Chương 219: Chapter 6: “The Awakening of Power: Yu vs. Inea”

Inea" Inea looked firmly into my eyes, appeared to think for a moment, and then declared.

"I refuse."

"Why? Just a little is fine."

"You have some ulterior motive. My eyes cannot be deceived."

"... Heh." In an instant, I drew the gun at my waist. Without hesitation, I aimed between her eyebrows and fired. It was a serious quick draw. It took less than a few tenths of a second. But by the time I realized it—she had caught the bullet between two fingers.

"What are you doing?" I didn't answer that question. As I pointed the muzzle at her silently, her glare intensified.

"That is not a weapon of this world."

"It's called a gun. Normally, it's a weapon that can kill people."

"Ordinary weapons don't work on me."

"But you 'blocked' it." I didn't miss her eyebrow twitching. With the gun still in my left hand, I closed the distance instantly with sliding footwork. Immediately, I unleashed a full-power kick aimed at her head. But even that was lightly blocked just by her raising her arm slightly. I felt a dull pain in my leg as if I had kicked a block of iron, and I barely held back a groan. While anger seeped into her eyes, her expression showed the pride and composure of the strong.

"Even if you are a FabL, it seems you don't even know how to use your power properly yet."

"True. I admit it. I still don't know anything."

"Brat. Don't get cocky."

"If I didn't do this, it didn't seem like you'd get motivated." I slowly lowered my kicked-up leg. Sensing my intention, she seemed to add exasperation on top of her anger.

"You're going to regret this."

"I'd love to see that." The method was forceful, but I got her consent. As I stepped in, I thrust out a spear hand aimed at her heart. I won't commit the folly of holding back against this woman. Naturally, it was a strike intended to kill. Inea wasn't shaken at all. In an instant, she dodged my attack with smooth, minimal body movement, like flowing water. By the time I barely recognized that superhuman movement, a knife-hand strike had been hammered into the vital point of my elbow.

"... Ggh...!" Unbearable intense pain shot through me. But I can never show a moment of flinching. I fired the gun to check her and regain my stance. My completely swollen right arm probably won't be usable for a while. However. If she wanted to, she could have knocked me out right away. She's holding back quite a bit. She seems much softer than I thought. And that softness—will cause her to miss the chance to defeat me by one step. I ducked deeply to barely avoid her roundhouse kick approaching at god-like speed.

She must have thought it would hit. I recognized a slight surprise on her face. I have the power to read minds, though not perfectly. If I read your mind, I can predict the trajectory to some extent beforehand. And I point the gun for the third time. It's a gunshot from point-blank range, seizing an opening. What will you do? I pulled the trigger. By the time the gunshot echoed in my ears—her figure had vanished from before my eyes.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. What!? The moment agitation ran through me, I sensed a terrifying presence from behind. I tried to turn around instantly, but my reaction was not in time at all. Fast. How fast is she? When I finally turned halfway, a fist moving at blinding speed was already closing in right at my stomach. The only thing I could do was brace myself to take the hit. The heavy fist sank deep into my stomach.

An intense impact, as if hit by a truck, pierced through my entire body at once. Blown away helplessly, I slammed violently against the dojo wall and collapsed on the tatami mats. I couldn't breathe. It was an agony so hellish I thought passing out would be better. Struggling, I desperately grabbed the straw matting and looked up, clenching my teeth. There, she stood towering over me, looking down with cold eyes.

"You made me be rough. I'll have you help repair the wall later."

"Ugh... Gah...!" Finally, I could breathe. But my body was heavy as lead. It wouldn't move. I found it unbearably funny. Haha. What is this? What an unreasonable world. No matter how many tricks I tried, look at me after just one hit. This is the strong of another world. This is the strength required in another world. It worked. —It really worked. That last one. I couldn't stop the joy welling up from within me.

"I learned it." When I focused my spirit, a pure white aura enveloped my entire body. I no longer felt heaviness or lethargy. My right arm was fine too. I slowly sat up my body, which had become light as if winged, and muttered ostentatiously.

"I see. So this is how you use Qi."

"You... Why!? How!?" Physical enhancement by Qi. It must be an unexpected situation. To her trembling slightly in terror, I returned a fearless smile. Now, I could clearly see the aura of Qi she was clad in. I understand well now. You are truly strong. The me from moments ago definitely couldn't have won.

"Since you didn't seem likely to teach me, I stole it."

"Impossible!? It can't be!" But the situation has changed 180 degrees. I'll say it again, Inea is strong. I now clearly understand why even she feared me. My original base Qi value is overwhelmingly different. Compared to her, it's like an adult and a baby. No, even more. No matter how superior her skills and experience are, overturning this much difference is extremely difficult.

"What a wonderful power. I thank you. With this, I was able to take a step forward."

"I see. So that is your ability...!" Where did her composure from earlier go? She's even sweating cold sweat. Suddenly, the gun lying there caught my eye. Did I drop it when I was slammed against the wall? I don't need such a thing anymore. Giving it just a glance, I faced her again. Now. It's time to return the favor for beating me up so much. I'll give back as much as I took.

"Since we're at it. Show me more various things."

"What?" To her bracing herself with maximum caution, I smiled. I look forward to wielding this power.

"Don't worry. You're strong, so you won't die that easily." In the next instant, I had hammered a knife-hand strike infused with Qi aimed at her neck. With just enough strength that she could barely block if she used her full power.

"But if you hold back, you might die."

"Kuh... You...!"

"You haven't had a student for decades, right? I'll become your student after a long time. In exchange, I'll have you accompany me in training thoroughly. Teacher Inea."

"Yo-You...! Don't screw with me!" I could now firmly catch the fist unleashed as if to brush me away. I dodged it leisurely. Revenge. In return, I dared to unleash a kick aimed at her head in the same way. As expected, she raised her arm to block it. I intended to crush her arm along with it, but what returned was a hard sensation again. She concentrated Qi in her arm and increased the defense only there.

"Heh. You concentrated Qi in one point to defend?"

"I won't be defeated so easily."

"Nice. I learned that too."

"Damn. What a guy." The battle from here on became one-sided. Before my overwhelming physical abilities, Inea was helpless and on the defensive. I also dared not to defeat her at once, attempting to draw out everything she had and absorb it. She resisted desperately, but in the "training" where she could lose her life if she messed up, she was forced to gradually bring out her power. Thanks to that, my aim went mostly well.

"You are dangerous. I will stop you here!" And cornered, she finally got serious. She, who had been fighting unarmed until now, drew a Qi Sword. A vividly white blade appeared in her right hand. It was identical to the picture on the sign I saw outside this dojo. She lowered the brilliantly shining Qi Sword to her waist and took a slightly retracted stance.

"If you show me like that, I'll only get stronger." I imitated her exactly, creating a Qi Sword of no inferior quality. Being left-handed, I held the sword in my left hand, opposite to her, and took the same stance.

"This cat-and-mouse game ends here." With her sword poised, she dashed towards me at godspeed. While running, she poured even more Qi into the sword. The white blade emitted an even more blinding light, turning pale blue. I can tell by her spirit. She is betting the match on this single strike. I see. Instead of letting me learn the sword poorly by dragging it out, she intends to decide it with a single ultimate technique. When imitating a technique seen for the first time, I inevitably lag behind.

I don't have the leeway to imitate that from now. I have no choice but to intercept as is. Judging so in an instant, I also raised my still white Qi Sword and dashed out in response to her. At the moment of contact, I heard the scream of her heart.

"《Senkraze》!" When the two swords crossed, an impact strong enough to shake the atmosphere exploded—and converged. And the match was settled.

"... So that's the secret technique. It was terrifying power." If it hit squarely, the one who lost might have been me. It was a technique tremendous enough to make me think so.

"But, you fell one step short." Her body crumbled and fell. Just slightly, but my strike with the back of the sword had landed first. I originally have my own combat experience and the innate combat skills inherited from my mother. Adding the sense of movement of "Inea herself" absorbed in this battle to that—there is no reason for me to lose. It was a composition contrasting to earlier. I was looking down at her, crouching on the ground unable to move at all.

While staring at her exposing her unsightly state, I was genuinely satisfied with what I gained in this battle. To her who gave me this much, I want to honestly express my respect.

"I appreciate it. Thanks to you, I became much stronger."

"...... Wait..."... I thought she passed out. Was she still conscious?

"Do you have something to say?"

"After doing something like this... what do you intend to do from now on..."

"Nothing in particular. This power might be needed somewhere, so I just wanted it."

"Heh, heh. You... greedy bastard...!" Greedy, huh. That might be true indeed. If it's something I can get by reaching out, I want to grab anything. In this world, there are more things that don't go as expected.... There were too many. There's no harm in having power. There's no harm in having cards in hand at any time.

"I'll be in this town for a while. If you want revenge, feel free to come see me anytime." I have no more business here. As I tried to turn my heel—.

"You are... a sad person..." There was no longer anger in her heart. It was just filled with sorrow and sympathy.

"... Is that so. Well then, goodbye." I wonder why. Even though I should be used to being told such things. Feeling a somewhat lonely mood welling up, I left the dojo. Until the end, I never looked back at her once.