Volume 8 Chapter 2 Part 3 (1/2)
The distance between the two was roughly 10 mels. For a boss monster on Munechika's level, a distance like that meant nothing. Her blade drew an arc while closing in on s.h.i.+n, which he countered with his Hakuramaru.
Two silver lines clashed in the s.p.a.ce between the two opponents.
”Karin, could you see what just happened?”
”It's frustrating to admit, but all I saw were after-images. But, aside from that, Milady, it's dangerous, so please stand back a little more.”
Karin tried to pull back Kanade, who had become excited at the sight of the two warriors' rapid sword slashes.
Battles between opponents of high abilities were dangerous to watch, if one were too close.
Karin, who understood the power of the strike they just witnessed, was sure that they needed to stand further back or they would not be safe.
”Good response, and enough muscular strength to withstand my blade I see.”
”I have trained you know.”
”Show me your technique then.”
After s.h.i.+n's casual retort, Munechika crouched, as if sliding on the ground. At the same time, a sword slash flew at s.h.i.+n from the lower left.
s.h.i.+n, who had been observing Munechika's movements while standing still, parried the attacking blade with Hakuramaru.
The two blades grinded against each other, launching sparks all around.
”Not bad at all.”
With a slight smile on her lips, Munechika deftly handled her repelled weapon.
Sustained by a strong sword arm fitting of a level 900, a storm of sword slices attacked s.h.i.+n like a silver torrent.
”Fuuh!!”
s.h.i.+n parried the slashes with his Hakuramaru, each powerful enough to rend the ground.
The continuous sound of clas.h.i.+ng metal continued to reverberate in the surroundings. However, the clashes were so fast that, to Kanade and Karin' ears, they arrived as one continuous sound.
Each time the blades clashed, the silver torrent produced fiery red sparks, while the ground around s.h.i.+n was cleaved by traces of sword slices.
(She fights differently, after all.)
s.h.i.+n a.n.a.lyzed Munechika's fighting style as he repelled her attacks.
Not all weapons labeled with the name ”katana” were the same length. Those like Mikazuki Masamune had blades roughly 80 cemels long. On the other hand, the category of katana Hakuramaru belonged to had blades 70 cemels long.
Munechika's fighting style focused on attacks from a distance, taking advantage of the difference in length of the blades.
Even just 10 cemels felt much longer from s.h.i.+n's point of view during the battle.
Each of the female Munechika's attacks were heavy, but generally she was more focused on quant.i.ty.
The male Munechika that s.h.i.+n had fought in the past was more focused on the power behind each attack, using a fighting style focused on high attack power.
He, or she, had been programmed based on the movements of masters of the sword; s.h.i.+n remembered that they were much stronger than their level implied.
”So you can match this too. But is defending all you can do?”
”Of course not. I will come very soon!”
s.h.i.+n parried the opponent's blade with more intensity than before. He couldn't go as far as throwing Munechika off balance, but he succeeded in creating s.p.a.ce between them.
Taking advantage of that s.p.a.ce, lasting less than an instant, s.h.i.+n slipped closer.
Partly in retaliation towards Munechika, s.h.i.+n closed in the distance between them in one breath. In the opposite fas.h.i.+on from before, Hakuramaru turned into a silver flash and attacked, only to be stopped by Munechika.
Hakuramaru's blade was shorter than Mikazuki Munechika, and the difference in their materials made Hakuramaru lighter too. On the other hand, this allowed it to be swung deep into the opponent's s.p.a.ce with higher speed.
”Ssshh!!”
Munechika tried to step back to gain distance and s.p.a.ce. s.h.i.+n however, stepped in even faster.
The scene of a few seconds ago was repeated, but attack and defense had switched places.
”Hnng!”
Munechika grunted while parrying s.h.i.+n's blow. She had barely managed to parry s.h.i.+n's slash, which was faster than she had expected.
”As expected of you!”
s.h.i.+n's attacks were fast indeed, but barely failed to reach Munechika.
Munechika, despite her inferior speed, could keep up with s.h.i.+n simply thanks to her ability with the sword.
Maybe because of the way she had been programmed, or how much she had honed her skills in 500 years, Munechika's ability was higher than s.h.i.+n's.
s.h.i.+n's fighting style with the katana was born from the teachings he received from someone who actually practiced swordplay -not Kendo- during the game era. He honed it during the Death Game and all the way to the present.
He had made it faster, stronger, more efficient.
Honing his skills in actual battle gave s.h.i.+n a new strength impossible to attain through simple training.
However, s.h.i.+n had no particular talent in martial arts.
In many battles, he would come on top thanks to his higher stats; he had received teachings for less than a year, and even though it had been an intense period, he was far from those who could be called masters of the sword.
”To think you could do so much! Interesting!”
”Honored to satisfy your expectations!”
s.h.i.+n's slashes, most of which followed a straight path, were systematically parried by the arc-like motions of Munechika's sword.
The deflected slashes failed to affect Munechika, carving the rocks behind her with their aftershocks instead.
In just a few seconds, they had already clashed more than 10 times, but both warriors were still unscathed.
The cycle of attack and defense seemed like it would continue unchanged, but s.h.i.+n suddenly changed his attack pattern.
From a distance ideal to attack withHakuramaru, he pushed even closer.
”Hmh!?”
The same moment Munechika noticed his advance, s.h.i.+n's right leg leapt forward.
Faced with a sudden kick, Munechika used her left arm to stop it.
The sound of clas.h.i.+ng metal echoed, as Munechika slid 10 mels backwards, leaving two straight tracks on the ground.
”Who would expect a kick at that moment? Unpredictable fellow.”
”Relying too much on weapons would leave one defenseless if without one.”
s.h.i.+n's fighting style was never reliant on the katana. He had strictly practiced physical skills, especially in case he had been disarmed and lost his weapons.
It was also possible to combine this style with swordplay.
”You figured that even if we kept crossing swords, nothing would change, right?”
”You found me out. As far as technique is concerned, I am a step below you after all.”
”To realize the level of one's technique is not something badthat is fine. It's been a long time since I crossed swords properly. I shall bring you the Dead Snake Gra.s.s, wait a moment.”
She was satisfied, or so it seemed. Munechika casually sheathed her sword, so easily that it caught s.h.i.+n by surprise.
Even if it was just a skirmish, he thought that even if skills weren't used, a fiercer clash of swords would have been inevitable.
”Erwe are finished?”
”Yes, that will do. I haven't had a worthy opponent for 100 years after all. And if we continued any more, I wouldn't be able to hold back.”
Munechika spoke with a smile. Maybe because the battle's excitement still lingered in her, she emanated an aura so bewitching that it was hard to imagine that she was a transformed weapon.
”I understand, if so I will gladly accept your kindness.”
Perceiving the aura and presence coming from Munechika, s.h.i.+n took a step back. A duel was one thing, but if they fought seriously, the surrounding geography would change greatly.
”Here, this is what I promised.”
Munechika returned around 10 minutes later, holding a more than a sufficient amount of Dead Snake Gra.s.s in her hands.
”Thank you very much.”
”If you have the chance, come again. I wish to speak to you some more.”
”I see. We are hurrying right now, but one day I will.”
s.h.i.+n rejoined Kanade and Karin, and together they quickly descended Mt. Fuji.
Kanade was happy and excited, the Dead Snake Gra.s.s in hand.
In a completely different fas.h.i.+on, Karin was staring at s.h.i.+n's back while he kept walking straight ahead.