WeTried Translations

Translator: Nemui

Editor: Nemui

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◈ Scum of the Brave

Chapter 8

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When the lights came on, they were so bright I felt dizzy for a moment.

And it was huge.

It was the kind of size that let you feel how flush the Academy's operating funds were. Jogamine called it a "gymnasium," but "dojo" would have fit better.

There were no basketball court lines or volleyball nets like you would find at an ordinary school. The entire floor was covered with tatami made from a springy material.

"They're making money."

I cursed without thinking.

"The Academy works day and night to build trust and results."

Jogamine brought over a rugged-looking equipment case, something like a wheeled container. It held training weapons and a full set of protectors. It looked fairly heavy, but since she could drag it with one hand, she must have done a reasonable amount of muscle training at least.

The three students, including her, had already changed into tracksuits. That was probably just right. Jogamine had tied her long hair back so it would not get in the way, and annoyingly, she seemed full of motivation.

"Now, Master. Please give us the first training. We are expecting some sort of sure-kill technique we can learn within one week!"

Jogamine said it with her hands clasped behind her back in the "at ease" position. I felt dizzy again, for a different reason. If I had to name the problem, it was probably Jogamine's extremely optimistic personality. And there were people easily influenced by that too.

"Sure-kill technique?"

Indo Yukine looked up at me with expectant eyes.

"What kind?"

"Like hell something that convenient exists."

Ignoring their demands, I pulled a weapon of a suitable length from the equipment case. A reinforced resin training sword. Double-edged. I chose one with a half-hearted length, neither purely for two hands nor purely for one. The type of sword called a bastard sword.

Whenever I gripped its hilt, I always remembered several of my master's teachings.

For Braves, offensive and defensive technique with a sword was extremely important. A Brave who had taken 《E3》 could use a sword to inflict fatal damage faster than a bullet. Therefore, there were many cases where the Dark Lord side also protected itself with primitive tools such as swords and shields.

Lord Amber Thorn had been different because he possessed a powerful, invisible, long-range means of attack, and because he was a third-rate fool who relied on it. He had also needed to use his own "hands" to activate his ability. But a Dark Lord of a decent level would at least carry a sword or shield for self-defense.

So, well, the Academy was probably not wrong to make sword combat skill an important exam for advancement.

"Actually..."

When I came back from my thoughts, Sara Pendragon was peering into my face. Rudely enough, her expression was extremely suspicious. Apparently, her natural golden hair got in the way too; she had twisted it up and pinned it in place.

"Why are you wearing a mask?"

"Just in case."

If we failed to sneak in and were found by school staff, it would become deathly annoying. I had put on my beloved ski mask and was dressed in bank robber style.

"That doesn't matter. Hurry up and pick up your weapons. We'll spar lightly."

That should let me roughly understand their skill levels and problems. Probably. I had never taught anyone anything this way, so I was not sure. But when my master trained me in swordsmanship, it was always done like this.

If it was wrong, too bad. The fault lay with the people who had asked someone with no teaching experience to do this job. I tapped the equipment case at my side.

"You can use real swords if you want, but in that case I won't be able to hold back. Put on protectors too, just in case."

"Practical instruction already?"

With eyes that said, You understand more than I expected, Jogamine happily picked up a one-handed sword. In her other hand was a shield, a small one called a buckler. That really did seem to be her specialty.

"Instructor, I just have to spar with you?"

Indo Yukine picked up two daggers with blades about forty centimeters long. Both had proper guards.

"That's right. Come at me seriously."

"Seriously? What about you? You're not putting protectors on?"

Sara Pendragon had a curved single-edged sword, probably modeled after a katana. I see. Among the three, Sara was taller by about a fist, and I could expect some physical strength from her. A heavy weapon that could be used two-handed would be plenty effective.

"Don't underestimate a professional too much."

I took off my coat and threw it behind me. In the first place, I wanted to say, If you can land a sword on me, then try it. If they could do that, a fight against classmates should be easy.

"Also, I haven't heard the rules for the Academy's swordsmanship. What kind of game is it?"

I deliberately used the word game. It was to attack their pride, and sure enough, Sara grimaced. Jogamine began explaining in her place.

"Yes, Master! Our swordsmanship match, the 'Joust,' is composed of multiple elements. First, during a match, one referee is assigned to two competitors. Ah, no. This is a term borrowed from general kendo and fencing matches, and originally it has the same meaning as a witness for a 'Joust,' so..."

Just like Jogamine, I thought, and Indo and Sara both looked at her with exasperated eyes.

"Sara, translate."

I decided to ask the one who seemed comparatively capable of conversation. Sara looked reluctant, but apparently she understood the discussion would not move otherwise. While fastening the straps of her protectors, she continued.

"There's nothing complicated. No using 《E3》. If you land one decent hit on the torso, neck, or head, you win."

"What about arms and legs?"

"They give you an advantage in judging if time runs out or if both sides hit at once, a Mutual Hit."

"Well, that sounds about right."

It resembled modern combat-sport rules. Other than the part where, most of the time, one hit would decide the match. I nodded and took a stance with the training bastard sword.

"Then let's get started. Come at me."

I taunted them with one hand. Indo Yukine reacted first.

"Any time?"

"Any time."

"I see."

The moment she said it, she stepped in sharply. Her decisive speed was not bad. But she was too linear. I pulled the nearby equipment case by force and shoved it between her and me.

"Uh."

Indo Yukine's charge was forced to stop temporarily. More than that, she fell spectacularly. That was what you called a successful plan. Break the opening move of the one with the best nerve and likely the hardest to deal with. Then there were two left. They would not come from behind first. I had thrown my coat there.

Which meant the next one to come would be...

"Here I come!"

Just as expected, Jogamine announced herself with idiotic honesty and charged in from my right flank. She thrust the buckler out front, with her one-handed sword drawn back and its tip pointed straight at me. A thrusting stance. She would use the buckler to handle my attack, or perhaps strike with it, then stab or slash when she saw an opening.

As expected, it was orthodox, far too proper swordsmanship aimed at a counter.

I gripped the bastard sword in one hand and smashed the buckler with all my strength. Jogamine lost her balance slightly, but she still maintained the counter posture.

However, her buckler defense had already been sealed.

"A one-handed sword and shield combination has excellent balance."

Kindly explaining as I went, I pulled another sword from the equipment case with one hand. Any one-handed sword would do. I slammed it down from straight ahead. Jogamine tried to receive it with her own one-handed sword, but the instant her posture broke from the block, I kicked her and sent her flying.

Serves you right.

"However, you should not use an extreme counter-focused style against someone with more muscle than you. Your balance gets broken easily like this, and then they land body techniques. If you're enhanced by 《E3》, women often draw out higher muscle strength than men, though."

As I turned, I prepared for Sara, who should be approaching from that direction. My guess was right. She was cutting down from overhead with both hands on a katana-like sword.

"You, though, are about the same as an ordinary man."

It was quite a powerful blow. I did not do something like receive it with the bastard sword in my right hand. Instead, I threw the one-handed sword in my left hand at her. Sara made a simple reflexive response to it. In other words, she instinctively knocked away the thrown one-handed sword.

My bastard sword reached for the side of her neck in the next instant.

"That's dirty, no matter how you look at it."

Sara said something foolish.

"How is this going to help in the exam? Kicking people and throwing swords are banned."

"More importantly, you should realize you just made a textbook dumbass statement."

I pulled the sword back and retreated one step. Sara looked like she wanted to kill me, but she did not talk back.

"If you're pissed, try attacking. It's three against one. Show me a little more of what you can do."

And then, for stress relief, I beat them down about three more times. It was absolutely not my personal taste. That was how my master taught me. I did not know any other way.

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