55 – Speed is the answer
"Why do you sheath your sword?"
"Because Yuki is not used to the speed I can move at. It will only obstruct me. Don't worry my fists will be enough. After all, if you are going to serve me, I don't want to risk cutting that pretty face."
To be honest, unarmed combat in this world is almost entirely undeveloped. More like people are stronger when using a weapon, so the only opportunities for unarmed combat are either when the fighter is that much stronger, or when the fighter has been driven to the ropes to that degree. Otherwise, unarmed combat almost never happens. Her confused face is natural.
Frankly speaking, I'm not an expert martial artist. However my father drilled into me basic karate and jiu jitsu as those were necessary to master the Nakajima sword style. Those and Shamoa's teachings should be enough.
“Enough fooling around. Engage!”
The instant she spoke those words, the Fallen Hero charges straight at me.
Even if she doesn't admit it, the weights I discarded is a worrying factor for her. It's not hard to deduce what someone might be thinking in moments like these.
‘Since she can’t match me in a sword fight, she will try and hold me down with incredible speed’ or something like that.
In that case, then the key to victory against me lies in not being bewildered by my speed. That is the conclusion this doll most likely has arrived at.
If the opponent is one who wins through speed, then she merely has to stop my feet.
“HAAAAHHHHHHHH!!”
After rushing towards me in a split second, the doll shouts with fighting spirit while unleashing a slash towards me. However, I bent my body backwards and easily dodged it.
“As expected, you’re fast.”
That was just a greeting. Her true aim…
“Shiii!!”
She once again attacks me.
The Fallen Hero is trying to unleash an onslaught of strikes to not give me any opportunities to use my speed.
Three more attacks, four more, five more… By twisting my body in place I managed to avoid everything.
“I’ve won!”
While stating that, she unleashed her whip like sword to try and assault me from multiple directions. It was true that I couldn’t avoid something like that given my weird posture from all the previous exchanges. That would normally be the case. But…
“Eh……?”
There’s no feedback on her sword.
Rather than that, she’s totally confused because she couldn’t see her target anymore.
“…… In case you didn’t notice. You’ve been chasing an afterimage all this time.”
My voice emanates from behind her. Her shoulders quiver.
“You’re faster than I thought……”
Her voice is absolutely normal.
“You’re looking the wrong way again.”
Once again a voice from her left.
“No. Over here.”
This time from her right. No matter where she turned her head she couldn’t see me at all.
What can she do? My speed is indeed far beyond what she can react to. Judging by her reaction I guess she’s probably shouting
‘Think. Think……! THINK………….!!’ in her brain. But there’s nothing you can do.
“Dangerous. I will acknowledge that you are extremely dangerous. That’s why, for the sake of the world…”
“How about you stop with the fucking speach already?”
The Magitech Doll started spinning the whip-sword around herself. Naive. Does she really think that something like that will save her?
“It’s time to end this. I grow tired. Here I go!”
I vanish from my spot and in the next moment…
“GUHAAA!!”
My foot slips in between the gaps and lands in her stomach sending her flying.
“This is… I can adjust…”
“Nope. This is my win.”
While she was still in mid air I dashed behind her and…
“Aaah… no way… how can there be such a difference…”
I apply a karate chop on the back of her neck. It almost seemed like electric sparks were generated on contact.
“...critical error… system… shut down…”
With those being the last things she said, the Fallen Hero crushes onto the ground from my chop. She blacked out.
“Phhhwaaa! That was quite a pleasant stretch.”
“Shishou!” (X2)
Sasha and Stella rushed towards my side and carried Shamoa at the same time.
“Honestly, Edel, you’re just too much. And here I thought I had to…
HEY! Pay attention when I’m talking to you! Leave those bracelets alone! You’re crazy! You don’t have to put them back on.”
Yeah. Honestly I wanted to put the weights back on. Force of habit.
“It’s your fault for not giving me proper instructions.”
“Mou… Shishou! Don’t leave us in the dark. This kitty is Shishou’s Shishou?” (Sasha)
“Agreed. I think we deserve a proper explanation.” (Stella)
“Fine. I’ll explain everything. But can you three wait a little longer? First I need to find the reset button for the doll over there. I don’t want her to wake up and start attacking us again.”
“Alright.” (Sasha)
“We’ll wait. But… Shishou, do you know how to operate the gears of a Magitech Doll?” (Stella)
Good question. Well, I did build a PC from scratch back in Japan. Hopefully it’s not too different. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Well, let’s take a few deep breaths and then time to get dirty.
------
"Fufu! You never cease to surprise me, Edel."
In the God Realm, The Goddess of Chaos, Nyarlatothep, that granted the otherworlder Nakajima Saito the powers of the Ice Age Dragon, was now observing the progress of her champion from inside her house.
"She's someone quite interesting." (???)
"Indeed she is. She… eeh!?" (Nyarla)
She turned around to the owner of that voice. Standing behind her was a woman with dark blue skin, long white hair, dressed in a skimpy harem outfit costume. What was more abnormal about her, was that this woman had 6 arms. 3 on each side of her body.
"Oh, it's just you, Anri. How many times have I told you already not to enter my house without knocking?"
"But I did. I knocked the door out of existence. And besides, since when is it a crime for a big sister to visit her baby sister?"
The woman named Anri was the Goddess of War. And she was Nyarla's elder sister. Both of them were born from the same cosmic shard, Anri emerging 5 seconds earlier than Nyarla.
"Nee, you're really cruel keeping someone like her a secret from me. The corpses she leaves behind… the screams…"
"Hey, don't get excited all of a sudden."
"It's in my nature. I desire slaughter. I desire blood. I can't get enough of the feeling of it flowing down my throat.
I simply adore when mortals offer battles to me."
"But eventually all enemies will vanish. That would mean at some point, nobody will offer battles to you anymore."
"How troublesome. Well, there are other ways to go around that issue. More importantly, such a fine specimen… looking at her. I wouldn't mind throwing down with her. Imagine the resonance of our battle, hahahaha!"
"Would you stop fantasizing? I won't hand her over to you. Anyway, is there something specific you want from me? I doubt that you just came here to say hi."
Anri twisted her sadistic expression into a blank one, as if going completely serious.
"It is regarding your champion. To be more precise, it's something that involves the God Realm directly.
Nyarla, you have been summoned. I am to take you to the chambers of the innermost Gods."
At those words, even Nyarla's shoulders trembled for a brief moment.