Horizon:Volume 1 Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Commandos in Town

Everyday passes by.

Time passes by.

Destiny passes by.

What does not pass.

Point Allocation (Human Relationships)

●

Sakai's judgement connected within an instant.

He understood that the girl from just now had come just from the flow of wind behind him.

No hesitation in his movements, he turned and confirmed.

...Her style is of a Close-combat martial artistStrike Forcer!? It's major, but this is--

There was a vague memory. Ten years ago, he indeed had met this girl.

Honda Tadakatsu's daughter. The girl whom Masazumi had said was her acquaintance.

What was her name? I don't remember, but-

...She's had sharp movements ever since before! She always carries a spear...!

I don't understand what's happening, but having suddenly twisted around to my back, is she attacking or protecting me?

And now, the movements he felt against his skin was the oscillation of air which the girl, twisting her body, had caused.

The oscillation was large, the initial speed slow.

'Then it's an attack,' Sakai judged. If she was stretching her arms for the sake of protection, then the oscillation would be small, and the initial speed fast. However, because the wind that is raised during an attack is caused by the wielder carrying his own volume, and is for the sake of swinging through completely, at first it's slow, but the movement is large.

Now, it's the latter.

'How will she come?' it was not Sakai's thoughts which formed that question, but his instinct.

I remember this girl's weapon. When she was standing behind Tadakatsu, I was looking at it.

It was not that I became aware of it and was looking at it. The experience of the battles I had cut my way through as a former corner of the Matsudaira Four Heavenly Kings was sunk into a deeper position than awareness. That weapon is of the Shirasu Industries brand. The wooden handle, having been applied with a black matte finish, was a colour contrary to the name of Shirasu, and is sold as something with a durable structure.

The hilt is straight, and because of its length, it looked as if it compensated for the instability which stemmed from its lightness.

...If so.

In that the long hilt is aimed towards easy handling of the blade, it holds a single problem.

A katana is a weapon which slices by touching the opponent and retracting as if shaving a piece off. However that denotes the reality where the wielder has to cut by pulling the blade, which has touched its victim, towards his own chest.

As such, the blade of a katana cannot cut at any distance but a distance where it is able to be retracted. Because of the judgement of strength in the slicing, it is possible to slice deeply, but the distance which can be cut is the distance it can be retracted.

And if it's a katana which has a long hilt, when it's pulled towards one's front, the hilt will touch one's body.

The distance which can be retracted is short.

In that case, what will the wielder do to make a long cut?

...They will drop their body and swing the blade far!

Dropping their entire body, they will extend her blade far to the front, and pull with their entire body.

If that is done, they will be able to gain the twist of their body as a distance in which to retract the blade.

Now, the wind I feel behind my back is large.

A wind for the sake of stepping her entire body in with all her strength.

The target is my right abdomen. A horizontal slice from my back.

'She's good,' Sakai's instinct acknowledged his opponent.

If she aimed for my upper body, the thick muscle and bone of my shoulder and chest will interrupt her. If it's below the stomach, things will end with just the severing or snapping of the wrist, but she can split the thin flesh of the side-abdomen which is stretched with the pressure of the stomach.

Furthermore, if it's a horizontal slice, then she can pull the blade horizontally.

If she does so, then the she will automatically pull the blade with just a turning movement of her body, and the retracted pommel won't touch her chest or stomach. If she chains with a twisting motion inwards, she doesn't even need to steady her footing.

It's a horrible sword technique in terms of regulation. It's not something that is learned on the practice ground. This is a sword technique from true battle.

What should I do to avoid it?

Faster than he thought, Sakai moved.

●

Translator's notes and references

Back to Chapter 09

Return to Main Page

Forward to Chapter 11