Chapter 68
Chapter 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Fox and Cat
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A duel between a human boy not yet twenty and the rangers. It became quite the big issue in the peaceful elven society.
"Did you hear the news?"
"Of course! I'm going to watch later—wanna come?"
"The girl next door, Shaon, is gonna show off her skills, so we should bring some ingredients at least."
"Oh, Shaon? She hates the hassle and rarely does it, so we gotta go."
Was it a festival using the duel as an excuse? Elves, excited at the thought of tasting all sorts of dishes after so long, began pulling out rare ingredients one by one.
"Huh? Behemoth meat? How'd you get this?"
"My dad brought it back when I was little, and some was left."
"Little for you means like two hundred years ago, right?"
"Yeah. It's been stored well, so don't worry."
Items impossible to buy with money alone popped up casually.
For elves, who could trace back three generations to about a thousand years without issue, ingredients unavailable in the modern world piled up one by one, creating a sight that would make humans doubt their eyes.
"Still, I'm worried. They gotta go easy on him."
"Psh, what're you worried about? Those kids are all over three hundred years old—think they can't hold back against a child?"
"Yeah, I guess."
If that not-even-twenty kid's spirit broke, it'd be a disaster. As the elves prepared for the festival with half worry and half excitement, a loud voice echoed from afar.
- The kid's here, so everyone get ready!
They'd gotten the human child's permission beforehand and set the duel in a large arena.
Elves quickly filled the circular arena built around two thousand years ago, while the cooking elves bustled about preparing food.
Thud thud thud thud thud— the kitchen knife swung, leaving afterimages. Where the sword aura left a light green trail, only neatly prepped ingredients remained. Another elf standing before it cast spells to handle the tricky processes in sequence.
Perfect fire temperature, ingredients added to the cauldron in cooking order, and sauce from a six-hundred-year veteran chef poured in carefully.
"Mm, not bad. Take this over there."
"Yes, sis."
"You're still calling me sis? We're only fifty years apart—makes me feel old."
"Hehe, is that so?"
Tsukiyo, heading to the arena while watching such scenes, sped up with a weary look.
"Ah, Lady Tsukiyo! Let's go together!"
"Elves and their sense of time—still can't get it."
"Come on, you've lived as long as any elf."
"You—youuu...! I told you not to say that!"
"Whoops. Hehe."
Anyway, maybe because she looked like a kid, she got treated like one.
Tsukiyo plopped down on a suitable seat, lips pursed. Truly, elves with nothing but time on their hands—the design let even a shorty like her have a perfect view when seated.
"Delu, when's it start?"
"Dunno? Nothing set in stone."
"Urgh...."
After a moment's thought, Tsukiyo pulled a finger-sized plastic packet from her pocket.
"Oh, that's churu, right? Heard about it a few times but first time seeing it!"
"Sigh... You've wasted your life, elf."
Tsukiyo squeezed her eyes shut. Only a few churu left from the beastkin alliance. But hoarding them stingily when she'd never even tried one in her life felt wrong.
"Hah, here—one."
"Whoa, really?"
Delu grinned and took the churu. Tsukiyo, pained, pulled out a fresh one, tore the packaging, and popped it in her mouth.
Then slurp—one suck, and an indescribable flavor explosion dyed her brain in pleasure.
"Fuu.... Churu from Bohm is the best, after all."
Her cat ears twitched, her slightly flushed face full of bliss. Seeing it, Delu eagerly squeezed the whole thing down in one go.
"Mmph...!? Blech...."
Churu dribbled from Delu's mouth. Tsukiyo looked devastated, but Delu couldn't muster the courage to swallow.
"Th-that precious stuff...! I gave it to you and...!"
"Nyaah.... Too bitter... can't eat it...."
"You fool who doesn't know this taste! Fine! Give it back!"
Tsukiyo snatched the churu from Delu's hand, puffed her cheeks, and turned to the arena. Sensing presences, it seemed about to start.
"Ugh... So little left. Such a waste...."
Licking the churu packet's rim while waiting, Tsukiyo soon spotted the human boy shambling into the arena.
"Dear me, so scrawny—how's he gonna fight?"
"Just average build, no?"
"A man must have muscle. That skinny, one hit and he'd snap."
On the opposite side, the elven opponent appeared. Tsukiyo tsked at the lithe elven build, but it drowned in the other elves' cheers.
- Wooaaah!
- Arcane! Make the kid cry and you're dead!
- Go, little guy...!
Overall, the vibe favored cheering the human kid. Tsukiyo sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair.
"That's the Sword Queen, huh."
Lione Estor, officiating as referee. As rumored, impressive. Decent height, but why those massive breasts? Wide hips too—built to pop out babies like crazy.
Tsukiyo poked her own flat chest once, eyes sharpening.
"Tch...! When the hell does this duel start?!"
Irritated, Tsukiyo popped churu in her mouth—then the Sword Queen bellowed.
- Let the duel between Enoch Estor and Arcane Quillon begin!
Enoch Estor.... Gave the disciple her family name, huh.
Tsukiyo fixed her slit pupils on the duel.
The elf called Arcane took a flawless stance, looking quite relaxed. Meanwhile, the human kid casually strolled forward.
"Tch, pfft."
Boring end in sight. As Tsukiyo sighed, her sharp ears caught the human kid's words.
"Better go all out from the start."
His hand moved at the same time. Even Tsukiyo almost missed the speed as his fingers flicked a shard of aura from the tip.
Pfft—
Arcane's eyes widened as he touched his cheek. A bit of blood stained his hand.
The sight projected on the arena's central screen made elves blink in shock. But only for a moment.
- Wooaaah!
- Not bad, kid!
- Nice! Crush Arcane!
"Getting carried away."
Arcane smiled wryly and drew the bow from his back. No more leisure in his gaze at Enoch. Building proper tension, he exhaled deeply.
"No matter what.... I can't lose to a child at my age!"
Thud—he kicked off the ground, then rebounded off the arena wall, leaping sky-high.
Creak—the empty bowstring drew back. Midair, green aura formed three arrow shapes. Arcane inhaled and released.
Piiing──────!!
Three arrows flew in bizarre trajectories. Enoch casually swung his hand in response.
Slash—!
The clawing swipe scattered the arrows harmlessly.
"Qi?"
Tsukiyo's eyes narrowed.
Enoch immediately leaped at Arcane. Arcane still airborne. Enoch gathered power for a big smash, but elves were seasoned.
Snap—!
Pulling a thread linked to an unseen arrow stabbed in the ground, Arcane's form darted midair. At the same time, he drew the string.
Creak creak—
Five arrows this time. Enoch's pupils suddenly slit vertically.
Crackle—!
His form scattered in lightning and reformed before Arcane's nose. Arcane's eyes flew wide.
"What speed...!"
He tried to react hastily, but too late. The nail-touch at his throat made Arcane exhale in defeat.
"...I'll last about five minutes."
He weakly extended a hand; Enoch clasped it. Lione declared:
- Winner: Enoch Estor! Woo! Our Enoch did great!
*
At some point, Tsukiyo fell silent, staring fixedly at Enoch.
Unsatisfied after one duel, Enoch called the next opponent, keeping the festival vibe rolling. Amid it, Tsukiyo's sharp gaze on Enoch stood out oddly.
"Still a kid, but amazing! Sixth one already!"
As Delu said, duels ended in flashes. No intent to hide power, so the skill gap showed—over quick.
"That's genius for ya?"
The elf who just lost grinned and clapped. Impressed by how Enoch instantly read and replicated their techniques.
"Elven sensibilities make no sense. Steal your moves and they're thrilled?"
"Great is great."
"Hmph."
Tsukiyo eyed Enoch with narrowed gaze. Brat with a nasty personality. Obvious why he flaunted power instead of hiding—no wonder it irked her.
Look, I can do this too. So figure out how to counter. I'll break it and use it as my stepping stone.
That rotten mindset, right?
"Urgh...."
"What's up? Wanna fight? Just jump in."
No brackets anyway—want a duel, join.
"Not exactly.... Just bugs me."
Skill aside, that brief flash of his right eye's slit pupil. Looked beastkin....
"Oh come on, you're embarrassed?"
Delu beamed and shot her hand up.
"Here! Over here! Lady Tsukiyo wants a duel too!"
"Huh, Lady Tsukiyo?"
"Isn't that the great warrior from the beastkin tribes?"
"Yeah, think so."
And just like that, the duel was set. Tsukiyo, caught off-guard, rolled her eyes—but whatever.
"Ahem."
Tsukiyo lightly leaped, landing in the arena.
"Well, looks like it's you, kid."
Her glossy black hair fluttered. Golden slit pupils in black irises fixed on Enoch, then—with a pipe in her mouth—she cocked her head sideways.
"Tsukiyo of the Black Cat Tribe."
"Kid?"
"Got a problem? Consider our age gap, though..."
"Lione, she's kinda childish—sure it's okay to fight?"
Oh, talking about me? Tsukiyo's eyes blazed.
Slash—!
Enoch's eyes narrowed at the sharp midair slash. Tsukiyo exhaled pipe smoke, forcing up her stiff lips.
"Seems you use some decent footwork. Lemme teach you a move, kid."