Black Cat Chapter 57: Match

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“Start!” (Mendez)

“Raaa!” (Jasper)

　At the same time as Professor Mendez signaled, Jasper raised his wooden sword and rushed forward.

　I took a half step back on my right foot and held my staff, but Jasper swung his wooden sword at me head-on.

　I avoided the wooden sword by moving my body to the left while thrusting into Jasper’s torso as he came running toward me.

“One point! Match end!” (Mendez)

　Jasper stops moving with his back facing me.

　Or rather, he is too slow, moving too slowly.

　I had removed my body enhancement magic before the match began, but his footwork and sword speed was so slow that I thought he was making fun of me.

　Even though I knew it was wrong to compare him with Mr. Zeol, the excitement I felt before we started went away in a flash.

“Both of you, return to the starting line…” (Mendez)

　Jasper looked back at me with a look of disbelief as he received the signal from Professor Mendez and held his poked torso with his right hand.

　No, I’m the one who can’t believe it, where did your confidence come from?

　After watching my magic, I could hear sneers and laughter from the people who followed us to the training ground.

“What was that? He came running full of confidence, he’s so uncool…” (Girl)

　Hearing a girl’s voice from somewhere, Jasper who returned to the starting line turned bright red and trembled.

　He has a physique that seems more agile than Miguel’s, but he seems to be a “comrade” with not much difference, including personality.

“Second match, start!” (Mendez)

“Yaaaaaa! Hiya! Taaa!” (Jasper)

　I thought the first one was slow too, but I didn’t feel a shred of sharpness in the wooden sword that he was wielding so recklessly with blood pumped in his head.

　With just a half-step movement, the wooden sword cut through the air and I lightly struck Jasper’s head, who had lost his balance.

“One point! Match end!” (Mendez)

　Jasper, who was on one knee, stomped back and stared at me through clenched teeth.

　Even if you glare at me like that, it’s not my fault that you’re weak.

“Both of you, return to the starting line…” (Mendez)

　Jasper, who was looking at me with a grudging glare, slammed his wooden sword backward and horizontally with one right hand the moment he passed by my left side.

　The cowardly blow, which aimed for a surprise attack without waiting for a signal to begin, made a hollow sound and bounced off the void magic shield I had prepared.

　At the guild’s bar, I allowed Ms. Leila to approach me, but I would not let my guard down in a situation like this.

　A cowardly surprise attack is also within my expectation.

“No…” (Jasper)

“Match end! Winner Nyango. Jasper you lost because of your foul play.” (Mendez)

“No, because… I’ve only had to strikes, and the one just now was just a simple swing…” (Jasper)

“Are you saying my eyes are lying?” (Mendez)

　Professor Mendez’s words, which were a little lower in tone than before, made not only Jasper but also the students who were observing them hold their breath and go silent.

　Professor Mendez held out his right hand and took Jasper’s wooden sword from him, then told him to put his protective gear back on and return to his room.

“Nyango, our student was very rude.” (Mendez)

“No, it was nothing, please don’t worry about it.” (Nyango)

“However, I feel bad that you had to babysit our student. I don’t know, why don’t you try a match with me?” (Mendez)

　The first time I saw Professor Mendez, he was grinning, but the way he looked at me was that of a beast looking at its prey.

　I can’t stop my mouth from loosening as the excitement I felt before my meeting with Jasper comes rushing back.

“Well, please be gentle… It’s fine either way. It’s great meeting you.” (Nyango)

　Professor Mendez looked at me with a smile on his face and I too, have a warrior’s smirk on my face as well.

　As we faced each other, separated into starting lines, all sounds disappeared from the training hall and silence fell.

　There was no need for a signal to begin, the match had begun as soon as we exchanged glances.

　As usual, I took a half step back with my right foot and held my staff at the ready, while Professor Mendez held his wooden sword in his right hand in a lowered position, not in a posture that resembled any attack stance I know.

　It may look like he is looking down on me, but I don’t feel that he is leaving any openings at all.

　He is as strong or stronger than Mr. Zeol, but definitely stronger than me.

　Then there is no need to play tricks.

　I quietly exhale and slowly inhale, trying to suppress my feelings.

　The moment I hold my breath, I close the distance between myself and Professor Mendez at once, making my body a spear.

　With a clang and a dry clack, the wooden sword and the staff collided.

　It was more than half thanks to my intuition that I was able to parry the wooden sword that leaped up from the blind spot in my left eye toward me as I stepped forward.

　As I hurriedly tried to keep my distance, Professor Mendez appeared in a flash near me that I thought he was moving instantaneously.

　I dodged a side blow, jumping back by parrying the blow, and finally put some distance.

　To be precise, I was allowed to keep my distance because Professor Mendez did not pursue me.

“Nice… At your age, a catkin, but with those moves… You are better than I imagined.” (Mendez)

　The more Professor Mendez’s smile widened, the more pressure I felt.

　It was so powerful that the hairs on my back stood up and my legs almost shake, but I bared my teeth and smiled too.

　If you are scared, your body stiffens and you can’t move, making the situation even worse.

　I’ve learned this firsthand from being chased around by goblins, the suicide attack on the kobolds, and participating in the subjugation of orcs and the Bronze Wolf.

“Here I go……” (Mendez)

　Professor Mendez casually walked over, still holding the wooden sword in his right hand.

　I stop my body which is about to give in to the pressure and rush in and measure the timing to step in.

　In a fight between two people of the same physique, the one wielding a staff would have a longer distance between them, but in the case of Professor Mendez and I, the distance between us was shorter, even though I was using a staff.

　There is no chance of winning unless I get past Professor Mendez’s strong blows and jump into a close strike.

　I was preparing myself to take the “next move” right after Professor Mendez stepped into the room, but what he delivered was a thrust.

　I quickly opened my body to dodge, but the tip of the wooden sword grazed my protective gear and the smell of burnt wood wafted through the air.

　I tried a counterthrust, but it was easily repelled by the wooden sword that was pulled back.

　A return side cleaves strikes faster than I can pull the staff back, but I evade it by getting down on the floor and swiping at Professor Mendez’s shin.

　He dodged with a backstep and was immediately sending a reverse diagonal strike, but I dodged it with my staff and dived through, and just as I was about to thrust into Professor Mendez’s back, I felt a jolt in my stomach.

“Fugyaa!” (Nyango)

　As I rolled on the floor, I saw Professor Mendez, who had swung his wooden sword in a reverse diagonal slash motion, instantly switch it to his opposite hand, and thrust it out at me from behind.

　I thought I had won when I saw his open back, but it seems I fell right into his trap.

　After all, Professor Mendez seems to be the same kind of person as Mr. Zeol.

　I was able to avoid being damaged to the point of not being able to stand up thanks to my protective gear and the fact that I jumped backward as soon as I was hit by a thrust.

“Thank you for the match.” (Nyango)

“Aren’t we going to continue?” (Mendez)

“Well, I have a prior appointment with Professor Lembolt today.” (Nyango)

“Well, that’s too bad. …I’m here most of the time, so come visit me anytime. I’ll talk to the receptionist to let them know.” (Mendez)

“Thank you very much. I will try to find time to come by again.” (Nyango)

　The students who were watching applauded as I shook hands with Professor Mendez.

　I bowed to the onlookers and left the training hall with Professor Lembolt.

　Olivier and the others were about to follow but were stopped by Professor Mendez.

　He seemed to be using this opportunity to instruct them not to challenge adventurers to a match.

　According to Professor Lembolt, every year some students come into the guild’s training grounds and request hand-to-hand combat, and are beaten up and injured.

　Even if they are the strongest in the school or in the same grade, they are not on the same level as the adventurers out in the field doing subjugations.

“Well, to be honest, Nyango, I thought it would be tough for you with your size, but since you took part in the subjugation of the Bronze Wolf, it is only natural that you are on a different level.” (Lembolt)

“I was trained by a former adventurer who lives in the village, but since I have only ever trained with him, I myself didn’t know what level I am at.” (Nyango)

“I’m an amateur in martial arts, but I can tell you that the martial arts match you just had with Professor Mendez is of a very high level.” (Lembolt)

“My specialty is magic, but I wouldn’t lose anything by learning martial arts.” (Nyango)

“I’ll have to ask you to explain the magic you just showed to me. …Let’s get back to the research building as soon as possible.” (Lembolt)

“Yes, let’s do that.” (Nyango)

　After returning to the research building, I explained [Flame Lance], including a demonstration of the void magic wind magic tool.

　The idea of using a stack of magic tools with a hollow structure seemed to have stimulated Professor Lembolt.

　We continued our conversation into the evening, and he then taught me Temperature Control and Lightning magic circles.

T/N: The fluffy Nyango’s claws are getting much, much sharper.

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