CHAPTER 42

GRABBERTON VS FUMITSUNA

Things have turned out of my hands, but it’s all for the best!

I can somehow explain how I know Grabberton’s swordsmanship skill, and I get to witness the match between Grabberton and Fumitsuna!!

The moment Dad announced that the match has started…

The Fumitsuna girl hurled in a very fast speed towards Domi!

Awesome… so fast!

The difference between their styles is so apparent!

In a simple term… let’s see.

In a game-like world, you are a mere novice swordsman. So you are seeking for advices from the prominent swordsmen.

Grabberton: [Don’t you get it? Power is everything! Crush your opponent with your strength!]

Fumitsuna: [Overwhelm your enemies with your agility and speed! Don’t give them the chance to attack back!]

Yup, that’s how it goes, so it’s no wonder that Yuzuru quickly rushed off to deal the first blow.

But no matter. I know that the Grabberton house would train Domi vigorously that he should be able to see through Yuzuru’s fast movement!

As I expected—Yuzuru’s katana slash was quickly blocked by Domi’s Orgueil. But the smile didn’t leave her face, as she quickly lifted her wakizashi—

Domi noticed Yuzuru’s strategy and quickly put more strength into Orgueil, switching from defensive mode to offensive mode. This sudden strength caused Yuzuru’s hand movement to stop as she was being pushed back.

This time, her confident expression changed into a surprised expression. Sensing that Domi would land some slashes after she stuttered, she decided to leap back, did a sommersault and landed back on the ground without any injury. Her jump and sommersault caused the distance between her and Domi to return to how it was before the match started.

…She is so nimble and agile!!

“Not bad,” Yuzuru gave Domi a half-smile.

“Heh, so you’re quite skillful despite being so young,” Domi also acknowledged his opponent.

After exchanging meaningful glances, Domi and Yuzuru both rushed to deliver their blows at the same time.

As expected, because Yuzuru’s faster, she managed to land her attack first, but Domi managed to block them all.

Yuzuru’s movements as she attacked Domi were so fast—and it looked as if she was dancing!! This is the Fumitsuna’s fighting style! To deliver fast attacks elegantly. The combat kimono that she’s wearing just added her elegance as it matched her dance-like movements.

Simply put—she looked so beautiful even when she was fighting!!

I can’t put my eyes off her figure—but I know I should be paying attention to Domi, to Grabberton’s style.

Despite Yuzuru’s speed, Domi managed to block every attack and even launched his counter attacks.

I watched as they exchanged their stances from offensive to defensive—I can’t predict who will win this battle.

Yuzuru should be 4-5 years younger than Domi, but they can fight on equal grounds! I don’t know if it’s because she is talented or if it’s because the Oni blood running through her veins, but I know that it’s not because Domi’s giving her a leeway or if it’s because Domi’s not good.

Once again, Yuzuru created a distance between the two of them after realizing that she won’t get any upper hand with this tactic.

“Now, let’s see how you will fare against this!”

Yuzuru jumped and swung the two of her swords mid-air. Some black shards appeared and made their ways to where Yuzuru targeted her swings—to Domi!

This is another difference of Fumitsuna household compared to Grabberton—their style implements the use of magic! It’s indispensable for the members of Fumitsuna clan to learn magic, too.

Towards the rapid attack of these countless shards—Domi… how can he make his way out of it? As if it’s not enough, Yuzuru added some blows again and now, the shards are coming his way from all directions!

I glanced at Domi, but I can’t believe what I saw! Domi remained calm and even closed his eyes?!

“What, saying your prayers?!” Yuzuru shouted as she landed back.

Soon, the shards reached Domi and the clash’s impact and gust made me unable to see what was going on. Did Domi lose like this?

“Ah, too bad. Well, it was fun while it lasted,” Yuzuru sighed and let her guard down, thinking that the match has ended and turned to face the other way, sheathing back her swords and ready to walk away.

“Oh? Who taught you to let your guards off?”

At the same time as Domi’s voice resounded, Yuzuru turned her body back but it was too late—Domi has already approached her, and right when she just faced him—he swung his glowing sword towards Yuzuru!

Unable to guard on time, the blow caused Yuzuru’s body to fly—before she finally managed to control her own body and stopped herself from falling mid-air. She landed back on the ground with a huge impact, she had to use one of her hands to stabilize her body.

“Kuh! How did you--?!”

Yes, how did Domi manage to defend himself from that vicious shards’ attack and quickly attack Yuzuru back?

Wait… his sword was glowing—could it be…?!

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“Huh?! You could use Touki?!” Yuzuru gasped in realization.

Touki—fighting spirit. Not many people could use it—even I didn’t master it back then. I thought Father also had not mastered this technique back then… Domi could use it at such an age?!

He could manipulate his aura or life force to wear around his own hands—then extended it to Orgueil, which made it possible for him to defend himself against the magical attacks?!

Domi… he has really grown up… and to think that he’s this talented…

Yuzuru then ran towards Domi’s back and only unsheathed her katana as she dashed forward with it glowing back—wait, this stance?!

“Taste your own medicine!” Yuzuru declared as she perfectly copied Domi’s attack that caused her first downfall just now—looks like it’s true that women held grudges?!

…but how could Yuzuru use Domi’s movement just now? Though I know she’s not using Touki, but instead she cladded her katana in Dark magic.

“Trying to copy my movement? But your power won’t be as good as me!” Domi sneered as he blocked Yuzuru’s dark Muramasa with his glowing Orgueil.

And it’s true—Yuzuru was the one who lost. She was dragged backwards as her forte was her speed, not strength.

“Alright, time to end everything,” Yuzuru said as she unsheathed her Koakuma, too. Then, she brought the two swords closer—what is she going to do?

As she brought the two swords closer and infused them with her dark magic essence… the swords merged and turned into a single giant sword with ominuous dark purple glow!

“That’s… The Demon Slayer?!” Domi said in awe.

Though it was huge, Yuzuru easily carried it as if it was light—the legendary Demon Slayer… the combined form of Muramasa and Koakuma… So that’s how they do that?! It’s cool!

“We call it Kokusatsu! It means… Victory killer!” Yuzuru announced as she swung the sword around—and a large crescent-shaped attack formed in front of the sword.

Oh no—Domi’s done for, he can’t easily block this overwhelming attack with his Touki unscatched—he can’t even jump up, right, or left!!

“Victory is mine!” Yuzuru smiled coldly as she continued the swing—which encouraged the crescent-shaped attack to lung forward at Domi’s body quickly—even my eyes can’t really see its movement as it closed on Domi!

The crescent-shaped attack didn’t even stop until it clashed the magical barrier erected to keep us safe—it left a few cracks to the barrier before it finally was gone.

And Domi…

As the dust was about to go away, I couldn’t see anyone—wait, the name is Victory Killer, but Yuzuru couldn’t have killed Domi off… right?

Did he collapse on to the ground?

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Yuzuru continued to examine the grounds, but this time, she kept her Kokusatsu intact, in her defensive stance. Seems like she didn’t dare to lower her guard this time.

“Where are you looking at?”

This voice—Domi’s?!

From up there—wait?!

I looked up to the sky and noticed Domi has jumped extraordinarily high up to the sky!

No human being could even jump that high, and he can’t possibly use such a high-leveled magic to fly…

No… This is not it… this… Domi… on top of Touki, you also…?!

Before one noticed, Domi charged right at Kokusatsu, kicking it with his legs and swung the glowing Orgueil—those attacks successfully broke Kokusatsu’s magical power as the huge sword form was shattering—revealing the two original swords in Yuzuru’s two hands.

Yuzuru’s expression was so priceless—she was very surprised that Domi’s kicks and Orgueil+Touki combo alone could dispel her precious Killing Victory—wait no, I think I got the name wrong.

But I know it. That right now, his kicks weren’t ordinary humans’ kicks.

He activated his [Oracle]—the Grabberton family’s [Absolute Power].

That explained how he managed to jump to such inhumane height—how his kicks could contribute to shattering Kokusatsu.

It’s said that the first head of Grabberton family used his oracle-imbued kick to knock off a werebeast in just… one hit.

As the audience gasped in their surprise and awe because of what just happened—I wasn’t really that surprised after witnessing Domi’s jump. I knew he inherited the oracle the moment I saw him leaping so high up in the sky.

Unlike Hartmann’s oracle which has a high chance of inheritance, Grabberton family’s [Absolute Power] has 50-50 chance of inheritance. Both me and Clyde didn’t inherit it. Father—I know he can use [Absolute Power].

Despite the lower chance of inheritance, [Absolute Power] didn’t require any training at all so it could be used to its maximum output. You just need to control it. Switch it on and off at will.

Father seemed disappointed knowing that both Clyde and I didn’t inherit it at all—Mother was even more disappointed in me, though. If only I inherited the oracle, I would be declared the heir even if I was born a girl.

Domi… he really was born with golden spoon!

Born to the legal wife, as a male, inheriting [Absolute Power], the ability to use [Touki]… How Mother would be so proud of Domi!

I didn’t know he had the oracle and the ability to use touki as his power didn’t show up at all when he was just four. How ecstatic must Father and Mother be when they found out that Domi was so talented?

…I wonder how did Clyde feel when the news broke out?

Oh yeah, since male’s physical power is typically stronger than female’s power, of course the same goes for the Oracle. Which contributed to male preference in Grabberton household.

Although there was only one occurrence where a female oracle holder successfully snatched the heir title from a male oracle holder throughout the Grabberton clan’s history.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Dad suddenly shouted to mark the end of the match.

“Eh? B-but we are not done yet…,” Yuzuru quickly answered.

“We have witnessed all amazing techniques and how your power was even—this match ended in a tie. I’m afraid if you two continued, you won’t be able to leave this birthday party unscatched, so…,” Dad explained.

That’s right. The magical barrier also cracked—the battle has escalated so much that if they continued, their safety—and even the safety of the audience couldn’t really be guaranteed.

It’s wise to call it off at this moment.

“That’s right. I think that we were too engrossed in fighting that we forgot what this match was intended to be—a show-off to satisfy this birthday party’s princess,” Domi calmly said as he returned Orgueil back to its scabbard.

“U—uhh… And I was about to bring Kokusatsu out again…,” Yuzuru also returned her swords back.

The two then bowed respectfully at each other.

“If only this match continued, then Domi would have snatched the victory.”

I reflexively turned my head towards the source of this familiar boasting voice—Mother.

From the looks of it, yeah, the match was called off when Domi successfully broke Yuzuru’s Kokusatsu—but Yuzuru’s last remark indicated that she could just build Kokusatsu again and attack Domi more viciously. In terms of their fighting abilities—Domi and Yuzuru were on a par.

As I noticed that the two of them glanced at me, I quickly approached them and bowed down.

“Thank you so much for the amazing show off, Domi-san, Yuzuru-san! It was awesome! Swordsmanship is cool!” I said with my eyes sparkling—yes, it was no exaggeration. Today’s spectacle was more than I expected.

“I’m glad,” Domi smiled a little bit and excused himself as he approached his mother.

“No problem, I had much fun. Thanks for the opportunity, Lyra!” Yuzuru smiled before her eyes caught someone’s presence and she quickly dashed towards that person.

Wait a second, Yuzuru and I haven’t really talked a lot—oh right, she also needs to return the swords and get changed.

“Beel! Did you see? Did you see? I did great, right?”

…

That voice just now—it sounded way sweeter than she usually talked—but it was Yuzuru’s, right?

I returned my line of sight to observe Yuzuru.

The cool beauty just turned into a sweet girl who adorably put her arms around an older boy’s arm. The boy seems to be 2-3 years older than Yuzuru?

“Ah, yeah. You did great,” the boy glanced sideways at Yuzuru as he praised her.

“Hehe, praise me more! Praise me more!” Yuzuru urged him.

…what a drastic turn of personality?!

Perhaps Dad noticed my curious stare towards the pair, Dad patted my head and explained.

“Oh, it’s the rumored Beelxander Byron, I’ve been told that Yuzuru fell for him despite it was an arranged engagement by their parents.”

Hee… That explained. Yuzuru did look like a maiden in love in front of her beloved fiancé. And she was so vicious and strong during the match—it seemed to me that they were two different people… Oh well, love could do such a wonder to someone?

In the past, I haven’t really experienced love…

I wonder if I will be able to experience such a sweet love like them?

“That’s nice…,” I unconsciously let that line slip off my mouth. Dad’s body stiffened as he turned to look at me in disbelief.

“Ly… Lyra, you… you don’t want to get engaged yet, right?”

Oh!

So Dad’s worried about it!!

“Ah, no, Dad. I mean, it would be nice if someday, in the far away future, I could meet someone and love him as much as Yuzuru loves her fiancé,” I explained. It doesn’t mean that I want to fall in love right now, so I emphasized on the words [in the far away future].

However…

“Noooo!! No, Lyra, don’t lose yourself in love! Whatever happens, Lyra must find a man that would be so weak in love that he would do anything for you—not the other way around! But no, Lyra, I won’t give you to anyone just yet! No, you can’t, Lyra, just stay as a little child forever, Dad will surely pamper you!!”

…Dad’s already broken.

The trigger’s been switched and it’s too late to fix his loose screws.

And thus, the party went on according to the ‘script’—I mean norm like usual.

It was not until I went back to my sworn spouse, my bed, that I felt fatigue rising up in my body.

That’s right, I exerted a lot of energy today! My mental sanity has been tested for many times over. As I started to fall asleep, my mind wandered to what I will be doing tomorrow.

Tomorrow, right… tomorrow… Mom said…

Second… magic test.

Let’s hope everything turns out for the best!