくは私の考えと交わった直後。)
The stone fell to the ground, making a dry sound, and the fight started.
「Quick!」
What started the beginning of the fight that I had been impatiently waiting for, was Sonya’s magic.
Her hand was enshrouded in the magical power of the wind and was wielded like that of a carnivorous animal upon it’s prey, the blade of wind came towards me.
To be precise, it could not be called magic.
Magic is a force used by spinning certain words, a phenomenon created when one traced it with a magical power. (TLN: 魔法とは、力ある言葉を紡ぎ、魔力でそれをなぞる事で発動する現象のこと。)
Although it referred to a chant when I say spinning words, Sonya had not chanted. Thus, this was not magic. Changing the color of the magical power into that of winds’, it was an attacking technique creating claws. Generally, this technique was called「Sorcery」.
Although sorcery had an inferior effect compared to magic, it’s advantage was that it had a simple construction and could allow one to make the first move. Conversely, the bad point was that the output was inferior to that of magic──
The wind blade approached from under my nose. Compared to the magical power of an unskilled magician, this was much higher. (TLN: Slava uses ‘waga’ for ‘my’ in this case)
「──Chi」
To be honest, this was among one of the beginnings that I had predicted, it was a possibility I had thought to be very high.
But this power, it was like a container overflowing with expectation. (TLN: だがこの威力は、予想の器を溢れるものだ。)
I thought I could disregard it if it was some magic, but it seems like I’m either forced to receive it or avoid it.
Although receiving it doesn’t necessarily connect to failure, still, I could not ignore it. (TLN: 食らったところで戦闘不能に直結することはないが、流石に無視は出来ん。)
Fumu, this is worse than expected.
「Flowing Water」is a stance specializing in receiving. Therefore, it is something that doesn’t collapse easily from an attack.
Since I took the stance for receiving, of course there were ways to cope with sorcery and magic, there were plenty. My defensive force was impregnable and was something I was proud of. (TLN: 受けの構えである以上、勿論こうした魔術や魔法への対処も、幾らでもある。その防御力は鉄壁と誇るに値するものだと思っている。)
But, essentially I have to receive it. (TLN: だが、飽くまでもそれは受けるまでなのだ。)
Against long distance attacks──honestly, there is no decisive counterattack method.
When State Master’s have a fight between Martial Artists, it is assumed that there isn’t too far of a distance between. Though it is certain, such as throwing weapons or stones, it seems to be a thing mainly on throwing. (TLN: 師匠の国では武術家同士の闘いに、遠距離を想定したものはあまり無いという。あるにはあるが、それは武器や石を投げ付けるなど、投擲を中心としたものだそうだ。) (TLN2: I think throwing as in german suplexes and so on c^:)
Therefore, in Shijima Style──beyond expectations, there were only a few means that were countermeasures to long distance.
This area, I felt was a big challenge for myself.
The skills of Shijima which I had inherited from my teacher. So since I aim at being the strongest, avoiding attacks from a long distance is an obstacle I cannot get over. (TLN: 師から受け継いだシジマの技。それで最強を目指す以上、遠距離からの攻撃と言うのは避けては通れぬ障害物なのだ。)
While handling the blade of wind which was rushing at me, I was pondering.
What if I learned sorcery, but I was also thinking──it might as well be considered as having a weapon. (TLN: 魔術を覚えてしまえば、とも思うが──それを言えば武器を持つも同じこと。)
The will of the fist which I had inherited from my teacher. Keeping magical power last, only wanting to strengthen the body. (TLN: 師から受け継いだ拳の意志。飽くまでも魔力は、体を強化するのみにとどめたい。)
But, only if I could. (で、あるならば。)
However, it won’t be that way forever.
In the storm of wind blades, I found a small gas. I stopped while creating a blade of magical power around my hand.
Making use of that gap to escape from the line of fire──I closed the hand that was always open.
「That stance, changed──？」
While launching that blade of wind, Sonya lightly leaked out a questioning voice.
From that slight movement, it seems like she perceived it instantly. Things appear to be more than they seem, looking and observing tie information together. (TLN: 僅かな動きから、瞬時に察知するか。目で見る以上に物が見える、という内には情報同士を結びつける観察の力も備えていると見える。)
Starting with a closed fist, bending more deeply at the knees and elbows. This image, was ironed into the bones. (TLN: 閉じた拳を皮切りに、膝や肘をより深く曲げていく。イメージは、骨に鉄を通す心。)
Continuing through the core even though there was weakness, rather than a throw, I changed it into a stance aware of the incoming attack. (TLN: 脱力を続けつつも体幹に芯を通し、投げではなく、打撃を意識した構えへ変えていく。)
From a stance that was based off of flowing water──to that of rough seas surging, to a hitting stance.
「──Surging Waves」
Opposite of Flowing Water’s arm throw, it changed to Surging Wave’s hit. Shijima style 「Surging Waves」stance, take this!