Swordsmanship Tournament Part 4: The Decisive Match
“Then, let’s start the next match. Sion Sol Sunkland, Abel Remno, please come up to the arena.”
The two princes, who were called by their names, slowly walked onto the arena. Many students gathered around the arena to watch. As a crown prince of a kingdom and known as the genius of the sword, Sion attracted a lot of people. Abel, on the other hand, also attracted a large following, especially with him just being a first year and having a winning streak.
Well, this is certainly unexpected. I didn’t think we will get so much attention.
With a dry smile, Abel bowed to Sion. Then he unsheathed his sword and raised it above his head. It is the first stance of the style of swordsmanship that was passed down by the Remno royalty. It is quite an aggressive stance.
Sion, on the other hand, held his sword loosely far below his waist. Sion’s sword stance reflects his genius. Using deflections and parries, he would tire his opponent down. Then he would wait for the perfect time to strike. His style was based on counterattacking. Each of his attacks were fatal because he only attacked when his opponent is completely vulnerable. It is a style that demands extreme precision and absolute confidence. A style that is impossible for Abel.
Abel Remno was an ordinary person. He was aware of it from the time he was born. But all his thoughts changed when he crossed swords with Sion. There he noticed that there is a natural difference in talents. He noticed that some were born better than others. He noticed that there indeed exist geniuses! There was a big gap, and it is a gap that he would never close. He had seen and experienced it first-hand. It was this day that he fully realized how mediocre he is.
And so he gave up. It was the wisest choice. Some people are just more talented. He could try all he want but he know that he won’t be able to catch up. There is no use trying. It is a perfectly logical decision.
But then…, he came to St. Noel Academy and met Mia… and something changed. A desire began to grow inside him. He did not want to lose to Sion. He wanted to win, for in winning, it will show that Mia was right to believe in him.
But ah… reality is cruel. He has felt that he cannot make up the difference in talent by efforts. If a person has talents but is lazy and doesn’t practice, then one might win by working hard. Hard work and efforts can overcome a talented person who does not work hard.
Unfortunately, Sion is not that kind of lazy person. Though he was born with talents, he never took it for granted. Abel practiced hard, but so did Sion. Abel was facing a genius who never stops working hard. For him, who is not a genius, no amount of effort would ever be enough. The gap between them would never close, it will only grow wider…
A normal approach would never work.
Therefore, Abel threw away what was normal. It simple. His thoughts were very simple. If he can’t win with general swordsmanship, he can just win through something else. He can prune away his training. He can narrow it down.
Throw away the defenses, throw away the feints, throw away the thrusts, throw away the thrusts … He concentrates his efforts on only one thing. He raises his sword, and he swung it down. He repeated it. Then he did it again faster this time. And again, this time even more faster. He devoted all his time to this swinging motion since the night at the dance party. Everyday he poured his heart and soul into practicing only this one swing. And now… now is the time to see the fruits of his efforts and hard work.
So now he swung his sword. Now he will conquer a genius. Now he will slay a god!
Kerching!
The sound of high-pitched metal fills the arena. Half a second alter, his hands felt the reverberating shock. Abel realized that his blow was blocked.
It still wasn’t enough?!
He was disappointed. Despair slowly creeped up to him. He waited for the end. But it did not come… there is no counterattack from Sion.
Abel’s world came back into focus. Their swords are still clashed, and then he noticed… he is actually winning. He is pushing Sion to the edge of the arena. Sion is now just a step away from exiting the arena.
“I thought you said you were not going to hold back?” Abel said in an angry tone.
Sion responds with a bitter smile to Abel.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t live up to your expectations, but it seems the circumstances has changed from then.”
“I don’t know if you are mocking me… or…”
Abel took offense of Sion’s answer, but when he saw the sweat rolling down on Sion’s face, he reconsidered.
“… or maybe not. Well, it does not really matter as my options is totally limited. There’s only a single thing I can do.”
Abel stepped back and once again positioned for his overhead stance. Then he swung again.
“Ku!”
Sion barely avoids the strike; the blade missed him by a hair’s width. He wasn’t trying to show off his skills in dodging, the swing was just too sharp that he had to focus everything on dodging and even so, he can only dodge at the last minute.
No way, I wasn’t really expecting this…
He did not underestimate Abel from before. He knows perfectly well the dangers of underestimating an opponent. However, Abel’s wings were more than he expected. They were faster, sharper, and heavier. He can barely hold his sword in defence from Abel’s strikes. There was no time to parry. His arms bear the full force of the impact of the strike.
I can barely feel my arms. The last time this happened was when I was training with Father.
He could barely keep holding onto his sword, counterattacking is totally out of the equations. Undoubtedly, Abel’s blow was putting Sion in a disadvantageous position.
But …
“Haaa!”
Abel swings down again, and Sion avoids it by his footwork.
Sion Sol Sunkland is an unmistakable genius. Therefore, with the first strike, he had already completely seen Abel’s sword’s range.
Even so, I was only able to manage it because all he does is an overhead swing. Otherwise…
Sion was aware that he could dodge the overhead swing because it was the only that the only attack that Abel really uses. If Abel mixed other motions in his attack – even if they did not have the same strength behind it – the variety of attack would keep the opponents on their toes. Abel’s strong overhead swing, if coupled with other attacks, would surely be even a formidable enemy.
Sion realized Abel’s hidden potential and the danger he is in.
Anyway, there is no choice but to wait for my arms to recover from the shock of blocking his strike. I don’t know how many seconds it will take for the numbness to heal…
A question occurred to him and he decided to ask,
“Prince Abel … Is it because of Princess Mia? Is it because of her that makes you so strong?”
“That’s right. Princess Mia believed in me and wished for my victory… So I can’t afford to lose.”
“Well… I thought so.”
Sion sighed a little
“I am envious” then he re-held his sword.
“But it’s the same for me. I can’t lose.”
The numbness in his arms were slowly recovering. Just a few more seconds and he will be ready. As he raised his sword, he waited… and the whole arena waited as well… He knew as Abel knew and the whole arena knew, that he is ready for a counterattack.
A drop of rain fell onto his blade as he readies it for a counterattack.
Translator’s Rants:
Yes, I have changed the style of posting, because why not…
Hahahaha. No, I just find the pages quite hard to control as I cannot set them on a timer to appear, Wherein I can easily do it here on a post.
