Arc 21: Women's battle
The third day of [Pruning Ceremony]. This prolonged battle will end today as well. The eight winning tribes will clash, and the [Tribe of the Tree King] will be decided.
It seems that Pam spoke about yesterday proposal with everyone, and she apparently persuaded them, thus they became pretty motivated. Though I am still worried about whether I did something unnecessary. Oh well, whatever happens, happens.
It looks like today's format is going to be like this: only the first 4 matches will be held simultaneously, those will decide the best four tribes. After that, there are going to be two matches held one after another which will decide the best two, amongst which the finals are going to be held.
Standing on top of the four large stages brought forth in Deity Tree Region, the confronting tribes are facing each other.
However, it's a mystery why they have grown in a shape of stumps.... After all, they disappear into the ground once the match ends. Is it the spirit's power? I guess I should leave it alone since it is bothersome to concern myself with it.
(TL: really? Shouldn't u have said that on the first day?)
「The first opponent...is a weird tribe」
They are decorated with bird wings from head to toe, wear a mantle which looks like a big wing, and a headdress that is surely made from the skull of a giant bird. That outfit... I guess they are using something similar to scientific ninja arts (科学忍法).
(TLC: reference to anime "Gatchaman")
As soon as the match began, the bird tribesman started to run with an awful speed through the stage. He is fast! This speed is quite something. Elsie who is confronting him doesn't move.
The bird tribesman runs around Elsie as he pleases while changing whether he attacks or feigns, pretends to go from the front and then jump to the side all the while cornering Elsie with those ever-changing movements. Even then, Elsie doesn't move.
Then, the speed of the bird tribesman suddenly increased by one more level and he turned around Elsie's back using that momentum. In that moment I thought that the dagger he held would go through Elsie's back, but she dodged that attack with a sidestep and delivered a backhand chop that wonderfully crushed both the tribesman's face and the bird's skull. Ouch, that must have hurt.
That bird tribesman remained fallen without being able to stand up. He likely won't die since the divine protection of the spirit should be functioning. But to finish this with one blow is quite...
Following after Elsie, both Yae and Hilda have consecutively achieved easy wins. The Rauri tribe became the first tribe to advance to the best four.
「They had so much leeway ~noyo. It was an overwhelming victory ~nanoyo」
「If it was some power-focused tribe, this tribe could have won against them by repeating such disruption attacks which utilize that speed ~you know. But unfortunately for them, that level isn't really a match for Elsie and the girls」
It is exactly as Karen-nee-san and Moroha-nee-san have said, the opponents weren't their match. It appears that the girls' strength was polished even further after coming here....
....Don't tell me they have become the dependents of not just Karen-nee-san but also of Moroha-nee-san as well. Yae and Hilda got excessively closer to Moroha-nee-san yesterday.... It's quite possible that they have become those.
Uun, but it isn't bad so to speak. I just feel awkward since it looks like they have gotten rolled up in some of my circumstances.
「Ah, Touya-san. Look at that」
「Eh?」
Lindsey points ahead at the place where Rengetsu-san, the boujutsu user whom I got to know yesterday, knocked down his opponent. It seems the Lulush tribe they belong to has achieved straight wins as well.
Including the outcomes of the other stages, the best four tribes have been decided. One of them was the poison-using Rivet tribe.
Just in case, I have prepared masks for Yae and the girls as a countermeasure for the poison.
The remaining tribes are as follows:
– The female-dominated Rauri tribe;
– The poison-using Rivet tribe;
– The martial art masters of the Lulush tribe;
– The strong-armed Lemuna tribe.
With this, the RaRiLuLe is splendidly completed. There is no "Ro" though.
(TLC: a pun on the tribes names. The japanese "alphabet" has 5 basic vowels (A,I,U,E,O) and the basic syllables are built around adding a consonant to vowel. Thus, we get "Ka, Ki, Ku, Ke, Ko for "K" consonant and the vowels for example. The MC refers to such set, but with "R" consonant, which is incomplete since there are only 4 tribes and 5 syllables (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana)
「Should we watch out for the Rivet tribe?」
「Umm, there is also the Lulush tribe which has Sonia-san, I guess. It may be a very close battle depending on the opponent」
Nevertheless, they will have an easy time if they are matched against the Lemuna tribe since that tribe is simply boasting of its strength. On the other hand, it will be really dangerous if the opponent catches them. Since it looks like they have the power to easily snap a bear's neck, the girls can't let their guard down, but at least that tribe's fighting style is simple.
「Now then, the first match seems to start ~ja. Oh?」
I looked at the stage after hearing Suu's voice. The branches and leaves rustle and start to move noisily, and the sunlight illuminates two tribes. They are the Rauri tribe and the Lulush tribe.
「They are up against Sonia-san's group, aren't they?~ Umm, it will be a difficult fight」
To be frank, I don't think Rue will be able to win if she is against either of those two. I suppose the sam can be said about Pam as well. Can Yae and Hilda win against Sonia-san? Also, it's possible Elsie will lose if she goes against Rengetsu-san because of their bad compatibility. It'll be our loss if, should Pam and Elsie be defeated by those two, Rue is defeated by another contestant from the Lulush tribe.
Well, if I am to talk about the probability, I think we have more chances of winning though.
The both sides go around to the opposite sides of the stump, decide their fighting order and ascend the staircase. It's evident from the audience seats, but the participants will know who is their opponent only after going up on the stage.
「What a delicate situation...」
So it is Rue vs. Rengetsu-san, and Elsie vs. Sonia-san… This is tricky. Even if those two are defeated, we can still advance to the finals if Yae, Hilda and Pam, the remaining three, win. If we are to lose, might it be due to Pam losing?
Conversely saying, it'll be a sure victory for the Rauri tribe if either Rue or Elsie wins.
Elise is the one with the best chances to win, but it will be a fight between the melee fighters. Honestly, I can't figure out who will win or lose. Elsie would have quite an advantage if she could use [Boost] though.
The first match. Rue and Rengetsu-san step forward to the center of the stage. There's too much of a height difference. Rengetsu-san who is obviously over 180cm is against Rue who's not even 145cm. It looks just like an adult vs. a child.... Will no one criticize Rengetsu-san even if he wins, I wonder?
With a referee's signal, the match started. Rue takes a stance with her twin swords, and Rengetsu-san prepares his pole. Rengetsu-san's pole is made of metal and although it is covered in silver color, the both ends are gold-colored. Are those Mithril and Orichalcum? He is easily handling it. He would have a tremendous herculean strength though if ever those were iron or gold.
Rue moves. In response to that, Rengetsu-san presses his pole. Did she read it? She wards off that pole downwards with her right sword and tries jumping toward his bosom using that momentum. But Rengetsu-san thrusts his lowered pole into the stage and agilely does a vault jump over Rue.
Mmmm, I guess Rengetsu-san is really one step higher. He could perfectly see through that attack.
「Will Rue-san be all right....?」
「What are you saying? This kid won't end it with just that, look」
Rue holds her twin swords with a back grip and heads towards Rengetsu-san once more. She repeatedly sends out the waves of surging attacks with her right and left swords. She continuously attacks while moving lightly at the same time. Those movements...
「Hee~ That movements are that of a melee fighter ~right. Did Elsie teach those to her?」
As expected of Moroha-nee-san. Did she see through it? Those movements definitely resemble Elsie's footwork. It seems that Rue asked Elsie to teach her how to fight as well.
「Damn」
Rengetsu-san doesn't allow her to reach his bosom someway or another and endures it with his pole. But in terms of the spent labor, Rue is superior. Before long, after having been cornered, he picks up his pole and sweeps it sideways while taking back a few steps thus creating distance.
Rue pursued him without letting him get away. However, Rengetsu-san went far from merely running away. He dashed forward and threw the pole at Rue's feet. He then drove the palm of his hand into her bosom when she lost her balance.
「Uguu…!」
Rue recovers her posture while rolling and takes a distance from Rengetsu-san for an instant. That one just now will hurt for sure.
You bastard! Hey, Rengetsu! What the heck do you think you are doing to our house's princess? I will curse you, you damn baldy….. My thoughts went wild there for a moment.
Not good, not good. This is a match after all. Calm down Touya, calm down. You will get a little bit of revenge later so let this one slip for now.
This time, Rengetsu unleashes a continuous barrage of thrusts with his pole while cornering Rue. Barely avoiding the incoming pole and letting it come through, Rue drops her left sword and grasps the pole under her left armpit effectively stopping its movement. In the instant when Rue tries to attack from here on out, Rengetsu-san lets go of his pole.
「Eh? Waaa!?」
「Haaaaaaa !」
Rue loses her balance due to her opponent letting go of his weapon. Having thrown it away, Rengetsu-san extends his palm all the while yelling like some time ago. At that instant, Rue was blown backward as if something was pressing onto her.
Is that attack the same [Hakkei] which Sonia-san uses? I see. I suppose it shouldn't be strange that he is able to use that since they are comrades.
The blown off Rue rotated in the air and landed magnificently without a large impact. [Out-of-bound], that is.
「Winner, Rengetsu!」
The referee announces the winner. Immediately, a thunderous applause and cheers roared from the venue.
Rue lost by an out-of-bounds defeat. The place where she was blown off was bad. And yet, if it was approximately a meter closer to center, she might have managed to somehow return to the fight.
「Rue...has lost in the end」
「Something like this can happen since it's a match. Even Rue understands that」
While patting Suu's head who was sulking in disappointment, I gazed at Rue who had returned to the stage to collect her swords and to shake hands with Rengetsu-san. I felt from her face that she was disappointed and that she would have liked to continue. You have done well.
「Now, since it came to this, this is the where I want to win the next one but...」
I look at Elsie and Sonia-san who are advancing to the top of the stage.
Both are fellow melee fighters and both have hardened their fists while chiming their gauntlets.
They took stances opposite of each other and looked straight at their opponents. The referee slowly raises his right hand, looks at the two of them, and swings it down in one go.
「Begin!」
Bakitsuuuuuuuuuuuu!!
Both charged towards each other with their full power simultaneously. Their fists ventured toward the other's face, sinking each of their fists into the other. It's a beautiful cross counter.... Cross counter? In what way!?
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait!! It is way too sudden! Furthermore, why are both of them grinning while they have hit each other's faces!?
『You are not bad』
『Same to you』
Come on! Are the both of you juvenile leaders standing up against each other at the riverbank at sunset?!
They take distance once again and start to exchange fists again. Elsie unleashes a right straight, and Sonia-san takes that with her gauntlet. Conversely, Sonia-san sends out her left hook out, and similarly, Elsie flicks it with her gauntlet.
In any case, the sound is brutal.
Gotsu! Gan! Gaintsu! Gakyatsu! The sounds of metal bumping against each other echoed above the stage. It is really-really scary!
It's even scarier since both of them are laughing. Yes, they are laughing while hitting each other. It's scary ~you know. It's really terrifying ~you know.
Then everyone, I will see you next time. Good bye, good bye, good bye.
...It is like I got possessed.