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CA : 85 If I Say You Win, You Lose!
🕑 Added 2025-01-02 16:00:01 +0000 UTC"Alright, we can see that the elite samurai Kurusu has drawn his katana. It's said that the sword in his hand was meticulously crafted by an artisan over a month. I doubt whether that blacksmith was just slacking off. It took him a month to forge a single sword? That's ridiculous."
"If one of my blacksmiths told me it would take a month to make a sword, I'd cut him down on the spot. A waste of food like that has no right to exist."
"..."
The other samurai watching broke into a cold sweat as they listened to Altair. This new lord was certainly... blunt.
Inside the enclosure, Kurusu could also hear Altair's words, but his attention wasn't on him. His focus was entirely on the fully armored Kabane before him. Its lethality was greatly reduced, and its only real danger seemed to lie in its brute strength for charging.
Altair had just mentioned that if Kurusu got touched by the Kabane, he would immediately lose, because under normal circumstances, a single touch would result in infection, leading to death and transformation into a Kabane.
Caution and a single decisive strike would secure victory!
The Kabane's weak point was its heart, but decapitating it could also limit its movements to some extent. Kurusu's plan was simple; first, sever its head, then find a way to pierce the steel membrane protecting its heart.
Because of its full armor, the Kabane's movements were noticeably slower than a wild one. Kurusu easily dodged the first lunge and seized the opportunity to strike at the Kabane's neck from behind.
Just as he raised his sword, Altair's voice rang out.
"Oh! The Kabane's done for now. It missed its pounce and exposed its back to Kurusu. Kurusu's about to decapitate it!"
Kurusu's swing, which should have landed perfectly from such close range, somehow missed. The Kabane suddenly thrust out its chest, causing the blade to strike its back instead. Like its chest, the back was also protected by the steel membrane, preventing damage to its heart.
Clang!
The impact between the sword and the steel membrane sent a shower of sparks flying, leaving the Kabane unharmed.
"What?!"
Startled, Kurusu quickly withdrew his sword, but the Kabane unexpectedly spun around and struck the blade with its arm. The immense force almost made Kurusu lose his grip on his sword.
"Damn it!"
Kurusu retreated, putting some distance between them to avoid being attacked. After two steps back, he regained his stance and decided to go on the offensive this time.
"Alright, we can see that Kurusu has decided to attack. His goal is straightforward... to sever the Kabane's limbs or neck and limit its movements."
"The Kabane charges again but misses! It's over. This time, the distance is even closer than before. The Kabane is finished!"
Just as Altair had predicted, Kurusu dodged the Kabane's attack and launched a counterstrike. Hearing Altair's words gave Kurusu a surge of excitement... this was Altair's approval of him!
But it was strange... the Kabane had already fallen to the ground, and Kurusu's slash should have landed. Yet, just as his blade was about to connect, the Kabane twitched and blocked the strike with the steel membrane on its back.
Kurusu had swung with all his strength, aiming for a clean hit. The force was so strong that his hands hurt from the impact, and the blade even began to chip.
"I missed?!"
"It missed! Kurusu's sure-hit strike was dodged by the Kabane!"
Kurusu gritted his teeth against the pain vibrating through his hands. His expression darkened. A moment ago, he had thought Altair was recognizing his skill, but now all he felt was frustration.
Unaware of Kurusu's inner turmoil, Altair continued narrating. The battle dragged on, and although the Kabane was weak and not a special variant, its movements were slow due to the heavy cloth wrapping its body. Still, despite this, Kurusu... a supposedly elite samurai... couldn't seem to land a clean hit. Every attack struck the steel membrane.
At first, the other samurai had cheered for Kurusu, impressed by his early ease in handling the Kabane. But as the fight wore on and Kurusu kept hitting the steel membrane, they could barely watch anymore. Some even facepalmed, unable to bear it.
By the end, every time Kurusu swung his sword, sighs echoed from the crowd outside.
So infuriating!
Kurusu's frustration grew with every failed strike. After nearly ten minutes of fruitless combat, the iron gate of the enclosure creaked open. Kurusu, gripping his chipped and dented sword, walked out with his head hung low, eyes dull. He staggered over to the nearby steps and sat down in silence, staring at his sword. His spirit was crushed.
In his regular training, Kurusu had always been victorious, even against several samurai at once. But today, he couldn't even defeat an ordinary Kabane.
His sword was chipped from repeatedly striking the steel membrane, and his hands were red and swollen from the vibrations. Was this the strength he had gained from training? He couldn't even defeat a single Kabane. How laughable.
"Kurusu, are you alright?"
Ayame walked over and, seeing Kurusu's dejected state, couldn't help but ask.
"Ayame-sama, am I just too weak?"
"No, Kurusu, you're not weak at all. Among the samurai of Aragane Station, you're the strongest."
"But even the strongest of us can't defeat a simple Kabane. How is that not a weakness? Or… could it be that all of us samurai are too weak?"
"No, I don't think the problem lies with the samurai. I think there's something wrong with the situation."
"What's wrong with the situation?"
Kurusu looked up at Ayame, his face full of confusion.
"It might sound strange, but perhaps you couldn't tell because you were inside the enclosure. Now that you're out, you'll see soon enough."
Ayame wasn't sure how to explain, so she simply told him to wait and watch.
"The second person will enter the enclosure to fight the Kabane soon. You'll see for yourself."
