Moto Sekai Ichi – 221 | Sousaku – 創作

221　Thereafter, an amazing move.

Arc 11: The Empire

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Gordo Marubell: Emperor
Clearla Marubell: The Emperor's Wife
Melson Marubell: Princess, Eldest Sister
Light Marubell: Prince, Younger Brother

Seram: A spy for Melson?
Nat Shaman: General of the Marubell Empire, Leader of the Imperial Guard
Sigaronne Elbuni: Prime Minister of the Marubell Empire

Early in the morning, I headed to Prince Light's place.

And for some reason, twenty soldiers, including the captain, are following me.

Yes, after many twists and turns, or rather, as a result of drinking late into the night under the pretext of a wrap-up party, we became close friends and started calling each other casual names like “Seven,” “Captain,” and “you guys”.

"Seven, are you returning to the capital now? "

On the way, the captain asked me that.

"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"It depends on Light."
"……I see, so His Highness has his eye on you too."

The captain muttered as if agreeing with something.

Am I being targeted? Oh, I see what he mean. That guy really does keep pushing himself on me.

"What about the “Something Squad”? "
"First Combat Brigade, Fifth Infantry Squad. Learn it already! I've been telling you since last night!"
"Yeah, yeah. So, what are you going to do?"
"Well……We'll return to the imperial capital and report. The rest is up to my superior and the prime minister's mood."
"Well, see you later, then."
"Hey. Ahh, right. Seven, if anything happens in the capital, don't hesitate to call us. We are always ready. There aren't many wars these days, so all we do is train every day."
"Aren't you really meaning to say 'come help us'? "
"Wahahaha! It's definitely not that! "

The captain laughed loudly with his mouth wide open.

As we were joking around like that, we arrived at Prince Light's place in no time.

I wonder if Prince Light is already in the carriage. I can't see him anywhere.

"Ah......! ? "

The first to speak up was the man who had been fired from the imperial guard. He seems surprised to see my face.

"I did what you told me to do and completed the mission."
"……E-Enough with the lies. But it seems you have learned the ways of an imperial guard."
"Ah, well, many thanks."

For some reason, the imperial guard looked as if he wanted me to say “thank you”.

The captain asked me what was going on, so I explained the situation. That the senior imperial guard told me to accomplish the mission in the Greeze Dungeon by the following morning.

"Hoo~."

Then, for some reason, the captain started to grin.

And then, taking a step forward, he broke the silence.

"That's too bad. You couldn't crush the inconvenient Seven."
"…………"

The imperial guard looked embarrassed at the captain's words. I don't really understand the situation.

"Crush? "
"Ah, it may have been a matter of course for you, Seven, to accomplish the mission, but think about it for a moment. There's no way we could conquer the Greeze Dungeon in a day with just one imperial guard joining our squad, is there? "
"……Ohー."
"Do you understand? This guy was trying to fuck with you, Seven."

That makes perfect sense. In other words, it's a form of hazing.

"What an insolent soldier, who doesn't even know his place, talking nonsense. I'm an imperial guard!"
"My apologies. However, how do you explain the unreasonable demands made on Seven? "
"……I just figured that this guy would need only one day."
"Ohhh! Just now, who was it who blurted out to Seven, “Enough with the lies”, I wonder? "
"You…… Must be ready for the consequences of speaking like that……"
"Oh scary! The oh-so-great imperial guard is angry because he was defeated in an argument! I bet you did really well at knight school, but if there was a course called “caliber,” I’m sure you failed miserably! "

Captain, that was some clever provocation. When caliber is brought out, the one who draws his sword loses. The imperial guard, who was about to draw his sword, was forced to let go of it.

"Heh, you've been holed up in the imperial capital, letting your ego grow, so you're bound to misjudge things. If you're so smart, follow Seven's example and don't just practice playing house, but also gain real-world experience in the field."

You're really hyping me up, Captain. How much do you hate the imperial guards? Or rather, what did the imperial guards do to make people hate them so much?

"……We, the imperial guards, must protect the prince. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on improving one's interpersonal skills. We're on a different field than you guys."

The imperial guard managed to withstand the captain's provocation and countered with a logical argument, his face remaining calm.

Well, but that reasoning is flawed.

"You sent me to a dungeon even though it's not our field, and you went on about the imperial guard's principles? "
"…………～! "

When I pointed this out, the imperial guard finally turned red and fell silent.

I thought about him making excuses, such as “I wanted you to learn the hard way that we're in different fields,” but it seemed that he had lost the will to argue. Well, even if he tries to cover it up, there are too many flaws.

"Hey, newbie, listening to you, it seems like you don't know how to talk to your seniors."

Then, perhaps unable to bear seeing him remain silent, another imperial guard spoke up.

Yes, that is also true.

"Sorry～. However, it seems that my senior was trying to screw me over."
"Well, I suppose you've got a point. In that case, for the future, you need to use respectful language properly."

And so, it turned out this way.

……Or so I was thinking.

"Don't be ridiculous! Don't act all high and mighty towards Seven! "
"That guy, that guy, that guy, and that guy over there were all grinning and talking about sending Seven over there! "
"Yeah, I saw it too! They were discussing it at the tavern! You're just as guilty! "

The members of the 5th squad testified one after another.

"You guys, you were groveling so much the day before yesterday, and now you’re acting like this……!"

Then, one of the imperial guards, with a vein bulging in his forehead, muttered something that was almost a confession.

I don't know, these imperial guards…… At this point, I don't see anything good about them.

"――Shut up! Babbling away all morning! "

Oh, Prince Light is coming out of the carriage.

Man, this guy always looks so crispy.

"Hmph, you finally showed up, you rude guy. You have the nerve to keep a prince waiting."

Light glared at me defiantly and said that.

Just as the captain said, it seems I'm being watched.

"Huh? What are these dirty men doing? Why are you here? Are you acquainted with this rude man? "
"It's the guys from the Something Squad who came to see us off. Due to some task from the prime minister, we conquered the Greeze Dungeon together yesterday."
"……A task from the prime minister? The Greeze Dungeon? With the rude man? "
"Yeah."

He looks doubtful. Light is giving me a suspicious look.

"Your Highness, these men are lying! Think about it calmly. There's no way these guys can conquer the Greeze Dungeon! "

At that moment, the imperial guard who had been fired seized his chance and attacked.

What you are saying now is completely different from what you said earlier. Aren't you even a little ashamed?

"You're the imperial guard I fired, aren't you? Why are you still here? I thought I said you were fired."
"T-That's true, but this man……! "
"Oh, shut up. I fired you because I didn't like your noisy and sleazy attitude. Hurry up and get out of here."
"……! "

Light sneered and brushed away the imperial guard. At first glance, it seemed like selfish behavior, but……

Something's not right…… It seems that Light suspects that this imperial guard is a spy for Princess Melson Marubell and General Nat Shaman.

I get it now. Is it because he is convinced that I am not influenced by Melson and Nat Shaman that he wants me to be an imperial guard?

I see. It seems that this spoiled prince is not as spoiled as he seems.

"Oh, right, I forgot. Seven, I'll see if you're any good as a guard. Let's see, go fight some of the guards here. If you lose, you're fired."

……No, maybe I was just overestimating him.

I understand that some things need to be confirmed, but if I lose, I'll be fired…… You like getting people fired too much.

"My Prince! Please, please give me another chance! "

Seeing this as his chance, the imperial guard man came back to his senses.

"Uh? You…… Well, I understand. If you beat Seven, I'll think about it."
"Thank you for your kindness! "

I'll think about it, he says. Hilarious.

This imperial guard is super pumped. He's saying, “I'll prove that he doesn't have the ability to conquer Greeze”.

"A sword? "
"What else could it be?"

When I asked him, he replied in a mocking tone.

So, deciding to go with a sword, I equipped a mithril longsword, at which point the captain approached me with a worried look on his face.

"Seven, be careful. The imperial guards are strong. If you're a dungeon specialist, then they're person-to-person combat specialists――"
"……Captain, don't misunderstand me."

This is a good opportunity. I'll make you understand.

"I'm also a specialist in interpersonal combat."

With that, I face the man.

The captain stood frozen with his mouth agape.

"――Let's begin!"

At Light's command, the duel began.

Now, what shall I do? This moment always excites me.

Imperial guards are said to be strong in one-on-one combat. I don't expect anything at all, but I still want to see what happens. Let's start with a little warm-up.

"! ? "

When I put the Mithril Longsword away in my inventory, the guard looked surprised.

Just from that reaction alone, it's obvious that he's terrible at PvP…… Oh well, whatever. From now on, I'm going to do whatever I want to do.

I sprinted forward empty-handed and closed the distance in one swift move.

"What……"

Then, just before reaching the target, step once to the right, twice to the left, and turn around once, all at top speed.

Yes, it was the first move Ras used against Gram in the summer Issenza battle. I had been thinking, “This is neat, isn’t it?” for a while.

Ras brought out her great sword immediately after that. This is a step that has been calculated to the utmost to confuse the timing of your opponent by varying the speed and timing of your movements while dodging their attacks and striking them with a great sword.

This ingenious idea is too good to be used only to compensate for the weakness of the great sword's slow speed. I felt that way.

That's why I deliberately stepped at the fastest speed without changing the pace, and when my opponent was in my shadow, I took out my Mithril Longsword instead of a great sword and prepared 《Soldier Swordsmanship》――

"U-Ugh! ? "

――You'll feel the speed. Incredibly so.

I had also demonstrated a similar technique in 【Sword-drawing】. That was when I visited Azami's dojo.

The ultimate speed comes from creativity. The art of making something look fast. That is the skill required to be ranked among the world's best.

By combining this with Ras' footwork, this move becomes even harder to dodge, but easier for the user to execute. It is also good that you can adjust while observing the timing of the rotation. Depending on the situation, there is room for improvisation by adding or removing steps. On top of that, it also has a nice visual appearance.

……Yeah, not bad. With a little more polishing, it looks like it could be perfected as a technique.

"Ki-hih……"

A cry of terror escaped from the depths of the man's throat. Cold sweat dripped onto the tip of the sword, which was stopped just short of his neck.

Light won't say “that's enough,” so I've been in this position for a while now.

"Are you mesmerized, referee?"

Without taking my eyes off the man, I made a casual remark, and after a slight pause, Light broke the silence.

"……T-That's enough. Let's go back to the imperial capital!"

Light turned around, quickly got into the carriage, and left. Could it be that I hit the mark?

Or rather, even if he says he's going back, how am I supposed to follow him? Shall I ask Anko to bring Seventh Teiō here? But Anko will be jealous…… In that case, I guess I'll have to ask someone to give me a ride.

"That was awesome, Seven! You finished it in one shot! "

Looking back, I saw the captain and the others very excited and praising me. It's nice to be told so directly. Perhaps this simplicity is their charm.

"See you again in the imperial capital."
"Yeah! We'll meet again soon! "

After saying goodbye to the members of the 5th Squad, I returned to the imperial guards, but…… No good, no one seems willing to give me a ride.

Or rather, the “newcomer bullying” vibe that was lingering until the prince appeared has completely disappeared.

The imperial guards seem to be keeping their distance from me more than necessary. They won't even meet my gaze. They are now completely ignoring me.

"Hey! How long are you going to keep me waiting, you rude man! Hurry up and get in! "

The carriage door creaked open halfway, and the prince's angry voice came through.

Oh, I can ride in the carriage? I don't know if the prince is just being capricious or what. No, in a way, I guess he's just whimsical?

Well, I was invited, so it can't be helped.

I took the playing cards out of my inventory and hurriedly climbed into the carriage.

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Thank you for reading.

Cheat sheet

Status Details

HP　Hit Points
MP　Magic Points
SP　Stamina Points
STR　Short range attack skill power, strength, physical power.
DEX　Long range attack skill power, dexterity, hit rate.
AGI　Quickness, avoidance rate.
INT　Attack Magic skill power.
LUK　Good luck, critical rate.
VIT　Simple defense.
MGR　Magic defense.

Skill Ranking

From lower (16th) to higher (1st) class, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade

16th class
15th class
14th class
13th class
12h class
11th class
10th class
9th class
8th class
7th class
6th class
5th class
4th class
3rd class
2nd class
1st class
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9 (Can challenge Title when all related skills are at this level)

Types of combat skills

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

Pawn/Soldier (Fuhyou)
Lance(Kyousha)
Knight (Keima)
Silver General (Ginshou)
Gold General (Kinshou)
Bishop (Kakugyou)
Rook (Hisha)
Promoted Bishop/Dragon Horse(Ryuuma)
Promoted Rook/Dragon King (Ryuuou).

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List of Swordsmanship skills

【Swordsmanship】　Damage： STR Dependent.

《Dragon King Swordsmanship》　Powerful ranged attack forward + stun.
《Dragon Horse Swordsmanship》　Powerful ranged attack in all directions.
《Rook Swordsmanship》　Very strong single-target attack.
《Bishop Swordsmanship》　Quick and powerful penetrating attack.
《Gold Swordsmanship》　Ranged attack in all directions.
《Silver Swordsmanship》　Strong, single-target attack.
《Knight Swordsmanship》　Precision attack＋added damage against vital points.
《Lance Swordsmanship》　Penetrating attack.
《Soldier Swordsmanship》　Normal attack.

(Rook＋Knight, Silver＋Knight, Lance＋Knight, Soldier＋Knight are possible for Combine)

List of Jojutsu (cane) skills

【Jojutsu】Thrust・Strike・Sweep

《Dragon King Jojutsu》　Extremely powerful wide-area attack
《Dragon Horse Jojutsu》　Wide range defense + knockback
《Rook Jojutsu》　Very powerful ranged attack
《Bishop Jojutsu》　Rush piercing attack
《Gold Jojutsu》　Very strong defense
《Silver Jojutsu》　Powerful ranged attack
《Knight Jojutsu》　Rush attack
《Lance Jojutsu》　Piercing attack
《Soldier Jojutsu》　Conventional attack

List of Spearmanship skills

【Spearmanship】

《Dragon King Spearmanship》　Extremely powerful single-target attack
《Dragon Horse Spearmanship》　Powerful long-range attack (shockwave)
《Rook Spearmanship》　Rush attack (charge thrust)
《Bishop Spearmanship》　Powerful ranged attack (Cleave)
《Gold Spearmanship》　Counterattack (Counter)
《Silver Spearmanship》　Powerful single-target attack (charge thrust)
《Knight Spearmanship》　Forward leaping attack (leaping thrust)
《Lance Spearmanship》　Ranged attack (Cleave)
《Soldier Spearmanship》　Normal Attack (Thrust)

List of Archery skills

【Archery】

《Dragon King Archery》　Powerful on-impact ranged attack.
《Dragon Horse Archery》　Powerful piercing ranged attack.
《Rook Archery》　Very strong single-target range attack.
《Bishop Archery》　Strong piercing range attack.
《Gold Archery》　Range attack with added knockback.
《Silver Archery》　Strong single-target range attack.
《Knight Archery》　Precise sniping range attack.
《Lance Archery》　Piercing range attack.
《Soldier Archery》　Normal range attack.

List of Shield Arts skills

【Shield Arts】

《Dragon King Shield Arts》　Very powerful ranged attack to the front.
《Dragon Horse Shield Arts》　Reinforced defense + all-range attack.
《Rook Shield Arts》　Powerful forward Rush attack (VIT converted to STR and added to net STR)
《Bishop Shield Arts》　Great Reinforced Defense (16th class: 250% ~ Grade 9th: 600% Defense)
《Gold Shield Arts》　Range homing defense ＋ Knockback（While active, attacks within a certain range would redirect themselves towards the shield）
《Silver Shield Arts》　Reinforced defense (parry grace time reduced by 0.01 second, successful parry triggers counterattack effect)
《Knight Shield Arts》　Defense + Knockback.
《Lance Shield Arts》　Piercing Reflective Defense
《Soldier Shield Arts》　Normal defense.
Success condition for parry: Activate the skill 0.287 to 0.250 seconds before the attack reaches the target.

List of Magic skills

【Magic】 (Four attributes: fire, water, wind, and earth)
Advantages and disadvantages: Fire>Earth>Wind>Water>Fire
・First Form　Normal Attack （Preparation time： Super short. Cooldown： Super short）
・Second Form　Extended range attack （Slow. Long）
・Third Form　Strong single-target attack （Short. Short）
・Fourth Form　Powerful extended-range attack （Super slow. Super long）
・Fifth Form　Very powerful extended-range attack （Slowest. Longest）

【Magical Magic】
《Combine》　Combines two magic skills into a single attack.
《Synergy》　Overlays two magic spells on top of another magic spell.
《Charge》　Magic attack that increases in magnitude the more it is charged up.

List of Martial Arts skills

【Martial Arts】　Attack：(STR+DEX+AGI)/2.56

《Dragon King Martial Arts》　A very powerful wide-area attack in the front (shockwave)
《Dragon Horse Martial Arts》　Accelerated forward strike (Dash Punch)
《Rook Martial Arts》　Very powerful single-target attack + charge (Punch)
《Bishop Martial Arts》　Omni-directional attack (Roundhouse kick)
《Gold Martial Arts》　Short-range attack plus defense (Tackle)
《Silver Martial Arts》　Strong single-target attack （Punch）
《Knight Martial Arts》　Forward jumping attack （Jumping kick）
《Lance Martial Arts》　Short-range attack (Kick)
《Soldier Martial Arts》　Normal attack （Punch）

List of Sword-drawing skills

【Sword-drawing】 (STR+DEX+AGI+VIT)/5.12+remaining SP/10^4（fire power when using a sword at the belt 128％）

《Dragon King Sword-drawing》 (The more you charge, the more power) Extremely powerful area of effect attack.
《Dragon Horse》 Range attack in all directions.
《Rook Sword-drawing》 (The more you charge, the more power) Extremely powerful Sword drawing attack (Single attack)
《Bishop Sword-drawing》 Quick and powerful thrust.
《Gold Sword-drawing》 Counter (Single attack + defense)
《Silver Sword-drawing》 (The more you charge, the more power) Powerful Sword-drawing attack.
《Knight Sword-drawing》 Large movement + Sword drawing attack (Single attack)
《Lance Sword-drawing》 Movement + Sword drawing attack (Single attack)
《Soldier Sword-drawing》 Sword drawing attack (Single attack)

List of Thread Manipulation skills

【Thread Manipulation】
《Dragon King Thread Manipulation》　The most powerful single attack, limited to the restrained target.
《Dragon Horse Thread Manipulation》　Simultaneously emits multiple threads, forcibly restraining the touched object.
《Rook Thread Manipulation》　Very powerful single attack using a bundle of threads
《Bishop Thread Manipulation》　Powerful penetrating attack using thread like a needle.
《Gold Thread Manipulation》　Thread restraints on objects within a 4-meter radius.
《Silver Thread Manipulation》　Powerful single-target attack with a bundle of threads
《Knight Thread Manipulation》　Manipulate monsters, humans, and puppets using strings for a certain period of time.
《Lance Thread Manipulation》　Penetrating attack using thread like a needle.
《Soldier Thread Manipulation》　Single target attack with a bundle of threads
(Gold + Lance or Bishop can be Combined)

ToC