Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: -75
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Hell and Heaven
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All of Aila's special training sessions were based on the 'Peep Punch Mark 1 Mark 1'.
I'd heard in advance about the prototype's weight and output, so she designed a thorough training regimen around that.
For the record, Aila rated this 'Peep Punch Mark 1 Mark 1' ridiculously highly. According to her, it was a truly romantic weapon.
When I asked which part was romantic,
"Firing! Cartridges! That's cool confirmed!"
Thanks for the succinct summary.
Anyway, regardless of how highly Aila rated this 'Cartridge-Type Battle Gauntlet Prototype,' she provided solid, composed instruction.
"What I'm going to teach you, Peep, boils down to three things. Footwork. Deflection. Loaded strikes."
"Yes, yes!"
"There's no rule in the Trista style against teaching it to outsiders. We're more flexible than you might think. We're a magical lineage, not a martial one. But we have absolutely no time to waste."
"Yes, Senior."
"I can't teach you a ton of techniques because of the time crunch. So, basic footwork for closing or widening distance. Then, deflection to slip even one greatsword attack. Finally, loaded strikes that can precisely exploit an opening."
"Yes, yes..."
And Aila drilled those three things relentlessly.
"Shall we get started?"
"...Uh, uh-huh?"
With that, she began swinging her Black Crystal greatsword through the air with magic.
"What's the holdup? Dodge, or you'll get hit and sent flying!"
"Eek?!"
It was genuinely terrifying.
The Black Crystal blade, combining Gale Strike's reach and the greatsword's length, charged at Milmyu with overwhelming menace before fizzling out just before impact.
"Eek..."
"Even if it hits, don't take your eyes off your opponent's attack. Now, let's keep going!"
At first, it was pure evasion. Then, charges.
Once she could move her footwork under pressure, next came deflection.
"Strike-style greatswordsmanship is pretty famous, and past Strike family students have logged their sword forms in the Jefrin archives. But don't assume that's all there is. They'll have hidden moves."
"Yes, yes!"
"So, you must master deflection to slip any sword in any situation."
After that, Milmyu went flying.
Bam! Bam! Every failed deflection sent her rebounding off the flat of the greatsword.
Of course, Aila used top-grade recovery potions ordered from the Trista family to patch her up somehow.
Anyway, once she nailed a deflection, Aila taught the final piece.
"Lastly, loaded strikes. Peep, every wild creature has a natural predator. You know that, right?"
"Yes? Yes..."
"And your natural predator is Gale Strike. Ancient traditions and history. Perfect technique. Battle-hardened body. Solid stats all around."
"Yes, that's right, Senior."
"But every creature thrashes to avoid being eaten by its predator! Otherwise, it'd go extinct!"
"Th-that makes sense!"
"Exactly! So this one strike is your counter to that!"
"Whoa, Senior knows everything."
"Ehehe..."
Aila beamed, her cheeks puffing out.
She'd been so cool just moments ago—classic Aila.
Hmm. But Milmyu had a point.
Knowing about extinction and predators showed real breadth of knowledge.
In a world where that wasn't common knowledge.
"How does Aila know all that?"
Aila grinned brightly at my question.
"Preparation for landing one hit on your predator! It's pure rebellion against the system! I studied that part intensely."
"...Ah, I see."
"...Ah, I see."
Yeah, that tracks.
"Peep, now you need one shot to make them realize you're not prey. And that'll be a properly loaded Peep Punch Mark 1!"
"...Yes, yes!"
With that, Aila adjusted Milmyu's form and left her with final advice.
"But, Peep?"
"Yes, Senior."
"Fighting your predator is like staking your life on a desperate gamble. Assume you can only use it once."
"......"
"Use the Peep Punch Mark 1 for exactly one shot. Got it? No more than that."
"Huh?"
"...Anything more, and your shoulder will hurt like hell. Promise me."
Aila's advice was deadly serious, and Milmyu nodded.
"Yes. I won't use it twice."
Gale Strike didn't go down in one hit.
As expected of the grade's runner-up. The title wasn't for show. Worthy of second among Jefrin's 40,000 freshmen.
Gauntlets on both hands.
Combining the names of her respected seniors, Milmyu dubbed them the 'Cartridge-Style Peep Punch Mark 1 Mark 1'.
Wolfram had praised it as capable of one-shotting even 16 Stamina, but on second thought, that was 'blasting away,' not 'winning.'
"Uwaaaah!!"
Gale Strike's counterattack was fierce and powerful.
'...Not easy.'
'But I can do this.'
Feeling these conflicting emotions, Milmyu shook out her body lightly.
Using Trista-style footwork for perfect distance control, she slipped the attack by a paper's width.
"Stand still and take it, damn it!!"
"......"
Good.
The first loaded strike into his opening seemed to have stunned his head.
Stronger than expected, but his attacks grew sloppier still.
Whoosh. Swish. Tap. Slide.
Greatsword swings, light dodges, slip inside, straight punch.
"Guh! Not falling for it twice!"
"......"
Kagagak!
Greatsword clashes with gauntlet.
But the sound wasn't an explosion—it was metal scraping.
Milmyu held back the 'Peep Punch Mark 1' this time.
She wouldn't get many chances.
With the 'reload' opening, she had to attack slowly.
"Hah, uwaaaah!"
But she couldn't just wait forever.
She'd bitten a chocolate ball at the duel’s start, triggering 'Half Berserk.'
She had to end it within ten minutes.
"Uwa, uwaaaah!!"
Bwooooom!! Kwa-gagak!
Gale's attacks bordered on frenzy now, smashing the arena indiscriminately.
Honestly, scary. Like facing a storm head-on.
The mana-infused greatsword from fear-soaked Gale Strike was a literal typhoon, thoroughly blocking Milmyu's entries.
"Come at me! Try it!"
Gale grinned viciously, thinking he'd regained momentum.
Milmyu looked like the underdog again.
"Think a single good weapon will take me down?! Huh?!"
True enough. Ten minutes left, one shot in her left hand.
So, she acknowledged it.
"You're right."
"...Huh?"
Milmyu's first words in the fight.
She pictured the seniors watching from the second-floor balcony.
Black Crystal. Trista's eldest daughter.
Knight of Conviction. A senior worthy of respect.
Abyss Dagger. Scary, but kind and gentle.
The great Loengrin. Someone dear.
It started as mere admiration, but someday, she wanted to stand with them up there.
By his side.
'Admiration alone won't catch up. I have to prove myself.'
Shaking before a guy like this? She couldn't even stand beside them.
"So, here I come."
"Hah, hahaha! Idiot!"
True to her word, Milmyu charged straight, and the greatsword came crashing down.
100% hit. No dodging.
Taking it meant defeat.
And just before the blade connected—
Her left engine roared.
Kwaaaang!
The clenched left fist smacked the flat of the greatsword.
Zing—a sharp pain shot through her left arm.
Hitting a person hurts less; a greatsword makes your arm ache.
Now she got why Senior Aila said no twice.
Twice really would hurt.
She'd keep her promise.
But Gale's sword rebounded, his guard wide open—this was the moment for the strike.
So.
"This doesn't count as twice, right?"
Milmyu interlaced her gauntlets and fired the right engine.
"Wha................Huh?"
Kwaaaang!!
The linked fists slammed into Gale's solar plexus.
Kwajik! Kwadruk. Thung! Thung! Boom...
Impacts no human body should make rang out, sending an unwinged person flying.
Output worlds beyond the first hit. A proper 'double-fisted smackdown.'
Gale flew like a freed bird, crashed, rolled seven and a half times unable to stop, and smashed into the arena wall.
"Hoo."
Milmyu exhaled heavily, exhaustion hitting.
'Half Berserk' timed out, feedback kicking in.
If Gale stood now, she'd have to forfeit...
But he lay foaming at the mouth.
Only then did Milmyu twist her wrist, eject the magic stone, and grin awkwardly.
"Hitting with both hands like this... doesn't count as twice, right?"
Gale, unconscious with eyes rolled back, couldn't answer.
"Waaaaaaaaah!!"
The match was over.
Milmyu's victory. Gale's defeat.
The first-year seats erupted like the arena would collapse, the heat infecting the quieter second floor.
Among us, Aila spoke first.
"Peep's something else... I told her not to use it twice. Gonna have to lecture her later."
Her concern for her junior's body over celebrating the win drew an involuntary smile from me.
"Both hands makes it 1.5 times, no?"
"...Ugh, well, yeah. But I told her to be careful..."
Aila looked sheepish at my words.
"A fine duel. Milmyu will be the Knight Division's ace next year."
"Mm. Rudika thinks so too."
Nefti and Rudika clapped lightly, purely celebrating the win.
And Eve...
"Hmm. Gives me something to think about."
"What?"
"We scout the most talented first-years aggressively for the Student Council. Normally it'd be... Coolpis? Or that Reil? guy..."
How do you misremember names as Reil.
"So?"
"Hmm. Now I need to recruit that kid."
Like Eve recruiting Kelters in the original. The Council eyes top first-years.
Don't want Maestro or Yggdrasil snatching them; class toppers often have the popularity to serve as Council vanguards.
...Oh, right. Wolfram never did it.
Scout targets were Eve or Nefti, but both lived by 'justice,' so no fit for corruption, per the setting?
"Milmyu for the Student Council?"
"She's prime talent. Beat the top two—maybe next class topper... Should I prep an appointment... Hmm."
Eve tapped her chin, deep in thought. Cute on anyone else, but just repulsive to me.
Odd, though.
"Don't you avoid low-stat recruits?"
"Talents like her pop up."
"What changed? Your theory was first impressions from public stats, right?"
"No big deal. Someone made me doubt stat numbers."
Who?
"Really? Whoever it was opened your eyes, huh."
"Yeah. Hate to admit it."
"Hm. I see."
"You don't know? Or pretending?"
"No clue what you're on about."
"...Tch. Anyway, stats aren't everything. That's all."
No Kelters, and she's thinking this?
What the hell changed the plot?
As I puzzled over unknown developments, Eve brushed it off and stood.
"Scout paperwork or class top appointment can wait. I know what needs doing now."
"...What?"
"Title permit."
"?"
"Listen close. Hear everyone shouting?"
Eve's pitying look.
I flipped her off inwardly, focusing on the crowd noise.
Soon, one word flooded the arena.
"Oh yeah, the senior with the 'Iron Fist' moniker graduated last year. She's next in line."
"Milmyu's moniker is Iron Fist?"
"Cool, right? Bet she'll love it."
"...Hmm."
Pretty cool.
But whether she'd like it was another matter.
"Thought it was just some lame officiating, but we found a gem. Gotta ask if she's serious about the Council later."
Eve hummed lightly as she headed downstairs, brushing past Milmyu climbing up.
"Seniors...!"
"Mm."
Exhausted but beaming, she hurried over.
"S-Senior! I rin!"
"Mm. Saw it. Good fight."
"Ehehe... And Senior Aila, sorry. I..."
"Uh, mm. Wasn't twice. Interlaced both hands, so... I'll call it 1.5!"
"Yes, yes! ...Um, and."
Aila hugged the bigger Milmyu tight, patting her back.
"Scary in a real fight, but you worked hard."
"Th-thank you... Really. Thank you, Senior."
"Hehe. No biggie."
After soothing Peep a bit, we chatted freely.
Eventually, talk turned to my absent bloodmate.
"Oh, passed the President on the way up—she smiled at me and headed down!"
"Mm. Said it was a fine win overcoming stats."
"Whoa... The President..."
"So she's granting you a title."
"...Me, a title?"
"Mm."
Titles were among the greatest honors for Jefrin students.
Out of 100,000, title holders were a handful, especially first-years—none.
Nefti was title-bound, but got 'Knight of Conviction' after entering Knight Division.
"Wh-what's my title...?"
"One that suits you."
"Suits me...!"
Milmyu flushed, staring eagerly. I glanced at the gauntlets and answered.
"Iron Fist."
"..............Pardon?"
"Iron Fist. That's your title starting tomorrow."
"...Uh, ugh."
"Congrats, title holder."
"Uh, uh... Title's... Iron Fist?"
"Mm. Yes."
"Senior."
"Mm?"
"Can I return these gauntlets?"
"..........?"
"Iron Fist doesn't fit. What's Iron Fist? Peep or Pink Chick sounds better."
Does it?
Isn't it cool?
"Student Council decisions aren't reversible."
"Eeeeng..."
"Why? Iron Fist's cool! Iron Fist Milmyu!"
"Mm. Rudika thinks it's cool too!"
"N-nooo..."
"Now we're fellow title holders! Iron Fist Milmyu!"
"Mm! Rudika has Abyss Dagger! Iron Fist Milmyu!"
"...U, uuugh..."
"I think it's cool too! As cool as Black Crystal!"
"Uwaaaan..."
I left the title holders to their well-wishes and looked downstairs.
No deep meaning. Not a title holder myself, awkward to join, needed somewhere to look.
There, my eyes met an unexpected figure.
One floor down, unmistakable red hair.
Tall stature. Handsome features. Longsword at his hip.
"Kelters."
Jefrin's protagonist, watching us alone.
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