The Matchless Warrior
Partial Translation Disclaimer: This is a partial translation of the Matchless Warrior scout story.
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Chapter 1
Akehoshi-dono, do be careful coming down.
I’m alright, ‘cuz Zaki-san held the chair for me ☆ … Alrighty, there we go!
Sorry to keep you waiting! All done reinforcing the barricade ☆
Good, it looks wonderful. It's much more formidable. It won't be breached so easily now.
You seem very skilled at this. Is building barriers— "barri-kedo"— your specialty?
No. I just kinda went with what felt right~ and tossed it together like this.
Still, pretty good for a first try, dontcha think? I feel so accomplished...☆
— This is no time to relax, though. Let's stay vigilant and keep our guards up, Zaki-san!
Right. We'll show them that we can hold them back successfully.
“One~ two~ Mic test, mic test.”
That voice… It seems that they are planning to try out a new plan.
This "barri-kedo" is the embodiment of my conviction... Even if it's Isara-dono who stands against me, it will never crumble!
Oop, it got too loud. I'm sure the staff room could hear it all the way down there.
The sound carries real well in this hallway, huh~ Maybe I just need to adjust it a little.
— Isara-senpai. Doesn't look like the situation's gotten any more resolved, huh?
What's that you're holding in your hand? It looks like a trumpet.
Hm? Ahh, Amagi. You've never seen a megaphone before? Well, I guess it's not the kind of thing you'd use every day either.
This is a megaphone. It's a machine that makes your voice go farther... Does that make sense? Well, just think of it like a microphone.
Unlike a microphone, though, a megaphone has a built-in speaker. It's really handy in times like this.
(Yeah. Times like this, when there's a barricade, or a castle's under siege or something...)
"Ahem~ Third Year from Class A, Akehoshi Subaru! Third Year from Class B, Kanzaki Souma!"
"We have you completely surrounded! Resistence is pointless, come out with your hands up!"
Liar~! There's no way you've got us surrounded! The only voices we can hear are yours and Hiiro's, Sally~!
How pathetic! You can't deceive us with that drivel like that, Isara-dono!
Surrender? To do so would go against the very oath I've given this sword!
I knew he wouldn't be one to back down easy, but an oath to a sword of all things...
(Sigh) Why did things get this troublesome...?
798! 799!
E— Eight hundred…!
(Two hundred left. A practice swing is still a swing. It's basic fundamental training— that makes it vital.)
(It is not just about the repetitions, but giving every swing my full effort. That's how you get stronger than you were yesterday.)
En garde…! 1
— Mm. What splendid swordsmaship.
Wh— Who goes there!
Oop. I’m sorry for surprising you. I’m Amagi Hiiro.
Amagi? You, are you well-versed in the art of swordsmanship?
I dabble, but not as much as you do, Kanzaki-senpai. If we're talking about martial arts though, my specialty is Amaterasu's Divine Fist.2
Amaterasu's Divine... Fist?
Looks like you don’t really know what that kind of thing is either, huh, Kanzaki-senpai. Well, it’s a martial art that everyone from my hometown knows.
Oh? I’ve never heard of it before, it's piqued my interest. Would it be alright if you showed me the movements you use for it?
Of course. I'd like to spar with you while we're at it. Just watching isn't enough to get the essence of it, I think.
I see. Well, then, let me get set up. Give me one moment.
Oh, you don't need to put away your sword. I'll go against your sword with my fists, Kanzaki-senpai.
It's a mixed-martial art? How interesting. I feel as if I'll have the upper hand using a weapon, though.
To be honest, I wonder. I haven't completely figured out how strong you truly are, Senpai, so we won't know until we fight, right?
I won't take it easy on you. Is that fine?
Heheh, that's all I could ask for. It makes me want to respond with my dearest sword, but—
It would be a serious problem if by some chance you were to get hurt, so I'll use a wooden sword for this.
Let us have a fair fight, to determine the victor then...!
Take that!
...
Ha! There! ... En garde! 1
("En garde"? What a strange shout of encouragment.)
(Kanzaki-senpai is just like Buchou, talking while he's fighting. I wonder if this is how they do things in the city?)
Take that!
(... He handles his sword wonderfully. I wish the swordsmasters back home could see this.)
(Wait, no. I got so focused on observing him, I've gone on the defensive. At the next opportunity, I'll—)
Take thaaat!
— A weak point!
How's that? My eyes are getting adjusted to the way you move, Amagi.
This much is just a warm-up to me.
My body'll get going any second now! — Hah!
O~i, Kanzaki! Are you there~?
— What the. Oi, oi, what’s going on here? Is this a fight?
Ohh, Isara-dono. We were just sparring to show each other our respective crafts.
Yeah. It’s a lot of fun, you should join us too Isara-senpai!
Nono. That sorta thing isn’t my strong suit, so…
Haha. You two are way too calm sparring while talking, huh.
Still, it's such astonishing intensity. I see why there's been complaints, with stuff like this...
Hm? Complaints?
Chapter 2
— Let's pause, Amagi. I call a truce.
What "complaints", Isara-dono? Do they have to do with me, by any chance?
Ahh, yeah. The truth is...
It was a complaint from one of the first years about the sword you wear. They were worried about whether they were going to be slashed, passing by you.
Slashed? Kanzaki-senpai?
There's nothing for them to be worried about. I don't attack people indiscriminately.
I know that, you're a really kind person, Kanzaki.
But that's just because I know how you are. Those guys don't, so it makes it scary to them.
It's not like I don't understand how they feel, either. In this era, you don't see people walking around carrying swords every day.
Is that so? In my hometown, it's pretty typical.
Really...? M~nn, well I guess I'll correct that— in the city, you don't see people walking around carrying swords every day.
Anyways. If complaints come in, it's my responsibility to deal with them.
When you come to school, how about you just leave your sword in the Student Councilroom for safekeeping?
... Fine, I leave this in your care.
What the. This short sword's...
It is a wakizashi. I cannot hand over my cherished sword to someone else, so I'd like to make a deal with you; let this one take its place.
I mean, you're saying that, but... Sorry, that's just not going to happen. Please hand over that sword.
No. Even if it's Isara-dono who stands against me, that is not going to happen.
This cherished sword has been passed down through my family from generation to generation. I was told to always wear it and never let it leave my side.
I get that. It only has to be during school hours, so—
You do not get it, Isara-dono! This sword is my lifeforce!
I have government authorization to wear this sword, and when Hasumi-dono was in the student council, he allowed it!
So, why!? Why are you trying to take it from me!?
Well, I...— As the Student Council President, it's my duty for the sake of the student body to—
I am part of the student body too! And I will never hand over this sword!
Wait!? Hold it, Kanzaki!
(Panting)...
(... The sound of Isara-dono's footsteps have stopped. It seems I've finally shaken him off my trail.)
(But what should I do from here? The academy is small, so there aren't many places to hide.)
(And even if I make it to the end of the day, what about tomorrow? And the day after that? Will I have to be on the run for the rest of my life...?)
Oh, I spy with my little eye... Zaki-san~! Ya-ho, ya-ho~☆
Akehoshi-dono...
What're you doing here~ .. Hm? Are you okay? You don't look so good.
Oh, are you sick or something? Shouldn't we get you to the infirmary to rest?
I see. If I were in an infirmary bed, it would be quite hard to notice me.
But we are pretty far from the infirmary, Isara-dono might catch us on the way.
Catch you...? So... maybe you're playing tag with Sally~ then?
Ah, man... if you were gonna play, you should've invited me, y'know~ I wanna play tag too! Count me in, count me in~☆
Mn. I am not running away because I am playing a game. I'm running for my life.
Running for your life? That sounds like a pretty big deal, doesn't it~
I'm not exaggerating, it's the absolute truth. There have been complaints from some first year students, so Isara-dono wants to confiscate this sword.
This sword is important, it has been passed down in my family for generations. I absolutely cannot hand it over.
Eh~ Taking Zaki-san's sword... that's so cruel! A Zaki-san without his sword is like a Gami-san without his guitar!
Leave it to me! I'm gonna let Sally really have it~!
Hold on, Akehoshi-dono. I'm thankful for your feelings, but you won't get the result you're hoping for. I attempted to persuade him myself, but he wasn't open whatsoever.
That is why I have to be on the run, but... I still haven't quite figured out a place to hide.
Got~cha... You're on the run, huh...?
... Okay, I thought it through and came up with something good ♪ Zaki-san, over here!
What's over there?
Don't worry about it! Quickly, quickly, follow me ☆
We're here~☆ I didn't know if Sally~ would find us on our way, my heart was going crazy! Just getting here made me tired.
(Hmm, it couldn't be, hiding in a classroom... surely, we'll get caught like this right away, but...)
(There are plenty of classrooms. Thinking about the time it would take to search them one by one, this might be a way to buy us some time...?)
O~i, Zaki-san. Come help me move the desks.
The desks? What on earth are we going to do with the desks?
Heheh. It's a siege, baby. S-I-E-G-E ♪
I saw this in a school drama once, all the students build a barricade up at the entrance to the classroom in order to stand up against the evil headmaster.
It tried to get breached over and over, but the students joined forces and drove them all away, and eventually the headmaster surrendered.
The feeling of all of them working as hard as they could was totally "springtime of youth" vibes. It was super-duper sparkly! ☆
Hmm... They say that you need three times as many troops to siege a castle than to defend it.
It might be a better plan than brazenly running around from place to place, where they could be lying in wait.
Bingo! Let's make an unstoppable barricade, and protect that sword from Sally~ One, two— go team! ☆
Translation Notes
- ↑ ちぇすと (chesuto or chesto), an exclamation Souma gives when he lunges with his sword. I've localized this as "en garde" to give it a similar feeling.
- ↑ 天照大神拳 (Amaterasu Omikami Ken) is a fictional martial art. Amaterasu Omikami is one of the names for the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu.