CH 10

10 腕試し Testing Your Ability

“Please watch, Master. This flexibility, it’s a skill directly passed on to me from Onee-sama. I can get in any position.”

“Uh-huh. I don’t really know what you’re talking about, but that’s amazing.”

Spreading her legs 180 degrees, Tino flopped down on the floor. Her dark hair scattered off her shoulders and onto the floor.

A flexible body is essential for Hunters. For a thief it is particularly indispensable. Liz has the body of a mollusc that can fold up impossibly until she could fit into a suitcase.

Even though she would shortly be taking part in a contest, Tino didn’t give off a fighting vibe. It’s probably due to her regular training routine.

Liz Smart’s training was self-taught. Genius comes in two types, the reasoning type and the intuitive type. As a genius of intuition, Liz-chan took all the training she went through and created a harsher arrangement before imposing it on Tino.

After going through training that was half malicious, Tino consequently always remained in a relaxed manner at all times.

A big difference with me who always wants to throw up. This adorable junior is now also a species of monster.

In the underground levels of the clan headquarters there are several floors dedicated to training facilities. To test the skill of the boy Gilbert, we had come to the facility on the first floor of the underground level.

It was a wide area 100 meters on all sides (328ft). The ceiling was 5 meters high (16ft). The air time is high, the layout was designed so that a person that excels in three dimensional battle can move somewhat freely. Because the hardness of the ground is identical to reality, if a hunter was slammed into it without defending themselves, they wouldn’t be able to escape getting injured.

The boy Gilbert was looking at our condition with glaring eyes.

The figure of Tino who had slammed him into the ground. Her thighs that were largely bare, the enticing gap in her hair that showed off the nape of her neck. Those were the eyes of someone that was perfectly sizing up their enemy.

His atmosphere was brimming with the mood of victory. Youth is wonderful.

He sort of resembles Luke from back then.

“…You dare to look down on me…”

“It’s because she’s Level 4.”

“!?”

“Master, please don’t give my details out to my opponent.”

Gilbert’s eyes widened for an instant. He never thought they would be the same level.

Tino is a silent, if a little cold – beautiful girl with a delicate physique. The boy Gilbert is small for a man, and she is even slightly smaller than him.

But don’t get the wrong idea. Gilbert is a swordsman. Small stature is no benefit to a swordsman, and it can become a drawback, but for thieves it’s different. For those in the vanguard position, the lightness of their body is a weapon.

Gilbert watches Tino doing her flexibility warm ups.

“Compared with Master, I’m nothing.”

“In your eyes what the heck am I exactly?”

Praising me to the sky wasn’t something rare.

Tino removed the fixtures on her belt, and her dagger and item pouch fell to the floor. Looks like she doesn’t want to use a weapon. Gilbert’s eyes widened in anger. Tino gave a shrug.

“In order not to kill you, I need to make some allowances.”

“Argh…!?”

A vein popped out on Gilbert’s forehead. Stirring people up is one more thing Tino is strong at.

Ruda rushed over to me and asked with a worried expression.

“Will that girl be ok?”

“Mmm…? Yeah Probably.”

Their ranking level was the same, but Tino unmistakably had outstanding talent. She was still level 4 due to being a solo hunter, but if she had the help of a party she might already have made level 5. At any rate she is the product of my childhood friend.

Usually though, a swordsman would be unrivalled in fighting a head on battle. Explorers level rankings are earned. Gilbert has the ability of a Level 4, so it would pay not to be careless.

In addition, the boy has that large sword Relic.

The effectiveness of Relics are extremely varied. They can turnover a difference in level, they are genuine trump cards. From seeing it at the member recruitment, his Relic didn’t seem to have an unusual power. But it still creates a large difference.

Tino doesn’t have any Relics (except the shot-ring I gave her that has no practical use) so it’s a big handicap. Though saying that, she is used to one on one combat, and she most likely knows to be cautious.

Well from where I’m standing they are both monsters though.

While I was thinking all of that, Gilbert clasped his sword and threw it away angrily. He clenched his fist and his joints cracked threateningly.

“…To fight a bare handed woman, I don’t need a weapon either.”

What is a swordsman doing casting away their sword… is he an idiot?

By the way, it might have seemed like a handicap when Tino got rid of her knife, but she’s the type that talks with her fists. Her kicks in particular are her specialty.

The distance between the boy and Tino is about 5 meters.

“Master, we’ll go eat ice-cream-“

“I made no such promise…”

Tino was in such good spirits she was singing. While performing some sort of dance steps.

Gilbert was grinding his teeth. It wouldn’t matter who the opponent was, Tino’s behavior would be annoying to anyone.

I didn’t make any promises… but I did one sidedly force orders on her. Once in a while it’s ok to go out with her. As an escort.

“Well, alright. Once you safely finish the request.”

“! Yees”

Th instant I answer, her dance changed. Loose steps turn into sharp ones. She rotated on a pivot and from that unstable posture, in one go her body spun at top speed.

Her eyes changed from wide and innocent to ones that were aiming at prey.

From where I was watching from a distance it looked like a splendid change of pace.

A swordsman excels in power, and a thief prioritises agility.

In a Shrine their role is scouting and opening locks, but it’s not like they can’t fight. They can approach their opponent soundlessly and defeat them in an instant. A high speed versatile warrior.

The distance of five meters shrunk in only one step. When Gilbert’s eyes became aware of it, it was too late, Tino’s hand shot out like a spear aimed at his neck.

Starting before the signal had been given was an unfair bad habit. Most likely throwing away her equipment was also a distraction for this.

“!?”

Even still as expected of a level 4, Gilbert wasn’t completely caught unaware and he took a step back and slanted to avoid the strike. Following his actions like a stream, Tino’s knee shot up into his stomach.

From light movements like a feather came a heavy impact. Gilbert was left without options and was blown away.

That was undoubtedly complete domination. Without armour or equipment, Tino’s slender arms and legs were enough of a threat.

To the actions that were over in a moment, Ruda and Greg-sama were lost for words. Without looking in the direction of the blown away Gilbert, Tino flashed a small smile towards me.

“Master, did you see? Divine punishment.”

“-…Not, yet…”

Gilbert was raising his body that had fallen several meters away. He coughed violently and he staggered, but it wasn’t so bad he wouldn’t be able to move.

He’s sturdy. A person that constantly absorbs Mana Material can gain durability beyond an armoured man, and more stamina than a wild beast. Their flesh, bones and their flowing blood are different than ordinary people.

Tino feels the sharp murderous glare of Gilbert, and laughs scornfully. She runs her hand through her hair.

“I think you already know, but I was holding back. I could have broken your neck. I’ll teach you the hard way not to speak to Master so brazenly. Master is your god, every day you should turn towards clan headquarters and pray to him. Bring me an offering regularly. I’ll give it to Master for you.

“-!!”

Without responding to Tino’s joking demands, Gilbert rushed in. His small body came at Tino with the force suitable of a level 4. To his vigorous spirit I took a step back without saying anything.

Tino turned on a pivot and evaded him. His hand thrust out to grab her in a surprise attack, but like she had been expecting it Tino warded it away lightly with the back of her hand, and then thrust the heel of her palm into Gilbert’s temple.

A dull sound rang out. The seemingly sturdy Gilbert staggered unsteadily for a few steps, then collapsed. He tried to stand back up desperately, but his eyes were out of focus.

Did that shake his brain? In this state I think it’s just good he’s still moving. If it was me I would definitely be throwing up.

Tino clapped her hands and brushed them down, and then spoke proudly.

“Look Master. At my growth! Thanks to Master, I was able to grow like this.”

I didn’t do anything, shouldn’t you be saying that to Liz?

At the match that was over so quickly, Greg-sama’s lips trembled. Making comparisons to herself, Ruda was also mumbling.

“So strong… Gilbert was also bare handed, but to overwhelm a swordsman that’s used to fighting head on… more than anything she’s used to battle. To be this terrifying and still be a teenager, or should I say… is this the power of 『Footprints』?”

“…To fight bare handed…I haven’t experienced it…”

A swordsman without a sword isn’t a swordsman.

“Not yet, I can…still, I can fight…”

The boy Gilbert staggered to his feet. He had no wounds, but his sense of balance was off, and his eyes were still a little hazy.

In the first place, bare handed fighting was Tino’s strong point, so when she incited Gilbert to throw away his weapon the battle was already over. Miracles and the like don’t exist. Even so, was it a hunters pride to stand back up?

Did I have that same passion and willpower as a hunter when I first started out?

Made to kneel by someone overwhelmingly strong, and still having the will to stand up is a type of talent. It seems like he really does hold the qualities to become a hunter. That recklessness is a hard to come by personality. Same for not having the ability to step on the brakes.

Tino had a very irritated expression. I clapped and called out some encouragement.

“Tino, bring down your opponent. We didn’t decide on the winning conditions. Beating him until he’s out is fine. It’ll be a good experience.”

You guys will become friends after fighting right?

§　§　§

Gilbert Bush was a prodigy. About the time he was able to make his own judgements, he decided power was needed and was praised for his ability ever since he picked up the sword.

Effort doesn’t lie. Sometimes learning from a teacher, sometimes coming up with his own ideas, he kept swinging the sword and gained strength over the years. When he was ten he had earned strength such that others in the village he was born in, including adults, could not come close to him.

There are various types of human talent, one of which is Mana Material absorption rate and tolerance limits. The faster the absorption rate the faster you can get stronger, and the higher the tolerance limit the further you can go.

Gilbert was far higher in both than an ordinary person. Even in a village with a low concentration of Mana Material he was able to become stronger than ordinary people.

For Gilbert Bush to take up the job of Treasure Hunter was only natural.

Even now moment by moment he was continually capturing more and more shrines, overcoming phantoms and monsters to gain in fame. It’s the fastest way to obtain everything in the world. If you explore Shrines filled with mana, you can reach strength you couldn’t by staying in the village.

And so when Gilbert became of age at 15 he pushed through any opposition and came to the holy land of hunters, the Imperial Capital.

His first visit to the Imperial city, everything was so large that it was incomparable to the village, overflowing with things, satisfying Gilbert.

Food that couldn’t be obtained in his village while he was on his own, a countless number of huge buildings. On streets wide enough for horse drawn carriages to travel side by side, so many people passed by each day you might have thought a festival was taking place. Most of all was something that was hardly ever seen in the village, people dressed as Treasure Hunters.

After registering with the Explorers Association, Gilbert’s steady advance hadn’t slowed since his first time hunting a Shrine. Gilbert was rare among rookie Treasure Hunters, in that he didn’t lack training and he had talent. And above all, he was brave to the point that the Explorers would admonish him as reckless… and then there was also luck.

With fellow rookies, a five person party was formed. In a flash Gilbert was able to raise the level of Shrines he could hunt.

With the large sword that was found by chance in his very first Shrine, the phantoms that were expected to be difficult battles were easily slayed. The run of the mill monsters couldn’t even draw near.

Golden Age. There were whispers from a few years back, a generation of genius rookie hunters being born one after another. Gilbert was considered to be part of the second wave.

There was some resentment held to being second, but hunters that surpass human reasoning are numerous. Particularly, by capturing countless Treasure Shrines, and if you were a veteran that absorbed Mana Material over a large period of time, you could become unbelievably strong.

At this stage in Gilbert’s eyes, he couldn’t see anyone that was a match for him. But he wasn’t impatient.

With time they could definitely catch up. Gilbert held that conviction.

The future was bright. Gilbert was sure he could see the staircase to glory.

Then shadows came into view, they were first seen a few weeks ago.

§

“At last, the engines can get started. With this the request can move ahead. As expected of Master, such enchanting judgement…”

A voice from overhead could be heard without a trace of tension in it. Due to the all over beating, forcibly moving his body brought out sharp pains. He glared back at Tino who was calmly looking down from overhead.

Cold eyes as if looking at an insect.

Strong. Terribly strong even though she was from the same generation.

Each blow hit fast and heavy.

He rushed out headlong – however, an attack that had enough power to damage a 『Phantom』 only lightly grazed him. That attack sent Gilbert flying.

It was different to the riffraff that Gilbert had met up until now.

Above all, it was most clear that Tino’s movements were intended to be inter-personal.

Relative to humans, Phantoms have a much tougher constitution. Techniques like shaking the brain or warding off attacks with your palms aren’t used on them.

And yet the opponent still had that much of a surplus.

It was said there were a lot of young Hunters with good prospects in the clan members of Footprints, but this was more than expected.

The first attack really did come unexpectedly, but he wasn’t careless since. He simply had to recognise the differences in their ability was far and high away. It was a shock for the boy who had never lost to a human from the same age group.

Not having the sword that he always used wasn’t something that could be given as an excuse. He threw it away himself, and his opponent also had no weapon. There were no excuses.

Gilberts goal was beyond that.

“You’re still conscious?”

He tried to stand up, but had no strength. There was no sensation in his fingertips. No power in his arms or legs. If he could stand up, could he even move properly?

Gilbert’s body was sturdy enough to receive several bullets and still move freely. He had been injured during a hunt before. But this was the first time he had experienced being knocked around without any weapons involved.

“Damn… it…”

“That sword, it’s fine if you use it.”

Tino said with a tiresome voice. Gilbert’s main equipment – the Purgatory sword was tossed away by him at the start of the mock battle. Now it lay barely within his field of vision.

『Purgatory sword』

The relic obtained from the level 1 Shrine 『Veteran’s training ground』.

It was a powerful weapon that had supported Gilbert from the very beginning.

It’s acquisition could probably be said to be the greatest luck for Gilbert, who was nearly broke living in the Imperial capital.

Scowling at the edge of the blade that was faintly tinged with red, Gilbert crawled to his hands and knees and shouted.

“Who’s, going, to, use, it!”

So pathetic. The Purgatory sword certainly was a powerful weapon. At the time it was obtained, the experts that appraised it at the Explorers were astonished. The excellence of the weapon far exceeded the rank of the Shrine it was obtained in.

Yet, it was for that reason that Gilbert couldn’t take it in this moment. Of the same age, and also facing a bare handed opponent. If he took up the what he had thrown away, it would have the feeling that all his achievements so far were due to his relic.

Tino didn’t come after him. After a short period of rest, Gilbert stood up once more.

Tino’s shapely eyebrows knit together in a frown, and she spat out some words.

“It’s worthless, your pride.”

Her stance had no gaps. She wasn’t tired, she didn’t even have a drop of sweat on her. But still, she didn’t show a fragment of carelessness against an opponent of a far lower level.

He knew. If she was serious he would already be dead.

From that physical strength he was assured, the girl in front of him had the power to do it.

While his breath came out roughly, and he endured the dull pain that came from his joints all over his body when he moved, he lowered his stance.

He didn’t even have the stamina to yell. He glared with the eyes of an animal. Where were her gaps? Tino had a delicate frame. Her stamina was probably higher than his, but if he could land a heavy blow…”

But he couldn’t lay a hit on her. When he attacked she had perfectly seen through everything.

While he was desperately searching for a thread of victory, suddenly the voice of Infinite Variety entered his ears.

He had the same carefree voice since the start of the mock battle.

“Should we leave it around here? The purpose this time was to evaluate your ability, you understand that right?”

“……”

“Hey so, the party you were with up until now, you voluntarily withdrew from it didn’t you?”

“-!?”

He reflexively looked at Infinite Variety. His facial expression held a thin smile.

As usual his appearance held no sense of intimidation. Black hair and black pupils, an ordinary appearance.

The particular countenance of a hunter with large stores of mana material was missing. The symbol of footprints that was required to be worn, was also nowhere to be seen. The party symbol of Strange Grief wasn’t there. Without the black overcoat he wouldn’t even be seen as a hunter.

Indeed, he withdrew. He had no choice but to leave. The party he had joined when he first came to the capital – he had been together with for nearly six months.

His companions, they couldn’t accompany the talent of Gilbert Bush.

His skin had goosebumps. Infinite Variety had spoken with a mysterious smile.

In the short time Gilbert Bush had been at the Imperial Capital, he had heard it many times. At the highest peak among treasure hunters in the Capital, there was one person.

A group of hunters with nicknames only given to the elite, the leader of Strange Grief.

“Why…”

“Because I also have similar memories… when there was too big of a difference in ability. I get it. With my situation with Strange Grief, I didn’t desert them though.”

The words hid their true meaning, so for a moment he didn’t understand what was being said.

However, right afterwards the true meaning hit him and made his face stiffen.

The amount of nicknames that are given out truly are only a small handful. They are only given to hunters that have special talent, and have captured many Shrines. It’s something out of reach for Gilbert right now.

That person, the one everyone unanimously speaks praises of their strength, all members holding jewel like talents – the man in front of his eyes…

“I think this party will be a really good experience for you. There may be some things you want to think about. But it won’t be bad to get along with other similar young people right?”

An appearance that’s full of weaknesses, and physical strength that seems much lower than Tino’s.

At the time they first met, Gilbert thought he was an overwhelmingly weak person. But right now, that fact was terrifying.

Before he knew it, his arms and legs were shaking. His cheek was twitching and he was having trouble breathing. His mouth had gone dry, but he couldn’t take his gaze off the young man in front of him.

There are many phantoms inside Shrines. Phantoms that eat people. Phantoms that pose as people. Some have intelligence, and some have peculiar abilities, others are simply strong, and some lead you astray with words.

However compared to those 『phantoms』, the man in front of him was more difficult to comprehend. Infinite Variety. He often heard that name, but no one actually said what type of Hunter he was.

Infinite Variety walked forward at ease, and approached the Purgatory sword. And then, in that manner he touched the edge of the sword with his foot.

In that instant, with the sword still in its sheathe, bright red flames started to swirl.

Thunderously, the sound of the wind accompanied as the flames formed into a spiral. He didn’t know what was happening. The phenomenon was caught in his field of vision, but his brain rejected what was happening.

Greg looked at Ruda in blank amazement.

Within the spiral of flame, without any signs of being burned Infinite Variety spoke.

“The bestowed attribute is attack range extension, is it? A simple but good sword, you should take care of it.”

His arms, they were wrapped entirely in flame, like armour. In a trance bright red eyes were reflected.

“Im- Impossible. You can’t… use it! The Purgatory sword is… a Relic! It’s, a Relic!”

Relics were powerful items, but at the same time they required subtle manipulations. The more powerful a Relic was, the more training would be needed to show it’s true strength.

The flames crawled, and upon Infinite Variety’s back a pair of blazing wings manifested.

The bad treatment from Tino. Anguish. Regret. Stubbornness. Everything was forgotten and he shouted.

“Without even, holding the grip…!? You can’t! Something like that.. is possible…”

As the owner, Gilbert had only recently learned 『Sharpened Sword Blade』 just reaching the point where it was useful, just enough to cover the sword in flames.

Operating it was not difficult. But in the first place, it’s not like there was a switch, and there was no instruction manual.

He could recognise how unlikely what Infinite Variety was doing, because it was his own Relic that he had personal experience with.

The young man was smiling surrounded by the flames. Black hair reflected the flames light and shined brilliantly. Impossible. It was different from Tino who was high in skill.

The path Gilbert was heading on, at the end of it, was no such figure.

Something unknown. A sight that was not even in his imagination. Words that naturally rose to him left his mouth. A shivering voice that didn’t seemed like his. His voice trembled.

“Mon…ster…”

Without surprise, Tino looked down at Gilbert.

Due to the flames, the shadow of Infinite Variety was projected, seeming much like his party name. A screaming grieving spirit could be seen.

Translator Notes

The meaning of Gilbert leaving his group. My thinking is that from Gilbert’s perspective, Cry is calling him a deserter. And that Cry is like him, much more skilled than a bunch of people. But more so, a talent that geniuses can’t keep up with. But when Cry talks about himself being a deserter it’s about himself being cowardly, not something critical. At least thats the meaning I got from it.

The last sentence talks about Cry’s shadow being like his parties name. Strange Grief is the katakana used for 嘆きの亡霊. Which means Grieving/Lamenting Ghost or Spirit. When I think about it, the book title doesn’t use katakana, which means I truly did screw up the series title in a glorious fashion.