Chapter 17: Division of Body, Speech, and Mind Adornment
“You’re just hiding behind the girl, and you left with Anon, aren’t you? What a coward!”
Saga grinned with a mischievous smirk, taunting me. The other members of the Berserga Mercenary Corps joined in, their voices rising in a chorus.
“Coward!” “You little brat!” “Mama!” “Stop it, you’re making him cry!” “That’s right!” “Go on, cry like a baby!”
Such cheap provocations. For someone like me, who has endured so much, this kind of taunt felt like a gentle breeze. Just a little—
“I think that’s rather rude.”
Saga tilted his head, a question mark appearing above him.
“I have a question for you, Saga, leader of the Berserga Mercenary Corps.”
Depending on his response, I needed to consider my next move. It was as if my words had ignited a fire among them.
“Who do you think you are to speak so casually?!”
“What do you mean talking to the leader like that?! You’re so cheeky!”
“Hey, you! You’re dead meat! You little punk!”
“Do you want me to drag you out, you brat?!”
The unbearable insults from the members of the Berserga Mercenary Corps flew around me. But what did it matter?
“Shut up!!”
Under Saga’s commanding voice, the raucous insults ceased instantly. Huh…
“You little brat…”
Saga snorted, and then said, “Go on, speak.”
I almost laughed at that.
“The less capable someone is, the louder they bark—it’s true, isn’t it? And let’s be clear: ‘speak’ you say? I was going to talk regardless of your permission.”
The killing intent from the members swelled. Just as it seemed they might erupt again, Saga held up a hand to silence them.
“Did you provoke me to gauge my strength and resolve? Or do you simply want to fight?”
“Nice, you’re completely calm. I don’t mind a kid like you who’s got guts.”
Saga’s face broke into a wide grin.
“If you understand, then let’s get to the point!”
His smile deepened.
“From now on, you and I—”
It was at that moment he was about to say something.
“Die, you brat!!”
One of the members hurled a wooden skewer, used for the barbecue earlier, at me. It was thrown from my blind spot, moving at a speed that could inflict serious injury.
But the fact that I was aware of it meant—
I plucked the skewer from the air with my fingers and held it out for Saga to see—why did I show him the skewer? No, that’s not it; the skewer no longer existed in this world.
Neither the members nor even Saga could have seen the moment I erased the skewer. And so,
“What the hell?! You just got lucky and missed!!”
The member who threw the skewer shouted loudly. A few others, inspired by his words, yelled, “Get him!!” and charged at me. But I didn’t care.
“I’m ready.”
Partial Hyper Acceleration—first, my brain—stretching my thought process—within a world where everything was frozen—and then,
“Out Strider del Sole!”
I stepped through the stages, reaching a state of hyper speed. Five men—the one who threw the skewer and the four who lunged at me—each received a punch to their most durable area, their bellies.
“That should do it.”
As I released the state of hyper speed, the six men flew through the air in a parabolic arc from the force of my strikes.
“I held back, you know.”
With this, I had shown a glimpse of my power. If Saga were to claim he didn’t understand what I had done or that it was insufficient, he would simply be a naked king. In that case, I would need to consider additional reinforcements.
As I observed Saga, he seemed frozen for a moment, his eyes wide, trembling in shock.
“What was that just now?!”
He let out a voice filled with astonishment that resonated from deep within him.
The technique of plucking the skewer from the air and instantly erasing it was a partial activation of Out Strider del Sole. Similarly, the technique of stretching my thought process was a brain activation.
You might wonder if such a rapid activation is even possible. You’re right to think so. Well done.
Yes, the ability to activate Out Strider del Sole in just a part of my body, and to do so instantaneously—this was one of the techniques I had honed under Sena and Sensei’s rigorous training since arriving at Hermit Mountain.
The main technique for instantaneous activation was taught to me by Sensei, known as the Division of Body, Speech, and Mind Adornment.
Though the name may sound grand, it simply involves dividing the necessary steps for spell activation into four parts.
Body—Constructing the spell through physical gestures or certain dances.
Speech—Constructing the spell through spoken words.
Mind—Forming a precise and strong mental image necessary for spell activation.
Adornment—Using specific accessories as a medium to prepare the activation beforehand.
By dividing one process into these four parts, the speed of spell activation could theoretically increase fourfold.
I would like to share more about the grueling training and Sensei’s strict teaching methods at another time.
With this technique, the instantaneous partial activation of Out Strider del Sole had evolved from the improvised and incomplete technique I used in the battle against the Reverse Dead into a refined and stable skill.
If I were to name it, I would call it “Out Burn.”
But more importantly, the issue at hand was the expression of Saga Assaultbody, the leader of the Berserga Mercenary Corps, who had been trembling in shock before me, now transformed into a broad smile.
A smile—though it was accompanied by eyes narrowed like threads and a mouth pulled into a fierce grin, it reminded me not of the ogres I had fought in the labyrinth, but of the terrifying and fearsome demons from the folklore I had heard back in Japan.
The air around Saga warped as if it were being melted by superheated magma, creating a surreal illusion.
His face was a weapon, exuding an overwhelming presence that felt as if it could shatter bulletproof glass.
“I was rude. I apologize.”
Surprisingly, Saga offered me an apology. I had assumed he was a man completely devoid of such courtesy.
“My young men have greatly disrespected you, boy—no, was it Row? You have been wronged.”
I was taken aback by his unexpected reaction.
“Whoever did that, step forward!!”
At Saga’s roar, a young man, clearly affected by the earlier punches, stumbled forward.
“First, a jab. Come here!”
As soon as the young man approached Saga, he slammed his rock-like fist into the young man’s face. The boy’s nose crumpled, blood spraying from his mouth along with most of his front teeth, and he flew backward, eyes rolling back in his head.
Not satisfied with just that,
“Now the other four! I was watching, you know. If you can’t step forward, I’ll—”
He uttered chilling threats, causing the four pale-faced men to line up in front of Saga.
“This is the punishment for acting without thinking!”
I muttered, “Isn’t this punishment for being rude…?” but the men before me received punches that shattered their faces, collapsing to the ground, twitching uncontrollably.
“I held back. They won’t die. Camus!! Gather the seventh squad and take care of them!”
Camus was the person standing next to Saga. He was the only member of the Berserga Mercenary Corps who didn’t seem like a typical mercenary—tall, cool, and an intellectual with glasses, he was undeniably handsome. He responded with a quick “Hah!” and, along with a few others, carried off the battered Jab to who-knows-where.
“We’ve dealt out punishment to the one who acted,” Saga said, bowing his head in front of me.
Yikes…!! This is totally the way of the yakuza!
What unfolded before my eyes was a brutal display meant to show sincerity to someone who needed an apology. By administering a horrific punishment to the perpetrator right in front of the person owed an apology, it not only demonstrated remorse but also inflicted psychological damage on the witness, ensuring that the apology would be accepted without question.
I let out a sigh, “Alright, I accept that apology.”
Saga slicked back his hair with both hands and continued, “Since the punishment for those guys isn’t enough, I’ll add another apology. Of course, I’ll take on the request regarding the Sealed Domain. On top of that, Row, I’ll lend you a few capable folks from my side.”
Wait, what’s with this sudden change…? There’s no way this isn’t going to lead to him saying something like, “In exchange, come to my bed tonight.”
“Of course, the trial of Row’s abilities is already over.”
“Huh?” I blurted out.
“What? Is that strange?”
“Well, it’s not that it’s strange—”
“If you have something to say, then say it clearly!!”
“I just thought it was odd that we wouldn’t have to face off against Saga, the leader.”
“Oh, is that all?”
Saga replied with a smile.
“If the two of us were to fight, it wouldn’t end until one of us was dead.”
He laughed again and added, “I know you’re the same way, right?”
Yikes!! I can’t take this anymore! What is up with this guy!!