Arifureta Vol 3 Chapter 6 (2/2)

“Tch?!”

As the guard approached his blade seemed to leap upwards from below, causing Kouki to retreat in alarm. But like an attracted magnet, the blade maintained the distance between them, moving in like a whip as it struck.

The sword’s trajectory was irregular and the movements hard to perceive, and while the use of “Foresight” allowed him to momentarily put some distance between them, he was unable to fully break away. Even when he tried to used “High-Speed Movement” to break off in one go, his opponent would foresee it, and launch pre-emptive strikes such that he could not activate it. Gradually, impatience began to show on Kouki’s face.

“Pierce, Wind Strike.”

At the murmured aria a cl.u.s.ter of wind formed, and struck him squarely in the leg.

“Uwah?!”

Caught in mid-step, Kouki’s leg swung outward and his balance was broken. In that instant, a fierce bloodl.u.s.t pierced him. The guard’s cold gaze met his, and he swung his blade downward with an unbelievable pressure.

He’s going to kill me, Kouki suddenly realized. (TN: Well, we’re slow aren’t we?)

Indeed, the guard could not help but think this way. If Kouki could not keep up with his attacks, his intent was to kill him rather than allow a boy who knew nothing of killing to become humanity’s leader. This would certainly invite censure from the likes of the church, but to put incompetent allies on the battlefield was much harder to stomach. As such, this might be the better choice, or so he felt.

(TN: Another paragraph that I sucked at translating. I pray this is at least 50% accurate.)

But the swing would never happen.

BOOOOM

“Guh!?”

The exact same scenario occurred as it did previously, but this time it was the guard getting blown away. Bounding away several times with both hands to negate the momentum, the guard looked at Kouki. His whole body was emitting a pure white aura, and he swung his sword to face his opponent while taking up a stance.

At the moment when the guard let fall his blade, Kouki’s survival instincts had kicked in and activated his “Limit Break”. This technique caused all his parameters to multiply three times – a ‘technique for a pinch’ unique to a protagonist.

However, his face was hardly composed. Desperately repressed fear from being so close to death was in his expression as he held his sword.

Seeing this, the guard’s fearless grin resurfaced.

“Hey, that’s a slightly better face. Compared to that wimpy one from before, that is.”

“Wimpy face? I’m frightened. Were you trying to kill me just now? Wasn’t this a mock battle?”

“So what? Did you think that in a real battle, we’d just go “okay, it’s over”? You’d end up dead like that. You’re supposed to stand above us humans and lead us – are you even aware of that?”

“I’m aware…of course I will save everyone!”

“What can a kid who’s afraid of getting hurt do? Someone who doesn’t even have bloodl.u.s.t in his sword shouldn’t talk big. Well then, are you ready? I said it at the start…that you’ll die if you go easy on me!”

Once again, the guard advanced, an abnormal feeling of bloodl.u.s.t coming off him, putting pressure on Kouki, who gathered strength in his legs, his face twisting painfully as he did so.

But he did not charge. A barrier of light had fallen between him and Kouki.

“This much will do. At this rate, it’ll stop being a mock battle and become a killing duel instead. You have overstepped yourself with this joke, Lord Gahard.”

“Tch, I’ve been found out. As shrewd as ever, old man.”

Ishtar, having erected that s.h.i.+mmering barrier, proceeded to pour a wet blanket on “Lord Gahard” the guard, who cursed inaudibly in response, sheathed his sword in his shoulder-mounted scabbard, and took off his right earring.

The air around the guard turned a misty white, and when it finally cleared again, there appeared a totally different person.

It was a man who looked to be in his forties. His silver hair was cropped short, and his blue eyes were reminiscent of a wild wolf. His figure was slender but highly muscled, his clothes wrapping tightly around them almost to the point of bursting.

On seeing him, a commotion broke out.

“Lord Gahard!”

“Your Imperial Highness!”

Indeed, this man was Gahard D. Hoelscher, present Emperor of the Hoelscher Empire, in disguise. Seeing this, King Erihid furrowed his brows and asked:

“Just what were you intending, Emperor Gahard?”

“There, there, King Erihid. I apologize for not introducing myself. However, a little play-fighting was the quickest way for me to make sure. This is of great importance to our future battles. Please excuse my rudeness.”

Though Gahard excused himself this way, his expression was hardly apologetic. “Well, fine”, Erihid seemed to indicate with a sigh.

Kouki was totally stunned. Somehow, this emperor was kind of flighty, and his ‘surprises’ seemed to be treated as the norm too.

With that, the mock battle ended, and at the dinner that was arranged the empire gave their official words of recognition to the hero. For the time being, it seemed like the objectives of their visit had been met.

But that night, when a subordinate asked him about his real intentions in a room, the king gave a bothersome answer.

“Meh, he’s no use. Just a kid. A mouth that believes unswervingly in stuff like ideals and justice. His rash strength and charisma are a bad combination, and he’s the type who would get killed for his ideals. But we can’t neglect him since he’s the “Apostle of G.o.d”. All in all, he isn’t good.”

(TN: Take this paragraph with a healthy pinch of salt. My translation of these sentences is definitely iffy due to an overabundance of katana in colloquial use – which I am failing to grasp even with the dictionary.)

“So, you intended to kill him during that match?”

“What? No. I just thought I might fix his cowardly att.i.tude with a beating. I wouldn’t have killed him even if the Pope hadn’t intervened.”

It seemed like the Emperor did not regard Kouki and the rest of the heroes to be worth his attention. This was not unreasonable. Up till a few months ago they had been mere students; in peaceful j.a.pan no less. They did not have the readiness on the battlefield that a seasoned warrior would recognize.

“Well, the war with the demons may pick up the pace soon. We’ll see about it then. For now, let’s prioritize tactfully keeping ourselves from being involved with that kid…and to watch out for the Pope.”

“As you will.”

He had no intention to reveal his real estimation, however, and the very next day Kouki and the other heroes would see him off when he returned to his country; with his business finished, there was no reason to stay any longer. Indeed, he seemed a very flighty Emperor.

By the way, there was an incident in which the emperor came across s.h.i.+zuku during her morning training, and being pleased with her he requested rather earnestly that she become his lover. Upon her polite refusal, he just gave his usual plucky laugh and a “well, I’m not in a hurry” as his reply, indicating that this matter wasn’t of great importance to him. At that moment, he caught side of Kouki and laughed through his nose at him. Kouki for his part got the feeling that they would never get along, and was momentarily displeased by this.

It also goes without saying that s.h.i.+zuku’s sighs increased.

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