BXBX NOVEL Chapter 61
The matches to decide the top 8 students would begin after the lunch break. The final match to decide the winner of this tournament would be held tomorrow.
Ruben was not in the same group with Razé, so they could only meet in the final match. She had to bear the attention that she got from all the students and parents just for a little bit longer.
Ian: “Razé-san. Don’t mean to brag but I don’t give up easily.”
Razé: “… Un?”
She looked at Ian bemusedly as they walked towards the stage. It was understandable that the love interests’ cast in the otome game would remain up to this round due to their character setup. Still, when she actually fought with them, she could feel that they were a bit different from other students.
Ian: “Let’s have a good game!”
Razé: “Yes.”
After exchanging greetings, the two got ready in their positions. Ian, who had a friendly smile on his face a while ago, turned serious. Razé smiled a little seeing his fighting spirit with his polearm in his hand. When all the referees raised their hands to signal that they were ready, the bell rung indicating the start of the match.
The moment that decided the victory or defeat had come. Razé ran straight towards Ian at high speed. When she approached him and did the lariat strike as usual, she could hear him saying “wa-”.
She was a bit disappointed because he told her that he had plan. But now, he was falling to the ground, just like all her previous opponents.
The referee saw him falling and decided to call it. “Match e-”
But Ian immediately exclaimed, “Wait I can still fight!” while lying on his back.
As if he was breakdancing, Ian did a spinning kick while lying down to shake off Razé and then quickly escaped.
The plan that he said…
Razé immediately kept a distance from him with a bewildered look on her face. She realized that he had been prepared to shout out the sentence “Wait I can still fight” right when the match started.
“You took the strike. So, this is why you said you don’t give up easily… I mean, I know the match would only end if the referee announces it or the opponent admit defeat, but this…” She felt this could not be called a plan. But when she turned to look at the referee, the referee just act like nothing had happened and let the match continue.
Ian: “I haven’t lost yet. I’m not even injured.”
Well, his plan could be considered as successful since he got the outcome that he wished for. As expected from a meathead character… This was meant as a compliment.[1]
Ian assumed it was his turn to attack, so he swung his pole arm at Razé. She avoided it easily, but he kept attacking.
Commentator A: “Amazing! In Stage C, Ian Masse Durhua had survived Razé Granoli’s one-shot-one-kill and counterattack relentlessly.”
Commentator B: “It’s a drastic action. Other opponents admitted defeat while he just took the strike but didn’t give up… Normally, it’s something that one can think of but wouldn’t dare to put it into action. I want to applause his courage.”
Commentator A: “You’re right. I can feel his fighting spirit. It’s like he’s saying that no matter how many times he falls, he’ll keep fighting as long as he can move his body. Let’s see how Razé Granoli will handle this!”
Razé and Ian continued with their attack.
He’s the type who won’t admit defeat until he gets knocked out.
The polearm swished through the air nearly missed her abdomen.
Razé’s initial strike was not considered as knockout because Ian managed to break away from it. Razé knew that this could happen because she had avoided hurting the opponent but forced them to admit defeat. But she didn’t expect that someone would actually do it. Looking at it from another perspective, his actions could be said as being foolishly refusing to accept his defeat.
Even if a player was adamant and refused to admit defeat, the referee had the authority to end the match, but this would make an embarrassing situation. Just as what the commentators said, what Ian did was quite courageous. It surprised Razé, making her missed the timing to strike him again.
Is he trying to stop me from activating my magic?
Ian had won the previous winter tournament. It was difficult to continue dodging his polearm just by using physical strengthening. Of course, there was no need for her to avoid this kind of attack. She could just teleport behind him and knocked him out.
However, in this tournament, Razé had never used teleportation. All she did was ran at super speed.
My teleportation skill is too high level. I really don’t want to use it.
She didn’t bring any weapon, so now she had to rack her brain for a solution. She knew she had to be careful because even if she thought she was perfectly fine, the referee could judge that she was in danger and ended the match. To an outsider, she seemed to be at a disadvantage because she had no weapon.
Hmm… Let’s take a weapon. She felt it would be easier to have a weapon as it was a symbol of power. She suddenly took a step forward and grabbed the weapon. “Let me borrow this.”
Ian was shocked when she suddenly came into his territory. Needless to say, Razé had grabbed his polearm. The weapon used in the tournament didn’t have a blade tip but still, she could break her bone if it hit her. However, she grabbed it without showing any hesitation.
Ian tried to swing his polearm up, but Razé wouldn’t allow it.
She put the polearm under her left arm and gripped it firmly with both hands using physical strengthening. She rotated it using the power of her whole body and pulled the weapon out of Ian’s arm.
She turned her body to the left while stepping backwards closing in towards Ian and pushed him with her back. She put forward her left leg and stood in split step[2].The tip of the polearm under her arm almost hit Ian’s body, so she used her left hand and grabbed his left shoulder while rotated the polearm with her right hand and held it up.
Referee: “Match end!!”
The polearm was aimed at his vital point, so the referee ended the match. The way Razé stood was like the pose in Kabuki’s mie [3].
Once the referee announced her victory, Razé let Ian go and lowered the polearm. “This is yours.” She returned the polearm to Ian.
He took it and let out a sigh. “You’re really strong. None of my attack hit you. I thought you’re at a disadvantage for not bringing a weapon. I’ve underestimated you.”
Although his words were filled with regret, Ian looked refreshed, probably because he finally managed to have a match with her.
Extra: Razé’s subordinates
Cross Bonalt – Razé’s adjutant
Harul Ducard – Razé’s team member. Bonalt’s best buddy.
Julius Harley – Razé’s sister-like friend.
Ducard: “Finally someone managed to wake up from her ‘good-kid-should-go-to-sleep-lariat’.”
Bonalt: “Can’t you think of a better name?”
Ducard: “Does it sound bad? I think it’s easy to understand. If the opponent was our enemy, then this would be ‘go-to-sleep-forever’.”
Bonalt frowned while Ducard gave a dry laugh.
Julius, who was listening to their conversation through the transceiver, interrupted them, “Hahaha. I know what you mean. The lariat for the students was simply imitating the form. It’s very different from her true destructive power. I’m glad there’s a young master that can fight back.”
Bonalt: “Right. I also like his fighting spirit when he tried to keep up without concern about his looks.”
Bonalt was impressed with how Ian didn’t lose his fighting spirit even after he was knocked down once.
Ducard: “Is it? But I can’t stand people like Zelhide.”
He recalled Lieutenant Colonel Zelhide Knit Olusanya, who led the 302th SAB, the person that they treated like a sandbag during a joint training previously.
Bonalt: “That’s not the same. I think this kid is a little bit like you.”
Ducard: “Huh? Really?”
Bonalt: “Yeah. The way he was so eager to fight Leader is similar to you.”
Ducard knew Bonalt was right so he didn’t deny it.
Julius: “Fufu. Well, I think she was getting bored too. It’s nice when there’s someone to motivate her once in a while. Look at her face. She looks quite surprised.”
Bonalt looked at Razé’s expression shown on the screen and said, “You’re right.”
Although the ‘good-kid-should-go-to-sleep-lariat’ as named by Ducard didn’t work this time, she still managed to win the match. Bonalt and Ducard looked at each other.
Ducard: “If it’s going to be like this, I hope we can see Leader having a tight fight later.”
Bonalt: “Don’t jinx her…”
Ducard: “I’m just kidding.”
Bonalt knew it was not his imagination that Ducard’s joke didn’t sound like a joke. Ducard shrugged his shoulder after being glared by Bonalt.
Ducard: “But seriously. I wish I can see the audiences getting shocked when they witness how powerful Leader is.”
“Hmm…” Bonalt groaned as he tried to imagine the situation. But he didn’t think that Razé would go out on a rampage on the stage unless something out of the ordinary happened. “That’s very unlikely.”
Ducard: “Hmm. You’re right. Even if it happens, Leader is too fast. No one could understand what’s going on.”
Bonalt: “That’s for sure.”
Both Ducard and Bonalt imagined the situation and burst out laughing.
At this time, Razé was happily eating a tart bought by Bonalt, unaware of what her subordinates were talking behind her back.
[1] The author described Ian as 脳筋muscle brain/meathead and said that it was a compliment. ┐(´ー｀)┌ ↩
[2] I’m not sure if this was a side step or a split step. Google ‘badminton split step’ if you want to know more. ↩
[3] Mie pose: If you want to see the image, google: 歌舞伎の見得 Wiki page here. ↩