Chapter 16 – A Glimpse
Tre’ainar called the ladder training a “warm up”.
I saw it as a “preparatory exercise”.
However, this is far beyond that.
“Hee, Hee… Tssh…. Physically I’m strong, but…. Ha, ha… the preparation exercise might kill me.”
Usually, I think of the preparation exercise as the act of loosening the body and a light warm up.
But far from loosening up, my legs muscles have cramped.
『Perform the ladder training every day. And even after the graduation games of course.』
“R-Really… Eeh, my legs… My thighs are jerking. My feet are sore.”
『Familiarize yourself. And make it a daily routine. Once tis a habit, you will feel unwell any day you do not perform it. If that happens, there will no longer be an issue.』
“E-Every day? I’ll end up a masochist.” 1
『Precisely. Punish yourself, indulge yourself, intoxicate yourself, and give yourself the addiction. That is to say, become a masochist, a narcissist, and an addict.』
I ended up spending a lot of time on the Magical Ladder training.
Little by little, I seem to be getting the hang of it, but I still can’t do it perfectly, so I’ll have to work it.
But for being called a preparatory exercise, it’s scary.
『Then, next on the training schedule, you will be instructed on body techniques. But before that… have you ever studied any Martial Art?』
And next is martial art. Or rather, it’s a full-fledged training from here on.
“Once, only as a basis. We don’t even spar at the academy.”
『That so. Then, first of all, show me some of your motions.』
“Motion?”
『Hmm……Shadow…… No, ……’sparring’. Yes, do some ‘Phantom Sparring’.』
Ah, Phantom? Ghosts? He’s saying terms I don’t understand.
『Oh, are you unaware? Shadows are a staple of martial art training. Tis supposed to be an imaginary enemy you face on your own, and train to avoid attacks with kicks, fists and so on.』
“Ho-u…”
『Sparring is a mock battle in which an actual opponent is prepared. And now, what I have just thought of, the Phantom Sparring. Not a virtual enemy. Not even a real partner. You are going up against a ghost with no substance.』
So I didn’t know what the difference was. I’ll be sparring with ghosts, not imaginary enemies? With ghosts… Ghost?
『Tis so. It shall be me. We shall spar on the assumption that my form actually exists.』
“What!? Oh, I… with you…?”
『Ah. Come at me with intent to kill. Instead, even if no damage is given, I shall fight back as well.』
No way, a sparring match with the Great Demon King. Sure, I can’t touch him, but we can simulate combat.
“Hahaha, this might be fun! Isn’t this good? Let’s do it. Let’s see how great the martial art of the Great Demon King is!”
Certainly, it seems much more effective than sparing alone assuming an imaginary enemy.
I’m also interested.
The Demon King’s martial art.
Also, how well can I fight against the Demon King?
“Hey. Then you won’t pretend my attacks didn’t land when they actually did, will you? If I score a hit, you should declare it yourself?”
I got a little excited, ringing my fist joints, forgetting the fatigue of my legs.
But, against me, Tre’ainar…
『Fuhahahahahaha. Even for a genius, the chances of that is zero.』
“Ha?”
『Do you actually think your attacks can hit?』
“Eh!?”
At that moment, the atmosphere changed.
I involuntarily breathe in the invisible pressure that seemed to crush my moment of enthusiasm.
『Now, attack from anywhere. I don’t mind you using magic?』
A sparring match with the Great Demon King!
However, the opponent is a ghost, and there is no damage to me even if he fights back.
It is absolutely impossible to die.
But…
『Hmm. What happened? Afraid of me, perhaps?』
“Eh!?”
A simulated combat? I’m about to fight the Demon King now.
I realized that, and the moment Tre’ainar stood in front of me, I felt a cold sweat.
『No one will die… there will be no injury. There should be nothing to be afraid of.』
Is it so different just by standing in front of me in any form with the intention of “fighting”?
Is it so scary to confront an enemy that should be harmless?
『Well…… even if there is no death or injury…. you may end up with a vision of such.』
“Eh!?”
That’s right, I can imagine it.
There’s a feeling like somehow lives are on the line, even though I know I’m not going to die.
It’s so heavy, painful, and cold that just looking at his eyes makes my consciousness seem far away.
An overwhelming sense of intimidation.
Tre’ainar who usually listens to my conversations and talks normally… scares me…
『Is something wrong, coward? Tis what everyone is saying about you, right? Those words you hate the most.』
“Eh!?”
『Still, you are only the hero-』
However, as usual he raises my motivation, and inflates my fighting spirit!
“B-Be quiet! It’s annoying! Let’s do this!”
『Hmm… He seems smarter than his father… are the simpler parts still the same… But, that is the first step.』
“Oooooooooooh!”
However, no matter how much your fighting spirit, it is impossible to overturn it as well. You can’t overturn reality!
“Imperial Fluid Art, 【Rapid Flying Swallow Fist】(Hyaren Hienken)!”
I start off and got in with a series of left fists.
The high speed lefts which goes out at irregular trajectories to disrupt the opponent…
“Hmp,hmp”
While glancing at all my movements, he quickly evaded my fists. Without moving one step away from the spot, on the contrary, he only moved his upper body to avoid them.
But I can’t be surprised at that now.
After making sure he was fully concentrating on the left fist –
“Take this!”
Right low kick! Enters —
“Eh!? …… Ah… Wha?”
『Is that it? Are you even trying?』
The moment I tried to kick out, something blocked my vision.
It was Tre’ainar’s fingers.
『Hmp, there is no damage, but instinctively did you realize? Had I have taken even one more step, your eyes would have been crushed.』
“… eh… Naa!”
I wasn’t alert, but I couldn’t make any sense of the movement.
My vision suddenly darkened, and it took me a while to understand that Tre’ainar’s fingers were in front of both my eyes.
But this time… After taking some distance again……
“Thunder Spell, 【Kilo Thunder】!”
Because the opponent is a spirit body, there will be no damage, but he should still be able to be deprived of sight.
I’ll hit Tre’ainar with thunder from the sky after taking some distance on the backstep.
And then, I’ll pursue. Break his footing!
“Terra Spell, 【Kilo Ground Crack】!” 2
『Considering your rather rebellious character, surprisingly your performance tends towards the royal road.』
“Eh!?”
While Tre’ainar was wrapped in the lightning flash that fell into the garden, I thought I would cause a light crack in the ground with my feet that would swallow him.
”……EH!….”
『Come now, no need to hold back. Keep trying.』
When… behind me… Did he go around?
Tre’ainar was behind me, faster than I distanced myself in the back step.
“Eh, wha!”
Don’t be scared. Because the opponent is the Great Demon King… this is rather…
『Hmm… Tis a pretty straightforward attack. Hence easy to read, there is no surprise. But, this much should be enough now.』
A series of left and right fists, back fist from the swing, a high kick from his blind spot.
However, all my attacks have been seen through and avoided.
It’s nothing to do with my opponent being a ghost, I can’t seem to land any of my attacks!
『I see… tis limited to the era when I was alive, but… have you already attained the power of an Intermediate Warrior? I also discovered that Earth is proficient with Thunder attribute magic.』
“Eh!?”
『Inexperienced in martial art, combat logic, magic power… does not approach the Heroes of those days, but you still have more talent than the norm.』
A word of praise while avoiding my attacks with a slight margin.
That said, I’m not happy at all when I’m told in this situation.
『After all, what is regrettable is that you lack actual combat experience or the opportunity to frequently dive into the battlefield as in the era of war. That is why you are constantly told, ‘You are not reliable compared to the previous generation.’』
“S-Shut up!”
『Yes! Silence them! All around you! The world! Everything!』
I won’t shrink from this, I will land a hit, even if it’s a single blow you will eat one of my attacks. But……
『But, tis clear to me now. And so…… take this as an experience.』
“Ah?”
『I will not touch you, I will not kill you, I will not hurt you, I will break your spirit and have you kneel.』
From that point on, honestly I didn’t really understand.
『Come on, experience firsthand! A glimpse of the power of the Great Demon King Tre’ainar!』
But I knew this.
I was killed many times in a Phantom Battle.
[S1]Well, considering who he’s in love with…… Win-Win I’d say….
[S2]I will be following takumidante’s suggestion and use Terra for Earth Attribute magic. Even the author seems to opt for Soil instead of Earth, so he may be aware of the conundrum. He caused an earthquake with this though, lot more than just ‘Soil’!