Chapter 140 – A Moment

“Older Brother, Fight on! Fight on! Fure fure, older brother!”

Now that it’s “fine to call me that way,” she’s no longer ashamed, and now Amae was leading the way in cheering me on from the bleachers.

With her small body, she was shouting with all her might, waving her pom-poms and jumping up and down.

While thinking that I have to respond to that, the name of the opponent facing me in the second round is a man named Jawara.

“”Osu!””

We bowed to each other with the same greeting.

As an impression, my opponent was a short-haired man who seemed quite single-minded, serious, and hard-headed.

But his height was much shorter than mine.

And although he was small, he had thick muscles for his physique and looked quite heavy.

On the other hand, he doesn’t seem to have a body that would allow him to move very fast.

However, this man’s “really noteworthy feature” was not there.

[Now, let’s start the second round of the tournament with the talents who finally won the first round! Each has earned victory in the first round. However, one is a young man who has shown his brilliant talent that makes us feel the future. On the other hand, is a man who has been steadily improving himself over many years. Will it be a contest between talent and effort?]

That makes it sound as if I haven’t made any effort, but well, it’s only been about six months since I started to seriously push myself, so I guess you can’t blame him for saying that…?

However, looking at me like that, Jawara said with a laugh.

“You don’t have to make such a face. I know.”

“Eh?”

“You’re young… I could see from the left punch in the first round that you’re blessed with ability, but you’re also working bloody hard.”

I met Tre’ainar less than six months ago.

Half a year since I learned about real effort.

Just a half year. But six months.

I’m not proud of my efforts, but even though it’s only been half a year, I think I’ve had some intense days.

That’s why the words “I know that you are working hard” really touched my heart instead of compliments such as “The Son of the Hero” and “You’re blessed”.

I was delighted.

On the other hand…

“You too, right?”

“……Hmm?”

I think he can honestly acknowledge others because he himself experiences such days.

There was evidence to prove it.

「Tre’ainar… this guy… his ears are going to be awesome.」

『Hmm!』

The man’s “really noteworthy feature”, that comes first and foremost, rather than height, physique, face, or eyes.

I saw it for the first time.

The ears of the man in front of me were melted and crushed, and the hole is also blocked.

However, this does not mean that they were “unusually shaped from birth”.

『His ears have a good shape. With that alone, I have a feel for the man’s fighting style and the days of bloody training.』

Looking at the man’s ears, Tre’ainar nodded with deep emotion.

『The ears have been scraped many times on the floor, and bumped into the opponent’s head and the body many times, eventually causing internal bleeding in the ears, and as a result of repeating the same process again before it heals, the hematoma hardens and deforms the ear…. a man who has been hit by his opponent over and over again, being knocked to the floor, and still stood up and made great efforts… tis the ear of a fighter.』

From that word, I couldn’t easily put away the word “effort”, and it made me feel the life of a man… Jawara.

『Child, look at him. Smaller than you. His footwork is not so agile due to the manner in which his muscles are attached. In terms of overall strength and talent, you are not inferior. He is not as talented as other warriors I have seen and made a name for themselves in the world. Tis why he worked hard to make up for it and overcome it, and now he stands before you.』

Hearing those words, I try to touch my ears. Such beautiful ears.

But……

『Nevertheless, as you know, a fight is not a contest of effort. Be merciless and unforgiving, do not let your guard down or underestimate your opponent, and crush him with your left.』

Yes, it doesn’t matter what your ears are or how much effort you put in.

This is a place to compare our strengths.

And, I don’t mean to underestimate my opponent, but I do care about how I win.

Like in the first round, I will win with my left.

[Then, let the first match of the second round, begiiiiiiiiin!!]

With the start signal, Jawara stood flat-footed, lowered his hips, and held his hands up in front of him.

There was no sign of an attack coming from over there.

Obviously, he was waiting for my attack.

But I don’t think he had enough speed or dynamic vision to evade my left.

But he’s aiming for something.

If I stick to winning, not how to win, I could run around him with my feet then hit and run…

“【Great Demon Flicker】!!”

“Eh!?”

I’ll chop him up from the front with the left here.

[Uooooooh, the lefts from Earth are like whips, cutting through the air and Jawara’s skin! So fast, too fast! Instead of the unmatched precise lefts like the first round, these are violent lefts he’s throwing!!]

Sure enough, this guy can’t avoid my left.

However, it seemed he had no intention of avoiding it from the start.

And, his muscles and bones were pretty hard.

“Tsu, what a left, what speed, trajectory! You’ve been hiding something like this … but … I can’t fall! I’m confident in my endurance!!”

Jawara stretched out both hands while being hit. But he didn’t hit me with his hands or shoot magic.

Then what was he doing?

“eh, to, h, here!”

“Eh!?”

I paused and carried on shooting with the same rhythm, so Jawara moved in time with me.

It was the sleeve of my clothes that he grabbed with his hand until he got a nosebleed after taking so many of my flickers.

“Gotcha!”

“Whoa…?”

An unknown technique. From there. Grabbed my sleeve and what… eh!?

“What!? My body…”

Just grabbing my sleeves broke my entire body’s balance and center of gravity. I couldn’t put in any power.

Then, my left arm got caught under Jawara’s armpit, and he immediately collapsed while pulling me…

“【Arcane True Zenith Circle Throw(Tomoe nage)】!”

“A throw!”

I was thrown as he fell down… this is bad!

At that moment, I was trembling.

I thought I was in trouble, and I writhed in panic.

The hold on my left arm, which was locked by Jawara, was also shallow, so I was able to slip out at the last minute.

“tte, so close! One more time!”

I managed to get out of it for now, but if Jawara had more “power” and “speed”, I would have definitely been slammed to the ground on the back… probably…… I imagine… my arm might have been broken or dislocated at the elbow by the momentum.

Such a nasty technique.

“Tch, what the heck? What is that fighting style?”

“No matter how many hits I get, I’ll endure and get a bite in, just need one shot!”

It’s a bare-knuckle style, no magic.

“Unlike Machio, I don’t meddle in techniques or other soft paths! I have pursued only this path, don’t think you can destroy me with a little bit of effort!”

Jawara’s not punching me or kicking me, he was going for my clothes?

Is this his fighting style?

I mean, Mr. Machio? What does Machio have to do with this…

“I’m not done yet, kid!”

“Tch, 【Great Demon Flicker】!”

“Endure, endure, endure!!”

And maybe he got used to the pain of my flicker, Jawara drew his chin, guarded only his vital points, and jumped into my flicker storm again, trying only not to pass out.

With just a moment of offense and defense, his face had already swollen up, but he still approached me with teeth clenched regardless.

If he gets close again and jumps into my pocket, would he grab my sleeve or arm and throw it?

「Such an unusual fighting style…」

『Fufufu, such manner of fighting exists as well. Remember that.』

「Sure, if a faster, stronger guy did the same thing to me… I’d be horrified…」

It was an unknown technique, for sure.

It’s fresh, to say the least.

“Kuh, tsu, say, but … it looks rough, it’s actually a sophisticated punch, and it resonates with the core… but…… to put it badly, your punch is, too polite!”

“What?”

“If you are prepared to be hit and as long as you cover the vitals… if you grit your teeth… it’s not enough to reap lives! I can bear it!”

At that time, Jawara, who approached step by step while being engraved with my flicker, shouted.

『Fufufufu, tis too polite… that is what he says, is it not? Child.』

Tre’ainar was grinning as if looking at me.

To be honest, there were many ways to defeat Jawara.

Keeping a distance with footwork and preventing the approach. Intercepting on the right. A barrage with magic Breakthrough.

But if you’re concerned about winning…

“Don’t look down on it. My left is too polite? I can be rough, right?”

“But I’m in! From the bosom…”

Jawara finally jumped into my pocket.

“【Arcane True Zenith Thigh ———”

“As if!”

“Ju, show me!”

“Eh!? A feint!?”

I aimed at his face and shot the left, and Jawara, who had been hit so far, crouched on the spot and evaded my punch for the first time.

And, right after, reached for my legs with both hands…

“You’re too focused on the top, and the bottom is open, kid!”

“…… Nu…”

“【Arcane True Zenith Double-Handed Mowing】!!”

He’ll reap my legs… or, so it seemed……

“【Great Demon Rabbit Punch】!”

“Eehh!!??”

He tried to mow both my legs, I naturally punched Jawara at the “back of the head”, which was naturally exposed directly under me, when I pulled back the punch that I missed…

“Ah, guh, gu … oh … guh …”

In an instant, Jawara was dazed, his knees were shaking, and he was completely defenseless.

“【Great Demon Jab】”

“Ah… Ah.”

Not a flicker, but a straight left jab that took the shortest distance with the least amount of movement, striking him in the jaw.

The next moment, Jawara fell like a puppet with a broken string, and that’s it.

“Ah… oh…”

“Al, already, won…”

“I, in an instant…”

Jawara collapsed, and the venue was silent.

It was a very intense battle for both of us, but it all ended in less than a minute.

[O…… Ah… Yes… in a flash! It was a split second decision! Hold on, I watched without time to add the commentary… anyway, it was Earth who won the battle! It was a dignified advance to the semi-final!]

The words of the late host and the cheers erupted at the same time.

“Ts… ugh… eh?! Ah…”

Then Jawara, who had lost consciousness for about 10 seconds, suddenly woke up.

He looked around, and looked at me and was a little stunned, but he seemed to understand the situation.

“…… I fainted. Me.”

“Well, it’s only for a few seconds…”

“Ha~~~…”

Knowing that he had lost, Jawara flopped on his back and laid there.

“I’ve been slammed many times, and hit over and over again… I was confident that I could withstand the pain, but… it was not enough for those unexpected punches…”

“I didn’t want to be thrown and slammed on my back… if I was unlucky, my arm might have broken.”

“Invigorating. Even though… I shouldn’t be ‘going easy’ on youngsters like this~.”

“Going easy? I was fixated on how to win, but I don’t remember you cutting corners?”

“Ha~…… once more, let’s go from the start.”

Saying that, Jawara stood up again, staggering, but laughing, tapping my shoulder lightly with his fist.

“Older brother won! He won!”

“Even such a blow… remarkable, you do some amazing things, Earth.”

“But he’s strong. That Jawara in an instant…”

I responded to all of them while raising my hand, and at the same time I waved to Amae and others.

Then, I saw Mr. Machio and Wacha, who were watching my fight beside the arena entrance, and smiled.

“Hurry up, I’ll be going ahead, okay?”

In response to my smile, Mr. Machio and Wacha gave back fearless smiles.

Author’s Note

This isn’t a sport, so we’re going to do some nasty attacks, but good boys shouldn’t use rabbit punches even in a fight, right?