Return.
Translated by Alex; Proofread by the team
Chapter 10
Elder: Destroya!
[Several big hits, then wind blowing]
Sparks exploded, small tornados swirled in and out of existence, and the magic of the two fighters blended together.
Every time the Elder took a swing or kicked against the earth, a plume of dust appeared, but Mitile no longer seemed to care.
All the while, Mithra's gaze was steady and unreadable.
Elder: Hah!!!
Chloe: Aah, look out..!
Mitile: <<Scintilla>>!
The Elder leapt towards Mitile, swinging a heavy fist towards him, but Mitile easily blocked the attack with magic.
Then, the Elder reversed his momentum, pushed back, and somersaulted backwards through the air, landing on his feet.
Perhaps in preparation to pounce again, he crouched deeply, sinking low to the ground. Mitile's eyes widened in realization.
Mitile: Oh… This is…
[Colorful magic shines]
Mitile: …The moment! <<Orotnik Sealsispilce>>!
Elder: …!!!
[Crash]
Just before the Elder was about to leap into the air, Mitile launched a ball of sparks directly into his muscle-bound stomach.
Caught off guard and unable to adjust in time, the Elder took the attack directly, and he leaned over backwards with the force of the strike.
Then -- he fell flat on his back, completely sprawled out.
Akira: Huh?
His muscle-bound body began to shrink with a hissing noise, like a balloon deflating.
Before long, the Elder laying on the ground had returned to his previous, scrawny form.
Chloe: Ah! My outfit is okay!
Nero: It survived…
Elder: I suppose it's time for lunch, then. I might be in the mood for chicken today… Mnyah, mnyah… Zzzz…
Sturdy-Looking Man: The Elder has dozed off. Which means our match has a champion!
Sturdy-Looking Man: The winner is the son of Tiletta! Give it up for Mitile!
Mitile looked around, still clutching his medicine jar, his shoulders still heaving as he worked to catch his breath. Before he got the chance to speak, though, the crowd erupted into cheers.
Villagers: Congratulations! Congratulations!
Villagers: For such a young man to defeat our Elder -- that's amazing!
Mitile: I w-won… I…
Mitile: …Oh, yes! Yes! I did it, I won!
As the villagers gather to carry the Elder safely out of the arena, Mitile ignored them to beeline towards us, running and bounding as if he were about to take flight.
When he reached the fence, he leapt up to hang over the edge, halfway to jumping over it entirely.
Mitile: I won! I did it!!
Akira: Yes, we were all watching! Congratulations, Mitile!
Chloe: Congrats! That was super cool~!
Nero: Well done. I'll make sure dinner is a real feast.
Mitile: Ehehe…!
Mitile: Mister Mithra! It's all thanks to you that I won.
Mitile: "The moment" really was "the moment", huh?
Mithra looked down at Mitile as he gushed with excitement, his cheeks flushed pink.
Wordlessly, he lifted a large hand up to Mitile's face, and wiped off some of the dirt that had stained Mitile's cheeks. The dirt smudged onto Mithra's fingertips, too.
To me, it looked like a gesture of warm approval.
Though Mithra tends to be forgetful…
Mitile, who didn't give up even when his face was covered in mud. That raw courage, that single-minded determination.
Mithra's fingertips, too, will surely carry that memory into the future.
Mithra: …There's potential. Inside you.
Mitile: …Ehehe…
Mitile laughed as Mithra roughly wiped off his cheeks.
As if he had received the greatest compliment.
Just as quickly, though, Mithra pulled his hand back from Mitile and held it out to the side, pulling his broom out of thin air.
Mithra: Mitile. Take out your broom.
Mithra: Since we won, we now have to offer the Blessing of Sparks.
Mitile: What? Woah--!
Mithra climbed atop his broom, and as he pushed off into the air, he grabbed Mitile by the collar.
Before he could be entirely choked, Mitile summoned his broom in a panic and followed Mithra up into the sky.
Akira: The Blessing of Sparks… That's what Tiletta bestowed upon the village at the very first festival.
[Location: Sunny sky]
Mithra: This should be sufficient. <<Arthim>>.
Mithra holds his hand up to the sky, and golden sparks begin to flow from his palm.
Glittering and swirling, the sparks spread throughout the clear blue sky, covering the gathering place in a beautiful, soft light.
[In village arena, gold light glittering]
Chloe: Wah…! It's beautiful! It looks like glittery gold snow!
Nero: Amazing… This guy's gonna become the new legend around here.
Akira: So this is the Blessing of Sparks…
Lady Wearing an Apron: Scintilla's Blessing! It's fantastic…!
Sturdy-Looking Man: Urk… Sniffle… Oh, I'm so happy we could hold the festival…
Old Man With Glasses: We are blessed! Blessed be our Strongarm's Mettle!
Mitile: Wow…! Everyone is so happy!
Mitile: When my mother gave the Blessing of Sparks, did it look the same as this?
Mithra: …I'm certain it did.
Mithra: Now, you have to perform the Blessing as well. After all, you won.
Mitile: Yes!
Mitile: <<Orotnik Sealsispilce>>!
Mitile: <<Scintilla>>!
[Two bursts of magic, one after another]
Mitile leaned down on his broom and cast two spells, causing multicolored sparks to rain down over the town.
It wasn't a spectacular, showy spell, like golden snow that floods the sky with light, but…
The sparks were bright and eye-catching, like flowers that had just burst into bloom.
Sturdy-Looking Man: Sniff… Guh…! This sight… It's a recreation of the very first festival…!
Old Man with a White Beard: This, our Strongarm's Mettle, is the pride of our village! Our festival which will never be outdated!
The villagers were bursting with excitement. Caught up in the celebrations, a handful of people, regardless of age or gender, leapt onto the field with expressions of pure joy.
Young Man Wearing Shirt: Come on, old man! Come at me!
Man Wearing a Straw Hat: Yeah, right, ya got arms like twigs! I'm not about to lose to some scrawny kid!
The young man and the older man begin to spar, surrounded by a cacophony of cheers, whoops, and hollers.
Similar scenes were playing out all around us. Competitors and spectators, no matter the generation, all laughing and cheering as one.
Meanwhile, above them, high in the air…
[In the glittering sky]
Mitile: While I know I still have a long way to go… Someday, I want to be a powerful wizard who can protect people and make them smile. Like my mother.
Mitile: Mister Mithra. Can I keep asking you to train with me, once in a while?
Mithra: …
Mithra: Well, I suppose so. Once in a while.
The two of them were talking indistinctly, then they both broke into smiles.
Cocooned in the reborn Scintilla's Blessing - illuminated and enveloped in warm, swirling lights, as though the sparks themselves were watching over them.