kscans

Chapter 277 - Battle on the Pier

Hayato and Simon headed for the western port.

The Eastern Country at dusk was overflowing with life. There were many outdoor food stalls, likely filled with customers stopping for a quick drink after work. Their progress was slow, but by blending into the crowd, they would not be noticed by their target.

It was not certain if the armored warrior would come to the western port. They were heading there simply because it was the quickest way out of the Eastern Country, a mere gamble. However, the ferry to the western countries, which ran twice a day, was due to arrive in about thirty minutes. The probability was high.

There were likely other ways to leave the Eastern Country, but assuming their target would not change his plans if he remained unaware, Hayato and his companion hurried to the western port, mindful of their surroundings.

Hayato and Simon arrived at the port before the ferry. They hid themselves in the shadow of a warehouse-like building nearby.

So far, there was no sign of the person they were looking for. There was one passenger waiting for the ferry on the pier, but no armored warrior.

"Maybe he’s somewhere else?"

"No, he’s there. He has taken off his armor and is masquerading as a normal passenger. He is wearing the clothes of the western countries, the opposite of you, Hayato, but with that, it is as if he is asking me to find him."

With those words, Simon stepped out from the shadow of the building and began walking towards the pier.

"Hey, is it okay to just go out?"

"On that pier, there is already no escape. The fact that there is a boat that is not the ferry is a slight nuisance, though."

"Oh, that’s the ship I built. I forgot to miniaturize it."

"I do not know what happened, but it seems a lot has. Still, that could be helpful in many ways. Should we eventually lure him onto that ship? He probably cannot move another person’s ship."

Hayato and Simon had this conversation as they approached the port’s pier.

And now that they had secured it, the man had no choice but to defeat Simon or get on the ferry to escape.

The man had his back to them, looking out at the sea. It was unclear if he was looking at the distant ship or the setting sun, but at the very least, he was not looking at Hayato and his companion.

Simon took out her bow. It was a highest-quality bow that Hayato had made for the Suzaku countermeasures.

And she nocked an arrow and aimed at the man.

Without a hint of hesitation, as if by machine, an arrow was loosed at the man’s head.

But the arrow never reached the man. The man had, at some point, drawn his sword and struck the arrow down.

Then, as he sheathed his sword, the man looked towards Simon.

"To shoot an arrow without any hesitation."

"There is no reason to hesitate with you."

"It could have been a case of mistaken identity."

"Did you think you would not be found while carrying a masterpiece sword at your waist?"

The man glanced at the sheathed sword and started laughing.

"So my anti-theft measure backfired. Still, to think you would come here. I suppose I gave you too much useful information."

"This is what it means to be hoist by one’s own petard. That is what happens when a small-minded person tries to act clever."

"At first, I intended to force my way out, but I did not expect the Demon Lord’s Army to come. My parting with the Ten Swords was planned for much later, but many things went awry. Life does not always go as planned."

"That is true. If I had met someone else instead of you all, my life might have been different as well. It was a worthless association."

"Then look forward to your next encounter. So, what brings you here? I do not need a send-off."

"After all you have done, do you think you can leave this country?"

"On the contrary, would that not be better? I have no more business in the Eastern Country. If you think I am a dangerous person, would it not be wiser to let me go?"

"You are indeed a dangerous person, but I cannot let you leave the country for such a reason."

"Is it for a reason like not wanting to cause trouble for other countries? How absurd."

"My reason for not letting you escape this country is not something like that."

"Oh? May I hear what that reason is?"

Simon did not answer the man’s question immediately, instead looking towards Hayato.

Hayato’s only thought was, ‘why did you look at me then,’ and he tilted his head.

Simon averted her gaze from Hayato and returned it to the man.

"I went to see Hayato to request the destruction of the cursed blades. It was a one-sided wish on my part. I stormed his base when he was not there, and I did not even present a proper reward. It would have been natural for him to refuse. But, although there were conditions, Hayato accepted."

While Hayato and his group were on the floating island, Simon had come to their base and rampaged against the maid Rose, the dark knight Gil, and the songstress Noat.

The next time she came to the base, she was able to meet Hayato, but because they were in the middle of conquering the Necropolis, she could not take him to the Eastern Country.

However, by having Simon help with the Necropolis conquest, she was able to secure a promise that she could take Hayato to the Eastern Country. In the end, Hayato and his group had their own business in the Eastern Country, but Hayato had willingly accepted the destruction of the cursed blades.

"You’re not making any sense. How does that become a reason not to let me escape?"

"I received hospitality from Hayato and his friends. The highest-quality kimono and sword, as well as lodging and meals, and even sparring matches, everything was the best, I would say. Though I say it myself, I must have been a nuisance."

That’s not true, though. Ivan did say the sparring was a pain.

Ignoring Hayato’s thoughts, Simon’s words continued.

"I am greatly indebted to Hayato and his friends. To repay that debt even a little, I was thinking of various ways to entertain them in the Eastern Country."

"Then entertain them as you please from now on. The real nuisance, me, will disappear from the Eastern Country. It would be a win-win situation, would it not?"

"I intend to entertain them from now on, even if you do not tell me to. But you are a different matter. How dare you. Not only did you not allow me to entertain Hayato and his friends who came to the Eastern Country, but you involved them in the country’s problems, set the Princess and the Ten Swords on them to try and trap them, and forced them to make swords. Everything was ruined. This is what it means to repay kindness with evil."

Simon paused there. Then she let out a long breath. A deep, resentment-filled sigh, that alone was enough to show her anger to those around her.

"Because of your worthless ideology, I was shamed in front of Hayato and his friends. You are a samurai, so you should understand, right? What a shamed samurai does to the person who shamed them. Do they laugh and forgive?"

The man laughed at Simon’s words.

"They would not forgive. They would cut them down without a word. But, Simon. There is a problem with that, is there not?"

"What problem is that?"

"The problem that the opponent is stronger. Can you cut me? You, who have never once defeated me."

"What are you talking about? If you are talking about before I went to the western countries, it is laughable."

"Do you mistakenly believe you have become stronger than me just because you went to the western countries? That is what is truly laughable."

"The world is wide. Thankfully, I have fought an opponent who is close to the strongest in the world. I did not win, but I learned much from defeat. Have you ever fought a truly strong opponent? To aim for the strongest while only fighting opponents you can win against is truly pathetic."

"To go up against an opponent you cannot win against is just reckless, is it not?"

"Indeed. But can you call it the strongest to run away until you have a plan to win? You are just running away because you hate to lose. That is the strongest you are aiming for."

"...Very well. I will cut you with the power of that strongest who runs away. Do not expect any mercy."

"I have never once in my life expected anything from you."

Simon and the man both took their stances.

The man had his sword still sheathed, his left hand holding the scabbard, and his right hand on the hilt. Hayato did not know much about it, but he judged it might be the stance for an attack called Iai-nuki.

Simon, thinking her bow would be ineffective, switched her equipment to a sword. She drew the sword from its scabbard and held it straight in front of her. The sword was not the Meitou Kitsutsuki she had before, but one Hayato had made.

Hayato wondered why she was not using a famous sword, but it seemed her opponent thought the same.

"Do you intend to fight me with that sword? It seems you are making excuses for losing already."

"It is a sword no less than a famous one. I will not make excuses even if I lose. But you will lose while holding the strongest sword. There is no way you can make an excuse for that, is there?"

The moment Simon said that, a thin, sharp sound reached Hayato’s ears. It was undoubtedly the sound of swords clashing. But despite watching closely, Hayato had not seen a thing.

Even though this is a virtual reality, isn’t that a speed that transcends the laws of physics? It’s not like Lunaria-san’s Black Swan, is something like that even possible?

Lunaria’s magic sword, Arondight, could use a weapon skill called Black Swan, a special technique that could be activated when she acknowledged an opponent as a formidable foe. When used, Lunaria could move in a way that ignored the physical laws of this virtual reality.

The opponent had just pulled off something on the same level.

However, that was not the only thing that surprised Hayato. Simon had taken that invisible attack without being cut.

"To aim for the strongest with a power given by God is also an amusing joke. I may not acknowledge anything else, but I can acknowledge that sense of humor."

"All I have to do is cut down that God someday."

That God was in the mansion, though.

Thinking that, Hayato understood a little. That Iai-like attack was a reward from God obtained in the Clan War.

"Now then, you cannot cut me with such tricks. Let us begin the real fight."

Simon leaped out and attacked the man.

The man instantly drew his sword from its scabbard and deflected the attack.

Simon continued to attack from vertical, horizontal, and diagonal angles, from every angle, but all of them were deflected.

"Slashing blindly will not hit me, you know?"

"Is that how it appears?"

"What?"

"My aim is the destruction of the Yatagarasu. I cannot forgive that you hold a weapon made by Hayato. It may have been for a short time, but say your goodbyes."

Simon further increased the speed of her attacks. The interval between the sounds of clashing swords grew shorter.

Still, she could not hit her opponent, but his face gradually became pained. There was no physical fatigue in this virtual reality. The current situation was what was painful.

"I have heard from Hayato that the Yatagarasu has no self-repair. It will break eventually. That will be your end."

At those words, the man’s pained face turned into a smirk, and he deflected Simon’s sword with great force, cutting her across the stomach.

"Simon!"

He shouted, but in the next moment, Hayato was surprised.

Simon, paying no mind to being cut, brought her sword down on the man from above.

"Guh!"

There would be no pain, but having taken Simon’s attack, the man retreated and took distance from Simon.

Simon, with a slow movement, took out a potion from her item bag. It was a highest-quality potion made by Hayato.

"Hayato, I am sorry, but I ask you to make potions and repair my sword. I still have both, but I would like you to prepare them just in case."

Simon entrusted her current sword to Hayato and took out another sword. It was also a highest-quality sword made by Hayato. It was one of the five he had given her before.

Hayato understood many things.

"Uh, ah... Roger. I brought various things from the storehouse, so I can make and repair as many as you need, so don’t worry about the rest and do your best."

"Umu. I vow to win without fail."

"S-Simon, you...!"

When Simon finished drinking the potion, she wiped her mouth roughly with her right arm, and then a vicious smile appeared on her face.

"I hear that sword has the effect of a Blood Weapon. It seems to restore the sword’s durability and your HP when you cut someone, but it is not enough to fully recover in one blow. That sword is a nuisance, but I have Hayato. This means we can cut each other as much as we want. Are you not looking forward to seeing which one of us falls first?"

Showing a vicious smile, Simon said that and walked slowly down the pier.