Paranormal Link-15
With the two of them chatting right in front of her, Blanca mulled over the worries that had plagued her all day. Her work hadn't gone well today at all. She had a chance to disassemble and study a corporate-grade implant she'd been looking forward to, but Isan's swordsmanship kept flashing through her mind.
...To be more precise, it was Isan himself.
The way he'd swung his blade like a madman on the moonlit rooftop, the way he'd smashed Gilbert right in the face and asked if it felt good to get that off his chest, the swordplay she'd thought was beautiful last night. Door-closed-not-transmit. Don't teach anyone outside these walls. What was it... like family or something?
Argh, seriously! It was probably just a saying, but to a girl's heart, words like that hit way too hard. Honestly, even a mass-produced Wolftech power arm was a gift, and the way he'd flattened Gilbert without a second thought, striking that pose—made her wonder for a split second if this guy had a crush on her.
Shaking her head, Blanca glanced back at the two talking.
"Never thought I'd get a sparring challenge in this world."
"Sparring?"
"Yeah. ...No blood, okay?"
...Huh? After that ominous exchange, Isan tossed a practice sword to Melissa, the woman staying next door. Blanca, not fully catching their conversation, stared at her in surprise. On the way back, they'd bumped into her during a walk, and talk had turned to Isan. Somehow it led to her learning swordsmanship, and Melissa had smiled, saying she'd have to check if he was a good teacher. But she meant herself?
Their eyes met, and Melissa flashed her a bright smile.
///
Stepping back with Blanca and moving to the center of the rooftop, I said, "Stop before it hits. Better for showing the kid, right?"
"I'm not a kid! Wait, why are you two suddenly—?"
"Dunno. Probably wants to see what I can do."
"Gotta check if you're a good teacher."
Blanca shot me a look like Why are you checking? and she wasn't alone—Blanca was staring too. Still, Melissa casually swung the sword in her hand a few times. A sharp whistle cut the air as the blade sliced through empty space with expert ease. Not formal training, but battle-honed swordplay. Hell, not even swordplay—pure killing technique. The arcs screamed intent to maximize blood flow.
"Don't cry if you get hit, even by accident."
No intention of stopping early anyway, so I said it. She grinned. Seeing her grin made me grin back. Could we really end this without blood? Wait, would there even be any? As I eyed her inhuman body, she moved.
Pop.
Her bent knee snapped straight, propelling her forward like a bullet. A normal human couldn't get that thrust from a knee bend alone, but with cyberware, no surprise. No panic—I swung my blade.
Shiiik!
Deflecting her incoming strike half a step aside with a sharp ring. Following the subtle art of the Escape Fate Blade Art, I let it slide off.
Crack!
The clash was too solid for plastic—shock raced up my arm. Screee! Pushed back by raw power, I skidded across the rooftop before stopping.
"Damn."
Failed to deflect. Losing on strength wasn't the issue—no, it shouldn't even happen. This art doesn't meet force with force. So the problem was me.
Softness conquers hardness, hard and soft in harmony—easy to say, hell to do. At least for me. Solo practice or against weaklings, I could fake it, but pointless. Against scrubs, smash, slice, break a limb, toy with softness—same result. Key is whether it works on stronger foes or equals/superiors.
More crucial: Do I truly grasp and wield the art's subtlety?
Like a predator circling prey, she prowled with her blade low, then charged again.
Thwack!
A bit better, but still couldn't fully redirect—shock rippled up my arm. Countering by stepping back half a pace to absorb, but no gap—she struck instantly.
Thaaaack!
Neck. Swept it away, but that was just brute swordplay, no subtlety.
Shiiik!
Flank. Dodging the thrust, I went for a counter-riposte—but pulled back.
Shwick!
Her blade grazed past at a right angle, looping back for my neck. Cyberware in full play? Freakishly unnatural move. As the blade came from an impossible angle, I reflexively unleashed the Escape Fate Blade Art.
Thud.
"...?"
Surprise flickered on her face for the first time. A move I'd drilled hundreds, thousands of times alone on this roof had deflected her strike. Still form without full intent, but form exists to hold intent. Even faint intent let her blade bounce wide—no shock to my arm, unlike before.
Non-lethal spar, so time to press and end it. Plenty of time even for her weird moves before her blade returned. My sword arced for her throat—slash! A cursor popped in my left eye's vision, locking her. Did I notice? Who knows. From then, pure reflex, instinct.
And that instinct held deeper engravings than Escape Fate—my core swordsmanship. I just channeled inner energy, shifting my blade's momentum.
No thunderous roar shaking the area—hadn't reached that realm yet. Didn't need to. Just acceleration from energy flow, matched sword stance.
Vision split—her image only in my right eye. Left cyberware must've lost her. She blurred, accelerating wildly. Knew her target already. Pouring remaining energy, I smacked!! her throat-bound blade aside—thunk.
Big step in, sword to her neck. Success.
"......"
"......"
Suddenly we were chest-to-chest, practically embracing. My industrial claw gripped her right wrist, halting her thrust; my blade kissed her throat. Her left hand trembled, tensed to burst free.
"...Hahhh...."
Deep breath or aroused sigh? It brushed my ear as tension drained from her body. Her killing intent, once laser-focused, scattered aimlessly like usual.
"I lose."
One step. Two. She backed off, reversed her grip, offering the hilt.
"You surprised me."
"......"
I wanted to say you surprised me more, but words stuck. Not shock—embarrassment. Started planning pure Escape Fate, but embarrassingly, went all-out! Sure, excuses: she was strong, went lethal. But proper Escape Fate could've handled it. Skill issue, but energy use yields similar results theoretically. Just different direction.
...So, my defeat. Pulling true ultimate moves in a spar.
She stared as I took the sword, then smiled normally and approached Blanca.
"...Wow...."
Blanca, eyes wide, alternated between us—clearly epic exchange. Pre-spar distractions gone; eyes sparkled.
"Good teacher, luckily. Learn well."
To Blanca, then she left the roof, business done.
...Far to go.
In front of still-awed Blanca, I muttered the same words from this spot last night. The path ahead was long.