Volume 7 Chapter 10 Kazuramichi Naoshi’s Woman Troubles (As Usual) ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”You’re the ones who barged in here and started spewing nonsense at my family head and her friends, aren’t you?”
”I see. Then I suppose you won’t be able to stay silent, either.”
Ryuju spoke quietly, yet her voice carried a distinct, crushing weight. It wasn’t anger; it was an ultimatum. This wasn’t emotion—it was cold, hard logic.
”You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
(Did I just get played?) Naoshi thought, his words tight with bitterness.
”You look like a total airhead, but you’re actually pretty devious, lady.”
”You’ve been blowing me off for far too long. I think it’s time we settled this.”
”On what grounds, exactly?”
”Well, what will you do? I’m willing to settle this with a sumo bout.1 Your blood is boiling, isn’t it?”
”Why the hell do you assume every resident of this prefecture loves sumo? If you’re so desperate for Reiryoku, come back next year. I’ll even buy you ringside seats.”
Despite his dismissive retort, the suggestion struck a chord. According to legend, the ritual sumo match originated from the myth of her clan’s patron deity, Takeminakata, who fought Takemikazuchi during the transfer of the land. Defeated, Takeminakata was driven from Izumo and fled all the way to Shinano, where he was finally sealed away and spared from further harm. For a descendant of that god to travel west to perform a sumo bout carried a deep, ironic weight. It took serious guts. And that was even more true considering Kazuramichi Naoshi held the moniker ‘Swift as the Wind and Fierce as Lightning,’ and was viewed as a wielder of lightning Reiryoku.
”I don’t have the patience for endless rematches or arguing over the ref’s calls later. Let’s finish this for real.”
”I see.”
That said, Naoshi was unmarried, and Ryuju was currently single after a previous divorce. In a way, it was convenient. If the two of them fought a duel, the outcome could easily be twisted into a matter of “responsibility.”
”Alright then, someone just—”
Exorcist duels were only valid as formal one-on-one affairs. Naoshi tried to intervene to prevent the duel from becoming official, but Ryuju’s explosive outburst was faster.
”No need. If you win, I’ll let you take me.”
”Tch, I’ve got more than enough ‘clingy wives’ already!”
Ryuju stepped into the range of his fists effortlessly, almost anticlimactically. She didn’t even make a fist; her open hands shot forward to grab him, only to be swatted away.
”Aim for me, someone! Anyone—!”
To stop the duel from finalizing, he needed a strike fueled by genuine Reiryoku, but hitting someone from another household, even if they started the fight, felt uncouth. Naoshi, anticipating the natural hesitation any family member would feel, shouted—and Mibu Itsuki answered.
”Then, I won’t hold back.”
Instantly, a silver flash cut between them. Itsuki drew both her long and short swords from the case resting nearby. A single, sweeping strike forced Ryuju to retreat and left a thin red line across Naoshi’s neck.
”Tch, who told you to go that far, you idiot?!”
She hadn’t missed his neck; she had specifically avoided cutting him deep. As Naoshi gripped his throat, Itsuki replied without a hint of remorse.
”Could you have dodged that? You’re still strong, Naoshi. I’m smitten all over again.”
”Don’t give me that patronizing look. Being interrupted in a one-on-one and getting a nasty scar is a once-in-a-lifetime experience I don’t need.”
A cold voice cut through the youth’s playful banter.
”—Dog, don’t get in the way.”
”Woof.”
Itsuki laughed, mocking the sharp insult with a barking sound.
”You’re the one getting in the way here. We were finally having a nice, private, intimate moment.”
As she spoke, she placed her hands on the waist of her dress, tracing its sensual lines upward before lifting her ample chest and letting it drop.
”—You.”
”I am—well, I’m Naoshi’s woman. Honestly, I was worried at first about what you might do to me, but… hehe, it wasn’t half bad. I’m quite moved.”
”Quit trying to stir the pot.”
Itsuki, looking smug, started acting like she had already won, so Naoshi gestured for her to step back. She muttered a soft, dissatisfied “Fine,” and took three steps back. But the warning came too late. Ryuju’s Reiryoku distribution suddenly surged, and her very frame seemed to swell to twice its size.
”Hmph!”
With a sharp exhale, Ryuju surged into his inner guard again. The sharpness of her palm strike was enough to make even a seasoned fighter like Naoshi gasp. It was impossibly fast and heavy. It reminded him less of a human martial artist and more of the powerful Ayakashi. He could feel the technique behind her movements, but the sheer, unnatural speed of her recovery was undeniably a divine gift. She ignored the fundamental laws of motion—the way the fist pulls back, the shift of the hips—and yet, the strike still landed perfectly.
”You’re sloppy.”
(How is she this strong while being so sloppy? It’s like a scam.) Naoshi could only hold his ground because he was experienced in dealing with the superior strength of Ayakashi—someone without that background wouldn’t have stood a chance.
”Is there any need for tricks?”
”Of course there is!”
”No. A dragon is only a dragon because it is strong.”
”Can you try coming down to a human’s level for a second?”
Her attacks were monotonous, lacking finesse. But as Naoshi deflected and parried them, those golden eyes watched him with predatory intensity. Each strike was becoming steadily heavier, faster, and harder to read. Learning in the heat of battle—it was natural. A quick study might improve even in the middle of a fight, but there was a limit to that. What Ryuju was displaying was an obvious abnormality. A monster beyond monsters—there was no other way to describe her.
”Having fun, Kazuramichi?”
”We clearly have different definitions of ‘fun.’”
He swatted away her thrusting left hand, but his right was forced into a grapple. A split-second of rigidity. From point-blank range, a kick came for his face. He didn’t know how she contorted her body like that, but the force behind it was meant to shatter his jaw.
”What the hell is with this movement?!”
Was it just simple flexibility? Naoshi shouted as the razor-sharp kick grazed his forehead, the heat of the friction burning his skin. But a posture with one leg raised high was inherently unstable. He thought, If I push forward, she’ll lose her balance and I can knock her down—but before he could commit, Ryuju’s body leaned backward, as if falling. The kick that should have lost its momentum took a new turn. Her body spun backward, and the heel that followed swung up, targeting his jaw. He snapped his neck back to dodge, and by the time Ryuju finished her backflip, she was dancing, rhythmically shifting her weight from left to right.
”Doing weird things again, are we?!”
Ryuju pivoted. First, a right-side reverse roundhouse, then a left high kick, a spin, and another right kick—that rhythmic, dancing barrage of footwork was Capoeira, straight from Brazil. Whether she had learned it from someone or stolen it, it didn’t matter. Added to her unknown movement patterns, parrying her kicks with his bare hands was too dangerous. As a result, Naoshi was forced to focus on exaggerated dodges, barely managing to keep his distance.
”—It’s the first time I’ve had this much trouble landing a single blow.”
Ryuju stopped shifting her weight and wiped her forehead, not a single bead of sweat in sight.
”I’m honored, truly.”
”But this is going nowhere. Let’s do this.”
Naoshi braced himself, wondering what was coming next, when Ryuju clapped her hands together. The spirit power she had been concealing within her surged, its presence intensifying in an instant.
”—Earth, bind.”
—
Summary:
Naoshi and Ryuju engage in a high-stakes confrontation that quickly escalates from verbal barbs into a physical brawl. Mibu Itsuki interrupts, resulting in a minor injury to Naoshi, while Ryuju displays superhuman, monster-like combat abilities. As the fight reaches a stalemate, Ryuju prepares to employ a powerful binding technique to finalize the outcome.
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Trivia:
The mention of Kuni-yuzuri and the deity Takeminakata links Ryuju’s fighting style to ancient mythology.
Kazuramichi Naoshi is recognized as a lightning Reiryoku user.
Exorcist duels require strict one-on-one formal conditions to be considered valid.
Ryuju employs movements reminiscent of Capoeira to overcome standard martial arts defenses.
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Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Ryuju – The eldest daughter of the prestigious Suwa family and a First-Class Exorcist, this tall, beautiful woman with long black hair, an imposing physique, and golden eyes acts as a primary antagonist. Often called a living deity said to descend from the dragon god, she is a legend with monster-like strength and raw power surpassing Naoshi, renowned for her lethal hand-to-hand combat skills.
• Naoshi – The acting head of the Kazuramichi family is a pragmatic, blunt young strategist who wields lightning-based Reiryoku, earning the moniker ‘swift as the wind and fierce as lightning’. He uses a faux-Kansai accent as a defensive shell, though he feels exposed by Ryuju’s presence. Navigating complex political ties with several women, he is also Ako’s step-brother and the target of her deep, possessive affection.
• Kazuramichi – The Kazuramichi family name, carried by Naoshi and Ako. This lineage is one of the Kansai Eight Families and holds a significant position within the exorcist hierarchy.
• Itsuki – A skilled swordswoman from the Mibu family, this young woman with an asymmetrical bob and gray-and-blue eyes is a former “handsome boy” who moved her residency to the Kazuramichi household. Currently acting as Naoshi’s loyal mistress, she fights with silver-bladed weaponry and is present at the training grounds for the spectacle.
• Mibu – The Mibu family name, carried by Itsuki. The lineage is based in Otsu City, Shiga, and is a prominent house of exorcists.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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