Volume 3 Chapter 52 The Martial Arts Performance
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The wooden lid of the waiting room is already broken.
Kian walks past the two standing at the entrance, swinging the mithril falchion made by Guy and sheathing it.
”────”
”…”
Katyusha, the black panther tribe’s female warrior monk, keeps her eyes tightly shut.
In contrast, the dark-skinned gladiator glares at Kian with a wary expression.
For him, after defeating Katyusha, he will have to fight Kian to the death in the finals.
He must be thinking about how to exploit any weaknesses after seeing the sword techniques Kian displayed earlier.
Kian, while facing a guard who points a spear at him, moves to the wall and kneels on the sandy ground.
However, he does not enter meditation; instead, he glances at the weapons of the two warriors standing with their backs to him.
(The black man is equipped with a spear and a round shield, similar to the gear Renaud used when he dueled me before.)
But the spear’s tip splits into multiple points, and one blade curves back like a sickle, designed to cut down enemies’ weapons or ankles.
It’s unclear how much he knows about the warrior monk’s fighting style (does he even realize Katyusha is Azrael’s warrior monk?), but the spear and shield are effective against lightly armored sword users who rely on evasion.
For example, if Katyusha has no way to break his shield, he could gain a significant advantage in the fight.
On the other hand, Katyusha wields only a single curved sword──a shamshir, dark in color.
It seems to be a custom piece, thicker and heavier than the usual weapons used by warrior monks.
The blade bends at about halfway, forming a ‘k’ shape, while the opposite edge curves sharply, allowing for deadly slashes.
Despite its curve, it looks to be about a meter long.
The Shakerdoust family is known for their warriors who excel in the ‘impact’ style of combat, enhancing their weapons for battle.
Although Katyusha is not originally from Azrael, she has learned the cutting movements of ‘impact’ at Abbas’s house since she was young.
She, too, has mastered techniques that can deliver a single, fatal blow.
For the black-skinned gladiator, it was unfortunate that he couldn’t block Katyusha’s attacks with just a Steel shield enhanced by magic.
The fight would probably be over in a Leap.
”────”
”…Huff…!”
The loud voice of the bard echoed from the underground arena, and the gong rang loudly.
Katyusha stepped into the arena, even with a spear pointed at her guard.
The black-skinned gladiator climbed the entrance steps with a slightly excited expression, clanking as he went.
”Can I watch the fight between the two of you?”
”If you want to see, stand in front of the entrance. But don’t step into the arena.”
”Okay.”
Nodding, Kian moved forward.
The purpose of his observation was to watch Katyusha’s movements.
Kian still remembered how Katyusha fought, but that was 15 years ago.
Her strength and magic power were much greater now than then.
The power and speed of her sword should have increased beyond comparison.
As Kian squinted at the bright underground arena, Katyusha and the black-skinned gladiator moved to the center, surrounded by guards.
The black-skinned gladiator raised his spear and struck his shield, responding to the cheers of the crowd.
There’s something glamorous about it.
He seemed to know well how to act like a star, not just fight.
”Hello~♡”
Kian thought, “Am I being a bit too plain?” just as he noticed Katyusha waving with a big smile and blowing kisses to the audience.
She seemed experienced, but thinking about the fight ahead, her actions felt a bit off.
”…Looks relaxed.”
”Oh, isn’t that how gladiators show off to the audience? I’ve only experienced being looked at when I worked as a brōtḥel worker.”
”A former prostitute, huh? …Not that surprising. It’s common for war slaves of other races to perform dances in brōtḥel lobbies.”
The black-skinned gladiator, saying this, brought his shield forward, firmly tucked his spear under his right arm, lowered his center of gravity, and started to sway his body slightly back and forth.
”I’m not exactly a war slave, but maybe something like it,” she said with a hint of amusement.
Katyusha let out a fleeting, lonely laugh before her expression quickly returned to a fierce, thin-lipped smile as she drew her shamshir from its sheath.
Seeing this, the dark-skinned swordsman tensed his muscles all over.
”Mmmph! Nnnghhhh!”
The Western swordsman’s body enhanced.
The tall, black warrior, now bloated like a beast, began to leap gracefully in place, clearly planning to launch a fierce assault on Katyusha.
Katyusha…
”────, …uh, …ugh!”
She raised her curved shamshir overhead and quickly gathered her magic power.
The life force of the black panther tribe wasn’t as great as that of the Wolfmen.
But a sharp, white magic power, like a honed killing intent, clung to the heavy blade of the shamshir, reinforcing the weapon.
’Impact.’
Then ‘Break,’ to shatter the enemy’s armor.
’Pierce,’ to penetrate defenses, dealing energy impact damage.
With her narrow eyes suddenly wide open, she froze in place, glaring fiercely at the dark-skinned gladiator.
Her lightly armored arms and thighs rippled with an impossible amount of muscle—far beyond what you’d expect from a human woman.
Even the black gladiator seemed to realize just how lethal her strikes could be.
(It’s over.)
Creak—
The sound of muscles straining filled the air— And in the next instant, Katyusha’s body exploded forward, kicking up a circular blast of sand with a BOOM.
The already swift legs of a Beastman, now enhanced by her skill Leap—
”HMPH—!!”
In a flash—
Her shamshir came crashing down, aimed right at the black gladiator’s head.
”────ugh!?”
The black man was highly skilled and immediately raised his shield to prepare a defensive stance.
Reacting to her ‘Leap’ alone was impressive, but unfortunately, the shamshir split his steel shield in 2 and shattered the bone in his left shoulder with damage that ignored his defenses.
A loud sound, like a mix of “bogya” and “boki,” echoed in the underground arena, and the cheering crowd fell silent, half-standing, as they watched Shin.
One leap.
One strike.
The Black man was sent flying backward, rolling on the ground, leaving a crack in the sand that stretched straight to the arena wall.
When he finally hit the wall, a deep, rumbling sound shook the air, turning the crowd’s silence into a brief scream.
As the dust slowly settled, Katyusha stood still, her shamshir held back, not yet swinging.
The Black man, rolling like a rag, slowly lifted his head, eyes wide in disbelief.
”…Fusuuuu──────”
The Black Panther tribe’s female warrior monk narrowed her eyes, letting out a long, deep breath.
After exhaling a breath that looked almost white in the dust, she slowly sat up and called out to the Black man.
”The match is over. If you want to continue, I will have to crack your head open. What will you do?”
”Well, I give up. I surrender.”
”Good, I’m glad. Guard?”
”…Huh, what?”
The guard, closest to the action, was frozen in shock, looking foolishly at Katyusha.
”He says he surrenders! His shoulder is badly hurt, so he can’t continue. ──Everyone in the arena! I will show mercy to my opponent!”
”M-Merciful warrior Katyusha did not take her opponent’s life! Truly noble──showing the heart of a Knight!”
The bard, also stunned on the stage, managed to squeeze out a voice and began to weave an impromptu tale.
”Everyone, praise this female Knight! Not only strong but also holding kindness, the greatest warrior!”
After the bard’s beautiful voice, a roar of applause and cheers erupted like thunder.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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