I have a sweet tooth. This is because, ever since I was young, whenever my father returned from an expedition, he always brought back desserts from famous shops. I was happy that my father came back safely. My brother and I would always eat every last piece of those desserts, which were proof of his safe return. Time passed, and my father retired from his position as the Knight Commander with his body intact, entrusting the commander’s seat to me. My brother didn’t aim to become the Knight Commander but instead joined the Imperial Guard and became the Captain of the Imperial Guard. The relationship between us brothers was good. At least, until that time. At that time, when I was drinking with my brother, bringing desserts to celebrate our work as leaders. I got into an argument with my brother.
About which was better – the dessert I chose or the one my brother chose.
Of course, I’m aware it was a trivial dispute. But there was something I couldn’t give up on. Because the one I chose was the dessert our father used to buy for us. My brother insisted that the dessert from the shop he found himself was better. I felt like my memories were being denied, and I couldn’t forgive that. In the end, after that, we brothers never sat around the table together happily again. We both got married, had children, and became well-established in our positions as Commander and Captain, but we couldn’t repair our relationship even after such a long time. Our discord even spread to our subordinates. Before we knew it, the relationship between the Knights and the Imperial Guard had become hostile.
I am Blitz Reinbar, the Commander of the Orritor Knights. The Orritor Knights maintain public order, crack down on bandits and criminals during peacetime, and become soldiers fighting on the front lines to protect the country in times of war. It’s an honorable position. There are four groups in the capital alone, and I am the commander of all groups, including those in the provinces and the capital. However, I’m not very good at desk work. These days, I often participate in training with my subordinates. I get scolded by my aides every time, but it’s popular with the subordinates. Apparently, it’s rare to have a superior who trains with them. I enjoy participating in the training, though.
On the other hand, there’s the Orritor Imperial Guard. The Imperial Guard’s main role is to serve at the castle. They are deployed as castle guards. However, they deal with matters as an elite few, and they must protect everyone from high-ranking officials to members of the royal family. Therefore, their individual abilities are such that each of them is worth a thousand soldiers. They take pride in the pressure of protecting the royal family. Day and night, they fight against suspicious individuals, ruffians, spies from other countries, and assassins who try to infiltrate the castle. The Captain of this Imperial Guard is my brother, Hiryuu Reinbar.
My brother and I have mastered the Reinbar-style Magic Sword Technique, which combines magic and swordsmanship. Instead of using magic as a means of attack like fire or wind, we use it to reinforce our swords through material hardening. Furthermore, we apply secret body strengthening techniques. We nullify (resist) the opponent’s magic with magic barriers. The essence of our Reinbar style is to use magic while focusing on close combat, overwhelming with swordsmanship. My brother and I are evenly matched in skill. This fact also fueled the discord between the Knights and the Imperial Guard.
“Commander! Those Imperial Guard guys are mocking us again!” “They say we’re just dirty menial workers!” “Those guys work in a clean castle and don’t know anything about the common people!”
Such complaints are everyday occurrences. The Knights basically keep their doors wide open. We recruit broadly from commoners to nobles. However, the Imperial Guard has such a narrow entrance that only those who pass a strict test and are recommended by someone in the guard can join. Naturally, only those from high-ranking noble families tend to join, and they tend to be well-educated. This is unavoidable because castle duty requires a certain level of education and dignity. After all, they have to protect important nobles. It would be a big problem if they employed someone who didn’t know the implicit rules and manners of the castle and caused offense. In fact, some people who were hired ended up quitting because they couldn’t understand these manners. To be honest, you need to be quite tough to handle it. Of course, you need to be tough to handle the Knights’ duties too. It’s an everyday occurrence to struggle with minor conflicts and problems among the people, and there are even casualties when cracking down on illegal organizations. This kind of comparison is meaningless.
However, those around us didn’t think so. Before we knew it, an exhibition match between the Knights and the Imperial Guard was arranged. I decided to storm into the General’s room and negotiate directly.
“General, what is the meaning of this! Why are the Knights and the Imperial Guard doing such a thing!” “This is the will of the high-ranking officials and the King. We’re not in a position to say anything about it.” “If either side wins, it might make it even harder to repair the relationship!” “Watch your mouth, Commander Reinbar. Are you objecting to the King’s orders?”
I know I can’t do that. My hand, clenched in frustration, is about to bleed. I don’t understand why the King planned such a thing.
“I understand how you feel, Commander Reinbar. Actually, Captain Reinbar… ah, Sir Hiryuu came to negotiate directly with the same concerns.” “Huh?”
My brother did?
“He calmly explained about the worsening relationship and the pointlessness of the match. That man speaks so logically that it doesn’t even provoke anger.” “My brother… has always been a quiet speaker.” “But when I told him certain information, he backed down.”
Certain… information?
“It’s been decided that we’ll invite the Gungrave Mercenary Group as guests for this exhibition match, and Sir Kuuga will participate.”
The Gungrave Mercenary Group?! The legendary mercenary group known for their terrifying combat abilities. They’re famous for leading Nouviche to victory in a war that was thought to be unwinnable. And Kuuga. He’s the modern demon god who wields the Kuuga-style sword technique that he developed independently. It’s said that he single-handedly cut down a hundred enemies, a god of the sword. They say his sword, wielded without using any magic, creates beautiful and sometimes wild patterns. I see, Sir Kuuga.
“Hmm, you really are brothers. Your face is beaming with joy at the prospect of fighting a strong enemy.”
What? When I touch my face, I indeed feel my cheek muscles relaxing.
“Fighting strong enemies. That’s the mission given to the Reinbar family. Do you still want to withdraw?” “No, I’ll do it.”
After leaving the General’s office, I immediately return to the training grounds. I change out of my administrative clothes into my training outfit and decide to focus on practicing with my subordinates.
And on the day of the match. I put on my favorite sword and armor and wait in the waiting room. Separate waiting rooms have been prepared for the Knights and the Imperial Guard, and I can feel the consideration in that. So far, the match seems to be evenly matched. My subordinates in the Knights are recognizing the strength of their opponents. That’s a good trend. I hope they’re thinking the same on the other side.
“Commander, it’s almost time.” “Yes, the result of the match between my brother and me will determine who will challenge Sir Kuuga.” “Please win!” “Of course. There’s no need to worry.” “Oh, by the way, Commander, you like sweet things, right?”
What’s with this sudden question?
“Actually, I heard that the cook on their side is serving desserts not just to the high-ranking officials and the King, but to all the participants. This is the Captain’s portion.”
What he presents to me looks similar to a cake. However, the texture is vastly different. It’s a triangular dessert that seems to combine light yellow and brown colors. What is this?
“I heard it’s a dessert made with cheese.” “Cheese? This?”
When I think of cheese, I think of it as a snack to go with alcohol. When eaten with wine, an indescribable flavor spreads in your mouth.
“It doesn’t seem to contain any poison, so I’ll have it.” “Yes. It was really delicious.”
Oh, that sounds promising. I hold the plate I received in one hand, cut through the base with a spoon, and bring it to my mouth.
I stop.
What is this? Is this really a cake?! What spreads in my mouth is indeed the flavor of cheese. But there’s also something I can’t quite identify. I understand that it’s the secret of the sweetness, but I can’t tell what it is. And what’s surprising is. This doesn’t use much sugar. Sugar, which is commonly used in famous dessert shops. It’s an expensive seasoning, and I believed that using a lot of it was the essence of desserts. But look at this. The harmony is as if the natural sweetness of the cheese has been balanced with sugar. A rich, creamy flavor spreads in my mouth, but it’s not cloying. It melts smoothly in my mouth and leaves a wonderful aftertaste. Probably, the secret lies in the base. There are cookies mixed in. But these cookies. They’re different from ordinary ones. The taste and sensation are similar, but they’re completely different. Compared to the cookies I know, these are far superior. These cookies are probably what cleanly removes any lingering heaviness after eating the top part. It’s a wonderful dessert. Even better than those desserts I used to eat.
At that moment, I realized.
Back then, my brother said the dessert he brought was delicious. I got angry because I felt like my memories were being tarnished, but that’s not it. My brother had brought desserts that he had confirmed with his own eyes and taste buds. It was something he had chosen with his own hands, having earned money as an independent person, separate from our father. He had brought it as proof of his independence. How foolish I am. Aren’t I the pitiful one, clinging to memories?
“Ah, Commander, where are you going?!”
Unable to sit still, I had started running after stuffing all the dessert into my mouth. I need to apologize. For ridiculing the dessert that represented my brother’s determination to live independently, in his own way. For my own fault in throwing a childish tantrum without trying to understand my brother’s resolve. When I burst into the Imperial Guard’s waiting room, my brother was alone, eating dessert. He calmly places the plate on the table, not surprised by my sudden entry.
“Blitz. I was thinking I should meet you too.” “Brother, I…” “Back then, what you brought was a dessert that held memories for us, wasn’t it?”
My brother was speaking quietly.
“After our argument, I remembered. That was the dessert our father always bought as a souvenir. But after making such a fuss, I foolishly held onto unnecessary pride, thinking it would be pathetic to admit my fault and apologize. In the end, we couldn’t reconcile. We both got married and even had children. I had given up, thinking we could never repair our relationship. Then came this dessert.” “Brother…” “The dessert I thought was delicious turned out to be nothing more than a lump of sugar. But the dessert you brought was more than just delicious. It was a memory. Warm memories elevated the taste of that dessert. Really, our taste from childhood hasn’t changed at all.” “No, that’s not it. I couldn’t see my brother’s determination. I couldn’t notice my brother’s figure, standing on his own feet and walking forward without clinging to memories. I was the one at fault. So…”
Bowing my head,
“I’m sorry!”
I was finally able to apologize.
“In that case, I should apologize too. I’m sorry, Blitz.”
I felt like I was about to cry. Not because my brother bowed his head and apologized to me. But because he called my name for the first time in over a decade. I was just so happy.
“Blitz. I think I’ll withdraw from our match.” “Why, brother?” “Listen. There’s no reason for us to fight anymore. This match was meant for us to vent our frustrations and resolve them. Now that we brothers have reconciled, there’s no need for us to fight.”
That’s right. That’s exactly it. The primary purpose of this match was to repair our relationship. If our relationship has already been repaired, it doesn’t matter anymore.
“More importantly, Blitz. This dessert is really delicious, isn’t it?” “What’s with that sudden comment?” “Don’t you want the cook who made this dessert?”
Seeing my brother’s grin, I understood his intention.
“I see. If we work together…” “We might even be able to beat Sir Kuuga. Then we can poach the cook.”
After explaining to the match referee, we decided to team up and fight against Sir Kuuga. Standing side by side on the stage really reminds me of those days. Those fun childhood days. While I was thinking about this, Sir Kuuga appeared before us. He’s a slender man. He’s certainly handsome, but he doesn’t look like someone who could achieve a hundred kills. But we can’t let our guard down. The fighting spirit emanating from him is overwhelming.
“Excuse me, Sir Kuuga. I am Blitz Reinbar, Commander of the Knights.” “I am Hiryuu Reinbar, Captain of the Imperial Guard.” “I’m Kuuga. Not much of a name to mention, though.” “No, we saw your fighting during the previous battle.” “Truly a warrior worthy of being called a demon god.”
Yes, despite my doubts, I had seen it. In that battle, I witnessed Sir Kuuga’s overwhelming strength as he calmly cut down enemies in the middle of the battlefield.
“We thought we couldn’t match a demon god like you alone, so my brother and I decided to participate together.” “Please allow us, Sir Kuuga. We have our pride too. Even if we’re called cowards for teaming up, there are things we can’t afford to lose.”
The Commander of the Knights and the Captain of the Imperial Guard. If these two team up, we must absolutely win this battle.
“And we have one request.” “You’re asking for favors in this situation?” “We know it’s presumptuous. That mysterious sweet we received in the waiting room. We heard it was made by your cook.” “If we win, we’d like to take that cook back with us.” “That dessert was amazing. Enough to mend our discord.” “Therefore, we’d like to welcome that cook and have him make dishes in our country.”
At that moment, Sir Kuuga’s fighting spirit swelled up. This is what it means to be awe-inspiring. I feel an incredible pressure. This is the pressure of a man who has achieved a hundred kills!
“Fine. However…”
Sir Kuuga raises his sword to an upper stance,
“Only if you can win.”
He declared. “…Brother.” “Indeed, what terrifying spirit. Or rather, demonic pressure.”
My brother and I take our stances. Reinbar-style Magic Sword Technique, Demon Summoning. The basic technique of the Reinbar style that enhances physical abilities and strengthens the sword. I’m the first to kick off the ground. The sensation of the ground disappears from my back foot as I thrust towards Sir Kuuga’s throat. Reinbar-style Absolute Wind Thrust. The fastest offensive technique in the Reinbar style, concentrating all power into a single point of thrust. Try to dodge it if you can!
“How annoying!!!”
That one phrase. Sir Kuuga’s words. In an instant, his sword that was supposed to be in an upper stance disappears along with his arm,
CRACK!!
The sword swung with godlike speed splits my sword in two.
“I-Impossible.”
Sir Kuuga performed a downward slash faster than my fastest thrust. That’s all. But it’s not normal. It disappeared from my field of vision, and before I knew it, without any resistance, it cut through my magically reinforced sword. Un-unbelievable! My brother attacks from beside me. Reinbar-style Sweeping Flow. A technique that changes the trajectory of a horizontal slash to either up or down in an instant, launching a powerful attack. The technique had already been released and was supposed to hit Sir Kuuga. However, I saw it. I saw the flow of power originating from Sir Kuuga’s ankle, transmitted to his sword with unparalleled smoothness. As a result. Even the upward slash was performed with godlike speed, cutting my brother’s sword in two.
“N-No way.”
Seeing our opening after losing our weapons, Sir Kuuga instantly assessed the situation, drew a short sword, and pointed two blades at our throats.
“Still want to continue?”
There’s nothing more we can do. We’ve lost our weapons, and our lives are in his hands. There’s no choice but to surrender.
“I win. Give up on taking our cook.”
Sir Kuuga gives us a final warning, Then he descends from the stage.
In the end, we lost. Later, we were reprimanded by the General, but he said he was relieved to see our condition. He was glad that we had managed to repair our relationship. A few days later, after a joint training exercise between the Knights and the Imperial Guard, we held a banquet. Although there were various issues due to the match, seeing the relationship between my brother and me, the tension between our groups has gradually eased. Indeed, I learned that the attitude of superiors can have a negative impact on subordinates. After that, we decided to deepen our relationships as families too. We’ve increased the opportunities for our wives and children to meet and chat.
“Do you know, Blitz? Apparently, the high-ranking officials were working on poaching the cook, separate from our intentions.” “What? Really?” “Yes, but it seems they lost interest after seeing our match. They realized they couldn’t predict what kind of retaliation they might face if they tried to use underhanded tactics against such an extraordinary mercenary group.”
I nod, understanding. Sir Kuuga’s strength is out of this world. It truly surpasses human limits.
We decided to practice early in the morning. So that we won’t lose like that again. Of course, we don’t forget about desserts either. Though it’s a shame we can’t eat that cheesecake anymore.
The Orritor exhibition match later becomes a historical event. It’s known as the place where the secret technique of the Kuuga-style Hard Sword Technique was awakened. Secret Technique: Heavenly Severance It’s a secret technique befitting the Hard Sword Technique, simply swinging the sword while maximizing one’s physical abilities and body control. However, what happens when those skills required to master the Kuuga style are pushed to their limits? As a result, it becomes a hard sword that cuts through both swords and armor together. It’s said that Kuuga Yanagi gained insight into this technique during this match and mastered it after rigorous training. The Heavenly Severance of the founder was said to be a sword that could even split the clouds in the sky when wielded on the battlefield. The Reinbar-style Magic Sword Technique, which was their opponent, later closed its doors and slowly faded into history. However, this Magic Sword Technique was incorporated into the Kuuga style, maintaining its legacy.
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Chapter 18
I have a sweet tooth.
This is because, ever since I was young, whenever my father returned from an expedition, he always brought back desserts from famous shops.
I was happy that my father came back safely.
My brother and I would always eat every last piece of those desserts, which were proof of his safe return.
Time passed, and my father retired from his position as the Knight Commander with his body intact, entrusting the commander’s seat to me.
My brother didn’t aim to become the Knight Commander but instead joined the Imperial Guard and became the Captain of the Imperial Guard.
The relationship between us brothers was good. At least, until that time.
At that time, when I was drinking with my brother, bringing desserts to celebrate our work as leaders.
I got into an argument with my brother.
About which was better – the dessert I chose or the one my brother chose.
Of course, I’m aware it was a trivial dispute. But there was something I couldn’t give up on.
Because the one I chose was the dessert our father used to buy for us.
My brother insisted that the dessert from the shop he found himself was better.
I felt like my memories were being denied, and I couldn’t forgive that.
In the end, after that, we brothers never sat around the table together happily again.
We both got married, had children, and became well-established in our positions as Commander and Captain, but we couldn’t repair our relationship even after such a long time.
Our discord even spread to our subordinates.
Before we knew it, the relationship between the Knights and the Imperial Guard had become hostile.
I am Blitz Reinbar, the Commander of the Orritor Knights.
The Orritor Knights maintain public order, crack down on bandits and criminals during peacetime, and become soldiers fighting on the front lines to protect the country in times of war.
It’s an honorable position.
There are four groups in the capital alone, and I am the commander of all groups, including those in the provinces and the capital.
However, I’m not very good at desk work.
These days, I often participate in training with my subordinates.
I get scolded by my aides every time, but it’s popular with the subordinates.
Apparently, it’s rare to have a superior who trains with them.
I enjoy participating in the training, though.
On the other hand, there’s the Orritor Imperial Guard.
The Imperial Guard’s main role is to serve at the castle. They are deployed as castle guards.
However, they deal with matters as an elite few, and they must protect everyone from high-ranking officials to members of the royal family.
Therefore, their individual abilities are such that each of them is worth a thousand soldiers.
They take pride in the pressure of protecting the royal family.
Day and night, they fight against suspicious individuals, ruffians, spies from other countries, and assassins who try to infiltrate the castle.
The Captain of this Imperial Guard is my brother, Hiryuu Reinbar.
My brother and I have mastered the Reinbar-style Magic Sword Technique, which combines magic and swordsmanship.
Instead of using magic as a means of attack like fire or wind, we use it to reinforce our swords through material hardening.
Furthermore, we apply secret body strengthening techniques.
We nullify (resist) the opponent’s magic with magic barriers.
The essence of our Reinbar style is to use magic while focusing on close combat, overwhelming with swordsmanship.
My brother and I are evenly matched in skill.
This fact also fueled the discord between the Knights and the Imperial Guard.
“Commander! Those Imperial Guard guys are mocking us again!”
“They say we’re just dirty menial workers!”
“Those guys work in a clean castle and don’t know anything about the common people!”
Such complaints are everyday occurrences.
The Knights basically keep their doors wide open. We recruit broadly from commoners to nobles.
However, the Imperial Guard has such a narrow entrance that only those who pass a strict test and are recommended by someone in the guard can join.
Naturally, only those from high-ranking noble families tend to join, and they tend to be well-educated.
This is unavoidable because castle duty requires a certain level of education and dignity.
After all, they have to protect important nobles. It would be a big problem if they employed someone who didn’t know the implicit rules and manners of the castle and caused offense.
In fact, some people who were hired ended up quitting because they couldn’t understand these manners. To be honest, you need to be quite tough to handle it.
Of course, you need to be tough to handle the Knights’ duties too. It’s an everyday occurrence to struggle with minor conflicts and problems among the people, and there are even casualties when cracking down on illegal organizations.
This kind of comparison is meaningless.
However, those around us didn’t think so.
Before we knew it, an exhibition match between the Knights and the Imperial Guard was arranged.
I decided to storm into the General’s room and negotiate directly.
“General, what is the meaning of this! Why are the Knights and the Imperial Guard doing such a thing!”
“This is the will of the high-ranking officials and the King. We’re not in a position to say anything about it.”
“If either side wins, it might make it even harder to repair the relationship!”
“Watch your mouth, Commander Reinbar. Are you objecting to the King’s orders?”
I know I can’t do that.
My hand, clenched in frustration, is about to bleed. I don’t understand why the King planned such a thing.
“I understand how you feel, Commander Reinbar. Actually, Captain Reinbar… ah, Sir Hiryuu came to negotiate directly with the same concerns.”
“Huh?”
My brother did?
“He calmly explained about the worsening relationship and the pointlessness of the match. That man speaks so logically that it doesn’t even provoke anger.”
“My brother… has always been a quiet speaker.”
“But when I told him certain information, he backed down.”
Certain… information?
“It’s been decided that we’ll invite the Gungrave Mercenary Group as guests for this exhibition match, and Sir Kuuga will participate.”
The Gungrave Mercenary Group?!
The legendary mercenary group known for their terrifying combat abilities.
They’re famous for leading Nouviche to victory in a war that was thought to be unwinnable.
And Kuuga.
He’s the modern demon god who wields the Kuuga-style sword technique that he developed independently. It’s said that he single-handedly cut down a hundred enemies, a god of the sword.
They say his sword, wielded without using any magic, creates beautiful and sometimes wild patterns.
I see, Sir Kuuga.
“Hmm, you really are brothers.
Your face is beaming with joy at the prospect of fighting a strong enemy.”
What?
When I touch my face, I indeed feel my cheek muscles relaxing.
“Fighting strong enemies. That’s the mission given to the Reinbar family.
Do you still want to withdraw?”
“No, I’ll do it.”
After leaving the General’s office, I immediately return to the training grounds.
I change out of my administrative clothes into my training outfit and decide to focus on practicing with my subordinates.
And on the day of the match.
I put on my favorite sword and armor and wait in the waiting room.
Separate waiting rooms have been prepared for the Knights and the Imperial Guard, and I can feel the consideration in that.
So far, the match seems to be evenly matched.
My subordinates in the Knights are recognizing the strength of their opponents.
That’s a good trend. I hope they’re thinking the same on the other side.
“Commander, it’s almost time.”
“Yes, the result of the match between my brother and me will determine who will challenge Sir Kuuga.”
“Please win!”
“Of course. There’s no need to worry.”
“Oh, by the way, Commander, you like sweet things, right?”
What’s with this sudden question?
“Actually, I heard that the cook on their side is serving desserts not just to the high-ranking officials and the King, but to all the participants.
This is the Captain’s portion.”
What he presents to me looks similar to a cake.
However, the texture is vastly different.
It’s a triangular dessert that seems to combine light yellow and brown colors.
What is this?
“I heard it’s a dessert made with cheese.”
“Cheese? This?”
When I think of cheese, I think of it as a snack to go with alcohol.
When eaten with wine, an indescribable flavor spreads in your mouth.
“It doesn’t seem to contain any poison, so I’ll have it.”
“Yes. It was really delicious.”
Oh, that sounds promising.
I hold the plate I received in one hand, cut through the base with a spoon, and bring it to my mouth.
I stop.
What is this? Is this really a cake?!
What spreads in my mouth is indeed the flavor of cheese. But there’s also something I can’t quite identify.
I understand that it’s the secret of the sweetness, but I can’t tell what it is.
And what’s surprising is.
This doesn’t use much sugar.
Sugar, which is commonly used in famous dessert shops. It’s an expensive seasoning, and I believed that using a lot of it was the essence of desserts.
But look at this. The harmony is as if the natural sweetness of the cheese has been balanced with sugar.
A rich, creamy flavor spreads in my mouth, but it’s not cloying.
It melts smoothly in my mouth and leaves a wonderful aftertaste.
Probably, the secret lies in the base.
There are cookies mixed in.
But these cookies. They’re different from ordinary ones.
The taste and sensation are similar, but they’re completely different. Compared to the cookies I know, these are far superior.
These cookies are probably what cleanly removes any lingering heaviness after eating the top part.
It’s a wonderful dessert. Even better than those desserts I used to eat.
At that moment, I realized.
Back then, my brother said the dessert he brought was delicious.
I got angry because I felt like my memories were being tarnished, but that’s not it.
My brother had brought desserts that he had confirmed with his own eyes and taste buds.
It was something he had chosen with his own hands, having earned money as an independent person, separate from our father.
He had brought it as proof of his independence.
How foolish I am.
Aren’t I the pitiful one, clinging to memories?
“Ah, Commander, where are you going?!”
Unable to sit still, I had started running after stuffing all the dessert into my mouth.
I need to apologize.
For ridiculing the dessert that represented my brother’s determination to live independently, in his own way.
For my own fault in throwing a childish tantrum without trying to understand my brother’s resolve.
When I burst into the Imperial Guard’s waiting room, my brother was alone, eating dessert.
He calmly places the plate on the table, not surprised by my sudden entry.
“Blitz. I was thinking I should meet you too.”
“Brother, I…”
“Back then, what you brought was a dessert that held memories for us, wasn’t it?”
My brother was speaking quietly.
“After our argument, I remembered. That was the dessert our father always bought as a souvenir.
But after making such a fuss, I foolishly held onto unnecessary pride, thinking it would be pathetic to admit my fault and apologize.
In the end, we couldn’t reconcile. We both got married and even had children. I had given up, thinking we could never repair our relationship.
Then came this dessert.”
“Brother…”
“The dessert I thought was delicious turned out to be nothing more than a lump of sugar.
But the dessert you brought was more than just delicious.
It was a memory. Warm memories elevated the taste of that dessert.
Really, our taste from childhood hasn’t changed at all.”
“No, that’s not it. I couldn’t see my brother’s determination.
I couldn’t notice my brother’s figure, standing on his own feet and walking forward without clinging to memories.
I was the one at fault. So…”
Bowing my head,
“I’m sorry!”
I was finally able to apologize.
“In that case, I should apologize too.
I’m sorry, Blitz.”
I felt like I was about to cry.
Not because my brother bowed his head and apologized to me.
But because he called my name for the first time in over a decade.
I was just so happy.
“Blitz. I think I’ll withdraw from our match.”
“Why, brother?”
“Listen. There’s no reason for us to fight anymore. This match was meant for us to vent our frustrations and resolve them.
Now that we brothers have reconciled, there’s no need for us to fight.”
That’s right. That’s exactly it.
The primary purpose of this match was to repair our relationship.
If our relationship has already been repaired, it doesn’t matter anymore.
“More importantly, Blitz. This dessert is really delicious, isn’t it?”
“What’s with that sudden comment?”
“Don’t you want the cook who made this dessert?”
Seeing my brother’s grin, I understood his intention.
“I see. If we work together…”
“We might even be able to beat Sir Kuuga. Then we can poach the cook.”
After explaining to the match referee, we decided to team up and fight against Sir Kuuga.
Standing side by side on the stage really reminds me of those days.
Those fun childhood days.
While I was thinking about this, Sir Kuuga appeared before us.
He’s a slender man. He’s certainly handsome, but he doesn’t look like someone who could achieve a hundred kills.
But we can’t let our guard down.
The fighting spirit emanating from him is overwhelming.
“Excuse me, Sir Kuuga. I am Blitz Reinbar, Commander of the Knights.”
“I am Hiryuu Reinbar, Captain of the Imperial Guard.”
“I’m Kuuga. Not much of a name to mention, though.”
“No, we saw your fighting during the previous battle.”
“Truly a warrior worthy of being called a demon god.”
Yes, despite my doubts, I had seen it.
In that battle, I witnessed Sir Kuuga’s overwhelming strength as he calmly cut down enemies in the middle of the battlefield.
“We thought we couldn’t match a demon god like you alone, so my brother and I decided to participate together.”
“Please allow us, Sir Kuuga. We have our pride too. Even if we’re called cowards for teaming up, there are things we can’t afford to lose.”
The Commander of the Knights and the Captain of the Imperial Guard.
If these two team up, we must absolutely win this battle.
“And we have one request.”
“You’re asking for favors in this situation?”
“We know it’s presumptuous. That mysterious sweet we received in the waiting room. We heard it was made by your cook.”
“If we win, we’d like to take that cook back with us.”
“That dessert was amazing. Enough to mend our discord.”
“Therefore, we’d like to welcome that cook and have him make dishes in our country.”
At that moment, Sir Kuuga’s fighting spirit swelled up.
This is what it means to be awe-inspiring. I feel an incredible pressure.
This is the pressure of a man who has achieved a hundred kills!
“Fine. However…”
Sir Kuuga raises his sword to an upper stance,
“Only if you can win.”
He declared.
“…Brother.”
“Indeed, what terrifying spirit. Or rather, demonic pressure.”
My brother and I take our stances.
Reinbar-style Magic Sword Technique, Demon Summoning.
The basic technique of the Reinbar style that enhances physical abilities and strengthens the sword.
I’m the first to kick off the ground.
The sensation of the ground disappears from my back foot as I thrust towards Sir Kuuga’s throat.
Reinbar-style Absolute Wind Thrust.
The fastest offensive technique in the Reinbar style, concentrating all power into a single point of thrust.
Try to dodge it if you can!
“How annoying!!!”
That one phrase.
Sir Kuuga’s words.
In an instant, his sword that was supposed to be in an upper stance disappears along with his arm,
CRACK!!
The sword swung with godlike speed splits my sword in two.
“I-Impossible.”
Sir Kuuga performed a downward slash faster than my fastest thrust.
That’s all. But it’s not normal.
It disappeared from my field of vision, and before I knew it, without any resistance, it cut through my magically reinforced sword.
Un-unbelievable!
My brother attacks from beside me.
Reinbar-style Sweeping Flow.
A technique that changes the trajectory of a horizontal slash to either up or down in an instant, launching a powerful attack.
The technique had already been released and was supposed to hit Sir Kuuga.
However, I saw it.
I saw the flow of power originating from Sir Kuuga’s ankle, transmitted to his sword with unparalleled smoothness.
As a result. Even the upward slash was performed with godlike speed, cutting my brother’s sword in two.
“N-No way.”
Seeing our opening after losing our weapons,
Sir Kuuga instantly assessed the situation, drew a short sword, and pointed two blades at our throats.
“Still want to continue?”
There’s nothing more we can do.
We’ve lost our weapons, and our lives are in his hands.
There’s no choice but to surrender.
“I win. Give up on taking our cook.”
Sir Kuuga gives us a final warning,
Then he descends from the stage.
In the end, we lost.
Later, we were reprimanded by the General, but he said he was relieved to see our condition.
He was glad that we had managed to repair our relationship.
A few days later, after a joint training exercise between the Knights and the Imperial Guard, we held a banquet.
Although there were various issues due to the match, seeing the relationship between my brother and me, the tension between our groups has gradually eased.
Indeed, I learned that the attitude of superiors can have a negative impact on subordinates.
After that, we decided to deepen our relationships as families too.
We’ve increased the opportunities for our wives and children to meet and chat.
“Do you know, Blitz? Apparently, the high-ranking officials were working on poaching the cook, separate from our intentions.”
“What? Really?”
“Yes, but it seems they lost interest after seeing our match. They realized they couldn’t predict what kind of retaliation they might face if they tried to use underhanded tactics against such an extraordinary mercenary group.”
I nod, understanding.
Sir Kuuga’s strength is out of this world. It truly surpasses human limits.
We decided to practice early in the morning.
So that we won’t lose like that again.
Of course, we don’t forget about desserts either.
Though it’s a shame we can’t eat that cheesecake anymore.
The Orritor exhibition match later becomes a historical event.
It’s known as the place where the secret technique of the Kuuga-style Hard Sword Technique was awakened.
Secret Technique: Heavenly Severance
It’s a secret technique befitting the Hard Sword Technique, simply swinging the sword while maximizing one’s physical abilities and body control.
However, what happens when those skills required to master the Kuuga style are pushed to their limits?
As a result, it becomes a hard sword that cuts through both swords and armor together.
It’s said that Kuuga Yanagi gained insight into this technique during this match and mastered it after rigorous training.
The Heavenly Severance of the founder was said to be a sword that could even split the clouds in the sky when wielded on the battlefield.
The Reinbar-style Magic Sword Technique, which was their opponent, later closed its doors and slowly faded into history.
However, this Magic Sword Technique was incorporated into the Kuuga style, maintaining its legacy.
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