Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 23 - Chapter 2.4

4

“To the west! Head of the ducal guard of Genos, Melfried! To the east! Shin Ruu of the forest’s edge!” the judge shouted.

Shin Ruu was focusing as hard as he could. His limbs felt heavy, as if they belonged to someone else. He had defeated numerous swordsmen over the course of the morning, and his body was hitting its limit.

He had already long been forced to endure the suit of armor he was wearing, and which he wasn’t at all accustomed to. Of course, its weight was nothing compared to the cavalry armor that had been given to him before as part of Geimalos’s plot... Or at least, that was how he had felt this morning. But now it felt like it was dragging his entire body down to the ground. Furthermore, the armor limited the mobility of his joints and seriously restricted his vision. He only had a narrow rectangular gap in the front of his helmet to see his opponent through.

Is he not tired? But he just faced off against Geol Zaza... Shin Ruu wondered to himself, but then he brushed the idle thought aside. Whether or not his opponent was exhausted, it didn’t change what he had to do. He needed to dredge up all of his strength as a hunter of the forest’s edge and fight until his body gave out.

“Begin!” the judge shouted, and Melfried took a sharp step forward. Shin Ruu leaped to the side in order to dodge, preparing to swing his own blade...only for a silver flash to fly his way from an unexpected angle.

What?!

Shin Ruu had managed to stop himself just in time, but a weighty blow rushed right past his chest. As he was unable to fully dodge it, his opponent’s blade scratched the surface of his chestplate. It was such a sharp slash that it gave off sparks.

What was that? Even if my movements are dulled, his blade never should have reached me... Shin Ruu thought, trying to get some distance while suppressing his confusion and attempting to catch his breath inside his helmet. Melfried’s longsword had started off in his right hand for his first strike, but now it had moved to his left. That was how that attack had come from such a strange direction. I see... When we first met in the post town, he was carrying two swords. And when he was hiding his identity to lure out the criminals from the Suun clan, he went by the nickname “Twin Fangs.”

Melfried was most likely capable of fighting with two blades at once. In which case, even though he only had one blade now, he could still attack freely with either arm.

He beat Geol Zaza without using that technique?

Melfried took another big step forward. Shin Ruu took a swing to try to snap the nobleman’s blade, but it was lightly brushed aside. Just like Leiriss, Melfried was skilled at redirecting power. While he was larger than the younger noble and brimming with strength, his swordsmanship was still like a beautiful dance.

The sword, now in Melfried’s right hand again, scraped against Shin Ruu’s helmet. The young hunter was desperately trying to look for an opening to counterattack while dodging his opponent’s blows, but with each step he took, his body felt heavier, and his breathing grew rougher.

The sweat running down to the bottom of his helmet was unpleasant, but he couldn’t wipe it away. The armor covering his body was steadily stealing away his freedom of movement, making it feel as if he was stuck in a swamp.

It would be so refreshing if he could just cast the armor aside here and now. He wanted to feel the breeze on his skin. To sense the whole world around him with his eyes, nose, and ears exposed, rather than having to peer through that tiny opening. Shin Ruu had hunted more giba than he could count that way. He would never be able to bring his full strength to bear trapped in this stiff, cramped attire.

No... That’s nothing but whining. If I was going to waste time on such feeble complaints, then I never should have come here, Shin Ruu thought, getting himself back on track. But just as he did, an especially powerful impact struck his temple. Melfried had landed a clean blow on Shin Ruu’s helmet from the side.

His consciousness stuttered in that moment, but Shin Ruu’s hunter’s instincts caused him to leap backward. He could no longer see straight, and there were flashing lights dancing in front of his vision. He wouldn’t be able to offer any resistance to a follow-up attack, but for some reason, Melfried didn’t move. Perhaps he was thrown by the fact that the young hunter hadn’t fallen.

I’ll never yield the fight of my own volition. If you want to call yourself the victor, you’ll have to show me more of your strength.

Shin Ruu narrowed his eyes, trying to get them to focus on Melfried.

It was then that he faintly heard a familiar voice among the cheers that were being muffled by the helmet.

“Give it your all, Shin Ruu! I know you can win! You’ve gotten so strong!” It sounded like he had lost all control of himself and started shouting like a young child...but it was undoubtedly Asuta’s voice.

Without thinking, Shin Ruu broke out in a smile under his helmet. Right. I can’t go showing Asuta and Lala Ruu such a pathetic display.

Shin Ruu took a deep breath, and focused his shaken consciousness. It was then that he finally noticed that something was off. His field of vision, which had been cut down into a rectangle until just a moment ago, was now wide open. The previous slash had sent the visor of his helmet flying.

I can see... I can see just like normal.

If he got slashed in the face again, he would undoubtedly suffer wounds that would never heal. But even with that kind of danger now in play, it didn’t feel like an issue at all, now that he could see properly.

Melfried changed his strategy, thrusting out with the tip of his sword from a distance. Shin Ruu’s limbs were heavy with exhaustion, but thanks to his vision being restored, he was able to dodge. He was out of breath, his lungs were aching, and it felt as if his heart was about to give out on him, yet even so, Shin Ruu gathered up his strength to bring the fight to an end.

I’ll only be able to manage one or two more proper swings at most, so I have to pour everything I’ve got into them.

Melfried struck with his blade, looking as cold as a snake. His gray eyes could be seen through the gap in his helmet, but they seemed to be completely devoid of emotion. Still, was it possible that he was finally growing impatient? He was swinging his blade with more force than before, stretching his left arm out as far as it would go.

Now!

Shin Ruu leaped around toward Melfried’s side, bringing his blade straight down on top of his opponent’s outthrust sword. A metallic sound rang out, and a snapped blade danced through the air. However, it was Shin Ruu’s blade that had broken. It had hit its limit after the repeated battles it had been used in since the morning.

Melfried immediately pulled his sword back, and then swung it sideways. Shin Ruu, instantly concluding that his broken weapon couldn’t possibly stop his opponent’s attack, stooped down without even thinking about it. With his armor still hampering his movements, he only just managed to get out of the way, with Melfried’s attack barely missing his head. The young hunter then thrust the remains of his blade at the nobleman’s side, which was right in front of his eyes. However, Melfried had already started dodging, and so the weapon missed its mark.

In that case...

Shin Ruu swung both his arms up over his head, expecting Melfried’s left arm to still be right above him.

He grabbed ahold of Melfried’s wrist, sword hilt and all, twisted his waist, and then bent his body so hard that his own head slammed into the ground. Shin Ruu could feel the bones in the nobleman’s arm creaking through the gauntlet covering it. But in the same moment, Melfried’s weight suddenly vanished. He had kicked off the ground so that his arm wouldn’t break.

Shin Ruu mustered the last of his strength in order to twist his body even further. Melfried lost his balance in the air, and his back slammed into the ground. Without even thinking, Shin Ruu thrust his broken blade at Melfried while holding down the noble’s left arm with his own.

The noble’s chilly gray eyes stared at the cross section of the hunter’s snapped sword aimed directly at his face...and in a perfectly calm voice he said, “I surrender.”

“Th-The east! Shin Ruu is victorious!” the judge shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the roaring cheers of the audience.

Shin Ruu sunk to the ground, dropping his broken blade. Melfried, on the other hand, rose to his feet as if nothing had happened.

“That was splendid. You are this year’s sword king, Shin Ruu.”

“Sword king...?”

“A title that is given to the victor of this tournament, whose name will be written into the history books of Genos. That is how impressive the feat you have accomplished today is.”

His fingers were weak, but Shin Ruu managed to remove the clasp on his helmet and cast it aside. The cool breeze felt amazing on his sweaty forehead.

Melfried lifted his visor, narrowing his eyes as he looked down at Shin Ruu. Unsurprisingly, his face remained expressionless as a mask. “The strength you hunters of the forest’s edge possess has truly impressed me. I look forward to the celebration tonight.”

With that, Melfried started to reach his hand out toward Shin Ruu, but pulled it back midway.

“What’s wrong?” Shin Ruu asked, right before a seven-colored light appeared in the corner of his vision. The moment he turned in that direction, he found himself enveloped in a warm and gentle embrace.

“Jeez! Don’t scare me like that! You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Is your head okay?”

It was Lala Ruu, who was supposed to have been watching the match from far away with the nobles.

She was clad in the beautiful banquet attire of the forest’s edge, and was staring at Shin Ruu from right up close, looking as if she was about to cry.

“I’m fine... I’m sorry I worried you.”

Hearing Shin Ruu’s words, Lala Ruu’s expression crumpled and she wrapped her arms around him tightly, armor and all.

Only able to feel her warmth on his exposed neck and head, Shin Ruu stared upward. The sky was bright and clear, as if it was offering him its congratulations.