Chapter 76 - #75 Putolu (1/2)
When I relaxed my grip on the hilt of my sword, the spikes suddenly disappeared and my hand healed as if nothing pierced it before. Of course, the cut on my palm was still there and I could feel that the blood my sword drained from me was also missing so it wasn't as if I was fully healed. It only stopped my bleeding.
I sheathed my sword and returned to the campfire. I sat down with closed eyes, thinking about that move.
”Akashi, what was that?” Poney suddenly couldn't hold herself back and asked me with a curious and confused expression while looking at my already healed hand.
”Simply put, it was a slash formed out of my own blood.” I replied with closed eyes.
”...Y-Your own blood? What kind of attack is that...What are you, a vampire?” Poney asked me with one raised eyebrow while looking at me with a weird look in her eyes.
”...Maybe, you should watch out for your neck.” I remained silent for a while before answering with a low voice while glancing at her with only one open eye.
”...P-Please don't joke around like that, ha-ha” She protected her neck with both hands while having horrified expression before she released an awkward laugh with a forced smile and closed eyes.
”...” I refrained from replying and instead just opened my mouth slightly while smiling towards the campfire to show her my ”fangs” at least that's what she probably saw when I noticed her reaction.
...
Poney spent the rest of our night duty by watching out for me instead of any real dangers which I found quite funny. She is slightly lacking a few brain cells but I was able to notice it when we were interacting with each other on the road.
The next morning when I finally woke up, I instantly heard some rumors going around in the camp about me being a vampire.
Hearing this, I couldn't help but look at Poney who was practicing her kicks, with a weird look as if I was looking at a complete idiot.
”She is lacking in the brains department.” Najasho who was sitting nearby while reading a book muttered while throwing a quick glance at Poney.
Are you trying to cheer me up or what?
”She certainly seems a bit...dimwitted.” I said with a forced twitching smile.
”...Would you mind a little spar?” Najasho suddenly asked while glancing from his book on my face.
”Heh, I know what you are exactly thinking. I also want to compare our swordsmanship.” I chuckled at his question and nodded my head.
”Then let's move somewhere else, I believe that none of us wants to cause any commotion” Najasho closed his book and put it aside before standing up from his seat.
I nodded and both of us moved a slightly deeper into the forest next to our camp that was built in a small clearing.
----When Najasho and Akashi left the camp----
”Hey, hey! Najasho and Akashi just entered the forest! What do you think they are going to do?!” Poney also noticed them leaving and when they finally left she immediately ran up to other girls who were talking to each other, especially talking with Kurome and asking her lots of questions.
”Akashi Nii-sama did?” Kurome was slightly surprised before glancing to the side at the forest full. Even everyone else was quite surprised by this.
”Yes! What do you think they are doing? Is it possible that Najasho swings that way since he never showed any interest in any of us?!” Poney exclaimed with a shocked expression and wide-open eyes.
However, everyone immediately looked at her with a weird look except for one person.
”Akashi Nii-sama isn't like that!” Kurome shouted with a confident expression.
”? I don't necessarily mean that he is...I just said that Najasho might be like that. Anyway, let's follow them!” Poney said with a slightly awkward expression when she saw Kurome's confidence but her expression immediately brightened and she started running towards the forest.
”?! Wait, Poney! What about the camp? Who will guard it?” Cornelia immediately shouted at running Poney.
”It will take only a few minutes! Green can remain here plus we can survive in the wildness even without those things.” Poney shouted back without stopping.
The girls looked at each other with helpless expressions before following after Poney.
While Green on the side could only hang his head in disappointment from being used in this way.
...
”Shh, there they are...” Poney hiding behind bushes pointed at the direction approximately a hundred meters away when she noticed that girls finally caught up with her.
*Clang* *Clang* *Clang* *Clang*
When everyone looked in the same direction they saw the sight of flashing lights of the blades tearing through the air. However, each time the blades met each other, no air pressure or anything was released to the surroundings, making it look too casual yet their swordplay itself was anything but casual.
”Whoa, it almost looks like they are dancing around...” Tsukushi who didn't understand a thing about swordplay exclaimed with wide-open eyes.
Poney and Cornelia nodded when they saw both Akashi and Najasho performing all kinds of spins and acrobatics tricks while also trying their weapons to make contact with their opponent.
”?!” Akame eyes widened when she noticed one detail.
”? What is it, Akame?” Poney immediately asked when she noticed Akame act like that. She knew that Akame was more experienced in sword fighting so she might have noticed something unusual.
”Look more closely...both of their eyes are closed. They are simply fighting with their instincts. They are using other senses to fight.” Akame exclaimed in awe.
”...” Everyone was speechless when they finally noticed that their eyes have been closed the entire time.
”I can't believe it...It almost looks like Najasho is at a disadvantage. How is it possible? Daddy said that there is no one more talented in swordsmanship than him.” Poney muttered with a shocked expression when she saw Najasho getting pushed back by relentless attacks from Akashi.
”No...Their swordsmanship is on a similar level. They aren't using any strength in their attacks, they are simply comparing their swordsmanship yet it's still not entirely fair.” Akame said while looking more closely at their fight.