Chapter 56
Cold sweat traces through the backbone.
There are enough chances of success. But, I can’t afford to make a mistake.
Everything will end if a make a small mistake.
There’s a chance of winning but Rikka has the overwhelming advantage. And I will be walking on a thread right now.
A thread I will bet my life on.
ーーBody strengthening.
That is the ideal power for a living “individual”
Rikka’s body is able to move at a speed that’s not possible to be grasped by normal people.
Her body can move at an abnormal speed, that also means that her muscle and ligaments can endure it, she’s endowed with such physique.
I thought that it was different when I used my X-ray ability on her interior of her body but, the reason was this.
A body structure different from normal. Rikka’s body is dealing with her own ability properly.
In short, she’s not just fast, it means that she also has a high defense.
Also, she should also posses kinetic vision to surely demonstrate her speed.
She has the cheetah’s high level speed, gorilla’s durability and kinetic vision that surpasses a falcon’s eye, something like that.
Don’t fuck with me. There’s no way a “normal human” would be able to win against that kind of monster.
Furthermore, she also has a huge knife.
It’s an article that should be called hatchet than a knife.
It’s not something a small girl should be using but, it’s possible for her two swing it freely assuming that she has a gorilla’s power.
No, instead of saying freely, since she has a power level of a gorilla, she can swing it like a twig.
Getting me grazed would make it a matter of life and death.
Hahaha, like hell I can win against someone like that. It’s impossible.
But you see, I’m not a “normal human” either.
Also, I have advantages I can use of and she can still be defeated.
Assuming that Rikka’s stamina corresponds her speed, I guess “normal human” attacks won’t do.
It’s a question whether a human punching a gorilla would be effective.
There’s no way it would be.
Then normal attacks won’t do.
Those things won’t damage Rikka.
What’s crucial is the change of perception.
Think that I’m a normal human and Rikka is a light car.
Cars are much faster than human and has the horsepower and durability far more than a human. That’s why cars can hit a human without any problems.
Now, assuming that i got hit by a car and flew away. It won’t end easily for me but will the car be unscratched?
Nay, the body of the car that hit me would be “dented” That’s not all. The frame would be “distorted” as well.
It would be much better than me who’s blown away but, the car won’t go away flawlessly.
Then, how about the car hitting a wall?
If it crashes to a concrete wall that’s heavier and harder than a human, no matter how strong the body is, it won’t end unscratched. No, even if the body is strong, the “inside” will have serious damage taken. In short, her internal organs.
Will her body break or will her internal organs break? Since it’s a bad horsepower, the damage would be as big as self-destruction.
Also, the car needs a large amount of fuel to run fast. She absolutely needs energy to balance her ability.
In short, if my guess is correct, Rikka’s ability has a “Bad fuel consumption”
Compared to that, my ability has a “good fuel consumption”
That’s my biggest objective.
But if Rikka has a good fuel consumption, yup, that’s the end. I’ll never win. I’ll run at that time. I don’t know if I can run but that’s all I can do.
「That’s a huge amount of sweat」
Standing far from me, Rikka mutters while looking at me with a smile.
Well yeah. I have a chance of winning but I’m on the edge in various meanings. Of course I would be sweating.
「As expected, you are strong. Just seeing my “Speed” once, you understood how wonderful I am. You deserve to be praised for doing that much」
Rikka smiles with composure and praises me. Though she’s praising me, she’s definitely looking down on me.
She’s in absolute advantage, so she’s praising me without doubting her own victory.
An overwhelming arrogance, saying that she’s “giving” me a praise.
She’s really an annoying brat. I want to hit her face at least once but, she’d dodge it if I try to punch her, in the first place I don’t have the power to give her damage when I hit her.
Offensive ability, durability, vitality, and an ability that reflects it. It’s exactly an ideal power for the sake of an “individual” to live.
I guess there’s no human existing that will be able to win against Rikka.
It’s not unreasonable for her to be arrogant.
Butー
「Did you know the proverb, the cornered mouse bites?」
「Ha?」
Rikka tilts her head when I asked her.
「It means that if a mouse gets cornered by a cat, he’ll counterattack. Furthermore, instead of a suicide attack of throwing it’s body, he’ll try to give a cat a mortal wound. In other words, it warns not to take someone lightly or it will hurt」
Rikka snorts at what I said.
「It’s about mouse isn’t it? Sorry but you’re lower than a rat to me. I accept that you’re “stronger than normal” but, you’re lower than a rat for me」
My words have tickled her price. Rikka speaks out in an irritated manner.
There’s a chance of winning but it’s definitely troublesome. That is the big knife Rikka is holding. That’s too dangerous.
I should really say that it’s a hatchet instead of a knife. I won’t have any chances if she uses that thing freely.
A single blow and my head would break, a single slash would cut my hands or legs. She’ll definitely use the back of the blade to torment me.
For Rikka who has a body strengthening ability, it’s her ideal weapon.
That’s why I can’t let her use it.
「There are no absolutes in this world」
「What?」
When I muttered that grinning, Rikka responds squinting her eyes.
「A champion isn’t the strongest of all. He’ll avoid the matches he’ll lose. And he’ll defeat enemies he’s certain he will win against. That’s why he’s able to keep being a champion」
「What are you trying to say?」
Rikka feels irritated from what I say.
「You actually know that don’t you? That you’re not the strongest」
「What?」
「The evidence is that knife. If you have pride in the strength of your body, you won’t need those kind of weapons. And yet, you have that weapon, that means that you are assuming the time you will use it. In short, it is an insurance in case you fall into a critical situation. Am I wrong?」
Rikka is glaring at me while I talk with a grin on my face.
「You’re good at talking」
Rikka tries to talk in a low voice, she still wants to keep her cool when she’s obviously irritated?
Kuku, those who have high pride are basically easy.
「I don’t have this knife as an insurance. I just love using my knife to cut, stab, and tear away meat. Also, sharp things makes others frightened. I love seeing people’s frightened faces」
Rikka denies what I said then turn her right hand on her back, pulling the knife from the sheath from her back.
The large scale knife shines silver. Single edged, sharp, thick. It’s an item that should be called a hatchet.
I gulped my saliva in a way Rikka won’t notice, I feel my whole body sweating.
It’s great that she’s provoked but I would be troubled if she uses the knife.
「You’re provoking me so I would throw away the knife right? You’re really using your head in this kind of situation. Furthermore, this means that you have the intent to win against me don’t you?」
Saying that, she sticks out her small red tongue and licks the blade that shines silver.
This is going as planned until now. What’s next is to leave everything to fate.
Though it’s a big success that she threw her knife away but her being serious is the worst.
「Do you think that you can win against me if I’m barehanded?」
「I said this a while ago, there’s no such thing as absolute. But, there are chances of success. If you don’t use your knife, the probability of me winning raises from 20 to 30 percent」
I think that the possibility is around 80 percent but I don’t dare to say it.
If I say 80 percent, Rikka might cool down from her anger.
Rikka’s thinking that she’ll definitely win. Then I better speak understatement than realistically, that should be able to stimulate Rikka’s pride.
「There’s still 20 to 30 percent of winning against me?」
Saying that, Rikka grins. Her face is laughing but her eyes isn’t. The red eyes watching me feels chilling cold.
Ah, she’s angry~ No~I’m just pulling your leg~ I want to live~
「Got it. I’ll take on your provocation. It would be annoying if you blame the knife if you lose」
Rikka looks at me with her cold eyes while having a smile on her face, she muttered silently then swing her right hand.
The knife struck on a tree trunk.
Hey hey, didn’t the knife you throw out pierce more than half of the trunk? Don’t joke with me. What’s with that amazing physical strength.
I’m right when I say that she has an amazing strength like a gorilla. Furthermore, she has the “dexterity” higher than a gorilla.
That’s too nasty.
That said, I was able to “grasp” the knife when she threw it, but that’s all. It’s too fast that all I can do is grasp it.
My ability itself completely deals with Rikka’s movement. But I’m just a normal human, I don’t have anything to deal with the information I have “grasped” No, the processing speed can’t catch up.
Just like the fight with the man with a baton, if ever it turns to a close-combat, it would be the end for me.
「You could’ve surely won if you use the knife. That just means that the possibility of me winning has come out」
I say that and grinned, lowered my waist and took a stance.
Concentrate. Concentrate everything on one point. Focus all your consciousness to Rikka only.
I can’t make a mistake no matter how small it is.
The chance will come. That chance will definitely come. Avoid receiving any of Rikka’s attacks until then.
I stare at Rikka and concentrate to the extent I burn the blood vessels in my brain.
The vivid colors of the world vanishes, it becomes black and white. Rikka is the only one that has a fresh color standing in there.
Rikka is grinning. My ability caught her waist faintly moving.
From waist to thighs, and I “see” the power transmitting to her calf and ankle.
ーーStraight movement
「Oops」
Pretending to stumble, I moved my body to the right. The wind pass through after that.
「…Eh?」
I hear a voice from my back.
Rikka who passed through my side, glides through the dead leaves on the ground, and stopped immediately. Then she looked at my back.
The red eyes looking at my back is shaking.
She must’ve intended to go straight and blow me away like that. No, I should be blown away definitely.
「He dodged? N-No way…N-no, that’s just a coincidence」
Rikka who’s clearly shaken mutters to convince herself.
I should be able to dodge. She won’t doubt as she believes it but, the result is clear.
I who should be standing straight in front of Rikka has moved to the right at the moment she has moved. Because of that, Rikka passed through my side.
There’s an abnormal amount of cold sweat coming out.
I barely made it. I really barely made it on the last second.
But it is as expected.
Rikka may have unnatural speed, a body that can endure that speed, dynamic vision and reflexes but, that said, she can’t make a sudden turn while drawing an attack with her whole best.
It’s possible to make a turn if she reduces velocity but she’s fast enough, it would be enough speed to hold me down.
If she responds calmly and looks at my movement, attack me while putting strength on her speed, Rikka will surely defeat me.
If I have Rikka’s ability, I will surely win with that.
But Rikka’s pride is too high that she’ll avoid making such a “makeshift” strategy.
That is why I have the chance to win.
However, the situation I am right now is overwhelmingly disadvantageous.
When Rikka has the intent to move. Her body will show a change. Grasping that change, I can read Rikka’s move ahead.
It would be too late if she starts to move. 7At the moment I thought “She moved”, I will take the blow without being able to evade or defend from it.
It’ll end if I’m a moment late. If I misread the prediction, that’s it. I have to keep bargaining on that very last moment.
The sensation of my life-span shrinking into intervals of second. It feels like my whole body is being poked by countless needles.
I feel death close to me.
But, I wonder. This is somewhat fun.
「D-Dammit」
I raised a mortified groan and pretended to turn back and stare at Rikka in panic.
Looking at me in panic, Rikka’s expression loosens.
He was able to dodge but as expected, it was just by chance, is what she thought.
She can take it as a coincidence after one or two times but, it would be suspicious if this continues.
I’d like this to conclude before we reach that but, it won’t go that well.
「Dangerous dangerous. I was about to be swayed by your pace」
Rikka say that and shrugged her shoulders.
「Saying that your probability of winning is 20 to 30 percent, I was almost fooled by your words. Your specialty is talking. Your trick is to shake your opponent and attack on the gap given. In short, a bluff」
I react to the words Rikka has said and look at Rikka with a forced smile.
The sweat running along my cheek must be a good play.
Well, it’s true that I’m having cold sweat though
「I’ve exposed your trick, now your chances of winning has vanished to zero. Or rather, there was no chance of beating me even if I show a chance. What will you do? Want to kneel and beg? Depending on my moodー」
「Shut up idiot」
I provoked Rikka who’s getting carried away blabbering while looking down on me.
Rikka reacted and the smile on her face disappeared.
「You wanted to end it with just one blow and you’re feeling frustrated now that you weren’t able to end it right? You’re now blabbering to hide that fact. You’re really just a brat. You’re an idiot brat who’s pride is the only adult part」
Rikka’s expression turns severe from what I said, the red eyes glaring at me is whirling with the color of anger.
Fufu, easy, easy.
But, no doubt that Rikka is strong. I don’t even have the time to keep calm.
「Shut up」
Rikka’s waist moved faintly as she mutters.
Then the power flows from her waist to her feet.
ーAnother straight move.
I moved to the side a moment before Rikka starts to move and after that, wind passes through.
ーーSwitchover.
When I moved to the side immediately, the wind passes and dried leaves flew from the ground.
「Wha?!」
Rikka raises a voice of astonishment while landing on the ground.
Rikka tries to blow me away by going straight ahead but passed through my side because I moved. She kicked the tree behind me and attacked again. But since I moved sideways earlier, that attack misses too.
Too fast, but I can read it.
Rikka’s ability value is too high that she doesn’t try to hide her movements. She uses the power she saved up to move in a dash. And at the moment the power accumulated starts to break free, the small movements on the surface of her body tells me the direction she’ll travel.
Furthermore, there’s no need for me to turn around. If she attacks from behind, or upfront, “there’s no difference”
Not just from the back. From the sides, or even from up or below, it’s possible for me to “grasp” it That is my ability.
Howeverー
「You…you’re “dodging” my attacks」
Rikka’s mutter gave me goosebumps.
It’s possible to think that it was coincidence if it’s just once or twice but, it’s natural to doubt if it continues for multiple times. Furthermore, I was able to “dodge” an attack from behind. Idiots are the only one who won’t notice that.
I’d like her to be an idiot though.
「So you found it out」
Saying that, I stick my tongue out.
It’s possible to play dumb but Rikka would doubt it. If I play dumb here, Rikka might be regard me as dangerous.
If she gives me a high evaluation, she might use the knife again.
I should expose my ability obediently and make her think that my ability isn’t that big of a deal.
「Vibration perception. That is my ability」
「What?」
Rikka’s expression tensed up when she heard what I said. Then she moved her glance. Her eyes moved to the knife that pierced the tree trunk.
I beg you. It would be troubling if you use “that”
「I can perceive the vibrations on the atmosphere. No matter how small the vibration is. I can perceive the vibration before the action happens, I can perceive my opponent’s movements before they even make it」
I talk to Rikka looking calm while having cold sweat.
Rikka who’s confirming the position of the knife while looking at me with a side glance but she grinned when she heard what I said.
「Why are you smiling? I know what kind of movement you will make before you do. The panic was on purpose. I can beat you down anytime I want. If you get it then acceptー」
「I won’t take on that trick」
Interrupting what I said,o Rikka looks down on me with a composed smile.
「I don’t know if it’s vibration or something but it’s sure that you have a special ability. If not, it’s impossible for you to “dodge” my attack. I agree with that. I thought that you’re like me but, so that’s how it is」
When Rikka said that, my face turned stiff.
It’s hard to act having a stiff face but, Rikka’s too good that I almost laughed instinctively. Desperately enduring that, my face has turned stiff.
「I’m surprised that you’re dodging me but I understood it from your movements. If your physical strength is equal to normal people or it surpasses them to some extent. Though you’re somehow able to make a forecast by perceiving vibration or something, but it was just luck that you’re able to dodge. Am I wrong?」
I gulped down my saliva to exaggerate as Rikka shows a composed smile. Seeing me like that, Rikka laughs.
「You can perceive my movement beforehand but you don’t know what kind of move it is right? Furthermore, your body is of a normal human. It’ll end once you get hit once. Therefore you pretend that you can counterattack my movements and urge me to surrender. If I surrender then you have a chance to win」
I retreat looking frightened when Rikka said that.
Rikka guesses my ability and predictions by herself from my movement and her speech.
I thought that she was an idiot a while ago, but it really helps me that she’s a half-idiot.
If she’s too much of an idiot, she might just attack without thinking, on the contrary if she’s intelligent, she’ll see through my true predictions and oppose it so it’s dangerous.
Now then, I’ve passed the most dangerous place in the middle of the rope. However, it doesn’t change that I’m still in danger and everything would end if I make a single mistake.
Butー
「Tsk」
I clicked my tongue and ran with all my might.
「Fufu, it’s a bull’s eye. Now that you’re out of cards, you’ll escape. I praise that judgement of yours. But, do you really think you can run away from me?」
I hear Rikka’s voice from behind. The voice that seems having fun has stopped, and at the next momentー.
「Kuh」
I kicked the ground and jumped sideways while running with all my best.
The wind passes, dead leaves flies up and a cloud of dust goes up. Then Rikka blocks my way in a relaxed manner.
「You “dodged” again. It is true that you can perceive vibrations as if seeing the attack from the back. That’s quite an interesting ability but it would be bad for you if the trick is discovered. It’s easy to deal with if you know it. It’s already impossible for you to beat me」
Looking down on me, Rikka talks while grinning.
It seems that she believed my ability is apparently vibration perception. Furthermore, she’s convinced that it’s her victory.
It seems similar to the meaning “Perceiving invisible things”, but it’s actually different.
Also, she said “absolutely not” twice.
「How many times can you dodge again?」
「Kuh」
I jumped to the side when Rikka asked and Rikka passed on the speed my eyes can’t follow.
I can see it, I can see it! Is it because I’ve gotten used to it? at the moment Rikka starts moving, I can clearly “see” what kind of move Rikka will do.
「D-Dammit」
I spit out making a sour face and escaped with all my best again.
I understood perfectly the surrounding terrain and the trees.
Just where and what rock is on the ground. Where and what kind of tree is crawling. Even if the dead leaf can’t be seen, I can “see” it.
「It’s useless to run」
I smiled when I hear the voice from the back and kicked the ground and jumped sideways.
「You’re done!」
Rikka pass through my side, kicked the trunk of the tree ahead and tried to attack me again. Thenー.
「Wha?!」
A surprised voice.
「Gaha?!」
A groan next. Rikka rolls on the ground with a terrible momentum.
「D-Dammit, I failed.」
Groaning in frustration , Rikka stands up.
Though Rikka have tried to attack me by kicking the tree and turnabout, I’ve read that ahead and jumped sideways.
Rikka aiming at me has thrown herself. To the tree in front.
There wasn’t any distance from the tree Rikka has kicked and that tree. That is why Rikka can’t evade and collided with the tree, driven off and rolled on the ground.
If the car hits me and blew me away, that would be the end. But if that car hits a wall, it would taking in twice the horsepower to itself.
With the thoughtless magnitude of horsepower, that would’ve made quite an impact.
「Kuh, ugu, dammit」
Her right arm is loosely suspended, red blood drips from the edge of her lips and nose, Rikka groans in frustration.
Her right arm looks painful. But it’s still a long way before she’s unable to move.
Her arms might be just a momentary sacrifice.
I’d like her to be done with just one attack but well, it won’t go that well, it’s already acceptable that her dominant arm is useless.
「Fu, fuha, fuahahahahahahahaa! You’ve perfectly fallen to my plan! If you accept your defeat right now I will forgive you!」
「Haa?! S-Stop talking nonsense! That was just my own failure! You were just running weren’t you?」
Rikka retorts to me who’s laughing and speaks out as if I’m reading a script.
That’s right, it was just a product of coincidence. This wasn’t my plan at all. If she doesn’t think like that, I’ll lose the “next”.
「Dammit」
I leaked out a mortified groan and run away with all my best.
Rikka thinks that it’s just coincidence and it’s not my plan but, she must’ve learned from colliding with trees already.
Then, perhaps the next attack would be coming from above.
Human, no animals living on the ground are extremely vulnerable from attacks “above” But it doesn’t matter to me.
Now Rikka, attack with all your power. And you’ll learn from that. I’ll make you realize and feel sorry.
This is my “den”
It would be already too late if you realize that and regret.