Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Clue (3)
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Shk-!
A spear tip flew straight at his face.
Even against that menacing thrust, Yuri didn't blink.
He watched the attack right up until the end, then casually tilted his head aside.
But the assault didn't end there.
Whoosh-.
The whoosh of air rang in his ears.
The spear shaft swerved toward Yuri's head.
Sensing it, Yuri ducked indifferently, evading the shaft.
He brushed off the deadly strike aimed at his head with effortless motion.
His evasion was so fluid that anyone watching might mistake it for a rehearsed duet between Yuri and Theresia.
Or they might think Yuri's skill utterly overwhelmed hers.
But that wasn't true.
The gap in skill between Yuri and Theresia hadn't widened that much yet.
Of course, Yuri's abilities had improved.
The real reason for this situation, though, was that Yuri could read Theresia's moves crystal clear.
'I've got the gist.'
How Theresia reacted in any given scenario.
The links in her combos and her mindset.
Through their spars over the past few days, he'd pieced it together.
Theresia, meanwhile, still lagged in reading and countering Yuri's attacks.
It had to be that way—this was talent's domain.
Proficiency in body arts could surge in short bursts.
Reading moves was different.
The eye to read moves.
It came from either vast accumulated experience yielding predictive insight,
Or innate senses and combat smarts granting higher-dimensional vision from the start.
Only those two paths.
In that regard, Yuri's talent for reading moves crushed Theresia's.
If he wanted, he could dodge her attacks indefinitely.
But Yuri deliberately dragged out the exchanges.
'If the gap gets too obvious, she might bail on sparring.'
So far, he'd taken her Starfix four times total.
He was just starting to get the feel, so he couldn't let her lose the will to fight.
Thus, Yuri tuned the exchanges just right to keep going.
And finally, the moment he'd waited for arrived.
'Now!'
As the spar peaked, Yuri feigned a half-step retreat, baiting her.
To lure out her Starfix.
She bit hard.
Winchester family secret body art.
Starfix.
Shrick-.
Theresia's spear traced a blinding white arc straight at Yuri.
'Fifth time.'
Faced with Starfix again, Yuri's eyes sharpened.
After four encounters, he'd grasped the feel, and now he'd test it here.
'Knock it away fast!'
Until now, against Starfix, he'd only unleashed Flow Style.
Today was different.
Tang- Thak- Tang-!
Yuri fired rapid strikes at Starfix—not Flow Style.
Starfix's trajectory began to waver, rippling wildly.
It was an eerie, uncanny sight.
Even after batting it aside, the spear tip closed in; Yuri instantly unleashed Brain Flash to escape.
Chiiik-.
He widened the gap in a flash.
Eyes gleaming, he watched the spear tip vibrate faintly in Theresia's grip.
'As expected!'
Just as he'd thought.
Now, at last, he understood Johan's words.
[The Winchester Starfix is a highly unique deflection.]
[A hint? ...It bounces, I'd say.]
A highly unique deflection.
Bouncing sensation.
All spot on.
'Starfix is definitely a deflection supreme art.'
But how they used it was unique.
'They're using deflection for offense, not defense.'
Normally, deflection shed an opponent's attack.
To defend oneself or create openings for counters.
Starfix did deflect something, but...
'They turn it into offense, not defense.'
What did that mean?
Starfix was an offensive supreme art, not defensive.
Its deflection shed the opponent's defenses.
It deflected swords swung to block Starfix.
Brushed aside anything crossing its path.
'Starfix... ignores the opponent's guard.'
That was the Winchester clan's relentless drive to drive the spear home.
'That's why it climbed through my Flow Style unscathed.'
Starfix skirted the repulsive field of Yuri's Flow Style.
Like salmon swimming upstream, defying the current.
'Hence the bouncy feel.'
Swing a sword to block Starfix, and it'd feel like it sprang away.
'Amazing.'
Starfix was truly transcendent.
Sustaining deflection through an entire offensive—a feat most couldn't manage once.
Adapting on the fly to incoming angles.
Even tweaking its trajectory mid-flight.
A supreme art condensing spear mastery to perfection.
One could scarcely imagine the effort the Winchesters poured into creating it.
But he had one inkling about its secret.
'That spear enables Starfix.'
The metal spear vibrating faintly in Theresia's hand.
Despite being metal, its insane elasticity allowed free deflection play.
"Huu...."
Yuri exhaled deeply.
'Long road ahead.'
He'd sniffed out Starfix's secret somewhat, but completing Flow Catch—his core goal—remained distant.
'Not easy.'
Yuri had quickly read Flow Style and mastered Flow Deflection.
But those were Johan's years-long refinements.
Flow Catch was barely skeletal; fleshing it out was on him now.
No short-term project.
'Old man dumps this homework on me and bails?'
Yuri pouted.
He couldn't curse Johan too harshly—the clue was dead accurate.
Johan had said practice Flow Catch via Starfix.
'First, I need to catch that bouncy spear. That'll give me a feel for Flow Catch. To do that...'
A plan to seize Starfix solidified in Yuri's mind.
'Imitate Starfix.'
To hunt prey, know its habits cold.
So he'd dissect Starfix thoroughly.
Not a perfect copy, but he'd wield it himself.
Yuri eyed Theresia's spear with a sly smile.
Theresia tilted her head.
"Yuri, done already? We had a few more exchanges left."
"Of course not."
Yuri gripped his sword and charged.
"Come at me!"
"Alright, here I go!"
Boom-!
Oblivious, Theresia welcomed the thief eyeing her family's supreme art.
* * *
After a fierce spar,
Theresia and Yuri caught their breath at a distance.
The hundred exchanges replayed in their minds.
How the opponent moved.
What counter would have worked better here.
They reviewed the session while regulating breath.
Yuri finished first.
His thoughts drifted elsewhere.
'Magic sword, huh....'
Johan had tasked him with completing the magic sword.
But he'd left without explaining what it was.
Johan always did that.
Teaching, but never spoon-feeding full understanding.
Dropping koan-like hints.
Showing via action over words.
Guiding Yuri to figure it out himself, not laying it all out.
Not that it was bad.
Just one thing.
It felt exactly like how Cradle officers treated recruits. Absurd.
'Afraid someone'll think you're Cradle alumni? Acting the part.'
Johan: no guidance, figure it out.
Cradle: toss scraps of info, good luck.
Same difference to Yuri.
'So what's a magic sword?'
How do you even do it?
If there was a library, he'd check—but how, in his situation?
Didn't even know if this Cradle had one.
So Yuri sought another way.
'Don't know? Ask.'
And the answer to his question stood right there.
She finished reviewing and opened her eyes just in time.
"Huu...."
Yuri broached as Theresia exhaled deeply.
"Tessha sunbae."
"......?"
"Know what a magic sword is?"
Theresia cocked her head at his question.
"What's the angle?"
"Angle? Just curious."
"Curious? About magic sword?"
"Yeah."
"...What do you think it is?"
"Just that at Authorized 4th Dan, you can use a magic sword?"
"That's it?"
"Yep."
Her confusion deepened at his blunt reply.
"Don't people learn that as kids?"
"Why learn that young?"
"Because... it's basic knowledge picked up with body arts."
"I've only trained body arts a short while."
"Even so... the one who taught you didn't explain?"
"Nope. Didn't."
Damn old man.
See? Basic with body arts!
'Tell me properly if you're gonna tell!'
While Yuri inwardly railed at Johan, Theresia recalled something and negotiated cautiously.
"I'll share what I know on magic swords. Count it as payment for our next spar."
Yuri pretended to mull it over.
Why?
'If I bite too quick, I look desperate.'
He'd cheered 'Yes!' inside, but played reluctant outside.
"Fine, but... start with that strong sword thing? All the way to magic sword."
"Deal."
It was just common knowledge to her anyway.
Swapping it for 10,000 points? Win for her.
Essential for clueless Yuri, though.
"First, the Strong realm."
Nod nod-.
Yuri squatted eagerly before her.
"People say Authorized 1st Dan unlocks Strong, but strictly? Wrong."
"Then?"
"You try consistently pre-1st Dan, succeed around then. Hence the saying."
"Oh?"
"Not every 1st Dan has Strong Sword. Even if mana core hits 1st Dan standard, no Strong? Half-baked label."
Nod nod-.
Good student vibes amped her voice.
"Strong realm starts aligning mana core and weapon wavelengths."
"Wavelengths?"
"Mana cores, weapons—innate wavelengths. Sense them, tune gradually... surpass a threshold, Strong manifests."
"When's the threshold?"
"Average: 80% wavelength match triggers Strong Sword."
"Hmm... so what's the perk?"
Her realization hit: he knew zilch.
She raised her spear.
"Weapons hold mana only if wavelengths somewhat match core. Closer the match, more mana, purer too."
Mana: miracle's source.
Mana-charged weapons perform feats.
"Strong realm saturation yields...."
Woooong-.
"Unlocks the weapon's material potential."
Various forging materials.
Plain iron, steel, cloud iron, white steel, etc.
Strong extracts, amplifies traits.
Mana-charged weapon gets tougher, springier.
Or other properties emerge.
Yuri eyed her spear.
It gleamed oiled-smooth, post-faint vibration.
"That's Strong Sword?"
"Yeah, Strong Spear for me."
"So shiny sheen is the Strong Sword tell?"
"Usually gloss like this, but varies by body art style."
Yuri drew his beloved Whitey.
"Hmm, mana core and weapon wavelengths."
He murmured, closing his eyes slightly.
Anyone could see: attempting Strong Sword.