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Shure’s right leg, which I thought was a sweep, suddenly changed its trajectory and came close to my left side of my head.
I had already known that Shure’s kicks were very flexible, so I lightly ducked by bending my upper body and immediately after that, I tried to step in to move to the back of her head.
“Meow! It’s dangerous…” (Nyango)
“Even though I showed it to you for the first time, you managed to dodge it.” (Shure)
The first kick was a decoy, and just as I was about to step in, the heel that I had just avoided came at me.
I barely dodged it by ducking, but it grazed the tip of my ear leaving behind the sound the wind being cut.
The kicking leg is pulled back immediately afterwards, a technique known as a Hook Kick.
Moreover, Shure’s kick extended while being pulled back, and if I had tried to avoid it by backstepping, I would have taken a direct hit.
The morning after we went out together to the slums to scout Zonon, I am holding a hand-to-hand combat with Shure.
By the way, my brother is in the middle of groaning, lying down with every muscle all over his body aching.
It’s good that he’s so enthusiastic, but there’s no way his body can keep up with the sudden exercise after a long period of inactivity.
It is not hard to understand his impatience, but he will have to gradually move his body while keeping himself in good physical condition.
Shure, on the other hand, was more tense than usual this morning, perhaps because she had seen with her own eyes the vengeance target, Zozon.
Even the kick he just received was so sharp that it would have been unfortunate if he had taken it seriously, but even so, Shure must be taking it easy on him.
She is holding back, but she is probably not as top shape as she usually is.
But a little bit of danger is not bad.
I’m being held back right now, but one day I’ll get strong enough to have a serious hand-to-hand combat with the real Shure.
“Are you not going to use magic again today? Nyango is stubborn… but that’s what I like about you.” (Shure)
“Meow!” (Nyango)
Just when we started chatting, a no preliminary kick came flying.
From a front kick that rotates so fast that it looks like a boxing jab, to a roundhouse kick that makes it hard to read the trajectory, and to this, there are thrusts and sweeps with my staff, so it’s a bad deal.
Even so, I make full use of my flexibility and agility characteristic of catkins to avoid front kicks, and I uses my staff to deal with turning kicks, looking for an opportunity.
“Here it is…Fugya!” (Nyango)
The moment I stepped forward to avoid the front kick, which was thrust out like a spear, I was hit by an impact on my left shoulder and slammed to the ground.
Shure’s right foot, which leapt up just after I avoided it, came back as a heel drop.
It was like she used the Hook Kick from earlier, this time vertically.
“You’re still hesitant about stepping. If you don’t move faster, you won’t reach me…” (Shure)
“Kuu, another one…” (Nyango)
“Nyango is also good at not giving up…” (Shure)
Standing up and taking a stance, Shure smiled happily.
Even though she will have a showdown with her target tonight, she would be tired if she continued to act like a killer all day like she did right after starting our hand-to-hand match.
Let’s say I’ll take off another layer so that Shure can be in perfect condition for tonight’s fight.
After the match, I had intended to quickly wash off my sweat, but Shure washed me in my stead.
I said I’d take off some layer, but this is not what I meant…
When my brother came down for breakfast, his muscles were sore, and he looked like an old man.
Even when he was in the village of Atsuka, he was just moping around, helping out in the fields once in a while, so he must have been fundamentally inadequate in terms of exercise.
In addition to that, he must have used muscles to swing the staff, one that he did not usually use.
At the breakfast table, I asked Gad what had been bothering me in relation to brother.
“How do you use earth-attribute magic?” (Nyango)
“Hou, Fawkes is an earth attribute. The earth attribute is used by many adventurers like me who play the role of a vanguard.” (Gad)
They are not directly attacking like fire and wind, they often play a supporting role, for example, they can catch the opponent’s attack by fortifying a foothold, dig a pit for a trap, dig a hole to bury the carcass of a subjugated monster, or launch stone bullets as projectiles.
“Among those who aren’t adventurers, there are many people who work in production. Of course, there are many blacksmiths who are earth-attributes, as well as potters.” (Gad)
“The blacksmithing profession seems to me to have fire attribute, but…” (Nyango)
“Those who can stably produce a strong fire that can be used in blacksmithing are more likely to be scouted as knights. In reality, most of the fires used in blacksmithing are from charcoal, which has a very hot flame.” (Gad)
It seems that what is required of blacksmiths is the smelting technique using earth magic.
“Those who have mastered the earth attribute are said to be able to remove impurities from ores and even to blend alloys. Many of the best armorers are users of earth magic.” (Gad)
I thought that although my cat brother could not play the role of a shield, there might be a path left for him as a craftsman, but it seems that a high magical power index is required to master the advanced earth magic.
When he registered as an adventurer, he had a magical power index of 53.
The average for an adult male is around 120, so his magical power was less than half of that.
It may be difficult for him to master advanced earth magic.
“Is there a job that can be done with simple earth attribute magic that can only be done by catkins?” (Nyango)
“There is.” (Gad)
“Eh, is there really such a convenient job?” (Nyango)
“Yes, it’s a perfect job for your brother.” (Gad)
“What is it, please tell me.” (Nyango)
“To plug rat entrances.” (Gad)
“Oh!” (Nyango)
“Most of the routes for rats to get in and out are in tight places. A large man would have a hard time just getting in, but a catkin can get in easily.” (Gad)
It is true that most of the entrance routes for rats are found in the corners of ceilings, behind luggage, and in the narrow spaces between warehouses.
I could locate them with my void attribute detection magic, but since I don’t have earth attribute, I had no way to close them and could only report them to the managers.
“I could find them, and brother could seal them up, and that would be perfect.” (Nyango)
“I have a job I can do, too…” (Fawkes)
“However, it’s no good if you don’t acquire the skill to close the hole properly.” (Gad)
“That’s right… but how should I close the hole?” (Fawkes)
“That is…” (Nyango)
When I was at a loss for an answer, Gad came to my rescue.
“If the hole is small enough for a rat to pass through, you just need to put a new clay wall and let it harden properly. If the hole is too big, we put a piece of wood as a core and pile up the soil to harden it. As long as you have the skill to shape the soil to fill the hole and strengthen it, hardening it, you won’t have people complaining.” (Gad)
It sounds simple enough in words, but the actual work is difficult without a great deal of practice.
Even for the soil to plug the hole, it seems necessary to prepare clay instead of the soil around.
“If you want to practice earth magic, you can do it right here in the front yard. Pull out the weeds and use magic to even the soil and harden it. It may seem simple at first glance, but it is not an easy task to even out a large area without leaving unevenness.”
Certainly, with my brother’s current magic index, he can’t do work that hardens a large area at once.
If he repeats the pattern of working on a limited area and working on another section, there will be steps between sections and differences in how to harden.
The front yard of the base is large enough for Shure and I to move around and work together.
If my brother can finish treating all of this, he should be able to close up the rat holes with ease.
“Nyango, I’ll try it.” (Fawkes)
“Okay, but only after you get over your sore muscles.” (Nyango)
“I know.” (Fawkes)
Still, my brother went out to the front yard after breakfast and began to tinker with the soil, but he kept scratching his head.
Since he’s a catkin, his magical powers are weak, and after the Nest Leaving Ceremony, he pretty much didn’t use any magic.
It’s a matter of course, but you have to use magic to get good at it.
When I first started using magic, I was frustrated because it didn’t work the way I wanted it to.
It would be nice if the boredom of being catkins didn’t get in the way…
Brother seems to be concentrating on his consciousness with his hands on the ground.
I have the void attribute, so I can handle it with the awareness of the air.
I don’t know what the sensation of the earth attribute is like, but I guess it’s like being able to move freely with the earth under my awareness within the range of my magic power.
When I see my brother experimenting with magic, it seems that it is easier to convey his consciousness if he is in contact with the ground.
We, who wear our own fur, seem to get dirtier than others when we handle earth, but I guess he’ll have to accept that.
But still, my brother, who is trying out earth magic with his sore muscles, looks like an old man playing with the dirt.
First of all, he needs to improve his earth magic, but when he eventually becomes able to work by himself, I will give him water magic tools and other things he needs for his work.
It is still a narrow and steep road, but I think I can see just a little bit of the path to my brother’s independence.
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