Volume 6 Chapter 47 Passionate Sword
Mikage's nickname, 'Silver Flash,' comes from the 'silver glimmer' left by the blade that moves at an incredible speed. Now, countless 'Silver Flashes' were being unleashed between Mikage and his brother Getsuya, clashing together.
There was no flashiness in the duel between Yukina and Rouza. It was a serious fight between a 2nd rank mercenary and a swordsman with equal or greater skill. The mercenaries gathered around held their breath as they witnessed the storm of swordplay between the outstanding swordsmen.
"What a pitiful man, clinging to his regrets. It's sad to worry about the fate of a man heading to their death."
"Isn't it even sadder that your lord lost to that pitiful man?"
"I won't let that insult slide even though you're my sister!"
As the sword strikes tangled together, Getsuya stepped forward with great force. Mikage easily blocked the incoming slashes, but he couldn't withstand the pressure from the advancing blade. He slid back, scraping the ground with his shoes, and coughed out the shock that remained in his body.
"I only returned your words with my own. As always, brother, you get hot-headed easily."
"Is that a provocation? If so, that's a foolish strategy!"
Instead of calming down, Getsuya became even angrier and unleashed an even sharper and faster slash at Mikage.
"You know it too! I'm stronger now than I was before!"
There was no lie in those words.
Getsuya pretends to be calm and collected, but underneath, he has a raging passion. He usually manages to keep it in check, but inside, his blood is boiling, and when it comes to a serious duel, that passion easily spills out.
What's scary is that he doesn't let those exposed emotions control him; instead, he channels his anger into his sword strikes. This is the result of his intense mental training, which he maintains at a very high level.
His exceptional swordsmanship remains intact, but his emotions add more pressure. His usual calm demeanor makes his emotional outbursts during crises even more noticeable.
──The secret of the Shiraha style of swordsmanship is not to suppress anger, but to hold the reins and control the direction of the blade.
Getsuya was truly the embodiment of this.
Since their reunion, the reason Getsuya hadn't shown any anger while wielding his sword was simply that there hadn't been a worthy opponent.
And now, facing his brother's true strength infused with passion, Mikage felt a bit happy, even if it was out of place.
Back when she was in her hometown (Sanmoto), she could never bring out that kind of strength and could only watch from a distance. Even if she had faced her brother's true strength, she would have been crushed by the sheer spirit before she could even stand for a minute.
But now she has grown. It's not just about sword skills. The days spent with Yukina and the others have definitely helped Mikage grow both mentally and physically, sharpening her as a swordsman.
──But it wasn't just Mikage who had grown.
A rough yet refined strike from her brother grazed Mikage's cheek, leaving a red mark.
"──Huh!?"
"I'll acknowledge your growth. But don't think it's easy for you to surpass me!"
Real combat is said to be many times more valuable than training. It's common for someone who has spent ten years training to be surpassed by someone who has fought on the battlefield for just one year.
Since leaving Sanmoto, Mikage has continued to work as a mercenary, and after meeting Yukina, she has faced even more intense battles. However, Getsuya, who had never stepped out of Sanmoto, had also grown just as much as Mikage.
This means that he must have gone through his own share of fierce battles.
If one only look at the level of growth, Mikage is ahead. Still, her sword skills have not yet surpassed Getsuya's.
(With my brother by hia side, Rouza-sama's position in Sanmoto is still precarious.)
Clang!
"Ugh!"
Mikage's defense was weak, and the force she couldn't block sent her flying. She quickly rolled to recover and stood up, slightly out of breath, pointing her sword back at Getsuya.
Seeing this, Getsuya narrowed his eyes.
"You've changed, Mikage. Your skills have improved, but the old you would have pressed forward here. Your swordsmanship has definitely gotten better, but it seems you've lost the will to find life in death."
Right after praising his sister's growth, disappointment slipped into his words.
"It seems you have feelings for the Black Blade, but for someone who wields a sword, that can be fatal. Especially for a woman. A swordsman who avoids injury is truly not to be feared."
"Say what you want."
The fierce sword fight resumed, but the tide was slowly beginning to change.
"Right now, you are way too half-hearted as a swordsman! You chose to be a woman, so how could you possibly match me, a single sword!"
In front of the fierce and cold strike, Mikage's wounds were slowly increasing. It was proof that Getsuya had read Mikage's movements and adapted to them.
"I──."
"If you still dare to stand in my way──."
Getsuya jumped back, sheathing his sword and lowering himself deeply.
"I will cut away your regrets and your inexperience with my blade!"
"...That's what I want."
Mikage also sheathed her sword, taking the exact same stance as her brother.
When both stepped forward at the same time, what was unleashed was an ultra-fast draw. The drawing techniques were so close to the limits of human perception that they overlapped.
In the blink of an eye, the two passed each other and came to a stop, switching places.
After a tension so thick it felt like time could freeze──what fell to the ground was the arm that held the sword.
"How unfortunate."
Shaking off the blood stuck to his sword, Getsuya sighed as he sheathed it. Naturally, his right arm was still connected to his body, which meant that the owner of the severed arm was Mikage.
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