Chapter 420 Rank S Domain
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Gargantua’s POV)
Kicking the ground while clashing Bokken swords, I flipped in the air above Hiroya and took his back.
Then, I lifted the Bokken sword to the upper left and swung it down toward his back.
”──!”
But, Hiroya was already gone.
(Any regular swordsman would lose sight of Hiroya at that speed. However──)
I am a swordsman who has also mastered to Rank S.
──’Speed that surpasses humans.’
I can step into the realm of Rank S, as they say.
”I see you. And… I can keep up!”
Hiroya lunges at me from my left rear.
I immediately spun my body, deflecting his swift strike with my Bokken sword.
(T-that’s strong!)
It’s not just speed.
I barely matched the heavy strike powered by the ‘centrifugal force’ from Hiroya’s flexible body with my Bokken sword.
But…
(This impact──!)
Taking such a strike, my old injury in my right arm usually sends a sharp pain…
(The pain… is gone!?)
”As expected from the former Four Dark Heavens Gargantua! You’re something else!”
His rough tone is not what you’d expect from a boy just moments ago.
But, I don’t dislike it.
”It’s an honor to be recognized by Shinji’s son.”
This is fun.
My heart trembles.
(It’s been since I fought Elberhardt and Shinji)
While rejoicing in battling in the realm of Rank S, my mind stays calm, planning strategies.
It doesn’t seem wise to distance myself from an opponent skilled in Iaido, but I jumped back to use my trump card.
”I won’t let you escape!”
Hiroya fiercely pursues me from the front.
(My right arm feels good. Can I shoot?)
It’s worth a try.
With a Bokken sword, there’s a risk that the power won’t transfer effectively, but it should at least act as a deterrent.
No, Hiroya charging straight at me shouldn’t have a way to dodge.
Leaping backward, I swiftly kick off the ground again, creating more distance between us, and hoist the bokken sword onto my shoulder.
”Raijin Kizan (Thunder God Slash)!”
With all my might, I swing the bokken sword held in both hands, unleashing a powerful strike.
Of course, it’s out of reach for Hiroya.
But──
”Wha──!”
Hiroya exclaims, his eyes widening as he sees my bokken sword coming towards him.
The reason for his surprise is the lightning that crackles along the blade as I swing it with all my strength.
Sensing something, Hiroya crouches low as he rushes towards me, tightly gripping the bokken sword at his left hip.
(He’s going to block it head-on!)
The lightning-infused blade, now entangled with lightning like vines, slashes forward.
The released lightning bolts surge towards Hiroya, attacking him.
”I’ll brush it off!”
Hiroya roars as he draws his katana.
With a swift motion, he parries my lightning-charged strike.
(It didn’t quite work as well with the bokken sword.)
However, using the lightning as a decoy, I had already kicked off the ground 3 times, leaping over Hiroya’s head and positioning myself behind him.
”Phew… Can I claim victory?”
I ask, pressing the tip of my bokken sword against the back of Hiroya’s neck, who is still in a katana-drawing stance.
”Damn, you got me.”
Hiroya admits, turning around with a playful smile.
I can’t help but smile back.
(He’s incredibly strong, but…)
I felt like I understood the reason for his ‘plateau’ in growth, as Toldo had mentioned.
* * *
”Who would’ve thought you’d use a projectile! I couldn’t predict that.”
”Sorry, I got carried away because my old injury wasn’t acting up. Forgive me.”
”It must be the effect of Raetia’s hot springs!”
Hiroya, in his youthful form, struck the ground with his fist in frustration.
But his laughing face gave away that it was just playful theatrics.
”As always, I couldn’t see a damn thing…”
”I have no idea what even happened…”
”It was even more invisible than the fight with Majin Otto.”
”Was it because it was a battle between two S-rank fighters? I couldn’t follow any of it either.”
”Clan leader Liz, elf Dorothy, swordsman Asuka, and fighter Simona, who are said to be rank A, are talking in disbelief.”
””Hoo~~””
Gieze and Violet, who were also watching the match, seemed to have held their breath, both exhaling deeply at the same time.
”As expected of Lady Gargantua!”
”Thank you for avenging us!”
Hernando and Esperanza kneel at my feet.
”By the way, what made you fight Hiroya?”
”Lady Gargantua~”
”Please listen to us~”
The two pleaded with me in a pitiful voice.
* * *
The dining hall was being used for afternoon business talks, so I listened to them in the open space on the second floor.
”Lord Hiroya is being unfair! He has a fiancée named Lady Kazumi, yet he has even made Lady Rena his lover!”
”We can tolerate Ms. Liz, Ms. Simona, Ms. Dorothy, and even Ms. Martina… but to think Lady Hanna too!”
Esperanza and Hernando cried out…
”──That’s ridiculous.”
””Eeeeeee!””
”If you want women, then become stronger. Instead of saying it’s unfair, learn from his strength.”
I understand because I fought Hiroya.
(As expected of Shinji’s child. He can captivate any woman…)
That’s the kind of strength he has.
”Moreover, those 3 dwarf sisters are also Lord Hiroya’s…”
”Yeah. Aluda, Eluda, and Meluda are all my lovers, you know?”
”Damn it!”
Hiroya, who has returned to his boyish form, smiles shyly at the frustrated Esperanza.
”As Gargantua said, you all should strive. You need strength that captivates women.”
Lady Lilith laughs heartily.
”Gargantua, I got somethin’ I wanna ask ya.”
Simona, the Amazoness, lifted herself slightly from the sofa and asked me.
”If I become Rank S, can I keep up with that battle?”
”Yes. That’s why moving from Rank A to S is very hard.”
I started to explain to everyone.
* * *
”First of all, Rank S is a realm that only those who have mastered otherworldly powers can reach.”
Everyone listened intently to my explanation.
”Physical abilities, techniques, and other special abilities. One cannot reach Rank S without mastering those. That’s why there is an insurmountable power gap between Rank A and S.”
”Hiroya──the adult Hiroya had already possessed ‘power beyond humans’ in his previous life?”
Asuka looked at Hiroya.
”Is that really so? But in my past life, I couldn’t move that fast…”
”Perhaps it’s because of ‘this World’. The strength granted in ‘this World’ comes from mastering physical abilities and techniques. In your previous life, you already had the ability to gain the ‘realm of strength’ granted by ‘this World’.”
Lady Lilith supplemented Hiroya’s explanation.
”Aw, so it means we’re still pretty far from Rank S.”
Simona slumped her shoulders.
”Simona, that’s not true, okay? You have the power of ‘Berserker transformation’. If you can overcome its flaw of ‘losing self’, the realm of Rank S will be yours!”
”Then, if I master ‘thrust’… well, I’m still Rank B, though.”
After hearing Lady Lilith’s explanation, Asuka crossed her arms and thought.
”Lady Asuka, I think you are extremely close to S?”
As I asked, Asuka scratched her cheek shyly, saying, “R-really?”
”Asuka, Liz, and Dorothy too. Perhaps you all already meet the physical ability requirement for Rank S. So…”
”‘It’s about honing techniques,’ right?”
Lady Lilith nodded with a smile at Dorothy’s answer.
”That’s how it is.”
”I’m still rank B, but I’ll strive to reach a realm beyond human limits.”
”M-me too! I won’t lose to Hiroya!”
The swordswoman named Gieze stood up and declared this to Lady Lilith.
Violet followed suit.
(Hehe… how amusing.)
That ‘Purple Flame Demon Princess’ body is seriously trying to master the path of swords.
(but I also think I understand)
There is an atmosphere in this clan that makes this happen.
(I too, to find my own path…)
I’ll stay here for a while.
I decided that.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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