61 – Pinecone (9)
Suddenly, I realized.
I…
Was particularly weak in the eyes of a child.
Regret came too late, but it was pointless. Just by looking at a child, I was reminded of my younger sister whom I failed to protect.
A small village called Pineco.
Something happened there.
Although I had accepted it, I had no intention of taking it lightly. I treated Kiara harshly.
Since I didn’t know how much time was left, I did everything I could in the compressed time.
The first thing was to fix everything she had.
Of course, I wasn’t a master of martial arts. I knew Nagakurta, but only at a basic level.
I could only teach her the basics because I never learned the advanced techniques. Moreover, Nagakurta was originally a martial art created for the strong warrior race.
The details contained in each movement were difficult for criminals to imitate. So I had to demonstrate it to her on the spot.
To match what she already had.
“Show me what you can do.”
The crimson fox-human hybrid, Kiara.
She certainly wasn’t a complete beginner who knew nothing. The silence that comes from being fundamentally trained. It was in the agility emanating from her small, unique body.
Most of Kiara’s body movements were tailored for a “hunter.”
“Just live as a hunter, isn’t that enough?”
“I want to utilize what you’ve taught me. My dream is to become a skilled mercenary like you. And besides… being a hunter doesn’t pay well.”
A dream.
A magical word called a dream. A story that makes one feel helpless when they hear it.
This was the path she chose. It would be strange for me to advise otherwise.
I was just guiding her in the direction she desired.
“Come at me.”
“Yes!”
One hour was short.
But for her, it felt like a long time.
“Pant… pant…!”
Watching her lying down, I could understand why she hesitated.
It was a martial art that seemed like she had never fought a single person before. Moreover, it was evident everywhere that she had never seen it properly demonstrated.
The momentum was excellent, but the movements were disjointed. There were so many flaws to point out.
But she was strong.
Her experienced hand extended as far as her accumulated power could be seen. She was right.
I had to face her fists and teach her right in front of her…
“I needed a guide.
“Uh, When…?”
“It’s hopeless.”
“…Sigh.”
Even though she looked angry, it was still a hopeless situation. I sat on a rock and rolled my head.
Fortunately, I had good eyesight. My senses were also excellent, and I could remember every one of her movements in my head and replay them in my brain.
The only good thing is that the ‘shape’ is caught.
I scribbled a few branches on the ground. I compensated for the shortcomings with Na-ga-kurta and continued the movement in my head.
My job was between each movement.
To compensate for the disconnecting part.
….
Suddenly, admiration burst out.
If she had trained so much with her small body, she must have put an enormous effort.
It couldn’t be done in a day or two. She must have devoted countless hours to polishing her skills.
Furthermore, that prosthetic arm…
It seemed like it wasn’t in proper condition from the squeaking sound. There might even be discomfort in controlling it.
Although it was not made for combat purposes, it was regrettable. If only that had been replaced with a proper one, there would have been no such gaps.
“Do you want to work as a mercenary?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, fix that prosthetic arm. The balance is off. That’s why your center of gravity keeps tilting. “
“But this was given by an old man. I can’t throw it away.”
“If you can’t throw it away, modify it at least.”
“Modify it…?”
“It was designed for daily use, but you can modify it. Someone made it, right? It doesn’t look like an ordinary item… Ask that person to modify it for combat purposes.”
“Will they do it for me?”
They will do it if you pay.
I didn’t say anything more, stood up, and remembered the martial arts routine I had organized in my head.
“Here we go.”
A tilted upper body, unlike Nagakurta, minimized the area of my body visible.
Left goes forward. Right goes backward.
The martial art itself wasn’t originally designed for head-on confrontations. The stance seemed to aim to pull the opponent in and grab their neck in one swift move.
“What’s the name of this move?”
“…Uncle called it ‘Chainfang.'”
“Chainfang. Okay.”
As the stance was taken, it became even more ingrained in the body. It was rough-hewn, polished over a long time. Some areas could have used more work, but this martial art was carefully crafted for just one person.
A small child with a quick body and silent movements, they must focus on targeting the opponent’s weak spots.
I don’t know what the original form looked like, but it was undoubtedly honed to fit Kiara’s body by a previous generation.
“…I understand why you like the village chief.”
“What?”
The martial art itself revealed the practitioner’s character. One who can handle power can be seen at a glance.
Just how affectionate and cherished their heart is.
…Yang’s father and Su-yeong’s daughter.
I stretched my foot and swung my concealed right arm like a fang.
Paang!
The space burst open. Kiara’s eyes widened.
“That, that was…the essential move…Nang-ah (wolf’s fang)!”
“It’s Nang-ah (wolf’s fang).”
Come to think of it, there was Ned Moore. He was a werewolf and had wolf ears.
If it was made for Kiara, why keep the name the same? It was as if they were trying to hide the fact that they adapted it for her.
Sly behavior.
From Noble mtl dot com
“If you apply it, you can use it with weapons too.”
“H-how did you do that with just one look?!”
“I just imitated it. It’s not perfect.”
But with some modifications that fitted me, it was a skill good enough to be added to Kurta’s moves.
I gained something unexpectedly good. With this level of moves, I could learn the value of teaching and still have some left over.
Time spent with her.
In it, why not
“It seems like I found a hint to polish my body again.
“Practice until you drop by tomorrow.”
“Oh, what kind of exercises?”
“Starting from stepping on the beat.”
She firmly stomped her feet on the ground and carefully stepped back, leaving her footprints in front of her.
“Step on it. Practice your postures while you step.”
“……!”
“What you have to be careful of is not only where you step, but also the strength of the step and the moment you lift your body at the right time.”
She had never demonstrated a move.
“Proper steps and the ability to jump at the right time must match to come up with proper force. Do you understand?”
“… Yes!”
She wagged her tail.
. . .
The next day.
She was already in place, as if waiting, and her body was covered in dust.
“Ah, hello…!”
She turned her gaze away from her graceful greeting face to where she stepped. I checked the footprints I left behind yesterday.
“……”
There were many traces of her stepping in one place. They were so deep that they seemed very clear.
“How much did you do?”
“I-I didn’t do much. It’s not enough yet.”
“Tell me.”
“Just a little bit.”
She looked down.
“After coming back from the hunt all day long…”
At least she understood one thing.
Passion is as good as passing.
I smiled sarcastically.
“Show
The air crackled softly. It wasn’t as intense as mine. However, the swinging fingertips struck down on an opponent who couldn’t be seen, like fangs.
Just a day.
A short moment after parting ways.
Within that moment, Kiara’s brilliance was astonishingly manifested. It was completely different from the pathetic sight I had witnessed before.
“How…how is it?”
…Is this guy also a genius?
Instead of speaking, I moved. I stood in front of him, following his next movement.
“A grandiose style reveals flaws both before and after launching the attack.”
“…….?”
“Certainly, the strike possesses the power of a finishing blow. If it hits an appropriate target, even with controlled force, it would inevitably cause minimum numbness.”
However, having a grandiose style is dangerous.
Although beginners may not know, it is akin to revealing one’s own vulnerabilities to an experienced opponent.
“Even if it possesses the power of a finishing blow, it is meaningless if it doesn’t connect. The strike is a final resort. It is crucial to overwhelm the previous momentum by continuously chaining small movements.”
“…….!”
“When facing opponents with similar skills, the weaknesses of the strikes will be exposed. So, they need to be compensated for. Building a foundation to create situations where the strikes can be unleashed.”
I moved swiftly.
The main point is to keep the attacks continuous, pressing on the opponent. I strike rapidly aiming for sensitive areas while attacking the sides where the opponent intends to defend.
Unseen upper and lower body struck simultaneously.
“Chainfang is that kind of martial art.”
“What…what kind of person are you, Drakan? How do you analyze all of this at once?”
I pointed my horn directly at her. It was convenient when I didn’t feel like explaining everything in detail.
She understood upon seeing the horn.
“Well, since you’re a dragonkin.”
That’s right.
That’s the reaction I wanted.
. . .
“How…how about this?”
“It’s decent.”
My intuition wasn’t wrong.
She was undoubtedly a genius.
“When you teach one, you learn ten. I even applied two there.
A bundle of talent moaning because there’s no one to teach them separately.
As if they had accumulated considerable experience points, their teaching accomplishments went up one by one.
“…I didn’t know I could do this much. I now understand why Drakan asked me to change the grip. I can’t follow the movements well.”
“As soon as you earn money, renovate first.”
“Yes!”
She was diligent. She always came out early in the field.
At times, she thought that her genius might not be due to her talents.
Honesty. Diligence.
All these tiny things combine to create complex synergies.
Kiyara breathed heavily and murmured.
“…It turns out not all the bad people are in the resistance.”
“Be cautious.”
“Yes?”
“Be cautious. Don’t trust anyone.”
Having crossed between life and death, she had seen it many times.
People who think giving is natural.
People who receive evil despite giving goodwill.
People who cling like parasites and rip off someone.
“Don’t be deceived by appearances. Be alert until the end. Judge whether or not you can trust this person over time.”
“I, myself, have judged over time.”
“Don’t trust someone after only two weeks.”
“…Ugh.”
This was advice. Advice for her to leave the village someday and live as a mercenary.
Since she knew she was a faithful child, her attention shifted.
“…But, you know.”
“What?”
“Why doesn’t Drakan ask me anything? Wor-would you like me to give my body to him if he wants it…”
“Why would he want your frail body?”
“Bi, it’s not weak! It’s not small!”
Kiara was angry but confident.
“Then why did you help me? Really out of kindness?”
Out of kindness.
“…Just something I did because I couldn’t sleep at night.”
“What?”
“Just that,” Kiara said with round eyes and a small grin.
“So there aren’t only bad people after all.”
The floating island was almost complete. It felt like more than a week had passed, nearly eleven days.
I also heard that the train repairs were almost finished. Good news overlapped.
Kiara, who was swinging her arms vigorously, suddenly asked, “What unit is Drakan from exactly?”
“Punishment unit.”
“…Isn’t that where criminals gather?”
Kiara’s face cooled down.
“No way…?”
“Criminals, yes.”
“I see.”
Kiara pursed her lips.
“Something must have happened, right? There must be, right?”
“Not really.”
“…It’s not pickpocketing, and since he seems like a monster by nature, did he hit a villain and got caught accidentally?”
“You didn’t think he could just be a simple victim?”
“I didn’t.”
She firmly spoke, and I smirked.
How childish.
“Picked up for attempting illegal entry. To be precise, it wasn’t even attempted illegal entry.”
“…Immigration, is it? Then you must have come from the city of dragons, right?!”
“Well, if I had to say, yes. It may be in ruins now.”
“Ah…”
As if realizing it belatedly, she hesitated.
“I, I forgot… I’m sorry…”
“It’s alright.”
“You’re not mad, are you?”
“I’m not, so move your arms.”
*Bang!*
The air burst lightly. But even as they resumed their training, Kiara’s lips trembled.
“So, how much longer will you be in the punishment force?”
“Not much longer now.”
“What will you do after it’s over? Will you continue with the resistance forces?”
“No. I made a promise to a friend.”
“What kind of promise?”
“We decided to become mercenaries together.”
“…….!!”
Kiara’s eyes glittered.
“If it’s Drakan, you’ll definitely become an extraordinary mercenary! A true hero who hunts creatures and explores places no one has ever seen!”
“It’s not to that extent…”
“It’s true! I believe it!”
“…….”
Whether it was excitement or her head being like a flower garden.
Perhaps it could be described as childlike innocence. I firmly pressed my hand against Kiara’s head as she tilted it upwards.
“Finish up. You still have an hour. Haven’t forgotten, right?”
“…Can’t you extend the time a little now?”
“I don’t intend to.”
“You’re cold…”
She sulks while her fox ears twitch. It felt like she was enjoying the situation itself.
“But Drakan is warm.”
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“I’m serious. He’s a good person.”
…sigh.
“I said it’s a misunderstanding.”
…
Tetis Libra looked up at the train with a firm expression.
Externally, the repaired body looked fine at first glance. The test run showed that the wheels were turning smoothly and the engine had no problems.
…There was only one other problem.
“Captain.”
“The train is complete.”
The special dispatch captain, Edan Valf, stood beside her. Perhaps because they were close in proximity.
The backs of their hands touched.
“Libra. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thank you…”
“I won’t forget about this. I’ll report it to my superiors as well. The repairs will probably be completed within the next day or two if all else goes well.”
Edan Valf turned to look at her.
“To celebrate the success of the mission, how about we have a drink?”
“But there’s an exhibition right now…”
“It’s okay for just one day.”
“……”
It was an order from the commander.
She couldn’t refuse.
“Understood.”