Episode 14.14 (1/2)
Lecan went out to the front yard.
And took <Sword of Rusk> out of <Storage>.
Twilight wraps over the surroundings as night is hanging down the whole town.
Arios followed after him slightly later. He's holding a short sword. Must have taken it out of his <Box>.
Eda followed after.
”Eda. Stay at the corner if you want to watch. Don't move a step from there.”
”Yes.”
It's a cramped yard but the size feels just like inside a dungeon.
Lecan isn't wearing his <Overking Bear> overcoat today.
Standing before a swordsman as skilled as Arios wearing clothes with zero defensive power is making his body tense. Lecan doesn't dislike that kind of sensation.
Arios takes an overhand grip with the short sword.
”Arios. Don't you know how to wield a short sword with a reverse grip?”
”Reverse grip, is it. Does Lecan-dono wish to teach Eda the reactive stance then?”
”Reactive?”
”A stance that specializes in defending.”
”That's right.”
”Worry not then. My school of swordsmanship covers both overhand and reverse grips. Stances that are fit for fighting even in a cramped location.”
”That's good.”
The two stopped talking.
In a fight between a long sword and a short sword, the long sword user should be the one taking the initiative, thought Lecan as he took a step forward.
That was when Aris jumped out.
(Hou.)
A quick lunging attack without a preliminary motion. This man's skill is the real deal.
Arios used his left hand to pull his right hand where the short sword was and closed in on Lecan straight on.
Lecan swung his sword down to meet his charge.
(No good!)
If he swung that sword down, Arios would parry it while getting into the range of Lecan's bosom. He was leading into that situation.
Lecan immediately bent both his knees. If Arios keeps on charging in, Lecan will crush him with the difference in their weights.
Arios instead twisted his body and went to Lecan's left.
(Good move.)
While keeping his cool, Lecan made use of the recoil from bending his knees to jump out left ahead.
Surprisingly, Arios moved in sync with Lecan's trajectory. Wonderful reflexes and flexible muscles.
Arios's short sword was about to strike Lecan's left side. Lecan turned his body around and flicked away the short sword with his sword.
But the short sword was angled sharper than Lecan's expectation, averting his sword away to the right.
(Nicely done.)
As Lecan gave the praise, the short sword was heading to his defenseless abdomen. But Lecan who had anticipated that used his left hand to grab and stop Arios's right hand. That right hand is holding a short sword.
The two stopped moving.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >
”Arios-kun, do your best.”
(You there. You're cheering the wrong person.)
Arios's bent left arm is pushing the back of his short sword's blade. This short sword is single edged. And the support from this left arm is the secret behind Lecan's sword getting pushed back.
Since he wanted to see Arios's fighting style a bit more, Lecan put strength into his left arm and shoved Arios aside.
Arios who got thrust away fell behind, scraping the ground. However, he hasn't lost his balance.
Lecan turned around, showing his back to Arios.
”Now's your chance~. Go get 'im~.”
(Whose side are you on again.)
It hasn't been that long since the match started, but it's getting quite dark out. Human eyes tend to easily miss out things in this environment.
Distance is the most important thing in a fight between swords. However, sense of distance goes awry in this situation. Just how will Arios fight in this circumstance.
It's vanished.
Arios's presence has vanished.
(Now this is surprising.)
Of course, Lecan's <3D Perception> is showing where Arios is clearly. However, if Lecan didn't have this special ability, he wouldn't have been able to discern Arios's location.