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Translated by Alex; Proofread by the team
Chapter 9
[Location: Village arena, day]
Akira: Mitile, you're already nervous… I guess he was doing special training with Mithra up until the last second.
Nero: Mitile, how was it? The special food I brought ya - did you eat it?
Mithra: He ate it. He was almost too nervous to eat, but he finished it all.
Chloe: That's good! Then he'll definitely have the strength to win… right?
Mithra: He will.
Mithra: I made him strong, after all.
Elder: One-two, one-two…
A good while after Mitile had entered the arena, the Elder shuffled his way onto the field, holding a broom instead of his usual walking stick.
Elder: A~nd here I am. Whew, dearie me…
Mitile: Mister Elder! It's an honor to be sparring with you today. I'm Mitile, Tiletta's son.
Elder: Oh, oh, what a delight! What a good child, greeting me so politely.
Elder: Would you like to have breakfast together today, by any chance?
Mitile: Um, breakfast?
Elderly Lady in Apron: No, Elder! You already had breakfast, at home this morning.
Elder: Oh, is that so? Hmmm… But I wouldn't mind having another breakfast.
His lighthearted response brought forth warm laughter from the crowd. This was a wizard who had been watching over the village for a very long time, and seemed to be well-liked by all.
Then, a small child rushed into the arena with something cradled in his arms.
Village Child: Elder, Elder! You forgot this!
Elder: Ohh, how silly of me.
[BGM fades out]
Chloe: Ehh… Huh? Wait, are those brass knuckles?
Akira: I don't know exactly what brass knuckles look like, but it's definitely some kind of big gauntlet, or a knuckle guard…?
Nero: Yikes… yeah, that's definitely his magical tool.
Chloe: Huh?! Wait, but that means…
Sturdy-Looking Man: Alright, looks like you're both ready to go. Then, may the ultimate battle…
Sturdy-Looking Man: Begin!!
[High-energy BGM begins]
Elder: Rrrrrooaaaaaaaaa!!!
Mitile: Whaah!?
As soon as the match began, the Elder, now armed with some kind of knuckle-shielding weapon, bolted upright and roared at the sky.
He tossed his broom to the side, and the thin muscles of his body began to swell with a strange sound, like bones creaking and twisting.
His small frame appeared to expand to twice… No, maybe three times its normal size.
Like some sort of monstrous man from a comic book.
Chloe: Eeeehhhhh?!
Nero: Buh!!
Akira: How is he doing that!?!?!
[Magical flash, shearing noise]
With a series of pops and tears, the traditional outfit split open and fell into shreds. The Elder's exposed body, as firm and unyielding as steel, glistened majestically in the glorious sunlight.
Chloe: Noooooo!! Not the outfit…!!!
Nero: Pfft, ahahaha..! Really hit ya right where it hurts…
Chloe: It's not funny!!
Mithra: Oh... I remember now. The Elder did the same thing last time, too.
Mithra: The only exceptional thing about him is his ability to enhance his physical body with magic. Other than that, he's practically the same as any other Southern wizard.
Villagers: Go~o! Elder Grizzly-Killer!
Villagers: Go for it! Elder Lion-Wrestler!
Akira: (No, he also has really cool nicknames!!)
Elder: Wraaaaaaghhhh!!
Mitile: Sci… <<Scintilla>>!
Elder: Destroya!! [1]
Akira: Wah, he cast a spell! On top of everything else, he can use normal magic..!!
Chloe: Do you think that "Destroya" is his spell?
Nero: Just because you shout somethin' doesn't make it a spell… But I guess with this guy, it's definitely possible…?
Mitile: <<Scintilla>>!
Elder: Huah! Raaaaaghhh…!!
[Flurry of blows]
Mitile: Wah! S - <<Scinti… Ah, no…!
Akira: (Mitile is struggling as much as he was when he first started training. I wonder if he's under too much stress to use his magic properly…)
An unexpected change in the elder, and an unexpected kind of fight.
Even us as spectators are struggling to keep up. For Mitile, the one actually fighting, it must be even more bewildering.
Akira: G…Go, Mitile! You can do it!
Chloe: Get 'em, Mitile! Come on, Nero, cheer!
Chloe & Nero & Akira: Gooooo~ooo!
Leaning over the fence, we cheered as hard as we could.
But Mitile was trembling as he was cornered, his back up against the edge of the arena.
Elder: Hah!! Destroya!
Mitile: Wauh…!
[Flurry of blows, wind blowing]
The Elder's brass knuckles struck Mitile, followed by a gust of magical wind that sent Mitile sprawling onto his back.
Seizing the opportunity, the Elder pulled back his massive fist. His brass knuckles glowed faintly as he gathered his strength.
On the ground, Mitile was a mess; his expression was one of frustration, regret, and resignation, as he stared up at it.
The Elder's shadow cast his face into darkness.
However.
Mithra: -- What is the problem?
Mitile jumped at the sudden voice; not because it was particularly loud, but simply because it cut through the surrounding noise.
Mithra slid between the three of us, leaning over the fence.
His green eyes, deep and lush like the height of summer, caught eyes the color of fresh leaves beginning to sprout.
Distant, yet direct and true.
Mithra: I am the one who trained you.
Mithra: I taught you the magic that Tiletta taught me, and I have made you stronger.
Mithra: Are you seriously willing to let it end here?
Mitile: …!
Mitile's eyes widened.
[Heavy, earthy crash]
The next instant, the Elder's fist swung down, and Mitile desperately rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding it.
Mitile sprung to his feet as the Elder worked to free his fist from the soil.
Quickly, he put some distance between himself and the Elder; with the back of his hand, he roughly brushed off the dirt that clung to his cheeks.
Mitile's unyielding gaze now burned with a desire for victory.
A gaze like the one Mithra wears when he challenges Oz, the most powerful man in the world.
Mitile: ……
As soon as the Elder pulled his fist from the ground, Mitile, for a split second, glanced over at Mithra.
Mithra didn't say a word, but his lips formed a slight smile, and he just barely seemed to nod.
In response, Mitile laughed softly; then he held up his medicine jar towards the Elder, who was readying himself for another attack.
Similar to how Mithra's crystal skull gathered frigid, piercing light, now Mitile's medicine jar began to accumulate light as well.
This light, intense and brilliant, resembled spring sunshine.
[Magical light gathers together]
The vivid, unrelenting, springtime sun that commands the seeds buried in the frozen earth to awaken and grow.
Mitile: <<Scintilla>>!
—
TL Notes:
[1] The elder yells 破ァ, where 破 is related to ripping/tearing apart/crushing; it's common in verbs that relate to high-energy destruction. I chose "Destroya" because it gives the same impression, while maintaining the "-ya" ending and Unfinished Word energy of the JPN original. Plus it's something intimidating and freaky to yell as a spell (but, as an additional note, the JPN word isn't written in katakana like usual spells are, and it doesn't have the same <<pointy brackets>>, so it doesn't seem to be a formal spell… he might just be yelling that for fun…?).