abcnovels
Volume 1 1 (Early in the morning)
Volume 1 1 (Early in the morning)
Volume 1 Chapter 1 (Early in the morning)
Translator: HASUTSUKI, Editor: Thorrium.
May 8.
“Drive more in!”
An angry voice resounded early in the morning on the surrounding residential area.
The owner of the angry voice is an old man with white hair flown to his back.
His height is around 170cm. On his chest, one can see solid muscle which looks wonderful with him wearing a kendo uniform. His upper arm is very masculine, and in his right hand, he’s holding a 84cm long katana.
There is no wrinkles on his face and no one would have believed he was an old man with such a wonderful body, if not for his white hair
In front of the old man, stood a young man holding a sword in the same way as him.
“Old man. If I were to drive more in with sharp blade without pulling out, won’t you die! I don’t care if you die, but, I don’t want to get in trouble with the police…”
The young man height who is spouting an abusive language is definitely exceeded
180cm. Possibly it already reaching 190cm.
With that height and his muscle, his weight will easily cross over 100kg.
People who approach him will look him with the look as if looking at a demon.
But fortunately, one can tell that he was brought up well, having a face that exudes gentleness who will make the beholder feel a peace of mind.
“Funn… You brat? Killing me?”
The old man laughed while snorting his nose.
Even from his abusive language alone, one will believe his words… But what reflected on the old man eyes is full of affection.
“Now, I wonder? I’ve been practicing my sword too after all, don’t you think there would be a time that you would fail at receiving my sword and die?”
“Hoo? You mean, your sword will exceed mine, is it? Very well! At that time, I will exempt you from morning practice, and I will give you my inheritance!”
The old man laughed toward the young man, while the young man affixed his sword with welcoming eyes.
“Won’t the morning practice and all the bullsheet disappear naturally if you die, old man?”
While smirking, the young man prepares his 90cm katana with his hand in Seigan stance.
“But, that’s not bad if the inheritance is being included!”
The two eyes glared at each other. They entered their opponent field of vision while letting loose their focus.
In sword fight victory or defeat, it’s not determined by defense. Defense only exists in a match game of kendo. In real combat, it is about who cuts the opponent vital point precisely first. Being able to bring forth a certain kill move first, is what we call the deepest technique in sword art.
That’s why, for the sake that the opponent won’t find out where one line of sight aimed at, one does not necessary shows a focus eyes.
“Fuooo!”
“Kaaaa!”
Breathes leaked from the two mouth.
*Jariin!*
Sounds of iron rubbed against each other resounded, the moment the two people intersected their blade, red sparks scattered around.
After the two of them crossed each other and moved 2 meters and replace each other place, they both entered Seigan no Kamae stance once again.
“This brat! Did you just tried to cut my central throat seriously just now!?!”
The old man pressed closer to the young man.
Suddenly, they seem already forget about killing for the inheritance.
In the old man eyes, he can see the thirst for blood coating the young man katana.
“There’s the thing about a teacher teaching their students to kill their parents after all… or rather, aren’t you also aimed at my throat when our blades clashed!”
The reason why the old man was angry must be not because of the young man sharp tongue.
After all, the old man is the one who hammered all the technique into the young man since childhood.
The moment the sword intersected is the moment you kill your opponent, the one who hammered such mental attitude was the old man.
Of course, the young man feels angry toward the old man being so unreasonable, despite him only carrying the old man teaching faithfully.
However, even with the young man pointing it out, the old man who has his blood rush to his head only sees it as bullsheet.
“Of course it is! My technique is a one hit kill after all! I will only cross sword when I have the resolve to kill!”
“Like I said… That kind of dangerous thing, I won’t be able to use it will I? Not only in Japan, where on earth am I going to use it anyway? That kind of technique. In the first place, how are you going to teach a pupil with that kind of technique?”
Hearing the young man opinion, blue veins appeared on the old man forehead.
“Argh Shut up! You can just be silent and practice!”
The old man swung down his sword while roaring.
If by any chance, the young man failed to receive his attack, the slashing power is enough to split open the young man head.
“Like I said! Even though this is just practice, why are we putting our life on the line!”
*Gatsu!*
Dull sounds resounded from two swords clashing each other within the residential area. It comes from 16,530 square meters plot of land filled with bamboo thicket which is rare in the present day of Japan. Though they did not disturb the surrounding residence, they are indeed two lively people.
Gigigigi.
The sounds of the two competing against each other resounded repeatedly.
An old man and A young man. The outcome of the battle is gradually tilted toward the young man.
If it’s only in pure strength, then the old man definitely have no chance. No, it is even surprising for the old man to have enough power to keep competing against the young man up until now.
The more the young man power pushed in, the more the blades approach the old man neck.
*Shu!*
The old man must have judged that if one only uses power in this battle, that would be disadvantageous.
When the old man change his way handling his sword with both hands and separate his left hand from the sword, he aimed at the young man eye. As one might expect, the young man pulled his body in surprise.
“You bastard old man! For practice, that’s playing dirty! Aren’t you already an adult!”
The young man patience will soon hit its limits too. From the old man mouth, come out foul words.
“Funn. Practice without actual fighting has no meaning! Like I care about being dirty or any bullsheet!”
In the old man eyes, an actual battle is something dirty I guess.
He’s not even shy to use his bare hand in a sword fight. In the first place, the reason why the young man can evade that surprise attack might be due to that kind of thing being a normal occurrence.
One can say that their practice battle is similar to that of actual battle from a long time ago. The old man then flew backward and withdrew his katana, and then leaned his katana on the bamboo near him.
And then, he relaxed his body naturally.
“Come, I will do it barehanded! I will teach you that such strength is useless!”
“Fine by me! I will keep you company! But, are you trying to fight me without a katana after can’t win with one?”
Words of ridicule escaped from the young man mouth. However, the old man only signaled with his chin to store away the katana.
After the young man had put his katana on a nearby tree, he turned toward the old man.
He pulls his left fist near his chin, his right hand down to hide the median line. Putting his center of gravity on his left foot, and then pull his right foot tip of toes inside. He takes the stance where he can do offense and defense to cover his vital part, and being able to use kick and fist consecutively. <Note: I can imagine it, but, God, describing it in English is one hell of a nightmare.>
*Guuuuu.*
Abruptly, the young man stomach rumbled.
He wakes up 5 o’clock in the morning, and it has been one hour since the lesson start. It was natural for his stomach to rumbled from hunger. However, that grandparent won’t stop the practice just because the grandchild is hungry.
(Damn it! I’m starving… this damn grandpa, won’t he end it already?)
However, the young man prayer was gone in vain, seeing there’s no opening in the old man stance. He seems to be in full motivation. By the moment the young man relaxed his stance, the old man would most likely rush attacking.
“Please end it already~~! even though I’ve worked hard making the breakfast, won’t it turn cold now!”
At that time, an angel flew down gently rescuing the young man.
“Geez~. what are the both of you doing fawning with each other so early in the morning?”
Before the young man eyes, a girl was wearing an apron with her long black hair being tied in a ponytail style.
Her height is around 175 I guess? A charming girl with strong willed brown eyes.
Kiryuu Asuka… That is the name of the girl.
“Fawning? With this gramps? Please don’t joke around…”
“Then? What are you both doing?”
“Trying to kill each other??”
*Gotsu!*
“Ow, ow…that’s hurt.”
*Pashi!*
“What kind of stupid things are you spouting about!”
The thing that the girl pulled overhead with menace is a ladle.
From where did she pulled that out?
You may say the way she pulled that out is as fast as lightning.
Even though the young man has strong physical strength, having that ladle being hit with such speed even he cannot avoid it…
As for the proof of that is, at the moment the young man crunches down while holding his head, the old man fist come close, and he was able to catch it with his hand.
(This gramps, how dirty… I still can’t let my guard down.)
It is only the attack of the girl which he’s unable to avoid. But that is still better.
Back in the days, there’s similar thing like this. A manga where the protagonist got himself being hit by a hammer every time he makes passes at another girl.
It is a weird phenomenon where the protagonist who can even avoid bullets being unable to avoid the main heroine hammer. Well even with that, one can say that his situation is much better. After all, no matter how much his body is being trained, he would die if he were to get hit in the head like that using a hammer.
“Fuofuofuo. Asuka-chan yo. Aren’t you having fun doing a comical married couple dialogue like that?”
The main culprit who hit the young man head with a ladle, the one who being called Asuka has a triumphant air around her.
The overpowering spirit and intimidating air from the practice in the surrounding disappeared completely. And there, standing an always good-natured old man.
(This is why, I hate this old man…)
If one have to say honestly, this is the only gap that the young man unable to compete.
“Ojii-chan! What are you saying! I have a boyfriend already. and it’s definitely not Ryouma!”
Asuka turns a meaningful line of sight toward him.
He then heaves a heavy sigh while murmured.
(Don’t joke around… even I don’t want to be with you either.)
Of course, he doesn’t have the courage to speak up his mind. After all, he understands the character of this younger cousin of him all too well.
“Though you said that Asuka-chan yo. You always prepared breakfast every morning like this aren’t you? This is definitely not just because of being ‘childhood friend’ isn’t it?”
The old man persistently coiled around Asuka.
“Of course it is not only because of that, isn’t that obvious? this is for the sake of my 20.000yen pocket money!”
Since this is Asuka we’re talking about, there’s no way that she would have such a virtuous mind like making a breakfast every day… it seems like she has a negotiation with my aunt to do this.
(As expected of Asuka… my younger cousin, such shrewd woman.)
“Umu… It seems like this relative of mine is a money monger ja na~…”
Listening to the old man speaking like as if feeling amazed, the young man has some thought.
(Come to think of it, aunt is someone who makes a fortune from stock trading too…)
Like that he has a feeling that he can consent with what his old man is saying.
Kiryuu Asuka is someone with a good brain and attractive appearance. It is easy to get close to her, and she does not have such an overbearing air typical of a beautiful girl.
Her cooking is delicious, from cleaning to doing laundry, one can say that her housework ability is perfect, though her money management is strict, that too is because she has a good sense… when one think about it more, she has no minus point.
Many people would call her ideal woman, but, for the young man, that’s sounds like a joke. For example, even if they are not blood-related, the young man thought it’s just hopeless. Being together since the dawn of childhood, he seems to be unable to see her as a love interest.
“Aaaaaah~!”
Suddenly Asuka screamed a loud voice when she takes a look at her wristwatch.
“Because I have an archery morning practice, I’ll get going alright. Listen up, Ryouma! Put the tableware properly later!”
Leaving such words, while taking off the apron and run toward the main building.
“Fuofuofuo… such busy child ja na~…”
The old man said such words with a triumphant face.
“Won’t she lose her time to have breakfast because having a banter with you just now?”
“That because you have no respect for old people…”
It seems like, in this old man dictionary, there’s no such a thing as ‘Reflecting.’
Well, it’s not like I have any say to that sound argument of his either.
(Honestly! one day, I will strangle you to death…)
Such difficult problem…
“Haaa~~~~…”
The young man greatly sighed.
“What is it?”
He began to walk toward the main building while ignoring that question.
Though it was not Asuka, he feels like time flew by fast when he’s accompanying that gramps.
After all, he can’t go to school without changing his clothes.
Though it is because of the promise that such morning ritual was being carried out, by the time he sits down at the dining table, his breakfast has already become cold.
The name of the young man is Mikoshiba Ryouma.
As you can see, he’s a 16 years old boy with a little luck.
Every morning, he becomes a victim of abuse by his grandfather in the name of training.
By the time when he was aware of it, it already became a daily routine,
As for his parents, it seems like they have already died when he’s still small. As for the cause of death, grandfather does not want to talk about it.
There’s also no grave, and that’s why he does not know if they are dying because of illness or have died due to an accident
The truth is there might be one somewhere, but because he has never being taken to one, he never saw any graveyard.
They might live somewhere, but, he does not have any interest in parents that is not here.
No matter if they are alive or already died, it has no meaning for him if they are not feeding him. That’s why it was natural for him not to feel any interest.
That’s why he lives with his grandparents the two of them, in a quiet residential area within Suginami district.
He has a very ordinary face.
Though depending on the person, the valuation might change.
Well, one can say that he has a manly face, but, when we talk about his strong feature, then it’s no big deal. Well, one can say, a typical Japanese face.
His body is definitely leaned toward big category. However, it is not fat. It was because of his refined muscle.
His arm and legs are thick like a log, in contrast to the now popular hosomatcho.
His nickname in high school is“Sleeping Bear.” It is a nickname coming out from his body like a bear while exuding a gentle aura.
And with a complex of that old looking face. Which become his biggest trouble. Even though he’s just 16years old, people from the surrounding would think that he’s 30 years old. An evaluation that would put someone in shock.
Although with such adult-like face, there’s a few advantage of it, like buying an eroge at Akihabara smoothly, or drinking sake as one like.
And his grandfather is not noisy regarding that either. On the contrary, he feels pleased to have evening drink together.
Because he’s like that, he was unable to have a girlfriend.
At home, there’s only an abuse like training, at school there’s nothing particularly interest him.
Well, one might think ‘just talk with a classmate,’ but it’s not like he has someone close either.
Definitely, a high school student with little luck.
And that is a human called Mikoshiba Ryouma.
But still, he’s still someone normal who has a common dream of meeting a cute girl and get married… this kind of person, today, at the time of lunch break, will be thrown into hell
1. Seigan no kamae stance, for reference look
2. The kind of macho is the one where a man has six-pack yet not bulky