Chapter 5 — The Martial Arts in This Other World Are So Primitive, the Super-Developed Dannoura Style Looks Like Magic to Them!
“What was that?”
“Is that the Swordmaster’s Gift? The one Heroes use?”
“No, there’s no way she could sneak it past me. There wasn’t any magic in it at all. That was a display of pure martial arts!”
“It was way too fast! Can humans really move like that?!”
“If someone used that with the Gift, how strong would they be?”
“No, if you weren’t that strong in the first place, you’d never make it as a Knight.”
“And that boy is a Knight too, right? Is he as strong as her?”
The guards were praising Tomochika one after another. Mokomoko seemed extremely pleased as she watched them.
Yes, yes! At this rate, the Dannoura School will gain fame even in this world!
“Uhh...are you sure everyone should just leave him on the ground like that?” Yogiri wondered. The man that Tomochika had fought was still doubled over in obvious pain. As a boy himself, Yogiri couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for him.
Of course, as a woman, I don’t know the details, but I am told it is a pain worse than hell. At least she only kicked him. It’s not like they will be crushed or anything. If they aren’t held firmly in place, destroying them is actually surprisingly difficult. But don’t think that means it is impossible! The Dannoura School also possesses a technique to crush them completely!
“Sounds like you’ve got a bit of an obsession to me.”
These techniques exist in all sorts of underhanded styles across all of time and space. Carelessness with the undercarriage begets punishment, don’t you think? I can instruct you as well, if you wish. It may prove useful in the future.
“I think I’ll pass.” Yogiri had no desire to learn such an “art” in detail. He considered that as Tomochika returned.
“Well, it looks like I won somehow, even though I only kicked him. Are you sure that counts?”
And so begins a new story, ‘The Martial Arts in This Other World Are So Primitive, the Super-Developed Dannoura Style Looks Like Magic to Them!’
“Why do all these titles of yours have to be so long?!”
“It seems your demonstration was fine,” Yogiri commented, glancing at the guards around them. He had considered the possibility that the guards might attack them if she won, but it seemed the likelihood of that was low. “So, we can go into the capital now?” he asked Torques as the captain approached.
“Yes. To be honest, if you hadn’t arrived in such a strange vehicle, we never would have stopped you in the first place.”
Entry to the capital wasn’t strictly controlled. The guards had only come to investigate after hearing about a suspicious truck being parked outside the gates.
“So, I guess we shouldn’t take the vehicle into the city, then.”
“That would be best. If you came across someone who recognized it as belonging to the Immortal Corps, it would only cause you further trouble.”
“I guess we’ll leave it here. But are you sure that won’t cause its own sort of trouble?” He didn’t feel right just letting it sit outside the city. As an armored vehicle, it was pretty tough, but it still made him uneasy from a security standpoint. With enough time, someone could eventually find a way to break in. “Mokomoko, can you put a curse on it or something?”
A curse, eh? Perhaps it is not impossible, but giving someone an electric shock the moment they touch the door, or something similar, is the best I can manage in this world.
“That doesn’t sound like much of a curse. Wouldn’t that just happen anyway?” asked Tomochika.
“Excuse me,” Torques interrupted with a look of confusion, “it looks like you’re speaking to someone, but...”
“Oh, right, what do you call it...” Yogiri answered. “We have something like a ghost with us.” They had been deep in conversation with Mokomoko this whole time, so it was impossible to make excuses for it now.
I am not just a ghost!
“I see. So, Knights of the Divine King can interact with spirits as well. But that might pose something of an issue. Within the capital, magic and other mystical beings don’t function very well.”
“Oh, really?” Tomochika turned to Mokomoko.
It seems similar to that horrible tower. While I doubt it is enough to incapacitate me, I will most certainly be weakened by it.
“I guess it doesn’t really matter. You don’t do much anyway, so what difference does it make?”
Could you please try to respect your ancestors a little more?
“In that case, why not allow us to watch the vehicle for you?” Torques suggested.
“Are you sure?”
“As I said, we are supposed to make accommodations for you, so storing your truck is no problem at all.”
“Then I guess we’ll take advantage of your offer. But come on, are you sure that guy doesn’t need help?” Yogiri looked back at David, unable to get him out of his mind. The guy seemed to be in incredible pain.
“What? I don’t think I kicked him that hard...”
“You kicked him as hard as you could, didn’t you?” Yogiri quipped.
“Wait, those guys with staves can use magic, can’t they?” she asked, quickly trying to shift the blame. “Can’t they heal injuries?”
“As Sage candidates, you are from a different world, so you aren’t familiar with how magic works here, correct?”
“Yeah, all we know is that they usually need a staff for magic.” That was the extent of the knowledge they had obtained from being attacked by a magic-wielder during their journey.
“First of all, not every mage can use every type of magic. Each has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Those who are able to use healing magic are actually quite rare.”
“So, there’s no one around who can use healing magic?”
“As an arm of the military, we certainly have someone who is capable of it, but...it is not terribly convenient. First of all, pain from something that has already happened cannot be erased. In addition, the healing itself causes a considerable amount of pain, so healing magic is only used for especially serious injuries.”
“What about anesthetics?”
“Those serve to dull the effects of the healing magic as well.”
Healing magic did seem to be more trouble than it was worth.
“In that case, you should lie him down on his side and let him rest. My dad always did that,” Tomochika remarked, as if the thought had just occurred to her.
“Should I even ask?” Yogiri muttered, giving Mokomoko a dejected look.
For the sake of the Dannoura family’s honor, let’s just say that being on guard against attacks to that part of the body is a given, thus leading to a heightened sensitivity in that area even in other pursuits.
Tomochika’s stance hadn’t been facing her opponent straight on. That must have been a precaution to protect her own weak points.
Of course, there are also techniques for use against opponents who are on guard against such attacks, but the primary reason is that her father was far too soft on his daughters. He would never go all out in training and didn’t properly defend himself, so he was always getting kicked in inconvenient places.
Yogiri wasn’t sure he believed her. No matter how much their father might have spoiled them, if there was a real gap in skill between them, he shouldn’t have been taking those kinds of hits even if he was going easy. Which meant that he must have been taking the hits intentionally.
Assuming it wasn’t just a weird kink of his, perhaps he’d been trying to drive home how effective such attacks — a technique effective against all men — could be.
Well, maybe that could be considered being soft on them. Or maybe Yogiri was just overthinking it all.
The pair drove their armored truck into the city through a gate that was normally reserved for the local garrison. Within was a base reserved for the defense of the South Gate.
After parking the vehicle near the wall where it would be out of the way, they disembarked. Yogiri had already transferred what he needed from the truck to his backpack, so while he was waiting for Tomochika to do the same, he went to take a look at something that had caught his eye.
The walls of the capital were extraordinarily tall, but that alone was something construction techniques should have been able to account for. He couldn’t help but feel they were unnaturally white, though. There wasn’t a single spot of dirt on them anywhere. As far as he could see, the walls that surrounded the entire capital were similarly clean.
Yogiri stepped up and extended a hand towards the smooth stone. A few inches from the wall itself, his fingers hit something. He couldn’t see anything blocking the way, but there was certainly something there. If he pushed, he could get his fingers a little closer, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t quite reach the wall itself. It was like the entire surface was covered by an invisible layer of rubber.
“There’s magic on the walls,” a voice called out from behind as he was enjoying himself with the experiment.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes, somehow.” It was David. He was walking normally now, so there didn’t seem to be any lasting damage. “These walls were built by High Wizard Eglacia long ago. It is said they can resist any attack.”
“High Wizard Eglacia...I feel like I’ve heard that name before. Oh, that golden guy?”
In the depths of the Garula Canyon stood a tower that had been built to seal away a being called the Dark God. During the trials that he and Tomochika had gone through there, Yogiri had encountered someone by that name. The man had worn a golden robe and was decked out in all sorts of gaudy jewelry.
“It is true, in the legends he was said to always clothe himself in gold. You know of him?”
“A little.” Considering Yogiri had in fact killed that very High Wizard not long before, he quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, you seemed to think we were pretty dangerous when we first met.”
“Well...in the end, I did lose. I have to admit that.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I’m glad you’re okay!” Tomochika cried as she jumped down from the armored truck’s roof rack. She was wearing a backpack and carrying a large suitcase.
“Y-Yes, I’m fine,” the vice-captain replied, his expression tightening a little.
“Did you need something?” Tomochika asked, wondering why he was standing there.
“You said you were here to meet the other Sage candidates, correct? I thought I might guide you to them, if you wish.”
At David’s generous offer, Tomochika and Yogiri shared a look of surprise.
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