Toasteful: Chapter 146, Part 4

[Part 4/4]

With that declaration, the head of the servant group took a step forward. I took a step back. But he took another step forward. I took two steps back. It was mostly a reflex. My instincts were rejecting getting closer to him.

I understood. The difference in our abilities...

It was a response to an unreasonable situation that I couldn't help but spit out. No matter how desperately I tried, my efforts were overshadowed by the difference in spiritual power, making me vomit blood. The benefits of physical reinforcement allow for unrealistic movements like in action movies or battle anime.

If it's about suppressing the enemy with bullets fired at the speed of sound, it's one thing, but when it comes to weapons like swords and spears that are greatly influenced by physical abilities, the difference becomes obvious. The fact that the equipment of the central government forces was focused on projectile firearms was one reason for this.

And so, forced to confront this unreasonable reality, I grit my teeth in frustration, but there was nothing I could do except keep retreating, and even that had its limits...

"Haa, haa..."

"!? H-Hisame...!!"

I heard rough and weak breaths, and I realized how much I had retreated. I looked at Hisame. She was quietly staring at me with her hazy eyes. Immediately, I turned my attention back to the crowd. I was met with jeers.

"It's true that I guaranteed their safety. However, I didn't guarantee anything else, did I?"

(!? So you mean she's on the palm of your hand...!?)

My clever position deception was seen through from the beginning. I was being manipulated. I couldn't retreat anymore. It was about what would happen if Hisame was captured. I had a bad feeling about this man. I was forced to make a move.

At least, that's what it felt like in that moment. I couldn't help but feel that way. I lacked composure.

"D*mn...!!?"

Immediately, I stopped retreating and faced the front. There was a man approaching leisurely. His appearance, even singing a song, irritated me, made me anxious, and... I knew I was being provoked and prepared myself.

"Take this!!"

Thrusting out the tip of my spear, I charged forward. It was a rush enhanced by my remaining spiritual power. It was a sprint comparable to that of top athletes.

The spearhead aimed at the opponent's chest, and I thrust with all my might... In the moment of collision, I forcefully kicked the ground up. Kicking up clumps of dirt. I crouched down, preparing to dodge the counterattack that would come. As soon as the counterattack passed, I intended to swipe the opponent's throat with my spear from below.

"Here I go!!"

...But there was never a moment when my spear struck the target. The only thing I could hear was a dejected voice and what filled my vision was approaching feet.

"Huh?"

I muttered a doubt with confusion. By the time I tried to understand the situation and respond, it was too late.

"Cough!?"

Immediately, a vivid crashing sound resonated. All the air rushed out of my lungs. My vision spun violently, and I fell into confusion. I was repeatedly slammed onto the ground, just like small stones used for draining water.

"Gah!? Ha, hyu. Goo, !? ...Oo, oguuu!!?"

Finally, I was slammed into a tree trunk or something, choking, and I stopped. Rolling like a roadside pebble, I simultaneously thoroughly stained the earth with a mixture of blood and vomit. Intense pain gradually struck my entire body. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts...!?

"Hyu! Huu!? Goha, cough...!?"

I took a breath that felt like I couldn't breathe, and immediately crushed the round pill, which was a painkiller. It was the remaining one that I gave to Hisame. It would take time for the effect to kick in, so until then, I had to endure it. I ignored the Kubire-oni with bruises who was pleading something to me with teary eyes.

"Oooh, you did it..."

I unintentionally let out a weak voice. With that last blow, the wounds that had been partially stopped from bleeding were now wide open...

"Wow, amazing!! You stepped back just now, didn't you? And you even used the Kubire-oni as a shield?! I was really surprised, you know? It's impressive that you can react that quickly as a servant!! It's thanks to your training, huh?!"

Seeing me in a half-dead state with my HP greatly reduced from the initial attack, the head excitedly cheered. It was more like the way a child plays with bugs or mice. Actually, I didn't want to admit it, but that was the truth.

He was playing. If he had wanted to kill me, he could have easily killed me with his previous attack. But he held back. Just now, I managed to wedge the body of the Kubire-oni that was wrapping around me, but the impact pierced through as usual. No, considering that he clearly adjusted his momentum just before the direct hit, it might have been intentional. There was such a overwhelming difference between me and him.

(Spiritual power! If only my spiritual power was...!!)

"If only my spiritual power was the same, I wouldn't be falling behind to this guy, right?"

"...!!?"

Before I could even voice the words I wanted to let out internally, they were spoken ahead of me, leaving me shaken. Seeing me like that, the head's malicious smile grew even more wicked. It seemed bottomless in its malice.

"That's right, I can read the thoughts of these damn servants! It's unfair, irrational, and unjust, isn't it?"

"..."

I didn't respond to the head's question. It wasn't just a matter of emotion. I had no strength left to respond to the intense pain and fatigue. If I were to shout, I might immediately start vomiting blood. The nausea wouldn't subside. However, my gaze alone pierced through my opponent with great strength.

"You're annoyingly rebellious. ...But alright. I'll play with you anyway. "

The head said so and created a circle at his feet with the tip of his spear. He hopped into the circle he created.

"...?"

"For the next hundred counts, I won't leave this circle. I won't attack either. I'll only defend with this spear. Try to land even one blow during that time. Maybe you'll win?"

"...!! Don't underestimate me!!"

I shouted while spitting blood. I started running. I thrust out my spear. It was deflected by the handle. I spun around and swung horizontally. It was evaded by bending the body. As I aimed to pierce his head, it narrowly shifted sideways and the next attack aimed at the abdomen was deflected by the spear, causing the trajectory to deviate. I try to swipe his leg. But he calmly jumping and emptying the space in that spot, the followed attack towards his side abdomen was also deflected by the back of the hand.

"Well well, come on, come on! The women are sending hot glares at you, show them something cool!"

"Ugh...!!"

I clench my teeth at the provocative words and further boost my physical abilities with spiritual power. I keep attacking, relentlessly. Ten, twenty, thirty... I continuously launch my attacks. Everything is neutralized. Stupid, not a single hit...!?

"Haa, haa, why...!?"

"Time's up."

"Ugh...!"

Due to the intense continuous attacks, I am breathing heavily. Right after the time's up, the head casually struck my abdomen with the handle of his spear. It makes a unpleasant creaking sound. I stumble backwards and cough. Seeing me like that, the head laughs scornfully.

"Pitiful. You really couldn't land a single hit. Even your evaluation will be revised downwards. ...Well, well, let's count to fifty for a bonus. Don't embarrass yourself in front of your junior next time, okay?"

Scanning around, the head, Takaragen, finds Hisame who is completely weakened and beckons to me with a mocking gesture. It's a provocative gesture. He doesn't even acknowledge my presence anymore.

"Stop messing around!!"

In response to behavior that thoroughly humiliates the dignity of others, I relentlessly attack while shouting. I attack with even greater intensity than before. I set up feints over and over again, not just with my spear. I use my fists, my feet, and I throw needles. Everything is deflected, evaded, and repelled. He never steps out from inside the circle.

"Why? Why is this happening...!!?"

While vigorously swinging my spear, I let out a cry of anguish. It was pathetic. It was too pathetic. It was too cruel. The techniques I learned from my master after vomiting blood, the time, the sweat, but every single blow that was supposed to be the culmination of all that, proved to be utterly useless and worthless every time it was effortlessly repelled.

"You beast! You d*mn beast!! D*mn it!!!!"

"It's me who should be shouting, you gutter rat!!"

"Guhh!!?"

At the same time the time ran out, I was violently knocked sideways by a spear strike. It was a counterattack that seized the momentary opening on my side with an artistic finesse. A counterattack that was well ingrained in me during sparring with my master. It was a flawless blow that seemed to further transcend that...!!

"Guh, haa... I... lose, huh?"

I plunged into the ground, but still managed to stand up with the spear supporting me, and I was puzzled by the phrase that passed through my mind.

Sublimation, sublimation? Ridiculous. Such a thing... absolutely absurd. Is there such a ridiculous thing?! In that case, it's as if... as if...!!

"Yeah. Have you finally realized?"

The sticky tone prevented me from desperately denying my thoughts. I looked straight ahead. The head of the servant group swung the spear he carried. It was a performance. Not a sword dance, but a spear dance. A dance that achieved both practicality and appearance at a high level.

It was the original and completed form of the dance that had mesmerized me through training with my master...!!

"For a grand disciple, your spear handling is truly disgraceful, huh? Looks like your Master needs to be punished thoroughly... huh?"

The head of the Onitsuki family servants, the greatest spear master of the Onitsuki family, and my grandfather in spearmanship, Onitsuki Takaragen, licked his dry lips and sneered.

Truly, truly, it was a disgustingly sneering tone...

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