Chapter 24: Final Test

It has been several months since my encounter with the strange spirit .

Fall is long gone and winter is meeting its end . Spring is now upon us .

Everyone is gathered around the table together, eating breakfast like usual . Noisy conversation and smiling faces highlight the meal .

I’ve adapted completely to this life .

Every day, the Goldiba family has started to feel more and more like my true family .

Seeing everyone’s smiling faces warms the stiffness in that corner of my heart . (TL: Remember, Shuya didn’t have much of a family back in Japan after his parents died in the accident . ) I feel like I’ve been learning about the happiness that comes from living together with your family .

“…What’s wrong? Without even touching your food you have this confused look on your face . Today we’ll be testing how far you have come with your training . ”

Shisho says to me .

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I seem to have a distant look on my face .

“Yes, I’m fine . ”

I refocus my gaze and answer with a smile .

“Shuya nii-chan, work hard!”

Refaa . She always cheers me up . Her smiling face is adorable .

She’s grown up a little and gotten a bit taller .

Her face is still a bit childish but she is beginning to look like her beautiful mother, Rabbi-san . Her chestnut hair is silky smooth . Her conspicuously long eyelashes stand out on her already large eyes too .

“…Ah, I’ll work hard . ”

Nodding lightly, I return a smile to Refaa .

“Are you all right, Shuya? Is that old man being too rough on you? Is the plan for today’s training different?”

Raguren smiles at me .

Shisho responds to Raguren after exchanging a look with me .

“Mou, I’m not so harsh? Besides, it was Shuya who said he enjoys ‘harsh training . '” (TL: If ya know what I mean . )

Shisho looks at me as if to say “Isn’t that right?” I reply with a look of confirmation .

“Surely, I did say that…”

“Hora? It’s spring going forward from today . It has been about one year now since Shuya came to us . I want to see the results of his conventional training . Think of today as a final test . I’m excited to see how much you have grown . I might be satisfied . ”

“Hou, does that mean Shuya’s graduation is close? But I want you to be careulf, you two get too heated up when you’re together . ” (TL: Sorry, he graduated last chapter . )

Raguren seems unusually worried .

“Haha, it will be fine, Raguren . Shisho has beaten me in every mock battle so far, but just once I want to beat him and graduate from being his student . ”

“I see, I see, that’s fine then . ”

Raguren says that with a smile on his face, and bringing a wooden spoon to his mouth he drinks it with a jerk .

Shisho also responds with laughter .

“Hahaha, you don’t say? I’m looking forward to this . ”

“Hora hora, you two still haven’t touched your soup . Since Raguren complains that he doesn’t like it you two need to eat up . ”

Rabbi-san tells us to eat . Breakfast is a river fish that resembles a sweetfish with tobucha . (TL: Rabbi-san actually says something else about what is in the soup but I’m not good at translating about food so I simplified it . ) Rabbi-san’s homemade food is always delicious .

“Hai, itadakimasu . ”

Like this breakfast is finished amongst a rowdy atmosphere .

I return to the hut and lie down for a little .

Using my arm as a substitute for a pillow I stare at the dirty ceiling .

There is a special training today .

A compilation of all my training over this past year .

I have grown and in this time have had various experiences .

Once again, my eyes become unfocused-

Memories of this past year flood my mind .

◇◇◇◇

At the beginning I had to fight hard against the wooden 【Training Course】 and its logs and claws .

Then I had to chase around the magic beast Lunga cow, I caught it with a lasso…I had to keep rubbing its body with ground up medical herbs .

I had a really hard time catching a wild popobumu .

The natural slide Refaa took me to was fun .

The water spirit I met at the lake that only forms during autumn .

She was a beauty, but…I would like to not remember this…it is because I focused solely on my fierce training that my worldly desires built up .

I lightly shake my head to dismiss the memory, and look over at the odd room and the chair that has fallen over .

The chair isn’t only made from wood, it is made in a way similar to shogi pieces…a bit of the degozabear I encountered while harvesting, the large perot butterfly, I’m glad I was able to fight against the monsters on my own, but it was a hard fight . (TL: I don’t know why he talked about the chair . )

My spear handling has improved considerably thanks to many hunting trips and sparring with Achilles-shisho .

Every time I am cut, pierced, stabbed, kicked-

“-When I look back I’m trembling with excitement…”

Thanks to my intense training my Spear Dancer battler occupation has class upped to “Spear Officer” (TL: 槍武奏)

This seems to be a job that isn’t earned very often, Achilles-shisho hasn’t seen it before .

It was at that time that Shisho told me his battle occupation .

(TL: Forgive me for this . His occupation DOES NOT translate nicely . ) His title is “Wind God Spear and Sword of War . ”

Having mastered both the spear and sword, and as a result of integrating his moji user and wind attribute, it naturally became such a name . He explained to me a proud air .

The job that even Achilles-shiho does not know . “Spear Officer . ”

Ma, I can understand the spear mastery part .

I got the permanent skill <Spear Sparring> immediately after .

It is a spear technique that lets me fight with my body when I can’t use my spear properly . It is an original fight technique but it resembles close quarters combat . (TL: Author used CQC for “close quarters combat” but since I’m not familiar with that I decide to write it out . )

It is for when I can’t use the spear . In the beat em’ up game Metal Gear that I was addicted to, mixed martial arts, I’m stuck with this impression as someone who liked watching UFC . (TL: This line was confusing, so bu bye grammar . )

Shisho says there is also sparring in wind spear style, and that the one I learned should be slightly different .

Shisho was surprised because the possible combinations I could use with my spear and martial arts increased .

And, recently Achilles-shisho has been saying (TL: Author wrote ShishoAchilles, I think it was a typo) when it comes to the spear “It won’t be long until you are my equal or better . ”

Shisho is a god class of the wind spear style .

Even if it was flattery, his comment made me happy…

“Now then!”

Let’s take my final test .

I’m all fired up with serious eyes . No longer pondering this and that, I leave the hut carrying my black spear .

I go to the usual open space where we train my spearman ship .

Recently we haven’t been going to the 【Training Course】 very much . Training has become nothing more than sparring matches .

Achilles-shisho has prepped the area and is standing there with his black spear and four short swords .

“Shuya was slow . Did you take care of it? I’ve told you before, but this time use all of your skill, challenge me with the mind to kill me . I’ll respond in kind . ”

Shisho suddenly creates a dangerous atmosphere, and makes an appearance of smiling .

Yo〜sh . I’ll use what I normal don’t today . I’ll use my trump .

I won’t go with the intention to kill, but I’ll go at him as hard as possible .

I undauntedly respond with a composed expression .

“…Understood . Then, stopping short of the killing blow, let’s do it with the new kukri sword I had Shisho make . ” (TL: Here’s a link to the Wikipedia page about it . It’s an interesting read and there’s a picture of it . )

I look at my black spear and activate <Magic Though Guidance Hand . >

I pull the double-edged kukri sword blade from my waist using my distorted mana hand .

I swing the kukri sword in the air, slicing down .

I maneuver the black spear with my right arm, writing an ∞ symbol . The black spear hums as I spin it up and down .

It is one of the staff fighting skills seen in action movies .

But in this world it is unique-

The metal bar moves from my palm to my fingertips, and I let it slide over the back of my hand and bend my fingers like I’m playing with a pen . The spinning metal bar moves from the back of my hand around my knuckles and to my wrist . Then, I put power into my arm-and pull the extensor digitorum muscle . (TL: The author actually specifies the muscle . )

Reacting to the muscle the black tanza spear jumps up in the air .

I immediately catch the spear with my left hand .

And, setting my posture, I extending my left arm stabbing with the spear in a sweeping motion .

Finally, pointing my spear at Shisho I turn my eyes to him and lower my center of gravity .

The Kukri which stayed in the air during my performance rotates around me like a satellite .

Achilles-shisho smiles when he sees my performance .

“Only the spear, really now…it’s already surpassed the limits of my spear mastery…however-”

While Shisho is talking, he suddenly let’s out a battle cry .

All four of the swords floating around come at the same time . Shisho’s posture is set up for <thrusting . >

Using magic observing eye I’m able to see Shisho’s movements .

My thinking accelerates .

Guidance Moji rises from Achilles-shisho’s body, all four swords connected by shining bands of light . I take care to be aware of each of them .

Those swords are really troublesome .

The four sword float around . I grasp the position of all four swords .

Underneath Shisho is handling one black spear-

Turning back, what seems to be a surprise attack-

To the right and left of Shisho . A total of four swords .

Their silhouettes scatter .

He really looks like a sword master like this .

When I look with magic observing eye, the shining bands of Shisho’s guidance moji look like wings . I approach him so that the shining bands surround me .

A feeling of intense pressure, it is frightening .

I won’t lose to such pressure!

I enthusiastically rush in from the front . Shisho’s black spear jumps up to meet my own .

While Shisho deflects my spear I keep the kukri sword behind me to defend my back .

I succeed in dodging the swords being directed at my back with the bright bands of guidance moji . However, Achilles-shisho still has three other short swords coming at me from the left and right .

The sword from the right moves earlier than I thought it would .

Turning the black spear diagonally, I dodge the sword coming from the right and repel it . I fill my legs with fighting moji and dash to the right .

In doing so I manage to dodge the other short swords .

The sword being moved by a light band cuts through the space I was just standing .

However, anticipating I would dodge to the right, Shisho brings up his black spear to meet me-the metal rod approaches to gouge my side with a hum .

In a hurry I eject <chain> from my left hand and manage to hit his black spear, knocking it away .

Thus I am somehow able to prevent Shisho’s black spear from approaching me . After I do this Shisho makes a surprised expression .

Yet that expression quickly fades . Shisho watches me calmly .

Thinking the chain couldn’t stop his attack, Shisho forcibly pulls the chain stuck to his spear “without changing his eyes . ”

Jerking up with the spear, turning on his toes, he lefts the force from the chain rotate his body once .

Again I calm down as an attack approaches me, flashing at me in between seconds . Grasping the image, I instantly use it . (TL: This part says something about in between the zeros, but I think this is what the author means . )

I don’t block it and turn to attack .

I hurl the Kukri sword grasped with at Shisho’s head .

Like that I rush in, ignoring Shisho’s attack, and I am able to direct the shaft of the black spear towards Shisho’s chest .

Shisho receives my sudden attack .

Calmly stopping my attack, he kicks the ground with one foot .

Again, he avoids my blow by rotating in a half turn on his toes .

The Kukri blade thrown with <Magic Though Guidance Hand> using <Throwing> is easily repelled with a flick .

This time using the other foot he turns lightly .

Repeating the movement, he flows around to dodge . The spear approaching his chest is easily avoided .

Nimbly sticking out his leg, his foot draws a half-circle across the ground .

Are you Muhammad Ali? I thrust with such poison in my heart .

His eyes look more serious than usual .

His movements feel like dancing mechanical doll . Busy taking turns . Since a little while ago he has become too fast .

While dancing to dodge, Shisho’s guidance moji seems to have moved and picked up the swords I deflected earlier .

Chi〜, I was shortsighted .

The four swords have returned to floating in the air .

When it comes to this- I’ll need to be fast .

I’ll use my trump .

– <Cerebral Demon Speed>

With instant acceleration-I am suddenly close to Shisho .

Faster than Shisho I strike out with my black spear .

With a surprised look on his face Shisho’s eyes track the movement of my black spear . With all four short swords and his own black spear, he blocks my attack .

Five seconds pass-

Two of the four sword are repelled and the ricochet injures Shisho’s shoulder and foot .

Ten seconds pass-

Coping with my speed, of the four short swords only one blade remains, holding out .

15 seconds pass-

I manage to repel the only remaining sword . However, Shisho has moved his guidance moji in a defensive position and adopts a posture dedicated to defense .

20 second pass-

Chi- the skill runs out and my speed falls-

Shisho is reasonable . As if saying that, using the momentum that maintained the right circular orbit he begins to deliver a counter attack .

The black metal bar approaches in a horizontal slash to smash my side .

I forcibly expand my <Magic Thought Guidance Hand> to prevent it . I use the distorted mana hand to wrap around Shisho’s black spear .

It successfully prevents the attack .

Eh, ya〜ta! I sealed Shisho’s spear .

But, Achilles-shisho is getting impatient with a smirking face .

“-Eh, the speed of the attack just now really surprised me . And as of now, judging by the degree of perfection that was a new unique defensive guidance magic . It’s really wonderful…it could be called a daring move . Furthermore, it seems to have room to develop even more, however!”

As he says so Achilles-shisho let’s go of his spear .

Suddenly, his figure disappears-no, he jumped!?

Furthermore, the light bands holding Shisho’ swords flew to the left and right .

This time he’s throwing them! And again, the swords I repelled before-

Ah, while we were talking before . I immediately respond while considering that .

I let go of Shisho’s spear being held in <Magic Though Guidance Hand> and expand my mana outward to the right and left .

I somehow deflect the thrown swords with <Magic Though Guidance Hand . >

-However, as a result my reaction is delayed .

Shisho comes at me with a flying kick .

I receive two kicks to my head and torso . With broken posture I shake my head back and forth in an attempt to shrug off the shock .

Unfortunately, Shisho hasn’t finished by delivering the kicks .

Moving fluidly . In those few seconds he has picked his black spear up again using guidance moji . Pointing the black spear point at me with the feeling of conclusion- he at me in the final blow .

Shisho’s <thrust> lands a clean hit in the pit of my stomach .

The tip sinks into my stomach . As the black spear in the pit of my stomach makes a dull sound, it sinks to the base in my stomach .

“Gaaaah-”

Shisho continues and pulls the black spear out before delivering a kick to the middle of my stomach .

Receiving the kick, I am blown back while blood sprays out from place the spear pierced .

Iteeeee, it hurts! A few seconds feels excruciatingly long . Because of the blow to my head I was unable to react and defend myself .

I also lost the magic thought guidance hand and dropped my black spear on the ground .

“I talked in order to distract you, but your original guidance moji and the chain, moreover, that secret skill that increases your physical speed, I felt cold water down my spine, no? That secret skill can’t be a “bad move” either . Is consecutive use impossible?”

Haha, that-

“Itee, eh, it’s like that . ”

“After all, it is like that . However, you took a blade to your stomach…are you all right?” (TL: Asks the one who did it . )

I received a deep cut to my stomach . My entrails are poking out and blood is gushing out, the wound is already start to close .

“It really fuckin’ hurts…the wound is closing though . ”

However, the intense pain coming from my internal organs doesn’t change .

I crease my forehead, and try to bluff to some degree . I might die…it hurts too much . (TL: Baby . ) Still though, Achilles-shisho is strong…

“Once more!”

“As expected of the vampire lineage-”

However, the result is the same no matter how many times we fight .

Because the time lag of cerebral demon speed was seen through, it was gradually coped with .

Is the cause the difference in the number of hands?

In the end it turned into displaying the remarkable difference in the quality of Shisho’s guidance moji .

Giving preference to training my spear, without becoming familiar with the kukri sword I can’t use it well . Since I saw the movement of Shisho’s four swords in the air I thought I would try to imitate it with the kukri sword, but…without much result the kukri sword was easily dodged . The Kukri sword only flew in the sky . Against Shisho’s skill with the spear and the four swords with guidance moji I was played with . Being laughed at by the four swords I whirl around in a fine dance while being cut up .

It is like being attacked by the swords of four expert soldiers .

Nevertheless, my spear handling is incomparable next to Achilles-shisho .

So strong . And fast .

Just like that my black spear is sealed by four short swords .

After that technique–

Finally, Shisho manages to land a blow on my abdomen with the butt of his spear, and I am blown off .

The difference in ability is clear .

An ant confronting colossus .

I can sense my limits like this, I can feel the difference in experience .

Of course, without minding things like being a vampire, I expect I can win if I fight using my power as a “monster . ”

But, there’s no meaning if I do something like that .

There is no meaning…I really feel I could deal with someone with skill if I seriously fight .

Still, this old man is terrifying .

“Haahaa, are we done with this? Today was really tiring . I’ve also received wounds…”

Achilles-shisho says so with an expression as if he’s going to die, and lets out an exhausted ragged breath .

Leaning on his spear while looking over the wounds on his foot and shoulder, we walk over to the ladder .

“Are your wounds okay?”

“They’re fine . If I take a recovery potion it will be recovered instantly . A wound on this level can be left to fighting moji mana inside, so the wound should soon heal naturally . ”

“Fighting Moji has such an effect…”

I did not know that .

Even so, I had better train using the kukri sword with guidance moji more…

No, I’d also like the use the spear with it…

I follow Achilles-shisho while thinking about such a thing .

Shisho seems to have been watching my face .

“…Shuya . Even though you’re making such a difficult face, aren’t you already strong enough? Judging by your movements today, I was satisfied and ‘convinced’ . ”

“‘Conviced?’ What is that?”

“As for that . I think Shuya is ready to graduate from being a student . ”

Hearing his words, I answer with a faint smile .

“Eh? Wh-wh-what? I’m ready to graduate? I don’t feel like I’m good enough…However, why are you making a difficult face? The way I’ve been training is fun…”

My faint smile breaks before Shisho’s serious expression .

“Graduation is serious . And it’s good . Seeing Shuya’s difficult face I’m reminded of myself in the past…”

“In the old days?”

“Ah, while I was still training and working as an adventurer a friend told me I was making that face . ”

For a moment, Shisho makes a face as he remembers the old days .

“Really? But I feel like I still haven’t had enough training…”

Shisho makes a strict face in response to my question .

Lowering his eyebrows in a frown he looks at me serious eyes .

“Shuya, don’t you underestimate yourself too much? Aren’t you making light of yourself?'”

Underestimating myself . I may have been doing that…

“…”

I nod in silence .

His words are like a proverb I heard somewhere .

Shisho’s severe expression softens and with a smile continues talking .

“Ma, it’s not that I hate it, so long as it come to humbleness? That’s why you have passed your graduation . ”

Oh, I have mastery now?

“Thank you very much . ”

“…you showed me proof of your growth . I’m glad . To have been able to become strong enough to wound me in such a short amount of time . ”

“However, I still have a way to go . ”

I have learned from Shisho in various ways… My genuine desire to become stronger has come out .

“Again . What are you saying . If it’s just your spear mastery then you have already surpassed me . What do you mean by that? You don’t seem to understand . ”

Even if you say that…

“…An actual feeling . ”

“Ju…just now, the only reason Shuya lost to me is because of the four swords I used with guidance moji . The guidance moji I use is the accumulative strength of more than five-hundred years . You shouldn’t mind it so much . ”

Surely, I know that . The only person I have even fought with is Shisho .

“Haa…”

“Do you really understand it? In one year you have exceeded the combination of five-hundred year of experience in guidance moji and a god level mastery of wind spear style…”