“Speed and strength should be good, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. The opponent has specialized completely in speed. If we enhance you in the same way, you’d be at a disadvantage since the opponent has more experience. In that case, let’s perform body enhancement with the idea that if we can land a hit, we can win.”
“Understood.”
At my words, Felter nodded obediently and began chanting.
Since becoming my disciple, I’ve had many practice battles with Felter. I’ve been correcting his mostly self-taught, wild fighting style bit by bit. A fighting style of “see and dodge, see and punch” would lead to being easily defeated when facing an opponent whose abilities surpass one’s own.
Martial arts are not about that kind of thinking. The same goes for kendo, which I’ve devoted myself to—it exists for the weak to defeat the strong.
Its essence is not something that loses to mere strength or speed.
“Please believe in yourself. The experience of fighting with me will surely make you stronger.”
When I looked into Felter’s eyes and told him this, he raised the corners of his mouth wide and formed a smile.
“…Leave it to me.”
When Felter, having finished his chanting, said this and stepped forward, Ramsey, who had been waiting for our preparations, showed his teeth in a return smile.
“Let’s do this, kid.”
“I’m gonna beat the hell out of you, old man.”
The two exchanged harsh words, then simultaneously struck their fists together and raised battle cries.
Using that as a signal, both kicked off the ground and launched forward. Their speed caused a stir in the plaza. The two crossed paths at wind-like speed, then took distance again.
As the sounds of clashing fists and ground being kicked echoed, I calmly analyzed their battle capabilities. Ramsey was faster. In terms of strength, honestly they were equal. Even though magic should have enhanced his muscle strength by fifty percent, he couldn’t completely surpass Ramsey. There probably wasn’t that much difference in pure muscle mass. Most likely, he was using body enhancement on his legs, increasing destructive power through footwork and center of gravity shifts.
In other words, Ramsey possessed high combat technique.
However, the general audience wouldn’t have such knowledge. They were simply astonished by the high-speed battle between the two, raising cheers.
Then, Ramsey, who had been maintaining distance while keeping up his guard, skillfully entered Felter’s range and threw a sharp right hook with his elbow bent at a right angle. Felter blocked Ramsey’s strike aimed at his face with his shoulder.
However, from Ramsey’s charge with his speed and body weight behind the blow, Felter’s feet slid across the ground, and his body was pushed sideways by one or two meters.
“What’s wrong, Felter! Is that all you’ve got!?”
Ramsey shouted encouragement while charging in for another attack. It was the smooth movement of a boxer who specialized in close combat.
But Felter had experienced such situations dozens of times.
“Too naive.”
When I muttered this to no one in particular, Felter opened his stance and reversed his body as if he had received an instruction.
Rather than turning to face Ramsey head-on for a direct confrontation, he angled his body diagonally from Ramsey’s perspective and took a step back to create distance.
This unexpected movement caused Ramsey’s punch to miss, leaving him in an unguarded position, while conversely, Felter was in the perfect stance and distance with his fist ready.
“Die!”
Felter shouted quite an ominous war cry and extended his fist toward Ramsey’s face.
He transmitted power in the order I had taught him—from the big toe through the knee, waist, and shoulder—throwing his punch in an ideal manner. In boxing terms, it was a right straight. It was an attack thrown at a timing that would normally guarantee a knockout, but Ramsey twisted his body with incredible reflexes, arching his upper body back to avoid it.
Furthermore, maintaining a low posture, he moved to show the front of his body to Felter. As the situation became a reset, Ramsey laughed while letting out his breath.
“…So you’re different from last year. However, I’ll remember that you said ‘die.'”
“Next time I’ll definitely kill you.”
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Ramsey still seemed to have room to spare, but Felter was the same. He hadn’t shown everything yet. If possible, I’d like both of them to demonstrate their full abilities.
As I was thinking such things, Ramsey took the initiative again. He raised his fists and stepped back, leaning his body into a forward posture.
Then he kicked off the ground and charged. Normally one would want to dodge and counterattack, but with two people using body enhancement magic, it didn’t seem that simple. If a car came rushing at you, you’d usually be too busy avoiding it to think about counterattacking.
Perhaps thinking the same, Felter tried to avoid Ramsey’s charge by jumping to the side in a single leap. There, Ramsey extended his arm.
Grabbing Felter’s leg with one hand as he failed to dodge completely, Ramsey laughed and twisted his body.
“Got you, Felter!”
He shouted, and Ramsey lifted his hand.
Like a joke, Felter’s body was lifted up. Swinging Felter’s large frame like an oar or something, he slammed him down to the ground with the momentum of his charge.
A violent collision sound echoed, and Felter’s body hit the ground sideways. Furthermore, Ramsey put all his strength into slamming Felter’s body into the ground.
“Guh!”
Felter, whose body was lifted in a swinging motion, kicked at Ramsey’s arm that was gripping his foot while in a position where he couldn’t put in proper strength.
Kicked in a way that stepped on the inside of his elbow, Ramsey couldn’t extend his arm and involuntarily released Felter’s foot.
Rolling on the ground two, three times, Felter’s body separated from Ramsey’s grasp.
“Ha ha ha! You can only be thrown once, eh!”
When Ramsey laughed in good spirits, Felter stood up while brushing off the dust.
“…You can only stay cocky for so long.”
Saying this, he glared at Ramsey. At this attitude and line, Ramsey deepened his smile while rotating his shoulders.
Seeing this, Felter began to move this time. I had taught him not to take poor initiative when the opponent was faster, but perhaps he had some plan.
Felter closed the distance in one go and raised his fists. As I watched with interest to see what Felter was aiming for, Ramsey also made an obviously deliberate movement, raising his own arm as if testing something.
To onlookers, it appeared that both had raised their fists and were about to strike, but Ramsey was merely guiding Felter to take the initiative so he could follow up.
Now, what kind of attack would he show us? From Ramsey’s behavior, I could understand what he was thinking. In contrast, Felter had apparently suffered crushing defeats to Ramsey until now, so he probably didn’t have that much composure.
However, Felter took the bait.
“Hah!”
Simultaneously with exhaling sharply, he swung his fist. But unlike the big swing from before, it was first his left hand that he had put forward. When he extended that left hand in a thrust, even the skilled Ramsey couldn’t dodge it well and it grazed his head.
“Ngh!”
Ramsey groaned and reflexively counterattacked. But this time Felter twisted his body to dodge it while grabbing with his free right hand.
Having grabbed around Ramsey’s extended arm at the wrist, Felter rotated as is. He threw Ramsey’s body in a falling motion. It was a shoulder throw. Because he threw him by slamming him into the ground, I could see cracks forming in the ground along with the tremor.
“Guh…”
The air in his lungs leaked from the impact, and Ramsey choked. Taking advantage of that opening, Felter twisted up the arm he had been gripping and applied a joint lock by pressing it against his back.
With this unexpected grappling technique, Ramsey was subdued helplessly.
“…Well done.”
When I said this and applauded, gradually applause from the audience began to be heard as well. It wasn’t a flashy conclusion, but it was a state where anyone could see who had won.
Eventually, the applause became tremendous, and cheers could be heard as well.
“I win.”
Felter said this in a small voice, released the hold, and stood up. Ramsey didn’t move for a moment, but immediately pushed against the ground with both hands and stood up.
Then, swinging his arms as if checking them, he looked at Felter.
“…My loss, Felter. The first time, eh. Next time I’ll win.”
When Ramsey said this with the face of a gang leader while laughing, Felter snorted with an exasperated expression.
“Yeah right.”
Seeing the two exchange such words as they stood up, even bigger applause and cheers echoed. There, I also voiced my impressions.
“It was a good match. Ramsey-san was superior in both speed and strength, but Felter-san’s practice paid off in the results. Good situational judgment and tactics.”
When I said this in praise, Felter silently nodded back. Then, Ramsey looked at me with a serious face.
“Was it you, Aoi, who taught Felter those cunning techniques? I never expected that kid who could only brawl to weave in throws and joint locks. It was unexpected.”
To that question, I nodded and answered.
“That’s right. I taught him. However, since he already possessed wonderfully excellent combat instincts, I only taught him how to do throws and joint locks. It was Felter-kun who thought of how to use them, so he seems to have wonderful talent.”
When I answered this way, Ramsey crossed his arms and groaned.
“…Felter. You said Aoi is stronger than you?”
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