Episode 13: The Condition for Victory
Standing as if the surface of earth was about to tumble, Revan got up swiftly. When the cane was inches away from his face, he instantly brought both his arms together in the form of a cross. Seeing no marks left on the surface of Kanshou, he thanked Hiyuki once again.
“It was immediately put to use huh? Good grief, I am truly blessed with a good woman.” (T/N:probably Revan said this)
When Hiyuki heard this, she grumbled about something worrisome.
He faced Chloe again sighing, “Haa,”
Moving with the Thunder Leg (震脚Shinkyoku*) skill which he had used against Hiyuki the day before, he slid on the floor to close the gap between them.
The weakness of using a cane is revealed when she is getting close to the opponent. Her attacks could come in all directions, left right up or down, but it didn’t really have any threatening force behind it.
Nope, those movements allowed her to mix in precise strikes within feints, furthermore, it included her usual strikes which causes confusion to the sense of distance.
Even if the opponent is a first class warrior, it’s inevitable to receive damage. Chloe forms a sphere where she is the eye of the storm.
However with knowledge of the special characteristic [extend distance], Revan’s eyes are able to follow the movement.
With ease, he got closer to her. Revan’s right hand disappeared, and in the next moment, many sounds of strikes rang out at almost the same moment. To most of the spectators who were fixated at the match, flashes of jabs were delivered in the twinkling of an eye.
“Tch.” In this close-ranged battle the cane can’t be used, Chloe concluded as she held it with her right hand and released a backhand chop with her left hand towards Revan’s back.
Naturally, there’s little chance for such a flutter of attacks to connect but in this situation where the opponent is at a distance which is hard to dodge, she didn’t actually think about whether she’d hit or miss in the attack.
“Ha!”
“Fnn!!”
Slipping past the strike, Revan placed his strength behind his left elbow and struck towards the defenseless part of Chloe’s torso.
“…!”
The violent sound made the audience think the match is settled.
However, Revan who should have settled the fight with that attack, widened his eyes in surprise and put a distance from Chloe as if he was flipped. He grasped his elbow and groaned in pain.
“How did that, why did he, eh?! Why is it that Revan nii-sama who attacked has such a bitter expression?”
In the moment where the strike was confirmed, he had a joyful expression but it had completely changed in an instant. Towards the confused and lost Asmina, the slightly amazed Hiyuki explained.
“When the strike was about to land, she strengthened all of her muscles, thus the opponent ended up injuring themselves. Although how were her muscles strengthened anyway, that onee-san. No, there’s still many things in this world I have yet to see…”
“Is he fi- fine, that onii-sama?”
“Seems like it was a strength comparable to steel, should it have been his fist, it might’ve been shattered. Since it’s the elbow which can be said to be one of the strongest bones, I think it might have not shattered.” said Hiyuki with her head tilted.
“Fufun, aren’t you quite well trained. Most men’s thin elbow would’ve been shattered with that one hit. Well, you probably won’t be using that left hand for a while.”
Chloe’s words were answered with a bitter smile. Moving his other hand from his throbbing elbow, Revan struck a pose, gripping his right hand.
“Even with one hand you’re still determined?”
“Of course, because my right hand and both of my feet are still fine. Not only that, to have a [fine woman] like you as my opponent, there’s no way I would want to show you a pathetic sight.”
“Ha, well, even if you were to flatter me I won’t be showing my gratitude.”
With a somewhat apathetic expression, Revan shrugged in Chloe’s direction and answered her ernestly.
“It’s not flattery. Overflowing with vitality, having the conviction to live spectacularly, the you who embodies the future of beast race is extremely beautiful.”
This time, the words put her in a good mood and made Chloe laugh.
“What pleasant words you say! You sure understand what a fine woman is. You, rather than a mediocre man, it’s reasonable to recognize you as a fine man.”
“That’s an honor. Then, let’s go!”
“Yeah!”
“What was that, that! All that about other women are beautiful! Is it because of the muscles?! Are muscles the problem?”
Beside her, Asmina gripped Hiyuki’s shoulder and shook it. By the way, Zisis and other lion tribe members had backed away from them due to fear of being involved.
“No…well… how do I explain this…”
“I understand! I’ll put on muscles from today onwards! Meat, that’s right, meat! Then, Hiyuki-sama, will you please give me a hand in coming up with a method to gain muscles quickly!?”
“Errrm, such as protein, steroids and other things?” somehow it was a rather unproductive conversation from these two.
Once again, Chloe launches a fierce attack, Revan who got closer to her only finds himself the target of concentrated strikes from the left hand in the current dead space.
-it’s solid.
For a beastman race to strike towards the opponent’s weak point is not something shameful. It’s the fault of those who leave their weak point open for others to exploit.
Leaving it would only let the situation get worst, Revan judged, so it’s best to make a gamble.
Dodging the cane’s pointed end under his feet, he stepped forth with the thunder leg skill. Using the impact from the skill, he restricted the use of Chloe’s hands and leaped to a closer range.
That much must’ve been predicted, because in a moment the cane returned, ripping the air, attacking Revan’s left side.
This attack was received and stopped by the arm guard on the left hand. To begin with, power was difficult to muster on the left hand, so the strike was stopped and a muffled sound was produced.
-Did it break?
But he’ll have to make allowances. If he attempted to move while trying to protect the wound on the left hand, no matter what, the defensive movement would’ve been unnatural and an opportunity(or weakness) would appear. Also, before centering your gravity, any attacks made would’ve been useless. Because of that, should the wound on the left hand not exist, and he is able to move as usual and receive it, this sort of conclusion would’ve been predicted.
In the corner of his mind this has been confirmed as reality. As the pain in the left hand is thought as nonexistent and placed aside, Revan made a half turn and using the right elbow, fully powering the strike towards Chloe’s solar plexus.
“Tte-yah!”
To have received this – all over again like earlier, Chloe smiled on the surface.
Instantly, completely unlike the sound of people colliding, a huge blow reverberated throughout the area. With the two people as the center of the mound at the venue, cracks-like fissures dashed across the earth.
“Fufun. What was the technique you used earlier? The tremors passed through the body’s core.”
“A technique that could strike directly through steel to the interior. To be honest I had to have the resolution to give up my right arm to use it.”
“Is that so. Anyway, you had the opportunity to strike at my face from the start, were you going easy on me?”
“There’s no way I would do that. It’s just, well, men have to have our dignity.”
“Hmm. That’s silly. Still, rather than a clever guy, I prefer idiots. Well, from now onwards… do your best. To be defeated by a fine man, I’m also… satisfied.”
Saying these final words, she lose consciousness and collapsed, Revan supporting her.
A silent moment later, the spectators made an ear-piercing cheer, their shouts increasing in volume.
In one match, the first round of the preliminary was over. Winner: Lion tribe Revan, Loser: Rabbitman tribe Chloe
Afterwards, the bouts proceeded favourably. The first round to four matches finished peacefully.
The winner of the first match at [Feeding Grounds of Demon Wolves] preliminaries, other than Revan are Cheetahman tribe’s David*, Bearman tribe’s Eugene* and Snakeman tribe’s Cyril*.
It is just as I expected.
At the [Bed of Earth Dragons] preliminaries, Acheron from the Tigerman tribe had instantly killed his opponent. It was a sure thing so it wasn’t interesting.
Returning to city after today’s results were confirmed, I sighed.
“Well, that’s how it is, isn’t it. By the way, how are my idiot disciple’s wounds?” That was heard nonchalantly from the beast king who was seated on the sofa, drinking delicious-looking coffee that is only obtainable from my country at this time.
“Asmina’s healing magic… magic* right? That was effective, and he completely recovered like usual, you know?”
I’m able to heal it at the venue, but as an unrelated 3rd party, healing it might cause some people to complain, that’s why I refrained from doing it.
By the way, Asmina said that healing will be bothered by the clothes and happily stripped her brother naked, directly using her hands to give medical treatment. Could there be some sort of meaning behind it?
Before this, when she had given medical treatment, even when dressed it was still effective… anyway that’s what I noticed…
It’s probably something I should not delve into. Mm.
That’s what I concluded. To change the conversation topic, I turn back to the Beast King’s thick face*.
“…or rather, if you were really worried about your disciple isn’t it better to take a look at him?”
Even after being invited, he would give this and that excuses and still not do it, eh?
“Well, whether it is about the tournament or my idiotic disciple, it’s already out of my grasp.”
“Fn. Then alright. Speaking of which, Mikoto. That thing I asked you to investigate?”
Mikoto who had been restraining herself at a side, bowed. “Yes, we traced the origin of the Ru-Yi Bang which the rabbitman adventurer had, it was purchased from a merchant, and I’ve spoken to the person. With the use of Sense Lie magic I was able to confirm they’re not lying.
“It came from the weapon dealers huh…by no means it is easy to catch someone by their tail.”
Suddenly, I asked the beast king about the thing that had been bothering me since the preliminary match.
“Speaking of that, the magical weapon that Chloe used, isn’t that against the rules of the tournament?” (T/N:Hiyuki, probably)
“There’s no problem with that,” it was answered swiftly.
“If you were to wield Magical swords, divine swords and other magical weapons, moreover to be seen that you were chosen to wield them, on the contrary, is actually worth praising.
“A splendidly irresponsible thing to do. You can’t use magic but a magical sword is fine.” (Hiyuki)
“That sort of thing is hard to express. In the first place if we were to say that, even those secret techniques you call skills can’t be used.”
“You mean it’s fine to use skills?”
“Of course. These secret techniques are the results of your training. Nobody would be afraid of what the others think of it anyway. Also, today’s opponents did not use any of the advanced skills, but it’ll be different tomorrow. Everyone doesn’t just have one peculiarity, but fools with a bunch of peculiarities are everywhere.”
The beast king laughed cheerfully.
It’s horrible for Revan, isn’t it. At the very least he should slowly rest so that he could restore his spirits for tomorrow. No, that’s impossible isn’t it. Because in the same tent, Asmina will be there.
Welp, he can only do his best.
1. *English-fied names, their katakana spellings
キリル=Kiriru=Cyril
エウゲン= Eugen=Eugene
2. “Asmina’s healing magic… magic* right She says majutsu first*魔術 magical technique, then uses the word 法術(ほう‐じゅつ Houjutsu) later, which could mean わざ。technique 技術 or method. So two of those ‘magic’ have a slightly different meaning.
3. T/N: The king’s thick face means that he is someone who is hard to embarrass.