kscans

Chapter 171 - Kudol's Advice

"Well, even if you say swordsmanship in one breath…"

Although he had made a weapon for self-defense, Yuri was a novice when it came to how to use it, though he had some memories from his past life. He had thought he could just ask Kudol about it, but when he consulted Kudol, who was accompanying Adon as a guard, in End Village before their departure, it seemed it was not so simple.

"We lump it all together as swordsmanship, but the way you use a one-handed sword and a two-handed sword are completely different. It also differs between single-edged and double-edged, and between curved and straight swords. And it depends on whether you focus on offense or defense, whether you fight with only a sword or use other weapons in conjunction, whether you use a shield or not… and so on. Everything from how you hold it, to your stance, to how you manage your distance changes, so I can’t give you a simple answer."

"Oh…"

"Besides, you’re from a foreign country, right? If so, your everyday movements might be slightly different, and you might feel a sense of awkwardness with the swordsmanship of this country."

"Oh…"

"I can give you some advice before the basics, but it’s better to learn this kind of thing properly. Why don’t you try consulting someone at the Adventurer’s Guild in Laurenzen?"

Yuri had been under the impression that the essential parts of how to use a sword would be the same, but it seemed it was not such a simple matter.

"To be asking about such things, did you buy a sword?"

"No… I didn’t buy it…"

"Hey… don’t tell me… you made it…?"

At Kudol’s words, which were filled with suspicion, everyone present turned around at once. A sword that the problem child Yuri had "made" himself. …It smelled strongly of a dangerous object.

"No… it’s not that dangerous…"

"We’ll be the judge of that. Just show it to me."

"That’s right, Yuri-kun. A magic tool that you make is not something you should be showing around so lightly."

It was questionable for Katra, who had lightly mentioned the magic stone tool to everyone, to say that, but regardless of the speaker, the content of the statement was entirely appropriate.

"Is it a stone tool after all?"

"No… a stone tool would be too light… I felt it would be disadvantageous in a clash or a sword lock, so I made it out of iron."

He puffed out his chest and said it was a gift from the beginner’s course he took at the guild, but the people listening had dubious and skeptical expressions. They were veteran adventurers. They knew better than anyone that the guild’s beginner’s course was just that, an explanation for "beginners." It was useful, but it was not a course for doing blacksmithing yourself. It was meant to be a help in understanding how weapons are made and to learn the correct way to use and care for them. …Knowing Yuri, he must have used some suspicious earth magic or alchemy based on the blacksmithing knowledge he gained in the beginner’s course.

"Well… fine. Let’s put aside how it was made for now and find out what kind of weapon you have, Yuri."

Kudol, implicitly declaring that he would not touch anything that seemed troublesome, urged him to show the weapon.

"Yes. Here it is."

And with that, Yuri took out from his magic bag, which was actually his Storage, a sword made of perfectly normal, from Yuri’s perspective, iron. He had the good sense to judge that it would be bad to show the Mottled Blade Sword he had accidentally made from special steel the other day. So, he took out and showed them a "katana" he had made from ordinary iron after that, but…

"...Hey… as expected, it says ‘Magic Iron Tool’…"

The two half-elves twitched at Kudol’s tired murmur. And the tank, Orban, and the scout, Fray, gave him a look that said, "I knew it."

"...Well, let’s handle that with an adult response and just ignore it…"

"Yeah… we won’t last if we make a fuss about every little thing…"

"However…" saying that, Kudol drew the katana from its sheath. A single-edged sword with a slight curve. The blade length was about sixty centimeters. It could be said to be short compared to the swords Kudol was used to. From its size and weight, it seemed like a one-handed sword, but looking at the length of the hilt, it seemed to be intended for two-handed use. It was an unfamiliar style, but he felt something refined about it.

"It’s a strange sword… is it from your hometown, Yuri?"

"Yes. It’s called a katana. It’s meant to be used with two hands."

"So it seems… but… with a special weapon like this, I don’t know if there’s anyone in the guild who can teach you how to use it."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"A two-handed, single-edged curved sword is rare."

Yuri also realized that might be the case. In his past life on Earth, there were curved swords like the Arab scimitar and the pirate’s cutlass, but he felt that they were all one-handed. He had been so used to the idea of the Japanese katana that he had not noticed, but a single-edged curved sword intended for two-handed use was a style that was not often seen, at least in Europe…

In fact, one of the reasons why straight swords were common in this world was the existence of magical beasts. It was thought that the best way to break through the tough skin of a magical beast was to strike it with force. At any rate, in this world where swords and swordsmanship had developed through such a process, a weapon like a Japanese katana, which was a type that specialized in slicing in interpersonal combat, was a rarity.