Volume 4 Chapter 35 (1/2)

Chapter 4 Episode 35

Editor: Starbuck11

Sounds of blades clas.h.i.+ng with each other resounded in the open s.p.a.ce.

And a few seconds later, both overlapping shadows jumped back to create some distance between them.

No one knew how many times they had repeated such actions. With rough breathing, both people's shoulders went up and down.

”You're tougher than I had expected...”

Moore slightly murmured those words while keeping his eyes on Ryouma who had kept his posture in front of him.

The long-distance water attacks didn't bring the results Moore had expected, and even if he brings the fight to close quarter range, Ryouma continuously manages to accept his attacks.

(I never knew there was that way of fighting... I guess this is how he, no, otherworlders fight, huh ?)

Although it was a great misunderstanding, Moore felt proud for being a person who experienced fighting against a technique that was from another world.

Moore's way of fighting itself was not wrong.

It was a simple way of fighting by using magic arts to further strengthen one’s body that was already tempered by practicing martial arts, Moore was very familiar with that way of fighting.

It was a fighting strategy that maximized muscle strength, and that method was also the most popular among the knights of this world.

But Ryouma’s way of fighting was slightly different, not only did he use his muscle strength to the maximum, he also used combat strategy that combines weak and soft fighting movements that utilize his opponent’s power. <tln: similar=”” to=”” how=”” aikido=”” works,=”” in=”” sword=”” style=”” i=”” don't=”” know=”” what=”” school=”” teaches=”” that=”” kind=”” of=”” style,=”” but=”” i=”” think=”” it=”” is=”” part=”” of=”” the=”” counter-sword=”” style,=”” for=”” reference=”” try=”” to=”” read=”” the=”” manga=”” called=”” kurogane,=”” it=”” was=”” a=”” manga=”” about=”” kendo=”” with=”” counter=”” style=”” as=”” the=”” focus.=””>

Ryouma himself has no particular fuzz regarding his method. Because for him, to fight means to kill his enemy, just that.

Sometimes he goes in with full force, sometimes he pulls the enemy in and handles it with a soft technique.

He mixes both ways very well.

For him, that was the way the weak should fight against the strong.

As for Moore, who had been used to  fight against opponents with the same tactics as him, this duel was very refres.h.i.+ng for him.

For the weak to be able to do that, one needs to concentrate and pays attention to the opponent's flow and then try to control it. In a battlefield, it was hard to do that kind of thing, because of how one should pay attention to other things rather than just the enemy in front.

Even for Ryouma's martial arts master, Mikos.h.i.+ba Kouichirou will also meet difficulties when performing such tasks on a battlefield.

Of course, Moore didn't realize it, he just felt that the way Ryouma fight was very different compared to the way of fighting he had experienced so far.

(Well, whatever. I just have to deal with it...)

In order to gain victory, Moore had gathered information from the surroundings as much as possible and formulated a method to win.

(Should I cut down his physical strength with water attacks? I guess no, he could even defend against the continuous attacks ... Although it is possible to make some scratches, I guess it is impossible to cause a fatal injury with it... Instead, I would be wasting my Prana and losing my strength first...)

That didn't mean scratches were completely useless. Even if it was a small scratch, if there were quite a lot, it would cause a huge amount of bleeding, and as a result, the enemy's physical's strength would be greatly reduced.

However, in exchange for a scratch, Moore needed to use a huge amount of Prana, thus it was not worth it.

In war or business, cost-efficiency was very important.

In other words, it was directly tied to the return on investment versus production cost. <tln: the=”” cost=”” of=”” using=”” the=”” skill=”” versus=”” the=”” result=”” from=”” using=”” it.=””>

Moore then glanced at the sword in his hand.

Although it was certainly convenient for him to be able to use magic arts attack without chanting, it was never something that can be regarded as invincible or like a versatile ability.

Especially the amount of Prana consumption during the fight.

For Moore, something like that was not something he could ignore easily, even though he was a warrior who could activate the third chakra ring, Manipura.

Furthermore, he had to maintain the three chakra rings together with the consumption of Prana, to use his water attacks. No matter how much Moore boasted about his abundant Prana, he would still run out of it during battle if he used it recklessly.

No matter how high-powered the car, if there is no fuel left, it won't be able to run.

(I guess I can only end this fight if I make it into a close quarter showdown, huh?)

However, Moore immediately denied that idea.

(No, if he keeps defending like this, it would be hard for me to inflict any fatal injury. Even if I brought the fight to close quarter combat, the fight will still drag on... Furthermore, all would be over the moment I run out of Prana....)

Certainly, in overall strength, Moore was stronger compared to Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma.

However, in a one on one duel, such evaluation was not necessarily guaranteed victory.

The point of Moore’s strength was located in his proficiency of using magic arts.

In other words, the moment he runs out of Prana, Moore would turn into just a normal knight with more battlefield experience.

But, that also didn't mean Moore would turn into someone weak, although he will definitely find it harder to kill Ryouma, since even with magic arts at his disposal, he had already met with serious difficulties in killing Ryouma.

In front of Moore, right now stood a man with a body as strong as a beast, unyielding will and spirit.

If he showed any openings, that beast of a man would definitely strike and kill him.

(If we are talking about talent, I guess he has more of it than I do, I guess ?)

Moore who used magic arts, and Ryouma who did not.

It was a reality that was difficult to admit, but one cannot do anything but be honest about it.

Because in a battlefield, reality trumps anything.

However, such things were only understood by the two people engaged in the duel.

”””Uooooh ! Victory for Moore-sama ! Glory to the Ortomea Empire !!!”””

The screams of the Ortomea Empire soldiers who watched Moore's fight from a distance resounded.

It was natural for the soldiers' morale to raise if they saw that their commander was attacking relentlessly, and the enemy was only able to defend.

Because of that, for them, Moore looked more powerful compared to Ryouma.

It was also no wonders that the surroundings thought that Moore would be victorious.

(Che... Those morons...)

A gaze of resentment was directed to the nearby soldiers for only an instant.

If it was the usual duel, it would be one's pleasure to get praised and cheered like that.

The cheers that were directed towards Moore would usually give an extra fighting power. <tln: human=”” physiology,=”” the=”” effect=”” is=”” like=”” an=”” increase=”” in=”” motivation=”” etc...=”” welp,=”” i=”” don't=”” need=”” to=”” explain=”” it=”” further,=”” yes=””></tln:>

Well, outward appearances aside, for Moore, looking at those people who didn't know anything yet were shouting so irresponsibly, it caused him to feel irritated. but because he knew that they cheered him out of good will, it left him at a loss for words instead.

And because of that uncomfortable feeling, it caused Moore’s steps to become gradually more tense.

(Tch, I can't be too tense at this time... But now I see, the reason he had been playing defense all this time was for this, huh... And as expected, I need a little bit more time for full recovery...)

Particularly about his feet, which didn't feel right when he tried to draw his sword.

Discomfort. It was something he felt in one part of his body that would erode Moore's movements as time goes on.

To heal his wound, he had been using a uncommon method, which caused him to feel a sense of discomfort.

(Tch, if this drags on... I have no other way but to turn this duel into a close quarter combat, huh?)

It was something he had dismissed before but he could not think of any other way.

(Well then...)

He had no choice but to use his last trump card.

Moore needed to pay a great price for using it. And once a trump card was revealed, it can’t be called one anymore.