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Power in the Shadows 41-50

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Oct 14th, 2019
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  1. Getting from the academy to the Holy Land takes four days by carriage. It’s within the country, and actually not that far away.
  2.  
  3. I was torn between dashing there at my full speed or taking the slow carriage as a mob, but in the end decided to diligently be a mob. Everyday decisions are important for character building, is what I told myself while putting on airs in an affected manner.
  4.  
  5. Now I really want to punch that past me.
  6.  
  7. I should have just ran. If I did it seriously during the night, it would have taken no time at all.
  8.  
  9. The result of not having done so is that I am now inside the carriage belonging to the Student Council President, Rose Oriana.
  10.  
  11. [CAN RUN WHAT WOULD BE A 4-DAY CARRIAGE TRIP IN APPARENTLY ONE NIGHT AT MOST]
  12. - CHAPTER 42
  13. -------------------------------------------------------------
  14. Alpha gives the statue of the hero Olivie one last glance before turning away. From beyond the doors to the cathedral float voices looking for the archbishop.
  15.  
  16. Paying them no mind, Alpha opens the doors and strides out. As the sound of high heels gradually fade into the distance, knights surge in as if in exchange.
  17.  
  18. Though they immediately see the corpse of the archbishop, not a single one of them speak of the golden-haired elf. In fact, not a single one of them had even registered having passed by her.
  19.  
  20. The only proof that she had been here is the trail of red heel marks stretching off into the depths of a white marble corridor.
  21.  
  22. [ALPHA STEALTH FEAT FOR SCALING]
  23. - CHAPTER 45
  24. -------------------------------------------------------------
  25. “I don’t know what he’s intending, but the venus is filled with the Church’s Holy Knights. He’s but a fool with overconfidence in his own strength. He will not leave here alive tonight.”
  26.  
  27. Nelson gives the order for the Holy Knights to gather.
  28.  
  29. Holy Knight. They are knights selected and baptized by the Church, tasked to protect the Church. Their strength is incomparable to any average knight. When she was still young, Beta once had to fight with the Church’s Holy Knights in order to save a Match, and she remembers how tough a fight it had been. But then again, with her strength now, she will not show such a disgraceful sight anymore.
  30. [CHURCH HOLY KNIGHTS ARE STRONK]
  31. - CHAPTER 48
  32. --------------------------------------------------------------
  33. I like to think of fighting as a conversation.
  34.  
  35. The quiver of a sword tip, the direction of the eyes, the positioning of the feet; every tiny detail has meaning, and to read that meaning and respond appropriately is what fighting is all about.
  36.  
  37. The power to read meaning from the smallest of actions, and the power to provide the better response. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these two are the biggest strengths when it comes to fighting.
  38.  
  39. And that’s why fighting is a conversation.
  40.  
  41. The higher both sides’ conversational strength is, the further they can read and respond, and then read the other’s response and respond to that, continuing the conversation in that manner ad infinitum.
  42.  
  43. But if their conversational strength is low, or if there is a large difference in their conversational strengths, then the conversation won’t even take place.
  44.  
  45. One side, or perhaps both sides, would just do what they want to do, and then that would be that.
  46.  
  47. There would be no conversation in there, no process, and only the result. I actually think that people who don’t intend to converse in the first place would be better off just competing with rock-paper-scissors. Delta, I’m talking about you.
  48.  
  49. She would probably just keep on thrusting out ‘rock’ to send ‘scissors’ and ‘paper’ flying her entire life. It’s a ridiculous rock-paper-scissors that she plays.
  50.  
  51. But I’m not exactly in a position to say this of others. It’s been so long since I’ve had a real, proper conversation.
  52.  
  53. The only way I’m different from Delta is that I do make the offer to initiate conversation. But it’s just that it always ends up being ‘rock.’
  54.  
  55. And this is why I am now so happy to meet this violet-eyed lady. She is actually looking at me. At my sword, at my eyes, at my feet. Though she looks like she’s just casually smiling, she is properly paying attention to all my movements.
  56.  
  57. Let’s just call her Violet-san. My dear Violet-san.
  58.  
  59. For a while, we converse while simply looking at each other. In that way, we gradually get to know the other. She is the type to fight from a distance, and I’m the type who changes fighting style according to my opponent. I am definitely not the type to only go with ‘rock’ every time.
  60.  
  61. And so.
  62.  
  63. Go on ahead.
  64.  
  65. I offer her the first move.
  66.  
  67. The next instant, I jerk my foot back.
  68.  
  69. Immediately afterwards, something that looks like a red spear pierces up from where my foot had just been.
  70.  
  71. How logical to aim for the foot.
  72.  
  73. I retreat half a step in the same motion. To think that her first move would come from under the ground.
  74.  
  75. The red spear splits into two, then chases me from the left and right in an effort to trap me.
  76.  
  77. My first move is wait-and-see.
  78.  
  79. I carefully observe the red spears’ speed, power, and mobility.
  80.  
  81. To that end, I dodge the right spear and use my sword to deflect the left one. The feedback on my hand is quite heavy. This is strong enough to kill me with one hit.
  82.  
  83. The evaded spear explodes with branches. The red, glinting needle-like lines may number even a thousand.
  84.  
  85. Then all of them rush towards me from all directions.
  86.  
  87. I clad my sword in magic and sever all the red spears with one swing.
  88.  
  89. “No matter the size of a scourge of mosquitoes, they cannot kill a lion.”
  90.  
  91. Violet-san smiles gracefully. We look at each other again for a brief while.
  92.  
  93. Higher conversational strength means evaluating the opponent’s strength in that short a time. And it also means understanding the opponent’s situation to some degree.
  94.  
  95. That is true for me, and most likely for Violet-san too. We both already know how this fight is going to end.
  96.  
  97. [SID DEMONSTRATING ADVANCED MOVE READING, ALSO KNOCKING ASIDE A THOUSAND NEEDLES COMING FROM ALL DIRECTIONS WITH ONE SWING]
  98. - CHAPTER 49
  99. --------------------------------------------------------------------
  100. Spears the width of logs sprout from the ground all at once, pulverizing the silence.
  101.  
  102. Their total number is 9.
  103.  
  104. I can evade the thick spears, but they are deforming into tentacles that are chasing after me.
  105.  
  106. Stabbing like a spear, entangling like string, snapping like a jaw.
  107.  
  108. This is her fighting style. These tentacles that she can manipulate freely would only one-sidedly torment her prey.
  109.  
  110. But I’m still in wait-and-see. I look at the tentacles, and optimise my actions.
  111.  
  112. I gradually decrease the amount that I have to move to evade. One step becomes half a step. Two moves become one.
  113.  
  114. I can’t win by only evading. Evading is merely the preparation for counterattack.
  115.  
  116. And the tighter the evasion, the quicker it can chain into a counterattack.
  117.  
  118. Evade, then counterattack in the same instant.
  119.  
  120. With a single step, I am standing right before her.
  121.  
  122. Since who knows when, she is holding a huge scythe in her hands. She swings it in a mowing attack.
  123.  
  124. I deflect that single strike with my sword. At the same time, I kick her leg.
  125.  
  126. The slime sword protruding from the tip of my toes stabs her foot. Lately, this sword has been reduced to a mere prop for performances, but it is originally a surprise weapon that can enable me to break the equilibrium when fighting against a strong opponent.
  127.  
  128. Her movements stop for the briefest of moments, but that’s more than enough for me.
  129.  
  130. Violet-san smiles in acceptance of the outcome.
  131.  
  132. “I would have loved to fight you at your full strength.”
  133.  
  134. So I say in a voice that only Violet-san can hear, amidst the scattering blood.
  135.  
  136. [LEARNS THE PERFECT METHOD TO COUNTERATTACK A POWERFUL RANGED ATTACKER AND TAKES HER OUT EXTREMELY QUICKLY]
  137. - CHAPTER 49
  138. -------------------------------------------------------------------
  139. Among the group wearing black bodysuits, she is the only one wearing a dress-like robe. With elegant steps, she approaches the door.
  140.  
  141. Along the way, she shoots a glance towards Rose and Alexia.
  142.  
  143. The two’s shoulders jump. Then they are frozen entirely stiff, with their shoulders still pressed tightly together.
  144.  
  145. So strong……!
  146.  
  147. There was enormous pressure in that gaze. She possesses an overwhelming presence, almost as if she is a monarch over the night.
  148.  
  149. The two of them acknowledge Shadow as ‘the strongest.’ But this woman is someone who perhaps reaches his feet. That is what they felt.
  150.  
  151. [FOR SCALING, AT BEST, ALPHA ONLY "REACHES SHADOW'S FEET" IN TERMS OF STRENGTH]
  152. - CHAPTER 50
  153. ----------------------------------------------------------
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