Chapter 29
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 29. Rivalry
The Golden Rule of Shonen Manga.
A development where rivals who growl at first acknowledge each other after a life-or-death fight, and become irreplaceable best friends before they know it.
There is a door to the heart that opens only after exchanging fists, clashing swords, and sharing blood.
"I'll kill you!!!"
The silver-haired Hero emitting murderous intent in front of my eyes right now is the very protagonist of that cliché.
Of course, still staying at the 'growling' stage, but it’s okay.
Because clichés are originally like that.
The rougher the start, the more the emotion of the reconciliation scene doubles later.
Blocked the Hero's charge with the greatsword.
Kwaang!
Light and darkness collided. Shockwave split the snowfield.
'Shouldn't beat her too hard. If her friend gets hurt, Lucia will be sad.'
Leona is Lucia's precious friend.
If I smash such a friend, how would Lucia see me?
'Black Knight-nim, thank you so much for beating my friend half to death!'
……
Let's deal with her moderately.
Create a draw at the appropriate timing, and finally shake hands against the sunset.
Good. Perfect scenario.
"Haaaat!"
Leona's combo poured out.
Up, down, left, right.
Light of the Holy Sword danced wildly.
Fast. Sharp. And above all, beautiful.
Movements sophisticated enough to be called a sword dance.
Indeed a skill befitting a Hero chosen by the Goddess.
'Your swordsmanship is excellent. As expected, the title of Hero is not wasted. It is an honor to cross swords with a possessor of such skill.'
"Quite struggling."
……Huh?
"As prey, you pass."
……Huh uh?
Murderous intent added to Leona's eyes.
Murderous intent that seemed twice as strong as before.
'Huh? Why more angry?'
Strange.
Clearly praised her.
Praised my best in my own way.
Kwaang!
Leona's sword strikes became fiercer.
"You perverted bastard!"
Pervert?
Who?
Me?
Whoosh─!
Swung the greatsword.
Lightly. Gently.
Just enough not to hurt.
However.
Rip-
Sound of something tearing was heard.
It was Leona's armor.
Because my greatsword grazed it, part of the chest armor fell off.
And revealed was.
What was forcibly pressed by compression bandages was revealed slightly.
'Considerable……'
No, not just considerable.
'……Great……'
Vocabulary is depleting.
'Ahem.'
I am a gentleman.
A gentleman does not stare at a lady's body.
That is etiquette.
But aren't we in combat right now?
Taking eyes off the opponent during combat is foolish.
In other words, me staring at Leona right now is force majeure. Absolutely no impure intention.
Mm-hm. Indeed so.
Leona's face is bright red.
Can't distinguish whether anger or shame.
Probably both.
What should I do in times like this.
Apologize?
No.
If I apologize, it becomes admitting 'I did it on purpose'.
Let's pass over naturally.
As if nothing happened.
'Do not overdo it. I have no intention of hurting you.'
"Troublesome if scars increase. Want to collect without scratches."
……
'I am sorry. It wasn't intentional. Seems the armor was old. If it is okay, shall I give you time to reorganize?'
"Shall I strip a little more. I'll dig into every nook and cranny."
Does my die only have 1…?
Northerners' murmuring was heard.
Embarrassment spread among the rough men of the North.
At that time, Brynjolf nodded with a profound expression.
"I see… Understood."
"Understood what?"
"The Black Knight is so strong that he reached a state where all beings in the world look female."
What?
"To a lion, a rabbit's gender doesn't matter. Just prey. Man or woman doesn't matter. Takes if liked. That is the right of the strong! That is the aesthetic of the Black Knight!"
Warriors admired.
"As expected of the Black Knight! Doing calmly what we can't do!" "That point is thrilling! Makes me yearn!" "Ultimate predator eating all existences!"
'No.'
Scream burst out from my inner self.
'No, I say. I saw clearly with my own eyes what is under that bandage!'
Unfair!
But cannot reveal Leona's secret.
Taking a lady's secret to the grave is a gentleman's duty.
Eventually only frustration increased.
Whether knowing my heart or not, Leona charged again.
King! Kang! Kwaang!
Sword strikes danced wildly.
Fiercer and sharper than before.
But the rougher the sword strikes, the more gaps increase.
I leisurely blocked all attacks.
"Stop it! Leon!"
Lucia shouted from below the hill.
"I am okay! Really! It’s all a misunderstanding! Please… don't fight anymore!"
Lucia.
She is defending me.
Touching. As expected, Lucia is on my side!
Leona flinched.
However.
"Haaaat!"
Leona rather charged stronger.
Rougher and more desperate sword strikes than before.
Combo. Combo. Combo.
'……Last-ditch effort.'
Stamina is bottom, enduring with mental strength.
If amazing, amazing; if reckless, reckless.
King! Kang! Kwaang!
But situation didn't improve.
Every time auras collided, she was pushed back.
'Like this she gets hurt.'
So let's finish slowly.
Loaded aura on the greatsword.
Give impact, but minimize injury.
Whoosh─!
Greatsword swung horizontally created a shockwave.
Kwaang!
Leona's body was pushed back.
"Kuh…!"
She kneeled on one knee.
Appearance barely holding on using the Holy Sword as a cane.
Leona's arms trembled tremble tremble.
Armor torn here and there, wounded here and there.
Thump-
I hung the greatsword on my shoulder.
Signal to stop the duel slowly.
This much confirmed each other's skill sufficiently.
Hero is strong. Admit.
Still room for growth remains like a mountain, and current state is also amazing skill.
Where is a better talent as a future comrade.
So let's stop here.
Fighting more only increases wounds.
'Hero-nim's skill confirmed sufficiently. Isn't this enough to know each other's strength? Let’s return to the castle and have warm stew together. Warm up body, and talk slowly.'
Warm consideration.
Proposal respecting the opponent.
And above all, Black Knight special stew.
Nothing like stew to melt the North's cold.
Eating stew together, resolving misunderstanding, sharing inner thoughts, and becoming friends.
Is there a more beautiful ending than this.
"Disappointing."
……Huh?
"To think Hero of the Holy Sword was only this much. Goddess's eye for people is terrible too."
Wait.
"Get lost. Crossing swords with the weak is a waste of time."
'No!'
Scream burst out from inside.
'Stew! Said let's eat warm stew! Why does it become an insult!'
Leona was shaken for a moment, but soon ground her teeth.
"I won't back down."
Her eyes changed.
Leona raised her sword.
Put strength into trembling legs, straightened knees, and shot straight at me.
Wooooong─
Holy Sword vibrated.
Light bloomed from the blade.
Light different from before.
Purer, hotter, more dazzling radiance.
That is.
'……Awakening?'
Read in the original work.
Hero Leona's awakening condition.
Extreme situation. Desperate crisis. And will for what wants to protect.
When those three overlap, the Hero becomes infinitely strong.
Blood flowing from Leona's wounds stopped.
Skin visible through gaps became smooth again.
Under torn armor, cut marks healed quickly.
'Already?'
In the original work, Hero gaining hyper-regeneration ability was much later.
As expected, thanks to my excellent guidance?
Spartan education seems to have taken effect. Proud.
Paat-!
Leona kicked the ground.
Faster than before, sharper than before.
"Haaaaaaat!"
Holy Sword swung.
King!
Sparks flew.
Collision with my greatsword.
And.
'……!'
Half a step.
Only half a step but.
I was pushed back.
Below the hill murmured.
"Pushed back?" "Black Knight-nim?" "Don't tell me…"
'This much, I can use a bit more strength.'
Corners of mouth went up.
Relief that it is inside the helmet.
Because my expression right now must be hideous.
Wriggle.
Black aura rose explosively.
Power of Abyss condensed on the greatsword.
Leona didn't stay still either.
Wooooong─!
Golden radiance spewed from Leona's Holy Sword.
Light and Darkness.
Two incompatible powers faced each other.
Kwaaaang!
Collision.
Earth split.
Blizzard raged.
Wave of magic power spread in all directions.
"Uwaaack!" "This is too close!" "Run! Get swept away!"
Spectating warriors were pushed back.
Lucia and Freya also evacuated hurriedly.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Sword strikes danced wildly.
Flash burst every time they collided.
Golden light and pitch black mixed and exploded.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Every time swords met, snowfield split, and blizzard rose.
Thrill of the moment sword meets sword.
Tension of life and death going back and forth.
Honestly speaking.
Fun.
First time meeting such an opponent since coming to this world.
Kuuuuoooo-!
Seemed like the snowfield screamed every time our auras collided.
'……What is it?'
No, not metaphor but really screamed?
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Ground started shaking.
Leona stopped too.
Both lowered swords and looked down at their feet.
"Wh, What is it!?"
Warriors' scream.
Snow of the snowfield split.
Between the split gaps.
Massive shadow soared.
Kuuuuoooo!
Warriors fell away at the roar tearing eardrums.
Revealed was.
Revealed was.
Massive body of black fur easily over 10 meters.
Two twisted tusks stretched left and right, and four pillar-like legs trampled the snowfield.
Aura of the Abyss rose like fog from the long trunk.
"Th, What is that!?"
Lucia's scream.
"Ancient Demonic Beast, Black Mammoth…!?"
Freya's astonishment.
'……Uh oh.'
Wait.
Hidden boss Lucia mentioned.
Mountain-sized, breathing fire from mouth and shooting beams from eyes.
'Really existed?'
Suddenly Leona glared at me.
"You woke it up, right? With that evil aura!"
"What?"
"As expected, on the demonic beast's side! Waking the beast to annihilate us!"
No, wait a minute.
My aura is a bit dark and dull, but no alarm function to wake beasts.
'Didn't it wake up because that flashy Holy Sword light was too bright? My aura is quiet.'
Rational deduction.
Since it was like someone turned on 100 fluorescent lights while sleeping.
"Because you are too shiny."
"Shameless!"
The Hero shouted aiming the Holy Sword.
No, correct words. Really dazzling.
But now is not the time to argue right and wrong.
Puuuuuuuu!
Black Mammoth raised its trunk.
Black magic power condenses. Momentum to shoot breath.
Looked around.
Lucia. Freya. And etc.
Fortunately evacuating quickly but…
If by chance that guy charges towards the territory?
Damage becomes big.
'If I borrow the Hero's power, can finish quickly.'
Let's propose cooperation.
Now is not the time to fight amongst ourselves.
Join hands in front of a common enemy.
Isn't this exactly the climax of rival narrative.
Hot development where yesterday's enemy becomes today's comrade!
'Will you fight together? Dealing with that monster is priority now.'
"Temporary alliance. Deal with that bastard first."
'Oh.'
Came out decently this time.
No, not just not bad, quite cool?
Concise, firm, and leadership-overflowing remark.
This is a miracle.
Leona hesitated for a moment.
Eyes saying cannot trust me.
Natural.
Difficult to leave back to opponent fought until just now.
'If tired, don't overdo it. I will buy time so rest.'
"If scared, you may run away."
……Why.
Why does consideration become provocation.
"…Good. But don't misunderstand. Not helping you. To protect people."
"You attract attention from the side. I will handle it."
"I am the front! You take the back!"
"Stubborn."
"Not for you to say!"
Glared at each other.
Kuuuuoooo!
Fortunately, Black Mammoth's roar ringing just in time.
Saying don't ignore since it is an ancient demonic beast.
I raised the black greatsword, Leona raised the Holy Sword.
We kicked off the ground simultaneously.
Light and Darkness rushed in parallel.