Chapter 283 - A Plan (2/2)
”Fuaa~ I really cannot handle more than moves from you, Kanao!” Even though Aoi was pushed back completely, her expression only grew more determined, ”Once more!” She cheered while parrying Kanao's sword before pulling some distance. Seeing the difference in the demeanor of the twin-tailed girl, Saya narrowed her eyes before looking at Nik.
”Who am I supposed to spar with?” Saya adjusted her glasses and inquired while sitting next to Nik with a sigh.
”Me, Rei, Aoi, Kanao... We all are here, just take your pick,” Nik grinned as he continued revolving the gravity infused Hamon within his body.
”I have been thinking,” Saya sighed, ”Isn't there a better way to live?”
Her soft question attracted Nik's and Rei's attention as the orange-haired voluptuous warrior continued to spare her attention on the continuous focus breathing.
”What do you mean by that?”
Nik looked over his shoulders as Saya stretched her arms and lied down with a pout, ”If it had been before, I could understand that we need to keep on training...
But why now? Didn't you already say that your homeworld is a peaceful place? And even if you shift again, isn't it sensible to find another peaceful location to settle down.
Why must we always bring the possibility of fights breaking out?”
The pinkette sighed deeply as the sound of the clashes of Kanao's and Aoi's sword rang in the surroundings.
”Then don't fight,” Nik shrugged. Wasn't this the answer? If you wish to fight then train and fight to win; If you did not wish to fight then live a life worthy to be called peaceful.
”I loved studying, you know... binging on years of worth of knowledge, finding out the ways and theories in which the world and its people originated...”
Saya let out a soft grunt that extended out to a yawn, ”And I feel so foolish, thinking that we won't have to fight. Where there is a difference of interest, there will always be a fight; Where humans populate, there will always be different opinions. The first breath user quoted that.”
Saya turned her body sideways to look at Nik as short weed stuck over the back of her head, ”If even the first breath user implied that fights cannot be avoided, how can you say that I don't have to fight any longer?”
By now, Saya's words had already attracted Rei's entire attention, as she too, sat cross-legged in front of Nik and waited for his answer. Either way, she had nothing else to do, so she might as well try and learn something from the seemingly philosophical conversation.
”Haa? Well, you don't need to fight because I am here for you. And who said that we cannot live without battles and differences of opinions.
We just haven't found such a location,” Nik matched Saya's gaze and grinned broadly, ”Don't worry about finding such a place, just focus on getting back at your passion for studies. I am sure Yuriko would be happy, too.”
”Aah~ Whatever. And to think that you aren't dense... Really, all men are the same!”
Saya stood up and looked at Rei, ”I am done grumbling excuses, training in the way of the sword is just a practical experience of the multiple books on swordsmanship. Let's spar.”
She wielded her wooden sword and gazed at Rei with flaring indignation as her voice echoed within Nik's consciousness.
[Don't act like my dad... Idiot. We slept together after all.]
***
With the sun almost setting, Elizabeth had mobilized all the demon slayers in the village to deliver a speech to boost their morale. This was a war of attrition and morale of the troops was far more important to be maintained at an optimum level. Once again, without Shizuka at the scene, Elizabeth deployed the pillars, including Nik and Ray, towards the corner of the villages while she also made sure to appoint a small troop to patrol the village and take out any stray zombie that emerged from within the village.
The remaining dozens of demon slayers were made to stick to the perimeter of the village and not to leave their station until ordered to.
[Well, good luck. Remember to call for each other if you find yourself in any trouble.]
Nik bump-fisted his own fists as the clanking sound of his War Gauntlets rang out. He was satisfied and happy. After all, he had made a breakthrough in the Breath of Gravity and even if the breathing technique was less than practical, this particular breakthrough also refreshed his insights on Breathing techniques as a whole, making him focus on the breathing technique that could very well change the entire game when utilized alongside his recently gained talent— Balance.